text stringlengths 160 608k | id stringlengths 47 47 | dump stringclasses 2 values | url stringlengths 13 2.97k | file_path stringlengths 125 140 | language stringclasses 1 value | language_score float64 0.65 1 | token_count int64 48 145k | score float64 1.5 5 | int_score int64 2 5 |
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Space between the inner diameter of pipe A and the outer diameter of pipe B when pipe B is positioned inside pipe A.
Source: API Specification 16Q, Design, Selection, Operation, and Maintenance of Marine Drilling Riser Systems, Second Edition, April 2017. Global Standards
The space between the outer wall of one string of pipe (casing or tubing) suspended in a wellbore and the inner wall of the next larger casing or the borehole wall; i.e., the space between concentric pipe strings.
Source: API BULLETIN E3, Environmental Guidance Document: Well Abandonment and Inactive Well Practices for U.S. Exploration and Production Operations, First Edition, January 1993 (Reaffirmed June 2000). Global Standards
Space surrounding the pipe in the wellbore. NOTE The outer wall of the annular space may be either surface or casing.
Source: API RP 10B-2, Recommended Practice for Testing Well Cements, First Edition, July 2005 (Reaffirmed: July 2010). Global Standards
Any space between concentric tubulars or between the tubular and the wellbore (formation).
Source: API RP 96, Deepwater Well Design and Construction, First Edition, March 2013. Global Standards
The space between two pipes, when one pipe is laterally positioned inside the other.
Source: API RP 16Q, Recommended Practice for Design, Selection, Operation and Maintenance of Marine Drilling Riser Systems, First Edition, November 1993 (Reaffirmed August 2001). Global Standards
Space between two concentric plastic sheaths of an unbonded flexible pipe cross-section.
Source: API RP 17B, Recommended Practice for Flexible Pipe, Fourth Edition, July 2008. Global Standards
The space between the drill string and the inside diameter of the hole being drilled, the last string of casing set in the well, or the marine riser.
Source: API RP 59, Recommended Practice for Well Control Operations, Second Edition, May 2006. Global Standards
Source: API RP 64, Recommended Practice for Diverter Systems Equipment and Operations, Second Edition, November 2001 (March 1, 2007). Global Standards
Space between the internal pressure sheath and outer sheath. NOTE Permeated gas and liquid is generally free to move and mix in the annulus.
Source: API SPEC 17J, Specification for Unbonded Flexible Pipe, Third Edition, July 2008. Global Standards
The space between the borehole and tubulars or between tubulars, where fluid can flow. The annulus designation between the production tubing and production casing is the “A” annulus. Outer annuli between other strings are designated B, C, D, etc. as the pipe sizes increase in diameter.
Source: API STD 65 – Part 2, Isolating Potential Flow Zones During Well Construction, Upstream Segment, Second Edition, December 2010. Global Standards
“Annulus” means the space between a wellbore and tubulars or between tubulars where fluid can flow.
Source: Division of Mineral Resources Management – Oil and Gas, Ohio Administrative Code, Chapter 1501:9, January 2012. Regulations
Space between two pipes when one pipe is inside the other.
Source: ISO 13624-1:2009, Petroleum and natural gas industries – Drilling and production equipment – Part 1:Design and operation of marine drilling riser equipment. Global Standards | <urn:uuid:64ccbbd8-ce15-45c8-85a8-ba0b73190d2a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://iadclexicon.org/annulus/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.880435 | 751 | 2.703125 | 3 |
This article is geared toward engineers, who for various reasons, tend to stay away from modeling and simulation software and focus more on actual EMC measurements in order to show that their designs meet EMC regulatory compliance requirements.
If you fall into this category, you are doing the companies, customers and yourself a huge disservice. Proving a design is valid only after it’s already built often results in a costly and time-consuming test-analyze-fix-repeat process. Attempting to build a bullet-proof design that easily passes EMC requirements, when using previously established guidelines and outdated rules of thumb (and other brute-force methods), often results in unknowingly designing a product that is way over-designed (i.e. has a lot more design margin than it really needs). This one oversight ultimately results in a product that is too costly to manufacture and almost impossible to make a profit on. Alternatively, by using these same outdated guidelines and processes, you may unknowingly under-design the product and find out that too late that it fails mandatory EMC compliance testing requirements and yet another costly, time-consuming (and embarrassing) redesign effort is required. Redesign efforts that occur at the tail end of the product development process, just before the planned
production release date, are not good. This rework results in costlier and harder to implement fixes, not to mention increased pressure and anxiety placed on an already stressed product development team scrambling feverishly to find viable solutions in time to meet the already late and promised customer ship date.
Most of this churn could be avoided by getting a little savvier in using some of the various simulation and modeling tools now available. There is a plethora electromagnetic modeling codes, circuit solvers, rule checkers, analytical modeling tools, web-based calculators and apps that we should carefully consider using prior to any prototype PC boards ever being ordered. The good news is that we don’t need a lot of advanced training in electromagnetics in order to effectively use these tools. The bad news is that there is a ton of simulation and modeling tools available and understanding what to look for can be tricky. To ease your own research efforts, you may find the following helpful. It categorizes the modeling and simulation software tools that are currently available so that any engineer can more easily conduct further research and gain a better insight into the proper use and application of these tools. Note that you may already have access to some of these tools.
Numerical EM Modeling Tools and Techniques
Modeling and simulation tools of this type include 2D, 2.5D and 3D tools, static field solvers, time domain and frequency domain codes, boundary element codes and the method of moments (BEM/MoM), finite element codes (FEM), finite difference time domain codes (FDTD), transaction level modeling (TLM), generalized multipole technique (GMT), finite-element time domain (FETD) and Partial element equivalent circuit method (PEEC) codes, geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD), uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) and physical optics (PO) codes.
Analytical Modeling Tools
These tools include impedance calculators, interference and crosstalk estimators, and maximum emissions calculators.
EMC Rule Checkers
These tools organize and maintain rules for PCB layout and rules for system design.
The applications and uses for these modeling and simulation tools are many. For example, these tools can be used to model currents induced on cables, cords and wiring harnesses, model power inverter noise, specific radiated emissions tests, bulk current injection tests, high-frequency package parasitics and transient susceptibility. We can model an automotive infotainment system, and Gbps backplane connector, if so desired. Furthermore, these modeling and simulation tools can be used for EMC troubleshooting and educating engineering teams regarding the viability of solutions to the EMC design challenges faced in current product designs. This comes in handy when trying to prove to the rest of the product development team (often with conflicting requirements), that our solution to a problem is the best one to implement. This is an almost impossible task to accomplish if we wait until we have prototypes available to test and simply try to prove our point with test data. Simulation results backed by test data can be very powerful and almost impossible to argue against good data. On your own you can probably think of other valuable uses of these applications and may even find yourself tailoring some to fit you own particular needs.
Modeling and simulation software should be considered as just another tool in our engineering bag of tricks and that it can and should be used to flush out issues in designs prior to making any substantial investments in tooling or prototypes. Keep in mind that modeling and simulation is not a magic bullet solution where we plug in everything we know about the problem into the system and it magically spits out the ideal solution. It takes the knowledge and experience of an engineer to break down problems into smaller chunks in order for our modeling and simulation efforts to be most effective. This may require a multi-stage model where the output of one model’s simulation acts as input to the next. In this way, each part of the problem, and associated model, is fully optimized, resulting in a much more accurate combined solution. Engineers must first understand what the problem is to be solved, how to break it down into smaller chunks, and what modeling technique will best help to solve that specific problem. This simplifying activity may take extra practice and effort at first, especially for
those of us who rather do things “old school” and are reluctant
Conclusion / Additional Resources
The main point of this article is to emphasize to engineers to not overlook modeling and simulation as an important and viable tool in developing products that have to meet EMC compliance requirements. It also points out that learning and using these tools isn’t necessarily reserved for only the advanced EMC practitioner. If you’re interested and desire further information and training on this important topic, Dr. Todd H. Hubing Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Clemson University and Director of the Clemson Vehicular Electronics Laboratory provides a one-day course covering much of what has briefly been mentioned in this article. Details on this course can be found here: https://learnemc.com/computer-modeling-tools-for-electromagnetic-compatibility.
Additionally, Bruce R. Archambeault, Omar M. Ramahi, and Colin Brench have written a book of this subject out titled “EMI/EMC Computational Modeling Handbook” which goes into much further detail than what can possibly be covered here.
Best of luck to you in utilizing simulation and modeling on your next big project!
- Archambeault, B.R., PCB Design for Real-World EMI Control, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002. | <urn:uuid:5152cff3-9a50-4471-a275-65351b7cc4c4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://incompliancemag.com/article/what-every-electronics-engineer-needs-to-know-about-simulation-software/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.926503 | 1,431 | 1.984375 | 2 |
WASHINGTON - Foam packaging recycling has moved into cyberspace with its own home page. ``We believe this will enable the public to be more knowledgeable about recycling their [expanded polystyrene] packaging,'' said Betsy de Campos, director of env-ironmental affairs for Association of Foam Packaging Recyclers of Washington, a nonprofit industry group. ``More importantly, it will enable the public to understand the importance of making sound packaging choices.''
Located on the World Wide Web, AFPR's home page address is http://www.presstar.com/afpr and lists more than 200 EPS recycling sites across the country. In addition, the site offers a detailed map identifying collection sites, results of industry-related EPS performance studies, technical articles and a quiz to test users' recycling knowledge. | <urn:uuid:023afcd6-c41a-4776-9ba2-6b613b01f663> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.plasticsnews.com/article/19960325/NEWS/303259959/afpr-gets-home-page | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.893867 | 165 | 2.28125 | 2 |
PAN Europe supports and participates in the Pesticide Action Week - a grassroots initiative orchestrated by Générations Futures, a Pan Europe member organisation in France, taking place during the first ten days of every spring (20th-30th of March) when usually the spraying of pesticides resumes. Pesticide Action Week has been a powerful force for awareness-raising and action for a pesticide-free Europe. Every year, hundreds of citizens, associations, farmers, companies, teachers, local governments organise a wide range of events: conferences, film screenings, theater shows, open door days, organic cooking classes, exhibitions, workshops, information booths, farmer markets, community organic meals, etc.
The public is invited to get better informed about the health and environmental challenges caused by pesticides and learn more about alternatives by taking part in one of the hundreds of organised activities.
Through PAN Europe's involvement, this movement is now reaching beyond France to other European countries. PAN Europe has been assisting organisations from Central and Eastern Europe. Key documents have been translated into Bulgarian, Croatian, Slovenian, Slovakian and Armenian, and local initiatives have been supported.
In 2021, the Pesticide Action Week took place mostly online because of the pandemic. Nevertheless, dozens of activities,-online and offline-, were organized in France and elsewhere. On this occasion, PAN Europe met with scientists to highlight the impact of pesticides on wildlife and biodiversity. Dr. Carsten Brühl, ecotoxicology researcher, told us more about amphibians, the silent victims of pesticides. | <urn:uuid:89be10d8-8769-43fd-a3a4-5d1cb715230e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.pan-europe.info/events/pesticides-action-week | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.933606 | 316 | 2.328125 | 2 |
Graham Hancock's Float Tank Experience
Type of Spiritual Experience
Graham Bruce Hancock (/ˈhænkɒk/; born 2 August 1950) is a British author, scientist and reporter. Hancock specialises in theories involving ancient civilisations, stone monuments or megaliths, altered states of consciousness, ancient myths, and astronomical or astrological data from the past. One theme of his works proposes a connection with a 'mother culture' from which he believes other ancient civilisations sprang. | <urn:uuid:a01495da-e3ce-4fbf-9dfb-d7f30eb2f60e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://allaboutheaven.org/observations/graham_hancock_s_float_tank_experience/221 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.813204 | 114 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Can music make your child smarter? Studies on the “Mozart Effect” suggest that children under 3 who are exposed to the composer’s music have increased brain development. Other studies indicate that such exposure appears to confer increased temporal-spatial reasoning skills. The net benefit is that such skills can enhance a person’s lifetime abilities in science, chess, math and engineering. It’s an intriguing, if unproven concept. However, neurological benefits aside, as any parent knows, kids love music.
With this in mind, manufacturers currently offer a wide range of new musical toys as well as upgrades of popular favorites for babies and toddlers.
Storytime Gloworm by Playskool (Birth+ $19.99)
Like its predecessors, a new addition to Playskool’s popular “Gloworm” line intends to ease baby’s transition to sleep. Squeeze the soft and cuddly Storytime Gloworm and it glows while telling five special bedtime stories and singing songs. As stories finish, the light fades.
Hug & Learn Baby Tad by Leapfrog (6 Months+ $26.99)
Baby Tad is not only a lovable stuffed toy, he’s also an interactive teaching tool with great features.
Like Storytime Gloworm, Baby Tad is soft and cuddly but he also teaches shapes and colors, which are the easiest concepts for babies to absorb. Baby Tad has six shapes on his bib (star, triangle, diamond, square, circle, and heart). When the shapes light up, Baby Tad tells a child what they are. When pushed, each shape starts a song, such as "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." A hidden button on Tad’s hand scrolls through the songs so your child can select the one he or she wants to hear.
Baby Tad is also interactive. If left alone for a while, he’ll say "Pick up Baby Tad,” in an adorable froggy voice. He has a variety of other sayings as well. Tad also reacts to "kisses." If you press his lips, he’ll say "I love you”.
Another feature is Baby Tad’s battery-saving ability. If he’s not being played with, he shuts himself off. He can also be turned off manually with a switch on one of his hands.
LittleTouch LeapPad by Leapfrog (6 months to 3 years $34.99)
Mentioned in an article about famous children´s must-have playthings in People Magazine’s September 13 issue, “They can’t live without…Many famous kids own the LeapFrog Little Touch LeapPad… which responds to an infant’s touch with stories and music”, this unusual toy is designed to grow along with your child.
LeapPad teaches early learning skills through stories that come alive with a touch. With three different settings and over 100 early learning activities that teach ABCs, letter sounds, colors, numbers, shapes, LeapPad adjusts to your child’s developmental stage.
Setting I, Music and Soundscapes, stimulates early brain development with a variety of sounds, rhythms, and music.
Setting 2, Word Play, builds early-language skills and object-word association with short phrases and visual context.
Setting 3, Laugh and Learn, targets preschool readiness with rhymes and early learning concepts.
LeapStart Learning Table by Leapfrog (6 months+ $44.99)
The interactive LeapStart learning table teaches the alphabet, counting, shapes, colors, instrument sounds, learning songs, cause and effect, and improves motor skills.
Contoured grips make pulling up easy and help babies develop motor skills. With detachable table legs for infant floor play, a volume control and an automatic shut-off, the Learning Table entertains your baby with melodies, instrument sounds, and things to spin, slide, roll, open, and close.
With over 40 songs to choose from, when babies turn the center page, the table switches modes and transforms musical discoveries into learning activities where each instrument plays a learning song.
Learn and Groove Activity Station by Leapfrog (4 months+ $99.99)
This interactive five-station activity center and infant walker rewards movement and develops motor skills while teaching the alphabet, numbers, counting, colors, cause and effect, and language. With real instrument sounds, “dance-step piano keys,” flashing lights, rotating seat, and a spinning disco ball, the fun travels anywhere your baby does.
Move and Groove can be height-adjusted as your baby grows, folds flat, and has an integrated travel handle. The seat base rotates 360 degrees, has a machine washable pad, and a rocking base that can be locked out. | <urn:uuid:167eab5f-9a73-4a5e-b59b-f80adf71a44d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.toydirectory.com/monthly/article.asp?id=967 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573118.26/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817213446-20220818003446-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.918389 | 1,007 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Top Benefits & Uses of AI in Digital Marketing strategy.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool that can take your digital marketing strategy to the next level. To get started, it’s important to understand how AI works and how it can be used in digital marketing.
1. Better Customer Experience
- Better Customer Experience
Customers have come to expect a seamless, personalized customer experience. The customer journey has become shorter and more transactional as customers seek out products and services that align with their personal needs, preferences, and behaviours. AI can help brands deliver on these expectations by improving customer experiences across multiple touchpoints across the entire journey through automation of processes such as:
To personalize a customer experience, brands need to have an understanding of the customer that goes beyond demographics and basic psychographics. AI can help by collecting and analyzing data from multiple touchpoints in real-time, allowing marketers to create a more detailed picture of customers and their preferences for messaging, content, product offerings, and more. Some examples include:
-Leveraging AI to recommend products based on past purchases and browsing history
-Delivering personalized email campaigns based on customer’s preferences Delivering relevant messaging at the right time (for example, via push notifications) Creating a more efficient customer experience
2. Uncovering Audience Insights
AI can help you to answer questions about your customers, and it can also help you to understand their behaviour. This is particularly useful if you’re trying to better understand a specific demographic or audience segment.
AI can help you to understand your customers’ preferences, pain points and needs, which will allow for more effective messaging that resonates with them.
It can also help you to understand how your audience members are engaging with your content, how long they spend on certain pages and where they drop off.
3. Lead Generation & Qualification
Lead Generation and Qualification
By now, you’ve probably noticed that we are big fans of using AI for lead generation. We’ve talked about how it can help you generate more leads by reaching out to your prospects in new ways. But what about qualifications?
Not all leads are created equal—some of them will be better than others. They may be more likely to buy from your company, or they may have a higher lifetime value (LTV). But to find out which ones are which, you’re going to need some sort of system for qualifying them first. And guess what? There’s also AI for that!
Qualification differs from lead generation because while lead gen is focused on collecting as many emails as possible, qualification focuses on filtering through those who are most likely going to convert into customers or clients—people who have expressed interest in buying something from you before reaching out directly via email or social media platforms like Facebook Ads Manager or Twitter Ads Manager (or wherever else).
What are the benefits of using AI for lead qualification? – Increase revenue by focusing on the right leads. – Reduce churn and costs associated with unqualified leads. – Match prospects’ needs more accurately to your company’s offerings. How does AI help you qualify leads? By filtering through a large number of them, weeding out any that do not meet certain criteria before making contact.
4. Content Creation
Now, you may be wondering: how can AI help me with content creation?
Let’s look at four ways that AI can help with content creation.
- AI can help you create more relevant content for your audience by analyzing their behaviour and interests. It will then help you create content that is more engaging, personalized and targeted to them.
- On the other hand, if one of your goals is to increase sales on an e-commerce site or boost customer engagement at a brick-and-mortar store, then AI can also help automate manual processes like product listing optimization (PLO), which means listing products in a way that encourages shoppers to buy more items – something that could otherwise be done manually but takes up valuable time for people in charge of managing a business’s online presence or running customer service departments (such as call centres). This also saves businesses money because they don’t have to hire employees who might take over from managers responsible for these tasks today!
AI can also help optimize content for search engines like Google or Bing, which means you don’t have to worry about writing long blog posts or articles because AI will do it for you! It will analyze what keywords your audience is using when they search and then recommend other ones that are relevant based on those searches so they can find the information they’re looking for without having to waste time going through all of those different websites themselves.
Personalization is one of the best ways to improve your digital marketing efforts. Personalized content is more effective, engaging and memorable than general messages that aren’t tailored for each specific customer. Personalized messages are also more persuasive and actionable since they speak directly to the individual’s needs and interests. Plus, personalized content is much more likely to be shared by your customers than generic ads or emails—and it’s also more likely to get a response!
Personalized experiences are key to increasing customer retention and revenue. The average consumer will forget about your brand within two weeks if there’s no one-on-one contact with it, but personalized experiences can help you build lifetime relationships.
Artificial intelligence is a big part of digital marketing’s future, and now’s the time to begin learning about it.
Artificial intelligence is a big part of digital marketing’s future, and now’s the time to begin learning about it. AI is becoming more prevalent in digital marketing for several reasons:
- It can offer a more personalized experience for your audience. By using AI to personalize your messaging, you’re able to speak directly to each individual person based on their interests and preferences. This helps you make better decisions about what content should be shared with each person in order to increase engagement rates.
- It can help you uncover insights about your audience that would otherwise be difficult or impossible for humans alone. For example, if someone looks at two unrelated products on your website but spends more time on one than another (for whatever reason), then this may suggest interest in purchasing one product over another—and this information could ultimately help guide future campaigns toward success!
As you can see, there are many different ways that AI can be used in digital marketing. The key is finding the right tool for the job. If your company has already started using AI, then great! You don’t need to do anything differently. But if not, now is the time to start learning about it so that you can integrate it into your workflow as soon as possible. | <urn:uuid:79af5a92-2a9f-420f-9c98-8f642ed0d8c2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://digitalmarketingai.tech/benefits-use-ai-digital-marketing-strategy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.947431 | 1,423 | 1.6875 | 2 |
I want to write a SUnit test which uses a file with the Pharo 4.0 FileSystem. I want to write a file and then later read it.
Something like this
fname := 'TabularTestExport1.xlsx'.
(FileLocator temp / fname ) delete.
TabularXSLXExport workbook: myWorkbook fileName: (FileLocator temp / fname ).
temp directory What is the method to use for using a temporary file in a platform independant way.
FileLocator tempDirectoryis not implemented.
deleting an existing test file How do I ensure that a file is deleted? I.e. How do I avoid a walkback in case the file does not exist.
Alternatively everything could be done in the memory: 1. creation of test file, 2. exporting test file, 3. Importing test file back | <urn:uuid:bd52e1ef-186e-4574-83b6-578c5fbbf42c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://stackoverflow.com/questions/31940565/pharo-filesystem-setup-of-sunit-test-which-uses-a-file/31943427 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571190.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810131127-20220810161127-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.831546 | 195 | 1.773438 | 2 |
We offer a wide range of specialized restoration skills and experience and are well equipped to restore and preserve your historic structure. Whether it is a complete restoration of a historically significant building or specific repairs, we can provide you with a thorough expert analysis of your property.
As traditional Craftsmen, we take pride in restoring historic structures correctly and beautifully. We often work hand in hand with the client, architect, engineers and other trade professionals who will get the job done professionally, efficiently for many generations to come.
When it comes to historic brick and stone masonry, the mortar utilized is equally important to the integrity of the structure. Historic materials, specifically mortar and brick from pre- 1930 are vastly different than modern materials and necessitate specific knowledge and experience to repair correctly and not cause greater deterioration.
The choice of historic coatings such as paint, lime wash or more decorative coatings in historic buildings often helped define the original aesthetic and spirit for that structure. Many historic buildings express themselves uniquely with their utilization of interior and exterior historical finishes.
The wide variety of historic coatings projects that we will undertake in our restoration projects include mineral solutions that allow the natural breathability of the material, encaustic painting, graining and marbleizing, decorative painting, fresco, and trompe l’oeil.
Proper assessment and diagnosis is a key first step to a successful quality historic coating preservation, rehabilitation, or restoration. In addition, proper handling or abatement is important with historic coatings, as many of the paints used prior to 1978 contained lead or other hazardous materials.
Once it is determined whether one is attempting preservation, rehabilitation, or restoration of the coating, our specialists employ sophisticated equipment to determine the necessary details to ensure a quality, long-lasting and historically appropriate product. | <urn:uuid:80a56385-2606-4237-9df9-99e93181fa9e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://dynamic-remediation.com/dynamic-remediation-solutions-historic-restoration/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.928651 | 369 | 2.09375 | 2 |
For All Mankind season two picks up a decade later in 1983. It’s the height of the Cold War and tensions between the United States and the USSR are at their peak. Ronald Reagan is president and the greater ambitions of science and space exploration are at threat of being squandered as the US and Soviets go head-to-head to control sites rich in resources on the moon.
The Department of Defense has moved into Mission Control, and the militarization of NASA becomes central to several characters’ stories: some fight it, some use it as an opportunity to advance their own interests, and some find themselves at the height of a conflict that may lead to nuclear war.
Ships within one business day | <urn:uuid:c8909e9a-d522-4633-952b-022dba15d36f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://moviesrusa.net/products/for-all-mankind-complete-second-season-blu-ray | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.968326 | 145 | 1.914063 | 2 |
A man from Stanberry, Missouri United States named Mike “Madman” Marcum made an attempt to construct a fully functional time machine on his porch. He started working on a contraption called the Jacobs Ladder.
Jacobs Ladder is a device that reduces air resistance between two poles by using a modified Compact Disc laser whose result will be a continuous arc. On turning on the device he spotted something abnormal.
He saw that there was a heat mark identical to what one would notice on a hot footpath, but it was vortex shaped and was circular. So he made up his mind to test the effect by throwing a screw made up of sheet metal through a vortex in order to see what would happen. As a result, the screw disappeared for half a second and later reappeared at a distance of a few feet.
Marcum was 21 years old at that time and was pursuing a course related to electricity. He was a brilliant student and also intelligent as compared to his fellow mates. The reason why Marcum wanted to build a time machine was that he could win lottery numbers from the future. However, Marcum was confronted with the issue of requiring a huge amount of power supply in order for the time machine to function effectively.
The CD laser caught fire after a few more trials. He figured out that he need to use larger transformers to rebuild the machine.
He intended to purchase brand new transformers, but they were rather expensive. So he changed his mind and stole 6 transformers worth more than 300 hundred pounds from St.JosephLight and Power generating station in King City, Mo.
He caused a power failure which resulted in a total blackout of several blocks throughout his neighborhood while he was testing his experiments. As a result, he was found guilty of stealing the transformers and was arrested a few moments later after the blackout i.e. on 29 January 1995 by the Gentry County Sheriff Eugene Lupfer.
After completing his jail sentence for several months Marcum was released and was invited by Art Bell on Coast to Coast Radio as a guest where he told the story of the screw and his plans to build a time machine. He also vowed that this time he will do it in a legal way.
In the radio show, Marcum told that he still wants to try the experiment but he lacks resources which include both money and spare parts. During the interview, he publicly told his mobile number because of which he received non-stop calls for three days. Many listeners contacted Marcum as they wanted to help him with funds, ideas, and spare parts.
The bits of help and donations made his project more powerful and the level of the project was much bigger this time as compared to earlier. This time he wanted to test the time machine on himself so he increased the power of the engine from a kilowatt to 3 megawatts.
To make the experiment more effective and efficient he also installed a rotating magnetic field similar to the one that was used by the US military in the Philadelphia Experiment.
A year later Mike was again invited as a guest by Art Bell where Mike claimed that this time he experimented with the more advanced and sophisticated time machine. Also this time the electromagnetic vortex was big enough for a man to walk into.
At the end of the interview, Marcum claimed that he was on the verge of generating the desired amount of voltage required to run the machine. On being getting asked what he would take with him Mike replied that he would just take his cell phone. Now instead of his phone number, he gave his address.
In 1996 during his second last interview which was also his last Mike said that he was just 30 days away from completing his “legal” time machine.
Mike Marcum disappeared in 1997 he was never found. A stranger later called the Art Bell Show to report a strange story he had found. According to the story a dead body of a man was found on a Californian beach in the 1930s. The dead body was mysteriously crushed in a strange metal tube, the face was in an unrecognizable state and a strange device was also found next to the dead body. The device was similar to a cell phone.
Leave us your thoughts in the comment section. | <urn:uuid:33c37f57-eb93-4be8-bb5d-63f053225f6f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.infinityexplorers.com/mike-marcum-the-man-who-vanished-after-inventing-a-time-machine/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.990336 | 859 | 1.851563 | 2 |
It’s hard not to talk to the television while watching Hoarders. I have caught myself blurting out “Why can’t he throw away that 10-year-old can of beans?” And “How many dolls can a grown woman own?” Or “Tell me she isn’t going to keep those dirty diapers!”
I’ve also repeatedly asked myself, “Why can’t I stop watching this show?”
I’m sure many other viewers have asked themselves that question, too, because, frankly, Hoarders is not easy to watch. Though I often find myself incredibly frustrated with the show’s subjects and sometimes even repulsed by how they live, I never miss an episode of the A&E documentary series, which airs on Mondays at 9 p.m. EST and is now in its fourth season.
I tell Dr. Robin Zasio, a licensed clinical psychologist and licensed social worker, who works with hoarders on the show, “I’m obsessed with Hoarders. It is my compulsion.”
“Oh, good. That’s a good compulsion to have,” she replies with a laugh.
So why do people watch Hoarders?
Certainly, the sheer shock factor provides the initial pull. “Hoarding is bizarre,” Zasio acknowledges. “You’re sitting there watching it going, ‘Really? No! This can’t be happening!’”
Once the disbelief wears off, people stay tuned because they are intrigued by the condition, Zasio theorizes, and some viewers might even realize that they or someone they know—a neighbor, a parent, a sibling or a friend—has the affliction.
Zasio, whose book The Hoarder in You comes out in November, says there are varying degrees of hoarding, with hoarders falling on a continuum ranging from mild to extreme. As for what makes someone a hoarder, “Every person is different. We tend to see a genetic predisposition to compulsive hoarding, and usually it’s complicated by both environmental and psychological issues,” Zasio says, noting that we need to have compassion for hoarders. “People don’t make a decision to be a hoarder. That’s important to understand.”
There are an estimated 3 million hoarders in the United States, though Zasio believes there are likely many more who go uncounted because hoarders tend to keep their condition secret due to the stigma. Recently nominated for its first Emmy in the category of Best Reality Program, Hoarders is inspiring more hoarders to get help.
The people featured on the show are truly in crisis. Their houses and apartments are unlivable, and if they don’t rectify their situations, they could lose their homes, their children and even their lives in some cases. Despite the dire consequences they face and the help they get from therapists as well as professional organizers and cleanup crews, many of these hoarders have a tough time letting go of anything; they cling to seemingly inconsequential items, such as rusty towel bars, empty soda cans or broken toys.
As we see on the show, Zasio encourages the hoarders to deal head-on with their greatest fear: letting go. “You need to confront your fear,” she says. “You need to let go of the stuff and sit with it, and ultimately you’re going to see that what you fear you’re going to experience, for example, loss, regret, ‘I’ll never get over it,’ that kind of thing, isn’t typically going to be there.”
The producers of Hoarders often assign Zasio to the most severe cases, requiring her to enter houses full of human waste, rotted food and dead animals. “I’m pretty fearless,” she says. “Not a lot bothers me.”
Still, there are times when even a trained professional can find a hoarding situation difficult to face. Those of us who watch Hoarders will recall the episode featuring Glen, a hoarder who lived with thousands of pet rats roaming around his house. Zasio was assigned to work with Glen, but simply entering his house proved challenging. “I was scared,” she confesses. “It took me three tries to walk in the house. Glen and I would walk up to the front door, and my heart would start pounding when I thought about what was on the other side of the door, so I would say, ‘Okay, wait a minute. Just let me take a deep breath.’”
Once she got inside, Zasio couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “It was surreal,” she recalls. “I’m standing among 2,000 rats. They are literally coming out of the walls.”
Soon enough, Zasio, an animal lover who counts a bird, turtles and a dog among her pets, grew accustomed to being surrounded by rodents, and she later adopted two of them. “We were telling people, ‘We have 2,000 rats, and they need to be adopted,’” says the doctor, whose practice is based in Sacramento, California. “And I was encouraging people to do it, and I went, ‘I have to be a role model.’ So I drove to San Francisco, and I adopted two brothers—Laurel and Hoardie.”
Just to be sure: She named her rats Laurel and H-o-a-r-d-i-e? “Yes,” Zasio confirms with a laugh.
Glen was a Hoarders success story by the way. He was able to let go of his rat hoard, keeping just a few of his beloved pets. “It is so rewarding going into these extreme situations and being able to make an impact,” Zasio says. “That’s why I am passionate about this show.” | <urn:uuid:8cb2ac41-eac0-4c84-85f8-5be55d3dabb6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.retailmenot.com/blog/hoarding.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.978123 | 1,298 | 1.773438 | 2 |
EAST LANSING (AP) — The University of Michigan and Michigan State University are getting a total of more than $10 million in grants for research related to food safety, bioenergy issues and childhood obesity, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today.
More than $5.5 million, including $2.5 million to develop ways to reduce the amount of E. coli released by cattle, will go to MSU researchers. The USDA said $4.9 million for childhood obesity research will go to UM.
"We know that if our kids are going to grow up and win the future, they have to be healthy and receive the right nutrition," said a statement by Roger Beachy, director of the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, who announced the grants.
The USDA said Dr. Julie Lumeng of UM will explore steps to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity among Head Start preschoolers in Michigan. Dawn Contreras of Michigan State University Extension also is involved in the project.
With the National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant, Lumeng and her team will develop a program to study the relationship between stress, children's eating habits and obesity, and they will examine the potential benefits of stress management strategies.
If successful strategies are found, the USDA said teachers nationwide could get information on how to put them in place.
With the grant related to E. coli research at MSU, the aim is to eventually reduce the risk of foodborne illness in humans. The project is led by Shannon Manning, a molecular biologist and epidemiologist in the school's Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics.
"These infections are a national concern, particularly during outbreaks when public health agencies are rapidly trying to identify the sources to prevent additional infections," said Manning, whose work is funded in part by MSU AgBioResearch, in a statement.
Three other grants for MSU research, which each are nearly $1 million, are related to bioenergy issues. | <urn:uuid:df07509e-b491-498c-8b97-4f8b6f73444c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20110314/FREE/110319968/um-msu-getting-more-than-10m-in-grants-usda-announces | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.957226 | 403 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Acute myeloid leukaemia in the elderly carries an extremely poor prognosis. Where intensive therapy is considered inappropriate, the hypomethylating agent, decitabine, shows promise both in terms of efficacy and tolerability
Nick Duncan MRPharmS MSc
Principal Pharmacist – Haematology/Oncology
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust,
Email: [email protected]
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is the most common acute leukaemia in adults, with an annual incidence in Europe of five to eight cases per 100,000 persons.(1) It is considered to be primarily a disease of the elderly, with a median age of onset of 67 years and a marked increase in incidence in patients older than 65 years.
Developments in terms of both chemotherapy and supportive care have resulted in steady improvements in survival in younger adults with AML, such that five-year survival rates are now in the region of 40%.(2) However, the prognosis for the majority of older patients remains poor, with the median survival continuing to be measured in months rather than years. A variety of factors are believed to contribute to this marked difference in outcome.
For example, elderly patients are more likely to have adverse cytogenetic abnormalities at presentation, to have developed AML secondary to an antecedent haematological disorder and to overexpress the multidrug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene, leading to increased treatment resistance. In addition, poor performance status, comorbidities and organ dysfunction increase the likelihood of patients being judged unfit for intensive chemotherapy.
However, with the emergence of data demonstrating the benefits of a more intensive approach to treatment in the elderly, and also the introduction of potentially more effective ‘non-intensive’ options, there is room for optimism that outcomes in this population of patients can be improved.
Treatment strategies for elderly AML patients have traditionally been subdivided into intensive and non-intensive options and these will be discussed in turn.
The mainstay of induction treatment for younger patients with AML remains the combination of cytarabine with an anthracycline, usually daunorubicin but sometimes idarubicin. A regimen such as daunorubicin for three days with seven days of cytarabine (the ‘3+7’ schedule) will produce complete remission (CR) rates after two courses of up to 75%.2 Historically, many elderly patients were deemed unfit for such an approach but a recent large Swedish study demonstrated that, in patients up to 80 years of age, giving standard induction chemotherapy actually decreased the early death rate and resulted in an improved overall survival.(3)
Investigators have also focused on whether dose intensification of chemotherapy can improve outcomes in older patients and, although findings have been inconsistent, one group recently showed that increasing the dose of daunorubicin from 45mg/m2 to 90mg/m2 led to an increase in CR from 54% to 64% (p=0.002) and an improvement in two-year overall survival from 23% to 38% (p<0.001) in a subgroup patients aged between 60 and 65 years.(4)
For those elderly patients who achieve a remission after induction therapy, the vast majority will relapse within 12 months, and there remains a lack of randomised trial evidence showing clear benefit from consolidation or maintenance strategies.(5) Although one or two course of cytarabine would be considered a standard approach, attempts to intensify this approach have, to date, met with failure.(6)
Looking forward, the most promising post-remission strategy (for selected patients) is probably allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT).
Allogeneic SCT is widely used in the management of younger patients with high-risk AML and might also have a role to play in those with intermediate-risk disease.(2) However, the toxicity of conventional myeloablative conditioning generally precludes its use in patients over the age of 40 years.(2) Recently, reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens have been developed, with the aim of reducing the toxicity of the procedure while still harnessing the graft-versus-leukaemia effect of the donor immune system. Results to date have been encouraging.(7)
For example, a retrospective analysis of international registry data for 1080 patients with AML or myelodysplastic syndrome undergoing RIC allogeneic SCT reported two-year survival rates of between 35% and 50% in patients 55 years and older, and also demonstrated that increasing age was not associated with poorer clinical outcomes.(8) However, concerns have been raised about an increased risk of graft-versus-host disease in older transplant recipients and prospective trials in this area are needed.(2)
For those patients who are not deemed suitable for, or choose to forego, intensive treatment, options are limited. Best supportive care has historically been the most common management strategy but the MRC AML 14 trial clearly demonstrated that this was inferior to low dose cytarabine (at a dose of 20mg twice daily for ten days, given every four-to-six weeks) both in terms of response rate (18% versus 1%; p=0.00006) and overall survival (odds ratio 0.60; p=0.0009).(9) However, the one-year overall survival with cytarabine in this study was only 25%, indicating a need for novel approaches to the management of this difficult to treat population (Table 1). One of the most promising of these agents, decitabine, will be discussed in detail.
DNA methylation is a key regulator of gene transcription and genomic stability and it has been demonstrated that aberrant methylation patterns (leading to the silencing of key tumour suppressor genes) can drive the progression of a number of malignancies, including AML. Decitabine is an analogue of cytidine deoxynucleoside that acts during the S phase of the cell cycle to inhibit the enzyme DNA methyltransferase, leading to reactivation of tumour suppressor genes, induction of differentiation and apoptosis.
Decitabine has been approved by the European Medicines Agency for ‘the treatment of adult patients aged 65 years and above with newly diagnosed de novo or secondary AML….who are not candidates for standard induction chemotherapy’(10) and is administered as a daily IV infusion at a dose of 20mg/m2/day for five consecutive days of a four-week cycle.
Four key clinical trials have investigated the role of decitabine in the upfront management of AML in elderly patients for whom intensive chemotherapy was deemed unsuitable (Table 2). The first of these involved 55 patients (age >60 years) with newly diagnosed AML who received the licensed dosing schedule of decitabine until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.(11) The mean age of the population was 74 and the median cycles received was three (range 1–25). The CR rate was 24% and the median survival was 7.7 months. Although the 30-day mortality was only 7%, at three months, 25% of patients had died, a rate similar to that seen with more intensive chemotherapy approaches. Toxicity was primarily related to myelosuppression with other grade 3/4 toxicities, including fatigue (26%) and dyspnoea (15%).
An alternative dosing schedule (but identical to that approved in the US for treatment of MDS) was adopted by Lübbert and colleagues in a large Phase II trial of 227 patients (median age 72 years) with newly diagnosed AML.(12) The drug was given at a dose of 15mg/m2 three times daily on three consecutive days every six weeks. The objective response rate (complete and partial) was 26%, although only 13% of patients achieved a CR, and median survival was 5.5 months. Again, toxicity was primarily haematological.
A third phase II study utilised a more prolonged decitabine schedule (20mg/m2/day for ten consecutive days) in 53 elderly patients (median age 74) and demonstrated a higher CR rate of 47% with a median overall survival of 12.7 months.(13) Despite the more intensive decitabine schedule, only one patient died within the first 30 days of treatment.
Most recently, the pivotal phase III study comparing decitabine with treatment choice (best supportive care or low-dose cytarabine) was published in full.(14) A total of 485 patients aged 65 years or older (median 73 years) were randomised to decitabine (20mg/m2/day for five consecutive days every four weeks) or TC, of whom 28 received supportive care and 215 received low-dose cytarabine (20mg/m2/day for ten consecutive days every four weeks). The primary endpoint was overall survival, which demonstrated a non-significant trend in favour of the decitabine arm (7.7 months versus 5 months; p=0.11) and a hazard ratio (HR) for death of 0.85. A subsequent unplanned analysis of more mature data produced an improved HR of 0.82, which was statistically significant (p=0.04). The 30-day mortality was comparable for each chemotherapy schedule (9% for decitabine, 8% for cytarabine) and the incidence of grade 3/4 adverse events and rates of discontinuation due to adverse events was also similar between groups.
It is difficult to directly compare the findings of these studies, given the different trial designs and patient populations. For example, although the best survival outcome was seen with a ten-day schedule of decitabine, that trial included a higher percentage of good-risk patients than seen in the other studies. Furthermore, it is still unclear whether decitabine or azacitidine should be the hypomethylating agent of choice for elderly AML patients. A subgroup analysis of the pivotal AZA-001 trial (which was designed for MDS rather than AML patients but recruited a cohort of patients with low marrow blast count AML) demonstrated a median overall survival for azacitidine-treated patients of 24.5 months despite a CR rate of only 15%.(15) In this trial, patients of 50 years and older were considered elderly and for this, and other methodological reasons, it is inappropriate to directly compare these outcomes with those seen for decitabine. A head-to-head trial of these agents is clearly warranted.
Despite a number of recent developments in treatment options, there remains a lack of consensus on the most appropriate pathway for elderly patients with AML. Clearly, it is crucial to differentiate between those patients who are likely to do well with intensive chemotherapy and those better suited to a non-intensive approach, such that therapeutic benefit can be maximised without exposing patients to unacceptable toxicities. It is encouraging that selected patients can now be offered a potentially curative intervention in the form of RIC allogeneic SCT, while the advent of decitabine and other novel agents is expected to improve the outlook for those patients who are deemed unsuitable for more intensive treatments.
- Despite improvements in outcomes in younger patients, acute myeloid leukaemia still carries a very poor prognosis in the elderly.
- Wherever possible, older patients should be offered intensive therapies in order to improve outcomes.
- Allogeneic stem cell transplantation using a reduced intensity conditioning schedule may offer the prospect of long-term survival in carefully selected, fitter patients.
- For those patients considered unsuitable for intensive therapies, a number of novel therapies are now available.
- Decitabine, a hypomethylating agent, has demonstrated promising efficacy in elderly patients for whom non-intensive treatment is deemed most appropriate.
- Fey MF et al. Acute myeloblastic leukaemias and myelodysplastic syndromes in adult patients: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol 2010;21 Suppl 5:v158–61.
- Burnett A et al. Therapeutic advances in acute myeloid leukemia. J Clin Oncol 2011;29:487–94.
- Juliusson G et al. Age and acute myeloid leukemia: real world data on decision to treat and outcomes from the Swedish Acute Leukemia Registry. Blood 2009;113:4179–87.
- Löwenberg B et al. High-dose daunorubicin in older patients with acute myeloid leukemia. N Engl J Med 2009;361:1235–48.
- Pollyea DA et al. Acute myeloid leukemia in the elderly: a review. Br J Haematol 2011;152:524–42.
- Goldstone AH et al. Attempts to improve treatment outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in older patients: the results of the United Kingdom Medical Research Council AML11 trial. Blood 2001;98:1302–11.
- Dohner H et al. Diagnosis and management of acute myeloid leukemia in adults: recommendations from an international expert panel, on behalf of the European LeukemiaNet. Blood 2010;115:453–74.
- McClune BL et al. Effect of age on outcome of reduced-intensity hematopoietic cell transplantation for older patients with acute myeloid leukemia in first complete remission or with myelodysplastic syndrome. J Clin Oncol 2010;28:1878–87.
- Burnett AK et al. A comparison of low-dose cytarabine and hydroxyurea with or without all-trans retinoic acid for acute myeloid leukemia and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome in patients not considered fit for intensive treatment. Cancer 2007;109:1114–24.
- Janssen Cilag. Dacogen. Summary of Product Characteristics. www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/27127/SPC/Dacogen++50+mg+powder+for+concentrate+for+solution+for+infusion./ (accessed 20 April 2013).
- Cashen AF et al. Multicenter, phase II study of decitabine for the first-line treatment of older patients with acute myeloid leukemia. J Clin Oncol 2010;28:556–61.
- Lübbert M et al. A multicenter phase II trial of decitabine as first-line treatment for older patients with acute myeloid leukemia judged unfit for induction chemotherapy. Haematologica 2012;97:393–401.
- Blum W et al. Clinical response and miR-29b predictive significance in older AML patients treated with a 10-day schedule of decitabine. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2010;107:7473–8.
- Kantarjian HM et al. Multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase III trial of decitabine versus patient choice, with physician advice, of either supportive care or low-dose cytarabine for the treatment of older patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia. J Clin Oncol 2012;30:2670–7.
- Fenaux P et al. Azacitidine prolongs overall survival compared with conventional care regimens in elderly patients with low bone marrow blast count acute myeloid leukemia. J Clin Oncol 2010;28:521–3. | <urn:uuid:1a812f20-2849-4303-805f-08a024d43b14> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://hospitalpharmacyeurope.com/clinical-zones/haematology/treating-acute-myeloid-leukaemia-in-the-elderly/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.922296 | 3,302 | 2.0625 | 2 |
Innovative Clinical Decision Support Tool
The management of childhood infections is often inadequate in resource-limited settings resulting in high mortality and irrational use of antimicrobials. Current disease management tools rely solely on clinical signs but do not include point-of-care tests such as blood tests to detect infections.
To improve diagnosis and care of sick children, Swiss TPH developed a smartphone-based interactive decision support tool (e-POCT). E-POCT guides health workers through the entire consultation and recommends treatment based both on clinical signs as well as point-of-care test results. Apart from the malaria rapid diagnostic test, the e-POCT includes tests for anemia, low oxygen, bacterial infections, and low blood glucose. The project is funded by the Swiss Programme for Research on Global Issues for Development (r4d programme).
Clinical Trial with Promising Results
Results of a clinical trial in Tanzania now showed improved health outcomes and a reduction in antibiotic prescriptions. The trial which was conducted by Swiss TPH in collaboration with the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI) and the Dar es Salaam City Council, compared the clinical outcomes of 1,586 children under 5 years of age with acute infections treated using e-POCT with that of 1,583 children treated using the current reference smartphone algorithm. Children treated with e-POCT had a better health outcome compared to the reference algorithm, while antibiotic prescription was reduced by two thirds.
“Only about one out of ten febrile children presenting to primary care in Tanzania require an antibiotic treatment” said Kristina Keitel, Swiss TPH. “With e-POCT we can better target those children truly in need for antibiotic treatment.” The results of the clinical trial were published on 23 October 2017 in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS Medicine.
Antimicrobial Resistances on the Rise
Drug resistances are on the rise worldwide. Every year, around 700,000 people die due to antimicrobial drug resistance to bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Without counter measures, experts estimate that by 2050, the annual death toll could increase to 10 million. The misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in people and animals is accelerating this process. | <urn:uuid:79b2e67f-5e59-426c-a297-93dae48a2936> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.swisstph.ch/fr/actualites/20172710-e-poct/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571190.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810131127-20220810161127-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.938873 | 458 | 2.9375 | 3 |
- Prof. Eyad Elyan
- School of Computing Science and Digital Media, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
Website | E-mail
Special Issue Introduction
Significant and unprecedented progress has been achieved in the area of computer vision over the past decade. This is mainly due to the latest development in deep learning-based methods, deep reinforcement learning and, in deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs). These CNN-based methods have resulted in significant progress in the field of medical image analysis and understanding, anomaly detection, and medical image segmentation. It has also greatly advanced research in various autonomous and semi-autonomous acting machines and robotic surgery-related applications, such as phase recognition, image, and video segmentation, detecting and tracking objects of interest, navigational tasks, and others.
In the area of autonomous actions in surgery, key computer vision tasks such as classification, segmentation, objects localizations, and depth estimation are all crucial for successful automation or semi-automation of surgery tasks. However, creating deep models to perform these tasks at the human level (experts level) in such an environment is still considered a challenging task despite the latest development in the field. For example, deep learning models require large volumes of fully and accurately annotated/labeled data. In the medical domain, annotating and labeling images and videos can be very expensive and labor-intensive tasks. In a surgery setting, this can be even more challenging. There is also a clear lack of public datasets (images and videos in surgery settings), and data captured in the theatre is often hugely imbalanced, where some events/ actions, or objects of interest are scarce, yet the accurate detection/ recognition of these objects is crucial. But more importantly, automounts surgery is a dynamic environment that requires detection, recognition, and action, which involves movement and requires accurate estimation of depth from 2D images (videos), is still considered a key computer vision challenge.
The overall aim of this special issue is to capture the latest development and challenges in the area of computer vision research and with emphasis on autonomous/ semi-autonomous actions in surgery-related applications. We invite authors to submit original articles and reviews related to the recent advances and challenges in medical image analysis and understanding, object detection and recognition, and medical images and videos segmentation. We are particularly interested in new trends and challenges in this area, including but not limited to:
Deep convolutional neural networks and their applications in autonomous and semi-autonomous surgery
Latest development in artificial intelligence surgery and computer vision
Medical image classification and understanding
Learning from imbalanced medical images
Object detection, tracking, and recognition
Depth estimation using deep learning
Reinforcement learning for navigational tasks and autonomous actions
Generative adversarial neural networks (GANs) for synthesizing and generating medical images
Reviews on robotic surgery and artificial intelligence
Participants1. Hassan Ugail, University of Bradford, Bradford, United Kingdom.
2. Yingliang Ma, Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom.
3. Pessaux Patrick, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Submission Deadline10 Aug 2022 | <urn:uuid:27eeb281-34f1-4ad5-9a60-c023bfc433cd> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://aisjournal.net/journal/special_detail/1039 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.916588 | 664 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Smart and not-so-smart action on climate change
President Obama's proposals on climate change include a lot of ideas that could cost a lot of money. Some would be well-spent. Some would be wasted.
Malware for mobile devices is out there
75% of young people are ineligible for military service
Supercomputing is coming soon to a business near you
Iowa's top political donors | <urn:uuid:4cf96d23-362e-4dd3-b134-2edd610c037a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.gongol.com/fft/2013/06/25/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.955588 | 87 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Among them are the Gudjuda Land and Sea Rangers from the Burdekin location, 650km south of Cooktown, who are also functioning alongside experts to overcome an additional risk to the world’s greatest coral reef process in the sort of fibropapillomatosis, a turtle-distinct herpes virus 1st observed in the Good Barrier Reef’s turtles in the 1970s.
“Our ancestors never realized about this condition, so it truly is critical for us to realize it so we can enable teach our persons about it,” explained Eddie Smallwood, elder and chairperson of the Gudjuda Reference Team based mostly in House Hill, which functions in partnership with Queensland’s James Prepare dinner University and the Environment Wildlife Fund, among other environmental action groups.
You may well also be interested in:
• Australia’s forgotten other ‘Great Reef’
• A new way to see the Wonderful Barrier Reef
• Who were being the world’s very first bakers?
Considered to be caused by marine air pollution, fibropapillomatosis is just not only a danger to turtles, ensuing in tumours that can blind them, but also to the reef’s cultural heritage. “Turtle has been a foods supply for our folks for hundreds of several years, but immediately after what I’ve seen, I will not try to eat it anymore,” rued Smallwood.
As element of their in depth turtle monitoring method, Gudjuda rangers carry out periodic turtle rescue and tagging excursions known as “turtle rodeos”. And in the coming months, people will be equipped to be part of these energetic catch-and-release data selection occasions with Gudjuda Tours.
“The tours will give us a probability to present individuals how we glance soon after turtles, and the critical job of turtles in the ecosystem, and in our tradition,” reported Smallwood.
Just a short hop north, in the Townsville location, the Museum of Underwater Artwork (MOUA) also showcases indigenous conservation themes in its series of aquatic installations introduced in various phases. | <urn:uuid:470e652d-24f1-4bad-b3a1-85c7a14d8903> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://keys-resort.com/can-indigenous-know-how-conserve-the-reef.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570913.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809064307-20220809094307-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.928909 | 455 | 2.34375 | 2 |
On Thursday, March 22 at 5:40 a.m., Atlanta city officials learned of a ransomware attack on many of the city’s customer-facing applications. Several sites affected dealt with paying bills and accessing court-related information.
After five days, the city finally gave the go ahead for employees to turn their computers back on. But many officials call this attack a changing point for cybersecurity, as software is becoming more advanced.
Ransomware is a newer type of cyber attack, which disables systems until a ransom is paid to get it back, said Dave Schroeder, technology and cybersecurity strategist for the University of Wisconsin Division of Information Technology.
In Atlanta’s case, the ransomware was known as “SamSam” and instead of gaining access through phishing, it looks for vulnerabilities in web sites and other internet services open to the public. This makes it especially dangerous for municipalities which are unprotected, Schroeder said.
“There is generally no way to recover data from this kind of attack without knowing the decryption key, which the attackers will only provide if the ransom is paid, or by recovering systems from backups,” Schroeder said. “Even with good backups, this can be a painstaking and time-consuming process. Often the ransom amounts may not seem large by US standards, but could represent a windfall for attackers operating in other parts of the world. The attackers usually demand the ransom be paid using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.”
These ransomware attacks are becoming more common and could be a threat to any city, including Madison, Schroeder said.
Organizations which invest in technical capabilities to protect and back up their systems, as well as spend time educating their staff about how to protect themselves and their networks online, are the most secure from any kind of attack. But no organization is completely immune and a determined attacker can often find a way in, Schroeder said.
“This kind of attack could happen anywhere,” Schroeder said. “Any city service that depends on computers could be impacted, from the water utility to police and fire service to the Madison schools. These kinds of attacks can impact an entire city’s population, with days to weeks to fully recover. This is why it is really incumbent on any organization to recognize that while good cybersecurity policies and practices cost money to implement, they can save even more money in the long run.”
The FBI and cyber security organizations recommend not negotiating or paying the ransom, as it gives the hackers a motive for continuing their attacks, Schroeder said.
Visiting professors express concerns on how big data, mass surveillance will affect criminal justice systemThe University of Wisconsin Holtz Center for Science and Technology studies hosted a panel which discussed how both big data Read…
But that is difficult to achieve as hostaged information could contain key information, particularly for a health care organization with patient security in mind, UW chief information security officer Bob Turner said.
Because of the huge potential threat, Turner believes the Atlanta attack means cities need to up their security measures and look ahead to the next generation of cyber attacks. This method can be hard because as technology improves, so do the methods to hack into it to gain money or information.
“The simple fact is anything can be impacted — your Amazon Alexa, building controls, camera systems and your refrigerator — they are all vulnerable to attack because you can do it. Anytime technology improves, there becomes a tactic to cause chaos and mayhem,” Turner said.
The events in Atlanta also have pushed UW to focus on their security to ensure the potential for an attack like this can be minimized, Turner said.
UW has a really complex online presence, with more than 750 networks on their gigabyte backbone, Turner said. This means more protection of the sites and trying to identify the early signs of a hacker before it gets any worse.
“We get the indicators of compromise based on the tools we have and then determine if we have ransomware coming onto the system,” Turner said. “But sometimes it happens so fast you don’t even know it, or sometimes it is a direct load, so if there is a phishing campaign in progress built so people will bite on it, so we are less secured against that.”
While the university has an active program to protect against phishing, they are still heavily dependent on the user, Turner said. When someone clicks on a link sent to their email they don’t know about, it can lead to much bigger problems for the university.
But the addition of SamSam in the cyber world will change the game for security measures and adds another tool to hacker’s tool belt, Turner said.
To protect yourself from a potential attack, Turner said the most secure measure is to make sure you have a full backup of your device. Turner advocated that the best way to store backups is through the “generational son-father-grandfather” method.
“The ‘son’ backup is something that is done every day and is really just data. The ‘father’ backup is done on a weekly or monthly basis, but it also contains not only the data from a greater period of time, but the operating system necessary to rebuild you devise. Finally, the ‘grandfather’ is sitting over at the house far away from the father and son
and is the ultimate full backup, the ‘everything is broke and I need to have a whole new system built’ backup,” Turner said.
But with a changing technological world, nobody can be completely protected, Turner said. The best you can do it to take the necessary precautions for a “what if” scenario.
Turner believes the bottom line is hackers will continue to do whatever they can to make money and municipalities, schools and organizations need to be prepared for the worst.
“They did it in Atlanta and they will do it somewhere else,” Turner said. “They want money and they will do anything to get it. It’s a game, but it’s a really serious game. There is a lot of money to be made in cyber crime and a lot of money to be spent by municipalities that can’t afford the proper defense.” | <urn:uuid:0239acf0-6b36-4abb-ae4d-65ef4d0bf533> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://badgerherald.com/news/2018/04/10/uw-experts-reflect-on-atlanta-ransomware-attack-what-it-could-mean-for-madison/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.958059 | 1,295 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Wind, dust, debris and loose hair can congest the tear-ducts and cause tearing in the eyes of your beloved pets and can lead to irritation and painful infections. Blocked tear-ducts can further lead to the development of tear stains which is especially unesthetic on light fur.
EyeCare cleans and protects the sensitive eyes of your pet. The soft compound absorbs and removes any discharge, dirt particles and germs and soothes irritated eyes. No tears have to be spilled. Eye care is suitable for any kind of pet.
Wash your hands before use.
As required, gently dab a small amount of EyeCare on the eyelid and in the corner of the eye for 2-3 seconds. The soft compound absorbs any discharge as well as dirt particles and germs. Repeat as necessary.
If discharge recurs repeatedly, the collected material is yellowish or greenish, and/or the surrounding tissues are red and irritated, please consult a veterinarian.
After use, dispose of the used EyeCare portion in the household waste.
Eye care provides the most gentle care for sensitive eyes. Regular use actively prevents irritations and the development of tear stains.
Daniel Senn, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine | <urn:uuid:3195d69d-d62f-43e0-80a7-28aa7981298f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://pet-and-care.com/products/eyecare/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.917087 | 247 | 2.125 | 2 |
New Yorkers can breathe a little easier — air pollution in the city is at the lowest level ever recorded, new data from the city Health Department shows.
The amount of particulate matter in the air — considered the most dangerous urban pollutant because it can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, contributing to lung and heart disease — has fallen 18% since 2009, according to the report set to be released Thursday.
Sulfur dioxide saw the biggest drop — 84% over seven years — after the city tightened heating oil rules.
"We've seen air pollution improvements happening across the city, due to a lot of federal, state and local programs that have reduced pollution," said report author Iyad Kheirbek. "We know that improvements in air quality reduce risks of ... asthma emergency department visits, cardiovascular hospitalizations, things like heart attacks and stroke."
Nitrogen dioxide levels also fell 23% through 2015, the most recent year full data is available. Nitric oxide declined 28%, and black carbon 18%.
The worst pollution levels for particulate matter were in Midtown and neighborhoods with both heavy car traffic and a lot of buildings burning fossil fuels had the dirtiest air, including areas in Manhattan and part of the Bronx.
The cleanest air for particulate matter was in the Rockaways and Broad Channel.
Air pollution levels in the city dropped in part because of federal rules regulating emissions from power plants — which could be axed under President Trump.
"What we don't want to see is rollbacks of federal regulations that might affects these trends, and possible worsen air quality," Kheirbek said. | <urn:uuid:a945e572-fd16-4ecc-8600-2b8c14dde5e0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/new-york-city-air-pollution-all-time-data-reveals-article-1.3077440 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.960657 | 331 | 2.953125 | 3 |
Why Do People Use Online Photo Editors For Photo Editing?
Many of us are not going to think this but you can find a number of really excellent photo editing applications available for you to utilize on your own computer with absolutely no cost. Why are there so many of those applications on the internet? Well they are actually being produced by those that have a real passion in making photo improvements and wish to share them with others.
I remember when I free online photo editor first started understanding how to edit my photos, I would search the web and download a photograph editing application and make an effort to figure out the way it worked. This has free photo editor software been a bad idea, as most of these apps were high in trial software, that had no impact on your own photos. This has been my first experience with lots of different photo editing applications available on the market.
I wound up needing to purchase a few of these photoediting applications at my regional computer store. This saved me a ton of time and I could have used this opportunity to learn more about photo editing.
Now you may well be wondering « Why is there such an extensive range in the sorts of photo editing applications that is accessible? » Well, you see there are a lot of people in different stages of these photography livelihood that are looking to be able to create exceptional effects with their pictures. These individuals are creating those effects by using a photo editing application. A good app will let you generate a number of amazing results.
Along with the simple fact the photo editing applications is very simple to use and user friendly you can find other reasons why people love to use them. Certainly one of the primary benefits of using these programs is that they permit one to work from the convenience of one’s home. Now a lot folks would prefer to visit our community computer store and find yourself a program and spend a little cash. What happens though when the app you got does not do the job?
This really is where an internet photo editor is useful. There are literally tens and thousands of websites available that provide free photoediting program. Additionally, it doesn’t matter if you are new to photo editing, then you may work with a photoediting program out of the comfort of your dwelling.
There is not any need to wait around for hours to find the right shots you were afterwards. It’s possible to simply edit your photos before they hit your camera. And send back them again to some body else or print them out in order you could have fun looking through them.
I’ve been editing my photos to on the last ten decades and am always surprised at just how easy it is to work well with these picture programs. They allow you to get yourself a professional result without the expensive high end tools and programs that you usually see in the shop. There’s no reason you should pay thousands of dollars for photoediting software as you are not positive if this app will work or maybe not.
The majority of these photo editors are very simple to use and so are very versatile, so as you are able to do all sorts of things using them. The ones that are very advanced level may even provide you the power to do video editing.
You could even take photos with additional photo editing programs such as the people that are offered for Macs or PCs. Some of those more advanced photo editing apps can even allow you to print them out and then frame them and hang them up at residence. Lots of men and women enjoy dealing together with these programs and therefore are using these everyday.
Now you could ask, »Why would people like to edit their photos? » Well a lot are doing this because they are considering creating special effects that will make the picture stick out of the audience. Another great reason people prefer to use photo editing software is basically really because they enjoy the full time that they save.
Not only are you able to utilize photo editing software to create amazing pictures however you can use it in order to remove junk on your own photos. Think of all the old photos you’ve recorded you will no more desire. | <urn:uuid:0d57dd7d-e2b7-4dee-bd35-099cc7237bcb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.judo-toulouse-croix-daurade.com/2021/05/19/why-do-people-use-online-photo-editors-for-photo-editing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571190.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810131127-20220810161127-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.967746 | 835 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Agira Canadian War Cemetery, Sicily
- Country Italy
- Total identified casualties 485 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 37.65458, Longitude: 14.5502
Agira Canadian War Cemetery lies in the Commune of Agira, Province of Enna, in the centre of Sicily. From the autostrada A19, Catania-Palermo, take the exit to Catenanuova. Follow signposts to Regalbuto, then pass Regalbuto, going in the direction of Agira. The Cemetery is then signposted about 12 kilometres from Regalbuto. Alternatively, leave the A19 at Agira and the cemetery can be seen from this exit. Cemetery address: Contrada Pennino Buterno, 2 - 94011, Agira (EN), Sicily. GPS Co-ordinates: Latitude: 37.6549115, Longitude: 14.55086
The cemetery is steeply terraced with numerous steps, making wheelchair access to this site impossible.
The cemetery is permanently open and may be visited anytime. For further information and enquiries please contact firstname.lastname@example.org
On 10 July 1943, following the successful conclusion of the north African campaign in mid May, a combined allied force of 160,000 Commonwealth and American troops invaded Sicily as a prelude to the assault on mainland Italy. The Italians, who would shortly make peace with the Allies and re-enter the war on their side, offered little determined resistance but German opposition was vigorous and stubborn. The campaign in Sicily came to an end on 17 August when the two allied forces came together at Messina, but failed to cut off the retreating Axis lines. Agira was taken by the 1st Canadian Division of 28 July and the site for the war cemetery was chosen in September for the burial of all Canadians who had been killed in the Sicily campaign. Agira Canadian War Cemetery contains 490 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. | <urn:uuid:5c83b6c1-6c33-473d-9352-da957bdba860> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2018000/agira-canadian-war-cemetery-sicily/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.944509 | 425 | 2.265625 | 2 |
The online establish value for both the ideas is quite personal, and that providing a decision we have found quite difficult
Example #step 1
Let us assess and determine and this enterprise is going to be selected more the other, with the more widespread capital cost management choice equipment.
Thus, i pick the second method of calculate the speed away from return on expenditures when the done in each one of the dos projects. That it now provides a feedback one Investment A carry out produce finest returns (14.5%) when compared to the dos nd project, which is promoting an effective but smaller than Investment An effective.
If there is interested in a task in accordance with the Payback period, we need to seek new inflows from year to year and check where seasons the newest outflow will get covered by this new inflows.
Today, there have been two methods to determine the repay months predicated on the bucks inflows – in fact it is actually or some other.
Venture An excellent portrays a reliable cashflow; and that brand new repay months, in such a case, are calculated given that 1st Money / Net Bucks Inflow. Thus, to own investment A good, meet up with the original financial support, it might take around ten years.
At exactly the same time, Opportunity B has actually uneven cash moves. In such a case, for those who sound right the new yearly inflows – you can easily select in which season would the capital and you can returns was personal. Thus, for project B, the first investment specifications is actually came across from the cuatro th season.
Towards the comparing, Investment An effective is bringing longer to produce any positives getting the complete providers, and that endeavor B is going to be picked over project A beneficial.
Analogy #step 3
This can be a lengthy particular payback months, in which it considers the full time property value the money basis, which made use of the discount bucks circulates to access the quantity away from many years expected to meet with the initial funding.
The payback months do lay approximately decades 5 6. Today, as lifetime of the project can be seen to be 6 many years, additionally the enterprise gives output in a lowered period, we could infer this investment have a much better NPV. Hence, it could be a choice to pick which investment and that will likely be anticipated to add really worth on providers.
Utilising the cost management types of the fresh Profits index to choose between several programs, do you know the options tentative having confirmed providers. Here are the bucks inflows asked on the several programs :
The latest profitability list as well involves converting the standard projected future dollars inflows using an economy rate, which is primarily the latest WACC % for the company. The sum these introduce viewpoints into the future dollars inflows is actually compared with the first financial support, and thus, the latest earnings directory are acquired.
When your Earnings index try > 1, it’s appropriate, which would mean that inflows much more beneficial as compared to outflows.
In this situation, Endeavor A posses an inventory regarding $step 1.16 versus Venture B, with the brand new Index off $0.90, that is obviously one Venture An effective was a far greater alternative than simply Enterprise B, and this, chosen.
Benefits of hookup near me Grand Rapids Michigan Financial support Cost management
- Helps in decision-making from the expenditures options
- Enough power over expenses of your own team
- Encourages knowledge of threats and its outcomes with the company
- Raise shareholders’ wide range and you may increase market carrying
- Abstain from More or Not as much as Financial support
- Conclusion is actually for a long term hence, not reversible in most of times
- Introspective in nature as a result of the subjective exposure and discounting factorDiscounting FactorDiscount Foundation is a weighing foundation normally familiar with find the present property value upcoming bucks flows, we.elizabeth., to assess the online Establish Value (NPV). It is dependent on, step one / read more | <urn:uuid:b56453f6-df5c-48e9-ba4b-1a59449116b8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://coromunicipal.trelew.gov.ar/the-online-establish-value-for-both-the-ideas-is/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.948036 | 856 | 1.578125 | 2 |
The most recent addition to Moog’s line of semi-modular Eurorack synthesizers, the Moog Subharmonicon was originally revealed as part of an engineering workshop at Moogfest 2018. The device is inspired by elements of esoteric, early-1930s experimental instruments like the Mixtur-Trautonium and the Rhythmicon, and is similarly exploratory in nature. It’s premised on the concept of fundamental frequencies and sub-harmonics for chord generation, coupled with the use of mathematically corresponding, integer-based master clock divisions for complex, polyrhythmic pattern sequencing. The result is an instrument that’s uniquely suited to the deep, highly mutable exploration of harmony and rhythm, and a breath of fresh air for workflows reliant upon traditional step sequencers and pattern recording techniques.
The Moog Subharmonicon audio circuitry follows a fairly typical two-oscillator subtractive signal path, with the unique addition of two sub-harmonic generators for each oscillator. Three waveform options are available for each main oscillator: sawtooth, square, and a hybrid option that uses square for the fundamental and sawtooth for the sub-harmonics. Everything runs through a mixing stage to balance these sound sources (with distortion in the higher ranges), before going into a 24dB/octave low-pass ladder filter. There are attack-release envelopes for both the filter and VCA (ASR when a gate is applied and sustained), which can range from very snappy to about 10 seconds long (the filter also has some tricks up its sleeve). The Subharmonicon produces a generally warm and familiar Moog sound, with somewhat limited but satisfying tone shaping options. Its design allows for quick and effective taming of its generated frequencies into complex chord shapes, without lots of inter-module patching—a rare thing in the world of modular.
These chord shapes are sequenced by two four-step sequencers, which can drive the fundamental frequencies and/or sub-harmonics. While four steps might seem limiting, the sequencer is capable of generating longer, evolving sequences by applying these values to the different partials. With just the OSC button on, for instance, all three partials are affected together; with either of the SUB buttons on, the sequencer controls the integer used to divide the fundamental frequency, creating further sub-harmonics. These can (optionally) be quantized chromatically with equal or just temperaments, or diatonically with equal or just temperaments.
The two sequencers are driven by four rhythm generators, which are in many ways the irregularly beating heart of the device. These essentially apply polyrhythms to each sequence, derived from the master clock, with the pot settings determining the integer division used to generate each. Any combination of these polyrhythm generators can be used to drive either or both of the sequencers, and all can be individually addressed via CV. Finally, pitch CV inputs for both the fundamental frequencies and two of the subharmonics (as well as MIDI pitch control) means that external sequencers or MIDI controllers can seamlessly layer atop the sequencing options built into the device, making for even more complex melodic structures.
This all sounds like a lot, and at first glance the interface appears busier than those of the previous two devices in Moog’s family of semi-modulars, the Mother-32 and DFAM. But the design quickly starts to feel holistic and intuitive, and these conceptual complexities fall to the background as the flow state begins to take over. The controls have space to breathe, and small design touches—like the ability to hold the EG button to create a permanent gate, or manually “play” the trigger, reset and step advance functions with the appropriate button combos—allow for subtle improvisations. Taken together, all of these details make the Subharmonicon feel very much like a performative sequencing instrument; it excels at opening a recombinant, evolving dialogue between user and machine.
A telltale sign of good semi-modular design is this feeling of functioning as a “complete” instrument when used on its own, while opening up vast possibilities via its patchbay. This is indeed the case with the Subharmonicon; having dedicated outputs for both oscillators and sequencers, for instance, means that each can be processed with its own external envelope. Likewise, dedicated clock and pitch outputs for both sequencers means that the device can be used as a tool for composing and clocking other instruments in unique ways. While the patchbay is more oriented to these kinds of functions than sound shaping (which is primarily limited to PWM for each OSC, as well as filter cutoff), the inclusion of MIDI input provides some welcome additional flexibility (particularly the availability of attack and decay modulation via MIDI CC). Hopefully Moog will bring more MIDI functionality to the device via firmware updates, as currently this is limited to 11 parameters. Different playback modes for the sequencer—forward, backward, alternating and random—would also make nice firmware additions, as might the ability to chain the two sequencers together.
In typical Moog fashion, the entire Subharmonicon experience is framed by a thoughtful and well-designed manual, which is at once both a guide for using the device, and a sort of interactive history lesson in synthesis and electronics. Because of the Subharmonicon’s experimental nature (and its foundations in older instruments), the experience of learning and contextualizing is made particularly gratifying, charting the history of the ideas.
With its unique fusion of ideas and historical timelines, the Subharmonicon is a demonstration of a willingness on the part of perhaps the world’s most iconic synthesizer manufacturer to push boundaries. It’s not for everyone, but seems unlikely to disappoint the audience it will inevitably draw; by parameterizing so much of the note and rhythm generation, it’s uniquely suited to those who want to explore melodic shapes and phrases in a procedural but hands-on fashion. While other companies continue to mine its long history of synthesizer designs and chase its signature sound, Moog is charting new territory through under-explored synthesis techniques of electronic instruments older than even itself. | <urn:uuid:eef81fc5-5478-4257-9e44-17f2beaa8f07> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.orbmag.com/reviews/moog-subharmonicon/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570913.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809064307-20220809094307-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.929302 | 1,288 | 2.125 | 2 |
Supporting your Children’s Social, Emotional, and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic By Guest Author, Pamela McVeagh-Lally As the spread of COVID-19 causes more and more school closures across the United States, we, parents and caregivers, are faced with the daunting reality of needing to stay at home with our children for weeks and possibly …
Category: Building a Positive Family Environment, Modeling Social and Emotional Skills, Practicing Social and Emotional Skills Tags: children's emotional well-being, Coping skills, Coping strategies, COVID-19, dealing with kids at home during pandemic, Emotional well-being, family emotional well-being, parenting and COVID-19, parenting and the coronavirus, teaching kids about stress
© Copyright, 2022, Jennifer Smith Miller. All rights reserved.
© Copyright, 2021, Jennifer Smith Miller. All rights reserved. | <urn:uuid:774b5a24-0f40-4b7a-b8fc-b59fd0b9cc42> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://confidentparentsconfidentkids.org/tag/family-emotional-well-being/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.917423 | 192 | 2.78125 | 3 |
12 July 2022 Temperatures are expected to remain in the mid-to-high twenties across much of Somerset this week and over the weekend, and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a Level 3 Heat Health Warning for the South West. Whilst weather like this is something that many people look forward to, and go out and enjoy, it is worth remembering that sunny spells can pose health risks for some people. Those at risk may not recognise their own vulnerability to high temperatures. We’ve put together this special edition of our Public Health newsletter to share some top tips for staying safe in the hot sunshine, and urge you to look out for those in our communities who may be more vulnerable to health risks in hot weather. Cllr Adam Dance, Somerset County Council’s Lead Member for Public Health, Equalities and Diversity, shares some practical tips for looking after yourself and others during hot weather. The main risks during hot weather are: Not drinking enough water (dehydration) Overheating, which can make symptoms worse for people who already have problems with their heart or breathing Heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
Please look out for those most at risk
Professor Trudi Grant, Director of Public Health at Somerset County Council, is urging residents to look out for the most vulnerable in our communities as temperatures look set to soar this week. “Somerset is a great place to be whatever the weather, and when the sun shines everyone is more likely to be enjoying the great outdoors.” “However, for some people, especially older people and those with existing health conditions, the summer heat can bring real health risks. That is why we’re urging everyone to keep an eye on those you know who may be at risk this summer. If you are able, ask if your friends, family or neighbours need any support.” “It’s vital we all follow the advice and adapt what we do when needed, so we don’t put our local NHS services under any more pressure. Check weather forecasts, including UV forecasts, and if spending time outdoors remember to travel with bottled water and protect yourself from the sun during the hottest hours of the day, usually between 11am – 3pm.” Who is Vulnerable? While everybody is at risk from the health consequences of heat, there are certain factors that increase an individual’s risk during a heatwave. These include: older age: especially those over 75 years old, or those living on their own and who are socially isolated, or those living in a care home chronic and severe illness: including heart or lung conditions, diabetes, renal insufficiency, Parkinson’s disease or severe mental illness inability to adapt behaviour to keep cool: babies and the very young, having a disability, being bed bound, having Alzheimer’s disease environmental factors and overexposure: living in a top floor flat, being homeless, activities or jobs that are in hot places or outdoors and include high levels of physical exertion
Practical advice for keeping children cool Children cannot control their body temperature as efficiently as adults during hot weather because they do not sweat as much and can therefore be at risk of ill-health from heat. During periods of high temperature, the following steps should be taken: children should not take part in vigorous physical activity on very hot days, such as when temperatures are in excess of 30°C encourage children playing outdoors to stay in the shade as much as possible, consider the shade available for your sports days and outdoor play children should wear loose, light-coloured clothing to help keep cool and sunhats with wide brims to avoid sunburn regularly apply sunscreen (at least factor 15 with UVA protection) to protect skin if children are playing or taking lessons outdoors for more than 20 minutes provide children with plenty of water (such as water from a cold tap) and encourage them to drink more than usual, particularly if they are taking part in sports day events or outdoor play
Tips for beating the heat Stay hydrated Stay hydrated – drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol If you need to travel, ensure you take water with you Keep drinks within easy reach Stay safe in the sun Try to stay in the shade if you can and try to avoid direct sunlight between 11am-3pm Clothing can help, loose-fitting lightweight clothing like a T shirt can help reduce the sun’s harmful rays, a hat and sunglasses are also a good choice If you have to be out on the sun, use a good quality sunscreen (at least SPF30) and apply it regularly. Physical activity Avoid extreme physical exertion. Try to do any strenuous outdoor activity, such as sport, DIY or gardening, in the cooler parts of the day – in the early morning or evening. Keeping the home cool Keeping your living space cool is especially important for those who need to stay at home because they are unwell or vulnerable Shade or cover windows exposed to direct sunlight and keep windows that are exposed to the sun closed during the day. If possible and safe, open windows at night if it feels cooler outside. Turn off non-essential lights and electrical equipment – they generate heat and cost money. During the hottest periods, try to find the coolest part of your home or garden/outside or local green space to sit in. If you’re heading outdoors, please use cool spaces considerately.
Sunburn Try to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, when UV radiation is strongest. If you have to go outside in the heat, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a wide-brimmed hat. If travelling by car Ensure that babies, children, or older people are not left alone in parked cars, which can quickly overheat. Remember to take water with you. Check on others Check on older people or sick neighbours, family or friends every day during hot weather to see if they need any help or support.
Enjoy the water safely During warm weather going for a swim can provide much welcomed relief. Take care and follow local safety advice if you are going into the water to cool down. If you get into trouble in the water, the RNLI urge you to remember ‘Float to Live’– resist the urge to thrash about, instead lean back, extend your arms and legs and gently move them around to stay afloat, once you can control your breathing, call for help or swim to safety. Look out for the signs of heat-related harm If you feel dizzy, weak or have intense thirst and a headache, move to a cool place as soon as possible. Drink some water or diluted fruit juice to rehydrate. Avoid excess alcohol. If you have painful muscular spasms (particularly in the legs, arms, or abdomen), rest immediately in a cool place and drink electrolyte drinks. Most people should start to recover within 30 mins and if not, you should seek medical help. Call 111 if you feel unusual symptoms, or if symptoms persist. Call 999 if a person develops any signs of heatstroke as this is a medical emergency. Further information on heatstroke and heat-related illness are available here. A good first stop when looking for support for yourself, the people you know or your community is our website www.somerset.gov.uk It’s never too late to take control of your health and well-being through changing behaviours and seeking help and we’re with you every step of the way. Follow our Director of Public Health, Professor Trudi Grant, on Twitter and stay in the know.
Somerset County Council | <urn:uuid:0a1e8b04-e340-423f-b538-ac2fdc2382bb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://timberscombevillage.com/2022/07/12/heat-warning/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.953176 | 1,568 | 2.765625 | 3 |
In May 2021, Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele used his legislative supermajority to fire the country's highest court and top prosecutor. The power grab deepened El Salvador's democratic crisis by dealing a major blow to horizontal accountability. What explains Bukele's rise and the concomitant decline of democratic institutions in El Salvador? Bukele's success relies on millennial authoritarianism: an innovative political strategy combining traditional populist appeals and classic authoritarian behavior with a youthful and modern personal brand built on social media. His emergence has also been facilitated by two broader factors that challenge the conventional wisdom about democracy and democratic backsliding: the hidden long-term costs of democratic pacts and the unintended consequences of fighting corruption. | <urn:uuid:8060b2f8-51c7-4622-8daf-cc51b9d4b703> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://muse.jhu.edu/article/797783/summary | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.905362 | 146 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Curve Editing View
After creating the basic animation clip, one can control how the keyframes change over time between keyframes by editing the animation curve. An animation curve is actually a linear track made up of individual keyframes connected on the current property track, with each keyframe being a control point on this curve path. Under the curve editing view, the change of keyframe values is more visually noticed, and keyframe value changes can be adjusted more delicately.
Click the switch view button on the side of the properties list to switch to the curve editing view. After switching to the curve editing view, you can see that the line markers will be displayed on the property list, and the line markers will not be displayed on the property tracks that do not support curve editing, and the curves will not be displayed normally when the corresponding property track is selected. When the corresponding curve is displayed in the curve editing area, the line marker will show the corresponding curve color, and the name of the currently selected curve will be displayed in the property menu area.
Getting to know the curve editor
The Animation panel has a built-in curve editor for animation curves, which is actually the same as the particle curve editor. On top of the general curve editor, the Animation panel has some customization to better support curve keyframe editing.
For general functions of the curve editor, please refer to the Curve Editor documentation for more information.
In addition to general curve editing operations, the curve editor area within the Animation panel supports the following functions.
- To show all keyframes, click the button above the curve editor area , or press the F shortcut to quickly scale the current view area to show all keyframes.
- Shortcuts and handling of all keyframes in the keyframe view of the Animation panel, such as double-clicking on the keyframe time line to move to the keyframe position, copy and paste shortcuts, etc.
- Copy and paste in curve editing area is shared with keyframe view mode, so you can paste copied keyframe data with each other in different display views.
- The number of intervals used for the interval alignment keyframe function of the curve editor will be synchronized with the number of intervals in the menu bar of the Animation panel.
Bezier Curve Preset
There are some standard Bezier curve presets built into the animation editor. After entering the curve editing view, click the curve preset panel in the sidebar to show the curve presets. Click the curve to select the curve clip, and then click the preset on the curve preset panel you can applying the curve preset. After applying the preset, the interpMode of the keyframes at both ends of the curve clip will be adjusted to curve mode by default, and the weightMode of the keyframes will be modified to a state where the left and right sides of the curve clip can be stretched freely to achieve the same effect as the curve preset. | <urn:uuid:1b9747ee-93b0-4069-88a5-51a8aaa8582b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://docs.cocos.com/creator/manual/en/animation/animation-curve.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.859022 | 596 | 2.3125 | 2 |
1 O quickly come, dread Judge of all;
for, awful though thine advent be,
all shadows from the truth will fall,
and falsehood die, in sight of thee:
O quickly come, for doubt and fear
like clouds dissolve when thou art near.
2 O quickly come, great King of all;
reign all around us and within;
let sin no more our souls enthrall,
let pain and sorrow die with sin:
O quickly come, for thou alone
canst make thy scattered people one.
3 O quickly come, true Life of all,
for death is mighty all around;
on ev'ry home his shadows fall,
on ev'ry heart his mark is found:
O quickly come, for grief and pain
can never cloud thy glorious reign.
4 O quickly come, sure Light of all,
for gloomy night broods o'er our way;
and weakly souls begin to fall
with weary watching for the day:
O quickly come, for round thy throne
no eye is blind, no night is known.
|First Line:||O quickly come, dread Judge of all|
|Title:||O Quickly Come, Dread Judge of All|
|Author:||Lawrence Tuttiett (1854)|
|Topic:||Blessed Hope; Christ: Kingly Office of; Death: Conquered(2 more...)| | <urn:uuid:bc456adc-cc33-412f-ae19-eea4024fe3f0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://hymnary.org/hymn/TH1990/322 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.814461 | 348 | 2.1875 | 2 |
Getting what you pay for: How an audit can add real value to your business
April 5, 2017
Nowadays, businesses are increasingly viewing auditing as an opportunity rather than an obligation.
Auditing not only ensures businesses remain compliant and confident in their financial statements, it also provides invaluable insight into how an organisation is performing, areas for improvement and how to prepare for the future.
Here are some examples of how an audit can add real value to your business.
An audit ensures your financial statements are up-to-date and accurate, which allows for smarter, more informed decision-making.
At LDB, we always keep our clients abreast of any upcoming changes to accounting standards and provide advice about how to prepare their business accordingly.
Managing complex compliance requirements
Compliance can be complex, given all of the international accounting standards to adhere to.
At LDB, we walk you through the compliance process, give you templates to simplify things and teach you how to ensure your business meets its obligations.
Promoting good business practice
Auditing helps organisations with their corporate governance by identifying the kinds of processes they should have in place to detect fraud.
Auditors study cash flows, creditors’ risk and market risk, and the controls the organisation has in place to prevent those risks.
If significant threats are identified, auditors notify management and make recommendations to mitigate the risks.
Growing your business
An audit can reduce the risk of business failure and equip businesses with an understanding of how to develop management practices that allow them to grasp opportunities while mitigating risks – all of which are essential for continued business growth.
By enhancing internal controls and activities, an audit can add value to your business and give it a competitive edge.
An audit can also attract interest from external stakeholders and investors, as it adds credibility to your financial statements.
And if you plan to sell in future, having audited accounts gives potential buyers confidence they can rely on your financial statements.
Your audit specialists
LDB will ensure your business receives real value from an audit.
We provide the highest quality services to our clients and tailor our auditing services to each client’s needs.
Our clients include public companies, large and small private companies, not-for-profit organisations and self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs).
To find out more, phone LDB on (03) 9875 2900 or send us information via the contact form below. | <urn:uuid:2409f34f-e955-4ce7-9562-755959e630c1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ldb.com.au/audits/getting-pay-audit-can-add-real-value-business/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.927175 | 508 | 1.554688 | 2 |
In the first reading from today’s Mass (Tuesday of the 23rd Week), St. Paul is practically livid that the Corinthians have not sought to correct and discipline an erring brother who is indulging in illicit sexual union. He orders them to act immediately, lest the brother be lost on the day of judgment.
Today, when things are arguably as bad or worse than in the first century, St. Paul’s anger might will flair at the silence of the Church—the clergy and the laity—in the face of public sin and error.
Indeed, one of the most forgotten virtues and obligations we have is the duty to correct the sinner; it is one of the Spiritual Works of Mercy. In his Summa Theologica, St. Thomas Aquinas describes it as an act of charity
[F]raternal correction properly so called, is directed to the amendment of the sinner. Now to do away with anyone’s evil is the same as to procure his good: and to procure a person’s good is an act of charity, whereby we wish and do our friend well (Summa Theologica II, IIae, 33.1).
The world and the Devil have largely succeeded in shaming Christians from doing this essential work. When we call attention to someone’s sin or wrongdoing, we are said to be “judging” him or her. In a culture in which “tolerance” is one of the only virtues left, to “judge” is to commit a capital offense. “How dare you do such a thing?” the world protests. “Who are you to judge others?”
To be clear, there are some judgments that are forbidden us. For example, we cannot assess that we are better or worse than someone else before God. Neither can we always understand the ultimate culpability or inner intentions of another person as though we were God. Scripture says regarding judgments such as these: Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart (1 Sam 16:7). Further, we are instructed that we cannot make the judgment of condemnation. That is to say, we do not have the power or knowledge to condemn someone to Hell. God alone is judge in this sense. The same Scriptures also caution us against being unnecessarily harsh or punitive: Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. … For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you (Luke 6:36-38). So in this text from Luke’s Gospel, “to judge” means to condemn or be unmerciful, to be unreasonably harsh.
Another text that is often used by the world to forbid making “judgments” is from the Gospel of Matthew:
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Matt 7:1-5).
But pay careful attention to what this text is actually saying. First, as we have already seen the Luke’s Gospel, the word “judge” here is understood to mean to be unnecessarily harsh and punitive or condemning; the second verse makes this clear. To paraphrase verse two colloquially, “If you lower the boom on others, you will have the boom lowered on you. If you throw the book at others, it will be thrown at you.” Further, the parable that follows does not say that you shouldn’t correct sinners; it says that you should get right with God yourself and then you will see clearly enough to properly correct your brother.
Over and over again, Scripture tells us to correct the sinner. Far from forbidding fraternal correction, the Scriptures command and commend it. Here are some of those texts, along with a little of my own commentary in red:
- Jesus said, “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matt 18:15-18). Jesus instructs us to speak to a sinning brother and summon him to repentance. If the matter is serious, and private rebuke does not work, others who are trustworthy should be summoned to the task. Finally, the Church should be informed. If he will not listen even to the Church, then he should be excommunicated (treated as a tax collector or Gentile). Hence in serious matters, excommunication should be considered as a kind of medicine that will inform the sinner of the gravity of the matter. Sadly, this “medicine” is seldom used today, even though Jesus clearly prescribes it (at least in serious matters).
- It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans; for a man is living with his father’s wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body I am present in spirit, and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing. When you are assembled, and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. … I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with immoral men; not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and robbers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But rather I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Drive out the wicked person from among you” (1 Cor 5). The Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul, commands that we “judge” the evildoer. In this case the matter is clearly serious (incest). Notice how the text says that the man should be excommunicated (handed over to Satan). Here, too, the purpose is medicinal. It is hoped that Satan will beat him up enough that he will come to his senses and repent before the day of judgment. It is also medicinal in the sense that the community is protected from bad example, scandal, and the presence of evil. The text also requires us to be able to size people up. There are immoral and unrepentant people with whom it is harmful for us to associate. We are instructed to discern this and not to keep friendly company with people who can mislead us or tempt us to sin. This requires a judgment on our part. Yes, some judgements are required of us.
- Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any sin, you who are spiritual should recall him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ (Gal 6:1-2). We are called to note when a person has been overtaken in sin and to correct him, but to do so in a spirit of gentleness. Otherwise, we may sin in the very process of correcting the sinner! Being prideful or unnecessarily harsh in our words is not the way to correct. The instruction is to be humble and gentle, but clear. It also seems that patience is called for, because we must bear the burdens of one another’s sin. We do this in two ways: First, we accept the fact that others have imperfections and faults that trouble us; and second, we bear the obligation to help others know their sin and of repent of it.
- My brethren, if any one among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins (James 5:19). The text is ambiguous as to whose soul is actually saved, but it seems that both the corrected and the corrector are beneficiaries of well-executed fraternal correction.
- You shall not hate your brother in your heart: You shall in any case rebuke your neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him (Lev 19:17). This text tells us that refusing to correct a sinning neighbor is actually a form of hatred. Instead, we are instructed to love our neighbors by not wanting sin to overtake them.
- If anyone refuses to obey what we say in this letter, note that man, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed. Do not look on him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother (2 Thess 3:14). Notice again that the medicine of rebuke—even to the point of refusing fellowship (in more serious matters)—is commanded. But note, too, that even a sinner does not lose his dignity; he is still to be regarded as a brother, not an enemy. A similar text says, We instruct you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to shun any brother who walks in a disorderly way and not according to the tradition they received from us (2 Thess 3:6).
- Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom (Col 3:16). To admonish means to warn. If the Word of Christ is rich within us, we will warn when that becomes necessary. A similar text says, All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16). Reproof and correction are thus part of what is necessary to equip us for every good work.
- And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all (1 Thess 5:14). Fraternal correction is described here as admonishing, encouraging, and helping. We are also exhorted to patience in these works.
There are many more examples, but by now you get the point: Fraternal correction is prescribed and commanded by Scripture. We must resist the shame that the world tries to inflict on us by saying (simplistically) that we are “judging” people. Not all judgment is forbidden; some judgment is commanded. Correction of the sinner is both charitable and virtuous.
It is possible to correct a sinner poorly or even sinfully, but if we are to have any shame at all about proper fraternal correction, it should be that we have so severely failed in our duty to correct. Because of our failure in this regard, the world is much more sinful, coarse, and undisciplined. Too many people today are out-of-control, undisciplined, and even incorrigible. Too many are locked in sin and have never been properly corrected. The world is less pleasant, charitable, and teachable because of this; it is also more sinful and in greater bondage. To fail to correct is to fail in charity and mercy; it is to fail to be virtuous and to fail in calling others to virtue. We are all impoverished by our failure to correct the sinner.
He who winks at a fault causes trouble; but he who frankly reproves promotes peace (Proverbs 10:10).
A path to life is his who heeds admonition; but he who disregards reproof goes go astray (Proverbs 10:17). | <urn:uuid:65d1a233-6df9-4a92-bfff-5e06273cb5ae> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://blog.adw.org/2016/09/fraternal-correction-neglected-virtue/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.967982 | 2,769 | 2.09375 | 2 |
The nation is still recovering from a crushing recession that sent unemployment hovering above nine percent for two straight years. The president, mindful of soaring deficits, is pushing bold action to shore up the nation’s balance sheet. Cloaking himself in the language of class warfare, he calls on a hostile Congress to end wasteful tax breaks for the rich. “We’re going to close the unproductive tax loopholes that allow some of the truly wealthy to avoid paying their fair share,” he thunders to a crowd in Georgia. Such tax loopholes, he adds, “sometimes made it possible for millionaires to pay nothing, while a bus driver was paying 10 percent of his salary – and that’s crazy.”
Preacherlike, the president draws the crowd into a call-and-response. “Do you think the millionaire ought to pay more in taxes than the bus driver,” he demands, “or less?”
The crowd, sounding every bit like the protesters from Occupy Wall Street, roars back: “MORE!”
The year was 1985. The president was Ronald Wilson Reagan.
Today’s Republican Party may revere Reagan as the patron saint of low taxation. But the party of Reagan – which understood that higher taxes on the rich are sometimes required to cure ruinous deficits – is dead and gone. Instead, the modern GOP has undergone a radical transformation, reorganizing itself around a grotesque proposition: that the wealthy should grow wealthier still, whatever the consequences for the rest of us.
Modern-day Republicans have become, quite simply, the Party of the One Percent – the Party of the Rich.
“The Republican Party has totally abdicated its job in our democracy, which is to act as the guardian of fiscal discipline and responsibility,” says David Stockman, who served as budget director under Reagan. “They’re on an anti-tax jihad – one that benefits the prosperous classes.”
The staggering economic inequality that has led Americans across the country to take to the streets in protest is no accident. It has been fueled to a large extent by the GOP’s all-out war on behalf of the rich. Since Republicans rededicated themselves to slashing taxes for the wealthy in 1997, the average annual income of the 400 richest Americans has more than tripled, to $345 million – while their share of the tax burden has plunged by 40 percent. Today, a billionaire in the top 400 pays less than 17 percent of his income in taxes – five percentage points less than a bus driver earning $26,000 a year. “Most Americans got none of the growth of the preceding dozen years,” says Joseph Stiglitz, the Nobel Prize-winning economist. “All the gains went to the top percentage points.”
The GOP campaign to aid the wealthy has left America unable to raise the money needed to pay its bills. “The Republican Party went on a tax-cutting rampage and a spending spree,” says Rhode Island governor and former GOP senator Lincoln Chafee, pointing to two deficit-financed wars and an unpaid-for prescription-drug entitlement. “It tanked the economy.” Tax receipts as a percent of the total economy have fallen to levels not seen since before the Korean War – nearly 20 percent below the historical average. “Taxes are ridiculously low!” says Bruce Bartlett, an architect of Reagan’s 1981 tax cut. “And yet the mantra of the Republican Party is ‘Tax cuts raise growth.’ So – where’s the fucking growth?”
Republicans talk about job creation, about preserving family farms and defending small businesses, and reforming Medicare and Social Security. But almost without exception, every proposal put forth by GOP lawmakers and presidential candidates is intended to preserve or expand tax privileges for the wealthiest Americans. And most of their plans, which are presented as common-sense measures that will aid all Americans, would actually result in higher taxes for middle-class taxpayers and the poor. With 14 million Americans out of work, and with one in seven families turning to food stamps simply to feed their children, Republicans have responded to the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression by slashing inheritance taxes, extending the Bush tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, and endorsing a tax amnesty for big corporations that have hidden billions in profits in offshore tax havens. They also wrecked the nation’s credit rating by rejecting a debt-ceiling deal that would have slashed future deficits by $4 trillion – simply because one-quarter of the money would have come from closing tax loopholes on the rich.
The intransigence over the debt ceiling enraged Republican stalwarts. George Voinovich, the former GOP senator from Ohio, likens his party’s new guard to arsonists whose attitude is: “We’re going to get what we want or the country can go to hell.” Even an architect of the Bush tax cuts, economist Glenn Hubbard, tells Rolling Stone that there should have been a “revenue contribution” to the debt-ceiling deal, “structured to fall mainly on the well-to-do.” Instead, the GOP strong-armed America into sacrificing $1 trillion in vital government services – including education, health care and defense – all to safeguard tax breaks for oil companies, yacht owners and hedge-fund managers. The party’s leaders were triumphant: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell even bragged that America’s creditworthiness had been a “hostage that’s worth ransoming.”
It’s the kind of thinking that only money can buy. “It’s a vicious circle,” says Stiglitz. “The rich are using their money to secure tax provisions to let them get richer still. Rather than investing in new technology or R&D, the rich get a better return by investing in Washington.”
It’s difficult to imagine today, but taxing the rich wasn’t always a major flash point of American political life. From the end of World War II to the eve of the Reagan administration, the parties fought over social spending – Democrats pushing for more, Republicans demanding less. But once the budget was fixed, both parties saw taxes as an otherwise uninteresting mechanism to raise the money required to pay the bills. Eisenhower, Nixon and Ford each fought for higher taxes, while the biggest tax cut was secured by John F. Kennedy, whose across-the-board tax reductions were actually opposed by the majority of Republicans in the House. The distribution of the tax burden wasn’t really up for debate: Even after the Kennedy cuts, the top tax rate stood at 70 percent – double its current level. Steeply progressive taxation paid for the postwar investments in infrastructure, science and education that enabled the average American family to get ahead.
That only changed in the late 1970s, when high inflation drove up wages and pushed the middle class into higher tax brackets. Harnessing the widespread anger, Reagan put it to work on behalf of the rich. In a move that GOP Majority Leader Howard Baker called a “riverboat gamble,” Reagan sold the country on an “across-the-board” tax cut that brought the top rate down to 50 percent. According to supply-side economists, the wealthy would use their tax break to spur investment, and the economy would boom. And if it didn’t – well, to Reagan’s cadre of small-government conservatives, the resulting red ink could be a win-win. “We started talking about just cutting taxes and saying, ‘Screw the deficit,'” Bartlett recalls. “We had this idea that if you lowered revenues, the concern about the deficit would be channeled into spending cuts.”
It was the birth of what is now known as “Starve the Beast” – a conscious strategy by conservatives to force cuts in federal spending by bankrupting the country. As conceived by the right-wing intellectual Irving Kristol in 1980, the plan called for Republicans to create a “fiscal problem” by slashing taxes – and then foist the pain of reimposing fiscal discipline onto future Democratic administrations who, in Kristol’s words, would be forced to “tidy up afterward.”
There was only one problem: The Reagan tax cuts spiked the federal deficit to a dangerous level, even as the country remained mired in a deep recession. Republican leaders in Congress immediately moved to reverse themselves and feed the beast. “It was not a Democrat who led the effort in 1982 to undo about a third of the Reagan tax cuts,” recalls Robert Greenstein, president of the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “It was Bob Dole.” Even Reagan embraced the tax hike, Stockman says, “because he believed that, at some point, you have to pay the bills.”
For the remainder of his time in office, Reagan repeatedly raised taxes to bring down unwieldy deficits. In 1983, he hiked gas and payroll taxes. In 1984, he raised revenue by closing tax loopholes for businesses. The tax reform of 1986 lowered the top rate for the wealthy to just 28 percent – but that cut for high earners was paid for by closing tax loopholes that resulted in the largest corporate tax hike in history. Reagan also raised revenues by abolishing special favors for the investor class: He boosted taxes on capital gains by 40 percent to align them with the taxes paid on wages. Today, Reagan may be lionized as a tax abolitionist, says Alan Simpson, a former Republican senator and friend of the president, but that’s not true to his record. “Reagan raised taxes 11 times in eight years!”
But Reagan wound up sowing the seed of our current gridlock when he gave his blessing to what Simpson calls a “nefarious organization” – Americans for Tax Reform. Headed by Grover Norquist, a man Stockman blasts as a “fiscal terrorist,” the group originally set out to prevent Congress from backsliding on the 1986 tax reforms. But Norquist’s instrument for enforcement – an anti-tax pledge signed by GOP lawmakers – quickly evolved into a powerful weapon designed to shift the tax burden away from the rich. George H.W. Bush won the GOP presidential nomination in 1988 in large part because he signed Norquist’s “no taxes” pledge. Once in office, however, Bush moved to bring down the soaring federal deficit by hiking the top tax rate to 31 percent and adding surtaxes for yachts, jets and luxury sedans. “He had courage to take action when we needed it,” says Paul O’Neill, who served as Treasury secretary under George W. Bush.
The tax hike helped the economy – and many credit it with setting up the great economic expansion of the 1990s. But it cost Bush his job in the 1992 election – a defeat that only served to strengthen Norquist’s standing among GOP insurgents. “The story of Bush losing,” Norquist says now, “is a reminder to politicians that this is a pledge you don’t break.” What was once just another campaign promise, rejected by a fiscal conservative like Bob Dole, was transformed into a political blood oath – a litmus test of true Republicanism that few candidates dare refuse.
After taking office, Clinton immediately seized the mantle of fiscal discipline from Republicans. Rather than simply trimming the federal deficit, as his GOP predecessors had done, he set out to balance the budget and begin paying down the national debt. To do so, he hiked the top tax bracket to nearly 40 percent and boosted the corporate tax rate to 35 percent. “It cost him both houses of Congress in the 1994 midterm elections,” says Chafee, the former GOP senator. “But taming the deficit led to the best economy America’s ever had.” Following the tax hikes of 1993, the economy grew at a brisk clip of 3.2 percent, creating more than 11 million jobs. Average wages ticked up, and stocks soared by 78 percent. By the spring of 1997, the federal budget was headed into the black.
But Newt Gingrich and the anti-tax revolutionaries who seized control of Congress in 1994 responded by going for the Full Norquist. In a stunning departure from America’s long-standing tax policy, Republicans moved to eliminate taxes on investment income and to abolish the inheritance tax. Under the final plan they enacted, capital gains taxes were sliced to 20 percent. Far from creating an across-the-board benefit, 62 cents of every tax dollar cut went directly to the top one percent of income earners. “The capital gains cut alone gave the top 400 taxpayers a bigger tax cut than all the Bush tax cuts combined,” says David Cay Johnston, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Perfectly Legal: The Covert Campaign to Rig Our Tax System to Benefit the Super Rich – and Cheat Everybody Else.
The cuts also juiced irrational exuberance on Wall Street. Giving a huge tax advantage to investment income inflated the dot-com bubble, observed Stiglitz, “by making speculation more attractive.” And by eliminating capital gains taxes on home sales, the cuts fueled the housing bubble: A study by the Federal Reserve estimated that the tax giveaways boosted housing transactions by 17 percent through 2007.
The most revealing aspect of the tax cuts, however, came from a simple mistake. In a major blow to the inheritance tax – America’s most progressive form of taxation – the GOP cuts nearly doubled the amount that the rich could pass on to their heirs tax-free. From now on, the first $1 million would be exempt from federal taxes – unless your estate was worth more than $17 million. In those rare cases, the superwealthy would have to pay taxes on their entire inheritance.
Then something strange happened. Due to a “drafting error,” the final bill failed to include the exception for the superwealthy. Everyone in both parties agreed that it had been a mistake. But instead of fixing the error, Republicans blocked a pro forma correction to the law – meaning that even the wealthiest estates would pay no taxes on the first $1 million. The move effectively secured an $880 million tax cut for the rich – one that Congress never intended, and never voted for. Ari Fleischer, the then-spokesman for Rep. Bill Archer of the House Ways and Means Committee, exulted over the undemocratic tax cut for the wealthy. “When a mistake works against the government and for the taxpayers,” he explained, “we’re in no rush to correct it.”
Republicans, abetted by conservative Democrats, passed the tax cuts with a veto-proof majority, and Clinton signed them into law. But for the remainder of his term, Clinton repeatedly blocked Republican demands for further cuts. “He vetoed one tax cut after another,” says Robert McIntyre, director of Citizens for Tax Justice. In 1999, in a triumph for fiscal sanity, Clinton rejected a massive $792 billion cut to inheritance and investment taxes. The mood during the veto ceremony in the Rose Garden was festive. A five-piece band played “Summertime,” and the living was easy. Unemployment stood at 4.2 percent, and stocks were booming. “Our hard-won prosperity gives us the chance to invest our surplus to meet the long-term challenges of America,” Clinton declared. The Republican tax cuts, he warned with eerie prescience, would return America to a period of “deficit upon deficit” that culminated in “the worst recession since the Great Depression.”
Then came the election of George W. Bush, the first president of the Party of the Rich.
Within months of taking office, Bush delivered a tax break to the rich that trumps anything he accomplished through the actual tax code. “The most important thing the Bush administration did in the whole area of taxes,” says Johnston, “was to kill tax harmonization.”
“Tax harmonization” was economic jargon for a joint project by the world’s developed countries to shut down offshore tax havens in places like the Cayman Islands. At the time, such illicit havens were costing U.S. taxpayers $70 billion a year. For Republicans, going after big-time tax evaders should have been as American as apple pie. As Reagan once said of such cheats: “When they do not pay their taxes, someone else does – you and me.”
But for Bush and other leaders of the Party of the Rich, blocking corporations from hiding their money overseas wasn’t an act of patriotism – it was tyranny. Rep. Dick Armey, the GOP majority leader, railed against tax harmonization as an effort to create a “global network of tax police.” One of Bush’s biggest donors, Enron, was using a network of nearly 900 offshore tax hideaways to pay no corporate taxes – while reporting massive profits that later turned out to be fraudulent. In one of his first acts as president, Bush “basically vetoed the initiative,” says Stiglitz.
The veto spurred a cavalcade of corporations – including stalwart American firms like Stanley Works – to pursue phony “headquarters” in Bermuda and other lax-tax nations. The move not only encouraged some of the world’s richest companies to avoid paying any U.S. taxes, it let them book overseas-“expenses” that qualified them for lucrative tax deductions. In one of the most notorious cases, GE filed for a $3 billion tax rebate in 2009, despite boasting profits of more than $14 billion.
But Bush wasn’t content to simply make the world safe for corporate tax evaders: He also pushed to deliver $1.6 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals. On paper, at least, the federal government looked like it would soon be rolling in cash. Assuming the economy continued to grow as it had under Clinton, the Congressional Budget Office forecast a federal surplus of $5.6 trillion by 2011. Nearly half that bounty was already spoken for – the government needed some $3 trillion to shore up Social Security and Medicare – but that still left $2 trillion to play with.
Still, those numbers were only a projection. “It’s certainly not money in the bank,” Fed chairman Alan Greenspan warned incoming Treasury Secretary O’Neill over breakfast at the Federal Reserve. Yet there was no such note of caution in the White House. The month after Bush took office, the president’s then-budget director, Mitch Daniels, suggested in an internal memo that $5.6 trillion was likely too small a figure. Daniels concluded that Bush’s plan was “so fiscally conservative” that even after cutting $1.6 trillion in taxes, fixing Social Security and setting aside $900 billion in a contingency fund, the government would still have enough money left over to retire $2 trillion in debt.
“Everybody for a good while accepted that the surpluses were real,” insists Daniels, now the governor of Indiana. When pressed, however, he also concedes that by the time Bush took office, “the economy was already unraveling.” Indeed, a wave of layoffs at the end of 2000 prompted Dick Cheney to warn, “We may well be on the front edge of a recession here.”
The conflicting forecasts – one of sunshine and surplus, the other of gloom and contraction – should have set off alarm bells in the White House. But instead of rethinking the prudence of its massive giveaway to the rich, the Bush team dreamed up a new rationale for cutting taxes: to provide a needed jolt to the economy. “It’s a fair thing to say that the stimulus argument was added in the spring of ’01, when it had not been there before,” Daniels says.
The stimulus argument was lousy economics. The previous two decades, after all, had demonstrated that “trickle-down” tax cuts don’t juice the economy – they create bubbles and balloon deficits. Proponents pointed to Reagan’s original tax cut in 1981, claiming it had spurred economic growth. But that is nothing more than “urban legend,” Stockman says. The economy “did recover after 1982,” he says, “but mainly because the Federal Reserve defeated inflation.”
In fact, Stockman insists, Bush’s tax cuts for the rich represent a bastardization of Reaganism. “The Republican Party originally said that prosperity comes from the private sector,” he says. “But today’s Republicans have become Chamber of Commerce Keynesians – using tax policy as a way of stimulating, boosting, prodding the economy.” The Party of the Rich, in essence, was offering up a twisted version of New Deal policies that laissez-faire Republicans like Reagan had long opposed.
Spinning the tax giveaways as a stimulus plan did serve one useful function: It helped obscure the true purpose of the Bush tax plan. In an internal memo written just days after the inauguration, O’Neill advised Bush that he had a “great opportunity” for quick action on his tax cuts if he framed the choice for Congress as tax cut vs. recession. “We can get this argument on our ground,” O’Neill wrote, “and stop the drumbeat about a tax cut for the rich.”
With no patience for the specifics of tax policy, Bush deputized Vice President Dick Cheney to push through his tax cut for the rich. Once a deficit hawk who confessed that he was “not convinced that the Reagan tax cuts worked,” Cheney had emerged from his tenure as CEO of Halliburton as a leading advocate for rewarding big corporations and their executives – even as GOP moderates warned that Bush’s tax cut would foreclose needed investments in education and infrastructure. “The vice president had no interest in what I had to say,” recalls Chafee. “He ran the show right from the beginning, and he suffered no compromise.”
As the economy worsened, even the president’s Treasury secretary grew concerned about the tax cuts. O’Neill pushed Bush to include a trigger mechanism that would rein in the cuts if the projected surpluses failed to materialize. “The trigger was a good idea – having the foresight that if things turned bad, we wouldn’t have to reverse course in a difficult time,” O’Neill says now. “But there was never any serious interest in it” from the Bush administration.
To Chafee, the opposition to a trigger mechanism seemed to offer a clue about the real goal of the tax cuts: They were designed not to boost the economy, but to force the kind of spending cuts championed by Grover Norquist and other small-government activists. His suspicion that the starve-the-beast crowd was driving the cuts was confirmed, he says, by a conversation he had while walking the Senate corridors with Trent Lott, then the GOP majority leader.
“What’s going on here?” Chafee asked. Why not safeguard the economy by adopting a trigger mechanism?
Lott turned to Chafee. “We’re going to strangle the spending,” he said. On the stump, Bush hyped the benefits of his plan by emphasizing how much in taxes it would save a single waitress. But the real action was at the top rung of the income ladder. Over 10 years, the bottom fifth of income earners could expect to pocket an extra $744. That waitress might be left with enough cash to change out the clutch on her Corolla. The top one percent, meanwhile, would receive more than $340,000 on average – enough to buy his and hers Bentleys.
To mask such glaring inequality, Republicans inaugurated the tax cut with an across-the-board rebate. The waitress would get a $300 check, along with everyone else from Warren Buffett on down. But in reality, the tax cuts were backloaded with benefits for the wealthy. In the first year of the deal, the top one percent would pocket just seven percent of the tax cuts – but by the time the cuts were set to expire in 2010, the rich would be reaping more than half of the windfall. What’s more, the cuts were nefariously designed so that small-business owners and upper-middle-class professionals – primarily those earning between $200,000 and $500,000 a year – would see as much as three-quarters of their tax break eroded by the Alternative Minimum Tax, a levy Congress originally intended to keep rich people from cheating on their taxes.
Every year since the Bush tax cuts were approved, Congress has passed a multibillion “patch” to prevent this politically potent group of professionals from being denied their tax breaks. But at the time, Cheney used the money “saved” by the AMT claw-back to finance another favor exclusively for the rich: a series of cuts to the estate tax culminating in a one-year abolition, set to take effect in 2010. Rejecting a less costly bargain proposed by Democrats that would have provided a permanent escape from estate taxes for all but the richest of the rich, Republicans instead demanded a more expensive plan catering to the wealthiest 0.25 percent of all estates.
In May 2001, Republicans in the House voted in lock step to approve the Bush tax cuts, which cleared the Senate with the support of 45 Republicans and 12 conservative Democrats.
But then reality intervened. The bursting of the dot-com bubble, followed by the attacks of September 11th, tipped the economy headlong into recession. Rather than reversing course, however, Republicans rallied around another tax giveaway for the rich. That October, a bill passed by the House – and endorsed by Bush – not only called for eliminating a law requiring that tax-dodging corporations pay at least something in taxes, it ordered rebate checks to be cut to corporate giants for their past taxes. Under the bill, 16 companies of the Fortune 500 would have each received $100 million or more – including $1.4 billion for IBM, $671 million for GE and $254 million for Enron. Democrats in the Senate ultimately sank the bill, producing a stimulus package that extended unemployment benefits for the middle class and awarded tax incentives to corporations for new investments.
But Republicans kept their eyes on the prize. The following year, after the GOP regained control of the Senate and expanded its majority in the House, Cheney immediately pushed forward with an even deeper tax cut for the wealthy that O’Neill today describes as “an atrocity.”
“We won the midterms,” the vice president told O’Neill at the time. “This is our due.”
By that point, any economic rationale for cutting taxes had vanished. September 11th, the recession and the 2001 tax cuts had plunged the nation $158 billion into the red. The mirage of the $5.6 trillion surplus had vanished – replaced with a forecast that America would rack up some $3 trillion in debt by 2012. But rather than put the brakes on tax cuts, as a trigger mechanism might have done, Cheney was determined to accelerate them, so the rich would get their money even sooner. To further reward the wealthiest, Cheney also wanted to slash taxes on capital gains and corporate dividends, with half of the money going to the top one percent.
To secure the new tax cuts, however, Cheney would first have to overcome opposition not only from Alan Greenspan, but from some of Bush’s top advisers. The Fed chair had personally presented Cheney with a 20-page econometric analysis showing that soaring deficits caused by the tax cuts would sink long-term growth. Instead of communicating Greenspan’s alarm to Bush, Cheney tasked a deputy named Cesar Conda to draft a memo disputing the study. Conda, a former tax lobbyist, blithely dismissed the projections of the Fed’s senior economist as “completely wrong.”
In November 2002, at a meeting in the White House, the president and his top economic advisers packed tightly around a mahogany table in the Roosevelt Room. With the administration’s own forecasts showing that the economy had already regained its footing, one after another of Bush’s deputies sounded the alarm about the dangers of a new tax cut. “This burns a big hole in the budget,” deputy chief of staff Josh Bolten told the president. “The budget hole is getting deeper,” added Daniels, “and we are projecting deficits all the way to the end of your second term.” O’Neill warned the president that a “tax cut that benefits mostly wealthy investors” could imperil the budding prosperity. “With the economy already improving, this could cause an unnecessary boost,” he said. “That’s how you get a bubble.” Entertaining the chorus of doubters, Bush himself voiced qualms about more cuts for the rich. “Won’t the top-rate people benefit the most?” he asked. “Didn’t we already give them a break at the top?”
But Cheney was having none of it. When O’Neill warned Bush that America was headed for a “fiscal crisis,” the vice president, sitting at the Treasury secretary’s right elbow, dismissed him midsentence by citing the ultimate champion of Republican tax cuts: “Ronald Reagan proved that deficits don’t matter, Paul.”
A true student of Reagan would have understood that 2002 was the moment for a tax increase. When his 1981 tax cut overshot the mark, Reagan had put aside ideology and raised taxes, putting the needs of the country above the desires of the wealthy. Bush’s father had also raised taxes to avoid passing massive deficits on to future generations. Moreover, the Bush administration had already committed the country to a costly war in Afghanistan, and was on the brink of invading Iraq. Historically, Republican and Democratic administrations alike had met the financial burdens of war by raising taxes. But this was a new Republican Party, one determined to aid the rich even as it sent the military budget soaring. As House Majority Leader Tom DeLay would soon declare, “Nothing is more important in the face of a war than cutting taxes.”
After the meeting, Cheney set out to remove anyone who stood in the way of the new tax giveaway. He phoned O’Neill and demanded the Treasury secretary’s resignation. He also dispensed with economic adviser Larry Lindsey, whose frank assessment of the possible costs of the Iraq War had threatened to derail the tax cut.
Budget-conscious Republicans in Congress who opposed the tax cuts could not be disposed of – but they could be strong-armed. Voinovich and Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, who refused to go along with cuts of more than $350 billion, were summoned to the White House for a meeting with Bush and Cheney. “The president wanted nearly a trillion dollars when he started with us,” recalls Voinovich. “They were working on us: We need more, we need more.” The senators held out for a smaller bill – though in hindsight, Voinovich says, there shouldn’t have been any tax cuts. “Just think where we’d be if we’d gone along with what the president wanted,” he says, laughing bitterly. “Where would we be today? Oh, my God.”
In the end, Cheney’s voice was the only one that mattered. In April 2003, when the bill reached the floor, the Senate deadlocked 50-50. The vice president cast the deciding “aye” that moved the tax cut into law. The benefits were even more tilted to the rich than the first Bush tax cuts. When fully phased in, 53 percent of the new cuts went to the top one percent. Those making $10 million or more pocketed an average of $1 million a year – twice the haul they made from the earlier cuts, and every cent of it borrowed. “It was a deficit-financed tax cut,” concedes Hubbard, who chaired Bush’s Council of Economic Advisers.
The deal privileged gambling on stocks over working for a living: The tax rate the richest pay on their long-term capital gains was slashed by 25 percent, while their rate on dividends fell by almost 60 percent. The move not only fueled speculation of Wall Street, it further widened the considerable gap between rich and poor. “It was a very destructive combination to have a national economic policy that stimulated debt-financed capital gains and then taxed the windfall at the lowest rate imaginable,” says Stockman. “That contributed, clearly, to the growing imbalance in household income and wealth.”
But Republicans didn’t stop there. The following year, they passed the little-noticed American Jobs Creation Act. Named in the same Orwellian fashion as Bush’s “Clear Skies” and “Healthy Forests” initiatives, the 2004 law allowed corporations to bring home billions in profits they had stockpiled in offshore tax havens – the very flight of capital that Bush had blessed by torpedoing tax harmonization three years earlier. Under the tax amnesty, corporations repatriated $300 billion in profits they had stashed offshore. But instead of paying the nominal corporate tax rate of 35 percent, they were taxed at just 5.25 percent.
The title of the bill notwithstanding, corporations invested almost none of their windfall in new factories or other measures to create the 500,000 jobs that Republicans had promised. In fact, many companies that received the biggest tax break actually slashed jobs. Hewlett-Packard laid off 14,500 workers – one pink slip for every $1 million in profits it shipped back home from overseas. All told, according to an analysis by the National Bureau of Economic Research, up to 92 percent of the “jobs creation” money was handed out to top executives and shareholders in a frenzy of dividend payments and stock buybacks. And thanks to the GOP’s cut on investment income the previous year, wealthy individuals who pocketed the offshore profits paid the same rate on their bonanza, 15 percent, that a waitress at a diner might pay on her tips.
When Democrats regained control of both the House and Senate in 2006, they temporarily halted the GOP’s binge of borrowing from the Treasury to give tax cuts to the wealthy. But that didn’t stop Republicans from finding other ways to aid the rich. As the economy collapsed in 2008, the Bush administration used the crisis to provide a stealth handout to the nation’s banks – even those at no risk of failing. Under the TARP bailout, overseen by Treasury secretary and former Goldman Sachs CEO Hank Paulson, taxpayers were forced to give banks $254 billion for assets worth just $176 billion – a handout of $78 billion to the financial sector, including $2.5 billion for Paulson’s cronies at Goldman. “Paulson pushed the money into the hands of the banks – no strings attached, no accountability, no transparency,” Elizabeth Warren, then-chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel, told Rolling Stone last year.
As with the offshore profits, the banks used the money to line the pockets of executives and investors – while doing little to speed the recovery of Main Street. “We gave an enormous subsidy to these financial institutions, and they have not returned it to the American people,” said Warren. “The administration could have said, ‘All right, take this and multiply it throughout the economy.’ But Paulson never made that a condition of taking the money.”
Taken together, the Bush years exposed the bankruptcy behind the theory that tax cuts for the rich will spur economic growth. “Let the rich get richer and everybody will benefit?” says Stiglitz. “That, empirically, is wrong. It’s a philosophy of trickle-down economics that’s belied by the facts.” Bush and Cheney proved once and for all that tax cuts for the wealthy produce only two things: “lower growth and greater inequality.”
The GOP’s frenzied handouts to the rich during the Bush era coincided with the weakest economic expansion since World War II – and the only one in modern American history in which the wages of working families actually fell and poverty increased. And what little expansion there was under Bush culminated in the worst fiscal crisis since the Great Depression. “The wreckage was left by Dick Cheney, Grover Norquist and the gang,” says Chafee. “This was their doing.”
By driving the economy into the ditch, Republicans left the next president little choice but to drive up deficits in the short term by launching a massive campaign of federal spending to ward off a global depression. But even the $787 billion stimulus engineered by President Obama was hamstrung by his predecessor’s ongoing giveaway to the wealthy: Republicans insisted that nearly 10 percent of every stimulus dollar be devoted to financing the annual “patch” to the Alternative Minimum Tax – the off-budget legacy of Bush’s tax cuts for the rich. This was a $70 billion handout that inflated the cost of the stimulus package without stimulating anything – other than the paychecks of wealthy Americans.
From the outset of the Obama presidency, in fact, Republicans have engaged in a calculated, across-the-board campaign to protect the tax privileges of the wealthiest Americans. Their objective was made explicit by Rep. Eric Cantor during the height of the stimulus debate: “No Tax Increases to Pay for Spending” declared one bullet point on Cantor’s website. “House Republicans are insisting that any stimulus package include a provision precluding any tax increases, now or in the future, to pay for this new spending.” Having racked up the largest deficits in American history, Republicans suddenly found it expedient to return to their old-school rhetoric of deficit-bashing. “Under Bush, they had a story about deficits not mattering,” says Michael Ettlinger, who directs economic policy at the Center for American Progress. “Then, all of a sudden Obama becomes president, and deficits matter again.”
The battle reached a fever pitch over health care reform. To truly understand the depth of the GOP’s entrenched opposition to Obamacare, it’s crucial to understand how the reform is financed: The single largest source of funds comes from increasing Medicare taxes on the wealthy – including new taxes on investment income. According to the Tax Policy Center, Americans who make more than $1 million a year will pay an extra $37,381 in annual taxes under the plan. The top 400 taxpayers would contribute even more: an average of $11 million each.
Rarely in American history has a tax so effectively targeted the top one percent. “It took Republicans about four months to figure out how much they hated it,” says McIntyre, president of Citizens for Tax Justice. Republican rage over the president’s health care plan has far less to do with the size of government or the merits of the individual mandate than the blow to the investor class. If Obamacare remains in place and the Bush cuts for the wealthy expire as planned, top earners will be paying a tax of 23.8 percent on capital gains – more than they have at any time since Clinton cut the capital gains tax in 1997. Health care reform, griped The Wall Street Journal, was nothing but a “sneaky way” for Democrats to wage a “war on ‘the rich.'”
A key element of the GOP’s war on the poor was cemented by the surprise election of Scott Brown to replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate in January 2010. As a candidate, Brown had made his high-mileage GMC pickup truck the star of his campaign commercials. “I love this old truck,” he said. “It’s brought me closer to the people.” But Brown’s real allegiance was to his wealthy donors: the billionaire Koch brothers, who bankrolled the Tea Party, and the financial interests who made a last-minute investment of more than $450,000 to propel Brown into office.
As soon as he was sworn in, Brown set about hollowing out the so-called Volcker Rule, which was designed to bar big financial institutions from using their own money to make risky, speculative bets on the market. By agreeing to provide Democrats with the crucial 60th vote on finance reform, Brown secured an exemption from the trading ban for mutual funds and insurers – a move directly benefiting Massachusetts-based financial giants like Fidelity and MassMutual. Brown also insisted that the Wall Street giants who caused the financial collapse – banks like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase – be allowed to continue using taxpayer-subsidized capital to gamble on hedge funds and private-equity deals. Former Fed chair Paul Volcker was furious: “Allowing a bank to invest in a speculative fund,” he said, “goes against the very intent of the bill.”
But Brown wasn’t done. At the 11th hour, he forced Democrats to spike a tax on big banks and hedge funds that was designed to generate $19 billion to pay for the costs of financial reform. As a result, consumers and small banks had to pick up the tab. Brown, meanwhile, was richly rewarded for his efforts on behalf of Wall Street: During a three-week period at the height of negotiations, he raked in $140,000 in campaign cash from big financial firms, including Fidelity and MassMutual, Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.
When Republicans won back control of the House in last year’s midterm elections, they followed Brown’s lead and moved swiftly to betray their Tea Party backers by running up more deficits on behalf of the rich. Within days of the election, Republicans not only secured a two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy, they also enabled America’s richest scions to inherit millions of dollars without paying a dime in taxes. All told, the GOP’s two favors for the party’s biggest donors were secured in a lame-duck bargain that adds another $858 billion to the debt – an amount greater than the original stimulus plan the Republicans opposed so bitterly.
First, the GOP filibustered a Democrat-led effort to extend the Bush tax cuts on only the first $250,000 of income. The party leadership’s hard-line stance – supported by barely a third of all voters – turned $90 billion over to the wealthiest Americans. It also set a precedent for further extensions that would cost nearly $1 trillion over the next decade. At the same time, the GOP drove through a deal that actually raised taxes for couples who make less than $40,000 a year – and then turned much of the extra cash over to couples who earn more than $200,000. Obama agreed to this massive transfer of wealth in order to retain the Bush tax cuts for the middle class – but the only other significant thing he got in return was a one-year extension of jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed.
But even the GOP’s big payday for the wealthy pales in comparison to the handout that Republicans secured by gutting the estate tax. With the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, the inheritance tax was set to snap back to its Clinton-era standard: exempting the first $1 million of all estates from taxation, and stepping up the tax rate on the wealthiest estates to 55 percent. Instead, Obama agreed to raise the exemption to $5 million and lower the top tax rate to 35 percent – an apparent horse trade demanded by the Senate’s second-ranking Republican, Jon Kyl of Arizona, who then allowed the president’s nuclear-stockpile treaty with Russia to move forward in the Senate.
Shockingly, the deal actually sweetened the bargain the super-rich had received in 2009, enabling the heirs to the richest 0.25 percent of estates to pocket an extra $23 billion they would have otherwise owed in taxes under Bush. In fact, under the terms Kyl demanded, the federal government will spend more to eliminate or cut taxes for 100,000 rich people than it will to extend unemployment benefits for 7 million Americans.
In a little-noticed detail, the two-year deal also created a loophole that allows the wealthiest couples to pass on $10 million to a child today – while they’re still living – without paying a penny of tax. That means the rich can offload their wealth to their children before it increases in value – evading higher estate taxes in the future. “In the next two years,” one tax attorney crowed to The Wall Street Journal, “wealthy people have an unprecedented opportunity to push a lot of the value of their assets out of the estate-tax system.” According to tax historians, the new rules create the most generous tax environment for wealth transfers for the super-rich since 1931.
And that was just the beginning of the budget-busting handouts the GOP demanded for the rich. In April, Republicans in the House passed a budget that would have slashed income taxes on corporations and the wealthiest Americans to just 25 percent – a $3 trillion giveaway that would have been financed by doubling out-of-pocket expenses for future retirees on Medicare. Top Republicans like Cantor have also pushed for a replay of the American Jobs Creation Act – endorsing a new tax amnesty that would allow corporate giants like Apple and Pfizer to bring home $1.4 trillion in offshore profits that would be taxed at just 5.25 percent – a favor for the wealthy that would generate another $79 billion in deficits. “At the same time they’re talking about these big deficit problems, running around saying, ‘We’re broke,’ they’re contemplating one of the most egregious tax giveaways in recent memory,” says Greenstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “The potential windfall gains are beyond enormous – and the lion’s share would go to shareholders of these big corporations and their executives.”
Never mind that the previous tax amnesty in 2004 created virtually no new jobs, as corporate executives eagerly pocketed the windfall for themselves: Republicans are once again claiming that the tax amnesty will enable corporations to spend their repatriated wealth putting Americans back to work. Mitt Romney, the GOP presidential front-runner, promises that the flood of corporate cash will generate “hundreds of thousands if not millions – of good, permanent, private-sector jobs.” That flies in the face of basic economics, given that corporate America is already sitting on hundreds of billions in domestic cash reserves. What the tax amnesty would do, however, is boost stock prices. According to an analysis by JP Morgan, as much as two-thirds of the $1.4 trillion that would be brought back into the country would go to stock “buybacks and dividends” rather than “new factories, new jobs and new equipment,” as Romney claims.
JP Morgan has a big stake in the debate – as do fellow bank-bailout beneficiaries Citigroup, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. Combined, the four financial giants have $87 billion in untaxed profits stockpiled offshore. That’s similar to the combined offshore profits of drug giants Pfizer and Merck at $89 billion. Tech giants Cisco and Microsoft have more than $61 billion they’d like to bring home, while Big Oil companies Exxon and Chevron have $56 billion. The company with the most to gain, by far – with offshored reserves of $94 billion – is corporate America’s most notorious tax scofflaw, GE.
Romney’s rival for the GOP nomination, Rick Perry, has also endorsed the tax amnesty for giant corporations. But for Perry, the proposal doesn’t go far enough on behalf of the rich. “Why not talk about how you are going to repatriate those dollars at a substantially lower rate than 35 percent?” Perry said recently, stumping in New Hampshire. “Like zero.”
In September, Perry went even further, proposing a flat tax that would take a sharp bite out of the paychecks of the poorest Americans – while slashing taxes by more than 40 percent for the wealthiest. When confronted by a reporter over the fact that his plan would give millions to the rich, Perry replied: “I don’t care about that.” His plan is almost as regressive as Herman Cain’s original 9-9-9 plan, which called for increasing taxes on 84 percent of Americans – squeezing $4,400 a year out of every middle-class couple to finance a $455,000 tax cut for millionaires. What’s more, both Perry and Cain want to abolish the estate tax entirely and eliminate all taxes on capital gains. A similar plan by Michele Bachmann would enable 23,000 millionaires to pay no taxes at all – while allowing the top 400 earners to pocket nearly two-thirds of their income tax-free, and then pass those riches on to their heirs without paying a penny. “It’s madness,” says Stiglitz. “And it is dangerous to the fiscal order. The wealthy know very well how to convert normal income to capital gains income.”
The Republican mania for rewarding the rich with tax cuts has become so warped that the normal rules of budgeting no longer seem to apply. Arguing for an extension of the Bush tax cuts, Sen. Kyl spelled out what could well serve as the Party of the Rich’s credo: “You should never have to offset the cost of a deliberate decision to reduce tax rates on Americans.” The same rule, of course, doesn’t apply to spending for those in need: At the time he called for more borrowing on behalf of the rich, Kyl was also fighting to deny unemployment benefits to 5 million Americans. “Continuing to pay people unemployment compensation,” he scoffed, “is a disincentive for them to seek new work.”
In retrospect, the true victor of the midterm elections last year was not the Tea Party, or even Speaker of the House John Boehner. It was Grover Norquist.
“What has happened over the last two years is that Grover now has soldiers in the field,” says Bartlett, the architect of the Reagan tax cuts. “These Tea Party people, in effect, take their orders from him.” Indeed, a record 98 percent of House Republicans have now signed Norquist’s anti-tax pledge – which includes a second, little-known provision that played a key role in the debt-ceiling debacle. In addition to vowing not to raise taxes, politicians who sign the pledge promise to use any revenue generated by ending a tax subsidy to immediately finance – that’s right – more tax cuts.
Norquist insists the measure is necessary to force Congress to rein in spending. “I’m not focused on the deficit,” he says. “The metric that matters is keeping spending down.” But in the real world, the effect of Norquist’s oath is to prevent the government from cutting the deficit by ending tax breaks to the rich. All told, tax breaks cost the government $1.2 trillion each year – far more than defense spending ($744 billion), Medicare and Medicaid ($719 billion) or Social Security ($701 billion). And most of the breaks – think of them as government subsidies delivered through the tax code – go to the wealthy. The richest one percent of Americans receive a 13.5 percent boost in their incomes from such subsidies – almost double the benefit the bottom 80 percent receives. Under Norquist’s pledge, lawmakers are forbidden from ending any kind of tax break – mortgage deductions for luxury vacation homes, subsidies for giant oil companies, lower tax rates for private-equity millionaires – without using the money to pay for another tax cut. “If you can’t get rid of tax expenditures – if old Grover is going to call that a ‘tax increase’ – it’s not just ludicrous, it’s deception,” says Simpson, the former GOP senator.
Ludicrous or not, Norquist’s intransigence on tax expenditures killed the “grand bargain” that President Obama proposed during the debt-ceiling standoff. In return for $1 trillion in cuts to social spending and national security, plus another $650 billion in reductions to entitlements like Medicare, Obama asked Republicans to get rid of $1.2 trillion in wasteful tax subsidies. “Democrats weren’t talking about raising taxes – they were talking about eliminating tax expenditures, for God’s sakes!” says Voinovich. “Many of them should have been eliminated a long time ago.” But with so many Republicans committed to Norquist’s anti-revenue pledge, Boehner was forced to walk away from the deal.
“Grover’s got ’em terrified,” says Simpson. “I always tell Republicans, ‘Hell, Grover can’t kill ya. He can’t burn down your house. The only thing he can do to you is defeat you in re-election – and if re-election means more to you than your country, then you shouldn’t be in the legislature.'”
The battle over the debt ceiling underscores the GOP’s rapid evolution into the Party of the Rich. The budget savings projected from the compromise that Republicans wound up agreeing to – $2.1 trillion – won’t even begin to pay for costs incurred by the Bush tax cuts. In their first decade alone, the cuts wound up depriving the Treasury of $2.5 trillion – with 38 percent of the money now going to the richest one percent of Americans. For all their talk of cutting the deficit in recent years, Republicans have spent far more of the public’s money to subsidize the wealthy.
Indeed, since Republicans began their tax-cut binge in 1997, they have succeeded in making the rich much richer. While the average income for the bottom 90 percent of taxpayers has remained basically flat over the past 15 years, those in the top 0.01 percent have seen their incomes more than double, to $36 million a year. Translated into wages, that means most Americans have received a raise of $1.50 an hour since the GOP began cutting taxes during the Gingrich era. The most elite sliver of American society, meanwhile, saw their pay soar by $10,000 an hour.
America became a great nation with a prosperous middle class on the strength of a progressive tax code – one that demands the most of those who benefit most from our society. But the Party of the Rich has succeeded in breaking the back of that ideal. Today, says Johnston, “the tax system ceases to be progressive when you get to the very top of the wealthiest one percent.” Above that marker, the richer you get, the lower your relative tax burden. “We have moved toward a plutocracy,” Warren Buffett warned in a recent interview. “As people have gotten richer and richer, they have been favored by taxation – and have gotten richer to a greater degree.”
Far from creating the trickle-down economics promised by Reagan, the policies pursued by the modern Republican Party are gusher up. Under the leadership of Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the House’s radicalized GOP caucus is pushing a predatory agenda for a new gilded age. Every move that Republicans make – whether it’s to gut consumer protections, roll back environmental regulations, subsidize giant agribusinesses, abolish health care reform or just drill, baby, drill – is consistent with a single overarching agenda: to enrich the nation’s wealthiest individuals and corporations, even if it requires borrowing from China, weakening national security, dismantling Medicare and taxing the middle class. With the nation still mired in the worst financial crisis since the 1930s, Republicans have categorically rejected the one financial policy with a proven record of putting the country back on a more prosperous footing. “You hear the Republicans say that you don’t dare raise taxes in a weak economy,” says Stockman. “Ronald Reagan did – three times.” Not even the downgrading of America’s debt – which placed the world’s only superpower on credit par with New Zealand and Belgium – has given GOP leaders cause to reconsider their pro-wealth jihad. In August, as the so-called Supercommittee began its work to complete the debt-ceiling deal by reducing future deficits by another $1.5 trillion, Cantor issued the Party of the Rich’s marching orders, insisting that Republicans not buckle under the “tremendous pressure” to hike taxes and instead target spending cuts in “mandatory programs.”
The composition of the committee offers little hope that Congress will hold the rich accountable for their share of the deficit burden. While Democrats appointed deal-oriented centrists like Sen. Max Baucus to the committee, Republicans stocked it with anti-revenue hard-liners, including Sens. Jon Kyl and Pat Toomey, who used to run the Club for Growth – an ally of Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform. “Your wallet is safe,” Norquist tweeted after the Republican roster was announced.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Norquist expresses pride that the GOP has been so thoroughly transformed since the days of Reagan. “It’s a different Republican Party now,” he says. Norquist even goes so far as to liken the kind of Republicans common in Reagan’s day – those willing to raise taxes to strengthen the economy – to segregationists. The “modern Republican Party,” he says, would no sooner recognize a revenue-raiser than the “modern Democratic Party would recognize George Wallace.”
Norquist expresses no discomfort at the moral impact of his project – providing tax favors for the wealthy that are paid for by cutting services to those who truly need them. “I understand greed and envy,” Norquist says. “The idea that somebody’s making money and you want to steal some of it? That’s an interesting idea. But it’s not morality. It’s certainly not justice.”
Such extremist rhetoric – equating taxation with theft – is exactly the kind of talk that dismays old-line Republicans. Many of those who fought for years at the side of Ronald Reagan say they no longer recognize traditional GOP values in the new Republican Party. Fighting for the rich, after all, is not the same as championing the right.
“You can look up my record: On conservatism and taxes I was better than Jesse Helms,” says Simpson, the former senator. “But whatever happened to common sense? People are going to look around in five or 10 years and say, ‘Whatever happened to the things that made me comfortable? That made our streets and schools good things?’ And they’ll look, hopefully, at Grover Norquist. I can say to you with deepest sincerity: If this country and this legislature are in thrall to Grover Norquist, we haven’t got a prayer.”
This story is from the November 24, 2011 issue of Rolling Stone.
• Grover Norquist: The Billionaires’ Best Friend
• The Enablers: Democrats On Board With the Party of the Rich
• Must-Read Books on the GOP and the One Percent
• Timeline: How the GOP Became the Party of the Rich | <urn:uuid:793c2246-9e1b-404b-9d1f-2f647eb92f3f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/how-the-gop-became-the-party-of-the-rich-237247/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.962131 | 12,595 | 2.015625 | 2 |
3 quirky Indian tales from French Reunion Island
Reunion Island began as a place where prisoners were left to die. But the prisoners started living idyllic lives – swimming in the sea, climbing mountains, growing rice, vegetables and fruits in the fertile volcanic soil. After all, the island has 300 micro-climates.
The French decided to reclaim this paradise for themselves. First they brought Africans here as slaves for the sugarcane plantations. After slavery was abolished, they fetched indentured workers from India.
And that is how the Indian community started out on this unlikely island.
And people of Indian origin – about 45 per cent of the total population of 837,000 inhabitants – are shining testimonies to this amalgamation.
How they came to be there
The island, formed from a volcanic rising five million years ago, was first discovered by Arab traders. Soon the invaders -- Portuguese, British and the French -- arrived. Finally, the French colonised it, and christened it Reunion Island in 1793.
An apt name for what the island is today, if not historically accurate.
For most Indians in Reunion Island, their acquaintance with India has been through faded stories of their ancestors travelling through the family vine or the banyan and mango trees in the backyard, the seeds of which were brought to the island by their forefathers or the recipes that are carefully passed down from great-great-grandmothers. While few Indian-islanders desire to travel to India, most of them are indifferent to the distant association. Reunion Island is where they feel rooted. It’s not that they shun their past. It is just that they prefer to live in the present.
Mary is both a Hindu and a Christian. And there are many like her on the island.
When the Hindu Indians got off the boat two things happened at the immigration office. First, their names were Frenchified. Mary says, “The immigration officers couldn’t get the Indian names right.” Vaidyalingam became Vaitilingam, Arumugam became Aroumougam, and so on.
Second, they were asked to embrace Christianity. Due to the fear of retribution, they embraced it and a few continued to practise Hinduism secretly. Over time, the lines between faiths blurred. When Reunion Islands embraced religious diversity, most Indian families found themselves both Christian and Hindu.
Many elements of India are integrated into the weave of the island. But the influence of Indian cuisine stands out. Jacky Arourmougam, a celebrity chef on the Island, says, “About 80 percent of Creole food is inspired by India.” Rice and lentils are staples along with croissants and baguettes. Samoussas or Samosa is the undisputed national dish.
I enjoyed an outdoor picnic at Trou d’eau at La Saline Les Bains with Jacky. His forefathers hail from Bengal and South India. Some of his unique dishes are inspired by the secret recipes of his mother and grandmother who came from Bengal. When the French-sounding ‘achhard’ is placed on the table, you realise it is but the spicy Indian achaar and that kurkuma is turmeric which is used extensively in the island cuisine. And chicken cari draws heavily from the Indian curry. No doubt, the mingling of communities has given Reunion Island its unique food culture.
Mary Theresa Subramaniam
I met Mary Theresa Subramaniam at the Saint-Pierre market, where she’s been working for the past 30 years. Mary’s great-grandfather came to the island with his wife and nine children. But he abandoned them and returned to India. His young wife raised her children in a foreign land.
Clad in a skirt and lavender top, Mary has distinctive South Indian features. She’s never visited India. She believes she may have a “few relatives back in India” but has no clue about their whereabouts. This is also a typical story amongst the Indian community here.
Reunion Islands in the Indian Ocean, an overseas department of France and about 9,000 km from Paris, is like a delicious kichdi - a goulash of African, Asian and European cultures. It’s the comfort food that would lift your spirits in an acrimonious world.
Sandwiched between Mauritius and Africa, this paradise isle has mountains, valleys, sandy beaches, pristine blue seas and vertiginous falls. But more than the natural beauty, it is the people of the island that give it its distinctive characteristics.
A short walk from the market is the Mahakali de Bazaar or the Mahakali temple. Mahakali Utsav and Tamil New Year’s Day are big celebrations on the island.
Tall and lanky Balaram, who can trace his roots back to Pondicherry, is the presiding priest at the Mahakali temple. He is, like most Indians here, fluent in French. “Because that is what we speak at home,” he says. Balaram’s great-grandfather came to Reunion Island. He is one of the few Indians on the island who still has some connection to India. Every year he goes to Munjod, a village in Kanjeepuram, to study Sanskrit.
On the island, Indians from South India, often Hindu, are known as Malbars. Immigrants from North India came later. Muslim Indians from North India are known as Zarabes.
Temples and mosques - the first mosque of France was built here - stand alongside churches. Nowhere is this intermingling of faiths more evident than in the pretty cemeteries. At the St-Pierre Cemetery, amidst decorative family vaults and single graves with cherubs on tombstones, I found numerous graves of Indian-origin Christians. They had a saffron-coloured Trishul-cross combo on the headstones. This was the best religious khichdi I had ever seen. | <urn:uuid:baf36a19-67cb-40b3-9d94-29d4793d9fd2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/travel/3-quirky-indian-tales-from-french-reunion-island/cid/1674937 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.964996 | 1,278 | 2.921875 | 3 |
The main highlight of Tosantos is the stone outcropping just beyond the village that juts up from the land. Along it, there is a chapel cut into the stone that encloses a cave wherein resides the 12th century Romanesque image of Mary as Nuestra Señora de la Peña.
Her presence here goes back to an 8th century vision a child had on this spot of Mother and Child. By now you will notice that this entire road is most dedicated to Mary and that it overlays an older divine feminine found in regional folklore in both southern France and northern Spain regarding the mother earth and caves as her dwelling places (this is especially strong in Basque folklore).
Tosantos is along what used to be dangerous terrain for pilgrims. Once vulnerable to bandits hiding in the hills of the Montes de Oca, today it is a beautiful and peaceful hiking trail.
The Montes de Oca, literally meaning hills of the goose, is a part of the last really hilly section the pilgrim crosses before arriving at the Spanish meseta, the flat and endless tableland that defines the rest of Castile.
Within the name, Montes de Oca, we may have an esoteric hint that has intrigued some pilgrims, thinking that maybe these hills are somehow connected to the mark of the goose, the Camino arrow itself in reverse, denoting an esoteric spiritual path on the Camino. This extends also to a game, El juego de la oca, the game of the goose, that may connect to hidden clues along the Camino for deeper spiritual illumination.
The next main pilgrim stop is in the lyrical forest and valley of San Juan de Ortega. | <urn:uuid:eaf2e84e-7693-472e-ac8a-063eb5e9ff23> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://bindutrips.com/poi/tosantos/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.921666 | 352 | 2.390625 | 2 |
From 1879 to 1904, the New Orleans Mint contributed to the production of Silver Morgan Dollars for circulation use in the United States. The New Orleans Mint missed just two years of issue in the series, the first release in 1878 and the final release in 1921. To honor the centennial of that last issue in 1921, the US Mint released commemorative silver bullion Morgan Dollars in 2021. Included in that release was an O Privy Morgan Dollar to honor the New Orleans Mint. Now, 2021 O Privy Silver Morgan Dollars are available to you for purchase online at Silver.com in perfect condition.
- Coins ship to you in NGC protective plastic slabs!
- Centennial issue of the Silver Morgan Dollar design!
- Features an O privy mark in honor of the New Orleans Mint!
- Availability of certified perfect coins is limited!
- Consists of .858 Troy ounces of .999 fine silver.
- Issued a face value of $1 (USD) by the United States.
- Bears a Grade of Mint State 70 from the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation.
- Early Release specimen.
- The obverse has a portrait of Liberty.
- On the reverse is the heraldic eagle.
- Inspired by the original George T. Morgan designs.
The New Orleans Mint opened in 1838 as the southern-most branch facility of the United States Mint. It opened alongside two purpose-built branch mints on the East Coast. The Charlotte Mint was built around the same time in North Carolina to take advantage of local sources of gold to produce gold coinage for the United States. The Dahlonega Mint was opened in Georgia specifically for gold coining and assaying.
From 1838 to 1861, the New Orleans Mint struck nearly every denomination and metal of US coinage available in the 19th century. It closed during the Civil War and Reconstruction, reopening in 1879 and continued operating until 1909 when it closed permanently. In its history, the New Orleans Mint issued more than 427 million gold and silver coins for the United States. This included Silver Morgan Dollars it produced between 1879 and 1904.
The obverse of these 2021 O Privy Silver Morgan Dollars features George T. Morgan’s original depiction of Liberty. This left-profile portrait of Liberty includes the laurel wreath and coronet crown on her head.
On the reverse side of 2021 O Privy Silver Morgan Dollar Coins is the heraldic eagle. Also designed by Morgan in 1878, it depicts the bald eagle as it clutches the arrows of war and the olive branch of peace.
These 2021 O Privy Silver Morgan Dollars are available in perfect condition. Mint State 70 coins showcase full, original mint luster and have no detractions present. The Early Release label means these specimens were received by the NGC within 30 days of release from the US Mint. These coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a commemorative O privy mark on the reverse in honor of the New Orleans Mint.
Silver.com customer service is available at 888-989-7223. Alternatively, you can chat with us live online or simply send us an email with your inquiries. | <urn:uuid:864db789-4e00-41a9-a372-5666fe5da7e3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.silver.com/2021-o-privy-silver-morgan-dollar-coins-ngc-ms70-er/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.929717 | 655 | 1.867188 | 2 |
COP21: Over 300 organisations signed Paris pact on water and adaptation to climate change in river basins
Over three hundred organisations from 87 countries have already signed the Paris pact on water and climate adaptation in the basin of rivers, lakes and aquifers.
The pact was launched on the opening day of the climate summit COP21 on 1 December in Paris, France.
One of the organisations that signed the pact full heartedly, is Dutch Water Authorities, the organization of all Dutch regional water authorities.
According to chairman Peter Glas, who was one of the first to sign the Paris pact on behalf of the Dutch Water Authorities, a lot has already been achieved in integrated river basin management (IRBM) but in practice it still proofs difficult for water agencies to take joint actions within a river basin or groundwater aquifer.Peruvian environment minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal and French environment minister Segolene Royal presented the Paris Water Pact on the first day of the COP21.
The Paris pact on water is led by the International Network of basin organisations (INBO) and secretary general Jean-Francois Donzier presented the document on the special water-climate day of the climate summit on 2 December.
The pact calls for immediate action to minimize the impacts of climate change on the populations’ health and safety, on economic development and the environment, considering the importance of the protection of water-related ecosystems.
According to the pact coordinated action at basin scale is needed, to counter floods, droughts and water pollution.
Therefore, new basin organizations and existing ones should be strengthened to facilitate the cooperation, coordination and exchange of information and dialogue between stakeholders.
Disappointment on the general outcome
In comparison to previous climate summits, there has been much attention for adaptation in Paris. The world water community is therefore disappointed that water is not mentioned in the final outcome of COP21.
"The impacts of climate change on water systems are clearly visible, so I fully agree with the sense of urgency that is mentioned in the Paris pact on water", Peter Glas, chair of the Dutch Water Authorities reacts.
"As water is such an important element in climate adaptation I cannot understand why it is not specifically mentioned in the agreement", he adds.
Cooperation on operational level
This makes the Paris pact on water for Glas even more important: "Rivers cross the territory of sovereign states and local authorities. The fragmentation within a river basin is a fact. There is no way around all these differtent authorities. However, it is possible to work together on an operational level and take joint actions." This is not easy he admits and feels encouraged by the many signatories of the pact.
Glas promises he will look into the list of the signatories. "Perhaps a neighboring water agency has signed the pact too. That would give me a good reason to contact them and intensify the cooperation."
He advises all other signatories to do the same.
Download the list (as pdf-file) of over 300 signatories from the website of INBO.
Read also on this website
● COP21: Adaptive planning for river deltas calls for flexible strategies, 10 December 2015
● Climate change will hit energy-related water use in multiple ways, 8 December 2015
● COP21: Rotterdam wins C40 cities award for its adaptation strategy, 7 December 2015
● COP 21: Netherlands grants 50 million euro to help civil societies in disaster prone areas, 3 December 2015
Lima-Paris action agenda (LPAA)\
Paris pact on water
International Network of basin organisations (INBO)
Dutch water authorities
The Hague, the Netherlands
+31 70 351 97 51
Short video impression of LPAA resilience day at COP21 on 2 December. | <urn:uuid:5b5accee-b186-4201-9396-d9695f9aa084> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.dutchwatersector.com/news/cop21-over-300-organisations-signed-paris-pact-on-water-and-adaptation-to-climate-change-in | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.930491 | 814 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Present information about the subject logically, prioritize completely different points primarily based on importance. Also, provide supporting facts and evidence and clarify their significance. Define the essay topic State the main idea/purpose of the essay. An expository essay in addition to a persuasive one include an introduction, body, and conclusion.
They are solely allowed within https://essaywritercheap.net/author/admin57/ the very first levels of your research if you finish up trying to know what your topic is about and how you can current it. Besides, you’ll find a way to solely use them for the insight into the topic matter, and you can’t cite them, even should you might imagine what an impression it will make on your teacher! If a scholar makes use of someone’s superficial judgments to create one thing âunprejudiced,‘ she or he hardly understands the expository essay definition and its goals. And although expository essays share similar traits with informative papers, they nonetheless have distinctive features. This guide sheds gentle on what expository essay writing is, what goals it carries, what sorts it has, and how to compose it.
Expository writing Ñs a standard task at school, faculty, and college. It is a sort of writing the place yоu need to explain an idea in great element and explain Ñt. You need to explain it in a transparent and simple method so that the readers can understand the thought you are attempting to convey.
The purpose of the reason being to enter factor and remove any doubts or misunderstanding in regards to the subject. Choosing a definition is a key step in writing a definition essay. You want to know the time period before you can define it for others.
Infuse proper assist or proof in an expository essay to present your thoughts about the topic precisely. If you might be missing statistical or factual proof, you must reveal the extent of reasoning skills. Body paragraphs should include proof and proper factual data. Make sure each paragraph must be centered on a particular general thought revolving round your primary topic.
KSAs are used together with resumes to determine who the most effective applicants are when several candidates qualify for a job. The knowledge, skills, and skills essential for the successful efficiency of a place are contained on every job vacancy announcement. KSAs are brief and focused essays about one’s career and educational background that presumably qualify one to perform the duties of the place being utilized for. However, by the mid-19th century, the Causeries du lundi, newspaper columns by the critic Sainte-Beuve, are literary essays in the original sense. Other French writers followed suit, including Théophile Gautier, Anatole France, Jules Lemaître and Ãmile Faguet.
Thus, when writing an expository essay, the very first thing you want to do is to resolve what’s the function of your paper and what expository essay kind you’ll use. The structure and content of your piece will depend upon this decision. There are six commonly distinguished kinds of expository essays. We will allow you to to understand the distinctive options of every. Writing styles, youâll discover plenty of drastically different expository writing examples. Technical manuals and research papers are each kinds of expository writing.
Writing in this formula will sign-post your work and make it easier to read. Formulating a clear title will assist clarify the aim of your paper by giving the reader your subject and the context in which you’re reporting on it. When choosing a title and essay type always consider whether or not they’re acceptable to the guidelines and subject material. The most essential thing is to choose a topic you get pleasure from. Below is an illustration of the conventions and structures of each essay genres. Mastering the art of writing a great expository essay is the backbone of writing A grade essays. | <urn:uuid:a9202fb1-7a6c-47df-bdb5-5f8a06b1b833> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://campingpark.camping-treviris.de/2022/07/20/the-4-primary-kinds-of-essay/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.918424 | 811 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Growth purely for its own sake is the philosophy of cancer1.
Research centred in a primary-care setting is particularly important because this is the setting in which the determinants of quality regarding the health status of the individual, the cost-effectiveness of care provision, and the programmatic soundness of the healthcare system come together2,3.
This article reviews the Researcher Development Program (RDP) component of the Australian Government's Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation, and Development (PHC RED) strategy. The views presented are drawn from the experiences and observations of a group of participants in the program and from a review of the literature relevant to the goals of the RDP program. Based on the evidence of what works, suggestions are offered as to what might work to increase the involvement of GPs in research.
The Australian Government, through its Department of Health and Ageing, has funded PHC RED since 2000. The program seeks to build research capacity in primary care through funding university and general practice partners to carry out certain capacity building initiatives and to provide research methods training and infrastructure supports. The PHC RED consists of several components: the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute (APHCRI) is tasked with providing leadership in primary health care research4; the Research Capacity Building Initiative provides financial support to university departments of general practice and rural health to engage in a broad range of collaborative activities with the aim of increasing research in primary care; the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHCRIS)5 provides support in the area of dissemination and knowledge exchange6.
The RDP is intended to support clinicians through a transformation to novice (early career) researchers by imparting skills and providing mentorship through a research project initiated by the participant. The hope is that, once bitten by the research bug, RDP clinician/researchers will continue to grow as researchers after program support structures have ended. The RDP scheme enrols primary care clinicians in paid, part-time positions of one year's duration.
The goal of the RDP is to build research capacity in Australian primary health care7 in general, and in general practice in particular. If successful, this increased capacity will manifest as a sustainable increase in the quantity and quality of research performed by primary care practitioners, especially rural GPs. This will support better healthcare outcomes, including cost-effectiveness, through capturing best clinical practice relevant to current critical areas of health policy.
A stakeholder analysis in the early phase of PHC RED found that lack of time, lack of research expertise or access to means to improve it, and lack of connection to skilled research were the chief barriers to conducting research in primary-care settings8. Fair relationships between academic and practice partners have also been cited as being important9.
A recently completed evaluation of PHC RED was generally favourable to the effort, although it also found that there was 'insufficient clarity about the of PHC RED's goals and objectives, i.e. what it's trying to do'10.
A recent systematic review of factors influencing research uptake into policy11 reported results very similar to those of a report on research conducted in Australia on the enablers of and barriers to diffusion and dissemination of research in primary care12. In both reports, the key factors supporting the adoption of research into policy were the timeliness of the research itself and the personal contact among major stakeholders. The barriers were the lack of these attributes. The systematic review also cited as facilitators the quality of research undertaken and research that supported existing policy directions, while the Australian study found that peer support and a formal academic posting for clinicians engaged in research were influential.
Capacity building is a misnomer in regard to RDP, as no increase in sustained funding or formal ongoing redistribution of workload from practice to research is provided or supported by the program. The PHC RED funds and program supports merely provide incentives to redirect the working capacity that exists within primary health care from patient care to research for the year in which these incentives are in place.
This one-year time constraint is the most serious impediment to the success of the program. Pirkis et al. highlighted the problem of such a limited approach in their survey of health service researchers in Australia13. While experience has been that most RDP clinicians desire to continue their research efforts, there is no formal provision for their continuing status with their mentor agencies after the end of their funded period. Continuation depends on the capacity of the mentor agencies, academic department of general practice or university departments of rural health, to continue to support them.
If these researcher/clinicians are to continue to make progress, their efforts need to be sustained, with PHC RED funded agencies acting as research partners or external mentors. They also need support from their workplace. However, recent research in Australia suggests that primary-care providers do not have sufficient capacity, in terms of time, money, or support, to provide primary care, let alone redirect time from it to engage in research14. While RDP funding is in place, clinicians have 'protected time' to work on their projects. Once funding ends, support for research is subordinated to clinical work load, and further work on research projects is tenuous. This means that research capacity isn't truly built.
Any research question worth answering will require some in-depth, specialised knowledge in the area of study9. It is a fairly straightforward task to help RDP clinicians formulate a question and to learn and successfully use general research skills, but this is insufficient to instil enough depth of understanding in a novice researcher for the completion of a project of more than modest scope or sophistication. Any project of substantial value will involve some modification of existing methods and in-depth knowledge of particular analysis techniques. Access to such expertise is a problem in rural and (especially) remote areas, but efforts such as university departments of rural health, rural clinical schools, and access to telehealth and online resources are contributing to the solution.
A forum for RDP clinicians nearing completion of their year in the program, the 'Sapling Breakfast Session' was convened on 2 December 2005 as part of the New South Wales biennial PHC RED program conference. Figure 1 presents observations and suggestions contributed by that group.
Figure 1: Novice researcher breakfast workshop, PHC RED program conference, 2 December 2005 in Sydney, Australia. RDP, Researcher development program.
The deliverables that the Commonwealth Government seeks from PHC RED are high quality published research and new knowledge incorporated into practice settings and priority areas of health policy formulation. In expecting these results in the short time frame of policy-makers (2-4 year election cycles), the Commonwealth has set a one-year time frame for RDP clinician placements. However, it is unrealistic to expect a novice researcher, even with a robust support system, to complete and publish a research project of any substance in a year, especially with only a few hours per week funded for the purpose. The ultimate benefits to the health-care system from research built initially by PHC RED efforts will take considerable time to realise. This has been referred to as the 'evidence to practice gap'15.
The Commonwealth is also interested in seeing PHC RED-funded clinicians compete successfully for higher level research grants. However, measuring output by the number of successful grants may not be realistic in a field like primary health care that is newly developing and not particularly research oriented. In the USA the average ratio of basic science grants (which are the majority of grants) per funded faculty member at the top 15 National Institutes of Health-funded institutions is 1.45 ± 0.09 (SD)16. In Australia, recent additional funding from APHCRI and the National Health and Medical Research Council has probably saturated the market of fundable projects in primary health care. A US Institute of Medicine study concluded that patient-oriented researchers were not trained as well in the art of grant writing as basic science researchers16.
A measurement system that focuses on publications in peer-reviewed journals as the main outcome measure for success of the program is also problematic. Such a system works against clinicians who may be willing to devote time to developing and answering a research question, but lack the time and administrative support to get through the arduous process of writing for publication. Academics are now conditioned to orient their work not merely to publication, but also to publication in high impact journals, meaning that research that is not of the highest degree of interest and sophistication is generally not worth their time. This elitism works to the detriment of the effort to inculcate a research culture in primary care, where a publication of any sort is generally reward enough for effort.
In addition, a focus on producing publications will not capture the contributions to healthcare improvement that can come through incremental, unpublishable, but nevertheless significant, improvements in delivery systems17. For example, one RDP clinician in 2004 discovered a systematic deficit in providing medication information to cardiac patients being discharged from the hospital where she worked. She was able to work through existing systems to institute a better discharge process. This will result in better patient outcomes and, hence, more cost-effective and better quality health care as a result. However, the time and effort needed to document this for publication were beyond the time and support available to her. It is also unlikely that a paper on such a modest, incremental improvement would be accepted by a peer-reviewed journal.
A multi-objective composite set of measures of research performance that captures different types of outputs might be a better way to determine the success of the RDP program. The UK's Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), for example, uses published research outputs as only one of their measures to provide the primary evidence for research quality to RAE panels. These panels develop a complex final grade awarded to each institution that determines subsequent funding18. Such multi-objective composite measure systems may require that weighting factors be assigned to different measures of research output. A potential drawback is that it would be more difficult to make comparisons across institutions and countries19 if different schemes are used for each. A weighting factor acknowledging the greater difficulties faced by rural and remote researchers would provide an additional incentive.
Another option to providing a better assessment mechanism would be the development of peer-review panels to replace or augment annual reporting to assess the progress of PHC RED programs. This would also promote collaborative ventures. Panels could establish the most appropriate indicators for the departments they were to review, and the results of the review could be a weighting factor used in determining continued funding.
If it is to be successful, PHC RED will need to provide more than transient incentives for rural GPs to engage in research. General practitioners need continuing structural supports to ensure that research development which has started is sustainable. To accomplish this, there follow some additional principles that should be included as the Commonwealth proceeds in its efforts to foster and nurture a research culture.
First, the focus should be 'simplicity over complexity'. Dismay is expressed at the fact that GPs are generally not involved in higher level research, primarily randomised controlled trials20. But GPs are probably more appropriately involved in what we may think of as basic research. Being the first point of contact with the healthcare system, including healthcare research, such doctors are best positioned to make the observations, formalised as case series or observational descriptive study types, on which hypothesis formulation can then be based and tested21.
The basic elements of observation, deduction and serendipity are the cornerstones of some of the most innovative research conducted in Australia. One such example is the recent Nobel Prize for Medicine received by Barry Marshall and Robin Warren 'who with tenacity and a prepared mind challenged prevailing dogmas'22 and established that the cause of peptic ulcers is a bacterium23. Small scale research projects, ranking low in the hierarchy of evidence, can lead to the development of more ambitious research questions for larger scale, collaborative work. Examples include guideline development, descriptive studies, and small-number epidemiological studies. A recent article by Pirkis and colleagues24 lends support to this approach in two ways. First, it shows the continuing utility of case studies as a valid contribution to the research evidence base. Second, it shows the contribution of general practice research to an important health policy question, in this case mental health care.
Second, care must be taken not to try to create a rural/remote primary health care research culture too big or too fast25. Time spent by new clinician/researchers on research will be time taken away from other imperatives in a system already over-burdening clinicians. Conflict between the competing demands of research and daily healthcare delivery, where research will necessarily and rightly have a lower priority, presents a high potential for failure of attempts at complex research endeavours26.
There are critical-mass and time considerations that will affect any opportunity for a research development program to produce sustainable change. It may not be possible to maintain mentorship and research infrastructure in many rural and remote sites due to their small size. Sharing of resources through collaborations may be more efficient and productive27.
Relevant, sustainable support infrastructure that will continue to nurture new research efforts can and should be created, so that the research culture and efforts spawned by PHC RED grow. In order to engage the rural primary-care community in redirecting clinical time to research time, the issues at hand must be framed to support the clinicians' needs and perspective as well as those of funders and academic mentor/collaborators. Research networks have proven to be the most successful mechanism for achieving this28-31 and have been suggested as the way forward in Australia by Zwar et al., who provide a clear and succinct set of essential elements to realise the vision32. But sustainable networks need sustainable funding, and lots more of it than the modest amounts currently going to PHC RED. By providing such funds, the Australian Government could expect a better and more sustainable return on their investment.
Finally, a systems-analysis approach33-35 should be adopted to research capacity building. This would involve carefully examining how research capacity interfaces with patient care capacity in diverse rural and remote primary-care settings. It is likely that social/professional networks36, both those that currently exist and those that can be forged through future PHC RED activity, will determine whether a more robust research culture can be developed and sustained in rural and remote general practice.
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Main Article Content
The main problem in producing high accuracy software defect prediction is if the data set has an imbalance class and dichotomous characteristics. The imbalanced class problem can be solved using a data level approach, such as resampling methods. While the problem of software defects predicting if the data set has dichotomous characteristics can be approached using the classification method. This study aimed to analyze the performance of the proposed software defect prediction method to identify the best combination of resampling methods with the appropriate classification method to provide the highest accuracy. The combination of the proposed methods first is the resampling process using oversampling, under-sampling, or hybrid methods. The second process uses the classification method, namely the Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm and the Logistic Regression (LR) algorithm. The proposed, tested model uses five NASA MDP data sets with the same number attributes of 37. Based on the t-test, the < = 0.0344 < 0.05 and the > = 3.1524 > 2.7765 which indicates that the combination of the proposed methods is suitable for classifying imbalanced class. The performance of the classification algorithm has also improved with the use of the resampling process. The average increase in AUC values using the resampling in the SVM algorithm is 17.19%, and the LR algorithm is at 7.26% compared to without the resampling process. Combining the three resampling methods with the SVM algorithm and the LR algorithm shows that the best combining method is the oversampling method with the SVM algorithm to software defects prediction in imbalanced class with an average accuracy value of 84.02% and AUC 91.65%.
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John Theodore Herrmann was born in Lansing, Michigan on November 9, 1900. He lived in Paris in the 1920s, as part of its famous expatriate American writers’ circle, and was friends with figures such as Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein.
The son of a wealthy Lansing family that produced men’s suits through the mid-1960s, Hermann would receive fall and spring suits from his father every year. He would often pass on older suites to Ernest Hemingway. In fact Hemingway thanked Herrmann for a suit in one 1930 letter. “It is a damned handsome suit,” Hemingway wrote. “…That’s as fine a suit as I ever saw.”
Herrmann’s first novel, What Happens, a coming of age story, was original published in Paris by Robert McAlmon’s Contact Editions press. Copies were seized by U.S. Customs upon their arrival in the United States on the charge of violating the 1922 Tariff Act, which banned the import of obscene materials from foreign countries. Herrmann fought the charge in a jury trial in New York City in October 1927 but ultimately lost. Despite supporters such as Genevieve Taggard, H.L. Mencken, and Katharine Anne Porter, the jury responded with a negative verdict and the judge ordered the seized copies destroyed.
In 1932, Herrmann’s short novel, “The Big Short Trip,” tied with Thomas Wolfe for the Scribner’s Magazine short novel prize.
Hermann’s leftist connections were investigated in the late 1940s by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and Herrmann was placed under surveillance and questioned many times in Mexico by the FBI. He died near the Pacific Ocean in April 1959, at the Hotel Navidad, in Barra de Navidad, Jalisco, Mexico from a heart attack.
Judy Putnam, “Revival of forgotten Lansing novelist”, Lansing State Journal, June 10, 2015. | <urn:uuid:bf63845e-3f9f-42a8-b153-f35897d25188> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://harris23.msu.domains/event/1900-john-theodore-herrmann-born-in-lansing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.973872 | 441 | 2.171875 | 2 |
As part of our basic human instinct, it is important to protect and nurture our belongings. Employees, workers, and staff are the most valuable assets of an organization. Employers need to think of ways and means to maintain a work environment that is positive, conducive, and comfortable.
Any organization’s performance, productivity, and profitability will be affected by a dissatisfied, unhappy, or unsatisfied workforce, no matter what their task. The productivity of the workforce is negatively affected by extreme weather conditions such as brumal cold or excruciating heat. Air Conditioning and Air Cooling are the most basic benefit an employer can focus on. The cool, fresh, comfortable environment not only beats heat outside and the pangs of sultriness on the inside but also help employees relax and get rid of the scorching heat. There are two benefits to air conditioning: first, it will keep employees happy throughout long hours at work, and second, it will help them stay focused and productive when they do the tasks that have been assigned. To increase productivity, it is important to make the office feel comfortable.
Reduces Stress Level
It is not a good environment for work. In extreme heat, fatigue, exhaustion, cramps, and other symptoms can be seen. These vices include a lack of attention and poor concentration which leads to huge adversity in productivity. To maintain sustained productivity, it is prudent that office workers and their staff have effective air cooling systems.
Maintains Constant Temperature
Research shows that employees are more productive when they face the same types of challenges at work. Consistency in the work environment enhances performance, especially during stressful times. It also increases productivity over time. The cooling effect or the impact of cooling on employees is what we are referring to. A consistent and conducive temperature leads to increased productivity at work. You can test this by activating temperature control, which maintains a constant temperature of between 21 and 25 Celsius. This will undoubtedly increase efficiency and productivity.
Health Problems Prevented
Extreme weather creates a host of health problems and issues that can be detrimental to an organization’s workforce. These issues not only pose a grave concern for employees’ well-being but also affect the efficiency of the workplace and reduce productivity. A drop in productivity is inevitable when extreme temperatures are experienced, such as cold or heat. High temperatures, humidity, heat, and heat can all lead to stress and exhaustion, headaches, migraines, dehydration, and sunstroke. An employee suffering from any one of these conditions will feel extreme discomfort at work and will likely experience a significant decrease in productivity. This can lead to a drastic decrease in the productivity of the workforce, which could adversely impact the organization. The efficient air cooling system that can cool the room to a comfortable temperature also helps prevent the extreme drop in temperatures in winters. This will help both stops and avoid the health problems that could be brought on by the unfavorable weather.
Air Coolers Are Cost-Effective
These Coolers come in many sizes and shapes. They are classified based on their utility and capacity. The range of Air Coolers available, from Portable Coolers to Personal Coolers and Duct and Desert Coolers, will suit the cooling needs of both the area and the intensity and nature of the work. Air Coolers cost significantly less than their more expensive counterpart, the Air Conditioner. Air Coolers are extremely energy-efficient and have lower long-term maintenance costs. Aside from the initial purchase price, the Air Cooler provides a welcome relief in terms of the monthly electricity bill. This drop is almost 60-70%. The Air Cooler is a better investment for business owners who want to create, sustain and increase the productivity of their employees.
Suitable For Large Open Spaces
While Air Coolers may be modern in appearance, the principle behind cooling the air is still the same. The evaporative technique has been used for centuries. Air Coolers are not like air conditioning. They require fresh air, water, and an evaporation medium, which is a cooling pad that helps to expel cool air. Air Evaporative Coolers can be used indoors or outdoors in limited spaces. However, they can also be used openly. It all depends on the cooling needs of the individual to choose a Portable Personal Cooler, a Desert Cooler for his home, or a Commercial Cooler for his business employees. | <urn:uuid:2b377d3e-4bf9-4db9-9f37-7a8e5236a6ec> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://postfreaks.com/how-air-coolers-can-improve-productivity-work/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.946295 | 893 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Entrepreneurship is one of the hottest topics in public discourses and in academia.
It probably espouses our dream of becoming rich and affluent.
Last week, I argued persuasively that the golden route to entrepreneurship is to have top or “A” students become entrepreneurs.
But that has not been the reality; it’s the dropouts and the laggards as measured by our exams that are left to start and run enterprises.
Why then are we surprised by the high failure rate of start-ups in the country?
The reality is that top students prefer secure jobs in firms that were started by someone else and nurtured into maturity to the point of being listed on the stock market.
They also love jobs in the public sector (read national government, county governments and other State agencies).
Add the UN and other cross-border entities lie the East African Community or the African Union.
Unlike these well-established firms or agencies, new enterprises, including small kiosks, have no structures, systems, networks or even established markets or brands.
This is why such start-ups need Harvard’s brains. We have our Harvards here in Kenya.
The reality on the ground is that men and women pushed into entrepreneurship have no interest or the necessary acumen.
Many would love to be employed and the certainty that goes with it, from a regular salary to a pension.
Ever wondered why we leave for the Middle East, the US or the UK for jobs?
Yet schools and even the government push the youth to entrepreneurship, with the latter offering them funds to start their own enterprises.
As one youngster asked, why should someone who has been employed for 40 years ask me to become an entrepreneur?
The truth is that entrepreneurship despite our love of money is not popular. It’s too romanticised, and the truth about it is rarely told.
For every successful enterprise that we see, many more have failed but were never publicised. The men and women we push into entrepreneurship are alive to this truth. They are on the ground.
The support reviled entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg got is rarely publicised. Their success is portrayed as a one-man job.
They probably got some venture capital, advice from leading consultants, support from the government and goodwill from their communities as well as patents to protect their innovations.
America and other nations are very proud of their firms and their “homes.” I could sense the pride of Mississippi in hosting the headquarters of Worldcom in Clinton when I arrived there in the summer of 2001.
Never mind it went bankrupt the following year in 2002.
I have asked why our firms are not headquartered where they were founded. For example, why is Equity Bank not headquartered in Murang’a?
By the way, why do we extract entrepreneurs from the countryside to Nairobi? Is it that counties do not need them?
The reality in Kenya is that entrepreneurs are looked down. Why then do we expect our youth to aspire to become entrepreneurs?
In fact, small-scale entrepreneurs such as boda boda riders are seen as a nuisance.
How many motorbikes are rotting away in police stations because the owners can’t pay fines for petty traffic offences?
I am not supporting the breaking of the law, but where would all these young men and women be without the motorbikes?
Hawkers are always on the run from kanjos (city council - now county - askaris).
Yet, we do not seem to accept the reality that our economy is not that formalised, with 80 per cent of jobs being in the informal sector.
This is despite our policies and even infrastructure being built on formality. Noted how we leave out overpasses in new roads? How shall we cross the fenced-off Nairobi expressway?
Why doesn’t it have enough underpasses? Why did the designers assume we all drive?
There are no spaces left for entrepreneurs to work from despite the popular term, jua kali. Not only are there no working spaces, but amenities like toilets are few.
But in the West and even in the East, we find industrial parks that just need you to build your factory and start production. Our communities never commend us when we start enterprises the same way they celebrate politicians and musicians.
Oddly, many enterprises want to remain small despite their success. Their owners prefer to retain control over growth.
Remember, many of them were forced into entrepreneurship. I have written consistently about the “missing middle” in Africa - a phenomenon whereby developing economies consist of a large number of microenterprises (mostly informal) and some large firms but very few small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Our economies are like vases; growth also means getting into the radar of government agencies such as the Kenya Revenue Authority and other regulators.
Finally, entrepreneurship is taken as part-time by the employed. How often do you hear “I am going to my jua kali.”
You are not supposed to be in entrepreneurship full-time; it should be a hobby or fallback position that was reinforced by Covid-19.
Let’s not forget another reality: we value control over growth. Many boards and CEOs are content with the status quo as long their perks and power are intact.
Growth is secondary. Who said public sector firms can’t be entrepreneurial?
The truth is that we admire the money made by entrepreneurs but not the “dirty work” of setting up enterprises and the risks thereof.
Did Vision 2030, the Big Four agenda, devolution and Covid-19 change that? What about the Competency-Based Curriculum? We can only wait and hope. | <urn:uuid:22185e58-08e5-4f1f-a540-294b3535a75e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/opinion/article/2001438913/the-jarring-truth-about-going-into-business-in-kenya | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.96771 | 1,204 | 2.15625 | 2 |
Open Data versus the Mosquito
The current global panic about zika can be boiled down a “data gap” issue. Gaps in understanding of why it has started spreading so rapidly now, a gulf in fathoming its effects on pregnant women (evidence linking zika and microcephaly is still only spatio-temporal rather than causational), and gaps in sharing the research data and clinical specimens that will enable the global research community to keep one step ahead of the virus spread. As with Ebola, there has been much frustration of many key players not sharing these materials. Despite the fact that in a life-and-death situation wild speculation and panic fills the vacuum, and closed data risks lives.
All this makes the zika crisis a perfect opportunity to harness the benefits and showcase the utility of open approaches. In particularly open and collaborative efforts using Open Data and Open Source hardware. An international group of makers / hackers / scientists / citizen scientists trying to develop innovative measures against zika, and Open Data Hong Kong have teamed up with MakerBay to join these efforts. Join us at the zika hackathon on the 16th February at MakerBay in Yau Tong (see their event page here). We’ll be linking up with the global google hangout with other zika hackathon participants in Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and beyond. Then discussing and pitching projects where we can contribute from here in Hong Kong. From both of our data hacking and hardware hacking perspectives, and where these different stands of “open” can be combined to produce crowdsourced data collection tools and apps to see if citizens can do better than the supposed experts in filling in these data gaps.
The “Asian tiger mosquito” Aedes Albopictus, which is among 60 types of mosquito that can carry the virus if it bites an infected person, is endemic to Hong Kong. The warmer year-round weather and more extreme rainfall patterns we are currently seeing will make the city even more favourable for mosquitoes from the Aedes genus, sparking warnings from local health officials to eliminate breeding areas. On top of the threats of zika, we already have sporadic dengue outbreaks from these vectors, and the Hong Kong government currently has an Oviposition Trap (Ovitrap) screening program to detect the presence of adult mosquitoes. With only 52 locations across Hong Kong selected for the vector surveillance, and the mosquitoes having a roughly 200m range, more than 98% of Hong Kong is currently not covered and there is a need for much more data collection and presentation (the FEHD presenting not very helpful PDFs). Contrasting this with the more dynamic data driven approaches of dengue reporting Singapore uses, Kaggle competitions for West Nile Virus modelling, and Spanish efforts at crowdsourcing tiger mosquito spotting (with no Hong Kong data collected to date) show a few approaches we could follow here.
Are you interested in getting involved and use your creativity to develop innovative technologies and contribute to understand and prevent zika from spreading? Let’s meet up! The event will be co-hosted by Scott from ODHK and Ajoy, Jacky and Nicolas from MakerBay, and efforts will be longitudinal following the ongoing international hackathon efforts. For more see:
- Zika International Hackathon Facebook group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/zikahack/
- First Hackathon meetup / Google hangout : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXb_44R_tNA (embedded below)
- Notes from the meeting : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f0g1kWn8HMlU0hmpl1QMy0uUAs02QYP3b5ru1T1xZhc/edit?pref=2&pli=1#heading=h.p73jtyc2cxn
Tuesday, February 16th 2016, 6:00pm
Location: MakerBay, 16 Sze Shan Street, C1 Yau Tong Industrial Building Block 2, Yau Tong, Kowloon
See this on Google maps.
See this event on Facebook.
UPDATE 23/2/16: MakerBay have a write-up of this event now posted, and you can see the archived livestream below. Thanks to everyone who attended, and keep following to see how the pitched projects develop. | <urn:uuid:bf561b4e-3f9a-436e-94d3-8530a5c6c414> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://civicsight.org/hong-kong-versus-zika-come-fight-the-data-gap-at-zikahackathon/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.911074 | 940 | 2.75 | 3 |
Native American-themed films and TV shows have been on the rise recently – Ava DuVernay and Bird Runningwater are developing a dramatic series for NBC about the struggles and triumphs of an Indigenous family – but Hollywood has a long way to go to include Native Americans into its storylines.
During today’s SAG-AFTRA panel discussion about Re-Creating Native Americans in the Media, Hollywood was urged to tell more stories about Native Americans as the modern people that they are, not just as throwbacks to the bygone era of cowboys and Indians – and to give Native Americans a seat at the table to tell their own stories.
“We have the sense of being invisible,” said Crystal Echo Hawk, founder and executive director of IllumiNative, a nonprofit initiative designed to increase the visibility of Native Nations and peoples. “And if we are invited into the room, we’re usually the only Native person in the room. And in interactions out in the world, we just constantly run into being reduced to being a caricature, a stereotype.”
See all of today’s Stop the Hate panel discussions here.
Research her organization has conducted found that “one of the greatest threats to Native people is our invisibility and erasure, which is perpetuated by big systems, such as K-12 education, in which 90% of the schools don’t teach about Native Americans past 1900. So generation after generation of Americans are literally conditioned to think that we’re of an ancient past and don’t exist today.
“But Hollywood, media entertainment, and pop culture is a big culprit within that. Our representation in TV and film hovers somewhere between zero and 0.4%. And what little representation ekes through is either before 1900, or as toxic stories that fuel these tropes about savages or mystical, magical Indians. And with Native women, if they do show up at all, they’re often being brutalized, and oftentimes don’t even live to the end of the show.”
“What we found,” she said, “is that invisibility, plus those toxic stereotypes, fuel racism; they fuel bias. And those have real-world consequences against our people that show up in how our people are treated in the courts and in Congress; to the way that our children are treated every day in classrooms, and to the epidemic of murdered and missing Indigenous people in this country.
“What our research told us is how important representation is. And it’s not just about representation showing up on screen; it matters what’s behind the camera; it matters who’s elected to office. It’s really about representation through all levels of society. That’s how we’re going to not only dismantle that invisibility and toxic stereotypes, but how we’re going to advance equity and justice for our people.”
“I have really seen such an explosion recently of Native content,” said Princess Daazhraii Johnson, producer of Molly of Denali and a member of SAG-AFTRA’s Native Americans Committee. “There’s been so much good work coming out of content creators.” She also spoke about the “positive effects of reclaiming Native truth; of us actually being able to have that narrative sovereignty and inform what our image looks like.”
“It is exciting. There’s definitely an uptick,” Echo Hawk agreed. “But there’s a couple of key points as we think about that. There have been Native people fighting for our representation in entertainment and media for decades and decades…It’s unfortunate that it took the murder of George Floyd and the beginning of a reckoning with systemic racism that is opening an opportunity now, finally, for this narrative sovereignty for Native peoples to really, truly author stories. It’s so exciting. There’s a definite uptick. But it’s been a long time coming, and there’s a lot of work to be done, because those numbers in TV and film have literally not moved at all. So I’m hoping, that with all the good things that are coming in 2021 and beyond, we’re going to start to see changes, not only in what we’re seeing in TV and film, but what’s happening behind the camera, as well.”
“We continue to commit and re-commit to making systemic change, because it is systemic,” Johnson said. “Whether it’s the justice system or the education system, and to creating some shared understanding of our histories, because so many people have no idea about the history of Native people in this country.”
“When we look at fighting systemic racism,” Echo Hawk said, “there’s such a powerful opportunity for Hollywood, which creates 80% of global content and shapes the way that people think about the world and communities – there’s such a deep responsibility, in is this powerful moment, in this reckoning, to call people in, to really take this introspective moment to understand the power and opportunity that exists to be a force for good in dismantling white supremacy and systemic racism. And to tell stories that are reflective of our ever-rapidly changing and diverse society, of which Indigenous people play an important role. We are still here; we are thriving; we have wonderful stories to tell.” | <urn:uuid:95418c46-b77f-4696-b07b-021814ccb7c7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://deadline.com/print-article/1234735625/?KeepThis=1&TB_iframe=1&height=500&width=750 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.959906 | 1,150 | 2.734375 | 3 |
Furman offers students workshop on leadership
Last fall, Furman announced that it was offering a six-part financial literacy course to seniors that would teach them to manage budgets, minimize debt and save for retirement.
The offering was so popular (111 are enrolled) that the university decided to offer another workshop to seniors that addresses another life skill: leadership.
“Our students often find themselves leading organizations while at Furman, and many of them will pursue management and leadership roles in their careers,” says George Shields, Furman’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. “However, few of them understand how being an effective leader differs from being an effective manager.”
The non-credit, no-additional-cost workshop, titled Effective Leadership, is open to juniors and seniors. But seniors will have the first opportunity to sign up for the 50 available seats. Professor Emeritus Ken Abernethy and Suzy Summers, chair of the business and accounting department, will coordinate the workshop. The pair have delivered many successful professional development workshops and seminars on leadership to the corporate world through Furman’s Rushing Center.
The interactive workshop will explore management, leadership and culture – three critical factors that define all organizations. The course will demonstrate that leadership does not happen by chance. Rather, it results from the awareness and application of effective leadership principles and behaviors.
The workshops will be held 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on March 21, 23, 28 and 30. Those interested should contact firstname.lastname@example.org.
The leadership workshop is another component of The Furman Advantage, a strategic vision that guarantees Furman students will be equipped with the real world experiences they need to accelerate their careers and live lives of purpose.
“The Furman Advantage promises every student a range of experiences that prepares them for a successful future beyond the classroom, and this workshop will help them to thrive in the workplace,” said Shields. “Leadership is an essential attribute for success in a globally connected world, so we must seek new ways to prepare our students to become great leaders.” | <urn:uuid:64a85826-729f-4ef6-8dbf-66c7c0ce6012> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.furman.edu/news/2017/03/07/furman-offers-students-workshop-on-leadership/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.956966 | 445 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Races are named after it. Thousands of fans flock to it.
Grown men (and women!) kiss it.
So, just what is the story behind The Yard of Bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
On Saturday, June 5, 1909, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened its proverbial doors to some 40,000 people curious to watch its first race: a gas-filled, helium balloon contest. The next to race were motorcycles and then cars, but on very dangerous ground- packed soil covered with gravel, limestone, and taroid.
Due to safety concerns, the surface was completely replanned and recreated using 3.2 million bricks, each hand laid on a bed of 2-inch tick sand. During the repaving, locals affectionately titled the speedway “The Brickyard.”
The name stuck, and over the years sections of the track were repaved with the more modern asphalt. In October of 1961, the remaining areas of the track was paved except for a 3-foot section of bricks at the start/finish line. What was once The Brickyard officially became the “Yard of Bricks.”
100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500
Kissing the Bricks
To my delight, there were some super fans on my tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kissing the bricks after a race win has been a tradition for many years and fans that have watched said tradition either in the stands or on the tele know what a poignant, special moment it is for the winning driver.
Have you ever kissed the bricks? Please let me know in the comment section below! | <urn:uuid:755ccacc-bf75-41d5-bc3b-9a662201708d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.sandandorsnow.com/2015/09/the-yard-of-bricks-at-indianapolis/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.96821 | 334 | 2.265625 | 2 |
Cefuroxime is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. This medication is known as a cephalosporin antibiotic. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This antibiotic treats only bacterial infections. It will not work for viral infections (such as common cold, flu). Using any antibiotic when it is not needed can cause it to not work for future infections.
Take this medication by mouth usually twice daily (every 12 hours), or as directed by your doctor. Take cefuroxime with food to increase absorption and reduce stomach upset. Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. Swallow the tablets whole. Do not crush or chew because the tablets have a strong bitter taste. Use the liquid suspension form of this medication if it is difficult to swallow the tablets. For the best effect, take this antibiotic at evenly spaced times. To help you remember, take this medication at the same time(s) every day. Continue to take this medication until the full-prescribed amount is finished, even if symptoms disappear after a few days. Stopping the medication too early may allow bacteria to continue to grow, which may result in a relapse of the infection. Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain may occur. Dizziness and drowsiness may occur less frequently, especially with higher doses. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly. Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: unusual tiredness/weakness. Tell your doctor right away if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: yellowing of the eyes/skin, severe stomach/abdominal pain, persistent nausea/vomiting, dark urine, signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of urine), signs of new infection (e.g., fever, persistent sore throat), easy bruising/bleeding, jerky movements, chest pain, mental/mood changes (such as confusion). This medication may rarely cause a severe intestinal condition (Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea) due to a resistant bacteria. This condition may occur while receiving therapy or even weeks to months after treatment has stopped. Do not use anti-diarrhea or opioid medications if you have the following symptoms because these products may make them worse. Tell your doctor right away if you develop: persistent diarrhea, abdominal or stomach pain/cramping, blood/mucus in your stool. Use of this medication for prolonged or repeated periods may result in oral thrush or a new vaginal yeast infection (oral or vaginal fungal infection). Contact your doctor if you notice white patches in your mouth, a change in vaginal discharge or other new symptoms. A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing. This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch. In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Store at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets. Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
Your healthcare professionals (such as your doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first. Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: "blood thinners" (e.g., warfarin). Although most antibiotics are unlikely to affect hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring, a few antibiotics (such as rifampin, rifabutin) can decrease their effectiveness. This could result in pregnancy. If you use hormonal birth control, ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details. This medication may affect the results of certain lab tests. It may cause false positive results with certain diabetic urine testing products (cupric sulfate-type) and false negative results with certain blood glucose tests. Make sure laboratory personnel and your doctors know you use this drug. This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.
If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include seizures. | <urn:uuid:e21c560f-ad00-4c06-a91e-f0eeb5e737b7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.uprx.com/product/Cefuroxime%20Axetil | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.909877 | 1,188 | 2.34375 | 2 |
At a GlancePartners
Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority – Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP-TEVTA)
200 women and men from amongst the temporarily displaced families from North-Waziristan Agency and hosting areas in Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan Districts
Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP-TEVTA)
Two Districts of KP Province – Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan)
Project ObjectivesOn 24 June 2014, the Pakistan Army launched an offensive against militants in North-Waziristan Agency (NWA) of Pakistan which compelled the local population to leave their homes and move to safer locations. As of May 2015 total of 103,108 families moved out of North Waziristan Agency to find shelter in neighbouring Districts. The major influx of displaced families was recorded in two districts of Khyber Phunktunkwa (KP) i.e. District Bannu (83%), followed by District Dera Ismail Khan (6.8%). This situation prompted the Government of Pakistan to call on the international community for emergency humanitarian assistance to tackle the challenge of the temporarily displaced families.
In response to the request of the Government of Pakistan for support on humanitarian grounds, the UN system in Pakistan initiated a relief and rehabilitation operation for the Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs) from NWA. As a result of this, the International Labour Organization (ILO) entered into a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to implement interventions aimed at facilitating livelihoods support for the temporarily displaced families.
UNDP allocated a total of USD 100,000 to the ILO to undertake an ‘Employment Opportunity Identification’ study as well as the delivery of market-oriented skills through vocational training to 200 TDPs along with necessary tools and equipment through KP-TEVTA within a period of six months (Oct 2014 – May 2015). From its own resources (Regular Budget Technical Cooperation -RBTC), the ILO, established an Emergency Employment Information Centre (EEIC) in District Bannu of KP to facilitate access to employment for both TDPs and local (hosting) communities.
- Impart employable skills training to 200 women and men from temporarily displaced families and hosting communities
- Two hundred (200) women and men completed vocational training in four selected trades i.e. tailoring, hand embroidery, domestic-electrician and plumbing;
- Ten training centres were established at different locations for the delivery of vocational training at the closest points (within 1 kilo-meter) – particularly for women;
- KP-Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority (KP-TEVTA) was engaged to impart and certify vocational training which was closely monitored for good results and best delivery of skills;
- Study on ‘Employment Opportunities Identification’ completed and its findings were shared in a knowledge-sharing event;
- All 200 trainees were registered with the EEIC to facilitate market linkages to employment. The main focus was on self-employment – both individually as well as in groups;
- Case studies of good practices were documented and also recorded in a video-documentary;
- Developed training curricula aligned with the demand of local market and had 90% focus on practical (hands-on) techniques – while 10% on theory;
- Comprehensive monitoring mechanism was put in place to ensure good quality training – for women and men;
- Developed a comprehensive database of all trainees benefitting from the project
- The biggest achievement of the project was the overwhelming participation of women (60% of total trainees) in the training programmes which was very hard to predict due to highly conservative culture.
- The project gained good visibility by print and electronic media. At the end of the project, a Knowledge-Sharing event was organized in Islamabad to highlight key successes and good practices. | <urn:uuid:8b994ff1-31b7-4a61-9978-1cb64b4e74fc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ilo.org/islamabad/whatwedo/projects/WCMS_406969/lang--en/index.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.943124 | 854 | 2 | 2 |
Head of Architecture Department
Qassim University, Saudi Arabia,
The Gulf cities have been experiencing a rapid transformation in their urban morphology, from traditional local settlements to global modern cities. From the beginning, tall buildings have played a crucial role in shaping the new reality for the Gulf cities—an image of the city that embraces the past while looking towards the future. In 1975 the first tall building in the region was conceived by architect John Harris in Dubai. This iconic tower will be celebrating its 40th anniversary next year. Between its inception in the 1970s until now the tall building as typology has changed and evolved to face the needs and the challenges of its era. By examining the history of the Gulf region's urban development, especially focusing on the skyscraper architecture across the region as well as the desire and aspirations of urban rulers such as Shiekh Rashid of Dubai, the clear picture of their effect on urban development is clear.
By investigating the evolution of tall buildings in the Gulf cities through the lens of the placemaking, urban integration and sustainability, and by tracing the current practice of tall buildings in the region, specifically by performing in-depth analysis of 12 cases study from four cities (Riyadh-Dubai-Doha-Kuwait), and by predicting the challenges and needs for the future, a conceptual framework is proposed and design guidelines are formulated that will help to enhance future planning and design of the tall building in the Gulf region. | <urn:uuid:0a169497-571b-4b0f-af35-6795414bc7f6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://2019.ctbuh.org/presentations/?paper_id=268 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.960989 | 301 | 2.375 | 2 |
No-one likes rejection. And when your career is at stake, “no” can seem the hardest word.
But don’t let it!
Allow yourself a moment to be disappointed but don’t be downhearted and don’t stop persevering.
Follow our guide to handling rejection and pick yourself right back up. Dust off the “no” and come back stronger until you get to “yes”.
Don’t take it personally
Potential employers are looking for specific qualities, experience and cultural fit.
They are not thinking about ‘you’, so don’t take the rejection as a personal slight. You won’t grow from the experience, you will damage your jobhunting momentum and you may even create a difficult atmosphere ruling out that employer in future.
Remember: this just wasn’t the right opportunity for you. That’s all.
Show your quality
Don’t burn any bridges! How you behave right now is important. This door might no longer be open to you now but others may be later.
Be professional. Thank the company for the opportunity, wish them success and express your interest in future roles. Send a short, polite email to the individuals you met – or initiate a connection on LinkedIn.
Don’t jeopardise tomorrow’s opportunities because you are disappointed with rejection today.
Face your fear
Rejection is an excellent opportunity to learn. So ask the question: why weren’t you offered the job?
There are many reasons why candidates aren’t successful – and some will be outside your control.
But if the decision came down to gaps in your experience or how you presented yourself, then you can use this knowledge to become a stronger candidate next time.
Give yourself the space to process this development.
Take on board any feedback and let yourself absorb learning points. Use that information and what else you have learned from the experience to hone your search further.
Challenge yourself: are you targeting the right positions and companies? Reach out and discuss the news with your network or your mentor. Once you have accepted it and understand it, then move forward. Onward and upward!
If the employer (or recruiter) is willing to provide you with feedback, listen.
Above all, don’t challenge them. You won’t change their minds and you might prevent yourself from hearing how to succeed next time.
If you don’t agree with the feedback, keep your head high and thank them for the feedback. Then plan how you will be more persuasive about your experience or more demonstrative of your qualities at future interviews.
Keep calm and let Insure Recruitment handle it!
Our specialist recruiters are experts in reducing your chances of rejection.
You won’t waste time on unrealistic prospects as we help you focus on the exciting opportunities that are right for you.
We screen rigorously, so you will only advance for the vacancies for which you are a very strong candidate.
You will go to interviews fully prepared and primed as we will run through scenarios and ensure you have as much relevant background information as possible.
Although we reduce the likelihood, rejection does sometimes happen. But with us, you aren’t dealing with it alone. We work together: guiding you through feedback and helping you use that information to identify better opportunities and be an even stronger candidate.
If at first you don’t succeed…
You aren’t back to square one. Because now you can incorporate everything you have learned from the experience into making your next application even stronger.
Use this new knowledge and our library of helpful blogs full of jobhunting tips to help you find your perfect next job.
Because one thing’s for certain: the job that is meant for you will not pass you by! | <urn:uuid:d1fdfe1f-c935-4ef5-ac06-af6013f35dc2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.insurerecruitment.com/blog/rejected-dont-be-dejected-our-guide-to-handling-rejection-will-get-you-right-back-on-track/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.919659 | 809 | 1.554688 | 2 |
11 March 1836
NAME: ROBERT CULHANE
WHEN BURIED: 11 March 1836
AGE: 10 days
SHIP’S NAME: not recorded
QUALITY OR PROFESSION: Convicts Child [sic]
BY WHOM THE CEREMONY WAS PERFORMED: SAMUEL MARSDEN
Buried in an unmarked grave, exact location unknown, parish of St. John’s, Parramatta.
Female Factory Online, (femalefactoryonline.org), “Burial of ROBERT CULHANE,” https://femalefactoryonline.org/burials/year-1836/bur18360311/, accessed [insert current date].
RELATED MATERIAL: ROBERT CULHANE
© Copyright Michaela Ann Cameron 2018 | <urn:uuid:ec3c0bed-5855-4b7a-8f8a-de84577631f6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://femalefactoryonline.org/burials/year-1836/bur18360311/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.752266 | 205 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Would you like to speak on behalf of the Ukrainian youth at the United Nations Headquarters in New York? Do you dream of exploring how the UN works from the inside and try yourself as a diplomat? Are you ready to volunteer and work for youth with the youth-led organizations in Ukraine for the whole year? Then the «Ukrainian Youth Delegate to the UN» program is right for you!
Applications for candidates to participate in the selection of Ukrainian Youth Delegates to the UN are opened!
Submit your application and maybe you will represent the state at the General Assembly in New York in 2021!
Ukrainian Youth Delegate to the UN is:
An annual program to present the position of Ukrainian youth in the world and disseminate the Sustainable Development Goals;
Experience of representing the state at the UN and opportunity to learn from Ukrainian diplomats;
Networking with the world’s most active youth;
Development in the fields of public diplomacy, project management, communications and analytics.
Requirements for applicants:
- Citizenship of Ukraine
- Age 20-27 years old
- High level of English language proficiency
- Experience in tackling youth-related issues
In order to participate in the selection, you must:
- Fill out a short online form: https://forms.gle/eHKxHH6C6Kgtx5oT6
- Take a video * and share it on your Facebook and / or Instagram page
- Prepare a CV for 1 page
* In the video (up to 1 minute) you should tell us in English about how do you improve or contribute to improving life in your community. The thoughts you share in the video will be able to inspire many people to implement new «sustainable» habits to benefit the environment and society.
- Video format: any (from selfie to animation)!
- Duration: up to 1 minute.
- Language: English.
The video should be freely available on one of the social networks Facebook or Instagram (optional — on both).
Deadline: June 6 (23:59, Kyiv time).
The language of filling in the application form, and CV in English.
Only those applicants who fulfill all the conditions are allowed to participate in the competition.
The program is implemented by the Bohdan Havrylyshyn Family Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The Ukrainian community in New York, especially the NGO Razom for Ukraine, provides active organizational support to the program. | <urn:uuid:3e3741c3-c60f-4671-a817-8f8495554e81> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://uayouthdelegate.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.896742 | 525 | 1.585938 | 2 |
Cyanide poisoning: symptoms, antidote
In the beginning of the last century, cyanide can be freely purchased at the pharmacy. It is not surprising that cases of poisoning with this toxic compounds were very common. Its toxicity it has the potential to cause negative changes at the cellular level, to reduce the functional activity of all vital systems. The cyanide intoxication often ends with the death of a person. To date, synthesized an effective antidote for the relief of dangerous symptoms and rapid elimination of the poison from the human body.
The characteristics of cyanide
Cyanides – compounds formed by chemical reaction of hydrocyanic acid with soluble salts. Toxic substances well soluble in water to form a colorless breeding. There is a myth that the poison can be detected in the weak aroma of bitter almonds. In fact, you must have a highly evolved sense of smell to smell the toxin even in high concentrations. How does potassium cyanide is a transparent white crystals, resembling sugar.
High humidity provokes the decomposition of the salts of hydrocyanic acid into its components. Cyanides accumulate in the environment, and inhalation in humans, there is severe intoxication, which may be fatal.
A poisonous compound is used in tobacco smoke, contains the seeds of fruit trees which like to split the children. The use of such delicacy can cause severe symptoms of poisoning in babies. Cyanides are classified as follows:
- Inorganic. The result of a simple chemical reaction between acid and base. Easily hydrolyzed in water to form anions and cations. Such compounds include: sodium cyanide, potassium cyanide, calcium cyanide, and others.
- Organic. Are the result of the interaction of hydrocyanic acid with complex substances. The most famous organic cyanides are canarina and canalaska acid, esters of hydrocyanic acid, the products of its fusion with nitrates.
Now the poisoning of cyanide is diagnosed very rarely. This situation may occur in the production during the decomposition of salts of hydrocyanic acid and release them into the atmosphere. They evaporate so fast that even modern sewage treatment plants are not able to rapidly detect toxic gases.
When you have an emergency, most often recorded cases of intoxication by inhalation of toxic fumes or gases. This condition is considered the most dangerous due to the rapid penetration of the poison inside the bloodstream. If the concentration of cyanide in the environment human death can occur few minute after the circulation of gas in the room. The same result of poisoning is by eating significant doses of toxic compounds inside.
In the stomach the cyanide react chemically with hydrochloric acid. They are hydrolysed to hydrocyanic acid, which is distributed by the bloodstream and prevents the transfer of molecular oxygen.
The poisoning is diagnosed and after the introduction of poisons on the mucous membranes or skin. If in the open areas of the human body is mechanical damage (cracks, scratches), it increases the rate of absorption of cyanide. For such pathways characteristic redness of the skin.
Where can you get poisoned by cyanide
Bone the cherries and apricots contain cyanide in small amounts. Poisoning may occur in the manufacture of jam, where Housewives put the kernels for flavor and a spicy hop bitterness. But if the jam is subjected to prolonged thermal treatment, the probability of intoxication is extremely low. The fact that when high temperatures, toxic compounds are removed to a safe for human health elements.
In the presence of freezers, many people freeze fruits for cooking in winter pies or compotes. Do not store peaches, apricots, cherries more than one year. Cyanides have the ability to accumulate in such freezing. A way out could be to use the fruit, freed from seeds.
Salts of hydrocyanic acid are still used in agriculture. Enterprises as well as owners of private households use them to kill pests or rodents: mice, rats, moles. Fatal poisoning develops from improper storage of cyanide, exceeding the recommended dosages, non-compliance with safety precautions when working with poisons.
Toxic compounds are used in processing ore in the process of hydrometallurgy. The method is based on dissolution of metals in aqueous solutions of cyanides. Also poisonous substances are used:
- upon receipt salts, which have a high conductivity for the formation of plating with gold, silver, platinum;
- in laboratories and retsepturno-industrial departments of pharmacy cyanide in the composition of indicators for qualitative and quantitative analysis;
- as the fixer for a great picture-on-wet technique.
Accidental poisoning with salts of hydrocyanic acid are not perfect. About ten years agoRomania and Hungary have been documented dumping of toxic waste in part of the river valley. Deaths were recorded, but many people subsequently were diagnosed with a chronic illness. Their reason was long-term effect on the organism of small doses of cyanide. Fans of insects are at risk – they use the poison to replenish their collections. To give a watercolor deep blue some manufacturers add cyanide of iron.
The mechanism of intoxication with cyanides
The cause of death in cases of poisoning by cyanide is a respiratory arrest. Toxic compounds enter into chemical interaction with the enzyme cytochrome oxidase of the cells. They bind ferric iron, inhibiting electron transfer, violate their transport, synthesis of ATP stops. Molecules of oxygen remain bound with the hemoglobin inside the blood stream. While the flow of biological fluid to the tissue remains at the same level.
When the diagnosis of poisoning is an important evaluation criterion is the color of venous blood is its color bright red. This condition occurs due to excess hemoglobin.
In the absence of oxygen metabolism drops, and then stopped. Particularly affected are the brain cells responsible for regulation of the functional activity of all vital systems. There is a paradoxical situation when the body of excess molecular oxygen, but its transfer is impossible. The result of the growing symptoms of poisoning develop, the following negative processes:
- The Central nervous system.
- Inhibition of vasomotor and respiratory centers.
The lethal dose of cyanide for an adult is about 1.65 mg/kg of body weight. Extremely high toxicity can be attributed to all salts of hydrocyanic acid to form highly toxic compounds. In industries and laboratories is subject-quantitative account of cyanide of sodium, potassium, calcium to prevent poisoning.
Even strict adherence to safety rules when working with inorganic salts of hydrocyanic acid, does not guarantee the absence of penetration into the organism of microscopic doses of poison. Doctors recommend that workers in laboratories or industrial plants to hold in the cheek a small piece of lump sugar. Sugar is a kind of trap molecules of cyanide.
You can not work with toxic compounds on an empty stomach – symptoms of poisoning will rapidly increase. Substances contained in foods, reduces the negative effects of poison, destroying it by oxidation.
Cyanide ions are always contained in the human body. They are part of some vitamins, enzymes, biologically active substances. Without them, there can be metabolism. As salts of hydrocyanic acid is a component of tobacco smoke, the inside the bloodstream circulates smokers increased dose of cyanide.
The main stages and the clinical picture of poisoning
For the conduct of detoxification treatment, it is important to find out what amount of poison is in the bound form. Manifestations of the symptoms also fundamentally different depending on the concentration of hazardous compounds inside the human body. Toxicologists there are four stages of toxicity.
At this stage may not need medical assistance due to the low salt concentration of hydrocyanic acid within the body. It is usually enough to bring the person into the fresh air to eliminate signs of intoxication. For prodromal stage is characterized by such symptoms of cyanide poisoning:
- a slight cough, sore throat;
- a feeling of bitterness in the mouth, numbness of the mucous membranes, metallic taste;
- disorders of the digestive system: mild nausea, bloating, bloating;
- dizziness, shortness of breath;
- increased salivation;
- increased heart rate, rise in blood pressure.
Only people with experience will be able to determine intoxication by cyanide at this stage, negative signs are charged to the ordinary sickness. If the victim does not leave the danger zone, there is the next stage of poisoning.
Higher doses of toxic compounds is characterized by disorders of the Central nervous system. A person develops emotional instability due to a misunderstanding of what is happening. This stage is characterized by such signs of intoxication:
- Apathy, fatigue, increased anxiety, restlessness.
- Drowsiness, dizziness, loss of coordination, unsteadiness of gait.
- Tremor of upper and lower extremities, partial loss of tendon reflexes.
- Redness of the skin, mucous membranes.
- Dilation of the pupils with retention of reaction to light.
- Shortness of breath, increased respiration.
- Cold sweat, chills.
A distinctive feature of the clinical picture at this stage is protrusion of the eyeball from the victim. Combined with their redness can be safely diagnose poisoning with salts of hydrocyanic acid.
On diplomaticheskii stage, a person has a strong fear. Ittrying to run somewhere, to commit senseless acts. While in this state, the victim may hurt yourself, so you should monitor his behavior.
At this stage of the poisoning of people in urgent need of parenteral or oral administration of the antidote. The speed of the development of an intoxication increases, there is a violation of all vital systems. The stage is characterized by the following symptoms:
- tremor of the limbs is replaced by convulsions;
- occurs fainting;
- perhaps biting tongue due to the decrease of muscle reflexes;
- opens vomiting, diarrhea;
- the pulse becomes thready;
- high pressure gives way to arterial hypotension;
- develops hyperthermia, complicated by febrile state.
In the convulsive stage of poisoning is diagnosed by a decrease in the functional activity of the urinary system. The kidneys cease to filter the blood, excrete products of metabolism. Experiences involuntary urination, urine becomes dark in color, unpleasant odor. It is also possible to bowel movement.
The final and most dangerous stage of poisoning is often fatal without urgent implementation of detoxification therapy and resuscitation. Elevated concentrations of cyanide provokes these symptoms:
- Missing tactile sensitivity.
- Disappear muscle, the tendon reflexes.
- Shortness of breath, surface.
- Cramps disappear.
- There is no reaction of pupils to light.
A distinctive feature of paralytic stage is a bright blush that persists after the death of the victim.
Oxygen starvation of the brain cells leads to the breakdown of all vital systems. Breathing disorders lead to pulmonary edema and cardiac arrest. The death of a person is ascertained in a half-hour vapour inhalation or ingestion of high concentrations of cyanide.
Emergency care for poisoning
If intoxication toxic compounds occurred in manufacturing, it first aid kit should be equipped with vials of antidote. It would be faster to implement parenteral administration of the drug. After a call the ambulance should be facilitated as the victim of poisoning:
- to lay, to calm, to trying to the man was conscious;
- when you stop breathing and heartbeat to do chest compressions;
- to wash out the stomach with a pink solution of potassium permanganate until the discharge water is free of impurities of particles of food;
- give the victim adsorbents or sorbents;
- drink man strong sweet tea.
If the victim is unconscious, it is necessary to turn to the side. If poisoning can be opened involuntary vomiting, and the penetration of particles of undigested food into the respiratory tract will cause respiratory arrest.
Prevention of poisoning with salts of hydrocyanic acid is safety when working with toxic compounds. You should keep the insecticides out of reach of children, wash hands after handling facilities. Upon contact with solutions of high cyanide concentration, you must use a respirator or gas mask. | <urn:uuid:32525133-1dc7-47f2-9f9a-bdf5f10d8a7b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://poisoning.vsebolezni.com/vidy/himicheskie/simptomy-otravleniya-tsianidami.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.917667 | 2,551 | 3.140625 | 3 |
How Does The Heat Work In An Electric Car. Are you considering getting an electric car, but are unsure how to provide heat in your ride? If so, this article will answer your questions. First, where does an electric car get its heat? Second, are there heaters in electric cars? And finally, how do electric cars stay warm in the winter? Read on to learn more! Here are some of the benefits of having an electric car. They’ll make you want to try an electric car for yourself!
How Does The Heat Work In An Electric Car
A common question that people ask is how does the heat work in an electric car. The answer is quite similar to what we would expect from a conventional car. In a traditional car, a heat generator is used to warm the interior, but in an electric car, it’s all generated by electricity. Typical EVs use one or more resistive heating elements to provide the necessary warmth. While avoiding an EV’s heating system is better for the environment and the battery, some of the newer ones use heat pumps to transfer the waste heat from lithium-ion batteries to the cabin.
Another solution is a reversible heat pump. This device works the opposite way of an air-con unit, using a compressor to move heat from the battery to the cabin. This system not only provides heat from the ambient air, but also helps to extend the range of the electric car. The Nissan Leaf was the first car to use a heat pump. During the colder months, the heat pump is used to keep the cabin at a comfortable temperature.
How Does The Heat Work In An Electric Car-Where do electric cars get their heat from?
Where does an electric car get its heat from? Many internal combustion cars use waste heat to warm their cabins. Unlike an electric car, gas cars cannot use this waste heat. Instead, an electric vehicle uses a heat pump to create heat inside the cabin. These cars also don’t have any tailpipe emissions, so they are more fuel efficient in cold weather. However, battery electric cars must run a heater to keep warm, which limits the effective range.
Another way that an electric car generates heat is by using an air conditioning system. Conventional cars use the heat from the engine to warm the air for the heater. An electric car, on the other hand, doesn’t have an air conditioning system. Instead, an electric car uses a cooling system that works through pipes. These pipes cool down the components of the car. Electric vehicles have both air conditioning systems and radiators to keep them cool.
How Does The Heat Work In An Electric Car-Is there a heater in an electric car?
If you are wondering, “Is there a heater in an electric car?” you are not alone. Electric cars do have heaters, but they work differently than gasoline cars. Gasoline cars make their heat using the heat from the engine. Electric cars, however, don’t have this source of heat, so the heaters must use another source of heat. These new systems will not only reduce fuel consumption, but will also improve the comfort of the driver and passengers as well.
The efficiency of an electric car’s heater varies greatly. Earlier electric vehicles rely on resistive heating, which requires a lot of electricity and drains the battery. Newer EVs rely on heat pumps to transfer the waste heat from the lithium-ion batteries to the cabin. This process is much more energy efficient, but older cars may need supplementary heating. The heat source for the heater will depend on the model of the car.
How do electric cars heat in winter?
As the temperatures outside decrease, the battery inside an electric car will gradually lose its energy. Because the battery is not an internal combustion engine, it can’t produce waste heat, so its temperature fluctuation will cause it to lose some of its energy. When driving, keep the heater at a low setting, dress in layers, and carry a thermos of hot water in your vehicle. In addition, you should avoid driving fast in winter as roads will become slippery and visibility will be compromised.
If you’re driving your EV in cold weather, limit the heater’s use and rely on heated seats and steering wheels instead. These will use far less energy and reduce your electric car’s range. When it comes to clothing, wear layers and heavy coats. When tested, electric cars lost a total of 12 percent of range when their heaters were turned off and 41 percent if the climate control was on.
How do electric cars work in winter?
One of the most common questions for people who buy electric vehicles is “How do they work in winter?” While most EVs will not work in freezing temperatures, the new breed can reach their destinations. Lithium ion batteries, which supply EVs with power, work best between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Below that, chemical reactions slow down, reducing current output. As a result, the range of an EV decreases.
One way to conserve battery power is to use your car less in cold weather. In cold weather, EVs use more energy to warm up, so you need to charge your battery at least half the time. Also, avoid driving too fast during cold weather. Roads can become icy and snowy, which reduces your field of vision and may increase the risk of an accident. To reduce this problem, make sure that your car is parked in the sun, if possible.
Another way to save energy is to use less gas. Compared to gas cars, electric cars are more efficient in cold temperatures. Their batteries can produce more electricity than gasoline vehicles, but they will use more fuel. Additionally, their range will be reduced by 10 to 20 percent, depending on the model. Even so, today’s EVs can function properly in cold climates, and future models will be even better. This is a great time to buy an electric vehicle.
Do electric cars work in extreme cold?
One of the common questions we get is, “Do electric cars work in extreme cold?” The answer to this question varies from vehicle to vehicle, but most EVs suffer range loss in cold temperatures. According to the Norway Automobile Federation, half of all new cars sold in the country are plug-in hybrids or electric vehicles (EVs). The federation has conducted tests in subzero conditions, where range loss is as high as 41%, which is why it is recommended that EV owners choose a larger battery than the one they currently have.
The answer to this question depends on where you live. The coldest climates in the U.S. and Canada are generally colder than the ones in the U.S., and all EVs suffer from reduced fuel efficiency. However, it’s important to note that while all cars have a lower range in extreme temperatures, some EVs are still capable of performing well in cold conditions. While this isn’t the case with every EV, understanding how extreme cold can impact EVs is important before making a decision.
How do electric cars get heat and AC?
Unlike conventional combustion vehicles, electric cars have no internal combustion engine. That means their heat and AC systems are powered by their battery pack and energy storage system. Conventional AC units generate heat and distribute it, increasing power consumption. Tesla’s electric car heater uses energy stored in the battery pack to keep the cabin temperature at a comfortable level. But it’s important to note that conventional AC systems can be more expensive than electric heat.
How do electric cars get heat and AC? A common question is how electric cars make heat. A combustion engine car uses the heat from the engine to heat its interior. But an electric car doesn’t have this resource. It uses a small radiator, which heats incoming air. That heating matrix is not present in electric cars. Hence, the cars can run on a large battery. But it’s not possible for electric cars to generate heat through engine exhaust.
How long can an electric car idle with heat on?
In colder weather, an electric car can safely idle with the heat on. Hyundai and Kia are working on more efficient heat pumps that can extend the battery’s life by several days. Wired recently reported on the battery life of an EV in warmer temperatures. The average EV is a bit better than a gasoline car when idling, but even so, an electric car can’t fully avoid the problem.
Gas cars must idle to get heat from the engine. The length of time a gas car can idle with the heat on depends on the engine size and the gas tank. The Honda CR-V, for example, can idle for 58 hours with a full tank and 14 hours on a quarter tank. So, an electric car can run for longer, but the gas mileage will drop by about 50 miles.
Idling is essential in cold climates, but if you’re driving a Tesla, you may wonder how long your car can stay warm with the heat on. A Tesla owner has reported being able to drive for 24 hours with the heat on. But the actual time varies depending on ambient temperature and outdoor temperature. The answer may be different for you. For a Tesla owner, a typical ICE car idles with heat on for an average of seven hours, or even up to 72 hours.
How Cold Is Too Cold For Electric Cars?
There are a few things you should know about driving an electric car during extreme cold temperatures. While most EVs can handle a few degrees of cold, there is a range reduction of up to 20 percent if the temperature falls below freezing. Even some electric cars can predict when their range will be reduced. Keeping your battery fully charged will help you drive farther during these cold temperatures. Keep reading to learn more about driving an electric car in extreme cold.
In January, Margaret and her husband took their new Mustang Mach-E 110 miles from Washington, D.C. to a cabin in West Virginia. They knew their EV had EPA-rated range of 300 miles, but had estimated that they would need to stop for recharging. The EPA estimates that EVs will lose range when it is cold, and this is true for most electric cars. In Norway, half of the new cars are plug-ins. Even so, the cold climate has an effect on EV range, because it reduces battery power.
In order to increase the range of electric vehicles, drivers should try to avoid driving them in extremely cold weather. Even though they are a lot more efficient when cruising on the highway, they can’t handle the lower temperatures. In addition to limiting their range, driving an EV in cold temperatures can reduce the battery power by up to 20 percent. As a result, drivers should charge their vehicles more often during the coldest months.
Do Electric Cars Have a Radiator?
While there are many benefits to electric cars, a common question that may be vexing you is: Do they have a radiator? An electric motor does not create extra thermal energy, which is why conventional vehicles have radiators. But even with their lack of a radiator, they do require regular coolant changes, just like a conventional car. As with conventional radiators, the coolant used by an electric car can break down, and passages can become clogged with scale. This will reduce the effectiveness of the system. To ensure that your EV’s coolant is fresh and efficient, refer to its owner’s manual.
In most EVs, the battery packs and some of the electronics use a cooling system. A cooling loop contains ethylene glycol, which circulates through certain electronics. While this doesn’t cause a radiator problem in an electric car, it’s important to note that EVs are still susceptible to overheating, and the cooling system is a good way to prevent overheating. Similar to internal combustion engine cars, electric motors expend significant amounts of energy and heat, so keeping them cool is essential for maximizing the range of the vehicle. How Does The Heat Work In An Electric Car?
While most EVs can get by without a radiator, some models do have one. While the Nissan LEAF can get by with air cooling, the Tesla Model S and Y feature liquid cooling for their battery packs. The Tesla vehicle contains six gallons of coolant, and it circulates throughout the power control module, drive unit, and AC compressor. A radiator is a common part of an automobile, but in a Tesla it is much smaller and less commonly used.
This article will discuss the topic of How To Ground An Electric Motor. This article will also discuss the need for a motor to be grounded, and how it's done. To get started, you'll need to isolate...
Have you ever wondered what the Parts Of An Electric Motor And Their Functions? Well, in this article, you'll learn about the various parts and their functions. Read on to learn about the 5 most... | <urn:uuid:6fa732eb-4b12-40e7-abba-9309c2fadf1c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://conqelectric.com/how-does-the-heat-work-in-an-electric-car/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.95244 | 2,659 | 3.15625 | 3 |
Airblock, a modular, programmable drone from Chinese robotics startup Makeblock, was honored with a Red Dot Award for Product Design. Makeblock made the announcement at CeBIT, a high tech conference in Germany that highlights developments in artificial intelligence, robotics, and virtual reality.
Makeblock is a STEM education and DIY robotics company that successfully raised over $800K for the educational drone on a Kickstarter campaign last fall. They also announced that they received a second Red Dot award for their Neuron, a programmable building blocks platform that teaches kids gadget-building.
“We are thrilled to have not one, but two, of our products chosen for this prestigious award,” said founder & CEO of Makeblock, Jasen Wang. “With our design, our goal was to create a product that inspired open-ended creation without overwhelming the user. This recognition is especially an honor as the European market is key for us – these countries are some of the earliest adopters of new STEM education practices – which is why we decided to announce this at CeBIT this year. We’ve seen great traction in Europe already, with more than 6,000 schools integrating course materials based on Makeblock’s popular product, mBot. Makeblock kits into their curriculums. We are excited to continue expanding our business and creating more products geared towards STEM education to fulfill our ultimate vision of democratizing robotics and coding for all ages.”
The Red Dot Awards program receive submissions from around the world in 47 categories. A jury of experts choose the best products of the year. Makeblock’s Airblock was chosen as a winner in the Drones & Action Cameras category. The winners will be formally announced at the Red Dot Gala on July 3, 2017 in Essen, Germany.
Professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of the Red Dot Award stated, “The Red Dot winners are pursuing the right design strategy. They have recognised that good design and economic success go hand in hand. The award by the critical Red Dot jury documents their high design quality and is indicative of their successful design policy.”
Airblock began shipping to Kickstarter backers earlier this month.
The timing of the announcement is great news for Makeblock which received a $30M Series B round of funding earlier this month. The firm said the funds would be applied to international expansion and product development. The investment round was led by Evolution Media China and Shenzhen Capital Group.
Makeblock is exhibiting on the main show floor in Hall 17, stand number A24 of CeBIT where they will be showcasing a suite of products including Airblock, Neuron, and other DIY robotics kits.
Here is a video of the Airblock courtesy of Makeblock. | <urn:uuid:567a823b-60d4-49ae-87ab-66209ef86fb1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://dronelife.com/2017/03/21/airblock-wins-design-award-for-programmable-drone/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.960712 | 562 | 1.742188 | 2 |
HRA can mean health reimbursement account, heath reimbursement arrangement, or health risk assessment, and all of those mean something different. I want to be clear that in the following article I am going to be discussing the use of health reimbursement accounts with fully-insured health plans. We can leave the other meanings of HRA for another time.
An HRA can be “wrapped” with a high-deductible, fully-insured health plan and this can lead to savings for an employer over offering a traditional health plan with a lower deductible.
Offering a high-deductible health plan and self-funding, the first $2,000, or $3,000, in claims on behalf of the employees can translate to significant savings because the employer is taking on that initial risk instead of the insurance carrier. Unlike a consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) that has a high deductible and can be paired with a health savings account (HSA) where an employer can contribute funds to an employee’s HSA account that can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses, an employer only has to pay out of the HRA if there is a claim.
With an HSA that is funded by the employer, the money goes into the HSA for their employees and then those funds are “owned” by the employee. The employer never sees it again. Under an HRA, if there are no claims, or not a high number of claims, the employer keeps those unused dollars in their pocket.
An HRA component to a health plan is subject to ERISA and non-discrimination rules, meaning everyone that is eligible should be offered the plan, and the benefits under the HRA should be the same for everyone enrolled. It is advisable that an HRA be administered by a third-party that pays the claims to the providers, or reimburse plan enrollees under the terms of the plan, in order to keep employees’ and their dependents’ medical information private from the employer as to avoid potential discrimination.
The HRA component of a health plan is essentially self-funded by the employer, which gives the employer a lot of flexibility and can be tailored to their specific needs or desired outcomes. The employer can choose to fund claims after the employee pays the first few hundred dollars of their deductible instead of the employer paying the claims that are initially subject to the high deductible. An employer can have a step arrangement, for example, the employer pays the first $500, the employee the second $500, the employer pays the next $500, and the employee pays the final $500 of a $2,000 deductible.
If an employer has a young population that is healthy, they may want to use the HRA to pay for emergency room visits and hospital in-patient stays, but not office visits so they can help protect their employees from having to pay those “large ticket items,” but not blow their budget. While an employer with a more seasoned staff, or diverse population, may want to include prescription drugs as a covered benefit under the HRA, as well as office visits, hospital in-patient stays, outpatient surgery, etc. Or, if an employer needs to look at cost-saving measures, they may want to exclude prescriptions from being eligible under the HRA.
Keep in mind, all of these services are essential health benefits and would be covered by the insurance carrier under the terms of the contract, but an employer can choose not to allow the HRA to be used to pay for such services, leaving the enrollee to pay their portion of the claims. In any case, the parameters of what is eligible for reimbursement from the HRA is decided and outlined at the beginning of the plan year and cannot be changed prior to the end of the plan year.
If you are thinking about implementing a high-deductible health plan with an HRA for your employees, be sure you are doing it as a long-term strategy. As is the case with self-funding, you are going to have good years and bad years. On average, a company will experience a bad, or high claims, year out of every four to five years. So, if you implement your new plan and you have a bad year on the first go-round, don’t give up. Chances are the next year will be better, and you will see savings over your traditional low-deductible plan options.
With an HRA, you cap the amount you are going to potentially spend for each enrollee, per year. So, you know your worst-case scenario. While it is extremely unlikely that every one of your employees will use the entire amount allotted to them, it is recommended that you can absorb or handle the worst case scenario. Don’t bite off more than you can chew!
HRA administrators usually charge a monthly rate per enrollee for their services, and this should be accounted for in the budgeting process. Different HRA third-party administrators have different claims processes, online platforms, debit cards, and business hours. Be sure to use one that offers the services that you want and are on budget.
Another aspect of offering a high-deductible plan with an HRA that is often overlooked is communication. If an employee does not know how to utilize their plan, it can create confusion and anger, which can hurt the overall company morale. The plan has to be laid out and explained in a way that is clear, concise, and easy to understand.
In some cases, the HRA is administered by someone other than the insurance carrier, and the plan administrator has to make sure they enroll all plan enrollees with the carrier and the third-party administrator.
The COBRA administrator also has to offer the HRA as part of the COBRA package, and the third-party administrator must communicate the appropriate premium for the HRA under COBRA. Most COBRA enrollees will not choose to enroll in the HRA with their medical plan, as they are essentially self-funding their deductible and plan costs through the HRA instead of paying them out of their pocket, but many plan administrators make the mistake of not offering the HRA under COBRA, as it is mandated by law.
Offering a high-deductible plan with an HRA is a way for small employers to save over offering a low-deductible health plan, and can be a way for an employer to “test the waters” to see if they may want to move to a self-funded plan, or level-funded plan, in the future. | <urn:uuid:84f8f145-7a14-42a8-9399-3b93565b3dac> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://teamkaminsky.com/why-some-companies-offer-an-hra-ohio-benefit-advisors/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.963897 | 1,358 | 1.796875 | 2 |
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Homepage › Forums › Domingo Germán will help Yankees overcome Blue Jays 40 › How To Write Thesis Acknowledgement – 133696 This topic contains 0 replies, has 1 voice, and …. He’s the funniest advisor and one of …. If you decide to include Acknowledgements in you paper, than you should place the word acknowledgements should at the top center of the page in capital letters. Just relax and be honest. This includes both professional and personal acknowledgements. We have suggested the proportion …. May 29, 2017 · An acknowledgement page is a way of expressing your gratitude to those people who made their contribution to your academic paper. If. If you're in a rush, break down the acknowledgments section thesis aknowledgment into 3 main paragraphs. Unlike the rest of your dissertation, your acknowledgements section will not gain you marks and does not have to be written using rigorously academic language.
Before you hand in your thesis aknowledgment thesis, you need to make sure that you have written some professional and personal acknowledgements. January 25, 2016 Admin Acknowledgement Thesis acknowledgement sample. Kornfleld, for accepting me into her group. Definition: Acknowledgement for Thesis. One of the photos of the thesis also showed its. Three methods here to format pdf example thesis acknowledgements. It is way of displaying …. This would not have been possible without the support of many great individuals I think the acknowledgement chapter is not related to the scientific work in the thesis, and thus should not be put between the abstract and the introduction. Nov 25, 2019 · How to Write Acknowledgements for a Thesis.
- In any case, there is always at least one person thesis aknowledgment who supports you the most.
- Harry is someone you will thesis aknowledgment instantly love and never forget once you meet him.
- Bickenbach whose steadfast support of this project was greatly needed and thesis aknowledgment deeply appreciated..
- In the text below we would like to provide you with very simple thesis aknowledgment acknowledgement for a thesis (Bachelor or Master).
- First and foremost, I thank my academic advisor, thesis aknowledgment Professor Julia A. | <urn:uuid:8ed6d0b1-76a8-40af-9081-533982908b05> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.untitledbcn.com/thesis-aknowledgment | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.922361 | 578 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Anyone who has gone to the eye doctor for a compete exam has been screened for glaucoma. The test is memorable as the doctor uses numbing drops that are stingy, sticky, and yellow. Known as the Goldmann Applanation Tonometry (GAT), it “has been used for nearly 70 years and is considered the reference standard for IOP [eye pressure] measurement”. However, for the past few years eye care professionals are considering a relatively new term, Corneal Hysteresis (CH) when managing glaucoma in patients.
Corneal Hysteresis is a value that tells us the “shock-absorbing ability” of the eye and it is measured by an Ocular Response Analyzer. A CH below 10 is said to be low, that is bad thing. A CH of above 10 is said to be high, that is a good thing. “Essentially, eyes that are good shock absorbers (high CH) are less likely to develop glaucoma and less likely to experience glaucomatous progression. Conversely, eyes that are poor shock absorbers (low CH) are more likely to develop glaucoma and [have] disease progression. CH reflects how an eye responds to stress (elevated IOP) and whether the eye experiences the brunt of that stress (low CH) or is able to dissipate the energy and protect the optic nerve (high CH).”
Technology advancement in optometric care has been phenomenal. Yet replacing the GAT has been slow. Perhaps the time has come for CH, corneal compensated IOP (IOPcc) and the Ocular Response Analyzer to become the new standard.
Regardless of which tests eye care professionals choose for measuring glaucoma, the larger issue is getting patients to visit their office for screening. Glaucoma does not often show early symptoms, and about 3 million people have glaucoma according to the CDC. Moreover, only 50% of those people are diagnosed. That leaves another 1.5 million people at risk for blindness.
According to the CDC, “about 3 million Americans have glaucoma. It is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. “Open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, results in increased eye pressure. There are often no early symptoms, which is why 50% of people with glaucoma don’t know they have the disease.” Eye conditions that in their early stages are symptomless and painless like glaucoma may strike without a patient knowing. Early detection and treatment are crucial if one wants to fight to keep one’s precious sight. | <urn:uuid:9a5f1512-7d30-4317-90f6-5aa46396fcce> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://family-eye.net/is-it-time-to-change-how-we-measure-eye-pressure/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.954522 | 560 | 2.828125 | 3 |
Frazier was honored with a special citation for her video, which “spurred protests against police brutality around the world.”
This article originally appeared on The 19th.
Darnella Frazier, the teenage girl who whipped out her cell phone and recorded the police murder of George Floyd last summer, a video that rocked the nation, has received an honorary Pulitzer Prize for her courage.
Frazier, now 18, was honored with a special citation for her video, which “spurred protests against police brutality around the world.”
“Even though this was a traumatic life-changing experience for me, I’m proud of myself,” Frazier wrote in an Instagram post on the one-year anniversary of Floyd’s murder. “If it weren’t for my video, the world wouldn’t have known the truth.”
On May 25, 2020, when Frazier saw Floyd pinned under the knee of former police officer Derek Chauvin outside of a Minneapolis convenience store, she said she felt what she saw “wasn’t right.” While she didn’t know Floyd, she recognized another human being suffering and in pain.
In that moment, she was the lone witness, a high school student and Black teenager with her cell phone camera trained on four police officers and Floyd taking his final breaths.
The act reflected many of the core tenets of journalism: Afflicting the comfortable, shining a light on wrongdoing, bearing witness on behalf of the marginalized, speaking truth to power. It was not her job, but Frazier described it as her duty when she testified at Chauvin’s trial earlier this year.
Frazier’s video became exhibit 15, a key piece of evidence played repeatedly during the trial, where she also delivered emotional testimony and lamented that she wished she had done more to help Floyd. Last summer, her video galvanized millions of people of all backgrounds to take to the streets, calling for an end to the unrelenting killing of Black people at the hands of law enforcement and vigilantes.
Floyd’s murder took a personal toll on Frazier, who described her ongoing trauma around witnessing his killing on Instagram.
“Everyone talks about the girl who recorded George Floyd’s death, but to actually be her is a different story,” Frazier wrote.
“My video didn’t save George Floyd,” she added, “but it put his murderer away and off the streets.”
Read Frazier’s full statement, posted on Instagram last month on the first anniversary of Floyd’s murder:
“A year ago, today I witnessed a murder. The victim’s name was George Floyd. Although this wasn’t the first time, I’ve seen a black man get killed at the hands of the police, this is the first time I witnessed it happen in front of me. Right in front of my eyes, a few feet away. I didn’t know this man from a can of paint, but I knew his life mattered. I knew that he was in pain. I knew that he was another black man in danger with no power. I was only 17 at the time, just a normal day for me walking my 9-year-old cousin to the corner store, not even prepared for what I was about to see, not even knowing my life was going to change on this exact day in those exact moments… it did. It changed me. It changed how I viewed life. It made me realize how dangerous it is to be Black in America. We shouldn’t have to walk on eggshells around police officers, the same people that are supposed to protect and serve. We are looked at as thugs, animals, and criminals, all because of the color of our skin. Why are Black people the only ones viewed this way when every race has some type of wrongdoing? None of us are to judge. We are all human. I am 18 now and I still hold the weight and trauma of what I witnessed a year ago. It’s a little easier now, but I’m not who I used to be. A part of my childhood was taken from me. My 9-year-old cousin who witnessed the same thing I did got a part of her childhood taken from her. Having to up and leave because my home was no longer safe, waking up to reporters at my door, closing my eyes at night only to see a man who is brown like me, lifeless on the ground. I couldn’t sleep properly for weeks. I used to shake so bad at night my mom had to rock me to sleep. Hopping from hotel to hotel because we didn’t have a home and looking over our back every day in the process. Having panic and anxiety attacks every time I seen a police car, not knowing who to trust because a lot of people are evil with bad intentions. I hold that weight. A lot of people call me a hero even though I don’t see myself as one. I was just in the right place at the right time. Behind this smile, behind these awards, behind the publicity, I’m a girl trying to heal from something I am reminded of every day. Everyone talks about the girl who recorded George Floyd’s death, but to actually be her is a different story. Not only did this affect me, my family too. We all experienced change. My mom the most. I strive every day to be strong for her because she was strong for me when I couldn’t be strong for myself. Even though this was a traumatic life-changing experience for me, I’m proud of myself. If it weren’t for my video, the world wouldn’t have known the truth. I own that. My video didn’t save George Floyd, but it put his murderer away and off the streets. You can view George Floyd anyway you choose to view him, despite his past, because don’t we all have one? He was a loved one, someone’s son, someone’s father, someone’s brother, and someone’s friend. We the people won’t take the blame, you won’t keep pointing fingers at us as if it’s our fault, as if we are criminals. I don’t think people understand how serious death is…that person is never coming back. These officers shouldn’t get to decide if someone gets to live or not. It’s time these officers start getting held accountable. Murdering people and abusing your power while doing it is not doing your job. It shouldn’t have to take people to actually go through something to understand it’s not ok. It’s called having a heart and understanding right from wrong. George Floyd, I can’t express enough how I wish things could have went different, but I want you to know you will always be in my heart. I’ll always remember this day because of you. May your soul rest in peace. May you rest in the most beautiful roses.” | <urn:uuid:e208405c-417c-4776-b474-1f79d2472369> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://msmagazine.com/2021/06/11/darnella-frazier-who-filmed-george-floyds-murder-pulitzer/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.976784 | 1,496 | 2.078125 | 2 |
- Hi there, what's difference between "Ask", "ask for", "ask about" and "request" in the following sentences?
1- Hey John, I am not sure but I think we are somewhere in the middle of our destination . Let's stop and request/ask/ask for/ask about directions.
2- I ask Peter about/for his age.
3- I request Peter his age. | <urn:uuid:1ecea26b-dee8-4336-8934-85bae20e0ae3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://thegrammarexchange.infopop.cc/topic/request-ask-ask-for-ask-about?reply=645761500482510625#645761500482510625 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.9676 | 87 | 2.8125 | 3 |
In the lead up to the Child Health Technology Conference (2-5th March), we are profiling innovators who we are working with that have developed paediatric innovations to help children. In this article, we look at Little Journey’s app which prepares children and their families going into hospital for surgery.
Pre-procedure anxiety is the leading complaint affecting up to 75% of children and a third of adults ahead of surgery. This anxiety is linked to delayed recovery from the procedure, post-operative pain and poor wound healing. But as important as the impact this has on clinical outcomes, this has adverse financial implications for healthcare organisations as it leads to an increase in on-the day cancellations and unplanned admissions. It also impacts clinical research trials with approximately 80% of clinical trials being delayed due to recruitment and retention issues.
Psychological preparation has been shown to reduce anxiety but requires significant hospital resources and staff time. It can also be challenging for parents to know what to say and their own anxieties can exacerbate their children’s. The parents of Freddie (aged five) said;
“We hadn’t really discussed the operation with Freddie as we weren’t quite sure what to say or how best to go about it”
Based on his clinical and research experience, Dr Chris Evans created Little Journey to overcome this. Little Journey is a health behaviour modification tool designed specifically to support children and their family through stressful and anxiety provoking healthcare procedures. Dr Evans explains:
“We wanted to move beyond standard information leaflets to create an engaging and interactive preparation that can be easily configured to each hospital or clinical trial. Digital technology was the obvious choice as it puts the family in control and can support them over the whole peri-operative period – all delivered in the comfort and safety of their own home.”
The Little Journey app uses multiple behaviour modification techniques tailored to each individual child to support them through their treatment. From familiarisation through interactive games, desensitisation using virtual reality tours to coping skills education via child narrated animations, Little Journey engages and empowers families in their care.
Having used the Little Journey app, Alex aged 10 stated:
“It’s good to know what it will look like when I come in and I’m less worried now.”
The Little Journey hospital portal enables healthcare and research teams to work collaboratively to create new pathways within the application, update information in real time and monitor preparation behaviours. Mr Christopher Hill, Consultant paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire said:
“Little Journey gives parents a way of talking through aspects of the surgery or admission with their child, which can otherwise be a challenging topic to broach, and it utilises fun games and characters which children respond positively to.”
The future of Little Journey is exciting. Little Journey’s cofounder, Sophie Copley – a specialist in human centred design, says
“Working closely with families and the Little Journey Young Person Advisory Group has enabled us to better understand what support families desired. New modules coming soon to Little Journey will help address these with distraction games, low sensory environments and medication adherence gamification and tracking tools.”
Little Journey has been extensively adopted across the NHS. Through support from the Yorkshire & Humber AHSN, Little Journey has been successfully adopted by Sheffield Children’s Hospital, Hull University Teaching Hospital, Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust.
Find out more about Little Journey | <urn:uuid:68d4f43e-2ffa-4598-b0f2-0e98eef49cb5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.yhahsn.org.uk/news/innovative-app-supports-children-going-into-hospital/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.942203 | 736 | 2.375 | 2 |
The formula is 90 years old.
And while the Boy Scouts might seem old-fashioned to some, they must be doing something right: scouting is on the rise across the nation and in places such as West Michigan where the motto "Be Prepared" never seemed so apt.
"We are seeing real growth in each layer of the program," said Michael Sulgrove, executive director of the Gerald R. Ford Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Based in Grand Rapids, the council encompasses 12 West Michigan counties and comprises one of the fastest-growing segments of scouting in the Midwest.
"Like anything at all, people's attitudes about things can be very fickle," he said. "How many things you can point to that are still around 100 years and still relevant today?"
It's not quite 100, but scouting's appeal seems to have come full circle for many in the Baby Boom generation who may have deemed the organization outdated when they were growing up.
In the past 15 years, the number of Scouts in the region has jumped by 77 percent, from 11,495 in 1982 to 20,236 in 1997. Its rate of growth eclipses the 3 percent to 4 percent national growth rate of scouting in recent years.
Scouts now include boys from the inner city to the suburbs, young men from single-parent homes on the edge of welfare to the offspring of doctors and lawyers.
Sulgrove presides over an innovative Scout program in a 17,000-square-foot facility dedicated in 1997 that is considered one of the best in the nation. In addition a state-of-the-art store and display area, it includes a 22-acre nature center that features hiking trails and camp sites that give some inner-city kids their first taste of life in a camp and a night in a tent.
The $2.2 million center was built with the help of dozens of donations from $1,500 to more than $200,000, including a $250,000 donation from the Kresge Foundation in Troy.
Sulgrove says there might have been a time when some questioned the future or direction of scouting. All that has changed.
"The low ebb probably came in the 1970s, with the war in Vietnam," he said. "If it had a uniform, it was bad. The Boy Scouts of America struggled with its own identity."
Sulgrove attributes scouting's enduring appeal to its endurance when other organizations came and went. Among other ordeals, it has withstood a Supreme Court challenge that questioned its right to use the term "God" and refer to a supreme being.
In recent years, scouting has expanded to places where it might otherwise not flourish. Its Learning for Life experience draws kids from neighborhoods where it might be hard to establish the parental support need to support a pack or troop.
In Grand Rapids, scouts come to inner-city schools. Last summer, the students got a chance to camp out at the scout center - the first time many had slept out in a tent.
"They really enjoyed it a lot," said Larry Barnes, who coordinates the program for the Grand Rapids Recreation Department. "A lot of them don't get that experience. It was very enlightening and very enriching for the kids."
Gregg Shields, national spokesman for the Boy Scouts of America, says the organization has more work to do to bring disadvantaged young men into the organization.
"It's the kind of thing that's never done," he said. "We want every kid involved in one kind of scouting program or another." | <urn:uuid:b722a178-adc7-4e7f-9f30-b4c08cf8da19> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/19990414/SUB/904140855/west-michigan-scouting-is-prepared-for-more-growth | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570913.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809064307-20220809094307-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.973113 | 734 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Phone data is something that we all use every single day, whether it be at home, work, or school. However, if you’re like almost everyone else out there, your data plan probably has a limit.
Here are some easy ways to not use your data on your iPhone:
- Download apps like myAT&T, My Verizon, My Sprint Mobile, and the official T-Mobile app in order to manage your data. My Verizon even has a widget that users can integrate into Notification Center.
- Do your best to be on WiFi: If your place of work has a password on the WiFi, try to find out what it is in order to save data. The same logic can also be used at school.
- If eating out, go to places that have WiFi at the restaurant. Whether this is a fast food joint or traditional sit-down restaurant, try to go to restaurants that have WiFi. In order to find out whether or not a place has WiFi, there are plenty of apps in the App Store that can do just that.
- Turn off “Background App Refresh” on your iPhone. When this is activated, your data and apps are being used while your iPhone is in sleep mode/standby. It’s also a huge data sucker, as well.
- Get an unlimited data plan: Although they can cost a fortune at some carriers, they are well worth the money. Imagine being able to listen to your favorite music via Apple Music and getting directions from Apple Maps. With an unlimited data plan, you’ll be able to do just that. Plus, it might be faster that that school or workplace WiFi.
Of course, you can always go into Settings and change which apps are using your cellular and which ones are not. Either way, I hope these solutions help you save your data and make your iPhone experience a little bit better! | <urn:uuid:20c2d04a-d3dc-441c-a6fe-87942fb96266> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://teamapplenews.com/2017/05/28/how-to-save-your-data-usage-on-your-iphone/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.945905 | 388 | 2.03125 | 2 |
For as long as people have been travelling the world, they’ve been travelling to Egypt. And although there was a minor slump in tourism following the Arab Spring, Egypt is back among the safest and best places to visit in the Middle East. However, the current tourism numbers don’t reflect the return to stability in the country, so you’ll be beating the crowds if you decide to visit in 2019. If you need even more reasons to finally book that trip to Egypt, we’ve highlighted some of the best reasons here.
Why you should travel to Egypt
Egypt is once again the most popular country in the Middle East
Tourism in Egypt never went away, but during the early and mid 2010s, it wasn’t the same must-see destination that it was in the past. The Arab Spring made the whole Middle East an area of political instability, and tourist numbers predictably plummeted. But the clock has turned back and once again, Egypt is becoming the definitive place to visit in the Middle East. Tourism is returning and numbers will likely grow bigger than ever before in the next few years. So take advantage of 2019 as a great time to reconsider that dream vacation to Egypt.
Egypt is safe
Political turmoil has passed and Egypt has regained stability. American, Canadian, and British government travel advisories all say the same thing: avoid the Western Desert and the border with Libya (where there is no tourism anyway) and the Sinai Peninsula, with the exception of Sharm el-Sheikh, but feel confident in travelling anywhere else. Most importantly, this includes Cairo and the Nile River Valley, which are as safe as they’ve ever been. Goway’s first-hand travel experiences agree with the popular assessment: Cairo and the Nile are safe.
Take advantage of the lull in tourism
In 2019, travellers are in the unique position of being able to enjoy Egypt tours without the crowds that are usually commonplace at the pyramids and other historical landmarks. This lull in tourism makes it an unprecedented time to see Egypt. It’s hard to overstate how unique it’ll be to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx without the usual crowds. If you went back 10 years ago and asked a traveller about visiting Egypt, likely the only negative comment they might have had would be about the large crowd. Now you have a chance to forego the crowds, so take advantage.
Highlights of a trip to Egypt
You can visit the pyramids in Egypt. We could leave the article at that, as it’s more than enough reason to travel to Egypt in your lifetime. You may think that they’re cliché as bucket-list items, but there’s no overstating how impressive the pyramids really are. Standing for over 4,000 years, these ancient structures are among the greatest attractions ever built. Chief among them all is the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is the last remaining of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Nearby you’ll find the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, and the Great Sphinx, which is missing a nose, but no less impressive for it.
Not far from Giza, you’ll also find Memphis, the former ancient capital of Egypt, as well as Saqqara, Memphis’s ancient cemetery. To delve further into all these ancient sites, head to the Egyptian Museum, where you can see the mummies taken from the tombs as well as the treasures of King Tutankhamun himself. The Grand Egyptian Museum is also expected to have a soft opening by the end of the year, eventually replacing the Egyptian Museum as the primary home for Egypt’s greatest treasures. The massive museum sits a mere two kilometres from the Giza plateau and cost over $1 billion to build. It’ll end up being the world’s largest museum devoted to a single civilization. It sounds like a world-class attraction in its own right – as if you needed more reason to head to Cairo.
Medieval Landmarks in Cairo
The pyramids may be Cairo’s chief attractions, but they’re not its only ones. As the largest city in Africa and the Middle East, Cairo has plenty of cultural wonders to behold beyond the world of the pharaohs. Chief among them are the many Islamic landmarks built during the Middle Ages, when the Islamic Empire ruled Cairo.
Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo’s oldest mosque, first constructed in 970AD, is among the city’s greatest Islamic treasures. It has the most impressive spires in a city known as “the city of a thousand minarets.” It also houses the world’s first or second oldest continuously-run university (depending on whom you ask). In fact, apparently the black gowns worn by graduates today trace back to the black gowns worn by scholars at the university. The mosque is an ideal spot to begin an exploration of Islamic Cairo, which should take you to the Museum of Islamic Art, where you can look at literal treasures among the thousands of priceless artifacts from the past. Salah al-Din Citadel is another historical landmark you need to include in your itinerary.
Cairo’s Cultural Appeal
Combine the aforementioned historical treasures with some of the cultural highlights like the marketplace of Khan el-Khalili and the delicious food to be had in the city, and you’ve got a recipe for an incredible Egypt vacation. Spend a few hours in Khan el-Khalili, the city’s largest souk, to barter for rugs, spices, and trinkets and get a taste of what life would’ve been like in centuries past. Recharge with a coffee or tea in a nearby café and continue your sightseeing. Then retire for the evening in one of the city’s enviable restaurants. Be sure to try an Egyptian staple like ful medames, a dish of mashed fava beans served with pita bread, or kushari, a spiced lentil pasta, to get the full experience.
A Nile Cruise
There are few better things to do on a trip to Egypt than go on a cruise taking you from Luxor to Aswan (or vice versa) along the world’s longest river, the Nile. In Luxor, you’ll venture to the city of ancient Thebes, visit the mighty Temple of Karnak, and explore the Valley of the Kings, home to tombs of the pharaohs. The city is essentially an open-air museum. You can marvel at the elaborate construction of Luxor Temple and ponder whether Alexander the Great was truly crowned here as he claimed in the history books. In the Valley of the Kings, you can also feel a little of what Howard Carter felt when he first discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922.
In Edfu, you’ll see the Temple of Horus, the base reliefs of which helped Egyptologists unlock the secrets of Egyptian daily life, as well as the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile god, Sobek. And in Aswan, you’ll see the Philae Temple and stroll through the stone quarries that supplied the stone that built the pyramids, comprehending the long journey of workers in the past transporting the stone from Aswan to Giza. Best of all, you’ll head on this journey while enjoying comforts aboard a luxury cruise vessel, which is premium hotel, gourmet restaurant, and gorgeous bar all in one.
The Library of Alexandria
Alexandria does not attract nearly the number of visitors as Cairo, but it too is known around the world as one of the centres of ancient civilization. It was home to the famed Library of Alexandria, which was destroyed during antiquity, but which is recreated today in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a stunning disc-shaped structure that attempts to preserve the ancient library’s legacy of knowledge. In addition to the library, Alexandria is home to the El Montazah Palace and the Qaitbay Citadel, worthy landmarks in their own right. The city itself has a charming Mediterranean atmosphere with gorgeous views of the water and an attractive restaurant scene. It’s also an easy base from which to visit the World War II battlefield of El Alamein on a day trip, adding even more reason to visit if you’re a history buff.
Last but not least is Abu Simbel, which is tucked away along the southern borders of Egypt, to the south of Lake Nasser. It is home to some of the greatest temples of Ancient Egypt, most notably the Great Temple of Ramses II, with massive statues of the pharaoh himself and his Queen Nefertari among the temple reliefs. You’ll have to fly south to see Abu Simbel, but the splendour of the temples and the enormity of the statues make it worth the journey. You can’t find these sites of overwhelming beauty and history anywhere else.
Whether next year or 100 years from now, travellers will still venture on Egypt tours to see the historical wonders like the pyramids. Odds are, however, that in the future, you’ll find yourself travelling alongside the tourist crowds that have become commonplace in Egypt. So take advantage of this unique opportunity to visit Egypt and have the country all to yourself.
How to visit Egypt
Travel Egypt with Goway
If you’re interested in travelling to Egypt, Goway has over 20 trips to choose from, including Egypt introductory itineraries, Nile cruises, and stays in world-class resort towns.
9-Day Classic Egypt
5-Day Sanctuary Sun Boat IV Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan
4-Day Sharm El Sheik
Get the latest travel trends & hear about the best deals on vacations around the world.
If you’re a Globetrotter, these are the newsletters for you! | <urn:uuid:07142153-6974-464f-b6ff-db11afdcef4e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blog.goway.com/globetrotting/egypt-rejuvenated-reasons-visit-ancient-land/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.94713 | 2,079 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Mobile Money Systems for Humanitarian Delivery: World Vision cash transfer project in Gihembe refugee camp, Rwanda
One of the factors driving the steady shift towards employing technology is the rapid expansion of the mobile telecommunications system and its potential to reach even remote areas of the world. According to global statistics, there are almost 7 billion mobilecellular subscriptions, three-quarters of them in developing countries. This creates a new opportunity for cash transfer using mobile phones. Such was the case of Kenya, where this system was used for the first time. Concern World Wide was the first to use mobile phones for bulk cash transfer in early 2008 in response to the Kenyan post-election crisis. This study is an assessment of a mobile money system (MMS) used to transfer cash to refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) based in Gihembe, Rwanda. It is based on document and literature reviews, as well as group discussions held between 5 May and 6 June 2014. Overall more than 100 refugee families, in mixed groups and in another group involving only women heads of households, were involved in the discussions. Interviews with UNHCR and VISA were also held, and WFP and World Vision were represented in the discussions by groups of 3-5 experts working in the pilot. | <urn:uuid:e2fb35ee-9205-4a10-a783-cc5230b7b1bc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.calpnetwork.org/publication/mobile-money-systems-for-humanitarian-delivery-world-vision-cash-transfer-project-in-gihembe-refugee-camp-rwanda/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.97174 | 256 | 2.234375 | 2 |
A snowbird shows photos from southwest Florida (Naples) and southwest Connecticut (Ridgefield) and New England and other places he goes.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch
This 1886 arch was built to honor Hartford soldiers and sailors who served in the Civil War.
I usually focus on the unique overall form of the arch, but viewing it more closely gives me a chance to appreciate the detailed carvings. In the center, note the stag, or "hart," the symbol of Hartford. | <urn:uuid:cb64d9c3-2ece-41f5-9016-3df942447b75> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://hartforddailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/soldiers-and-sailors-arch.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.950313 | 111 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Want to make your Excel spreadsheets stand out? Use the header and footer. Like Word documents, Excel spreadsheets have the ability to use a header and a footer to display important information about the spreadsheet/chart you are working on. The header and footer are usually visible when the Page Layout view is enabled and when the spreadsheet is printed. This tutorial will show you how enable the Page Layout view and how to add elements to your spreadsheet’s header and footer for that professional look.
If you have any comments or questions, please post them below.
Note: I used Excel 2010 for this tutorial, but you can also use these instructions for Excel 2007.
1. Click on the View tab in the Office Ribbon.
2. Click on the Page Layout button in the Workbook Views group.
3. Click on “Click to add header.â€
4. You will notice that the Office Ribbon will change and Header and Footer Tools will appear. Under the Header and Footer Tools you will find the Design tab. Within the Design tab you will find a series of tools that can be used to add items to the document and navigate the Header and Footer.
a. Left section of Header.
b. Center section of Header.
c. Right section of Header.
Same applies to Footer.
5. Add elements to the header by clicking in the section of the header you wish to add them to and by clicking on one of the elements in the Header and Footer Elements group. The elements will automatically appear in the section you selected.
Note: Don’t worry if the elements you insert don’t list the information you are trying to enter, once you click outside of the section you are working on, the information like date, path, etc. will appear.
You can format the elements within the Header and Footer, note that options will vary based by the content you entered in the header and footer.
6. Click on the Home tab.
7. Since I only entered text, I will use the formatting tools in the Font group.
8. To edit the footer you can scroll to the bottom of the page or click on the Go to Footer button in the Design tab.
9. Like the header you can use the same elements to populate the footer.
You have successfully edited the header and footer of an Excel spreadsheet. | <urn:uuid:ea2a5cc4-857b-4738-a792-a94aa8bd5350> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://gilsmethod.com/add-header-footer-excel-2010-spreadsheets | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.815722 | 506 | 2.78125 | 3 |
Research Paper By Maria Elena Mellara
(Career Coach, NETHERLANDS)
Without a trigger, there is no path to awareness (unknown).
Trigger (noun) gun part. A part of a gun that causes the gun to fire when pressed.
(noun) start. An event or situation, etc. that causes something to start.
Awareness (noun): knowing that something exists, or understanding of a situation or subject at present based on information or experience.
The phrase “fight or flight” was coined by Cannon in the 1920s to describe key behaviors that occur in the context of perceived threat. This term has not only been influential in later conceptual and empirical work on anxiety and its disorders, but the phrase also has become relatively well-known in popular culture. In the context of anxiety research, the alarm or fear response described by Barlow (2002) reflects an interaction between learning and innate, biological systems designed to help animals adapt to threat. The more contemporary notion of a true or false alarm still contains the two primary features of Cannon’s original expression, though the ordering of effects is probably best reversed; flight is the overwhelming action tendency after an alarm whereas relatively fewer instances of fight responses result from threat (Lang, 1994). Part of Barlow’s (2002) description of an adaptive alarm model suggests that a freeze response may occur in some threatening situations. Specifically, freezing – or tonic immobility – may overwhelm other competing action tendencies. For example, when fleeing or aggressive responses are likely to be ineffective, a freeze response may take place.
In one of her articles from Marcia Reynolds writes about the 5 steps to manage emotional triggers
The first step is to accept responsibility for the reaction. “When you seek to identify what is triggering how you feel in the moment, you give yourself the chance to feel differently if you want to. You will also have more clarity on what you need to do or what you need to ask for to change your circumstances.”
The second step is to recognize you are having an emotional reaction in your body. Short of breath, the tension in the muscles, dizziness. Whatever the reaction is, it should not be labeled, but just acknowledged.
The third step is to understand what triggered that emotion. In this case, the trigger is the activation of behavior based on positive or negative experiences from our past. Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio writes: “the emotions allow us to label things as ‘good’, ‘bad’ or ‘neutral’.
At this stage, the awareness starts to kick in our system and we can shift from trigger to awareness. What we also need to be aware of is that triggers and responses to them will never go away, but with time we will be able to manage them differently.
The fourth step is what you want to feel and what you want to do about it. Here some scenarios unfold in front of us.
In my power tool “power of try vs. power of doing” we always have a choice based on experience as well as how much we believe in them. When in front of a trigger and consequent emotion, we can choose not to do. Ignoring engage a sort of “brain laziness”, which works perfectly if the trigger is “I once put a foot in a puddle and it wetted and ruined my shoes therefore when I see a puddle I will not put a foot in it again”. It starts to be more difficult to manage if the trigger influences heavily – to the point of being frozen and therefore no action at all – professional, family, and personal choices.
If we, instead choose the then the choice is ours. As Yoda says: “There is no try”.
The fifth step is shifting your emotional state. Go beyond the trigger, be aware of what is happening, and then – as I describe in my coaching tool – you are ready for the last part of the T.W.I.S.T. (Triggering Ways to Ignite Systematic Transformation)which is – indeed – the Transformation.
As shown in fig.1 the awareness is part of a circular process that starts with a (un)conscious trigger, followed by an emotional behavior, then the awareness of the emotion is discovered and the reason for the behavior is understood. At this point, there is a choice, the willingness (or not) to change the behavior. The dilemma is solved if there is an eagerness to know more and be aware more. Awareness is an agent of change/transformation and is positioned within the path of personal development (Robert Puff). | <urn:uuid:d606c208-7abc-478e-92e8-437e63f917d9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://coachcampus.com/coach-portfolios/research-papers/maria-elena-mellara-triggering-awareness/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.944952 | 993 | 3.46875 | 3 |
Botox for Axillary Hyperhidrosis Can be Used for Getting Effective Relief
Botox for axillary hyperhidrosis is used as treatment for excessive underarm sweating when it cannot be managed by using topical agents. Axillary hyperhidrosis is a medical condition that concerns hyperactive sweat glands. Since sweat is the natural temperature regulator of the body, axillary hyperhidrosis means that there is excessive sweating not in tune with the body's natural requirements and such a condition may often go undiagnosed, be wrongly diagnosed as well as untreated due to lack of proper understanding of the symptoms.
Not a Cure but a Preventive Measure
Botox for axillary hyperhidrosis has been found to be very effective and studies have found it to effectively treat patients by controlling the condition through temporary blockage of the chemical signals emanating from the nerves that help to kindle the sweat glands. However, Botox for axillary hyperhidrosis is not a cure and the symptoms would return in time and then it would be the time to repeat the process again.
Axillary hyperhidrosis is an extreme condition of dripping sweat in the armpits and there is also constant odor that does not get treated by using deodorants. In addition, axillary hyperhidrosis may occur alone or in the presence of other types of hyperhidrosis and the condition may be so severe that it prevents the patient from wearing certain fabrics and colors because the resultant sweating may stain the clothing. Botox for axillary hyperhidrosis is at best a temporary solution that has limited effectiveness and also requires re-injections periodically.
Lasts Six to Ten Months
In spite of this, Botox for axillary hyperhidrosis has wide applicability in the medical as well as cosmetic fields. The mitigating factor when using Botox for axillary hyperhidrosis is that it does provide relief from excessive underarm sweating for up to a minimum of six months and, in some cases, up to ten months. Treating axillary hyperhidrosis with Botox may require small dosages such as fifteen drops of Botox being injected into the skin of the underarm of the person in order to not allow the chemical named acetylcholine that bears the signals from the sympathetic nervous system to the sweat glands in the underarm, to excite sweat.
When Botox is used for axillary hyperhidrosis it blocks the nerves in the under arm that would otherwise have caused excessive sweating and so keeps sweat from being produced. The administration of Botox for axillary hyperhidrosis should only be undertaken by a specially trained physician and one can use the website www.curesweatypalms.com to find a physician who knows how to administer Botox for axillary hyperhidrosis. | <urn:uuid:a15c1a20-7a4f-4edc-b248-102b6b938936> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.infos247.com/botox/botox-for-axillary-hyperhidrosis.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.948165 | 560 | 1.929688 | 2 |
BIBLICAL SEXUAL ETHICS:
REPRESSIVE OR IMPRESSIVE?
FRIDAY, APRIL 1st – SATURDAY, APRIL 2nd
Is the biblical teaching on sexuality hateful? Is it harmful? Have social and scientific developments made biblical teaching on sexuality outdated? How can I follow Jesus and love my neighbours? Does Jesus love people who are LGBTQ+? How can I have conversations with family, friends, and loved ones about this? In a society that disagrees with the Bible, how can I have confidence in what it teaches?
Come to Dig & Delve this year as we discuss these matters. Bring your toughest questions and doubts. We believe that Jesus is the true hope for all people, that His teaching is true and wise, that it is in Him that you will find rest for your soul, and that His Yoke is easy and His burden is light.
We will be hosting this as a hybrid event – both ONLINE and IN-PERSON. Our speakers will be live at the event so lots of good panel discussions and Q&A times will be included. More details will be provided upon registration.
We have lined up three great speakers for our conference this year.
April 1st – 2nd
Details Upon Registration
Dr. Christopher Yuan taught the Bible at Moody Bible Institute for over ten years and his speaking ministry on faith and sexuality has reached five continents. He speaks at conferences, on college campuses, and in churches. He has co-authored with his mother their memoir, Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God, A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope (100,000 copies sold and now in seven languages). He is also the author of Giving a Voice to the Voiceless.
Christopher graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2005, Wheaton College Graduate School in 2007 with a Master of Arts in Biblical Exegesis, and received his doctorate of ministry in 2014 from Bethel Seminary. Dr. Yuan’s newest book, Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story was named 2020 Book of the Year for Social Issues by Outreach Magazine.
Jojo equips Christians to be effective ambassadors for Christ for everyday conversations. He has spoken at venues that include Sunday morning services, secular debates at universities and morning chapels at Christian schools.
Jojo focuses on practical ways to defend the faith. He teaches Christians how to explain their worldview using tools that non-Christians can understand. For example, he helps audiences think of the right questions to ask non-believers not just the right answers they ought to give.
Jojo earned a Bachelor of Journalism and a Masters in Political Science from Carleton University in Ottawa. He is the Communications Director of Free to Care.
André Van Mol, MD is a board-certified family physician in private practice. He serves as the co-chair of the American College of Paediatricians’ Committee on Adolescent Sexuality. He is a blogger and a media spokesperson for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations; works with Alliance Defending Freedom in defence of culture of life and First Amendment issues; and advises Global Medical Research Institute. Dr. Van Mol teaches a course on Bioethics for the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. He and his wife Evelyn —both former U.S. Naval officers—have two sons and two daughters, the latter of whom were among their nine foster children.
Dr. Van Mol’s articles and commentaries on bioethical and Christian concern issues have appeared frequently in CMDA’s Today’s Christian Doctor and ‘the point’. He has been published in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy, Chest journal, Nucleus (UK), the Jamaica Observer, the Jamaica Gleaner, and several regional publications. He has been interviewed by American Family News/OneNewsNow, American Medical News, Family News in Focus, LifeSiteNews, World Magazine, Christian Post, The Federalist, FRC’s Washington Watch, Janet Mefferd Live, Janet Parshall’s America, and regional PBS radio, among others.
2020/2021 DIG & DELVE DIALOGUES
Click here to watch any of these Dialogues on YouTube.
November 6th – Gracious God or Moral Monster – Daniel Gilman Click here to find a list of suggested reading from Daniel.
December 4th – Classic Skeptical Challenges to the Christmas Story – George Sinclair & Ben Jolliffe
January 8th – Finding a Better Identity: Sexuality, Gender and Jesus – Jojo Ruba
February 5th – Good News or Fake News: Why should I trust the Bible? – Wesley Huff
March 5th – Divine Child Abuse or Good Friday: Why did Jesus Die? – Paul Carter
April 9th – The Witness of History and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – Michael Haykin
May 7th – A Christian Response to Critical Theory – Cameron McAllister Click here to watch some introductory videos on Critical Theory.
June 11th – Clarity on Critical Race Theory – Brandon Cleaver
DIG & DELVE is an annual humble apologetics conference that explores the deeper questions that humans ask.
People Are Saying…
The Dig and Delve conference helped me to uncover and test some assumptions that I didn’t even realize I had. It was beneficial to have an engaging conference that allowed me to be open with myself and think about why I believe what I believe.
Brady, uOttawa Student
I really enjoyed the Dig and Delve conference on the validity of the New Testament! Exploring the cultural context of the 1st century and the literary devices the Biblical writers would have used has helped me better understand the New Testament and the so-called discrepancies between different books and texts. As a student who has never studied theology or analyzed the Bible as intentionally as some of the other attendees, the talks were both accessible and thought-provoking.
Andrea, uOttawa Student
I really enjoy the depth of knowledge and expertise coupled with "out of the box" thinking on topics. This isn't a "sunday sermon" dragged out for a weekend, but theologians with expertise and understanding digging into issues without the bounds of religious epitomes encouraging you to think and come to your own conclusions.
I liked dig and delve because firstly it made me think about things that I might not otherwise think about in a manner I might not otherwise think about them. Also I loved learning about the topics put forward from experts in that field.
Rhys, 14yr old
Very friendly, very open. I enjoyed the fact that there was a lot of discussion and a lot of openness and it felt very anonymous. You were able to give your text messages and ask your own questions without having to really present yourself. I found, maybe not for me, but for the general public, I think that’s a really good thing. Being exposed to so many different types of thoughts, it really allows you come back to your own thought and your own faith, and really isolates exactly how you feel and to put it into better terms.
It’s a really neat experience to be able to listen to talks from people from all different backgrounds. Anything from philosophy to sciences to humanities. Every year it’s a little bit different, which is great because we have people from all different backgrounds and fields within the audience as well. So, I found it encouraging, it was challenging, it was thought provoking and it’s an overall wonderful sort of atmosphere.
It’s made me think of questions I never really thought of asking before. Or, looking at issues from an entirely different perspective, one that would never have occurred to me in my own natural mode of thinking.
I think it’s important to look at your faith critically and to really know that you know something because it’s logical and rational and not just because you inherited it from your parents. I think Dig & Delve is the most amazing opportunity to be able to look at a whole different bunch of perspectives from really knowledgeable people and use that information, that is so Biblically founded and researched so carefully, from these experts and to then apply it to your own faith, I think it’s just such a valuable tool in my faith walk that I couldn't miss it. | <urn:uuid:0b16085d-d5f7-445b-bdd8-2807ffe5e58d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.diganddelve.ca/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.958429 | 1,772 | 1.539063 | 2 |
Dreams help us in so many ways. Dreams remove the rubbish from our minds, some of them help us heal and others bring us guidance. Pay attention and document your dreams!
Today, I speak about dreaming. How we dream, why we dream and some tips and tricks to help you remember dreams. We should be paying attention to our dreams and what they are trying to tell you and where they are leading you. Happy Dreaming Everyone!
More about dreams:
More about dreams here too!
Others may open your mind to new possibilities but at the end of the day it only matters how you feel about your particular dream. If it feels right and rings true to your heart then that is the correct answer and interpretation for you.
Remembering your dreams: Keep a journal next to your bed.. write down everything you can remember even if it is only a hand full of things .. do this before you place your feet on the floor. Once you step out of bed .. your memory about the dreams go quickly.
Meditation – practice meditations before bed. Find a meditation that best fits you and practice as often as you can. The more you meditate the better you become.
When going to bed .. tell yourself many times that your goal is to remember your dreams.. when you do this often you will start remembering your dreams. It may be slow going but you will get there. Don’t give up.
Certain stones and crystals can help you dream, remember your dreams and aid you through dream healing. Moonstones are particularly good at general dream work – remembering and guiding you. Other stones also help depending on your dream needs.
Amethyst – Helps insomnia. Put an amethyst under your pillow to bring about pleasant dreams, or rub it across your forehead to offer relief from a headache.
Clear Quartz -ultimate dream magic stone, spiritual connection, divine guidance, healing dreams, divine dreams, time travel, astral travel.
Diamond – divine inspiration,remembering your dreams, amplifying dream energies, protection, magical dreaming
Moonstone – third eye chakra. Moonstone is believed to bring good fortune and is reagarded as a sacred stone in India. These phenomenal stones enhance psychic knowing, psychic sight, while increasing intuition. Soothes and heals the emotions and the mind, aids in spiritual growth and development. Use in lunar rituals and rights of passage ceremonies. Moonstone is definatly female in nature and all women can benefit by using it. Relieve PMS symptoms.
Scolecite – Helps one to realize subtle messages from the inner self and from higher sources – enhances dream state, promotes dream recall, lucid dreaming and restful sleep.
Agate – Offers protection from bad dreams. In ancient times, agates with banded colors were placed at the head of a sleeper to give rich and varied dreams.
Malachite – Emotionally, malachite stimulates inner imagery, making dreams, imagination and memories more alive and real.
Labradorite – For Daydreaming: shows us our real goals and intentions so that we suddenly see their real shape, stimulates the imagination
Dioptase – Encourages vivid dreams
Lepidolite – Bestows calm and helps with sleep disturbances.
Chrysoprase – Alleviates recurring nightmares (particularly for children)
Danburite – Power stone promotes lucid dreaming
There are many other stones that can help with dreaming – do some research and find one that fits your purpose or need.
FULL MOON DEFINITIONS
January: Wolf Moon
The Wolf Moon, also known as the Cold, Snow, or Winter Moon, is a time of protection and strength. While it is the first full Moon of the calendar year, in terms of nature it occurs in the middle of the cold winter season, a season of death and desolation. In these respects, the Wolf Moon can be seen as a time of both beginnings and endings. This is the time to start to consider what you want to plant and plan for the spring. You can do magick so that as the spring approaches your magickal goal will grow close and closer to fruition.
February: Storm Moon
The Storm Moon, also known as the Death or Quickening Moon, is a time to do magick for fertility and strength. For most people in the Northern Hemisphere, February is a time of storms and bleak, short days. In the olden days, it was a time of true hardship.This is a good time to do magick to help you face life’s challenges. You could do a spell to help you with a particularly challenging project at work. Your spell could focus on helping you to accept the challenge, perservere, and make it through. You could concentrate on the idea of weathering the storm and giving yourself the extra stamina to succeed. This is also a time of cleansing both internally and externally. As such, it’s a great time to get rid of physical things you don’t need and any mental or emotional baggage you might be hauling around with you, too.
March: Chaste Moon
Also known as the Seed or Worm Moon, the Chaste Moon is a time to plant mental seeds – thoughts of success and hope. This is also a time of purity and newness. It’s the time to bless the magickal herbs and plants in your garden and to start preparing the soil for the seeds that you will plant. It’s also the time to mentally prepare yourself for new experieces, a new job, pregnancy, taking a trip, or bringing a new animal into your home.
April: Seed Moon
The Seed Moon signals a time of fertility, growth, and wisdom. This Moon is also known as the Egg, Grass, or Wind Moon. This is the time to sow the seeds of Magick. If you are planting a magickal garden, you want to get out there now and put things into the Earth. This is the time to move from the planning phase into action. If you want to get pregnant, this is a great time to go for it. Fertility is in the air. This is also the time to bring that new puppy home, it that is what you have been planning. It’s also a great time to empower some seeds to both help them grow and to do Earth magick.
May: Hare Moon
The Hare Moon, also known as the Flower or Planting Moon, is a time of health, love, romance, and wisdom. This is a great time to plant the seeds that you have empowered. As the seeds begin to grow, the energy you have filled them with will start to manifest in your life. It’s also a great time to rekindle the romantic spark and passion in a relationship. If you’ve been working magick to help your career, now will probably be the time to decide which of your job offers to accept. And you might want to do some divination magick to help you make that decision.
June: Lover’s Moon
Also known as the Strawberry or Rose Moon, the Lover’s Moon brings with it energy for love, marriage, and success. Is it any wonder that in some traditions this Moon is called the Honey Moon? This is a time to nurture your garden and marvel at its beauty and abundance. If you have taken that new job, now is the time to make sure you have everything running smoothly. And you might want to keep your eyes open to see how you can move into a more desirable position.
July: Mead Moon
The Mead Moon, also known as the Blessings, Lightning, or Thunder Moon, is a time of enchantment, health, rebirth, success, and strength. This is the time of the first harvests, when you begin to enjoy the fruits of your labors. This is also a time of celebration and magick. Remember that mead is the nectar of the Gods. Now is the time to gather your magickal herbs and do some prosperity magick so you get that raise you’ve worked so hard for.
August: Wyrt Moon
The Wyrt Moon, also known as the Wort, Barley, Corn, or Red Moon, is a time of abundance, agriculture, and marriage. This is the time to collect your magickal herbs and store them for the winter or share them with others. Remember to give an offering back to the Goddess for her generosity. At this time of the year, you might want to do magick to help someone else reap the benefits of the Earth’s abundance. (With that person’s permission, of course!) This is also a good time to make a move at work for that higher level position. If you have become pregnant, this is the time to concentrate your energies on having a healthy pregnancy.
September: Harvest Moon
Also known as the Barley or Hunter’s Moon, the Harvest Moon is a time of protection, prosperity, and abundance. This is the time of year when the grains are being harvested, and it is a good time for magick involving your prosperity, abundance, and the nurturing of others. If you have had a long illness, this is the time to finally come back to full health again. This is also the time to obtain that higher paying position at work. The energy of the Harvest Moon will help along any magick that is geared to bring you or someone else abundance.
October: Blood Moon
The Blood Moon is sometimes called the Falling Leaf or Hunter’s Moon. It is a Moon of new goals, potection, resolution, and spirituality. The night of the Blood Moon is a great time for divination of any kind. At this time of the year, all of nature is making ready for the winter. Animals that hibernate are gathering the last scraps of food. Birds are heading south. In human societies, this used to be the time when we turned from agriculture to the hunt as our means of sustenance. This is the time to refect on what you did during the year and to evaluate your accomplishments.You also want to check to see how you will survive the coming months. Make sure that you have enough money in the bank. If your work is seasonal, you might want to do some magick to find other ways to support yourself. If you work outdoors, do magick to help you survive the cold months ahead. You also want to check on things that are important to your safety and survival. How are the tires on your car? And what about that smoke alarm in the kitchen? Because the holidays are fast approaching, you also might want to do some work to remove stress and negative energy from your surroundings.
Novemeber: Snow Moon
The Snow Moon is also known as the Beaver, Mourning, or Tree Moon. This is a good time to work with abundance, properity, and the bonds of family and friendship. This is also an excellent time to use divination to get an idea of what is up ahead. Remind yourself that although winter is coming, it will not last forever. Do what you can to reduce your stress and to strengthen your bonds with family and friends. Back before the advent of grocery stores and central heating, people really counted on those bonds, which could be the difference between making it through the winter or perishing. So, know who is really there for you, and count your blessings.
December: Oak Moon
Also known as the Cold or Long Night Moon, the Oak Moon is a time for hope and healing. This time of year the Moon has reign over the Earth, because there are more hours of night than day. Our thoughts turn to the rebirth of the light and the longer days that are promised after the winter solstice. Women who have become pregnant in the spring are about to give birth and will probably want to focus their energies on delivering a healthy baby. This is the time of year to complete something you have worked hard on and to make sure that the task is truly completed, all the details dealt with. It’s also a great time to let go of old patterns or problems and start anew. If something has been eating at you for a long time, work to give it up at this time. Let go of the negative and let the light of longer days shine inside you. Working with children in a nurturing way can be very rewarding and healing.
I had a night filled with crazy dreams.. mostly involving lots of snakes…. shudder…. creepy crawly snakes everywhere … I just had to keep reminding myself.. snake represents transformation and healing … shudder shudder … transformation and healing!
Here’s some info on the snake from linsdomain.com
This a powerful totem — it is the symbol of transformation and healing.
The Snake is wisdom expressed through healing.
It is a protector and guardian totem, along with its sister totems, the Dragon and the Serpent.
If a snake totem has come into your life, your creative forces are awakening.
Your intuition will sharpen and be more accurate.
Snake energy is the energy of wholeness, cosmic consciousness, and
the ability to experience anything willingly and without resistance.
It is the knowledge that all things are equal in creation.
It also signals a transition in your life. New opportunities and/or changes.
Snake is fire medicine, the medicine of transmutation.
On a material level, it is vitality; on an emotional level, it is ambition and dreams;
on a mental level, it is intellect and power; on a spiritual level (the highest level),
it is wisdom, understanding and wholeness.
Snake magic is heavy magic.
Become the Magician and transmute the energy and accept the power of the fire.
A man shot me many times over and over again. There were a bunch of me’s. This man came up to me in a drive way … shot me at extremely close range (like so close he was nearly touching me) several times and on parts of my body that I wouldn’t die right away… and it wouldn’t be messy.. he shot me in a way that I would slowly bleed out… instead of dying instantly. I bled and I died… then it was like ground hog day and there I was again and he repeated… every time shooting me in the same way up close but in different places on my body…
As he was planning his shots he would look up at me as if he was wondering if this spot or that would finally do the job. It was like the different me’s were different parts of me or different aspects of me… like I was split in to a certain amount of layers. I did not count how many times this happened but it felt like at least half a dozen times.
One the last round I just laid there and he walked away. When he was gone I raised up and thought to myself “good you are finally done now”. I was still there and still living. He had tried so many times and yet I kept coming back to life and living again and again. No words were even said… there was no interaction between us. Only me looking at him and watching him shoot me and him looking up at me into my eyes and wondering to himself if this round would be the last round. I could tell he was trying to work out in his own mind which were the best spots to shoot me that would actually make me dead without instantly killing me.
I could feel the cold, hard concrete beneath me and I could feel the blood leaving my body and draining down the pavement. I felt nothing toward this man, no emotion .. no feelings at all.. no love nor hate.. just nothing .. he was just there trying to kill me and no matter how many times he tried… I went down but always came back.
Do what you will to me but you’re not the one who will end me.. this is not how I will end. I continue to live… no matter what you do.. where you hit me or how many time you come back to do it again. I will survive this! I choose to live!
Much more can be analyzed here but the this is the overall meaning for me. With all dreams there are intricate details that can be analyzed more specifically… but remember it is YOUR dream and it matters most how YOU felt about the dream. Many people will give different thoughts of interpretation based upon how they feel about the events you had. Getting an opinion of others can be helpful and maybe light a window of thought that you didn’t realize was there but still it is most important how YOU felt. How others analyze your dream is just opinion based on their own experiences. Trust your own feelings when it comes to your dreams. | <urn:uuid:645bee3f-63c0-4be8-9e44-e78dacb284f6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://lifeofwaya.com/tag/dream-interpretation/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.959973 | 3,558 | 1.679688 | 2 |
Water System ModelingElk Rapids, MichiganMap View
For more than 30 years, Gosling Czubak has provided the Village of Elk Rapids with water system engineering services. One of the latest projects is computer modeling of the water system. The modeling assessed the ability of the Village’s water system to meet fire flow demands and evaluate the projected demands on the system for the upcoming 5 year and 20 year periods. This will allow the Village to evaluate low pressure areas as well as other weaknesses in its water system supply, storage, and distribution system. The model will be used to assist with development of capital improvement priorities and budgeting. It will also help Elk Rapids comply with the water system reliability standards of Michigan’s Act 399 - the Safe Drinking Water Act. | <urn:uuid:cee7ec4d-feea-49a1-bbd9-7bf06fe8dfde> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.goslingczubak.com/our-work/water-system-modeling.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.927547 | 157 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Make investments time in unpaid advertising methods to boost what you are promoting. Supercomputers particularly usually have highly unique architectures that differ significantly from the fundamental stored-program structure and from general purpose computers. 103 They often characteristic hundreds of CPUs, custom-made high-velocity interconnects, and specialized computing hardware. Such designs are typically useful just for specialised duties as a result of giant scale of program group required to efficiently make the most of a lot of the accessible resources at once. Supercomputers usually see utilization in massive-scale simulation , graphics rendering , and cryptography purposes, in addition to with other so-called ” embarrassingly parallel ” duties.
Not less than for aggressive niches have been Google intend to police this quality suggestion, Google needs to reward high-quality pages and the Highest ranking could also be justified for pages with a satisfying or comprehensive quantity of very excessive-quality†primary content. The computer programmer additionally designs a graphical consumer interface (GUI) in order that non-technical users can use the software program through straightforward, point-and-click menu options. The GUI acts as a translator between the person and the software program code.
The Coding Dojo pupil physique debunks this fantasy 100 times over. Students within our coding boot camp come from all backgrounds and age teams. And by the tip of our 12-week programming course, they are able to discover jobs as full stack web developers. We’ve remodeled an Alaskan fisherman into a web utility developer at JP Morgan, taken seasoned software engineers and taught them new applied sciences that they were unable to learn at work or on their own, and we’ve helped unemployed professionals speed up their profession transitions. Regardless of prior expertise, the path to develop into a software program developer is open to anyone whom aspires to take it. The one prerequisite is a relentless will to succeed. Our employees has witnessed our students complete this journey many instances over, and so are you able to.
Auto-Renewal. We use auto-renewal for many of our fee-primarily based Companies. On the expiration of each subscription term for such charge-based mostly Companies, we will robotically renew your subscription and charge the credit card or different fee methodology you have got offered to us, unless you cancel your subscription a minimum of 48 hours earlier than the top of the present interval. Unless in any other case said in Part 14, your subscription will probably be robotically renewed on the then-present worth, excluding promotional and discount pricing. We might, in our sole discretion, publish expenses to your payment technique individually or aggregate expenses for some or all of your price-based mostly Services with us.
I’ve acquired by, by considering external links to other sites ought to in all probability be on single pages deeper in your web site architecture, with the pages receiving all of your Google Juice as soon as it has been soaked up†by the higher pages in your web site construction (the house web page, your category pages). This tactic is old school however I still follow it. I need not assume you should worry about that, too much.
If it’s good to gain one of the best outcomes from an WEB OPTIMIZATION marketing campaign, you should get in touch with a proper SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISATION company that can provide WEBSITE POSITIONING Management Providers which will show you how to earn the trio of better online visibility on Google, higher natural site visitors, qualified leads and increased ROI. For modifications to these Terms or the Companies that we have to make so as to meet safety, security, legal or regulatory necessities, we could not have the ability to notify you in advance, but we’ll let you realize as quickly as practicable after such modification is made.
Nevertheless, the size of a software developer salary will depend on factors like business, geographic location, and professional experience. About a third of all software program builders work in the computer techniques design industry, and the top-paying industries for software developers include advertising and public relations, digital part manufacturing, and monetary services. The very best states for software builders , by way of salary, embrace California, Washington, and New York. Judging by the information below, skilled software builders earn around $30,000 extra each year than builders just beginning out. | <urn:uuid:0f86cbf4-3d82-4cd6-862a-1e17292e7e16> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://mujeres-hoy.com/panduan-untuk-pemula-dalam-menerapkan-web-optimization.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571190.0/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810131127-20220810161127-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.944077 | 888 | 1.671875 | 2 |
Cohen, Leor. “Iterative Emplotment Scenarios: Being ‘The Only Ethiopian’.” Discourse Studies 18.2 (2016): 123-43.
The realism-social constructionism debate has been consequential over the last several decades. Silverstein’s vocabulary of micro-/macro-contexts aids in understanding why the tension can be a useful epistemological heuristic for discourse analysts. Narratives were collected in focus groups of Ethiopian-Israeli college students. Five narratives were selected for ethnic mentions and found to have a particular ‘iterative’ ‘emplotment scenario’ (IES) – recurrent storylines and settings – across tellers and telling events. ‘the only Ethiopian’ is an IES of being sent away to a majority-White elementary/secondary school, socially isolated and denigrated. How are we to understand it when a particular plotline and setting recur in our corpora? I argue that although each story and storytelling is unique, they all borrow from a larger-than-single-telling, already existent trope, that is, a budding master narrative. Taken together, a unique view of a particular socio-cultural process – in this case, something of what it means to be an Ethiopian Israeli – emerges. | <urn:uuid:8ca928fc-fd8a-4f97-aeb6-9778c3390a86> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://israbib.wordpress.com/2016/04/07/only-ethiopian/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.905145 | 270 | 1.757813 | 2 |
This week’s list of top data news highlights covers July 9, 2022 to July 15, 2022 and includes articles on creating smart jean pockets and verifying information found online.
The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission, a state agency that provides criminal defense representation to indigent individuals, has announced plans to use a machine learning model to sort through recordings from police body cameras, interrogations, and 911 calls. The model creates transcripts from the footage and can flag relevant parts such as mentions of drug use or weapons for public defenders.
An international team of researchers has identified the original location of a 4.48 billion-year-old Martian meteorite. The team used a supercomputer to match the meteorite’s compositional characteristics with known Martian craters and found that the meteorite was likely ejected during the formation of a crater in the Terra Cimmeria-Sirenum region of Mars.
Meta has created an AI system that can verify citations in Wikipedia articles. Researchers trained the system with 4 million Wikipedia citations. The system uses data from 134 million public webpages to ensure citations support the information in entries.
Microsoft has launched the Digital Equity Data Dashboard to show equity gaps in access to digital resources across the United States. The dashboard uses data such as broadband access, education, and poverty rates from the Census Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, BroadbandNow, and Microsoft’s Broadband Usage Data to show digital equity by census tract.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a U.S.-based healthcare organization, have created an AI system that can predict which patients can manage their pain after surgeries and which patients will require assistance with pain management. Doctors can use the system to determine patients’ risk of medication misuse.
Amazon is deploying smart shopping carts at a Whole Foods store in Massachusetts. Each cart contains sensors and an AI system that can identify which groceries shoppers place in or remove from the cart as well as an interactive touch screen showing the location of nearby groceries.
Meta has created an AI system that can transform user-submitted text and sketches into images. Their system enables more specificity than previous systems by allowing users to submit simple sketches as well as text.
Microsoft has created a smart fabric, designed for jeans’ pockets, that can recognize objects and gestures. The fabric uses sensors and a machine learning model to recognize the presence or absence of common objects.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created an AI system that can identify drug molecule candidates by predicting how proteins will bind to the molecule. In tests, the system identified promising drug molecules 1,200 times faster than current methods.
Officials in Edinburgh, United Kingdom have started installing 11,000 smart waste bins around the city. Each bin contains a sensor that can alert officials when it is full and collect data on usage. Officials can use this data to create more efficient waste collection routes and management plans. | <urn:uuid:47396842-2dfa-4078-975d-b72c31ede9ba> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://datainnovation.org/2022/07/10-bits-the-data-news-hotlist-371/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.92421 | 589 | 2.5 | 2 |
Since the discovery of the first exoplanet, a gaseous giant planet, two decades of an extensive planet hunt led to an amazing inventory of close-by planet systems. Among these planets a substantial number are slightly larger than Earth but are still expected to be rocky. No similar object exists in the solar system and little is known about them. One interesting aspect is to determine the habitability of these exotic planets and if life could develop there. It is therefore important to determine what is the structure of the deep interior of these planets and if it can generate a protecting magnetic field.
In the proposed project, the fellow plans to develop a set of state-of-the-art ab initio simulations of iron-nickel mixtures to study the properties of these materials at high pressure. These materials are likely to be dominant in the core of Super-Earth but it is unclear if the pressure-temperature conditions are compatible with a solid core surrounded by a liquid and conducting phase as expected to be favorable for magnetic field generation. The fellow will focus on the phase diagram of these mixtures up to 1 TPa. He will also explore the transport properties in order to better constrain the possible scenarios of convection and magnetic field generation. Based on these results, the fellow will build evolution models of Super-Earths to be compared to the discovered exoplanets.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
See other projects for this call | <urn:uuid:0dc9c441-b0c9-41b6-be40-ba1a74eef9e0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/750901 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570741.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808001418-20220808031418-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.91016 | 311 | 2.703125 | 3 |
Organize “before and after” style portfolios embedded within WordPress posts. Before/After allows you to select specific images out of your media library, and sort them into respective before and after groups from the post editing page. Useful for anyone who features their work or services (web-designers, artists, plumbers, etc.) on their site.
- Add images to your Media Library; these images will become available to you on the post add/edit page.
- On the post add/edit page, simply drag images from the Media Library column into the Before and After columns.
- To remove an item, double-click it.
<?php $beforeafter->is_gallery( id ); ?>=
Returns true if there is a Before/After gallery associated with a particular post.
- A post id. Typically the current post, $post->ID
<?php $beforeafter->gallery( type , id , file , links , list , rel , limit ); ?>=
Returns the images stored in a particular Before/After gallery.
- Determines which gallery to return: before or after.
- Values: ‘before’ , ‘after’
- Default: ‘after’
- The post id. If set to 0, will return images from all posts with Before/After galleries.
- Default: 0
- Determines the type of image to return: the original image file, or the thumbnail.
- Values: ‘thumb’ , ‘file’
- Default: ‘thumb’
- If set to true, will wrap images with links to the original files.
- Values: true, false
- Default: true
- If set to true, wraps the image in
- Values: true, fase
- Default: false
- Alters the default rel parameter for image links.
- Default: ‘beforeafter’
- Limits how many items are returned.
- Default: all of ’em.
- Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
- Place template tags in theme files.
- Can you upload photos directly from the post edit page?
No. Upload them to the media library directly; it works better.
- Can an image be in more than one gallery?
As of right now, no. If folks feel the need to do this, I can implement that feature. Please note that the images are still available to do any other WordPress stuff (eg. insert into post content), but may only used once within Before/After.
I’ve set it up this way to avoid confusing multiple images in the admin interface.
- How is Before/After styled?
To use this plugin you must be familiar with theme files and rudimentary PHP.
There are no reviews for this plugin.
Contributors & Developers
“Before/After” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.Contributors
* Adds a ‘limit’ argument to gallery()
- Initial release. | <urn:uuid:da5efb79-5ad8-4bfa-955c-790f48eeb538> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://lug.wordpress.org/plugins/beforeafter/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.737244 | 803 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Over the last two years, it’s been my responsibility to build and maintain the Wiki Education Dashboard, a complex website that has become our primary tool for keeping track of hundreds of courses and thousands of students each term. It’s been an amazing journey so far — one I started with almost no experience in web development — and I’ve learned little bits of lots of facets of writing software and running a website. One area where our Dashboard is better than most sites is accessibility — but unfortunately, that’s not saying much.
Since the beginning of the Dashboard project, one of my most important power users has been Wiki Education’s Helaine Blumenthal. As our Classroom Program Manager, Helaine needs to be able to use the Dashboard efficiently to keep up with now more than 300 courses per term. Helaine is blind and uses a screen reader to navigate the web, which means that if a site isn’t accessible by screen reader, it’s broken.
I’m always looking for ways to improve the usability and accessibility of the Wiki Education Dashboard, and I’ve still got a lot to learn. Now that I’ve dipped my toe into web accessibility, I find myself losing patience quickly with big software companies and open source projects that don’t even try. | <urn:uuid:9d4aaf5c-7018-4c00-9325-9e6d3c3d6e9c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wikiedu.org/blog/2017/10/10/the-web-as-she-is-spoke/?shared=email&msg=fail | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570913.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809064307-20220809094307-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.950963 | 913 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Assigns the current value as milliseconds since 1970.
When used in a non-live query, the value of now is fixed to when the query was issued. For live queries, the value of now depends on where in the query it is placed. If it is placed before the first aggregate function, it is only evaluated the first time the query sees the event. If it is placed after the first aggregate function, it is evaluated continuously, and gives the live value of the current system time, which can divert between Humio nodes.
|string||false||_now||Name of output field.|
curr the value of
curr := now()
Use now() in an assignment
isOld := (now()-@timestamp) > 1000 | <urn:uuid:a616057e-dbd5-43f9-97ff-34536dc2524f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://library.humio.com/humio-server/functions-now.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.878539 | 177 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Design equation (4.3.1) for the minimum required thickness of a cylindrical shell subjected to internal pressure in Part 4 “design by rule (DBR)” of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Division 2 is based on the Tresca Yield Criterion, while design by analysis (DBA) in Part 5 of the Division 2 Code is based on the von Mises Yield Criterion. According to ASME PTB-1 “ASME Section VIII – Division 2 Criteria and Commentary”, the difference in results is about 15% due to use of the two different criteria. Although the von Mises Yield Criterion will result in a shell wall thickness less than that from Tresca Yield Criterion, Part 4 (DBR) of ASME Division 2 adopts the latter for a more convenient design equation. To use the von Mises Criterion in lieu of Tresca to reduce shell wall thickness, one has to follow DBA rules in Part 5 of Division 2, which typically requires detailed numeric analysis performed by experienced stress analysts.
This paper proposes a simple design equation for the minimum required thickness of a cylindrical shell subjected to internal pressure based on the von Mises Yield Criterion. The equation is suitable for both thin and thick cylindrical shells. Calculation results from the equation are validated by results from limit load analyses in accordance with Part 5 of ASME Division 2 Code. | <urn:uuid:4746c277-1be3-422b-beb5-c8d0eb7e5ef9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://risk.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/PVP/proceedings-abstract/PVP2019/58943/V003T03A085/1068468?searchresult=1 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.892974 | 310 | 2.4375 | 2 |
Getting the right fit for pouching your stoma is not always easy. Using a systematic approach to the characteristics of your body shape and stoma is very helpful. During a fit session, the stoma nurse will look at the shape of your abdomen while standing, sitting, and lying to assess any changes in the needs with each position.
An ileostomy is a stoma created from the small intestine. Because the colon is bypassed, the stool output is loose. It is also more acidic because of digestive enzymes.
Those with ileostomies should use an extended wear pouching system. Each brand uses different terms for extended wear
A urostomy is created with a small portion of the small bowel but the ureters from the kidneys are attached. This allows urine to drain into a pouch
Urostomies should also use extended wear products.
A colostomy is created from the colon. A stoma in the upper abdomen or on the left side can use standard wear pouching systems.
We use three terms to describe how far the stoma sits above the level of the skin. This feature determines the shape (whether flat or curved) of the barrier portion of the pouching system. The barrier is what adheres to the skin. Convexity refers to the “cupped” shape of the barrier that sits against your skin. It creates a little pressure around the stoma, which in turn helps the stoma to protrude a little more
Many different factors affect the shape of the abdomen. Mostly, we need to assess the shape surrounding the stoma, looking for scars, skin folds, and indentations that can create an uneven surface. Uneven surfaces can be a challenge as the barrier needs to be in contact with the skin to adhere. Some pouching systems are firm while others are flexible. While assessing the abdomen, the nurse will evaluate if the abdomen
A parastomal hernia is common for those with ostomies. The muscle has been cut to allow the intestine or stoma to be pulled through, causing a defect or weakness at that site. Certain activities create pressure that pushes against the defect. These activities include:
Typically, the ostomate with a flat firm abdomen does well with a flexible pouching system such as Coloplast Mio Flex, 1 or 2 pieces. It is available flat if the stoma protrudes or convex if the stoma is flush or inverted. These flexible systems are great for abdomens with deep folds around the stoma. ConvaTec offers the Esteem Synergy line that is very flexible and available in 1 or 2 piece systems. Coloplast’s Sensura line is firm and available with convexity or as a flat barrier as needed based on the height of the stoma. This pouching system is better for those with a soft abdomen.
For ostomates with a parastomal hernia, finding the right fit can be a challenge. As the hernia becomes larger, the stoma will often stretch out and have a larger diameter, but it flattens in height. For this reason, many choose a pouching system with convexity. However, Coloplast looked at this problem and created a pouching system called Convex Flip. This barrier is flower-shaped, flat in the middle, and curved toward the edges. Once placed around the stoma, the edges need to be flipped toward the skin. This creates a barrier that “hugs” the parastomal hernia. The barrier is soft. It is available in 1 or 2 piece pouching systems and offers a click-lock mechanism for the 2 piece pouch or an adherent pouching mechanism. Also offered are drainable, closed-end, and high output pouches.
Many accessories are available to improve fit and wear time. Caulking agents such as stoma paste, moldable rings, Eakin seals, Brava barrier strip paste, and Brava protective barrier rings can be used right around the stoma to improve the seal. They also fill in small gaps if the surface is uneven.
An ostomy belt is great for support as well. If the stoma sits where there is a fold while sitting, a belt is recommended. The belt is meant to fit snug but not cause discomfort. If a parastomal hernia is present, Nu-Hope offers a large selection of hernia support belts made for ostomates. Coloplast has a support belt as well.
Products for managing ostomies have made great strides in meeting the community’s needs. New products are released often and the pouching systems improve each time.
If your pouch fit is no longer working, consider seeing a stoma nurse or all the manufacturer's customer support team. They can recommend products based on your individual needs.
Health Products For You ensures people with ostomies lead a normal and healthy life and presents a vast catalog of ostomy products at affordable prices. HPFY takes pride in being a customer-centric medical supplies store that aims to make health and wellness accessible for everyone. Shop with us and get exclusive discounts on each buy. Order today!
Disclaimer: All content found on our website, including images, videos, infographics and text were created solely for informational purposes. Our content should never be used for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment of any medical conditions. Content shared on our websites is not meant to be used as a substitute for advice from a certified medical professional. Reliance on the information provided on our website as a basis for patient treatment is solely at your own risk. We urge all our customers to always consult a physician or a certified medical professional before trying or using a new medical product.
Christine Kijek is a colorectal nurse at Danbury Hospital in Danbury, CT. She has a wealth of knowledge in this field as well as personal experience. HPFY is thrilled that she has been ...
Resistance exercise bands come in a number of colors and it’s not just for decoration. Many people use these bands however, they do not have the knowledge of the colors and the purpose with which they are designed.
A syringe is a pump consisting of a snugly fit piston(or plunger) within a calibrated glass or plastic cylinder called a barrel.The syringe is equipped with a hypodermic needle, nozzle, or tubing that helps direct the flow of medication.
Breathing disorders, such as COPD or asthma, can be a major detriment when it comes to quality-of-life issues.Treating these breathing ailments with medications is the main course of treatment.Being able to deliver aerosol medication directly into the lungs in an expedited fashion is the best way to manage these lung disorders. The use of a nebulizer for aerosol medications allows for the efficient and easy delivery of these medications.
An enema is used for many reasons.Just as there are many reasons, there are different types of enemas, each of which contains different ingredients and works differently in the body. While some may choose an enema to soften stool or for routine colon cleansing, the reason for using an enema may have more of a medical necessity.
Cervical traction is a technique applied to the cervical region of the body to help alleviate neck pain, discomfort, and other physical conditions related to the cervical region.Cervical traction works by stressing the neck, pulling, and pushing, thus reducing the pressure on the spine, the neck, and the upper torso.Excessive stress on the neck, spine, and upper region, due to a wide range of conditions or injuries can cause severe pain and can lead to other complications.Cervical traction devices help alleviates these conditions thus offering overall body rehabilitation and treatment options. | <urn:uuid:0269fe72-7ebe-4ac6-a55e-33559535e274> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.healthproductsforyou.com/ar-stoma-pouches-the-right-fit.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.941783 | 1,603 | 2.421875 | 2 |
Using probiotic organisms to boost fish production without use of genetic engineering, deploying nanotechnology to enhance energy efficiency of PV-cells sans use of environmentally damaging metals and observing the habits of the birds to develop the indicators of degradation of biodiversity by avoiding human interference are some of the innovative and effective research papers presented by the students from international schools and colleges from 20th to 21st of February, in the International Youth Conference –TERRE YuCon-organized by TERRE Policy Centre. The two days of the vibrant presentations and discussions reverberated in the campus of MITSOM College and MACS College in Pune. The experts from UN organization, IIM and IIT Alumni, and representatives from Singapore, Dubai, France and India interacted with the young presenters on the topics of the water, climate and sustainable energy, the theme of 2015 YuCon.
Indian Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr. Prakash Javadekar, in his video message encouraged youth to trace the ‘green career’ and contribute to “India’s mission of clean water, clean air, clean energy, and clean environment to target the issues of life”. Dr. Ram Bhoojh of UNESCO said that the event is “timely” as it is taking place ahead of the ‘global game changing’ events related to climate change and sustainable development.
32 preselected detailed presentations and 8 poster presentations from students of engineering, sciences, management and even some young professionals also dwelled on the subjects like groundwater mapping, inadequacy of rainwater harvesting. “TERRE will publish the best papers based on experts assessment and all the abstracts in e-journal and send the recommendations to the Indian Minister as advised by him”, said Rajendra Shende, Chairman TERRE Policy Centre. “The next YuCon conference will be held in Dubai” he added.
“MITSOM and MACS would continue to support TERRE in coming years to give pulsating platform to the students and enhance their international interactions”, declared Ravi Chitnis, Principal of MITSOM while concluding the event. | <urn:uuid:e577bdbc-9057-479d-9a65-71b694d73d1d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://terrepolicycentre.com/International-Youth-Conference-Press-Release.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.932936 | 440 | 2.8125 | 3 |
Patricia Kahlbaugh's dad was an avid tennis player in his day, but after he lost his leg to diabetes, he was sidelined permanently. Once his family bought him a Wii, however, he would spend hours playing the virtual version of the game, and seemed engaged in the device's imagined universe.
That sparked Kahlbaugh, an associate professor of psychology at Southern Connecticut State University, to wonder whether playing such "exergames" could benefit the elderly beyond such obvious gains as providing exercise. She recruited 35 people with an average age of 82 from independent living elderly housing in the New Haven area and divided them into three groups. One group was assigned to play a Wii game of their choice for one hour a week with a graduate student; the second spent an hour a week watching television with a student; the third watched TV by themselves.
Over the 10 weeks of the study, participants who played Wiithey all chose bowling as their gamereported being in a better mood and feeling less lonely. Those who did not play did not show those gains.
Because the study was small and limited in scope, Kahlbaugh says, it is difficult to tell if it was the game itself, or the exercise and social interaction that went with it, that benefited the participants. "Is it the competition? Is it just being stimulated by a computer?" she asks. What did seem clear, though, was that playing the game made people feel better.
Many researchers are coming to believe that video games can, in fact, be good for you. The games have to be properly designed and appropriately used, and researchers are still gathering evidence of what exactly the effects might be, but they say the right games might teach both physical and social skills, affect mood, and generally improve well-being.
Research from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), seems to back up Kahlbaugh. Scientists there recruited adults between the ages of 63 and 94 and had them play Wii Sports three times a week for 12 weeks. They assessed players for symptoms of mild depression, and found that at the end of the 12-week period, those symptoms had decreased. Those benefits were still there when researchers followed up two months and three months later.
Ipsit Vahia, a geriatric psychiatrist who helped perform the UCSD study, says the game certainly seemed to help with what is known as subsyndromal depressionfleeting or intermittent episodes of sadness that don't rise to the level of full depression, but nevertheless hurt people's quality of life. Vahia says such depression is about three times as common as major depression in older adults, and not easily treated with antidepressant medication, so having games as an alternative form of therapy is appealing.
There has not yet been enough study for the Food and Drug Administration to approve games for therapeutic use. Researchers are working to build that evidence, and in the meantime Vahia says there is no harm in older people using exergames to improve their moods. "I have recommended it for clinical use with reasonably good results," he says.
He and other scientists worry, though, that some companies that market games as tools for training memory are exaggerating the benefits of those games. A 2010 study at Kings College London and the University of Manchester, for instance, found that brain training games improved performance on a task they trained users for, but the skills were not transferred to other tasks. "There is contradictory evidence about those games that are designed for memory and cognition and brain speed," Vahia says.
The area where there has been the most study is in the effects of violent video games on the behavior of children, which show that "playground-level aggression" does in fact increase, says Douglas Gentile, a child psychologist at Iowa State University, although that is only one of many risk factors for childhood aggression. "The overall meta-analysis made it clear there is an effect; not a huge one," Gentile says.
It is not surprising, when children learn that violence helps them succeed in a game, that they would transfer that to other areas of life, he says. "Whatever you're practicing, you get better at," Gentile observes. In the same way, though, games that are more "pro-social" can teach empathy and cooperation. Gentile recently completed a study that followed more than 2,000 children in Singapore who played pro-social games for two years, which showed their scores on standard methods of measuring childhood empathy improved over that period.
Gentile says studying both the positive and negative effects of video games can help game designers come up with new strategies for building beneficial games. "The dichotomous way of thinking, that games are good or bad, is probably the wrong way to think about it," Gentile says. "Once we know what the effects are, we can be more thoughtful, so we are maximizing the benefits and minimizing the harms."
Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco, is trying to develop games that can bolster cognitive controla variety of skills that include sustained attention, selective attention, task switching, and working memory (the ability to temporarily remember bits of information necessary to a task). Cognitive control is important to a variety of everyday tasks, such as driving a car, that draw on multiple mental skills at the same time. Gazzaley and a team of researchers developed NeuroRacer, a video game in which players use a joystick to navigate a car along a windy road while watching out for road signs. If a green circle pops up, which it does at random intervals, players were to shoot it, while ignoring green, blue, or red pentagons and squares.
After four weeks of playing the game, the players, adults between 60 and 85 years old, had improved their performance, scoring better than 20-year-olds who had not been trained on the game. Follow-up tests six months later showed the players had maintained the skills they had acquired, without practice. Even cognitive skills not specifically targeted by the game improved for all the players.
Many researchers are coming to believe that video games can, in fact, be good for you.
"We know cognitive control abilities are a critical tool that people use to navigate the world around them," Gazzaley says. "The leap is not so far that if these skills are better, they might translate into improvements in their lives."
The study also used electroencephalograms to look at what was happening in the brains of the game players. Participants who improved the most also had the greatest increase in brain activity in the pre-frontal cortex, which Gazzaley says makes researchers more confident they are right about how such training affects the brain.
Gazzaley is also interested in how games can improve cognitive abilities in children. His lab, which includes computer scientists and game developers, is working on five more video games with the aim of testing them for both educational and therapeutic uses. He is also the founder of a company, Akili Interactive Labs, in Boston, MA, which is developing therapeutic games for mobile platforms. He hopes the research will reach the point where therapeutic games could win FDA approval.
Other companies are also working on developing games that can be certified as beneficial. Posit Science, of San Francisco, CA, is conducting clinical trials in the hopes of winning FDA approval for a game that can help treat schizophrenia. Atentiv, of Waltham, MA, is working on a game to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Cogmed, a European company bought in 2010 by the London-based educational publishing company Pearson, makes games it says are designed to improve working memory.
Alvaro Fernandez, CEO of Sharp-Brains, a San Francisco market research firm that tracks what it calls the cognitive and brain fitness market, says such companies sprang up to fill a niche that was being ignored by established video game manufacturers. Those manufacturers are not interested in marketing games as beneficial, because they feel it makes them sound less fun, Fernandez says. "The mainstream publishers could not care less about this," he says, but companies in this market have seen a substantial increase in worldwide revenues, from $200 million in 2005 to $1 billion in 2012.
Gazzaley says properly designed and scientifically validated video games might be made to aid in all sorts of areas, from education to therapy to social skills. "Games are just so broad in what they can do that if you really take your time and think through the principles, you can pretty much work anything into a game platform," he says.
Revving up Brain Skills https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL92mkXna7k
Anguera, JA, Boccanfuso, J, Rintoul, JL, Al-Hashimi, O, Faraji, F, Janowich, J, Kong, E, Larraburo, Y, Rolle, C, Johnston, E, Gazzaley, A
Video game training enhances cognitive control in older adults, Nature 501, Sept. 5, 2013.
Owen, AM, Hampshire, A, Grahn, JA, Stenton, R, Dajani, S, Burns, AS, Howard, RJ, Ballard, CG
Putting brain training to the test, Nature 465, June 10, 2010.
Rosenberg, D, Depp, CA, Vahia, IV, Reichstadt, J, Palmer, BW, Kerr, J, Norman, G, Jeste, DV
Exergames for Subsyndromal Depression in Older Adults: A Pilot Study of a Novel Intervention, Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 18(3), March 2010.
Kahlbaugh, PE, Sperandio, AJ, Carlson, AL, Hauselt, J
Effects of Playing Wii on Well-Being in the Elderly: Physical Activity, Loneliness, and Mood, Activities, Adaptation & Aging 35, Dec. 16, 2011.
©2014 ACM 0001-0782/14/03
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No entries found | <urn:uuid:d464547a-c917-45a6-885a-34963f6237d8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://cacm.acm.org/news/172521-playing-at-health/fulltext | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.972012 | 2,223 | 2.640625 | 3 |
During the earliest days of the commercial jet age in the 1960s, the global aviation market was dominated by two American companies: Boeing and Douglas Aircraft (later McDonnell Douglas). Airliners like the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8 rocketed between continents, making the world smaller and allowing people to fly who had never done so before.
Realizing that they needed to combine resources if they were to compete, several British, French and German companies, including the two firms that built the Concorde, formed Airbus 50 years ago Wednesday, May 29. And almost five years later on May 23, 1974, its first aircraft, the Airbus A300, entered service with Air France.
Europe strikes back
When it first flew in 1972, the A300 was designed to compete squarely with the Douglas DC-10 and the Lockheed L-1011. Also a wide-body aircraft, it could carry a similar passenger load (around 266) on short- and medium-range routes within Europe. But unlike its trijet American rivals, the A300 had only two General Electric CF6 engines, making it cheaper to operate.
Like all subsequent Airbus planes, sections of the A300 were produced throughout Europe and ferried to the company's final assembly plant in the southwestern French city of Toulouse. Though eventually entire A300 sections would be transported in Super Guppy freight aircraft, the prototype aircraft was driven to the factory in a convoy through tiny French villages. It was an unusual scene that would become a normal occurrence when Airbus in 2007.
After an initial burst of sales in Europe and Asia, A300 sales slowed in the mid-1970s. Airbus even took the plane on a world tour to promote it to airlines. But the A300 got a break in 1978 when Eastern Airlines became the first US customer with an order for 23 planes. Pan Am followed the same year, giving Airbus a foothold in a critical market.
That initial success went on to birth an Airbus family. A shortened version of the A300, called the A310, flew in 1982. Airbus later adapted the A300 into the BelugaST transport aircraft. Later, in the 1990s, it also adopted the longer range A330 and A340 into the BelugaST. (The giant double-decker A380 is another beast, literally, altogether.)
The A300 also changed as it progressed. Initially it had a three person flight crew -- pilot, co-pilot and engineer -- but later versions eliminated the flight engineer position. Also, while A300 pilots used control columns to fly the plane, Airbus cockpits later adopted sidesticks for control starting with the short-range A320 in 1987.
Today the A300 is out of production and though most passenger versions have left service, FedEx and UPS still operate fleets of the successful A300 freighter. An A300 also flies with the European Space Agency as a zero gravity training aircraft. But the A300's biggest legacy is Airbus' success as an airplane manufacturer. Because now its Boeing, which absorbed McDonnell Douglas in 1997, and Airbus that are locked in a fierce rivalry. (But that didn't stop Boeing today from wishing Airbus "Happy Birthday.")
It took time, but Europe definitely caught up. | <urn:uuid:6dfc9cc7-8021-46b7-9f3e-801378324469> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/america-ruled-commercial-aviation-but-then-came-airbus/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.968784 | 658 | 3.125 | 3 |
A Caveat and Affiliates
First off, a little caveat: within my articles you will find affiliate links, meaning if you buy them, I get a small commission. Your cost is not affected. In addition, I am an Amazon Associate and I earn from qualifying purchases on Amazon.
And yes, if I say that I recommend a product here, it means I truly believe it is a good product. I refuse to recommend any product that I have not researched and believe to be a good value.
Even better, I provide you with a very clear picture of the product, it’s use, and the probable value.
Earning your trust is important to me. I run this website myself and the commissions and donations help support the site.
Sound reasonable and fair enough? Let’s continue to the article.
Aquarium Fish for Elderly
Although not essential, aquarium fish for elderly loved ones might be a welcome addition to your home and provide needed comfort.
One may think that the elderly are only needed to rest and have a day, although that is not the case; the elderly body needs as much balance as a younger body needs, although the environment and intensity may defer due to aging issues.
People have been researching how to keep our elderly’ health checked and how to make them move around more. In this case, the science and psychology merged their concepts and realized the elderly were once young. They grew older and sustained themselves through tough times and responsibilities. At this stage, when they are least expected to do anything near taking responsibilities, they are basically entirely accustomed to the duties and handle them quite easily due to their experience. It’s just their body that lacks energy, which is why the idea of whether they are capable of keeping a pet to lift their spirits and increase some activity while taking care of their loved pet is under consideration.
After a deep thought, we must say that a beautiful aquarium might not be a bad idea. Rather it might be just the perfect one.
So, what exactly are the benefits of having a fish aquarium for our elderly? Observing the elderly and their response toward owning an aquarium might be a good choice for our loved one. The following are the main benefits of having an aquarium for the elderly:
According to multiple medical and psychological research, an aquarium’s typical characteristics can seem to have a calming effect on our loved ones. The soothing elements of an aquarium are:
- The sound of the aquarium.
- Motion patterns within the aquarium.
- Colors of the fish tank.
All the above characteristics end up making the setup cozy and comforting for the elderly, although there are also other effects of the aquarium, which are:
- Aquarium reduces anxiety.
- Aquarium also reduces stress.
- Aquarium helps in lowering the blood pressure of the body.
- Aquarium help reduces muscle tension
A recent US study shows that older adults, especially patients of Alzheimer’s, can have considerable health benefits in the presence of an aquarium. The benefits are mainly behavioral as an aquarium’s presence gives off a feeling of peace and serenity. The behavioral benefits are:
- More food consumption.
- Less intact of medication is needed to calm the body system
- The elderly seem calmer, which eventually decreasing hostile behavior.
Supports Good Memory
Older people are prone to have parenting instincts, due to which they care a lot about their pets and also make sure they are well fed. This notion makes up a routine for the elderly since they need to feed the fishes at a particular time—the practice trains the brain to remember things frequently and improve their concentration levels. At the same time, it significantly lowers the risk of having dementia.
Provides a Sense of Responsibility
Older adults don’t have much responsibility at that stage, due to which they lose their sense of value within themselves, which is why installing an aquarium is an excellent option to redeem that the idea that a living creatures’ life solely depends on them and how they treat it and that the survival entirely depends on them. Having the fishing to take care of gives off a sense of duty and goals they have been missing from their life, which can reduce the chance of depression and make them feel loved and not lonely.
Many young people tend to prefer dogs and cats as pets as they are active, fun-loving, and full of like just like them. However, it is said that humans want a pet that can mirror their lifestyle; moreover, when you are old, you want a company just like you, calm and peace-loving and cats dogs are more active than fishes and need a lot of care that older adults can’t provide it. Fishes seem to be the perfect companion for the elderly.
Why? Because it is calm and does not require extra care while having not much food cost etc. Aquariums are very accessible as they come in all shapes and sizes, so whatever space you have either it’s big or small you can probably buy them if you don’t want the normal ones, and want something more efficient and personal, customized fish tanks are also available in the market. There are no medical issues regarding fishes as compared to dog and fur allergies and sheading.
Plus, the fishes are easy to maintain and don’t require day-to-day maintenance. Only weekly cleaning is needed, and since they are easy to have as a pet, this makes fish aquariums the best pet for elderly people with feeling overwhelmed.
How to Set Up an Aquarium?
following are an essential thing to know and step to assemble an Aquarium:
- 1. Don’t use any regular soap. They can be toxic for the fish
- 2. Wash the gravel first.
- 3. Put the plastic pan inside and put water inside it.
- 4. Repeat the rinsing process till the tank seems clean
- 5. Set up the temperature of the tank
- 6. Keep the gravel in the spot
- 7. Add conditioner (aqua solution)
- 8. Connect the air pump
- 9. Keep a check of safety while you are at it.
- 10. There is a small valve there; place that in the tubing outside the tank.
How to Decorate an Aquarium?
- Add plastic plants and succulents for decoration to the tank.
- Add decorative pieces like stones and boats.
- You can buy customized and colorful fish tanks for magnifying the appeal of the aquarium.
Keeping fishes as a pet can bring joy and love to your loved ones’ lives, positively affect their health, and provide a soothing and cozy feel to their home. These pets help them feel cherished and not lonely. So, what are you waiting for? If you have your elderly around you, show your love, and get them an aquarium? This little gesture could be a perfect gift for the elderly as well as a new decoration piece for their home. | <urn:uuid:2b50ef35-1f29-4e73-b038-bf87a5a997f0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://sr-parents.com/2020/10/19/aquarium-fish-for-elderly-loved-ones/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.961342 | 1,459 | 1.640625 | 2 |
Frances O’Morchoe details the lesser-known history of the Myanmar-China railway in nineteenth-century Burma.
China’s Premier Xi Jinping was in Myanmar last month hoping to cement ties between the two countries with a raft of agreements, including several massive infrastructure deals. As part of the 33 deals, protocols and exchanges, the Premier Xi handed over a feasibility study for a high-speed railway connecting Kyaukphyu port in Rakhine State with Yunnan in southwest China. This study includes a ground survey carried out by officials from Myanmar Railways and China Railway Eryuan Engineering Company in 2019, as well as public forums with residents living along the route, many of whom are worried about the possible loss of their homes and farms, as well as adverse environmental impacts. The Myanmar and Chinese governments signed an MoU for the project in 2018, but the final decision of the Myanmar government over whether to build the railway is still unknown.
If this project came to fruition, it would see a railway built which was first mooted over a hundred and fifty years ago. This post tells the story of that railway, a story which involves a host of characters from amateur colonial railway fanatics and factory owners in Britain, to Panthay Muslim rebel princes in Yunnan. Using archival materials from the Royal Geographical Society in London and the British Library, as well as books, newspapers and magazines of the time, this post follows the fate of the plans for a railway in the nineteenth century. The project came close to being realised in the late nineteenth century, when construction began in 1896 but was soon abandoned. In the end, wider geopolitics – the Great Game in Central Asia and competition with France in Qing China – were what determined the success or failure of these nineteenth-century plans for a railway.
Explorers and rebels
In the early nineteenth century, a handful of British explorers and railway enthusiasts first drew attention to the idea of building a railway from Burma to Yunnan. The idea developed so that Britain might ‘tap’ the markets of southwest China, bypassing the Straits of Malacca, thereby reducing journey time from Europe to China.
Burma, still part of British India, was seen as a link between the main markets of China and India. As one explorer put it, ‘the path between the 250,000,000 inhabitants of India and the 300,000,000 inhabitants of China should be opened to trade’.
Proponents of the railway persuaded various Chambers of Commerce in Britain that surplus production in Britain could be solved by selling more goods to China. The British Chambers of Commerce were enthusiastic supporters of the railway enthusiasts and explorers, and provided their go-to source of expedition funding.
These nineteenth-century dreams of a railway to Yunnan stemmed from the wider context of colonial exploration and exploitation of continents’ interiors, and in the perceived ‘scramble for China’ at the time. For Western imperial powers towards the end of the nineteenth century, there was a sense of inevitability regarding the partition of China between European colonial powers, including Britain and France. In 1898, the pro-British government newspaper, The Straits Times, reported that France was ‘playing her role in China with great skill’, as the Powers staked out territory in China. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser predicted that China was going to be ‘smashed up and divided among the powers one of these days’.
The nineteenth century also saw a global railway-building boom, as continental interiors were connected by the construction of extensive railway networks. The British looked at the transcontinental railways being built by the US and Russia, and worried that rival powers were overtaking them in this race to reach internal markets and natural resources. The first railway line in India – 21 miles from Bombay to Thana – was built in 1853, and within twenty years, a network of 2,333 miles had been created.
One of the best known amateur railway enthusiasts in nineteenth-century Burma was Archibald Ross Colquhoun, who spent years proselytising for the railway. Born at sea off the Cape of Good Hope, Colquhoun’s first job was as an assistant engineer to the Public Works Department in Tenasserim in 1871. While accompanying an official expedition to northern Siam in 1879, he converted to the idea of a railway, ‘to which so much of his life and the greater part of his financial resources were to be sacrificed’, as his wife Ethel Colquhoun put it. Basically, he ‘hoped to best the French in this race for the trade of the rich province of Yunnan’. In 1880, Colquhoun set off on a self-funded trip from Canton to Mandalay, aiming to survey a route for the railway. For Colquhoun, south-west China in the 1880s was a pristine frontier ‘wilderness’. In his 1883 book about these travels, Across Chryse, he reported that Yunnan was ‘still practically untouched’. These ideas fit his imperialist worldview – cemented in his later years as a member of Rhodes’s Pioneer Column, the first Administrator of Mashonaland (northern Zimbabwe), and in retirement, as a fellow of the Royal Colonial Institute and editor of its journal, United Empire.
Holt S. Hallett, another vocal proponent of the railway, accompanied Colquhoun on his 1883-84 expeditions. In this map from 1890, Hallett envisaged two routes from China to northern Burma. One route ran from Ssumao (today Pu’er) in Yunnan, passing east of Keng Tung and into northern Thailand, eventually splitting to reach Moulmein and Bangkok. None of these lines existed in 1890 at the time the map was made. Construction of a railway from Bangkok to Ayutthaya only began in 1890. The other route began near the Burma-China border at Bhamo and ran due south to Mandalay, from there joining an existing line to Rangoon.
Colquhoun and Hallett were actually late to the game. The idea of a railway to Yunnan had already been entertained, tested and rejected ten years before they first visited the Shan States. Various schemes had been proposed to the Government of India in the 1860s, by ‘some mercantile gentlemen in Rangoon’, and commercial bodies in the UK. These were all rejected on grounds of cost, however, until Colonel Fytche, Chief Commissioner of Burma, decided to support the idea. Fytche apparently became convinced about the need for a railway when he read about the trade between Upper Burma and Yunnan, which had been cut short since the Panthay Rebellion began in 1857, in Captain Yule’s Narrative of the Mission to Ava. In 1867 Fytche persuaded the Government of India to send a survey party to Momein (today Tengchong).
This survey party, led by Colonel Edward Sladen, crossed the Kachin hills from Bhamo to Momein in 1868. Today, Sladen is infamous as the rumoured thief of the Burmese King’s Nga Mauk ruby, but at the time Sladen was merely the British agent at the royal court in Mandalay. His mission to China happened at the high point of the Panthay Rebellion, which had broken out in Dali ten years before. The same year that Sladen visited, Sultan Suleiman, the leader of the rebellion, marched on and encircled Kunming, Yunnan’s largest city and the last stronghold of Qing Imperial forces in Yunnan.
Sladen’s expedition spent two and a half months in 1868 stuck in a village in the Kachin hills while a dacoit leader, Leeseetahee, refused to let them pass. The Panthays then sent a military escort to accompany them through the passes which the dacoits controlled. When they arrived in Momein, the Panthay Governor, Ta Sa Kone, came out to welcome Sladen to his capital. Panthay officers in uniform, standard bearers, and flag-waving villagers lined the road into Momein. Sladen described how, ‘after several months of obstruction and annoyance’, the expedition ‘suddenly found themselves amongst powerful friends and raised to the position of well-favoured guests’.
Sladen’s report focused on the Panthays’ support, but ignored the months he spent trapped by dacoits. Another explorer, Ney Elias, summarised the Sladen Mission as meeting ‘every kind of obstruction, intrigue, open and covert hostility’ from the various nations and tribes concerned, all ‘in order to thwart the progress of the party’. Sladen’s report, however, stated that their trip ‘has assured us of the goodwill and hearty cooperation of the several races bordering on Burma’, and that therefore a railway project may be ‘reasonably entertained and successfully accomplished’. Sladen’s insistence on portraying the expedition in a positive light indicates the depth of his newfound support for the Panthays’ cause.
While in Momein, Sladen encouraged Ta Sa Kone to send a Mission to London to seek official support for the Panthays’ rebellion. The Foreign Office and India Office were dismayed when this Mission arrived in London without warning in 1872, bearing gifts and seeking an alliance with the British against the Qing. The India Office wrote to Argyll, the Secretary of State for India, that the Panthays’ aims in London were ‘preposterous’ and that the British needed to get rid of them immediately. The Secretary of State for India drafted a letter to the Government of India expressing surprise that they could have allowed the Mission to continue through Calcutta, as ‘nothing but embarrassment’ could arise from their appearing in London.
The episode reveals a disconnect between the views of the British in Burma on one hand, and in London on the other. Many in Burma proposed allying with the Panthays – perceived as a ‘martial’ race and natural allies – to suppress dacoits and increase trade with China. Policy-makers in London and India, on the other hand, were more cautious about the idea of making war on the Qing and acquiring a vassal state in south-west China.
Sladen, visiting Momein at the high point of the Panthay Rebellion’s success, seemed to have subscribed to a future where the Panthays governed a Muslim state in Yunnan, helping the British to secure trade with Upper Burma. Within a few years of Sladen’s expedition, however, the Panthay Rebellion failed. The colonial government once again deemed the route to Yunnan to be unsafe for travellers and the railway idea was put to rest for another few years.
The Great Game and the Scramble for China
For most of the nineteenth century, the Burma-Yunnan railway project remained only the dream of a handful of British enthusiasts. Their failure to gain support from the British Government was in part due to wider geopolitics. The ‘Great Game’ – the nineteenth-century rivalry between Russia and Britain – was the lens through which the British government saw foreign policy in the East, and while they concentrated on Central Asia, they overlooked Yunnan.
The ‘Great Game’ was heavily influenced by Halford Mackinder’s thought. In 1904 Halford Mackinder argued that the Russian movement eastwards – organising the Cossacks and policing the steppe – was an event almost as consequential as the rounding of the Cape. A generation before, steam power and the opening of the Suez canal had seemed to increase the importance of sea overland power, but now transcontinental railways were upsetting the balance, and nowhere could they be seen to work wonders like in the steppe. Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905, was known for his belief that Russian imperialism posed the biggest threat to India. Curzon prepared his influential 1907 Romanes lectures on frontiers with the help of Mackinder’s article, and when he became Foreign Secretary in 1919, Curzon appointed Mackinder as British High Commissioner to South Russia with explicit instructions to gather intelligence on the Bolsheviks and assist the White Russians. The British in India who subscribed to this view of Central Asia, and indeed world geopolitics, as a result, prioritised the defence of India’s north-west frontier over that of India’s north-east frontier with China and Indochina. The Government of India therefore, repeatedly vetoed the various Yunnan railway projects that were presented to it.
The British in Burma, on the other hand, tended to see Yunnan in terms of the competition with France in Southeast Asia. The idea of the possible partition of China urged the British commercial lobby’s promotion of the railway venture. Archibald Little worried that, ‘while we have been talking the French have been acting’, and in 1897, the Straits Times reported that ‘France strains every nerve to reach the rich and populous province of Yunnan’. Like the British, the French saw Asia as a source of markets with inexhaustible demand. The French commercial myth of Yunnan was born in the wake of the Garnier and de Lagree expedition to explore the Mekong in 1873. France aimed to pursue a ‘river policy’ in Southeast Asia to rival Britain’s ‘open door’ policy in Canton and along the Yangtze River. The French Yunnan myth would remain powerful for the rest of the century, despite, in 1877 and 1878, the Mekong being shown not to be navigable in the far north. As with the British experience, the French colonial presence in Southeast Asia served as a vehicle for fantasies concerning the fabulous Chinese market, or ‘a new Louisiana in Tonkin’. However, for most of the century, the Government of India remained impervious to the commercial and geopolitical arguments for the expansion of infrastructure from Burma into China, focusing instead on the cost and geographic impracticality.
These geopolitical considerations changed in the 1890s, however, as competition with France heated up in Southeast Asia. British policy-makers briefly saw Yunnan and Burma as central to a joint Franco-Russian threat to India’s north-east frontier. For a few years, competition with the French in Indo-China, and fears of the Russians in China, were briefly prioritised over the Great Game in Central Asia. In 1895, therefore, the Government of India authorised construction of the railway.
The extent of the concessions to France in south and southwest China after the Sino-Japanese war in 1895 awakened the Government of India to the dangers of French encroachment in British Burma. The French ‘Mission Lyonnaise’ then embarked on a commercial expedition to southern China in September 1895. In July 1895, Captain Bowers of the Calcutta Intelligence Branch reported that the French had set their eyes on Yunnan and would cut off communication with the Yangtze valley. He recommended that a private company be approached to build the railway extension from Mandalay to Kunlong Ferry on the Chinese border. Rosebery, the British Prime Minister, criticised the Government of India for focusing too much on the dangers on India’s north-west frontier. Several British Chambers of Commerce petitioned the Foreign Office and the India Office to alert them to the dangers of France securing the only practicable route to south China. Until 1896, Siam had been the main focus of British and French imperial ambitions in the region, but in that year a mutual Anglo-French agreement to maintain Siam’s sovereignty and independence was signed. All these pressures combined to persuade the Government of India to support the building of a railway from Mandalay to Kunlong Ferry on the China border. The India Office enquired in the City of London, and within a week, Rothschilds bank offered to extend a loan.
The Yunnan-Burma railway project seemed to be finally coming to fruition, four decades after it was first proposed. However, another shift in geopolitical priorities quashed the project soon after construction began.
Firstly, Curzon refocused Indian foreign policy by once again prioritising the north-west frontier. He argued in 1897 that there was ‘not the vestige of a reason’ in favour of building the Mandalay-Kunlong railway, except to quieten the British Chambers of Commerce. In fact, he saw the Franco-Russian rapprochement as a reason not to build a railway to Yunnan. He believed there was a danger of a north-south trunk line through China falling into the hands of the Russians and the French.
Secondly, the mutual fear of Germany and Japan’s growing power drove Britain and France closer together. In 1898, Britain made secret overtures to Germany to form an alliance, but nothing came of them. The efforts to befriend Germany having failed to bear fruit, many ministers viewed an alliance with France as a stepping stone to a proper alliance with Russia. By 1903 a combination of all of these factors drove the erstwhile enemies, Britain and France, together and in 1904, they signed an agreement resolving most of their overseas disputes.
Russia and Britain reacted to Japan’s growing power by reconciling their interests in Central Asia. In 1895 the two countries signed a settlement regarding disputed territory in Eastern Turkestan. In 1899 they exchanged notes, with Britain agreeing not to seek a railway concession north of the Great Wall, and Russia promising likewise in the Yangtze Basin. The two countries thus seemed to have ‘cancelled each other out’ in China.
Following Russia’s alliance with France, Yunnan was no longer seen as important either to the competition with France in Southeast Asia or to the defence of India and of Britain’s interests in China. In 1899, therefore, construction on the line was abandoned. Although the French completed their railway from Hai Phong to Yunnan in 1910, the British did not revive the idea for a railway until the Second World War.
Geopolitical considerations are once more at the heart of talk of a Myanmar-China railway. If this recent plan for a railway goes ahead, the project first promoted by a handful of amateur railway enthusiasts in the nineteenth century might finally be completed.
(Image from Wikimedia Commons)
‘Mr. Holt Hallett on Burmah and the Shan States’, The Manchester Guardian, 20th January, 1886.
Holt S. Hallett, ‘The Remedy for Lancashire: A Burma-China Railway’, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, September 1892.
James L. Hevia, English Lessons: The Pedagogy of Imperialism in Nineteenth-Century China, Durham: Duke University Press (2003), 12.
Straits Times, 28th March 1898.
The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 19th December 1898.
John Hurd and Ian J. Kerr, India’s Railway History: A Research Handbook, Leiden: Brill (2012), 2.
Ethel Colquhoun, ‘Archibald Colquhoun: A Memoir’, United Empire: The Royal Colonial Institute Journal, 6:2 (1915), 101.
Archibald R. Colquhoun, Across Chryse: Being the Narrative of a Journey of Exploration through the South China Borderlands from Canton to Mandalay, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington (1883), vii.
‘Archibald Colquhoun: A Memoir’, United Empire: The Royal Colonial Institute Journal, 6:2 (1915), 102.
Ney Elias, ‘Mission to Western China’, Ney Elias Collection, Number 1: Part I, Archives of the Royal Geographical Society, London.
Elias, ‘Mission to Western China’.
David G. Atwill, The Chinese Sultanate: Islam, Ethnicity and the Panthay Rebellions in Southwest China, 1856-1873, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press (2006), 161.
E.B. Sladen, ‘Burma: Exploration via the Irrawaddy and Bhamo to South-Western China’, Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London, 15:5 (1870-1871), 361.
Elias, ‘Mission to Western China’.
Elias, ‘Mission to Western China’.
Memorandum from Kaye to Argyll, 28th June 1872, Secret Letters to India, IOR L/PS/5/594, British Library.
Proposed draft letter from Argyll to Government of India, India Office, London, 19th July 1872, Secret
Letters to India, (1872) IOR L/PS/5/594, British Library.
H.J. Mackinder, ‘The Geographical Pivot of History (1904)’, The Geographical Journal, 170:4 (2004), 433-434.
C. Edmund Bosworth, ‘The Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon’s Travels in Russian Central Asia and Persia’, Iran 31 (1993), 128.
A.S. Goudie, ‘George Nathaniel Curzon: Superior Geographer’, The Geographical Journal 146:2 (1980), 207; B. W. Blouet, ‘Sir Halford Mackinder As British High Commissioner to South Russia, 1919-1920’, The Geographical Journal, 142:2 (1976), 231.
M.A. Yapp, ‘British Perceptions of the Russian Threat to India’, Modern Asian Studies, 21:4 (1987), 647-665.
Archibald Little, Across Yunnan: A Journey of Surprises, Including an Account of the Remarkable French Railway Line now Completed to Yunnanfu, London: Sampson Low, Marston and Co. Ltd. (1910), 69.
Straits Times, 10th June 1897.
Milton E. Osborne, The French Presence in Cochinchina and Cambodia: Rule and Response (1859-1905), London: Cornell University Press (1969), 13.
Pierre Brocheux and Daniel Hemery, Indochina: An Ambiguous Colonisation, 1858-1954, London: University of California Press (2009), 9.
Osborne, The French Presence in Cochinchina and Cambodia, 33.
Chandran, The Burma-Yunnan Railway, 14.
Chandran, The Burma-Yunnan Railway, 31.
Burma Railways Company loan prospectus (1896), Rothschild archives, London.
Chandran, The Burma-Yunnan Railway, 70.
Curzon to Salisbury, Private, 2nd June 1898, Salisbury Papers, Special Correspondence: Curzon. Quoted from Chandran, The Burma-Yunnan Railway, 67.
Sneh Mahajan, British Foreign Policy, 1874-1914: The Role of India, London: Routledge (2002), 137.
Mahajan, British Foreign Policy, 154.
Nicholas Tarling, ‘The Establishment of the Colonial Regimes’, in Nicholas Tarling (ed), The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia, Volume III, From c. 1800 to the 1930s, Cambridge: CUP (1999), 52.
O. Edmund Clubb, China and Russia: The ‘Great Game’, New York: Columbia University Press (1971), 116.
Hevia, English Lessons, 181.
Frances O’Morchoe is a lecturer in history at Parami Institute, with a DPhil in Burmese history from the University of Oxford. | <urn:uuid:c4802ff0-3599-43f2-9522-9d64edbabe1d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://teacircleoxford.com/essay/explorers-rebels-and-the-nineteenth-century-origins-of-the-myanmar-china-railwayexplorers-rebels-and-the-nineteenth-century-origins-of-the-myanmar-china-railway/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.944826 | 5,189 | 3.515625 | 4 |
If a recession comes anytime soon, the US government will not have the tools to fight it. The White House and Congress will once again prove inept at deploying fiscal policy as a counter-cyclical stabilizer; and the Fed will not have enough room to provide adequate stimulus through interest-rate cuts.
Running the economy hot has produced some good numbers in the short run, but warning signs are beginning to accumulate. Although there is no natural life-span for a business cycle, this one has already been the longest on record, measured the previous peak of December 2007. It is only prudent to give some thought to our preparedness for the next recession — or our lack of it.
Let’s start with the monetary side. The Fed’s primary tool for fighting recessions is to cut its key interest rate, the federal funds rate, in order to encourage lending and maintain liquidity of the banking system. However, for that tool to work well, the rate has to be high enough before the downturn starts to make room for significant cuts.
The following chart, in which gray bars show recessions, allows us to compare the present situation with business cycles of the past. For example, in late 2000, as the dot-com boom began to wind down, the fed funds rate stood at 6.5 percent. Over the next year, the Fed cut the rate by four and a half points, helping to keep the 2001 recession short and shallow. That still left room to cut another point over the next two years, speeding the recovery.
By the summer of 2007, when it was becoming hard to ignore the growing weakness of the housing sector, the fed funds rate had risen to 5.25 percent. Between July 2007 and December 2008, the Fed cut it as close to zero as was technically possible. This time, even a 5-percentage-point rate cut was not enough to avoid a serious slump.
In both 2001 and 2007, the Fed was able to begin cutting the fed funds rate based on early indications of trouble, and still have room for maneuver. Today’s situation is not as favorable. If a strong expansion continues through 2019, the rate may rise a bit higher than its current 2.4 percent, but if a recession were to come sooner, the Fed would have far less countercyclical ammunition than it did at the two previous cyclical peaks.
Let’s turn now to fiscal policy. As the next chart shows, the federal deficit normally moves toward surplus as the business cycle approaches its peak. When a recession begins, or seems about to begin, having the deficit under control creates “fiscal space” that makes it easier to use tax cuts and spending increases to moderate the downturn and boost the subsequent recovery.
This time, however, the budget began moving toward deficit already in 2016. The turning point came with a package of spending increases and tax cuts, designed to keep the government running through the 2016 elections, that was passed in December 2015. That was followed by an even larger tax cut, not matched by spending cuts, at the end of 2017. Although final numbers for 2018 are not yet available, the deficit for 2018 (shown by the extension of the line at the far right) is estimated to have been 3.9 percent of GDP. That makes the downturn earlier and the pre-recession deficit larger than in any other business cycle since World War II.
Under these conditions If a recession were to come any time soon, the deficit will quickly eclipse the 10 percent mark that it approached at the bottom of the Great Recession. Even if we accept the technical feasibility of large-scale stimulus under those conditions, it would take a Congress with a lot more political courage than the one we have now to pass a robust countercyclical package of tax cuts and spending increases under those conditions.
The bottom line: DeLong is right. We are not ready for the next recession.
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Rubber has become a staple of modern life. It is used in every conceivable industry, from the automotive industry to food processing. Rubber is also one of the most versatile materials you can use when it comes to making objects. You can mold rubber into a variety of shapes with a wide range of properties, which is an advantage to those who want to build things that will last a long time or be reused once they are finished, as well as those who want to create items that don’t have any particular shape but still need some form.
How Is Rubber Injection Molding Done?
Rubber injection molding is a manufacturing process for creating rubber parts and products by injecting heated material into a mold. The raw material is injected into the mold where it will be subjected to high pressure for some time. This allows the rubber to take on the shape of the mold before it is cooled and released as a finished product. Learn about the benefits of rubber injection molding here.
One advantage of this process is that it allows manufacturers to make products previously made with other materials. For example, a chair made from wood can be expensive, depending on its dimensions and appearance. The same chair made with rubber injection molded parts can be found for just one-tenth of the price. It will look very much like an expensive chair, but because the parts are cheap to produce, you’ll still get the same quality.
Since rubber products can be mass-produced thanks to this type of technology, prices will be lower for consumers. The products can also be made quicker because everything is automated. It’s also the least expensive way to create many kinds of plastic parts and cheaper than casting and even less expensive than machining.
In addition to its advantages in cost and flexibility, injection molding has other advantages over other manufacturing processes that are more difficult to replicate. Injection molding uses less energy than other manufacturing processes, which makes it better for the environment if biodegradable resins are used. It’s also a great choice for producing small quantities of molded parts because it’s much easier to change the design or add new features while the part is still in the injection molding machine.
A lot of companies are trying to be environmentally friendly by cutting down on waste as much as possible. There will not be any wasted materials with rubber injection moulding since everything is recycled back into the system after each product has been created. Some machines may even have sensors that will stop them if there is an issue with one or more parts being manufactured incorrectly so that those items do not end with a lot of faulty parts.
Rubber injection molding is a fast and efficient method that allows you to make multiple copies of precise parts with little finishing required. The main advantage of this process is its ability to produce parts with complex shapes and high accuracy. This level of accuracy increases with the number of cavities in the mold. The production cycle time is also short, which helps to reduce costs and ensure that your company can meet its deadlines.
Another benefit of rubber injection molding is that it allows you to produce large volumes of parts quickly and efficiently. When you have a large volume requirement, it won’t be necessary to constantly switch between different molds or keep going back to add more material. This will save you time and money.
Flash is the thin piece of rubber that forms on the parting line between halves of a mold, during injection molding. There is no need to trim flash in this process because it does not form at all. This helps in avoiding secondary operations, reducing labor costs, and improving efficiency.
Because there is no flash in rubber injection molding, it becomes possible to produce even the most complex designs with ease. Moreover, since the process allows for higher tolerance and tighter dimensions, there is no need to rework or trim parts after removing them from the molds.
Perfectly Finished Products
One of the benefits of using it is that there is no need to add any special materials to produce the parts; the process works with just water and the raw material. In addition, the parts are strong enough to withstand full exposure to water and will not crack or break like their metal counterparts. Moreover, compared to other methods, it produces parts that are more consistent in size and shape, which makes them ideal for mass production.
Uses of Rubber Injection Molding
Rubber molding is a crucial part of many industries, from equipment to furniture. Its properties make it ideal for several different tasks that other materials wouldn’t be able to handle very well. It’s commonly used for making toys and plastic parts for a variety of different industries. It is also used in the automotive and aerospace industries to create complex parts made from high-strength and lightweight plastics.
For example, rubber injection molding can be used to create customized rubber components for medical devices and equipment. The softness of the material makes it an ideal option for these types of products because it’s easy to hold or use with just one hand.
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Yes. Surrogacy is an essential service. With the right precautions, more hopeful people than ever are continuing to build their families with the assistance of a surrogate. Listen to a podcast conversation between our CEO Nazca Fontes and Dr. Marie Werner, a respected reproductive endocrinologist, to learn more about surrogacy and COVID.
Our proprietary matching process pairs you with the family you were meant to help who have shared values and expectations. Matching Matters® has a 97% success rate at first introduction, expediting your journey. Learn more on our blog collection How Do Surrogates Match with An Intended Family.
If you think you are disqualified to be a surrogate, we still encourage you to apply. Our team may be able to find a way for you to follow your dream of becoming a surrogate and, if you aren’t able to proceed, perhaps you have a friend that may qualify and your desire to help another family can be fulfilled by educating her. Learn more about surrogate mother requirements.
As a surrogate, having the support of your family is very important. You can connect with other surrogates on the Surrogacy Learning Center or contact an experienced surrogate to hear how they spoke with their spouses. Your husband may also enjoy reading My Wife Is A Surrogate and Meet The Men Behind Surrogacy.
On average, the surrogate mother process takes between 15 to 18 months, however, any individual journey could take more or less time. Working with a reputable surrogacy agency like ConceiveAbilities with experienced subject matter experts that are fully dedicated to your journey is the key to expediting the experience and achieving your dream of helping another family.
Surrogacy is a labor of love and that is why we believe you deserve the best surrogate pay. Our All-In Surrogate Care and Compensation Package ensures all of your needs are met, financially and support wise. It’s a comprehensive package that ensures top pay, best protection and personalized care for each and every surrogate with ConceiveAbilities. Learn more about surrogate compensation and everything that is included in our All-In Surrogate Care and Compensation package.
Your team consists of Nurses, Licensed Mental Health Professionals, Past Surrogates, Egg Donors, Legal Experts in Assisted Reproductive Technology, Postpartum Experts to guide your fourth trimester recovery, and - at the center of that team - your Match Manager.
We customize our qualification process to work at your pace, with no timing pressure, What timing works for you? Some potential GCs are motivated to move through the process quickly. Some potential GCs need time to process and learn. We are on your timeline. If you are looking to move quickly, we match a surrogate with a family every day.
No. As a compensated gestational carrier working with ConceiveAbilities, you will not be genetically related to the child in any way.
As you research more about becoming a surrogate, connect with our surrogate advocates, women who are experienced surrogates and have volunteered to answer all of your questions about surrogacy. They will share with you their honest, authentic experience they had throughout their surrogacy journey.
No. As a surrogate, you are not liable for any hospital bills. If any issue comes up with medical payments, ConceiveAbilities will work with your intended parents, insurance and medical providers to resolve and pay the bill.
Yes. When you go through the Matching Matters ™ process, we take into consideration your preferences, such as matching with a local family. Because of ConceiveAbilities size, experience, and success, we have intended parents throughout the United States. Our surrogates have also found that they can have close relationships with their intended family in long-distance matches as well. We do find through the process that you may start with one set of priorities and, as you learn more, prioritize other expectations and values.
ConceiveAbilities recently hired research firm Accelerant Research to better understand surrogates. The firm surveyed 100 surrogates, more than 500 qualified surrogacy prospects and more than 1,000 women from the general population. Of the surrogates and qualified surrogacy prospects, Accelerant found:
“We found that the single biggest motivation for surrogates is the simple desire to help,” Nazca Fontes, CEO of ConceiveAbilities shared. “Eighty-seven percent said they find joy in helping others; 74 percent reported they are motivated by a sense of empowerment as a surrogate.” Research more reasons to become a surrogate on our blog collection Why Does Someone Become A Surrogate.
A surrogate is a woman who carries a baby for another person or a couple. The person who is trying to have a baby with the help of the surrogate is known as an intended parent. At ConceiveAbilities, we work with intended parents who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) so that the surrogate can carry a baby to whom she is not genetically or legally related. The surrogate is paid for her time and efforts by the intended parent(s) as part of their program with ConceiveAbilities. The embryo is created from the intended father’s sperm, or donor sperm, and the intended mother’s egg, or donor egg. When the baby is born, the intended parents are listed on the birth certificate as the legal parents and assume all responsibility for the child.
The process to become a surrogate mother involves six basic steps.
ConceiveAbilities will be your partner throughout each of these steps, allowing you to experience the joy of surrogacy while we manage the details to ensure your journey is successful and healthy. Our process is rooted in precision, support and compassion. We know how to look around the corner and anticipate the key decisions that are key to a great outcome, because we have years of experience with surrogates, families, physicians and experts across the country.
Women feel called to be surrogates for many unique reasons. Through our work with thousands of women, however, we do see some common insights about many surrogates:
Fertility expert Dr. Jennifer Hirshfeld-Cytron shared her experience with the amazing surrogates she has met during her medical practice in our video, Who Becomes A Surrogate. Would you like to learn more about why women find purpose in being a surrogate?
Please join us, right now, at the Surrogacy Learning Center, a one-of-a-kind community where you can collaborate about surrogacy with both newcomers and experts
Since no two surrogacy journeys are the same, rest assured that we will guide you, step-by-step and with full transparency, putting in place a roadmap for a successful and healthy outcome - one that helps another family build their family. Discover if surrogacy is a calling for you and one that will send you forward even stronger than you were before. Learn more about the surrogate matching process. You can also read more about how surrogates find families to match with on our collection: How Do Surrogates Find Intended Parents?
ConceiveAbilities is a leading surrogacy agency in the world. Not only do we have eight former surrogates on staff and nearly three decades of experience, we invest in the science behind it. We commissioned an independent research study to learn more about what moves a woman to become a surrogate. From your motivation, needs and desires to your decision process in becoming a surrogate, we have done the work to make sure our All-In Program reflects what you, the surrogate, needs. Why? Because we want to serve you better, exceed your expectations and create the safest and most rewarding experience. We build families with you.
78% (5 on a scale of 1 to 5) of our surrogates want to recommend another woman to be a ConceiveAbilities surrogate because of their outstanding experience with our agency and 56% (5 on a scale of 1 to 5) want to do another surrogacy journey. ConceiveAbilities is a leading surrogacy agency in the United States.
Thank you to ConceiveAbilities for being such an amazing support for myself and my family, for making a wonderful match and for caring about all of the gestational surrogates as if they were your own family. This experience has been one that has changed me as a person, mother, friend and wife.
ConceiveAbilities was definitely the best choice I could have made.
I cannot reiterate enough how wonderful you all are at ConceiveAbilities. You make theses incredible things come together so beautifully and for that I am so grateful.
I feel so blessed to be a part of the surrogate group and ConceiveAbilities. The support we are able to give and receive is such a beautiful thing.
ConceiveAbilities was incredible. I felt supported and confident through everything and I am happy to have the opportunity to work with them again.
I have been working with ConceiveAbilities for five years as a surrogate. Take it from me that all of the staff are amazing. Everyone from the owner down to the intake coordinators are approachable, respectful and caring. At every step of the process, they are there for you. Not just there, but really connected and involved in every aspect. You can tell everyone loves what they are doing. I am honored and proud to work with this agency.
Yes. You have to have at least one healthy pregnancy and delivery without complications. Doctors need to ensure your body is able to carry a healthy pregnancy.
A surrogate’s spouse or partner plays a vital role of support for the surrogate throughout her surrogacy journey. Watch surrogate Samantha share her perspective on her husband’s role in surrogacy.
All of ConceiveAbilities surrogates are gestational surrogates. The most common form of modern surrogacy is achieved with a gestational carrier. This is a woman who undergoes in vitro fertilization and carries an embryo that was created with an egg from the intended mother (or donor) and sperm from the intended father (or donor).
Surrogacy is the most successful infertility treatment. If you choose to become a surrogate, you have a very good chance of having a successful surrogacy journey. Fertility expert Dr. Brian Kaplan talks more about Understanding Surrogacy Success Rates.
Age, physical and mental health, previous pregnancies and US residency are basic qualifications you must meet to begin your surrogacy journey. Learn more about surrogate requirements and watch fertility expert Dr. Angie Beltsos explain the requirements to be a surrogate and why they are important. Don’t be discouraged if you think you may be disqualified to be a surrogate. Our experts will determine the next steps for you on your surrogate journey. You can also take this 5-minute survey to see if you meet the basic surrogate requirements.
Because more families are choosing surrogacy, surrogates are in high demand. To find out your personalized base surrogate pay, use our surrogate pay calculator.
Yes. For every woman you recommend to become a surrogate earns, you can earn up to $650. And, your referred surrogate also earns rewards. The further she progresses in her journey, the more you both earn. And you can earn unlimited referral bonuses with your personalized referral link! Learn more about our surrogate referral program.
Egg donor qualifications are not the same as requirements to be a surrogate. If you were interested in becoming an egg donor but did not meet the requirements, you may still be able to help someone grow their family by becoming a surrogate. Take our 5-minute survey to start your surrogacy journey.
With any pregnancy, it is important to prepare yourself. Surrogacy pregnancies are different from a pregnancy of your own. Learn more about getting ready to be a surrogate on our blog collection How Do Surrogates Prepare For a Successful Surrogacy Journey.
Yes. Your initial care will be provided by the intended parent's Fertility Center and, as needed, a local monitoring facility that we help you arrange. As the pregnancy progresses, the Fertility Center will release you for care to an OB/GYN and, under most circumstances, your own OB/GYN can then take primary responsibility for your care.
Depending on your location, long distance travel with a companion could be required. If you are required to travel, you can expect 2 to 3 trips lasting approximately 1 to 4 days in total.
No. The field of assisted reproductive technology, and especially embryology, has undergone a revolution in recent years. For most surrogacy journeys, one embryo is transferred, per transfer. Single Embryo Transfer (“SET”) is now the norm because so much more is known about embryo quality and because the resulting pregnancy is so much safer.
Typically, intended parents ask for a commitment from you for up to 3 embryo transfers, which allows most surrogates to become pregnant.
You are responsible for taking care of yourself, and we help and support you through that fourth trimester! The intended parents, by law, will have parental rights and responsibility to their child from the moment of birth .
When you become a surrogate, you will need a strong support system. We ensure you have personal support, while we also provide and connect you with professional support including a dedicated Match Manager along with legal, financial and emotional health experts. Our surrogates tell us that they feel strongest when they are able to connect with other surrogates. We foster surrogate-to-surrogate relationships through support groups and social communities. And the surrogate community extends beyond the special women who make this commitment – we also recognize the men behind surrogacy. Surrogacy is not a solo journey and you will want to lean on your partner, family and obstetrician for their input. We provide you the tools you need to have meaningful conversations with the people who matter most in your decision-making process. In addition to your Match Experience team, we provide a dedicated ConceiveAbilities Surrogate Sisterhood group to interact with you during your surrogacy journey and our online community Surrogacy Learning Center to connect with surrogate experts, professionals, and other people who are on or have been on a surrogacy journey.
This is where our years of experience and Matching Matters® methodology is most meaningful. We cultivate the right relationship between all parties. We work to establish mutual expectations for the kind of relationship the surrogate and intended parents each envision. We know that expectations will vary from one match to the next. Some relationships can be deeply personal and some less so. We always encourage communication among the participants, but some have more frequent communication than others. The kind of relationship you are interested in will be explored before and during a potential match with intended parents. In fact, at first introduction by ConceiveAbilities, 97% of surrogates and intended parents choose to move forward together.
Yes, surrogacy is commonly practiced today and is the most successful infertility treatment according to the CDC. As surrogacy makes more headlines and medical advances continue, more women are excited to learn about becoming a surrogate. Watch fertility expert Dr. Eve Feinberg with Northwestern Medicine Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine Chicago in Chicago talking about how surrogacy is normal.
We work on your timeline. If you are considering becoming a surrogate, you will want to take your own circumstances like family, work and obligations into consideration. You can contact any of our volunteer surrogate advocates to ask when they knew it was the right time for them to be a surrogate.
Some intended parents want the surrogate to supply breastmilk for their child. If the surrogate agrees, she will be compensated for pumping breastmilk. Learn more about the Pros and Cons of Pumping Breast Milk As A Surrogate.
Subscribe and listen to All Things Conceivable: A Surrogacy Podcast with Nazca Fontes to hear stories from experienced surrogates, intended parents and fertility doctors and surrogacy professionals.
Yes. Sometimes a surrogate chooses her partner and her intended parents. The number of people allowed in the room is determined by the hospital and has sometimes been limited during COVID-19. This is all discussed as part of building your Birth Plan.
Most surrogates travel twice to the IVF clinic; once for an initial medical workup and then for transfer of the embryo.
Through our All-In Care and Compensation Program, we provide you in-depth resources and information to consider all of your preferences and options for your birthing experience. All of this helps you form your thoughts so that you are well-prepared when it’s time to create a Birth Plan with your intended parent(s), facilitated by your Match Manager.
Your safety as a surrogate is our priority. It is imperative for both the surrogate and the baby she is carrying that she is physically and mentally healthy to carry a surrogacy pregnancy. The detailed review that ConceiveAbilities will conduct as part of your surrogate application process gives you confidence that, if it goes well and when it’s time, a fertility center will also agree that you are qualified to be a healthy and successful surrogate.
We want to make sure that you are able to complete a healthy and successful surrogacy journey, for both you and the baby. Our screening process is very thorough because we only want you to invest months of time and emotion into matching with intended parents and moving forward in a process if a fertility center is likely to agree that you can be a healthy and successful surrogate.
Surrogate rights are very important. We provide you with legal guidance so you fully understand your rights and create your surrogacy contract accordingly. Learn more about the rights of a surrogate mother on our blog Surrogate Rights.
We have a lot of learning resources for women thinking about becoming a surrogate including The Surrogacy Learning Center, our blog Everything You Need to Know About Surrogacy and more, and our surrogacy podcast. You can also watch information videos on Conceiveabilities YouTube channel.
Yes. As a surrogate, you are in charge of your own medical decision.
Yes. In fact, a prior tubal ligation can be ideal because it ensures you can’t get pregnant on your own during the beginning of the surrogacy process. As long as your uterus is healthy, you will make a great surrogate candidate. Learn more about IVF After Tubal Ligation.
Yes. Use of Letrozole, or Clomid, to achieve a successful pregnancy has no bearing on whether you can become a surrogate. Those medicines are meant to assist with ovulation, which is not a factor for you when it comes to surrogacy. An embryo will be transferred to you and you will have no genetic relationship with the baby. Read more about Letrozole here.
Not only do you earn top surrogate pay, fourth trimester care and monthly care packages with our first-in-class All-In Surrogate Care and Compensation Program, you avoid the unnecessary headaches of working with a less experienced agency or navigating the complexity of a surrogacy journey without an advocate. Without a national agency, a surrogate opens herself up to many potential pitfalls and unnecessary risks financially, legally and medically. With 25 years of experience and an exceptionally strong network of industry experts, we know how to protect and advocate for a surrogate and head off potential problems in a surrogacy journey. Additionally, because of our decades of expertise in the industry, we dramatically shorten the timeline and increase the chances for a sustained relationship for everyone involved in the surrogacy journey. Independent journeys can start with good intent but simply never occur. And, most importantly, we honor your selflessness in helping another family who otherwise can’t build their family by managing the process for you, allowing you to focus on translating your dream into reality.
ConceiveAbilities is a national surrogacy agency headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. We have been at the forefront of the industry for 25 years working locally in every major city and many rural locales across the United States, as well as internationally. We have matched thousands of surrogates with the intended families they were meant to help, making dreams of a family for hopeful people become reality. We have the knowledge and network of a national surrogacy agency, and the personal touch of a small one, to make sure we provide you with best-in-class service.
More questions about becoming a surrogate?
One of the most important relationships a woman has in her life is her relationship with her Ob-Gyn doctor. We have hopeful and silly conversations as well as tough and scary conversations with our doctors. When a woman is deciding to become a surrogate, she looks to her trusted obstetrician for their guidance and expert advice.
Surrogacy is rapidly growing as a way to grow families. In 2019, surrogates were part of 5.4% of all in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures in 2019. Why? It is the most successful treatment for infertility, with a 75% success rate. That number can increase as high as 95% for a birth once the gestational carrier is pregnant.
Surrogacy empowers women to help those who are yearning to build their family. And more women qualify than you may realize. Are you among those who have what it takes to give the incredible gift of family? Read on to learn the 10 signs which indicate that you may make a wonderful surrogate. | <urn:uuid:31eaeee4-eeb7-47fc-b114-87d42d88a438> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://conceiveabilities.com/surrogates/become-a-surrogate-mother/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.962309 | 4,835 | 2.015625 | 2 |
SuperNode and MaREI have launched a project that revolves around SuperNode’s concept of a single subsea superconductor connection for offshore renewable energy sources.
According to MaREI, the technology would facilitate up to ten times faster development of offshore renewable energy projects globally.
Through the project, the performance of SuperNode’s Subsea Superconducting Cable System design will be further developed and advanced. The superconducting system’s physical prototypes will be tested to determine their suitability for subsea operation. This will be done through a range of numerical modelling and physical testing activities, which will lead to the construction of a set of test facilities.
The facilities will enable testing of the cable system at its operational temperature of almost -200 °C and its durability against the forces that it will have to withstand during its construction and 30+ years of operation on the seabed, MaREI said.
The superconducting technology aims to achieve efficient delivery of power back to shore by operating at medium voltage, direct current, and facilitating transmission from energy dense areas offshore to high demand locations via a subsea superconductor.
The project is jointly funded by SuperNode and a grant from Science Foundation Ireland through the MaREI research centre at University College Cork. MaREI said that the project will create two new job positions at SuperNode, as it involves a team of five, three of which positions are at MaREI. | <urn:uuid:259ab940-3ae5-4262-9e8e-8cf86f53514a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.offshorewind.biz/2020/12/17/supernode-marei-developing-superconductor-for-offshore-wind/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.942249 | 297 | 2.9375 | 3 |
It is almost impossible to have all perfect employees in the work place. They are different people coming from different backgrounds, with different lifestyles, ethics, characters, and attitudes. You should expect to see a display of different characters, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Now that we know that diverse characters and attitudes must surely be displayed by employees in the workplace, how can you deal with difficult employees that portray the wrong ethics, character, and behavior, and how can you avoid it ruining your business or company? Part of your duty as an entrepreneur is to be psychologically capable of dealing with different people and managing them effectively. Inability to do this may cause drastic effects on the productivity of the organization. The following are the steps for dealing with difficult employees in the workplace-
- Recognize and understand their weaknesses- I want to refer to their wrong attitudes and character as their weaknesses which are difficult to cope with. Logically, you cannot deal with a problem that you are not aware of; first you must recognize the problem and try to understand it. That is the first step to take when dealing with difficult employees in the workplace; recognize their weaknesses and understand it, then you would know the next step to take.
- Find solutions to their problems- now that you have recognized their weaknesses and have tried to understand them, those weaknesses before you have become problems that needs to be solved, and if the solutions are not given, it would definitely escalate and negatively affect your business.
- Incorporate team work into the system- one way of dealing with difficult employees and ensuring their weaknesses doesn’t negatively affect the business is by incorporating team work into the system so that those persons don’t have to work alone and by so doing, they cannot singularly determine the productivity of the business. Also, while pairing the employees into different teams, consider pairing people that would complement each other, for example, if Employee A has a weakness which may be lack of patience, you can pair him or her with employee B who may have a high level of tolerance.
- Review their performance regularly- it is important to keep tabs on these set of employees to ensure that their difficulties are not getting out of hand and can still be controlled. You can do this by reviewing their performance regularly, maybe through an interview or a survey. Doing this would help you know if you are managing them effectively or if you still need to put things in place to deal with the situation.
- Set rules and regulations- establishing a set of rules and regulations would govern the actions and behaviours of employees in the workplace. In those rules and regulations, you would list the acceptable as well as unacceptable conducts of employees in the workplace and set a standard for them to follow. Doing this would serve as a guide to the employees and a means to check their conducts, and would make the work orderly.
- Set consequences- establishing rules and regulations goes in line with establishing consequences for actions. If any employee should default in obedience to rules and regulations, he or she should face the consequences and receive the appropriate punishment. This would make them feel a sense of responsibility for their actions and would make them take their jobs seriously and stop causing troubles.
- Listen to them- one way to effectively deal with difficult employees is to give them room to talk and sincerely listen to them. The cause of their problem might not be so big and by doing this, you may be able to understand their problems and needs easily, and recognize how best you can help them improve their characters and deal with their difficulties. So, invite them often to talk, listen to them, share points, and extend commitments. Be specific when telling them your expectations and be consistent in this process.
- Don’t criticize them openly- some employers talk or shout angrily at their employees even in public when they make mistakes and display the wrong attitude. This may be a sudden reaction to the pressure and anger the employer is experiencing at that time, but it is not the best way to deal with this. Criticizing them publicly would only cause them embarrassment, shame, and anger, and this may actually make the employee act more difficultly.
- Don’t accept excuses- some employees have the habit of covering their wrong doings with lousy excuses. This may seem like nothing but as time goes on, this habit would continue and increase, and eventually, it would start causing problems. All employees should be responsible for themselves, and employees causing difficulties in the work place has a greater responsibility to improve and become better, hence, such a one should not always give excuses and the employer should not give room for this.
- Ask for help- inasmuch as it is the entrepreneur’s duty to manage his business or company, when you have to deal with difficult employees, you can request help from your close friends and colleagues on how best to deal with the employee and avoid the toxic result that may be caused by the actions of those employees.
- Dismiss them- when these employees gets too difficult to handle and refuse to take correction, help, or change their habits, then you have to consider dismissing them. This is appropriate because you have exhausted all means to manage them and make them useful in the workplace, but they have refused to accept your help and have continued in their negligence, and if they are allowed to stay in the workplace, they can negatively affect your business or company, hence the need to dismiss them.
We have seen a lot of steps that can guide any entrepreneur or employer to effectively deal with difficult employees in the workplace. Do your best to deal with this problem and safeguard your business or company. Thanks for reading! | <urn:uuid:bb86db29-5d5e-4f70-bc71-e8ce2e5a74ca> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://hussletips.com/steps-for-dealing-with-difficult-employees-in-the-workplace | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.978868 | 1,153 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Melania Trump has rejected suggestions that she violated visa rules when she started working as a model in New York.
In a statement, Donald Trump’s said she had followed immigration laws “at all times”.
Melania Trump has yet to clarify what type of visa she used during a 1995 photo shoot in New York.
The Republican candidate has taken a hard line on illegal immigration in his campaign.
So far, the Trump campaign has refused to say exactly which visas Melania Trump had, and when she had them.
The development comes during a turbulent week for the billionaire property developer.
There are reports of deep divisions in the GOP after a series of controversial statements by the nominee.
Melania Trump said she began working as a model in the US in 1996, but photos published at the weekend by a New York tabloid appear to have been taken in 1995 for a now defunct French magazine.
This discrepancy has raised questions about Melania Trump’s immigration status at the time and whether she had the right to work.
Paolo Zampolli, the owner of one modeling agency, says he sponsored Melania Trump for an H1B work visa in 1996.
Melania Trump has said that she had to go back to her native Slovenia every few months to renew her permit – something that is only generally necessary for tourist and business visas that do not permit work.
Donald Trump has also railed against the use of the H1B visa specifically, suggesting abuse of it is widespread and rampant. | <urn:uuid:e222c2f4-d39e-4373-9f7b-0617ead2ab13> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://bellenews.com/2016/08/05/world/us-news/melania-trump-rejects-claims-she-violated-immigration-laws/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.980574 | 309 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Opinion: Why TPS holders must have a path to permanent status
Six years ago, after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck my home in Nepal, I found a much-needed lifeline: an opportunity to travel to the United States as a Temporary Protected Status holder. The temporary designation, given to immigrants fleeing natural disasters, ongoing conflict and other extraordinary circumstances, allowed me to rebuild my life after losing everything. It also afforded me opportunities I could have only dreamed of as a single mother in Nepal. Those opportunities may vanish if Congress fails to pass legislation creating a pathway to permanent status for TPS holders.
As the name implies, Temporary Protected Status is a temporary designation granted to immigrants by the Department of Homeland Security for a period of 6-18 months. When a nation’s status is renewed, TPS holders from that country must reapply, pass a background check and pay substantial fees to stay in the country. In exchange, they receive a work permit and protection from deportation. Today, there are 411,000 TPS holders in the U.S. from countries including Nepal, Haiti, Honduras, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Texas has the third largest population of TPS holders and the largest number of Nepalese TPS holders in the country.
What most Americans don’t realize is that TPS holders face a new dilemma when they get to the U.S.: They often can’t return to their home countries and have no way to secure permanent status here. I know this firsthand as a Nepalese immigrant.
When the 2015 earthquake struck my home in Kathmandu, it destroyed critical public infrastructure that continues to restrict access to health care and education. Today, persistent food and water insecurity, political instability and the COVID-19 pandemic still make it unsafe for me and the nearly 9,000 Nepalese TPS holders to return. This is why it is critical that the U.S. redesignate Nepal for TPS.
Unable to return to their home countries and with no pathway to permanent status in the U.S., immigrants from these nations do their best to make a new home here. They work and put down roots by getting married and having children. They find meaningful work that contributes $4.6 billion in taxes to their adopted country.
Our state directly benefits from this work. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, 20,700 TPS holders in Texas have served as essential workers. At risk to their own health and in spite of uncertainty, TPS holders work to ensure access to essential services that keep the economy moving. Since my arrival, I too have settled in Texas. I now own two businesses — a gas station and a convenience store — and am the proud mother of a nurse serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What TPS holders want is a pathway to permanent status. A bill in Congress called the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency Act, or the SECURE Act, would do just this. It would allow TPS holders to become Legal Permanent Residents and provide much-needed stability to their communities. While President Joe Biden promised to review the Trump administration’s inhumane immigration policies within his first 100 days, he has failed to keep this promise. TPS holders like myself could face removal proceedings as soon as this summer if Biden and Congress fail to act.
TPS holders and allies recently joined the Coalition United for Status and Protection (CUSP), calling on Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn to support the SECURE Act. Congress should support a permanent path to citizenship for TPS holders. We have a moral obligation to protect those who continue to seek refuge in this country.
Pokhrel is a Nepali TPS holder who lives in Texarkana, Texas. | <urn:uuid:f7ed39a9-2923-4822-a434-39bb3b8d743c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.statesman.com/story/opinion/columns/your-voice/2021/06/19/opinion-why-tps-holders-must-have-path-permanent-status/7682849002/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.949203 | 787 | 2.3125 | 2 |
In Palmer, an emerald green-painted plywood box filled with books sits beside a willow tree. This tiny library is part of the efforts of Little Free Library, a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2009 with the intention to make books more accessible and spread the love of reading.
It started when its founder Todd Bol, built a schoolhouse model in honor of his mother, a former teacher. Bol then propped his model up on a post and filled it with books, making his Little Free Library the first of thousands to come.
The premise of these libraries is based upon the principle of “Take a book, leave a book.” Anyone can start a Little Free Library; it just takes a location, a structure to hold the books and a few books to put inside. However, the most significant factor that goes into a library is the community.
Nebraska is home to hundreds of Little Free Libraries with libraries in cities like Omaha to rural communities like Brewster. The Little Free Library in Palmer with big white letters on the side reading “Free Books,” is one of the many serving rural areas.
Courtney Salmon, a native in the village of just 472 people, runs the little green library.
Salmon is a preschool and elementary school teacher as well as an avid reader. She opened her library in 2015 when her father-in-law built a dark wooden box with light wood embellishments and double doors. Due to weathering, the old box had to be retired, and Salmon replaced it with the new green pre-made model straight from Little Free Libraries’ store. This library boasts a collection of pre-owned books, both from Salmon and community donations.
“Now, I have many more people donate books than take them,” Salmon said. “I read over 100 books each year, so many of the books are ones my children and I have read and want to pass on. I try to keep a variety on hand.”
Some of the books are chapter books like “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” by Jeff Kinney, classics like “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger, fall picture books and other adult selections from authors Maeve Binchy and John Grisham.
Salmon said she reads many of the books that are donated to her library by fellow community members. If a book is not picked up or doesn’t seem to be moving, Salmon trades them in for new ones just a half hour away at The Tattered Book, a used bookstore in Grand Island.
Salmon created her library in memory of her great grandmother. The description of her library on the LFL map reads, “I wanted to share books with my village in honor of my great-grandma, who shared with me her love of reading. I live in her old house and when she died, the garage was filled with boxes of books. Being able to share books with others is like sharing a part of her.”
“Everyone in Palmer used to call my great-grandma ‘Grandma Minnie,’” Salmon said. “She mostly read romance novels, which aren’t my favorite, but she also shared some books with me like Janette Oke and the Lord of the Rings series.”
According to Salmon, Grandma Minnie was known in Palmer for selling Avon products and writing news for the Palmer Journal. She was a lover of receiving packages in the mail- usually books- and crossword puzzles.
“I have fond memories of using her crossword dictionaries to help her out,” Salmon said.
Grandma Minnie died in 2009, but to Salmon, her memory lives on in the community with the Little Free Library in her name. The library was originally just dedicated to Grandma Minnie, but after the death of Salmon’s grandmother Gloria in 2018, the library became dedicated to both of them.
“She was in a book club and shared many books from her club with me in my adulthood,” Salmon said. “We would discuss books she read for her club and she donated many books to my library.”
The impact on Palmer from the Little Free Library has already been significant. Salmon’s library provides community members with a supply of books when their access to the public library is limited.
Palmer’s public library is located inside of Palmer High School. The library is only open during school hours, making it easy to access for students and those who do not work, but for all others, it is generally inaccessible.
“I think it makes a great impact by offering free books to everyone and making them available 24/7,” Salmon said.
Salmon currently works as an early childhood teacher at Howard Elementary in Grand Island. Howard Elementary is a Title 1 school, receiving financial assistance to help the community’s high percentage of low-income children reach their full academic potential.
A Little Free Library resides just outside of the elementary school, painted bright red with black paw prints that represent Howard Elementary’s mascot, the husky. On the front of the scarlet box is a hand-painted word: “Read.” Children’s books like the “Junie B. Jones” series by Barbara Park can be found inside.
Julie Schnitzler, Howard Elementary’s principal, said that the Little Free Library is currently unavailable for students due to COVID-19, but it has been popular in past years. The school accepts book donations from a variety of sources, and the student council changes or adds titles weekly.
“Students have the opportunity to read different titles and possibly pick books for themselves while they stock the LFL,” Schitzler said. “It provides a resource for students or children to access books that they’d like to read for their own enjoyment.”
The books inside the Little Free Library are meant to take and keep, or swap with a title of their own. Salmon said that this library is greatly important to the community, especially to low-income students.
According to the LFL website, two out of three children living in poverty have no books to call their own. The website also states that children that grow up without books are, on average, three years behind their peers academically.
“I think it is important that children have books they can keep,” Salmon said. “I try to give my students at least three books each year for them to keep.”
Children’s books are a necessity in both the little red box next to the elementary school and Salmon’s own library.
“I don’t usually catch people getting books, but my children’s books are always gone,” Salmon said. “I know that children are getting their own books to keep. It gives people a place to donate books they are done with and helps people find new books to read for free.” | <urn:uuid:6a6ef0af-9801-4680-a3fc-8e551a9b85b6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://nebraskanewsservice.net/state/little-libraries-cultivate-a-love-for-reading-in-rural-communities/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.97559 | 1,472 | 2.1875 | 2 |
Papercast® battery and solar powered e-paper display technology is incredibly versatile. Our leading-edge technology provides a solid foundation for bespoke display requirements and special projects. Developed originally for public transit applications, we can re-engineer and customise our baseline specification to meet a wide range of needs.
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“Papercast’s display technology has done a great job of delivering information everywhere that we needed it onboard, in the different forms that the crew specified. The guys have already given the displays a hammering in training and testing, and we’re also really pleased with the resilience. It’s been a great collaboration with Papercast.”
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7 things you need to know before choosing an e-paper RTPI technology | <urn:uuid:0d71e070-9984-421e-8053-1407ed2f6c05> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.papercast.com/e-paper-display-applications/special-projects/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.887326 | 437 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Armored vehicles, according to Kharkov developers, was supposed to change the nature of warfare thanks to equipping military units with a machine that allows you to abandon individual use tanks and BMP.
The base of the BMP mass 48,6 t became modern at the time of the T-84 tank. It differed from it with an elongated body, additional supporting rollers (one on each side). Crew - 3 people. Five motorized infantry were to be located between the combat and engine compartment. 1200 hp engine was located so as to give the landing to the opportunity to leave the car behind. The power plant allows you to reach a maximum speed of 70 km. / H. Power reserve was 450 km.
The 125-mm smoothbore gun remained in service with the reduction of its ammunition to 28 shots in the loading mechanism. BMP had two machine guns caliber 12,7 mm and 7,62 mm. Armor protection - protivosnaryadnaya.
The persistent advertising of the new product did not help attract foreign customers. Due to lack of funds, the prototype was never created. | <urn:uuid:e2e6a07a-c61a-4d49-bcad-34d775cbb521> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://en.topwar.ru/108665-ukrainskiy-proekt-btmp-84.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.977809 | 229 | 2.390625 | 2 |
On the very last day of this month I was in Columbia, at the famed birding lodge El Dorado in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, a high mountain range, up to 5700 metres overlooking the Caribbean Sea. My main target up here was the White-tipped Quetzal, a spectacular bird only found here and on the adjacent Caribbean slopes of neighbouring Venezuela. I got lucky withing the first hour, a magnificent male sat nicely in a tree by the forest trail. What a bird.
I could post one of the endemic species from Feb.1st in Columbia but I choose instead this Black-capped Tanager from El Dorado Eco Lodge. It was a lifer for me and the photograph shows off its oscellated, slightly irridescant green throat and breast feathers on an otherwise blue bird with a black cap.
This was not a good month for bird photography, the weather was generally cold and wet, not condusive to getting out with the camera. However a visit to the Charca de Suarez did result in a close up shot of a Pintail, not a common species in Andalucia, in fact it's the first one I can remember at the Charca and as it is a very elegant bird it's worth a record as bird of the month.
Jays are a mixed woodland species and as a consequence are not really numerous in Andalucia due to a lack of suitable habitat. I had seen them however on visits to el Robledal, a forested area in the North Axarquia which is a good place to see all types of forest birds. They are extremely wary of human presence and are difficult to approach, so I used 4wd to get off the track and into the woods. With the engine switched off our patience was rewarded with a good shot of this one when it perched in a nearby tree, unaware of our presence. A very attractive bird.
May and June straddled my trip to Florida and Trinidad and I use two images from that trip. The Tufted Coquette is a tiny Hummingbird that flits and hovers around a flowering bush like a honey bee, only quicker. It's hard to locate and photograph so I was quite pleased with this shot of a nice male even though most of the bill is obscured by the flower on which it is feeding. This was taken in the grounds of the Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad.
The White-bearded Manakin here is a male, the females are olive brown. This was shot at a lek where the males were displaying by hopping from vegetation to the ground accompanied by loud wing snaps, whirring, and calls. Quite a show.
I was very fortunate to capture a Golden Oriole at last among the trees at Arroyo Marin, a picturesque river valley close to the Town of Archidona which lies about 50kms due North of Malaga. This is a great spot for woodland birding and we have seen a wide variety here including three Woodpecker species, Hawfinch, Crossbill, Nightingale, Warblers including Bonellis, Melodious and Olivaceous, and plenty of Golden Orioles. I admit to using playback from the car to attracted this male into a tree quite close-by. The first and only decent shot I have managed to get of this fairly common but very elusive bird. | <urn:uuid:65e4397d-4341-4d9a-a095-da12b625f1bd> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.wildaboutspain.com/wings-2018.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.973762 | 720 | 1.65625 | 2 |
The FINANCIAL — A space capsule carrying a two-man Russian-American crew that malfunctioned after liftoff has landed safely in the steppes of central Kazakhstan, the Russian and U.S. space agencies say.
Russian cosmonaut Aleksei Ovchinin and U.S. astronaut Nick Hague returned to Earth on October 11 in their Soyuz capsule for an emergency landing following a problem with the booster rocket shortly after a launch bound for the International Space Station, according to RFE/RL.
Both NASA, the U.S. space agency, and Roskosmos, the Russian equivalent, said the astronauts were in good condition after their capsule landed about 20 kilometers east of the Kazakh city of Zhezqazghan. “The cosmonauts are alive. They have landed. They have been found,” according to a source at the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan.
The crew had to return in “ballistic descent mode,” NASA earlier had said, which it explained was “a sharper angle of landing compared to normal.”
Roskomosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said he had ordered a state commission to be set up to investigate the causes of the malfunction, while Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov announced that manned space flights would be suspended until the probe is completed.The Soyuz capsule automatically jettisoned from the booster when it failed 123 seconds after the launch from Baikonur, Borisov said, according to the Interfax news agency.
The minister added that the problem occurred when the first and second stages of the booster rocket were in the process of separating.
Footage from inside the spacecraft showed the crew being shaken around at the moment the failure occurred.
In a statement, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said Hague and Ovchinin will be transported to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center outside Moscow and that a “thorough investigation into the cause of the incident will be conducted.” Hague and Ovchinin were due to spend six months on the ISS, which is orbiting 400 kilometers above the Earth.
Relations between Moscow and Washington have plunged to the lowest level since the end of the Cold War over the wars in Ukraine and Syria, allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential, and other issues, but Russia and the United States have maintained cooperation in space.The Russian-built Soyuz spacecraft is currently the only vehicle for ferrying crews to the ISS following the retirement of the U.S. space shuttle fleet in 2011.
The October 11 booster failure led to what is said to be the first emergency landing for the Soyuz since 1975, when it failed to separate between stages during an ascent and triggered the abort system. The crew survived, according to RFE/RL.
In 1983, a Soyuz exploded on the launchpad soon after the two cosmonauts it was carrying jettisoned. The crew also survived without injuries. | <urn:uuid:054d089c-0eeb-46dc-a786-4344f34adda5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://finchannel.com/soyuz-booster-failure/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.959167 | 617 | 1.851563 | 2 |
The end-Permian mass extinction was a big deal. It was the largest mass extinction event ever and occurred 252 million years ago. A whopping 90 percent of all marine species and around 70 percent of their terrestrial kin were killed off.
Over the years, there have been numerous efforts to look into this massive, world-changing event. The end-Permian mass extinction was coincident with mass eruptions in the Siberian Traps, and some potential scenarios include volcanism driving acid rain, volcanism triggering the burning of coal (which released greenhouses gases into the atmosphere), and a reduction in the availability of oxygen in the ocean, among others. However, a new paper relies on previously unused data and modeling to dig into the matter.
In all, the study found that 36,000 gigatons of carbon—mostly from volcanic sources—were released into the atmosphere over a relatively short span of 15,000 years. This period also saw the global average temperature rise a staggering amount, from 25ºC to 40ºC. While researchers previously explored volcanism and carbon as potential causes for the massive extinction, this work provides more insight into the event, said Wolfram Kürschner, a geologist at the University of Oslo and one of the authors of the paper.
“Until now, it was really difficult to quantify the amount of CO2 that was released to the atmosphere,” Kürschner told Ars.
Look to the past
According to Ying Cui, one of the paper’s coauthors and an assistant professor at Montclair State University’s Department of Earth and Environmental Studies, the authors studied the matter by looking at compound-specific carbon isotopes.
These samples were collected from sediments extracted from Norway’s Finnmark Platform, which is on the eastern part of the Barents Sea Shelf. According to Cui, these samples were quite well-preserved and allowed them to look at biomarker compounds from life in the ocean and on land during the critical period.
After looking at the data, the team deployed a series of models that allowed them to look at the source and amount of carbon emissions released during the period. “When you combine [the data and the modeling] together, they become very powerful, and they can reveal some new insights that we can’t really tell by looking at these aspects individually,” Cui told Ars.
Beyond the global warming, the increase in CO2 and changes in carbon cycle could have lowered the pH value of the world’s oceans. This acidification could be partly responsible for the die-off of marine lifeforms. Indeed, even current levels of ocean acidification with humanity’s carbon emissions (which are relatively mild compared to volcanic eruptions) are causing the shells of some marine organisms to dissolve.
According to Kürschner, this work could give us a glimpse into what might happen in the Anthropocene’s future if things get bad enough. The scale of carbon release and temperature increase are vastly different, but the research shows that dramatic warming in the world’s climate had a dramatic impact on the life living on the planet. “I think it’s like a wakeup call,” he said. “Let’s say we should take care.” | <urn:uuid:5f7f4244-b5df-4fd3-aad2-14119257c53d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://lowballdealz.com/36000-gigatons-of-carbon-heralded-historys-biggest-mass-extinction/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.962065 | 688 | 4.125 | 4 |
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