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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To speak about possible situations in different periods you should use Conditionals.
There are three types of Conditionals.
In each sentence there are 2 parts: the if-clause and the main-clause.
Type 1 Conditionals.
This type describes a real or very probable situation in the present or future.
Use these structures:
1. If + Present Simple, Future Simple ( will + V1)
If Kate works hard, she will get a high salary.
2. If + Present Simple, Present Simple
Water turns into ice, when the temperature falls below 0.
3. If + Present Simple, Imperative
If you don’t understand, read again the material.
4. If + Present Simple, can/must/may + bare infinitive
If you go to London, you can see famous statues. | <urn:uuid:f9554d1a-63ad-4874-9008-c3f3e7aa5689> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.uzdevumi.lv/p/anglu-valoda/10-12-klase/conditionals-first-second-and-third-conditional-12267/re-86406743-44b7-4a4d-83a6-b657da4b1712 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.799521 | 178 | 3.78125 | 4 |
In total, 2,151.3 million kWh of electricity was supplied to Afghanistan last year, for which the electricity company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat fully paid the bills.
According to the Ministry of Energy, this year the volume of electricity supplies to Afghanistan is determined at 2,210.0 million kWh, according to an agreement between the National Electric Grids of Uzbekistan JSC and Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat.
“Afghanistan has no debt for electricity supplies from Uzbekistan for 2021. The calculations were made based on the demand and needs of Afghanistan for electricity in January-June. To date, 770.2 million kWh have been delivered. Payments for the electricity supplied this year from Uzbekistan are made by Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat on a systematic basis,” the ministry said.
It is noted that since April 14 of this year, Afghanistan temporarily stopped the import of electricity from Uzbekistan. The neighboring country is receiving electric energy from Tajikistan during the summer season. | <urn:uuid:7e568a60-88de-4820-a271-7ef0782efcf8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://kun.uz/en/news/2022/08/02/afghanistan-paid-all-debts-for-electricity-energy-ministry-of-uzbekistan | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.958041 | 207 | 1.679688 | 2 |
(1923–2021). American politician A. Linwood Holton served as governor of Virginia from 1970 to 1974, becoming the first Republican to hold that office since Reconstruction. He fought to end racial discrimination and supported desegregation in public schools.
Abner Linwood Holton, Jr., was born on September 21, 1923, in Big Stone Gap, Virginia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1944 from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. After serving in the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II, Holton graduated from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1949 with a law degree. He began practicing law in Roanoke, Virginia, and soon became involved in Republican Party politics.
Holton made an unsuccessful run for governor of Virginia in 1965. Four years later he ran again, defeating his Democratic opponent and taking office in January 1970. As a civil rights supporter, Holton worked to reverse Virginia’s anti-desegregation and other discriminatory policies that had been in place during Harry F. Byrd’s lengthy administration. Holton included African Americans and women in government positions. He also advocated for racial integration in public schools and sent his four children to mostly Black inner-city schools. However, his refusal to fight against court-ordered busing policies—in which students were transported to schools within or outside their local school districts as a means of rectifying racial segregation—cost him the support of conservative Republicans.
After his term ended in January 1974 Holton served as assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs under Presidents Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford. The next year Holton returned to private law practice. President Ronald Reagan appointed Holton head of the Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority in 1986. From 1988 to 1994 Holton was president of the Center for Innovative Technology, a nonprofit company that promoted the development and advancement of high technology in Virginia. Holton was the father-in-law of Virginia Democratic politician Tim Kaine. Holton’s memoir, Opportunity Time, was published in 2008. Holton died on October 28, 2021, in Kilmarnock, Virginia. | <urn:uuid:5524c755-720c-4306-a36f-1d16ff314733> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/A-Linwood-Holton/629905 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.980548 | 439 | 3.21875 | 3 |
C-CAT, which has proven carbon-carbon fabrication capabilities, will investigate use of ACC-6 High Melt oxidation protective system on carbon-carbon for use on the Cryogenic and Non-Toxic Storable Propellant Space Engine nozzle and nozzle extensions. ACC-6 High Melt is a carbon-carbon coating application that embeds HfC,ZrB2 in the outer layers. This material system has been tested in Arc Jet environment at over 3000 degrees F, for more than 24 minutes with little to no erosion. ACC-6 High Melt has shown to be the best performing high temperature material system, and still retains the ease of manufacturing associated with carbon-carbon. ACC-6 High Melt has been manufactured in small scale leading edge experiments, but has yet to be demonstrated in large components. Manufacturability of large scale components remains as the main question to be answered for this material system. For Phase I, C-CAT proposes to build subsections of a nozzle extension representing the attach flange and the exit diameter of approximately 40" diameter. Success will be achieved by manufacturing the aforementioned subsection using ACC-6 High Melt with no voids or spalling of coating. This successful demonstration will provide the path for scale-up to a full size prototype nozzle extension for Phase II. | <urn:uuid:82114548-3704-4117-875b-f5b2d692f6c0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://techport.nasa.gov/view/8941 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.922079 | 264 | 1.9375 | 2 |
2 edition of California State supplement to USDA Forest Service environmental statement found in the catalog.
California State supplement to USDA Forest Service environmental statement
United States. Forest Service. California Region.
by Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, California Region in San Francisco, Calif
Written in English
|Other titles||RARE II :|
|The Physical Object|
|Pagination||195 p. :|
|Number of Pages||195|
The California State Organic Program is responsible for enforcement of the Organic Foods Production Act of and the California Organic Products Act of The CA State Organic Program is co-administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for organic producers and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Los Padres National Forest: California; Environmental Impact Statement for the Removal of the Noxious Weed Tamarisk on the Los Padres National Forest. AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
Pacific Southwest Region: Final environmental impact statement for the comprehensive management plan - Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area: Inyo National Forest / ([San Francisco, CA]: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, ) (page images at HathiTrust). The USDA Forest Service is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Social and Ecological Resilience Across the Landscape (SERAL) project. The overall purpose of the project is to increase the landscape's resilience to natural disturbances such as fire, drought, insects, and disease by restoring the forest structure and.
A Plan called for the Programmatic Agreement among the USDA Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Montana State Historic Preservation Officer, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation regarding the management of historic placer and lode mining properties in Montana Topics: Abandoned mined lands reclamation, Historic sites, Coal mines and mining, Gold mines and mining. USDA, Forest Service Plumas National Forest, California and James Sherar, PE Logging Engineer USDA, Forest Service National Forests of North Carolina Produced for US Agency for International Development (USAID) In Cooperation with USDA, Forest Service, International Programs & Conservation Management Institute, Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
Medieval French literature.
Paul and Jesus
How to take a field trip for 4-H citizenship education.
A 2 Z
Only to serve
London through the keyhole.
Ford Windstar, Freestar & Mercury Monterey automotive repair manual
Evaluation of a multi-Kw, high frequency transformer for space applications
Cocoa butter replacers.
Case of the orphan and creditors of John Ayliffe, [esq.
Dusty trails and iron rails
Book: All Authors / Contributors: United States. USDA-FS-CA FY DES Leg. Other Titles: California State supplement to USDA Forest Service environmental statement. California supplement to draft environmental statement, roadless area review and evaluation # California State supplement to USDA Forest Service environmental statement.
California State supplement to USDA Forest Service environmental statement. Reviews. User-contributed reviews Tags. Add tags for "RARE II: California supplement to # California State supplement to USDA Forest Service environmental statement.\/span> \u00A0\u00A0\u00A0 schema.
- California Please use the map or drop-down lists to view the schedule for a particular National Forest, Grassland, Scenic Area, Recreation Area, or Tall Grass Prairie.
You may navigate directly to any other State, Forest, Grassland, Scenic Area, Recreation Area, or Tallgrass Prairie SOPA page using the following drop-down lists or the text.
Agriculture. Forest. Service. Pacific. Southwest. Region. R5-MB November Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Southern California National Forests Land Management Plan Amendment. Angeles National Forest Cleveland National Forest Los Padres National Forest San Bernardino National Forest.
United States. Department of. Agriculture. Forest. Service. R5-MB May Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Beaverslide Timber Sale and Fuel Treatment Project. Mad River Ranger District, Six Rivers National Forest Trinity County, California.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Staff supports the Forest Service’s compliance with the environmental laws and regulations that guide management of the lands and resources of the National Forest System.
This site is designed to provide you access to helpful information related to the Agency's management of the NEPA process. The Forest Service and other federal, tribal, state, and local government agencies work together to respond to tens of thousands of wildfires annually.
Each year, an average of more t wildfires burn about 7 million acres of federal, tribal, state, and private land and more than 2, structures. The Farm Service Agency is a federal agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Located in all 50 states, our mission is to help American farmers provide reasonably priced food and fiber to the nation and the world.
In California, the State Office is located in the Richard Lyng USDA Building in Davis, California, just west of Sacramento. Form - Forest Service Authorization for In-Service Expenditures (PDF, KB) GPO Non-Compliance/Change Report (PDF, KB) GPO Desktop-Disk Information (PDF, KB).
The Forest Service is taking the risks presented by COVID seriously and is following USDA and CDC public health guidance as we continue to offer services to the public.
Visitors to our National Forests and Grasslands are urged to take the precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Region, Subjects: Environmental impact analysis > Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest (Or. and Calif.).
(DOI) Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) for the Devers-Palo Verde No. 2 Transmission Line Project (DPV2) as analyzed in the Final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS), released Octo.
History: Office of Blister Rust Control, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, transferred to Forest Service pursuant to Secretary of Agriculture's Memorandum No. supplement 4, November 2, Assigned, as Division of White Pine Blister Rust Control, to Branch of State and Private Forestry.
RARE II: Alaska supplement to draft environmental statement, roadless area review and evaluation Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Alaska Region Juneau, Alaska Wikipedia Citation Please see Wikipedia's template documentation for further citation fields that may be required.
SCE has also submitted an application for a Special Use authorization to the USDA Forest Service. The proposed project is subject to review under both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Impact Statement. Feature Classes: Abstract: Activity Range Vegetation Improvement. ESRI geodatabase (24MB) shape file (58MB).
Date of last refresh: metadata map service The RngVegImprove feature class depicts the area planned and accomplished areas treated as a part of the Range Vegetation Improvement program of work, funded through the budget allocation process and reported through the Forest.
The State and Private Forestry organization of the USDA Forest Service is the federal leader in providing technical and financial assistance to landowners and resource managers to help sustain the Nation's forests and protect communities and the environment from wildland fires.
Sierra Nevada forest plan amendment: final supplemental environmental impact statement. Other Title final supplemental environmental impact statement Contributor Names United States.
Forest Service. Pacific Southwest Region. The cooperative programs are administered and implemented through a partnership between the State of California, the USDA Forest Service and many other private and government entities.
These programs number and type of environmental educators reached. California PLT received $, to increase the USDA Forest Service. PORTLAND -- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oregon State Office and the USDA Forest Service Region 6 announced that they have released a Supplement to the Draft Supplement to the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) To Remove or Modify the Survey and Manage Mitigation Measure Standards and Northwest Forest Plan.
Alongside its local, State and Federal partners, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s U.S. Forest Service remains actively involved in response to wildfires in these fires are not on National Forest System lands, the Forest Service provides additional firefighting personnel, incident management teams, and equipment resources to support the State of California and other.
The federal government controls more than half of the forest in California, and the U.S. thinned, cut, burned and mulched aboutacres there in .Final supplemental environmental impact statement: motorized vehicle use on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest: Douglas, Klamath, Jackson, Curry, Coos, and Josephine Counties in Oregon, Del Norte and Siskiyou Counties in California. | <urn:uuid:5d2f6ece-1346-4053-a7a0-df435a3639de> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://jymesifeho.jydrescueteam.com/california-state-supplement-to-usda-forest-service-environmental-statement-book-9290ps.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.857994 | 1,912 | 1.765625 | 2 |
If there’s one thing that the candidacies of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have made clear, it’s that people in America are not happy with the status quo. They’re not happy with the economy, they’re not happy with the rising cost of health care and college, and they’re not happy with a modern world in which previously well-paying jobs can now be performed by computers or workers overseas.
Trump supporters are overwhelmingly white, lack college degrees, and are drawn from exactly the kinds of places that have been decimated by a rapidly changing economy that favors coastal computer coders, doctors, and financiers over miners and factory workers. (Although recent events suggest his base is growing.)
Sanders, meanwhile, draws his support primarily from young voters who have gravitated toward his big plans and perceived independence from the standard political establishment. Both demographics illustrate just how widespread the frustration with our current economic model has become.
Over the last 40 or so years, the real wages of most Americans have essentially stalled, with the exception of a brief period of prosperity in the late 1990s. For much of the 1980s and first half of the ’90s, the trend primarily affected middle- and lower-income American workers, but since the beginning of this century, workers across almost all of the income distribution have seen their wages stall. In fact, the economic boom of the late 1990s was the only time in recent history when Americans’ wages increased.
Where did we go wrong?
To understand what happened to wages in America, you have to go way back, before 1994’s North American Free Trade Agreement, before China joined the WTO in 2001, before robots and iPhones, before hedge funds and private equity, before banks become too big to fail and their executives exited the stage with multi-million-dollar golden parachutes. Before any of that, to the golden years of the 1950s and ’60s, in the wake of the Great Depression and wartime rationing, when Americans wanted cars and houses and dishwashers. As factories innovated to meet rising consumer demands, productivity, defined by economists as the amount of output generated by an hour of labor (and a significant determinant of wage growth), also increased dramatically. Organized labor was strong, and everyone — management, labor, and the government — wanted to keep the production lines moving.
“There was a sense coming out of the war, with all this demand for consumer goods, that there was a lot of money to be made if you could keep production going,” says Frank Levy, an economist and professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “And so what that meant was no strikes, and so that then led to these kinds of negotiations … that said there are going to be cost of living increases, there are going to be productivity gains [built into wage increases], and the quid pro quo is you don’t strike so we can keep production going.”
During the post-war era, the general strength of the American economy produced benefits for Americans of all different income levels. But by the 1970s, fracture lines had begun to appear. Productivity growth slowed, and a series of oil price shocks caused inflation to skyrocket.
“Wages stopped growing and then high school graduate wages fell through the floor. That sets the stage for what happens after that.”
While coastal, urban economies struggled in the face of the unprecedented, double-digit inflation, the center of the country, which was dominated by agriculture and heavy manufacturing like the automobile and steel industries, continued to thrive into the ’70s. Thanks to the dollar’s low value abroad, international demand for American-made durables was high and exports were strong.
“The center of the country was the place to be, but the byproduct of all of that was all this inflation” Levy says.
By the end of the 1970s, however, inflation had become too high to stomach, and President Jimmy Carter nominated Paul Volcker as chairman of the Federal Reserve. Under Volcker’s leadership, the Federal Reserve began aggressively raising interest rates with the goal of breaking inflation, whatever the cost. Between 1979 and 1984, the value of the dollar increased by approximately 55 percent. Exports, and the earnings of the high school graduates who produced those exports, fell through the floor. Compounding these macroeconomic forces was a new policy model of supply side (or “trickle-down”) economics that emphasized pro-business policies, low taxes, market deregulation (particularly of the financial sector), and a smaller role for the federal government.
“You had what had been the hall of unionized blue-collar high-school workers, all the durable manufacturing belt from Wisconsin down through Baltimore,” Levy says. “And it was just wiped out…. So on the one hand, wages stopped growing and then high school graduate wages fell through the floor. And that sets the stage for what happens after that.”
What happened after that was an economy that slipped and stumbled through multiple periods of high unemployment and the emergence of two deeply disruptive economic forces: globalization and technology, both of which displaced low- and middle-income workers and drove a growing preference for highly skilled and highly educated workers.
This chart from the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal think tank, illustrates the grim reality of wage stagnation in America:
“The stagnation has been very broad-based since around 2002,” says Larry Mishel, the president of the EPI. “And when I say broad-based, I mean the bottom 80 percent of the workforce, both college graduates and high school graduates, both white-collar workers and blue-collar workers. It’s not a phenomena solely due to the fact that we had a Great Recession, and I don’t want people to think that. This is very long-standing.” Economists disagree somewhat about technology’s effect on employment and wages, but there’s widespread agreement that globalization has indeed harmed middle-income American workers.
Trade, especially free trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement or the hotly debated Trans-Pacific Partnership, has emerged as a flashpoint in this election. On the left, Sanders has repeatedlyattacked Hillary Clinton for her (and her husband’s) stance on trade. “I voted in complete opposition to every one of these disastrous trade agreements,” Sanders said at a Michigan campaign rally. “Secretary Clinton voted for virtually all of them.”
Trade opposition has also, of course, formed the backbone of Trump’s economic policy platform. Trump has promised to renegotiate all foreign trade deals, put hedge fund manager Carl Icahn in charge of trade negotiations with China, make Apple manufacture its “damn computers” in the United States, and impose a 35 percent tax on Ford cars manufactured outside the country (the company has plans to build a plant in Mexico).
In reality, economists generally agree that NAFTA had a minimal effect on American employment. In fact, the years after NAFTA was passed were the only ones in recent history in which the real wages of most Americans actually did increase. The estimated impacts of the TPP on American employment are similarly minimal. So who or what is to blame for globalization’s effect on wages? The real culprit is China, which joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. In a seminal paper on the topic, the economists Daron Acemoglu, David Autor, David Dorn, Gordon Hanson, and Brendan Price estimated that import competition from China between 1999 and 2011 resulted in the loss of between two and 2.4 million American jobs.
And in a working paper released earlier this year, Autor, Dorn, and Hanson found that the “China shock” had surprisingly long-lasting effects on certain segments of the American economy. “Adjustment in local labor markets is remarkably slow, with wages and labor-force participation rates remaining depressed and unemployment rates remaining elevated for at least a full decade after the China trade shock commences,” the authors concluded. “Exposed workers experience greater job churning and reduced lifetime income.”
The U.S. is not the only developed country that has faced the challenges of globalization and technology in recent years — countries like Germany and Sweden, for example, have grappled with the consequences of offshoring and outsourcing. But American workers have had a profoundly more painful experience than their European counterparts thanks to a variety of institutional factors. For starters, the economic forces and policy decisions of the 1980s dealt a critical blow to America’s private sector unions, which they’ve still not recovered from. Absent a strong economy, collective bargaining (which is still a dominant force in most of Europe) is one of the few ways workers are able to successfully advocate for higher wages and other protections (paid leave, overtime protections, increases in the minimum wage, and so forth).
Furthermore, the cuts to the social safety net that occurred under Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton left displaced workers with little to fall back on. Most European countries, by contrast, have more redistributive tax systems and stronger social safety nets. In fact, a number of European countries actually have similar (or even higher) levels of pre-tax inequality as the U.S., but much lower levels of inequality after taxes and transfers are taken into account.
“[T]he idea that somehow everything you see around you is just the result of market forces misses the point that it’s the result of market forces interacting with a particular set of institutions that we have,” Levy says.
And then there’s that oft-maligned one percent. Wage stagnation hasn’t impacted everyone equally; workers at the very top of the income distribution have seen astronomical increases in their earnings.
The debate over whether these increases are actually causing the stagnating wages of everyone else is contentious. Over the last several years, a vocal chorus of liberal economists has argued that any efforts to address wage stagnation in this country must include a discussion of the behaviors of the one percent.
Last year, Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and former chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, published a book called Rewriting the Rules of the Road,in which he argued that “[s]kyrocketing incomes for the 1 percent and stagnating wages for everyone else are not independent phenomena, but rather two symptoms of an impaired economy that rewards gaming the system more than it does hard work and investment.”
But not everyone believes we can pin America’s economic woes on the rising incomes of the one percent. “I’m not convinced that the growth of the top 1% explains wage stagnation more broadly. We’ve also had anemic productivity growth, so there’s less surplus to go around,” Autor, who has extensively studied the economic effects of trade and technology, writes in an email. “The question to my mind is not whether we should make the 1% less wealthy through various taxes and regulations; it’s rather how we would invest those resources if we had them to create a greater degree of shared prosperity.”
Regardless of their thoughts on this debate, many economists are indeed concerned about how the increase of upper-tail inequality will interact with the growing role of money in our political system. “You have this growing influence of money on politics. Was that there when John Kennedy was elected or when Lyndon Johnson declared the war on poverty? No,” says Richard Freeman, an economist at Harvard University. “You know, James Madison and some of the founding fathers of our country had this view that once you get some inequality, the people that get the money use it to influence the government to let them make more money, and then it’s a hard cycle to break.”
Now that we’ve gotten ourselves into this mess, how should we go about getting out of it?
Contrary to the rhetoric of Trump and Sanders, reneging on our trade deals and returning the U.S. to a protectionist society is wildly unrealistic and would likely provoke economically and diplomatically damaging retaliation from other countries.
While improving America’s education system may not reduce upper-tail inequality, it nonetheless does still have the potential to increase worker’s earnings and well-being. Economists have found enormous returns to teacher quality, and college graduates still earn more than high school graduates by a fairly large margin. It’s also no doubt time to think more creatively about post-secondary education.
“I think we need to think about the skill sets that allow people to do evolving jobs in health care, in technical positions, many of which require real skill sets, but they don’t require a four-year liberal arts training,” Autor said at the Hamilton Project panel last year. “So I think we push too many people toward expensive four-year degrees which either are not as efficient as they could be, or not as appealing as they could be. There are opportunities in … these kind of new middle-school occupations.”
Melissa Kearney, an economics professor at the University of Maryland who studies poverty and inequality, points out that education will likely need to be ongoing in the future. She cites the need for on-the-job training and more agile institutions of higher learning. “The labor market and the nature of jobs will likely evolve very rapidly,” she says. “Will people adapt quickly enough? What we really need to be thinking about is how to educate people while also fostering adaptability.”
Economists like Richard Freeman have also advocated for policies (which Hillary Clinton has supported) that incentivize corporations to implement and expand profit-sharing programs, so more employees can benefit from corporate profits. Researchers have found these kinds of programs boost worker productivity while also benefiting companies. “They’re not doing it to create less inequality, they’re doing it because we have a highly educated workforce, and people can be motivated and incentivized by this to do better,” Freeman says.
Fiscal policy (i.e. government spending) is another useful tool that many economists argue could be better utilized to increase demand and give workers more bargaining power. When unemployment is high, and there are 25 applicants for every job, workers don’t have much ability to negotiate for higher wages. “Low unemployment fuels wage growth, and it does so more for low-wage workers than middle-wage workers, and more for middle-wage workers than for higher-wage workers,” says the EPI’s Mishel.
Despite a monetary policy of very low interest rates, the U.S.’s fiscal policy in recent years (since 2011) has been disturbingly austere — some believe it’s the reason economic recovery has been so slow and unimpressive. “You have a zero interest rate, and you’re not doing infrastructure spending, and running a bigger fiscal deficit? That does not make economic sense to me,” Freeman says. “This is an ideal time to make our roads better, make our schools better, makes our airports first-rate.”
There are also, of course, a number of institutional reforms and policy changes that could be made in the U.S. to ensure a more equitable distribution of prosperity. Tax loopholes that benefit only a wealthy few could be closed, and high earners could be taxed at a higher rate so that the social safety net could be strengthened and expanded. These solutions may not eliminate upper-tail inequality or reverse the structural changes in the economy that have so constrained the wages of the typical worker, but they would dramatically improve the lives of many Americans.
“You don’t need to be angry at the one percent to think that we still might need to raise taxes on them,” Kearney points out. “Not to punish them, but because we need the revenue to deal with some of these challenges.”
It remains to be seen whether the current populist anger over economic conditions will actually result in meaningful change after this election, particularly given the ever-growing influence of political lobbyists. But it’s difficult to imagine the forces that have elevated Trump and Sanders simply fading away after the election.
“I think this is a very useful election because I think that both parties have really kind of turned their back on this issue until recently, and now it’s just making itself heard,” Levy says. “And so that’s the whole point: Unless you make yourself heard, nobody’s going to pay attention to you.” | <urn:uuid:0ad8c596-ebcb-4fb8-8f5d-7f2b76770d7b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://psmag.com/news/what-happened-to-the-american-dream | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.966754 | 3,472 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Flexibility 2.1: From Demand Response to renewable Energy Communities
Our colleagues from [email protected] presented the work conducted within eDREAM project at the “Flexibility 2.1: From Demand Response to renewable Energy Communities” webinar organised by TABEDE H2020 project.
The aim of the webinar was on sharing knowledge and experiences in the development of solutions for demand response and energy flexibility.
15 European-funded project briefly presented various results, each focused on a unique aspect of the energy transition both at building and community levels.
- TABEDE (TowArds Building rEady for Demand rEsponse): Andre de Fontaine, ENGIE Impact
- SMARTBUILT4EU (The EU Smart Building Innovation Platform): Alexis David, ECTP
- DELTA (Future tamper-proof Demand rEsponse framework through seLf-configured, self-opTimized and collAborative virtual distributed energy nodes): Apostolos Tsolakis, Information Technologies Institute/CERTH [PDF, @delta_eu]
- eDREAM (enabling new Demand REsponse Advanced, Market-oriented and Secure technologies, solutions and business models): Giuseppe Mastandrea, Energy @ Work
- RESPOND (integrated demand REsponse Solution towards energy POsitive NeighbourhooDs): Iker Esnaola, Tekniker
- HOLISDER (Integrating Real-Intelligence in Energy Management Systems enabling Holistic Demand Response Optimization in Buildings and Districts): M.J. (Mente) Konsman, TNO
- SocialRES (Fostering socially innovative and inclusive strategies for empowering citizens in the renewable energy market of the future): Iban Lizarralde, ESTIA
- HESTIA (Holistic dEmand response Services for European residenTIAl communities): Toke Haunstrup Bach Christensen, Aalborg University
- CREATORS (CREATing cOmmunity eneRgy Systems): Giel Vandenbroeck, Cordeel
- RENAISSANCE (RENewAble Integration and SuStainAbility iN energy CommunitiEs): Thierry Coosemans, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, MOBI, EVERGi Research Team
- E-LAND (Integrated multi-vector management system for Energy isLANDs): Farhan Farrukh, Smart Innovation Norway
- COMPILE (Integrating community power in energy islands): Andrej Gubina, University of Ljubljana
- NEWCOMERS (New Clean Energy Communities in a Changing European Energy System): Sarah Darby, University of Oxford
- REACT (Renewable Energy for self-sustAinable island CommuniTies): Iker Esnaola, Tekniker
- IElectrix (Indian and European Local Energy Communities For Renewable Integration and the Energy Transition): Pierre-Jacques Le Quellec, Enedis; and Markus Resch, Energie Güssing
Watch our presentation below | <urn:uuid:aed92be8-c22b-4c5c-b271-a60b507cd5a8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://edream-h2020.eu/flexibility-2-1-from-demand-response-to-renewable-energy-communities/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.756723 | 652 | 1.71875 | 2 |
There could be several reasons why your computer is slow to connect to the Internet. When you consider what happens in the first moments you are connected, its little wonder your favourite web site takes ages to load.
First thing that happens is Windows calls home to check for updates. At the same time, your Anti-Virus programme also calls home to check for updates. And if you have an Anti-Spyware programme, it will also be checking for updates. Other programs, like your Mobile Phone’s PC Suite, for example, or any number of other programs, will also try to call home. All trying to elbow each other aside and all, using up valuable resources. Some multi-media programs use an awful lot of resources, even if you are not directly using them. Consider stopping these from automatically starting when you start Windows. You can still access them by clicking Start, and choose them from the menu.
Sometimes it’s best just to be patient for the first few minutes after you click connect and wait until they have all finished calling home before you start surfing. Keep an eye on those two mini computer screens on your task bar, just near the clock. If they are both illuminated, this indicates activity between your computer and the Internet. Wait a while until one or preferably both go out. Windows and Anti-Virus updates are important, you can turn off automatic updates, but I do not recommend doing this.
If your PC is infected by Spyware or viruses, these will also be attempting to call home; some can even alter your Internet Connection settings to make it easier for them to do this. Run a Full System Scan with both your Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware utilities.
Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs all use much more resources than they did, even two years ago. So you should think about adding more RAM to your system or a faster CPU, or both. This should help compensate for all those competing programs.
If you have add-ons to your browser, Java or Search Bars for example, try turning these off to see if things improve. In Internet Explorer click on Tools then Manage Add-Ons. These options will return next time you start Windows.
Your Internet cache can become cluttered over time. Click on Start, then Control Panel, then Internet Options. Under ‘Browsing History’ click on ‘Delete’ this will clear up your Temporary Internet Files.
For Cable or DSL make sure you have a Phone Line filter, if you already have one it may be faulty, try another. Also try disconnecting all other Phones and extensions. It’s just possible the fault could be your wiring. Contact your ISP, they can usually check your Phone Line for speed, or offer helpful advice. | <urn:uuid:fdb4eb5c-c81b-4de2-aece-01afa3fbb644> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://optionscomputer.com/your-computer-is-slow-to-connect-to-the-internet/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.91969 | 576 | 2.65625 | 3 |
The Norwegian Seamen's Church,
317 East 52nd Street, NYC.
In 1981 Maya founded MAYA Musikk & Kulturskole in the Norwegian Capital, Oslo. The school has recently opened its first branch in New York City!
Coming up from May 17th is a full week of exciting events and workshops. As a part of our celebration of the 200th anniversary of Norway constitution we invite to a series of workshops from May 17th. – 24th. Make sure you check out the teaching program.
Maya’s School of Music and Performing Arts mission is to:
- Promote Norwegian culture and strengthen cultural ties between Norway and the US.
- Provide teaching at all levels in music and performing arts.
- Offer high-quality musical instruction, spanning all genres, in instruments and voice.
- Arrange concerts, exhibitions, performances and cultural events, with the focus on Norwegian music and culture.
Whether you are interested in a course in dance, theater, drawing, painting, taking music lessons for fun or want to build a music career, we have dedicated teachers ready to help beginner, intermediate and advanced students of all ages to achieve their goals.
The school offers high-quality music instruction, spanning all genres.
- NORWEGIAN FOLK INSTRUMENTS
- ELECTRIC GUITAR
- VIOLIN/ FIDDLE
- SINGING / VOCAL TRAINING
Registration is ongoing throughout the semester. Tuition for private lessons is prorated based on your start date.
Pease do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
The school will gradually expand the educational programs to also include classes in:
- Private/ individual music lessons and group classes in a variety of instruments.
- Children’s dancing
- Norwegian folk dance
Norwegian Folktales are an important part of our National cultural heritage and identity and an important source of inspiration for Norwegian music, theatre, literature, and film.
Join us in the fantastic folktale world of Asbjørnsen and Moe. As a basis, we will use Norwegian folktales and well-known-plays, and conclude with a performance at the end of the second semester.The focus will be to work on developing essential acting skills. Our aim is to help create an actor that is alive and present on stage. We will look at strengthening vocal and physical skills, as well as the actors work on creating a character.
- Drawing, painting and scultures
- Courses in rosemaling (traditional Norwegian rose painting).
Norway is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Kittelsen’s work (1914-2014).
He is well-known for his fantastic illustrations of Asbjørnsen og Moe’s folktales. During the workshop, participants will become familiar with Kittelsen’s incredible imagination and creativity. We will also look at his fairytale characters, - such as elves, nymphs, dwarfs and trolls - and use these as a basis to inspire course participants to create their own imaginative drawings.
Maya founded MAYA Musikk & Kulturskole school in the Norwegian capital, Oslo i 1981. Over the years the school has developed into Norway’s largest private school for music, dance, theater and fine arts. She's now looking forward to sharing Norwegian culture and her vast experience of music and the performing arts with people in New York".
Maya's grandparents and a large part of her family immigrated to the United States in the early 1900’s. Her family lived in Brooklyn, New York for more than two generations. Maya herself grew up in Norway, but her family always stayed closely connected to New York. «Coming to NYC is like coming home.» Read More | <urn:uuid:a2139a9a-1015-4a40-953a-3d4b8c387df8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://mayaperformingarts.org/index.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.943858 | 836 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Will Americans Ever Care About Foreign Policy?
Are U.S. citizens showing a new interest in foreign affairs policy?
Over the past few decades, Americans have lived with the idea that elections are won and lost on domestic issues and that the American public is not much engaged by — or interested in — international relations.
But there's increasing evidence that now, post-9/11, American citizens are developing a better grasp on the new global realities and are reaching the conclusion that they must take an interest in them.
I first witnessed this shift at an event held in January 2003. A representative group of Americans — 343 of them from all parts of the country — gathered in Philadelphia to deliberate on the international situation and U.S. foreign policy. What happened at that gathering was riveting.
Historically, in the United States the formulation and conduct of foreign affairs is an area of public policy that has been the preserve of special interests and "insider" experts.
Only occasionally has the making of U.S. foreign policy been subject to the kind of broad and brawling interplay of democratic debate and public pressures that surrounds domestic issues.
This condition is a legacy of several attitudes that course deep within the American tradition.
Reasons for this include a skeptical aversion to foreign entanglements, a sense that unity in support of the executive branch is important and expected in the field of foreign policy — and a recognition that foreign affairs are unusually complicated and not easily accessible to the average citizen.
The U.S. media, with its frequently frugal and occasionally blundering coverage of international issues, has both reflected and contributed to this inaccessibility.
The people who gathered in Philadelphia were participants in a program called 'By the People' and had been selected to constitute a statistically valid sample of the American electorate.
This meant that their views — surveyed both before they arrived and after they had deliberated together — had great potential significance for public officials.
The conference afforded an imperfect, but nevertheless dramatic and valuable, insight into patterns of thinking about international affairs, one that was representative of the American people as a whole.
What I find most promising is this: The delegates clearly grasped that they simply could not ignore foreign issues — that they had to be interested in international affairs as citizens, as parents, as human beings.
They understood that they weren't experienced in the field and that there was much they didn't know.
However, they also expressed a strong measure of confidence in their ability to assess the broad outlines of situations and issues and to question intelligently and listen critically to experts — which they did.
Zbigniew Brzezinski, former national security adviser to President Carter and today professor of American foreign policy at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, participated in the assembly.
He is not a man known for his desire to democratize the formulation of foreign policy.
However, he told the assembled group that he was stunned by the quality and common sense of their questions and comments — and that this experience would force him to reassess his views on whether the public could provide useful input in the making of foreign policy.
This sign of hope comes at a moment when the role of the United States in the world has never been more pivotal and when its preparation for exercising that role wisely and responsibly has rarely seemed more ragged. | <urn:uuid:bc385326-cfc5-4ea0-9002-d4d53d2b0690> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.theglobalist.com/will-americans-ever-care-about-foreign-policy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.978724 | 687 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Back packs are crucial equipment for students, hikers, travelers, and athletes of all ages. Everybody knows how beneficial and practical a backpack can be and just about everyone owns at least one backpack. When buying backpacks for personal use or retail, consider purchasing wholesale backpacks. Wholesale and discount backpacks can be found in various sizes and designs and there is a backpack for every need. Choosing the right backpack for yourself does not have to be tremendous. Check out these kinds of backpacks and figure out how to pick the best backpack for you.
Depending on the scale of your load, you’ll have to choose a pack with sufficient support. The primary kinds of backpacks are back packs with internal frames, backpacks with external frames, and frameless backpacks. Frameless packs are intended for lighter loads. This kind of backpack is simply a bag with straps that suit over the shoulders. More sophisticated frameless backpacks may have padded shoulder straps and backs for extra comfort and further pockets to help organize your supplies.
When carrying excess fat or traveling longer distances, you may need a backpack using a frame. Hiking backpacks usually have another frame, manufactured from a light-weight metal such as scandium or titanium alloys. Your body of the backpack is cloth attached to the frame. This frame supports the weight in the pack and after that distributes the load across your hips for any more ergonomically correct fit. Backpacks with internal frames are a recent innovation. The idea is simple: a metal or plastic frame is sewn to the backpack for built in support. Plastic strips adhere to the shape of your back for a better fit. Additional metal components may reinforce the frame. And when you are exploring in an urban setting, backpacks make perfect lightweight and convenient luggage. Backpacking across Europe is really a popular pastime for older teens and teenagers. When weight is distributed properly, you can carry your backpack long distances without back pain or muscle strain.
Because of their versatility, back packs, sometimes called knapsacks, are favored by students. Kids’ backpacks provide them with more space when carrying books, binders, notebooks, lunch, gym clothes, along with other essential school things. Plus, many backpacks offer extra pockets that are ideal for pens, cellphones, along with other gear. Trendy backpacks are available in different designs and colors, often featuring the most recent celebrities or television characters, giving kids an opportunity to express their individuality by way of a hip backpack.
Young kids enjoy carrying backpacks being a sign with their maturity and growing independence. Even preschoolers and kindergarteners like to hold backpacks to possess a special spot to place their things. Just remember, pediatricians advise that filled backpacks should weigh not more than 10-15% of a child’s bodyweight. Most school backpacks also provide adjustable straps to get a more comfortable fit.
Back to school shopping or getting yourself ready for a hiking trip can be costly. Spend less by purchasing discount backpacks. With wholesale backpacks, you’ll find high quality, affordable backpacks at deep discounts. Check out online deals on backpacks to get the dilocz variety of hiking packs and school bags.
Whether you are camping out, hiking on the trails, or just hitting the books, you can easily find wholesale backpacks which fit your way of life and complement your personality. When buying wholesale backpacks for personal use or perhaps for resale in a retail outlet, scout the marketplace for the very best bargains and get the most value out of your budget. | <urn:uuid:2a912fdf-df19-455c-a50e-1ebffb35b5a7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://bonoszinkia.com/3983/cheap-backpacks-for-sale/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.940395 | 730 | 1.851563 | 2 |
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while Charlestonians get to wake up to a magical, wintry scene that’s straight out of a Hallmark movie.
Let’s take a look back at all the times snow (the kind that sticks) has fallen in Charleston.
The Great Blizzard of 1899
Just as the 19th century was drawing to a close, Charleston experienced its first measurable snowfall in February 1899. Dubbed ‘The Great Blizzard of 1899’, ‘The Great Arctic Outbreak of 1899’, and the ‘St. Valentine’s Day Blizzard,’ this snowstorm was part of a severe winter weather outbreak that saw temperatures plummet across the United States, particularly east of the Rocky Mountains. In Charleston, the blizzard brought about a mixture of sleet and snow totaling 4 inches and reported temperatures as low as 7°F.
The Great Southeastern Snowstorm of 1973
Charleston had to wait decades for the next signifcant snowfall, but the one that happened next is one for the record books. The ‘Great Southeastern Snowstorm of 1973’, as it was called, was one of the greatest snowstorms to hit the Southeast United States in history. Over the course of two February days, Charleston saw roughly 5.4 inches of snow in some areas, the highest recorded snowfall to date.
The White Christmas of 1989
Remember that record-setting snowfall in 1973? Well, just sixteen short years later in 1989, a new record would be entered into the history books.
It was the year that Hurricane Hugo hit the Lowcountry, leaving widespread destruction in its wake, and as Christmas neared many were still picking up the pieces and putting their lives back together. But, Mother Nature still had one more trick up her sleeve, a trick that some might call a Christmas miracle.
Three days before Christmas, on Dec. 22, a front-carrying arctic air settled over the Lowcountry, bringing bitter temperatures with it. Light snow began falling by dusk that evening, but the most of it was still yet to come.
On Dec. 23, a low pressure system started making its way up the coast and brought a steady snowfall to the area that would continue for the next 24 hours. Early forecasts predicted only a couple inches of snow, but by the time the winter weather had passed, Charleston had recorded 6 inches of snow, the single greatest one day snowfall in history.
When Charlestonians arose on Christmas morning, the blanket of snow (roughly 4 inches) still covered the ground, creating a winter wonderland and giving Charleston its first ever (and only!) White Christmas.
The Winter Storm of 2018
We don’t have to go too far back to find the most recent snowfall to hit Charleston. That happened just a few years ago in January 2018 and it ultimately went down as the third-highest recorded snowfall.
Over the course of a couple of days in January, a mix of snow and sleet covered the Lowcountry in a thick, white blanket. By the time it was all said and done, Charleston had seen roughly 5.3 inches of snow, just shy of the record-breaking 1973 total.
The 2018 snowfall even earned a nickname by locals, “Snowmaggedon,” because of the impact it had on the community. Charleston International Airport was closed for five days and schools were shut down for several days, as well.
Will it snow in 2021?
The question on everyone’s mind: Is there a chance we could have a White Christmas this year?
News 2 meteorologist David Dickson explains that current temperature predictions indicate warmer than average temperatures for the rest of the month, meaning the chance of snow is low.
“The chances that we see snow are going to be minimal and the conditions have to be perfect for us to see snowfall in the Lowcountry,” he said.
David says that’s because we are currently in a weather pattern called La Niña, the opposite of El Niño. A La Niña winter typically means we see warmer, wetter conditions in the Pacific Northwest and warmer, dryer conditions in the entirety of the South, but especially the Southeast.
Even if we do see some flurries, David said it’s unlikely that it will stick.
“Things have been so warm here, the ground has been so warm so as we head into Christmas anything that falls isn’t going to stick,” he said.
David added that just because we may not see any flurries this year, we could still experience other winter weather like ice and freezing rain.
So the short answer: probably not.
Still, never say never, right? | <urn:uuid:1593f2ca-9e2a-4972-9a51-5bb5a4615c99> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/dreaming-of-a-white-christmas-a-look-back-at-charlestons-greatest-snowfalls/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.965864 | 1,005 | 2.578125 | 3 |
The experiment was conducted to examine the effect of the foliar application of zinc on yield and crop quality and on fruit mineral composition of cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus cv. Mustang) which were grown in peat in containers under unheated conditions and were not showing visible signs of zinc deficiency.
In the trial the... following 3 treatments were set up in 4 replications: Znl = 0.35 g/litre Zn, as foliar fertilizer; Zn2 = 0.7 g/litre Zn, as foliar fertilizer, control = no foliar fertilization. Foliar fertilization was applied 5 times with 10 day intervals. After their planting out the plants were fertigated daily with water soluble complex fertilisers. Fruits were harvested twice a week, 16 times in all, and were divided into three quality classes (class I, class II and substandard). Shoot length of the plants (plant height) was measured on 3 occasions. Zinc content of the fruits and leaves was analysed at two times.
From the results of the trials it can be concluded that the 0.35 g/litre Zn (0.35 mg/ml) foliar fertilisation had beneficial effect on cucumber both in terms of yield and quality. Under the conditions of the experiment (daily fertigation through drip irrigation) the effect of a more concentrated foliar application of zinc seemed less beneficial.
The zinc content of the fruits showed no evident increase in response to foliar fertilization, while a significant increase was seen in the leaves, particularly with the more concentrated Zn treatment. This indicates that in the case of cucumber zinc, through its assimilation in vegetative parts, has an indirect effect on fruit development.
Almoust half of the world’s population is at risk for inadequate zinc (Zn) intake, a strategic trace element that is necessary for a healthy immune system. A lack of zinc can make a person more susceptible to disease and illness. There is a need of defining additional sources of zinc in diet. Cadmium (Cd), however, and its toxicity in food ch...ain receives considerable public and scientific attention. Cd is primarily toxic to kidney and can cause bone demineralization. In many areas in the EU, intake of Cd is not far from maximum tolerable. Mushrooms are well known for accumulating metal ions such as zinc and cadmium. Objective of this study was to define relationship between cultivation systems and conditions on zinc and cadmium content in fruit bodies of Agaricus subrufescens grown on different substrates. Cultivation was performed on mushroom composts based on increasing amount of digestate from anaerobic digestion treatment processes mixed with wheat straw and paper. The Zn and Cd concentration was defined in fruiting bodies, correlated with yield, flush and element concentration in substrates. Results showed percentage of food waste digestate and other components used in experiment had influence on concentration of Zn and Cd in mushroom compost and in A. subrufescens. Zn accumulated in collected mushrooms in amounts reaching from 42.8 to 126.9 mg kg-1 Cd content ranged 2.6 to 17.9 mg kg-1. Significant correlations for Zn concentration between mushrooms and substrates showed increase of Zn in mushrooms when cultivated on substrates with higher amount of digestate.
An investigation was conducted on uniform, healthy, eight year old trees of Nagpur mandarin (citrus reticulata Blanco) at Fruit Research Farm, Department of Fruit Science at College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar during 16 September, 2014 to 1 March, 2015. Various doses of calcium nitrate (1.0%, 2.0% and 3.0 %), boric acid (0.2 %, 0.4 %... and 0.6 %) and zinc sulphate (0.2 %, 0.4 % and 0.6 %) were sprayed before harvesting and compared with untreated ones. The results obtained indicated that the trees sprayed with T27 i.e. (calcium nitrate 3.0 % + boric acid 0.6 % + zinc sulphate 0.6 %) showed maximum increase diameter of fruit, fruit weight, fruit volume, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, estimated yield per hectare, reducing sugar, non reducing sugar, total sugar, juice per cent, sensory score and reduced peel thickness over control. Further, T24 treatment combination (calcium nitrate 3.0 % + boric acid 0.4 % + zinc sulphate 0.6 %) has also significantly increased number of segments per fruit, TSS, TSS: Acid ratio, ascorbic acid content, and reduced number of seeds per fruit and acidity percent of fruits.
Response of “Badamy sefid” Pistachio trees to spraying of fertilizer was studied over two years (2006–2007). The boron and zinc fertilizer were used just on swelling time of female flower bud in compare to no fertilization (control). Also nutritional solution combined of nitrogen (400 ppm), phosphorus (P2O5) (380 ppm), potasium (K2O) (520... ppm), Fe (5 ppm), Cu (2 ppm), Zn (2 ppm), Mn (2 ppm) in 1000 liter water per hectare sprayed at first week of May, third week of June and July). The concentration of some macro and micro elements in flower bud and in leaves, also productivity (g/shoot sectional area) mean nut weight, fresh weight of nut per cm2 branch cross sectional area, blanks nuts %, non-split nut %, new shoot growth length after cessation of growth and remained flower bud (%) at the next spring were recorded for the different treatments. The results showed that boron and zinc concentration increased in the bud of sprayed trees in compare to control. Application of nutritional solution decreased the flower bud abscission, also resulted in increased vegetative growth, nut weight, and productivity of trees. In conclusion, spraying of fertilizers in the suitable time to the pistachio trees might be a useful method in decreasing flower bud abscission and mitigating the alternate bearing.
Field experiments were conducted during 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 to study the effect of basal application (BA) of zinc sulphate (5 and 10 mg kg-i soil) or boric acid (1 and 2 mg kg-1 soil) alone or foliar applications (FA) of water or 1% ZnSO4 or 1% H3 B03 or the combinations of both BA and...FA of either ZnSO4 or H3 B03 on yield attributes (number of flowers and fruits/ plant, fruit weight, size and total yield). On the basis of the two-year data, it was found that all the treatments of BA as well as FA enhanced yield attributes but the combination of BA of 10 mg kg--1 soil ZnSO4 and FA of 1% H3 B03 gave highest yield as compared to other treatments and control plants.
Prima’, ‘Gala’, ‘Remo’, ‘Topáz’, ‘Idared’, ‘Releika’, ‘Resi’, ‘Rubinola’, ‘Rajka’, ‘Rewena’ and ‘Florina’ apple cultivars, both from organic and integrated farming, from Pallag and Újfehértó, were compared. Average size, weight, soluble solids, titratable acidity, total polyphenols, free radical sca...venging capacity expressed as Trolox equivalent (TEAC), copper and zinc were determined at harvest and after cool storage. Organic apples were more acidic, while integrated fruits had mostly higher copper and zinc content. Total polyphenols and TEAC values did not show a significant difference as a function of farming technology. A principal component analysis shows the separation of provenances as well as stored and fresh apples. Results are considered as preliminary.
The aim our study was to establish whether significant differences in nutrients uptake and quality of soil and leaf exist between organic and integrated grown apples. The study was performed at the orchard Fruit Research Station, University of Debrecen, at Debrecen-Pallag during 2002–2004. Macro and micro elements were measured in soil and pl...ant samples. Analyses of variance of soil nitrogen data indicated highly significant differences between the two management systems (P < 0.001) for each examined nitrogen fraction. Analyses of variance of soil phosphate data indicated significant differences (P < 0.05) between the two management systems for orto-PO4 3– contents. Our data indicated that highly significant differences between the two management systems (P < 0.001) for magnesium, copper, and zinc; while significant differences between the two management systems was at P = 0.007 for calcium. Three year’s data of leaf phosphorus, sulphur and zinc were not shown significant differences between production systems. Nevertheless manganese and copper contents of leaves were higher in the organic orchard compared to the integrated one.
In our days about 2 million tons of garlic are grown in the world. Garlic was used as medicine already in ancient Egypt. It contains approx 33 sulfur compounds, several enzymes, 17 amino acids and minerals. We determined the content of diallyl sulfone, boron, calcium, copper, iron, potassium, magnesium, natrium, phosphorus and zinc in fi ve gar...lic varieties (3 French, 2 Hungarian). We searched if there were signiffi cant differences between the varieties.
The aim of our study was to investigate the relationship between micronutrient content of soil and leaf in an organic apple orchard. The experiment was carried out at the Experimental Site of the University of Debrecen, Centre of Agricultural Sciences at Pallag in an apple cultivar collection in Eastern Hungary in 2002-2004. The soil sampling w...as carried out twice per year, at the beginning and the end of the vegetation period in 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively. The micronutrient content of leaf of seven apple cultivars (Jonagold, Mutsu, Idared, Red Elstar, Egri piros, Reka, Remo) was studied according to phenological phases of apple (April — September) to investigate the dynamism of plant nutrient uptake.
It was found that results of leaf analysis correlated with the obtained results of soil. According to the data of July, manganese and copper content of leaf is in the 'favourable' but zinc is the 'low' range of nutrient supply category. Moreover, there were significant differences in the micronutrient content of leaf among cultivars. From our results it is evident that more reliable data were obtained for fruit nutrition by determining of micronutrient content of soil and plant and calculate their ratios as well.
Concentration of Boron (B), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg), Manganese (Mn) and Zinc (Zn) was analyzed in fresh and dried fruit samples of “Jumbo cot“, “Tom cot“, “Gold strike“, “Gold bar“, “Bergeron“, “Bergrouge“, “Sweet cot“, “Yellow cot“ and “Zebra“ apricot cultivars. Concentration of the studied el...ements was strongly affected by cultivars. B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn content of “Tom cot“ was significantly higher than other cultivars. “Gold strike“ had the highest amount of Mg. Similar tendency was observed in “Zebra“ and “Sweet cot“ where Mn content was significantly higher than the other element contents.
The composition of five pear varieties (‘Abate Fètel’, ‘Bosc’, ‘Williams’, ‘Conference’, ‘Packham’s Triumph’) grown in Nagykanizsa was investigated in three consecutive years (2008, 2009, 2010). A storage experiment was performed in 2008. Four winter pear cultivars were kept in an ULO store for four months and their param...eters measured after two and four months. The parameters tested were: size, weight, water soluble solids, titratable acidity, glucose, fructose, sucrose, water soluble pectin, total polyphenols, free radical scavenging capacity, copper and zinc content. The fruits of ‘Conference’ and ‘Bosc’ varieties were found to contain the highest sucrose and total sugar content, while ‘Abate Fétel’ had the lowest sucrose and highest glucose levels among cultivars tested. ‘Williams’ pear was the most acidic. Brix, total sugar, sucrose and water soluble pectin were decreased during storage. Titratable acidity slightly decreased in fruits of Conference pear. Polyphenols and free radical scavenging capacity did not show a significant change during storage.
Fruits of different sour cherry varieties cultivated, in 2008 and 2009, under organic farming and integrated cultivation conditions were analysed for their quality attributes, antioxidant activity and subjected to sensory evaluation.. Average size, weight, soluble solids, titratable acidity, total polyphenols, free radical scavenging capacity e...xpressed as Trolox equivalent (TEAC), copper and zinc were determined in freshly harvested fruits. The obtained results indicated that, the principal component analysis can separate and distinguish the seasons of fruit production. The farming system seemed to have slight effect on quality the fruit as compared to varietal factors (genotypes). However, the total polyphenol content was uniformly less in 2009. Total polyphenols and free radical scavenging activity were significantly higher in Bosnian type sour cherries, and outstanding in Amarelle type cultivar ‘Pipacs’. There was no statistically significant difference between the sensory properties of cultivars tested by panels, except the case of ‘Pipacs’. The organolaptic investigation showed marked preference to the fruits of Eva and Petri cultivars.
The influence of the foliar nutrition on the pear fruit quality (Pyrus communis L.) cv. 'Williams' was studied in years 1997 and 1998. We determined the contents of individual sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose and sorbitol) and organic acids (malic, citric, fumaric and shikimic) by HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography). The si...zes of the fruits (diameter, length, weight) were measured as well as the amounts of soluble solids and titrable acids. The experiment comprised two treatments: the foliar nutrition and the control. In the treatment of foliar nutrition the trees were sprayed five times (from May 22 to July 7) with a foliar fertilizer, which contained 15% of P205, 20% of K20, 0.1% of Mn, 0.1% of B and 0.1% of Mo. The foliar nutrition influenced higher quantities of sugars (glucose, sorbitol, soluble solids) and organic acids (malic, citric) but had no effect on the contents of shikimic acid, pH juice and titrable acids. At the treatment of foliar nutrition a trend of decrease in the contents of fructose, sucrose, fumaric acid, boron, and zinc was noticed. | <urn:uuid:ce0af810-d445-4521-bb13-7c47a8d210e7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ojs.lib.unideb.hu/IJHS/search?query=Zinc | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.948922 | 3,269 | 3.34375 | 3 |
I don’t know about anyone else, but I am just about sick and tired of living through major historical events as a college student.
I know I cannot be the only one who thinks that, at this point, the amount of monumental, crucial-for-the-fate-of-the-human-race situations that Gen Z students put up with constantly has gone beyond ridiculous. It is just painful now. Pandemic, insurrection, election, impeachment, repeat. What is worse is that 2021 is holding its own against 2020 in terms of absolutely ludicrous tomfoolery.
Still, here we are. An entire generation of badasses staring down what seems like the precipice of extinction with indignant resolve. Which other generation of university students can claim that they successfully forged through their academic careers during all of these historical events? The truth is, we, the Gen-Z college students, are an anomaly. Through the hardest years in our nation politically, economically, and socially, we have been separated, divided, and challenged while attempting to not only succeed in pursuing higher education but stay engaged within the Pacific Community in meaningful ways. Obstacles that other generations of students never overcame are all in a day’s work for us, and however impossible that may sound, it’s actually more so. That constant state of struggle is the reality now and has been for almost exactly a year.
And, let’s face it: that kind of pressure is divisive. I mean, who among us can honestly say that, in the past year, we have taken a good look around at the world and thought to ourselves “Look at all of this unity!”? Who didn’t look at the news at any given point this year and feel the urge to walk straight into the ocean? In every discouraging national situation this year, I have found that the root of these feelings lay not in the overall political and ideological discourse, but in the inability of anyone to listen to one another. Whether it be in terms of political polarization, social injustice, or ideological polarization, it is clear that the challenge facing modern problem-solving is that being right has become more important than being understanding. Once again, it falls on our generation to face this challenge, as well. To make it fashionable to listen with the intention to understand instead of respond.
Of course, subservience is the last thing that this damaged world needs, especially from the youngest generation of voters, activists, philosophers, and leaders in this volatile country. This is absolutely not to say that one should not have convictions and stand firm with them. Although, the world also cannot possibly begin to move toward healing with more derision, so there has to be some kind of middle ground. It’s up to us to have meaningful, comprehensive interactions with each other this term, especially with those with whom we do not agree. That seemingly simple but actually meaningful goal can only make us more efficient, respectful problem solvers than the generations before us. — Isabelle Williams
Isabelle Williams is a junior at Pacific University who is majoring in Journalism and minoring in Theatre. She is from Astoria, Oregon, and enjoys writing about music and entertainment as well as investigative reporting. | <urn:uuid:a1a99953-281b-49b5-b987-68bc32f7d8d2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.pacindex.com/opinion/2021/02/05/how-to-unify-a-harrowed-gen-z/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.966845 | 664 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Training on e-Learning
The eLearning Unit (eLU) designs and implements training on eLearning tools for St George’s members of staff who deliver courses to undergraduate and Postgraduate students. Some of the examples are:
- SGUL Education Day: eLU actively participates in the Education Day implementing workshops, presentations and stands for staff and students.
- Teaching and Learning skills: As part of the Teaching and Learning Skills programme at SGUL we contribute to sessions on Teaching and Learning skills for staff from the NHS trust, the Undergraduate Intercalated BSc programme, and the Healthcare and Biomedical Education PgCert.
- One to one advice: we are at the disposal of SGUL students and of staff that requires advice on eLearning upon request.
The e-Learning Unit delivers workshops in the creation and implementation of interactive virtual scenarios also referred to as Virtual Patients within the medical and healthcare discipline. These workshops introduce participants to scenario-based learning (SBL) as a whole, how to use SBL and provide an opportunity to participants to have an hands on experience in creating interactive virtual scenarios.
Workshops are tailored to be delivered from half day to two full day workshops. The workshops can be constructed covering a range of related topics which best fit the recipients’ needs. Typically these workshops concentrate on creating Virtual Patients for use in medicine and healthcare, though the processes described could be applied to any competency-based discipline.
The training can be held in SGUL, in the interested institution or Online.
- Increase awareness and encourage uptake of Virtual Scenarios in education.
- Propose strategies for embedding Virtual Scenarios in problem-based learning, self-directed learning, classroom-based learning, and assessment.
- Learn about the cognitive thinking behind decision making.
Main content: Introduction to virtual patients and examples of where they are used within the medicine and healthcare course at SGUL
- Explanation of cognitive behaviours during decision making and the importance of it in competency based professions.
- Introduction of Virtual Scenario authoring systems.
- Tips on creating a good branched virtual scenario and what makes a good option.
- Hands on experience in create an interactive virtual scenario.
- Introduction to difference types of virtual scenarios for difference teaching settings
- Understand the role of the teacher or facilitator when using virtual scenarios.
The e-Learning Unit has delivered a number of seminars on different e-learning topics, the seminars have been attended by relevant researchers and stakeholders. Thanks to our funded international projects, we are now working with a wide network of professionals, internationally known for their work on scenario based learning and virtual patients. See more information on some of the seminars carried out below:
We are our choices, Learning decision-making through scenarios
Development of Interactive Scenario Based Learning in Medical Curricula across Europe
Jurys Inn Glasgow, September 2015
Designing and evaluating technology-enabled learning activities for health professional education
St George’s University of London, November 2013. | <urn:uuid:267a0901-71c4-4ee2-8977-ba53fee97821> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.elu.london/training-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.90283 | 641 | 2.453125 | 2 |
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Latest update： 25/05/2022 11:34:00
Tidal current power generation using a pendulum
We are an R&D manufacturer of power generation devices based on hydrodynamic power generation technology developed through flow-induced vibration research, together with disaster-prevention sensing devices applied to sensing and prediction. We will promote the concept of locally produced energy and develop a wide range of applications from disaster-prevention sensing to core electric power that supports our daily lives.
The uniqueness of Hydro-VENUS
Hydro-VENUS does not use complex blades or turbines like typical small hydropower systems. It can be made with simple poles with a circular, semi-circular, semi-oval, or other cross section. It solves various problems of flowing-water power generation like the following. Inexpensive and sturdy construction Drifting objects are less likely to become entangled Can be driven in shallow water and at low flow velocities
Tidal power generation
There is a vast amount of tidal energy, equivalent to 20 nuclear power plants, lying dormant in the familiar waters of Japan's coastal regions. Moreover, tidal currents are a stable power source that is not affected by weather conditions. Tidal current power is typically generated by rotating propellers, but our Hydro-VENUS (Hydrokinetic Vortex Energy Utilization System) is an innovative tidal current power generation system that uses a pendulum instead of a propeller. Disadvantages of the propeller method Blades damaged by entrapped drifting debris Special technology is required to manufacture the vanes Fish are injured by rotating propellers Features of Hydro-VENUS Less entrainment of drifting objects Simple shape and easy to manufacture Nutrient agitation effect improves the marine environment
Sensing for disaster prevention
Forecasting flooding is becoming increasingly important. However, there has been little progress in monitoring of changes in the upper reaches of rivers and small waterways in urban areas, which are important for forecasting. There are also places where there are no power or communication lines, such as mountainous areas. To solve these problems, we are currently developing a system with Okayama University with a small Hydro-VENUS device for electricity generation, sensing, and communication with cloud AI to make predictions.
This company is recommended by the following support organizations. | <urn:uuid:0735b5f3-0a76-4b13-b0aa-99936184b636> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://jgoodtech.smrj.go.jp/web/page/corp/-/info/JC0000000036545/appeal/eng?get-similar-corp-id=JC0000000036545&fromfunc=P023 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.89968 | 587 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Are concretes created the same?
Concrete comes in different mixes. It involves the same ingredients, such as cement, aggregates, paste, and other additives, but their ratio may differ, depending on its purpose. When it comes to cement, it is measured by the number of Portland cement bags used. At Sunshine Concrete Contractors Tampa, we use only the best quality products to come up with superior concrete that can last many decades.
How will the concrete be transported if heavy machinery like trucks can’t access the site?
When trucks are not available, we can use wheelbarrows or motorized buggies to deliver concrete to the site. This type of equipment has a size that can easily fit any gate openings. Further, it will not leave any unwanted marks or cause damage to your yard.
What if there are permits required?
We can assist you in obtaining whatever permit is required for the project. We can even do the job ourselves for your convenience.
Are cement and concrete the same?
While these two terms are used synonymously, they offer a different meaning from one another. Concrete is the bigger umbrella, while cement is one ingredient to make it. Concrete is a mixture of different products, including cement, paste, and aggregates. Gravel and sand make up the aggregates. Water is the paste needed to glue the products together. You should never say “cement sidewalk,” but concrete sidewalk.
What should be the thickness and strength of concrete?
These two things depend on where concrete is applied and its purpose. For instance, driveways require a standard thickness of 5 inches. On the other hand, patios, pool decks, and walkways should be 4 inches in diameter. In general, concrete strength is at 4,500 psi.
Will concrete crack?
Concrete is susceptible to cracks and chips because of wear and tear. One way to avoid this from happening is getting the right people to perform the installation because most damages surface due to poor installation.
Can damaged concrete be repaired?
We can restore your concrete’s former glory with the effective repair methods we use. Once we’re done with the repairs, you will think the cracks never happened.
Is concrete slippery?
Some stamped concrete becomes slippery in the winter due to poor installation. At BBB Concrete, this should be the least of your concerns. We include non-slip additives to sealers to eliminate slipping possibilities.
How should I maintain concrete?
One of the advantages of concrete is its ease of maintenance. You only need to sweep the dust and dirt off, and you’re good to go. However, we suggest resealing it every two years for maximum results. Give us a call when you need your concrete to be resealed, and we will be there in no time.
Can I apply salt to the concrete surface?
This is a poor practice some homeowners do to eliminate ice on concrete’s surface. Instead of using salt, you can use calcium-based products that can help get rid of ice on concrete. You can purchase them in any local hardware, and they are much safer for your concrete. You can also use shovels that are made from plastic to avoid leaving scratches on the concrete.
Contact Sunshine Concrete Contractors Tampa, 5001 N Nebraska Ave Suite 103, Tampa, FL 33603, (813) 750-0680, for more information. | <urn:uuid:48ee4d23-3602-43e6-9f4f-0882a054cc23> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.solutionhow.com/en-us/education/concrete-faq/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.935737 | 710 | 2.09375 | 2 |
Magical Natural Places to Visit in the UK
Here in the UK, we’re blessed to be surrounded by such vibrant swathes of nature. From beautiful coasts to vast forests and the odd soaring mountain, our natural countryside is often much more dynamic and varied than people imagine! There really is so much to discover here at home, just by taking a few steps off the beaten path.
While there are many places around the world famed for their natural beauty, the UK is full of equally stunning and unusual natural sights. Here, we take a look at some of the lesser travelled places of incredible natural beauty across the country.
One of the most iconic natural landmarks in the UK, Durdle Door is part of the Jurassic Coast in South West England. Formed millions of years ago and shaped by sea erosion, this limestone arch sits in the sea at the end of a small, secluded beach. An excellent natural sight in itself, it also makes for a good starting point for exploring the incredible South West Coast Path, one of the UK’s most picturesque walks.
The Giant’s Causeway
Often mistaken for a manmade structure, Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland is a truly remarkable sight. It consists of around 40,000 hexagonal basalt columns, formed during volcanic activity over 50 million years ago, forming stepping stones along the Northern Irish coast and into the sea. Giant’s Causeway is one of the country’s most famous landmarks, and it’s easy to see why!
Once voted one of Scotland’s most romantic glens, the natural beauty of this sparse land is hard to beat. Formed by a super volcano millions of years ago, Glencoe is a sweeping land in the Scottish Highlands surrounded by mountains and fresh glacial lakes. Various movies have used this location for its sharp natural beauty and incredible sense of serenity. You can enjoy Glencoe in many different ways, whether it’s walking, climbing or even skiing during the winter.
Another location featured in Hollywood movies, Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales is another incredible natural sight. Formed during the Ice Age, this limestone wall sits around 260ft tall from the ground below. A limestone path can take you to the top of the formation, which boasts fantastic views over this beautiful part of the UK.
Another of the UK’s most iconic natural landmarks are the white cliffs along its south coast. Located in Sussex, the Seven Sisters are a collection of undulating cliff faces, with white rock topped by luscious green countryside. Incredibly photogenic from a distance, they can also be walked for a fantastic day out!
One thing the UK is less famous for is its waterfalls. However, there are plenty of beautiful falls, particularly in the natural lands of North Wales. Swallow Falls, located just north of Betws-y-Coed, is one of the tallest continuous waterfalls in the UK. A remarkable sight that is also easily accessible, it makes for a nice walk through the deep natural lands of this part of the UK.
One of the UK’s most picturesque lakes, Wastwater is an unmissable part of the Lake District National Park. It is a glacial lake that stretches over three miles long and is also the deepest in England. The water has a near-perfect stillness, echoed by the awe-inspiring landscapes of one of England’s most famous natural regions.
A location full of fantasy charm, Wistman’s Wood is a small, high-altitude location in Dartmoor, Devon, full of old oak trees. Often covered in deep green moss, this wood has an incredible aura, evoking thoughts of a forgotten world cut off from our own. If you’re looking for somewhere to inspire your creativity, then this place is perfect!
These beautiful locations further highlight how fortunate we are in the UK to be surrounded by such luscious countryside! Here at LOWA, we love helping people get out there and explore what the country has to offer. If you want to discover any of these locations in comfortable footwear, take a look at LOWA's range of walking boots, designed to handle all challenges! | <urn:uuid:07ecd786-55bf-42eb-9a1e-99ca55b1126e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.lowa.co.uk/blogs/news/magical-natural-places-to-visit-in-the-uk | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.941144 | 905 | 1.945313 | 2 |
Que, 2000, 279 pages, C$38.95 tpb, ISBN 0-7897-2301-8
So near, and yet so long ago…
It’s a well-known fact: Things move quickly in the computer field, and even more so when it comes to Internet technologies. What is true now may not be useful in a month or so, as companies merge, products are replaced, stocks crash and people upgrade to newer things. Anyone who dares to write a technical book must accept this fact of life and be prepared to accept near-instant obsolescence. While I can pick up a novel from 1995 and read it as if it was published yesterday, computer books tend to mold in place only a few months after their publication.
MP3 Underground is such a book. Read barely two years after initial publication, it has already outlived its useful half-life. Technologies explained in this book have been upgraded, stopped or supplanted. Napster was destroyed by the RIAA when The Industry feared it was losing control of music distribution channels. CDex has replaced Audiograbber as the MP3 ripper of choice. One can now buy MP3-CDr players at the local Walmart for less than 100$Can. The static object that is MP3 Underground has been left behind in 2000 as the rest of the world has evolved.
Still, there’s no denying that the heart of MP3 Underground was -and remains- at the right place. One can still read the opening chapter to understand what “the MP3 revolution” is all about. This reviewer’s personal experience matches what father/son Ron and Michael White explain: It’s not about ripping off artists. It’s not about piracy or thievery or plain old adolescent mischief. It’s about taking control. It’s about listening to music you really like rather than being subject to the manipulation of The Industry. It’s about listening to music you like at home, at work and anywhere else without lugging stacks of unwieldy CDs. It’s about identifying the good from the bad without wasting your money. It’s about fostering a sense of community between people who like the same things. All of this and more is acknowledged by the Whites in the opening pages of MP3 Underground. They recognize that you want free music, but they also treat you like responsible adults; there is no need to paint all users with the same brush, as the RIAA is prone to do.
The rest of the book, predictably enough, doesn’t hold up as well. There is a quaint nostalgia at reading “how to use Napster” instructions, given today’s state-of-the-art Kazaa and WinMX networks. The other “how to” recipes all suffer from a similar impression: There are newer software products available out there to do it all without that many complications. Sure, it’s nice of them to have included a CD with all sorts of fun software on it, but we can do better now, thanks.
It gets worse in the last half of the book, which is a listing of the “Top 101 Internet Audio Sites”. As you can guess, most of the sites have now either been shut down, or have redesigned to become something other than what is described. Pure Internet-link rot, hideously visible even after two years. Heck, even the book’s “official” site, mp3under.com, doesn’t even exist anymore!
But in some ways, MP3 Underground is a time capsule of another time, a reminder of a technology’s difficult beginning. In a few years (and it might only be a few, at the speed things are going), well after the RIAA is disbanded, voluntary micropayments have been made easy and popular music has found a better business model, we’ll look upon MP3 Underground as the chronicle of the beginning of a truly modern era. The techno-hordes were knocking at the barricade, ready to help those stuck inside the walls. It’s a far-away vision of the future, and yet so close… | <urn:uuid:2eb0aa8b-1db1-401a-acd5-ac3d53e18e0a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.christian-sauve.com/2002/11/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.957022 | 885 | 1.507813 | 2 |
The FJEC exists to ensure Justice for current (and) future generations in Franklin and Williamson County.”5 PILLARS OF IMPACT”
1 • Education
2 • Law Enforcement
3 • Housing
4 • Business
5 • Mentoring
OUR MOVEMENT GOAL
Collectively as a group, we decided FJEC would be a movement that would bring unity to Franklin and Williamson County through a Multi-Ethnic, Multi Gender, Multi-Socioeconomic, and Multi-Denominational grassroots collaboration for generations in our community. Our goal is to help move this county forward in unity and amplify the voices of those who are overlooked and underserved.
We Serve Humanity
FJEC was formed in June 2020 after the tragic deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. A group of community advocates who represent diverse professional backgrounds decided to come together and hold a Prayer Vigil on June 2.
This was a great success with almost 2000 people attending from Williamson County and surrounding areas. We were encouraged and made aware of the urgent need for coalition building and continued dialogue around issues of racial justice. As a result, a group of community advocates who care about our community and seek to bring about positive social change formed the Franklin Justice and Equity Coalition. We are a group of pastors, community activists, educators, and concerned citizens.
Our vision is simple: “The FJEC exists to ensure Justice for current (and) future generations in Franklin and Williamson County.”
JOIN US! LET’S MAKE THE WORLD BETTER TOGETHER | <urn:uuid:5e7000db-2dfb-47fb-b08c-a59de86c71bc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://fjecwilco.org/?fbclid=IwAR0NDiIEE64IoBlz05bc71ZsPhthRMR7GuyYeYkPuVRgunkzNY9BSSWCDbQ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.938811 | 334 | 1.757813 | 2 |
A day care is a good example of a small business. It is a business venture that generates profit according to its high demand. A daycare is a place where working parents without nannies can take their young ones during the day or night when they are at work. The caregivers at the daycare centers take care of the children by feeding, cleaning and making sure they are at ease until they are taken by their parents or guardian. The most important thing is the safety and wellbeing of the children therefore a daycare should be situated in an environment that is conducive for them. Most daycares are situated in schools where kids whose parents work late can stay until they are picked during late hours. Most teachers and caregivers in those daycares are not properly trained for the specific job that they are supposed to carry out. The director of High Hope daycare invited me to his business to provide training and consultation.
Employees should understand that even after obtaining a job opportunity in an organization, they should always be updated on new techniques and courses that will supplement their qualifications. By conducting a training program for his employees, the director will have more competitive workers that will operate efficiently hence attracting more clients.
*Purpose / Agenda for the Training*
The purpose of this proposal is to train the staff on how to improve performance for The High Hope Daycare Services. This training will also help in identifying the challenges that the director of the daycare might face. This will help in early prevention of the obstacles by heading towards the right direction. The trainings agenda will also include detecting the organizational gaps in this business and justifying its effects.
*Comprehensive Discussion on the Proposal Agenda*
*Key elements of training and development in improving the performance of High Hope Daycare*
Orientation is one of the key elements that the institution should engage in to commit new employees their new jobs. Training and development program recommend employees to undergo orientation of their new work place for the purpose of preparation for the commitment of their work. mentorship is also an element that a training program require the daycare teachers to go through by being given advice and training by the old employees on the matters of organizational cultures so as to help them in them in developing skills that will come in handy for benefit the of the institution. Another key element is the job rotation program in the small business. This is an effective way of making sure that incase of any market change in the day care business the employees will be flexible to carry on with their duties in a different working position.
When the key elements are properly put into practice, the daycare will experience a very big change in terms of employee performance. This is because training will equip the caregivers with the necessary skills which will make them do exactly what they are required to hence improved performance (Shaw, 2018). Once the teachers understand their work in the institution, it will definitely increase their job satisfaction and will stay longer in the company not only to enjoy the benefits of working there but also to continue offering their qualified services to the institution. Shaw (2018) suggests that a training program should provide information and knowledge that is relevant to their jobs and meet their needs and expectation. Before the employer asked for my consultation for his daycare business he first identified the needs of his employees and made sure I successful delivered a program that meet the employees’ expectation.
*Challenges that the High Hope Daycare Director Might Face*
Managing people from different background and with different values in an institution can be challenging for many directors and it is recommend that they should foresee the challenges and be ready to tackle them whenever they arise. As a small business consultant I always advice my clients to never under estimate the staff performance management issue no matter the size of the institution (Vinel, 2015). The daycare director should be able to have ways of ensuring that the employees are working effectively in meeting the institution objectives. Here are some of the issues that the daycare management might face while addressing organizational performance.
*Maximizing Employees Performance*
Most mangers strive towards increasing their output by maximizing their employees’ performance. This is not as easy as many small business owners might think. Making the existing skills, knowledge and talents more productive for the benefit of an organization is such a complicated task. This becomes more complex when the manger is handling different projects with other companies (Vinel, 2015). As stated earlier, every challenge must have a solution or a a way of dealing with it. Bruno Vinel used a number of processes in performance management that really worked for him in his different teams. The managers should clearly outline the vision and the strategies put in place. He should communicate the employees and make clear the objectives and what is needed to be done. He should plan and set the targets to be made and give out the initiatives for the strategies by enhancing feedback and learning
*Managing Millenials employers*
Daycare staff can be of different age groups ranging from young mothers to grandmothers. In such an institution with employers of different generation, it easier to handle the older ones compared to the young ones. The management should thoroughly address the needs of the millennial generation and avoid generalizing. Millennial workers pay attention to details and adapt easily to new strategies and plans. They are workers who are full of new ideas and usually need more feedback on every progress they make (Vinel, 2015). The existing managerial system may not fully cater for the highly educated young employees which this can lead to low performance in their work.
In my view as consultant appraisals should be done every now and then to evaluate current performance, so that if any problems are identified, they can be dealt with within a short period of time. But instead most organization review appraisals for a year backwards which makes it hard for mistakes to be quickly spotted. In order to avoid inefficiencies in employees’ performance the objectives to be reached should be well understood by the employees and should be revisited every time to make every point clear.
*Justifying the effects of detecting organizational gaps in the daycare business*
An organizational gap analysis can be conducted to identify which organizational gaps are present in an institution. Since there are not many staff in the daycare the analysis can be conducted to every staff as opposed to per department (Berman, 2018)). There are several organizational that are more likely to be present in a daycare setup; skill gap, performance gap or communication gap. Skill gap is the difference between what the organization need in terms of skilled employees and what the employees can currently provide. Performance gap occurs when the current performance of the workforce is different from the desired organization performance.
By detecting the present organizational gaps, the manager will be aware of the areas or departments which are underperformed and act quickly in providing a lasting solution. It also helps in realizing the current status of the company and how far it is from reaching its set goals (Berman, 2018). By detecting the gaps in high hope daycare, the director will easily know if the institution is working towards its vision or not.
After identifying the gaps the manager should look at what could have caused them. For example if the organizational gaps present in the daycare is performance gap, the director should find out what causes the underperformance (Berman, 2018). If the daycare has the capability of handling more than a hundred children according to the number of staff but they can only manage half the number and there are complaints from the parents on how their children are being treated. This can caused by lack of skills from the employees and also luck of training on the new technology or equipment on handling the generation z children (Nordmeyer, 2018).
When the manager identifies gap and the causes, he should go ahead and come up with a strategy that will get the institution back on its feet and running and make it the best that people recommend for their children. Here is a competitive training strategy that will improve the position of the business in the market.
This strategy is designed to meet the institution goal and help in addressing the issue of the organizational gaps detected. Training strategy offers information and knowledge that add value to the employees’ performance by improving employee skill set and prepare staff for the goal to be achieved (Root, 2018).
For high hope daycare to know its internal needs, an assessment should be conducted which can be easily done by the manager because he has a better knowledge of the employees. The staff performance can be assessed by determining the efficiency dedication and turn over. Once the deficiency has been detected the next step is getting employee feedback (Leonard, 2018). The surveys to get employees feedback can be done privately by feeling a form and submitting it to the manager. By doing this the employees will be honest in giving their feedback even if it is negative hence obtaining accurate information.
*Other daycare services*
The director should learn from his competitors, what works and what does not work for them. Taking one or two tips from your competitors can be a business strategy that can maximize the institution profit.
*Agenda of training activities*
This area will point out on the main agenda that the training will be about. This is from the feedback that the employees have given and the deficiency seen in the care giving department as observed by the director. The first agenda of the training activities will to learn more on employee behavior. This includes sensitive matters such as sexual harassment at work and communication strategies (Root, 2018). The training on this will discuss how an employee is supposed to do once they experience sexual abuse at work, how to communicate effectively among employees clients and even the management in order to actualize the daycare gals and vision.
Another important agenda in the training activities is the employer performance strategy. This is a very important agenda to be discussed because it point outs on the performance of the employee which is contributing factor to the development of the institution. The feedback given by the employees the underperformance is brought by untrained daycare teachers who are not familiar with the latest technology and equipments in serving our clients (Root, 2018).
*Instructional strategies to be used*
They are different methods used in a training program to help participants master the delivered content. They include;
· Chunking- this involves presentation of information in small units, this helps the brain to organize the already learnt information to prevent overload. This is suitable for the elderly employees.
· Reciprocal Teaching – this is where by the participants master content then remind themselves by teaching one another. This helps one remember all the details of the lesson.
· Visual and graphic organizers- these include diagrams, tables, charts, videos and audios. This is a very good way to put emphasis on what has been taught (Connors, 2011).
*Details of the Training strategy proposal*
· Training program will start from April 25th and will be on for two weeks.
· All the employees of High Hope Daycare will be participating in this program.
· Employees to be informed about the training requirement
· Provide training and writing materials for the participants
· After every training session ask for feedback about how it was and what they have learnt.
· The training will take place in the school classrooms to avoid extra accommodation cost.
· There will a test for what has been learnt to see what the employees have captured.
Berman, C. (2018). *Organizational Gap Analysis*. *Smallbusiness.chron.com Smallbusiness.chron.com>*. Retrieved 20 April 2018, from smallbusiness.chron.com/organizational-gap-analysis-70281.html
Connors, P. (2011). *Instructional Strategies for Effective Training Delivery*. *Hr.maricopa.edu Hr.maricopa.edu>*. Retrieved 20 April 2018, from hr.maricopa.edu/sites/default/files/InstructionalStrategiesManual.pdf
Leonard, K. (2018). *How to Develop an Effective Training Strategy*. *Smallbusiness.chron.com Smallbusiness.chron.com>*. Retrieved 20 April 2018, from smallbusiness.chron.com/develop-effective-training-strategy-17943.html
Nordmeyer, B. (2018). *How to Document a Performance Gap & Solution Strategy*. *Smallbusiness.chron.com Smallbusiness.chron.com>*. Retrieved 20 April 2018, from smallbusiness.chron.com/document-performance-gap-solution-strategy-38612.html
Root, G. (2018). *Examples of a Training Strategy*. *Smallbusiness.chron.com Smallbusiness.chron.com>*. Retrieved 20 April 2018, from smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-training-strategy-11474.html
Shaw, J. (2018). *Effects of Training on Employee Performance*. *Smallbusiness.chron.com Smallbusiness.chron.com>*. Retrieved 20 April 2018, from smallbusiness.chron.com/effects-training-employee-performance-39737.html
Vinel, B. (2015). *5 challenges with organisational and employee performance*. *www.linkedin.com www.linkedin.com>*. Retrieved 20 April 2018, from www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-challenges-organisational-employee-performance-bruno-vinel | <urn:uuid:4852a7d4-25b5-4d60-abf9-4fdee9a90a61> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://essayfreelancewriters.com/essays/training-and-development-in-small-business/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.947964 | 2,756 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Sanofi Embraces Smartphones For SARS-CoV-2 Tests
Two innovative companies announced a collaboration to leverage mobile technologies to empower consumers.
Paris based Sanofi and Luminostics signed an agreement on April 16, 2020, to evaluate a unique self-testing solution for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease.
According to these companies, the goal of this collaboration is to provide a consumer-based test that can detect the COVID-19 virus with high sensitivity and specificity from respiratory samples.
The total time from specimen collection to results is about 30 minutes or less.
If development activities can be successfully conducted, the aim is to have an OTC self-testing solution before the end of 2020, subject to obtaining required regulatory clearances, said these companies.
"The development of a self-testing solution with Luminostics could help provide clarity to an individual - in minutes - on whether or not they are infected," says Alan Main, Executive Vice President, Head of Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, in a press release.
"Following this week's announcement of an unprecedented partnership with GSK in the hunt for a vaccine, our company's ambition is to continue to find other ways to help solve this pandemic situation."
The test is based on Luminostics' unique technology that utilizes a consumer smartphone's optics, controlled by an iOS/Android app paired with an inexpensive adapter, in combination with "glow-in-the-dark" nanochemistry and signal processing artificial intelligence.
A rapid self-testing solution would come with multiple advantages, including, but not limited to:
- easy access and availability to patients at thousands of points-of-sale including e-commerce
- no further interpersonal contact necessary to conduct the testing, thereby lowering the infection risk for patients, HCPs, and laboratory staff
- immediate availability of results allowing fast decision making
- providing consumers both public health and out-of-pocket cost benefits
Based on Luminostics' existing technology and prototypes, both companies envisage starting development activities in the coming weeks.
Luminostics is a California-based startup with a mission to increase healthcare accessibility and efficiency.
As one of the leading companies in the international fight against COVID-19 disease pandemic, Sanofi is already engaged in multiple clinical trials evaluating current treatment options (Kevzara(R) and Plaquenil(R)) in patients suffering from COVID-19 disease, as well as 2 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine programs.
Announced in a press release on April 14, 2020, Sanofi said the ‘global access to COVID-19 vaccines is a priority and are committed to making any vaccine that is developed through the collaboration affordable to the public.’
This new collaboration marks a significant milestone in Sanofi’s ongoing contributions to help fight COVID-19.
Sanofi has entered into a Material Transfer Agreement with GSK to enable the companies to start working together immediately.
Sanofi said it will contribute its S-protein COVID-19 antigen, which is based on recombinant DNA technology.
This technology has produced an exact genetic match to proteins found on the surface of the virus, and the DNA sequence encoding this antigen has been combined into the DNA of the baculovirus expression platform, the basis of Sanofi’s licensed recombinant influenza product in the US.
And, GSK will contribute its proven pandemic adjuvant technology to the collaboration.
Precision Vaccinations publishes breaking news focused on vaccines, mediations, and testing solutions. | <urn:uuid:6cff368b-19f6-45bb-ac3e-881b8daa6648> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.precisionvaccinations.com/luminostics-joins-forces-sanofi-empower-smartphone-based-coronavirus-self-testing | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.927656 | 742 | 1.820313 | 2 |
What should we think about the Jews as a chosen people?
In modern society, the claim that one race is above another is called racism. What is the origin of the Jewish people’s belief that they are the chosen people, and how is it presented in the Bible? Further-more, what effect has this belief had on the Jewish people collectively, on Israeli policies toward others, and on the response of other groups toward Israel?
There are few concepts in religion that are more emotionally loaded and misunderstood than the claim that the Jewish people are God’s “chosen people.”1 In an era during which equality is a major issue, such a claim seems obsolete and offensive. As Jon Leven-son observes, “Few religious doctrines have attracted more virulent criticism than the idea of the chosen people. Over the past several centuries alone, both Jews and non‑Jews have judged this key tenet of classical Judaism to be undemocratic, chauvinistic, superstitious in short, retrograde in every way that matters to the progressive mind.”
Indeed, this idea of “chosenness” has been said to be the root of anti‑Semitism and to have spawned The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a notorious forgery that originated in czarist Russia and alleges a Jewish plot to achieve global domination. Furthermore, those who are calling for peace in the Middle East view this concept of chosenness as being inherently divisive and detrimental to attempts at reconciling the opposing factions in the conflict. For many religions this is an outdated concept, referring now only to a broken covenant relationship with God that has been superseded by more recent revelations. How then are we to under-stand the Jewish claim to chosenness in the twenty‑first century?
Because God’s Word is everlasting and does not change, it is the only sure standard upon which we can gain an understanding of Israel, the Jewish people, and the Middle East conflict—no matter what the latest cultural opinion polls say.
According to divine revelation, Israel did not choose for itself the burden of being a chosen people. Nor was the application of the term intend-ed to stir enmity or to imply that the unchosen are the enemies of God. Rather, God’s intent was to produce humility and generate a servant people who would represent Him before the world and ultimately be the means to blessing all nations who come to the God of Israel through the Messiah of Israel (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:8).
Israel as the Chosen People in the Past
The Old Testament explains the concept of chosenness and affirms national (or ethnic) Israel as a chosen people. It provides the basis for Israel being afforded this special status as well as the purposes for Israel’s chosenness. As we consider what the Old Testament says, we can gain a better understanding of Israel’s special relationship with God and its unique role in the world.
As we seek to understand Israel’s status as a chosen people, we must first consider the biblical teaching of election. In doing so, we must make a theological distinction between indi- vidual election and national election. Individual election extends to any person and results in the salvation of that individual. By contrast, national election concerns only Israel and does not result in spiritual salvation (which only individual election can do) nor the physical deliverance of every member of the nation. Its aim is to guarantee that God’s purpose(s) for choosing the nation will be accomplished and that the elect nation will always survive as a distinct entity. These purposes include an elect remnant of Israel obtaining national salvation (Rom. 11:25‑27), experiencing physical restoration in its promised land (Ezek. 37:25‑26), and realizing its role as a blessing to the nations (Zech. 8:23). This national election of Israel is the basis for its status as the chosen people.
It is a common misconception that the Jewish people’s chosenness was based on some virtue they possessed or status they had achieved. In fact, they were chosen by God before they existed as a people or a nation. Scrip-ture reveals that Israel was chosen as a nation in the time of Abraham (see Gen. 12:2; 18:19)—before the birth of his sons Isaac and Jacob (whose name was changed to Israel). It was God’s choosing of the seed of the Patriarchs that made them the chosen people before this people or nation existed.
The unconditional nature of Israel’s election is emphasised in Deuteronomy 4:37: because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants [seed] after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power (NKJV). In this verse, Moses stated that the basis of Israel’s election was God’s love for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with whom He had made a covenant, and He chose their descendants on the basis of that covenant relationship.
In Deuteronomy 7:6-8:1, Israel is declared to be “a holy people,” not because of any innate righteousness on their own part, but because God has chosen them (7:6). God’s choosing set Israel apart from other nations. She was God’s own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth (7:6; cf. 26:18). Moreover, in Deuteronomy 7:7‑8, Moses said that the basis for Israel’s election was not due to its size (v. 7), for it was smaller than other nations, but because God loved Israel and established a covenant relationship with her founding fathers (v. 8). Because of this covenant relationship, God delivered Israel from Egypt (Ex. 3:6‑10) and set her above the other nations (Deut. 10:15). As a result, the people of Israel were obligated to obey God’s commandments (Ex. 19:6) and to circumcise their heart (Deut. 10:16), which was a spiritual sign of personal faith and individual salvation.
While Israel was chosen on the basis of God’s love, there were multiple purposes for God’s election of Israel. We find the primary purpose stated at the outset of God’s revelation at Mount Sinai in Exodus 19:6: You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. While Israel’s status as “a holy nation” was based on her election, the purpose for her election was to be “a kingdom of priests.” Even though Israel had a priestly tribe (Levi), the nation collectively was to serve as a priesthood. The historical function of a priest was to represent man to God. Therefore, just as the tribe of Levi represented Israel before God, Israel was to represent the Gen-tile nations before God.
Another purpose for Israel’s chosen status was so that she could be the recipient and recorder of God’s revelation. It was for this reason Israel received the Mosaic Law (Deut. 4:5‑8; 6:6‑9; Rom. 3:1‑2). Yet another purpose for her chosenness was so she could serve as a witness for the one true God. In Isaiah 43:10‑12, Israel was chosen to proclaim to the Gentile nations that YHWH, the God of Israel, is the one and only true God and Savior, and therefore all who seek salvation must find it exclusively in Him.
A final purpose for Israel’s chosen-ness was to produce a lineage for the Messiah (Rom. 9:5; Heb. 2:16‑17; 7:13‑14). He would be born of the seed of Abraham and of the lineage of David (Mt. 1:1), bringing salvation first to Israel (Acts 3:26; Rom. 1:16) and then to the nations (Acts 13:47; Titus 2:11).
Just as national Israel’s chosen-ness had a purpose, there was also a divinely designed program that would support and perpetuate the promises made to her as a chosen people. This program consists of the four biblical covenants made by God to Abraham and his descendants after him. These covenants begin with the Abrahamic covenant, the wellspring of the other three covenants and the basis on which the Messiah came to bring redemption to Israel (Lk. 1:54‑55, 68‑73). The three promises in this covenant of a land, a seed, and a blessing (Gen. 12:1‑3; 22:17) became the basis for three separate covenants: the land covenant (Deut. 30), the Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7), and the new covenant (Jer. 31-33).
These covenants were unconditional (“I [God] will…”) and unending (“forever”) and form the basis for God’s preservation of the Jewish people through time, their return to the land of Israel, the future rule of Messi-ah, and Israel’s future physical restoration and spiritual blessings in the kingdom of God. Due to the chosen people’s national sin (idolatry and defection from God—see Isa. 30:1, 9‑14; 31:6‑7), they did not experience the fulfilment of all the provisions promised in these covenants—and those that they did experience were temporary. This lack of fulfilment has made some people wonder whether Israel’s past rejection of God and His Messiah has cancelled their chosen status and replaced them with another chosen people (the church).
Israel as the Chosen People in the Present
Proponents of covenant theology teach that to a lesser or greater degree, God’s biblical covenants to Israel are now being fulfilled in, by, or through the church. Their view of God’s covenants controls how they interpret the nature, extent, and application of the biblical covenants made with national Israel. Some covenant theologians argue that these covenants were made with the church from the very beginning (elect Israel = the church in the Old Testament). Others concede that the covenants were originally made with national Israel but contend they have now been transferred to the church. As for national Israel, all that was promised either has already been fulfilled or has been forfeited through Jewish unbelief. Even covenant premillennialists, who see a future for ethnic Israel, believe that Israel will ultimately be amalgamated into the church.
This view, popularly stated, asserts that Israel was a chosen people in the past but was disinherited by God due to the people’s rejection of their Messi-ah. Therefore, the church has replaced Israel under the new covenant and has become the new chosen people. Replacement theology maintains that because the church is the new Israel and has spiritually inherited Israel’s covenants, modern Israel and the Jewish community have no special relationship with God that constitutes chosenness.
Is this, in fact, what the New Testament teaches? Should we make a theological distinction between Israel in the past and Israel in the present? What are the practical and political consequences of such a theological position? To answer these questions, we must look more closely at the four unconditional covenants God made with Israel in the past and determine if their legal language could allow for God’s promises to be cancelled and transferred to a different entity.
An Overview of the Biblical Covenants in the Present
In the New Testament, the term “Israel” is used a total of 73 times, with the vast majority of instances referring only to national ethnic Israel. The three exceptions are Romans 9:6, 11:26, and Galatians 6:16; however, a strong case can be made for these also referring exclusively to ethnic Israel. Based on the New Testament usage of “Israel,” we can conclude that the church is never called a “spiritual Israel” or “new Israel.” The term “Israel” is either used of the nation or the people as a whole, or of the believing remnant within it, but is never used of the church in general or of Gentile believers in particular.
For that reason, we can know that national Israel continues to be God’s chosen people. Whether or not the people are functioning within the purpose of their chosenness, if they exist as a distinct ethnic people, the covenants that were unconditionally promised to them must in some sense continue to operate in the present time. An overview of this present function of the covenants will help us realise this fact.
First, the biblical covenants were made exclusively with the Jewish people, designated as Israel. This is stated in Romans 9:4‑5. In that passage, not only is the emphasis on their ethnic identity (“fathers…flesh”), but on their present possession of these covenantal promises as well. If the writer, the apostle Paul, had understood that the rejection of Messiah by national Israel (as represented by its leaders), which had occurred 20‑plus years earlier, had caused it to forfeit these promises, he would not have used the present tense in that statement. This demonstrates that the New Testament under-stood Old Testament “elect Israel” as ethnic (no Gentiles included), distinguishing it from the church, which is inclusive of both Jews and Gentiles.
Second, the content of these covenants, which are legal contracts, must be interpreted literally if they are to be fulfilled as originally given in the context of a particular people (the Jewish people) and a particular place (the land of Israel). Since, as stated above, these covenants were made exclusively with Israel as an ethnic and national people, they must be fulfilled with them alone. This is not to say another entity (the church) could not participate in them (under the new covenant, cf. Eph. 2:11‑22; Rom. 11:17‑24), but that their fulfilment must take place as originally intended. In contract law, both parties must unambiguously understand the terms of the contract before agreeing to them. This is called “a meeting of the minds.” Israel could not have under-stood God to have promised her something that would be fulfilled by another people (the church). God could not have intended something different than what He promised without stating it or letting the people continue in their misunderstanding. This would constitute deception, rendering the contract null and void, and God has told Israel that He cannot lie but will always do what He has promised (Num. 23:19).
Third, the covenants God made with Israel are eternal and are not conditioned by time. The eternality of the covenants is stated variously as “forever” (Gen. 13:15; Ex. 32:13; 2 Sam. 23:5) or “forever and ever” (Jer. 7:7; 25:5; cf. Ps. 48:14) or “everlasting” (Gen. 17:7‑8,19). While the basic Hebrew term used here (‘olam) may have the sense of undefined time, the one defining it in context is God, who is called “God the Eternal” (El ‘olam—Gen. 21:33) and has an unlimited view of time with respect to the fulfilment of His legal obligations (Ex. 15:18; Deut. 32:40; Ps. 90:2).
While, as stated above, nothing over time can change the terms of the covenants (literal fulfilment with Israel), fulfilment can be delayed or postponed. The fact that a covenant is made at a specific point of time does not mean that all the provisions of the covenant must go into effect immediately. Some can, but others may not—even for centuries. For example, Abraham was promised a son through Sarah but had to wait 25 years before that promise was fulfilled. Other provisions were not fulfilled until later in Jewish history, such as the deliverance from Egypt, which was also part of the covenant (Gen. 15:13‑16). Finally, other provisions are still future and have not yet been fulfilled, such as Israel’s ownership of and settlement in all of the Promised Land (Gen. 15:18; Ex. 23:31; Deut. 11:24; Jos. 1:4; 13:1). Under the present condition of Israel’s discipline for disobedience, fulfilment must wait until that time in the future when Israel repents as a nation at the coming of the Messiah (Zech. 12: 10-14:11; Mt. 24:30‑31; Acts 3:19‑ 26; Rom. 11:25‑27).
Fourth, God’s covenants with Israel are unconditional, which means their fulfilment is totally dependent upon God. Even though these covenants include conditional aspects, these aspects are not the basis by which the covenants will be fulfilled. While Israel’s failure to meet the conditions within these covenants has resulted in divine discipline, the covenant promises cannot be abrogated (Jer. 30:11; Rom. 11:11‑15). This fact was clearly stated in Scripture to assure Israel that even when it was exiled to foreign lands on account of divine judgment, God would still fulfil His promises by regathering Israel to the land and restoring her relationship to Him (Jer. 29:14; cf. Deut. 30:4; Ezek. 11:17; 36:24; 37:21,25; 39:28). There is no clearer statement of this fact than in Psalm 89 with respect to the Davidic covenant (esp. verses 3-4, 28-29, and 30-36).
In addition, God has guaranteed the fulfilment of the covenants to Israel not for their sake, but for the sake of His own reputation (Ezek. 36:16‑32). For this reason, Israel’s present disobedience has not changed the past promises, for God has not changed, the chosen people (Israel) have not changed, and the chosen place (the land of Israel) has not changed. Final fulfilment for Israel will be within “God’s kingdom program [which] was the outworking of His eternal and unconditional covenants with Israel.”
The Operation of the Biblical Covenants in the Present
All four biblical covenants are not only still in effect, but also still operative at the present time. The church does indeed have a relationship to these covenants, but it is not the relationship that is described by covenant theology. Today, Israel is a scattered nation, but still a nation. Just as Israel remained distinct in Egypt, the Jewish people have remained distinct throughout the church age. No other nation that lost its national homeland and became dispersed for centuries has ever survived as a distinct entity. Rather, wherever those nations were scattered, they intermarried and disappeared into a melting pot. Not so with the Jews, whose distinctive history is still easily traceable. The fact that the Jews have continued to survive as a people—in spite of so many attempts to destroy them—shows that the Abrahamic covenant (inclusive of all the other covenants) is still operative.
The land covenant revealed that the land would be desolate (Isa. 6:11; 33:8) and that a final worldwide regathering would follow a similarly worldwide dispersion (Deut. 4:25‑31; 30:1‑9; Jer. 33:10‑22; Ezek. 36:3‑24).
While the final regathering is still future, the global scattering is a present fact and has been so since AD 70. Within the confines of the church age, there has been no truly independent government in the land since AD 70 until recently. It has been overrun many times and ruled by many powers (Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks, and Britons), but always ruled from somewhere else, especially under Arab occupation (Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, Amman, etc.).
Though the land was renamed Palestine by Hadrian in the second century AD, there never was a Palestinian state with a Palestinian government. The first time an independent government was set up in the land since AD 70 was in 1948 with the state of Israel. This modern return to the land is in keeping with the promise of the land covenant. Therefore, the history of the land of Israel reveals that the land promises have and are being fulfilled—demonstrating that the land covenant is still working itself out with the chosen people. Never in history has Israel possessed, dwelt in, and settled in all of the Promised Land. However, the land covenant guarantees that someday it will (Ezek. 37:25‑26; 45:1‑8; 47:13‑23).
The Davidic covenant (2 Sam. 7:8‑16) offered four eternal promises: a house (vv. 11,16), a throne (vv. 8,13,16), a kingdom (vv. 12,16), and a descendant (vv. 12,13,14‑15). The fact that Yeshua the Messiah, the son of David (Mt. 1:1; Lk. 1:32; cf. Rev. 5:5), is David’s eternal descendant and is now seated on a throne at the right hand of God (Ps. 110:1) shows that this covenant is still functioning. Messiah is not currently ruling from the Davidic throne over the physical kingdom of Israel (note that the throne of David was on earth and the throne of God is in heaven), but the very fact Messiah has yet to sit upon the throne of David to rule over Israel confirms that the status of the chosen people has been maintained.
As for the promised kingdom, God stated this provision in 2 Samuel 7:10. It is evident from Israel’s present experience in the Middle East conflict that this promise has not yet been fulfilled but will be in the future (Jer. 33:14‑17,19‑22). Therefore, this covenant must remain in operation until its fulfilment.
The new covenant (Jer. 31:31- 33:26) was made between God and Israel as the means to the fulfilment of the covenantal promises. The major feature of this covenant was Israel’s national salvation, inclusive of every individual Jew. This covenant was signed and sealed by the shed-ding of Yeshua the Messiah’s blood. While this provided the basis for individual Jewish salvation, the national salvation of Israel awaits a future fulfilment, with Israel’s national repentance and acceptance of Yeshua when He comes to bring national redemption and restoration (Zech. 12:10-13:1,8‑9; 14:4; Acts 3:19‑21; Rom. 11:25‑27). While the church has a relationship to this covenant, this is a uniquely Jewish covenant and there-fore can only be fulfilled by a future national salvation of Israel. However, its present outworking, witnessed in the individual salvation of a Jewish remnant and their indwelling by the Holy Spirit within the church (Rom. 1:16‑17; 9:27‑29; 11:1‑5; 10: Acts 2:1‑4), gives assurance that the promised national salvation (Ezek. 36:24-32) will take place.
In addition, the fact that the Abrahamic covenant is still operational is confirmed by the fact that the blessings and curses promised in Genesis 12:3 continue to be experienced by the world’s nations based on their relation-ship to Israel. Those who have opposed or oppressed Israel have fallen, and those who have harboured and protected Israel have risen. This ongoing blessing or judgment of the nations affirms the continual function-ing of the Abrahamic covenant during this era of the new covenant.
Still the Chosen People
Some have been confused by the fact that the Jewish people are in partial possession of the Promised Land yet are not in a spiritual relationship with God, per the conditions stated within the covenants. This confusion is removed when we recognise that the prophets spoke of two international returns: the first a regathering in unbelief in preparation for judgment (Ezek. 20:33‑38; 22:17‑22) during the tribulation (Mt. 24:15‑21), which will be followed by a second regathering in faith in preparation for the blessings of the Messianic age (Isa. 11:11‑12; Ezek. 36:22‑24). The restoration of the Jewish state is a fulfilment of the prophecies that spoke of a regathering in unbelief in preparation for judgment. The fact that prophecies are being fulfilled with the modern state of Israel shows that Israel continues to remain God’s chosen people.
As we have seen, the biblical covenants contained two types of promises: physical and spiritual. The physical promises were, and still are, limited to Israel and will be fulfilled only by Israel, which is an aspect of chosen-ness. Another aspect of chosenness is that the spiritual blessings of these covenants would be mediated by Israel to the Gentile world. By faith, Gentiles can become partakers of the Jews’ spiritual blessings, but they are not takers‑over, as replacement theology teaches. All the spiritual benefits are now being shared by the church (comprised of both Jews and Gentiles), but the still‑future fulfilment of these covenants with regard to Israel indicates they remain in operation today and Israel is still the chosen people. In the final analysis, despite Israel’s present discipline and the problems posed by the Middle East conflict, Israel continues to be the chosen people because the world has not yet experienced the international peace, prosperity, and blessing that the Jewish people were chosen to bring to mankind (Isa. 2:2‑4; 60:5‑14; Zech. 8:23).
This article is based on a on a on a chapter the author wrote What Should We Think About Israel?, an excellent book excellent by Randal Price, published this this year by Harvest House Publishers. The text was slightly edited to better fit the format of this magazine.
If you loved this article be sure to check out the source in edition 33 – Ariel Magazine | <urn:uuid:d76e947b-224c-4de7-ad39-0a00807e1aa3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ariel.org.nz/anti-semitism/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.963194 | 5,508 | 2.6875 | 3 |
Sculptor Francesco Fanelli was born on 17 December 1577 in Florence where he was apprenticed to the Giovanni Bandini. By August 1605, Fanelli and his family were living in Genoa. During his twenty-five-year residence there, he collaborated with many of the city’s local and foreign sculptors, painters, and silversmiths. His presence is recorded at the London court of Charles I in March 1632. In England, Fanelli is principally remembered for small table bronzes and reliefs of animalier, mythological, and biblical subjects.
They were instrumental in establishing the vogue for Baroque sculpture in Caroline England. From Abraham van der Doort’s 1639 inventory of the Royal Collection, it is evident that Charles I purchased at least five of Fanelli’s statuettes. Horseman William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle, possessed a number of Fanelli’s equestrian statuettes. In addition to his work as a sculptor, it is possible that Fanelli was involved, from 1639, in the ambitious Italianate garden complex planned for Queen Henrietta Maria’s new palace at Wimbledon. Attributed to him is the tomb monument to John Bridgeman and his wife in Ludlow church. His only signed sculpture is a 1640 portrait bust of young Charles II as Prince of Wales, at Welbeck Abbey. He left England in 1642 and died in 1653. His workshop was re-established in London in 1663 when his son, Giovanni Battista, found employment with Charles II. | <urn:uuid:fcc763fb-fd2f-47f5-ab3e-b1436a79ab0f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://immigrants.blot.im/1632-1642-palace-of-whitehall-westminster | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.974396 | 331 | 2.890625 | 3 |
People rationalize their buying decisions using the most precise logic. Once they have made a decision, a buyer can list all of the features that drove them to purchase. The reality, however, is that people make buying decisions in a large degree based not on logic, but on emotion – how they feel about the product and, more importantly, about you. That’s why a good travel consultant must understand both the client’s logical thinking process as well as their emotional make-up. At the end of the day, buying decisions are based on other than pure logic.
These baseline facts can create confusion for the travel counselor. Playing to people’s emotions sounds like a cheap sales trick. However, it is possible to utilize this knowledge with integrity and in the best interests of your client.
Firstly, clients want to travel. You don’t have to “sell” them on travel. What you do have to sell them on, however, is yourself. People make emotional buying decisions, but a big part of that emotional experience is based on trust. In order to gather a core group of clients around your practice, you have to develop the ability to engage your clients on a deep level, to inspire confidence. Certainly facts are important, clients will want to know the features of a travel plan. But first they want to trust your ability to guide their selection process and to bring your own logic to the fore. They count on you to exercise the logic function on their behalf, to bring your expertise to bear on what can be an overwhelming amount of data.
But what is it that will win over the client’s confidence? What persuades a client to make an emotional investment of trust in your travel practice? People do business with companies that make them feel good. Deep within most people is the capacity to inherently understand when a company mirrors their own values. People look for empathy, for a travel planner than has the capacity to best understand their own situation, to honestly assist them in making a buying decision. Great travel consultants think from a client-centric point of view. The emotion such a travel planner seeks most to elicit is trust. That’s why all of the agent’s collateral, demeanor, choices, and presentations have to exude a client-centric perspective. Empathy combined with confidence, with a bit of personality thrown in, equals trust.
That’s the emotion your clients are secretly seeking. Draw them in with trust and they will leave with travel. | <urn:uuid:fd6e7bf4-0ae6-4ebb-81ed-3ceb79ac5133> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.travelresearchonline.com/blog/index.php/2022/01/buying-on-emotion/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.967691 | 511 | 1.609375 | 2 |
How Fashion Affects Us
Fashion is the most popular form of autonomy and self-expression in a certain context and at a certain time, of attire, footwear, accessories, hair style, makeup, and appearance. In its broader usage, the word also suggests a style defined by the fashion business as what is fashionable at that time. The culture is the main factor that determines how acceptable a style is and what will get the reaction of those who are the part of the audience or the spectators. If a style is deemed inappropriate or unfashionable, it will be perceived by most people as something that goes against the values of the culture.
We can see fashion from different perspectives. On the one hand, we can see fashion from the perspective of the fashion designers who create new styles and fashion trends as we come out of the common waking phase and enter adulthood. We can see fashion from the perspective of the spectators who merely observe the fashion and what is happening in the world of fashion. And we can also see fashion from the perspective of people who are into fashion and what they do to create new and updated fashion statements. We can also see fashion from the perspective of the many different types of people who are not into the concept of fashion as we see it, but just observe how fashion is being done, such as the housewives and the children who have no interest in fashion. But as a collective whole, we can say that the culture is the driving force that shapes and determines fashion.
In our daily life, most of us wear clothing. To some extent, fashion has become an important part of the way we live. We can see fashion from the perspectives of the spectators, those who just observe, listen to, and appreciate the way the fashion is being done, like when we go to the malls to buy new clothes to wear on the upcoming day. Or we can also observe the people, especially the women, who are into fashion and have their own clothes to wear every day to maintain a particular image of beauty that is seen in the society. Then we can also observe fashion from the perspective of the people who are into fashion and want to be fashionably and stylish as they dress up their bodies in different and interesting clothes every day to make a fashion statement. | <urn:uuid:cce97e85-abd1-4ad0-954e-d53cbac8e486> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://fsfab.org/how-fashion-affects-us/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.979253 | 457 | 2.765625 | 3 |
What would I want to partition my hard drive?
Answer: When you partition your hard drive, you create different sections of it that your computer reads as separate disks. One reason for partitioning your hard drive is so that you can install multiple operating systems on it. For example, Linux needs to be installed on its own partition in order to work. Another reason to partition your hard drive is so that it will read data more efficiently. If you have a large hard drive (20 GB or more), it would be wise to split it into at least two partitions. This way, the hard disk doesn't have to scan as much to find files. It also allows data to be stored in smaller block sizes, which means more space for your files.
To partition a hard drive that has already been formatted (and which you don't want to erase), you can use a program like Partition Magic, which will create a new partition on a hard drive without erasing any data. Otherwise, you can use your operating system's drive setup program to initialize and partition your hard drive. Though this is the best way to partition your drive, it can only be done by erasing all the data on it first.
Entered: April 10, 2000 – by Per Christensson | <urn:uuid:60a1e56d-db3a-4a73-a0bb-f76b175469f1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://pc.net/helpcenter/answers/partition_hard_drive | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.958129 | 266 | 2.59375 | 3 |
The Palestinian artist and architect Samir Harb’s graphic novel seeks to explore the urban semiotics of the city of Ramallah in Palestine. We show a work-in-progress.
Set on a construction site in Ramallah/Palestine, the graphic novel tells the story of the political transition which occurred on both an urban and ideological level between 2006-2007. New urban processes of a neo-Palestinian institutional image and state rebuilding have emerged. The story centers around a fresh graduate architect who finds himself caught up in this. He is assigned to supervise construction works in one of the main governmental headquarters − the well-known Mukataa, a compound which was previously under siege and destroyed in 2002. He has no idea what he is getting into despite the geography of destruction and the ruins of the site. However, he is passionately determined to pursue his future as an architect and help his city to heal from its wounds in the aftermath of the Israeli invasion. As events unfold, a conflict between his professional identity and a feeling of failure for helping to realize the Palestinian Authority’s dream starts to slowly develop within him. It becomes evident that his role as an architect will take a turning point. It becomes evident that his role as an architect will take a turning point.
This is a work-in-progress project seeking to explore the city of Ramallah’s urban semiotics.
Text by Samir Harb
More at http://samir-harb.tumblr.com/ | <urn:uuid:28026ab8-8925-4fd1-b118-9e5e225efcc9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://schloss-post.com/days-of-void/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.977028 | 305 | 1.664063 | 2 |
One could be tempted to believe that Nigeria’s democracy depends on the will of the people, but in reality, a small group of kingmakers, old and new ones, choose the country’s leaders. This article by Afolabi Adekaiyaoja is published by Democracy in Africa. Here is an excerpt:
In a country as diverse as Nigeria, few events provide such a clear melting pot of the country’s different groups as a political convention. Parties are mandated to maintain representation across the country, and they bring their lived experiences and priorities to bear when choosing a standard bearer. It is why the recent amendment of the Electoral Act, that changes the voting delegates at the convention, is another marker in evaluating Nigeria’s imperfect but ultimately sustaining democracy.
Nigeria borrows the delegate system from the United States and has statutory and ad-hoc delegates. The former are elected officials on the platform of the party and include everyone on the rung of leadership in the country – from the president to the chair of one of the 774 local governments – and allows them to take part in the voting process. The latter are party members selected specifically for the process of taking part in an ‘electoral college’ to conduct official party business and selections, which include state or national leaders to nominees for elected offices. In a party with little or no representation in any elected office, there is no real difference since there will be no difference in the type of delegation. But, in the larger parties that have elected officials, this bloc can be an influential and powerful voting group that can change the direction of these selections.
In February 2022, President Buhari signed into law an amendment to the Electoral Act. The bill made substantial changes to the electoral landscape, such as including the provision for electronic transmission for results and more powers to the electoral management body. However, a particular part of the bill became the bone of contention afterwards. Section 84 (12) states that “a serving political office holder cannot vote, or be voted for, at the conventions or congresses for any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election in cases where it is held earlier than 30 days to the National Election”. Initially, the focus of this section was on appointed officials having to resign their offices before contesting for elected positions. But, an initially unexpected consequence was that most politicians focused on the latter part – not being able to be voted for – without understanding that it meant they too would not be able to vote in the coming elective conventions.
Continue reading here. | <urn:uuid:73c2f962-6104-4185-9985-762e262724ff> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://democracychronicles.org/nigerias-new-kingmakers/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.970781 | 529 | 2.109375 | 2 |
Citing unnamed US military officials, The New York Times reported Saturday that Israel was responsible for a recent cyberattack against civilian infrastructure in Iran that targeted gas stations.
The report said Israel was behind an October 26th hack of Iran’s fuel distribution system that caused gas pumps to stop working across the country. Gas pumps displayed a digital message telling customers to blame the problem on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran provides a certain amount of subsidized fuel to each citizen for a discounted price, and the report said it took the Oil Ministry two weeks to get the system back up and running. The idea was to get Iranians angry at the government and to create unrest, but it never materialized.
It’s unclear if the cyberattack was as disruptive as the Times report said, as Israel is known for using leaks to the media to exaggerate the power it has inside Iran. The report also cited unnamed Israeli officials who claimed Iranians hacked an Israeli dating site and a medical facility in response. The officials said the hackers posted the personal details of millions of Israelis to social media.
Israel is often suspected of carrying out cyberattacks against Iran on top of its frequent attacks against Iran’s civilian nuclear program. But the US usually keeps quiet on these operations. The acknowledgment by US officials came just before the US and Iran resumed negotiations to revive the nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA, and could have been an attempt to increase the pressure ahead of the talks.
When the Biden administration started its first round of talks with Iran back in April, Israel carried out a covert attack against Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility. By not condemning the attack, the US gave it a tacit endorsement. Quietly backing Israel’s operations against Iran appears to be a negotiations tactic for the Biden administration. | <urn:uuid:9c07fb75-3169-4140-a0d4-1ac5c73f4554> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://news.antiwar.com/2021/11/29/us-officials-say-israel-was-behind-recent-cyberattack-in-iran/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.966462 | 368 | 1.585938 | 2 |
< CAPTCHAJump to navigation Jump to search
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- Artificial intelligence : The field of science and engineering involved with the study, design and manufacture of systems that exhibit qualities such as adaptivity, complexity, goal pursuit, reactiveness to surroundings, and others that are commonly attributed to "intelligence."
- Kings of Chaos : A text-based Massively Multiplayer Online Strategy Game.
- Website : A collection of pages that provide content. | <urn:uuid:7abb179f-f74d-479f-9e12-b3dea404d8d3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://citizendium.org/wiki/CAPTCHA/Related_Articles | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.903608 | 131 | 2.34375 | 2 |
Limitations of Weight Velocity Analysis by Commercial Computer Program Growth Analyser Viewer Edition
Commercial software package “Growth Analyser Viewer Edition” (“GAVE”) aims to document, monitor and analyze growth and development in children and adolescents. Although its clinical and scientific use is widespread, there are no published studies that describe the method and its validation. We were informed that GAVE calculates the weight velocity (kg/year) at age t from the weight difference between t and 448 days earlier or at birth, divided by the time difference. We recently discussed a case of false child abuse diagnosis (Pediatric Condition Falsification), resulting in the separation of the child from its parents, in which GAVE played a negative contributing role. To prevent such inappropriate diagnoses, we analyzed GAVE from a schematic representation of the measured clinical weight curve, with precisely defined weight velocities. In conclusion, the 448 days included for weight velocity predictions by GAVE caused the erroneous outcomes. Until the necessary changes to the software are implemented and validated, we advise against the use of GAVE in infants younger than 1.5 years, if multiple weight changes occur within 448 days, and following a long-lasting weight velocity change. Our analysis suggests to discard all medical software packages that lack public description and proof of validation.
|, , , ,|
|Annals of Biomedical Engineering|
|Organisation||Department of Dermatology|
van Gemert, M.J.C, Bruijninckx, C.M.A. (Cornelis M. A.), van Leeuwen, T.G. (Ton G.), Neumann, H.A.M. (H. A. Martino), & Sauer, P.J.J. (2018). Limitations of Weight Velocity Analysis by Commercial Computer Program Growth Analyser Viewer Edition. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. doi:10.1007/s10439-018-02118-8 | <urn:uuid:2be5d315-d77c-4f8a-90a1-7bd3f2426aba> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://repub.eur.nl/pub/110262 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.864739 | 463 | 1.703125 | 2 |
The Biden Administration is coming. President-elect Joe Biden is picking his team and getting ready to hit the ground running whenever the current president allows for the peaceful transition of power.
But Georgia’s two Democratic senate candidates will need to win their runoff elections in January to give their party 50 seats in the U.S. Senate, which would then allow Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to break tie votes on key legislative efforts. Even if this split Senate is achieved, such a thin margin for passing votes means that bold action on climate change would require ironclad party discipline.
Given those realities, energy storage industry advocates are looking at ways to embed friendly policies in must-pass legislation, such as bills to boost economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic or build up the country’s infrastructure. They’re seeking relief from tariffs that have made battery projects more expensive, and procurement guidelines to boost storage deployments in federal buildings and projects. And they’re promoting the role of storage as a critical step in increasing the country’s share of renewable energy. Here’s an overview of how the storage industry plans to achieve those goals. | <urn:uuid:bea21626-7f7c-4f19-a7fe-af0242ac965b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.energystorageconsultants.com/what-can-energy-storage-get-from-president-biden/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570913.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809064307-20220809094307-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.94707 | 236 | 2.34375 | 2 |
So many Cantonese speakers outside of Hong Kong are looking for Traditional Chinese books for their children. Whilst there have been a few blogposts about where to buy Chinese books, many feature both simplified and Traditional Chinese, but mostly Simplified Chinese. With Traditional Chinese, many of the bookstores featured were Taiwan- based, and many bookstores, especially those Hong Kong based, did not make it to the list.
Here I compiled a comprehensive list, after researching through blogs (see below for other posts that recommend bookstores) as well as Facebook groups. This list now includes sites for group buy as well as buy sell swap sites) for you to choose from. I’ll be adding on more to this page as I go, but I wanted to put the main ones up first.
(Disclaimer: I hardly order online and hence have not bought from most of them, hence you would need to use your judgement and do further research. I would highly recommend you compare cost, including shipping cost, taxes, VAT, GST etc, as well as timing of the arrival of books.). I think you can take for given that shipping costs of books from overseas are not cheap, and costs of Chinese books (or of any minority language) overseas has a premium too. Hence that would be a big consideration. Some people prefer to buy books in bulk to spread out the shipping costs, some prefer to buy second hand, some lug back cartons of books every overseas trip and some asks family and friends to ship by sea.
About Traditional Chinese books
Traditional Chinese books are usually from either Hong Kong or Taiwan. There is a slight difference between books from Taiwan and Hong Kong:
- Certain Chinese characters used, but by and large, easily understood by Hong Kongers and Taiwanese.
- Romanisation – Many children’s books from Taiwan also feature zhuyin, which help kids read in Mandarin. Books from Hong Kong usually have no pronunciation guide, or if they do, it will be in pinyin for the reading in Mandarin. Children in Hong Kong learn to read in Cantonese with no romanisation, but they learn Mandarin with pinyin.
Most popular online bookstores in Asia that ship worldwide
These are the most popular bookstores in Asia that carry a wide range of Traditional Chinese books for adults and children, and ship worldwide.
From Hong Kong 香港
Cosmos Books 天地圖書 a bookstore and publishing company, they sell many books in Chinese and English, for kids and adults. Overseas delivery available, though some areas affected by suspension of air mail services by Hong Kong Post Office due to COVID.
Seeds Children’s Bookstore 兒童書店– a great selection of kids’ books. You can order via online, email or phone. I tried online, but the international delivery to where I am seems very expensive in the shopping cart. It is stated on the website that International Transportation cost “Will be advised as per order received. Please contact us at email@example.com for all international shipment.”, so maybe the cost indicated in the shopping cart is not final.
LOGOS Bookfinder – Christian books for kids and adults. Ships internationally.
From Taiwan 台灣
United States 美國
Gloria’s bookstore – majority of books are from Taiwan, but there are also books from Hong Kong, some of which have Cantonese audio. You can also buy sagebooks and C-Pen. When I ordered something pre-COVID, they also offered the option of picking up from their warehouse.
采風書店 – Books for adults and kids, both Traditional and Simplified.
Yes Asia– in addition to carrying books, this place also has Hong Kong editions of DVDs (which are in Cantonese).
Yobaby – Traditional Chinese books from Taiwan. Please take note that the interactive books are unlikely to have Cantonese, as they are from Taiwan.
Human Books USA – Traditional Chinese books from Taiwan. Please take note that the interactive books are unlikely to have Cantonese, as they are from Taiwan. They also sell Simplified chinese books, so please choose carefully. There is also a selection of books for adults.
Emi Bookstore – Traditional Chinese books, mostly from Taiwan. Website indicates flat rate $7 shipping throughout US at the time of publication of this post.
C-Stems.com – popular Traditional Chinese children magazine subscription, children books and toys including 巧虎CiaoHu, 康軒Kang Xuan, 未來兒童/少年, 小行星/親子天下 and 風車圖書WindMill. There is also a section for Cantonese resources and includes 巧虎CiaoHu, reading pens, and storybook tablets with Cantonese audio.
China Sprout – sells both Traditional and Simplified Chinese books, and Chinese themed/ cultural items including home décor, arts and craft and toys.
Chinese Bible International / 漢語聖經協會 – a wide selection of kids and adults’ Christian books. They do sell some Simplified books, so be careful when selecting. Within the US, you can select media mail or expedited flat rate shipping (which is a few times more expensive than media mail).
Used Chinese Books by Motherly Notes 中文 ，新，二手書 買賣區 – this second hand books buy sell swap Facebook group has over 4,000 members, and is rather active. Books and learning resources include both Simplified and Traditional Chinese, so pick carefully.
美國地區二手中英文書CD/DVD尋寶及割愛區 – this second hand books buy sell swap Facebook group has almost 2000 members. Books and learning resources include both English and Chinese.
Cubby Hole Books – contemporary children’s books that are in traditional Chinese. Also sells Sagebooks and workbooks. There is also link to flashcards on their Instagram account.
Minute Bookstore – range of children’s books from Hong Kong publishers in Traditional Chinese, suitable for ages 0-5. They have a Cantonese reading scheme, where you can request Jyutping/Yale phonics to accompany your purchase of select Chinese readers.
嘻哈哈 Xihaha – this website sells lots of Chinese-related items including groceries and food. There is a section on Chinese books. The menu on the left hand side allows you to filter the book selection by age, price and other criteria.
港日在英店小二書齋 C9groceries – A new group buy by a HK mum
Bilibala UK Group Buy 中文繪本團購 – group buy for popular Traditional Chinese illustrated story collections for 0 – 7 years old children sourced from Asia.
Used Chinese Children Books in UK – this second hand books buy sell swap Facebook group has over 800 members. Books and learning resources include both Simplified and Traditional Chinese, so pick carefully.
COCM 基督教書 Christian books for adults and kids, mainly Traditional.
荷言華語書店 HYHY BOOKS Online bookshop based in The Netherlands selling mostly Traditional Chinese books, but also some simplified. Books are sourced from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and China. You can filter the books by age. For the latest announcements, you can also follow them on Facebook.
Little Kozzi– started by two Hong Kong mums, there is a wonderful selection of Traditional Chinese books – specially curated selection for you to choose from. You can filter your selection by age group or category.
Toronto Chinese Children’s Book Swap 多倫多中文童書買賣交換分享 – In addition to being a buy, sell , swap Facebook group for Toronto parents. this is also the place to discuss Chinese children’s books and local library finds.
小海馬書店 Little Seahorse Bookstore Melbourne Based group buy. They also have a Facebook group 小海馬書店Little Seahorse Bookstore. I participated in a pre-buy, and the communication was good, and I received the book in good condition.
Tplaza 哈台舘國際書店– Has a wide selection of adult and kids books. You can filter your selection in the left menu. I have never bought from them, but their advertising keeps popping up.
Abbey’s Language Bookstore– Has a mixture Simplified or Traditional Chinese books. And lots of learning textbooks and resources. They have a physical bookstore in Sydney.
Books Kinokuniya– Has a mixture Simplified or Traditional Chinese books. They have a physical bookstore in Sydney.
Mini Multilinguals – Up and coming Melbourne-based online book store by Instagrammer @minimultilinguals. There is also a survey you can fill up (link at the bottom of her post) to obtain a 5% off. They carry the popular Bitty Bao board books.
澳洲二手繁體中文書/玩具 Oz Pre-loved Traditional Chinese books and toys – Facebook buy sell swap group. This is fairly new and made it into one of one of this posts later updates.
I have seen Traditional Chinese books on the following:
- Thrift books
You can find some good deals there, but some can be really expensive too. The best deals is someone selling off their second hand books, and selling in bulk. You will have to watch out for Traditional Chinese vs Simplified Chinese books.
I also like to borrow from the library, or arrange book swaps with friends. This helps me to manage my budget, as well as my carbon footprint.
Other blogposts on buying Traditional Chinese books (external links)
Check out these other blogposts on where to buy Chinese books (external links). Some of these have helped me compile my list, especially of the lesser known bookstores. Some also have a more in-depth description of certain bookstores, with the bloggers have sharing their experience of purchasing from some of the bookstores.
- 有澳洲媽媽問，澳洲有中文書店嗎？, 美國的網上中文書店, 英國網上中文書店 by 蕉B大小事 (Traditional Chinese sources)
- Where to Look for Chinese / Cantonese Books by Cantonese Mommy (Traditional Chinese sources)
- Where to Buy Chinese Books Online in the US and Where to Buy Books in Taiwan by Guavarama (Traditional Chinese sources)
- Best Chinese Christian Online Bookstores for Kids by Spot of Sunshine (both Simplified and Traditional Chinese sources)
- Best Online Chinese Bookstores with Chinese Children’s Books and More by Chalk Academy (both Simplified and Traditional Chinese sources)
- Where to Buy Chinese Books in the US (2020 update) by Hands on Chinese Fun (both Simplified and Traditional Chinese sources)
- Where to buy Chinese books in Australia by Mandarin Homeschool (both Simplified and Traditional Chinese sources)
You might also enjoy reading:
- Reading in Cantonese to Your Child – Storytelling (口語) or Story Reading (書面語)?
- How To Read To Your Child When Your Cantonese Is Not Fluent
- Free Colloquial Cantonese Kid’s Educational Resources and Printables
- Cantonese Storytime and Book Reading on YouTube
- Storybooks Canada: Early Learning Storybooks
- 輕輕鬆鬆廣東話Hing Hing Sone Sone Cantonese Learning Programme | <urn:uuid:5966c90a-38d4-4882-8c50-88e86e32abe8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://cantoneseforfamilies.com/where-to-buy-traditional-chinese-kids-books/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.941329 | 2,695 | 1.914063 | 2 |
Illinois cuts 2022 fiscal gap by $2.5B after ‘economy performed more strongly than expected’
Illinois has cut its 2022 fiscal gap by $2.5 billion in an unexpected move as the state fared better than expected this year after the coronavirus pandemic hurt the economy across the country.
The cut will allow the state to start its shortfall for the year in July at $3 billion instead of $5.5 billion as was originally estimated, Illinois’s Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported.
This move was unexpected as Illinois has been struggling financially since before the pandemic even began. Many states and companies have been negatively affected by the pandemic since businesses had to close and adjust to new guidelines.
However, the announcement from the governor’s office said that the state’s “economy performed more strongly than expected,” so Pritzker was able to pay off a $700 million loan the state owed the Federal Reserve.
Illinois had to borrow from the Federal Reserve last year due to high interest rates the state was facing in its bond market, Bloomberg reported.
The governor says it will still be a tough year for the state’s budget despite the success in slashing the fiscal gap.
“There is no question that this budget will include painful choices, but as the effect of the pandemic diminishes over the coming months, the governor will continue to focus on economic recovery for the hardest hit,” Jordan Abudayyeh, a spokesperson for Pritzker, told Bloomberg.
“The governor will also continue to advance long-term structural budget improvements that continue the stronger fiscal trajectory Illinois was on before the pandemic, ” Abudayyeh continued.
The economy performed better than expected due to wealthier Americans keeping their jobs during the pandemic and paying their income taxes, Bloomberg notes.
Illinois still has the lowest credit rating among states as it continues to try to dig itself out of a financial crisis. | <urn:uuid:5346d645-524a-4342-81cc-9a74ab8c7930> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/538096-illinois-cuts-2022-fiscal-gap-by-25-billion-after-economy-performed-more/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.97004 | 423 | 1.515625 | 2 |
What Is Mindful Eating And What Are The Benefits Of Mindful Eating?
What is Mindful Eating?
You may be familiar with the term ‘mindfulness’, but are you aware this can be applied to our eating habits? Mindful eating employs the act of mindfulness or presence in our increasingly busy lives to assist overcome eating problems. The idea is to shift the attention from external food thinking to eating experiences. It is not a diet and concentrates on the development of a new orientation to eating.
Benefits of Mindful Eating
1. Better digestion and absorption of nutrients
digestion, Credits: pixabay
When eating with awareness we tend to chew food more thoroughly, which makes the food easier to digest and allows the body to absorb the nutrients in the food more effectively and efficiently. Food needs to be broken down into very small pieces in order to be absorbed through incredibly small passages in our small intestine.
The less we digest food in the mouth, the more work the body has to do on that food in the stomach and intestines, and sometimes the body simply does not have enough energy to digest the food into small enough pieces, so the nutrients in the food are not absorbed at all!
2. Food tastes better
a woman eating food, Credits: pexels
When all of our attention is focused on the sensations of eating, flavors become much more dynamic and vibrant. Many people are astonished at the difference in flavor they experience the first time they give mindful eating a try!
The reason for this is that when our awareness is fragmented between our other senses of sight, touch, smell and sound, we are distracted from our sense of taste, and cannot experience it fully.
3. Reduces food cravings
a woman mindfully eating food, Credits: pexels
By eating with awareness we start to tune into the subtle signals our body is sending us relating to hunger. Many times we might eat for reasons other than being actually hungry including boredom, eating because other people are eating and we want to join in, eating to help deal with emotion, or eating just because it’s a certain time of the day.
There’s nothing wrong with us for doing any of these things, and practicing eating mindfully will help us be more aware of the reasons behind our food cravings.
4. Helps us lose weight
a woman with weight loss, Credits: pexel
When we start to really pay attention to our food, a number of things start to change which can help us lose weight. By eating slowly and thus eating less, we begin to cultivate a stronger metabolism helping us to shed those unwanted pounds. Being more in tune with our body and differentiating between cravings and actual hunger, we can practice eating only when we really need to, promoting weight loss.
5. Feel fuller sooner and by eating less food.
a woman eatingCredits: pexels
6. Eat in a healthier, more balanced way.
healthy diet, Credits: pexels | <urn:uuid:79c94edb-8894-46bc-a3cf-caa4f378f821> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.gleath.com/post/what-is-mindful-eating-and-what-are-the-benefits-of-mindful-eating | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.953947 | 622 | 2.53125 | 3 |
I should start straight up by letting you know that the list of authors is a little misleading. I apologise to all Jane Austen fans whose hearts palpitated at the thought that perhaps their beloved author had penned a manuscript that had only now seen the light of day. This isn’t, quite unfortunately, the case.
What happened is deceptively simple yet pretty smart at the same time: Seth Grahame-Smith took Jane Austen’s manuscript for Pride and Prejudice and added – you guessed it – zombies to the story.
If you’re a purist, I’ll give you a minute to calm yourself down. If you aren’t, please proceed immediately with the next paragraph.
This isn’t a rewriting of the classic, as most of the original manuscript has been kept intact. As the parasitic author explains in the prologue, he kept track of these changes on his computer by typing them up in red – needless to say, quite an appropriate colour.
Neither is it a re-imagining of the plot, since everything comes to pass as Jane Austen dictated it must pass. Even Seth Grahame-Smith didn’t have the courage of changing the very plot of the story – then he would have most certainly incurred the wrath of Austen fans.
Rather, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is an enhancement of the story – well, at least it is for those of us who like zombies and the such.
If you’re a purist, seriously, why are you still reading this review?
From the first pages, you recognize the words, and again from the first pages, you recognize the additions like parasites creeping into the text. The opening sentence is quite a reflection of the entire book: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains”. And while this puts the reader at the beginning of quite an adventure in more ways than one, this story isn’t for the faint of heart.
I’ll be honest – the first couple of paragraphs were a little shocking and unsettling at times. But once I accepted the change – and, most importantly, once I went back a page or two to read the prologue – it all made sense.
So my first piece of advice: read the prologue!
As for Jane Austen fans, don’t think that it is certain you will not like this book. Before deciding that this is a tome that will never be found anywhere near you, consider this. Dr. Allen Grove penned an Afterword analysing in three pages if Jane Austen would be rolling in her grave were she to hear about what was done with her classic. While the entire Afterword is fascinating, one part in particular stands out: “…although zombies has been popular only in recent decades, their presence in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies makes explicit what Austen constantly implies: Elizabeth Bennet’s world of aristocratic gentility was under attack not only by fortune hunters (…), but also by larger and sometimes more violent and terrifying social and political forces”.
Hard to imagine that brainless creatures such as zombies would give so much food for your own brain, did you now?
Last piece of advice: if you are certain you are going to love this story before even reading it, then you might as well go ahead and buy the Deluxe Heirloom Edition, which comes with 30% more zombies, a surprisingly beautiful faux-leather binding and new gory paintings by Roberto Parada.
In short, Pride and Prejudice And Zombies is a great read bound to attract a new generation of readers to Austen’s timeless classic, albeit in a more gory setting. Hopefully this will make them look for and learn the same lessons the original did. And if this is the case, I’m certain Jane Austen won’t be too miffed at Seth Grahame-Smith.
But just in case, Seth, do make sure to say some prayers before heading over to the other world. Just in case. | <urn:uuid:654fca23-c13a-45e3-bf4b-cda1764e8320> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blogcritics.org/book-review-pride-and-prejudice-and5/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.963413 | 859 | 1.875 | 2 |
In plain terms, I wish to state that India cannot and will not be built with tweaking something here and something there. Average per capita income of the world is $10,000 whereas that in India it is around $1600. The size of the world economy is $70 trillion whereas that of India is just about $2 trillion, ie, only 2.85% when we are about 16% of the world in population. If world grows @ 3% and India grows @ 7.5%, it will take us another 47 years to reach the world average, considering that growth in world population is 1.1% and that in India, 1.5%. This is not within the life time of present generation.
A country becomes fully developed on reaching about $25000 per capita income, and here we are talking about world average of just $10,000/-. Thus, there is no vision 2020 or the gimmick played by our visionary politicians time and again.
India does not represent world average in almost anything, be it per capita income, farm productivity, labour productivity, ease of doing business, law and order, competitiveness and so on. India ranks close to bottom in almost any international ranking. This will not change with the way India is being managed, both by its governments as well as the business leaders who interact with governments for desirable policies and implement or take forward such policies. It is simply because we have not diagnosed the ailment of India properly. In my view, India suffers from :-
I. Judicial mess – over 35 million cases pending in courts which will take more than 300 years to deal with ie, justice will never be done in the lifetime of the litigants.
II. Suboptimal farm productivity – farm yields in India are far less than world average in almost all major crops, and there is not even a talk about it. Nobody talks about it. The subject is almost a taboo, just like population control post 1977.
III. Taxation mess or putting it bolding, terrorism – India suffers from multiplicity of taxes, deliberately designed by the babus to conceal the real incidence of taxation and prevent any meaningful international comparison.
IV. Mistrust is the foundation of our governance – it is our primary gene and is conspicuously predominant in any policy, rule or system. We don’t trust anybody. Even Government doesn’t trust government.
V. Shackles of bad policies – ‘revenue interest’ has become the sole ‘public interest’. Every ‘defaulter’ has become ‘willful defaulter’. Every omission of information has become ‘suppression of facts with intention to evade’. Entire banking sector has cartelized itself under credit information business (CIBIL) which is working solely as bankers’ agents to the detriment of borrowers. Difference between practice and preach is so vast that government dealings in private seem like a foreign occupier’s dealing. The whole nation has become hypocrite. This is contrary to the spirit of reforms and back to pre-reform psyche.
VI. India cannot be built without addressing the above primary diseases afflicting India. It is because:-
I. Judicial mess –
A. Ease of doing business ranking cannot improve with one criterion, contract enforceability, putting us at the bottom.
B. No business can avoid litigation in India. Early in the business, we are likely to suffer litigation about land diversion, sales tax matters etc, and little later, about excise/service tax, income tax matters, and in regular course, contract enforcement issues with suppliers, customers etc. In between, litigation in labour matters is inevitable.
C. Government is the biggest litigant. Then, large number of cases come to court to keep the opponent stuck for decades. If cases are decided in days, like in Singapore, there would be no incentive for most litigants to come to court at all. Most property cases, tenancy cases etc fall in this category. Our judicial system is a weapon in the hands of unscrupulous people.
D. Most laws are founded on communist ideology like tenancy laws, labour laws etc, while Indian society has at least superficially, become capitalistic. High time it becomes so substantially by doing away with those laws.
E. Courts de facto protect right to litigate and not right to justice. They award paltry 6 to 9% simple interest with decrees and no harsh requirement for debtor to comply with decree. Consequently, it needs another set of litigation in decree execution. This could be easily done away with, by awarding commercial compound interest, charged by banks upto date of decree and then, penal interest from date of decree to encourage its compliance. Same court could execute the decree to make it efficient and fast as well.
F. Judicial reforms surprisingly are least controversial and about the cheapest to take up. Amending laws suitably doesn’t cost anything, and establishing more courts doesn’t cost too much either. India presently has about 20,000 courts/judges. Setting up another 40,000 courts/judges should not cost more than Rs 4000 cr in building infrastructure across the country @ Rs 1 million per court for room, furniture, computers etc. Recurring cost of these additional courts should not be more than Rs 2 lac per court per month ie Rs 9600 cr annually. These are meager amounts considering that central government spends nearly Rs 20 lac crore and state governments spend similar amount, every year.
G. Judicial reforms will not only make life easy for business, but also improve law and order in the country. In terms of Return on Investment, I believe money and efforts spent on judicial reforms will offer the GREATEST RETURNS to India. Yet, nobody is demanding them and hence, nobody is offering them.
II. Suboptimal farm productivity –
A. India exists for its farmers if one considers any public statement from any politician in the country. Yet, nobody talks about poor farm yields which is the primary cause of poverty in agricultural sector.
B. Indian farm yields are about 1/3rd of world average. It means by being (world) average, our farm produce can triple, from some $300 billion to $900 billion (at 16% of our economy size of $2 trillion). Without the multiplier effect, it increases our economy to $2.6 trillion, by 30%!
C. Agriculture has tremendous multiplier effect. If it is 16% of economy, it is already having a multiplier effect of 6 in our existing economy. That being the case, at world average farm productivity, our economy size should stand at $5.5 trillion! This takes our per capita income close to middle income level which can sustain high growth in future to a fully developed status, in the life time of our kids in college today!
D. Again these reforms shall be free from controversy if the government can educate the people properly about the existing poor productivity and benefits that these reforms will bring.
E. Unfortunately again, nobody is demanding these reforms and hence, no government seems to have applied its mind to it ever.
III. Taxation mess/terrorism –
A. Business suffers from massive multiplicity of taxes in India. GST does not address this problem at all because it is not one GST but three GSTs where 3 major taxes are being replaced by 3 major GSTs (VAT replaced by GSTS, CST being replaced by GSTI and Excise/Service tax being replaced by GSTC). It will not even reduce cost of collection to the government because GSTC will be administered by central government, and GSTI and GSTS will be administered by state governments. This will not even abolish torturous declaration forms like C form, form no. 49 etc (of course, with change of form name/number). Local body taxes like entry tax will still survive. Hence, this is a false reform.
B. Industry should demand a single GST subsuming both central (excise/service tax, CST) as well as state taxes (vat, entry tax, professional tax, electricity duty etc). The problem of revenue sharing is a problem of 30 individual finance ministers of Indian states or 5-6 people being heads of major political parties. This should not hold hostage to the entire business-community in India and costing immensely to the government as well. Single GST could be administered by central government and hence, state commercial tax deptt could be abolished, saving enormous cost of collection to the government. The staff could be retrained and absorbed in other departments.
C. Unless a unified single GST is introduced, C forms and Form no. 49 will not vanish. These forms are required by one state government from another state government. If the tax is managed by just one government with both, buyer and seller being its own assessee, no such forms will be needed. This is the reason why excise deptt does not need a C form despite massive cenvat credits involved.
D. The culture of Cesses must be fought. If government needs revenue, let it increase rate of tax rather than introducing a new item of tax requiring independent accounting, payment, returns etc.
E. Departmental appeals are a farce, be it central government or state governments. The appellate officers are seldom impartial. They are more a prosecutor and a munsif both. Consequently, most appeals are routinely rejected and first impartial hearing is afforded at tribunal level. If governments cannot afford impartial appeal departmentally, let it be abolished and let first appeal go straight to tribunal level. This will save cost both to the government as well as the tax payers.
F. TDS has become a menace in India like Toll Taxes. Revenue hunger cannot justify tax payers being treated like agents of the government to collect revenue. Government has to collect revenue and tax payer is doing a business that cannot be treated as its agent to collect revenue. Similarly, Toll Taxes are unfair taxes because people are already paying road tax on purchase of vehicles. It is for the government to provide them with roads. What was introduced as an exceptional method of financing through toll tax, has become such a norm now that no road is built without toll tax, and toll tax does not merely cover cost of building and maintaining roads, but also a premium to the government for giving permission to build such roads. Likewise, MAT (minimum alternative tax) is also unfair. When income tax is paid on income computed according to the income tax law, there cannot be a minimum to be paid regardless of computed income. If higher depreciation is allowed in income tax (on WDV) and lower in books of account (straight line) for ease of comparability on the basis of going concern value of a tax payer, or certain deductions are allowed in order to encourage investment in certain activities, the deptt cannot use them as grounds for lamenting and crying hoarse at loss of revenue. These unfair taxes must go. It may be too much to ask at the moment, but road map must go into that direction.
G. Regardless of government claims, India remains a power deficient country. State monopolies collect every single rupee from the consumer for providing power connection. They even lay their lines through somebody’s private land, and later, when he wants to use the land for his purpose, he is forced to shift the lines outside his land at his own cost. Yet, these monopolies force minimum charges in each power bill, and force a consumer to pay a minimum of 2 years charges even if such power connection is disconnected much earlier due to failure of business or otherwise. When you don’t have surplus power, you don’t incur loss if somebody draws less power, and hence, minimum charges are not justified. Likewise, when you don’t incur any capital cost in laying connection, there is no justification in forcing a consumer with payment liability for at least 24 mths. These practices only hurt the businesses that are in trouble and need support, and not those which are doing fine. It is like the labour policies which are only encouraging automization and minimizing job creation which is contrary to labour interests. Mostly, hefty minimum charges pressurize a sick unit to close down before trying fully to recoup. Surely, this is not the way to build India.
IV. Mistrust is the foundation of our governance –
Least said about it the better. Government control is so firm and perversely based on mistrust that a single application for land diversion needs physical verification of the site by several authorities who wouldn’t trust verification by another government agency. Unfortunately, this is hurting India very badly and no relief is in sight.
V. Shackles of bad policies –
A. Hypocrite India makes policies which sound fair, like harsh measures against ‘willful defaulters’ but are practically applied to all ‘defaulters’ who are simply assumed to be ‘willful’. Any omission to disclose information is simply regarded as ‘suppression of facts with intention to evade tax’. The entire system of debt recovery, credit information etc does not consider a single possibility of banker being at fault. Banks have also cartelized themselves under CIBIL which is, contrary to CICRA, acting as their faithful agent. RBI is acting as a union of banks. It simply doesn’t wish to act against any banks that are violating law and RBI’s circulars. Even Ombudsman is manned by banking officials with accentuated bias in favour of banks.
B. Even at state level, revenue deptt does not wish to abide by Tourism Policy adopted by state cabinet, on one pretext or another. Despite clear statement in Tourism Policy that tourism projects shall be granted industry status, tourism projects are still regarded as ‘commercial purpose’ and not ‘industrial purpose’ so that more diversion charges could be extracted.
C. Rules/Act (Land Revenue Code for example) are deliberately left vague. They don’t even define what is ‘commercial’ and what is ‘industrial’. It is left to the whims of the babus who zealously pursue revenue interest as if they are representing a foreign occupier and not the republic of India.
D. Tax exemptions are announced in order to encourage investment in desired sectors. Once investment is made, the government starts lamenting loss of revenue and starts restricting exemptions or even withdrawing them on one pretext or another. Indirect tax exemptions in certain zones and direct tax exemptions in income tax are live examples. This is not just unfair, it is simple fraud against private investors who are fraudulently lured into investing in certain fields and then, exemptions withdrawn/restricted.
Unfortunately, I could simply go on, but the point is simple. You cannot build India by tweaking something here and something there. You need to diagnose the problem first, and then, attempt solution. Till then, it is like giving paracetamol to a cancer patient! | <urn:uuid:81f7981a-385e-4f14-af0c-e9bae9866b8e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.caclubindia.com/articles/building-india-a-shared-responsibility-26412.asp | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.958814 | 3,076 | 2.375 | 2 |
Most packrafters come from a solid backpacking background but lack experience in water sports. You can either blow your raft to paddle down a peaceful river or tackle some gnarly class IV: there are many ways to enjoy packrafting. But the kind of paddling you prefer doesn’t really matter: as soon as you are on a boat on moving water, there are some gear and skills that you need to have, regardless of the type of river. Packrafts are very forgiven boats, which means people tend to paddle harder stretches of water than their actual abilities would normally allow in a kayak. Overconfidence can be dangerous on the river. This is why you should always think twice before you decide to paddle something big. The usual saying is “don’t paddle something you wouldn’t swim”.
Here is a list of gear that all packrafters should carry on every packrafting trip.
.Paddling helmet (preferred to climbing or bicycle helmets)
.Type III PFD
.River throw rope
.River specific knife attached to PFD
- Packrafting Awareness Presentation With Monica Morin
- Luc Mehl’s Keynote Presentation
- NRS safety and rescue series (11 awesome videos)
- Mark Oates write up about safety
- The packrafting safety code from the American Packrafting Association
- Luc Mehl’s post about class IV packrafting (most of this should be applied to everyone)
- Animated tutorials for kayaking (applicable to packrafts) | <urn:uuid:db8f9a46-d350-403a-b033-9d7b37f26c1a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://swedishpackraftingassociation.com/safety/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.920094 | 344 | 1.789063 | 2 |
For Tullio Crali (1910-2000) Futurism was not just a school of painting, but an attitude to life itself. Reflecting the movement’s enthusiasm for the modern world, his imagery embraced technology and the machine as important sources of creative inspiration. However, with its particular focus on “the immense visual and sensory drama of flight”, Crali’s work is most closely associated with the genre of ‘aeropainting’, which dominated Futurist research during the 1930s.
Crali discovered Futurism when he was just fifteen years old. An immediate convert, he officially joined the movement in 1929 and quickly developed his own distinctive interpretation of its artistic principles. Despite incorporating recognisable details such as clouds, wings and propellers, Crali’s thrilling imagery challenged conventional notions of realism by means of its dynamic perspectives, simultaneous viewpoints and powerful combination of both figurative and abstract elements.
As a result of his talent, versatility and unshakable commitment to Futurist ideas, Crali swiftly became one of the movement’s key representatives. He continued to be its staunchest advocate during the post-war era, remaining faithful to Futurism’s aesthetic tenets throughout his life.
This exhibition covers every phase of the artis's career, including iconic aeropaintings, experimental works of visual poetry and mixed-media reliefs, as well as examples of ‘cosmic’ imagery dating from the 1960s, inspired by advances in space exploration. Also featured are a large number of Crali’s famous Sassintesi : enigmatic compositions of stone and rock, ‘sculpted’ by natural forces. | <urn:uuid:50383517-154d-4384-a2eb-e31f5cdeae39> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.artrabbit.com/events/tullio-crali-a-futurist-life | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.965306 | 360 | 2.453125 | 2 |
January 23, 2019 Hydraulic Products Blogs 0 Comment
What can cause hydraulic cylinder failures?
In a nutshell, hydraulic cylinders are mechanical components that provide force in one direction through a stroke. These cylinders are used in a wide variety of industrial applications and can have issues in the long run due to a number of reasons. Here are just a few reasons for hydraulic cylinder failures.
Piston rod scored
The scoring of the piston rod is commonly caused by oil contamination. If this has happened to your cylinder you should keep an eye out for any further contamination, such as to the gland bearing. This can result in gland bearing failure if it’s not properly taken care of.
This is a common issue that often results in the failure of a hydraulic cylinder. Seal leakage often occurs due to incorrect fitting of the seal or corrosion of the seal grooves.
Internal Barrel Corrosion
Water in the oil is the most common reason for the barrel corroding internally. The best way for you to reduce the chance of cylinder failure at this point is to change the oil.
A lot of the time, hydraulic cylinder failure can be caused by chemicals coming into contact with the cylinder seal. This can be avoided by discussing the likelihood of chemical attacks with your hydraulic manufacturer so you can get an idea for what your cylinder seal can withstand.
Bent Piston Rod
This issue most commonly occurs when the hydraulic cylinder is being overloaded. This can happen perhaps from some sort of collision or using the system outside of its agreed specification.
Oil contamination is the main issue associated with hydraulic cylinder failure. Contaminated fluid can bring severe damage to the piston rod, seal surface and/or the cylinder bore. The single best way you can avoid hydraulic cylinder failure is regularly checking your oil for any potential contamination. | <urn:uuid:e54612cd-c434-4275-8895-0e07b8f24838> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://yukeneurope.com/what-can-cause-hydraulic-cylinder-failures/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.939446 | 378 | 2.84375 | 3 |
LAST MODIFIED ON: 11/11/2020 - 21:29
In July 2020, a Northern Ireland Youth Assembly was announced by the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission. It will have 90 members, 54 of whom will be drawn from the NI Assembly constituencies and 36 from specific sections of the community. The core age range of the members will be 13 to 17, but there will be an upper age limit of 21. The website describes:
The Youth Assembly will provide young people with direct access to the decision-makers at the heart of our democracy.
It is imagined this will include global issues but no further announcements have been made at the time of writing (October 2020). | <urn:uuid:844d311e-d956-41a8-89fb-36406b2eecaf> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://national-policies.eacea.ec.europa.eu/youthwiki/chapters/united-kingdom-northern-ireland/97-current-debates-and-reforms | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.957361 | 136 | 2.40625 | 2 |
Core strengthening, or “inner core strengthening”, is retraining of the deep muscle system in your body to help you create stability for movement. The true core muscles are the deepest layers of muscle located around your trunk.
We think of the abdominal core region as including the diaphragm, the deep abdominal called transversus abdominus, the pelvic floor musculature, as well as the deep back muscle called multifidus. These muscles all work together in an integrated fashion to provide you with a stable base for movement and to limit shearing and strain on the joints and muscles.
If your core is unable to work properly, your muscular stability is compromised and your body is more subject to the stress and strain forces of movement and sport. Ultimately, this leads to a breakdown in the system and pain in your body.
We will teach you how to activate your inner core muscles, including learning how to diaphragmatically breathe, and then teach you how to coordinate the core muscles to function together in order to learn how to stabilize your body.
Once you have learned to recognize and change poor movement patterns, as discussed in Movement Retraining, then you can begin to integrate improved core activation patterns for more efficient movement.
After the inner core is coordinated and functioning well, then we can progress exercise further to engage the outer core, or bigger core muscles, that provide more powerful movements for function. The inner core muscles must contract first to stabilize before the outer core muscles contract to generate force, so the timing of contraction is important in the retraining phase. If better core muscle sequencing can occur, then you greatly improve your functional strength.
After your functional core strength has improved, then you can progress to more functional and fun exercise in the gym, at home, running on the track, riding your bike or driving it with ease on the golf course. The end result is that you learn to take your sport to the next level with less chance of re-injury and better performance overall. | <urn:uuid:f2ad9cf7-350a-4777-832a-c316dece6c96> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://body-works.ca/service/core-strengthening/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570913.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809064307-20220809094307-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.939834 | 407 | 2.625 | 3 |
Laboratory tests come into existence through a variety of processes but regardless of the genesis all share a certain set of requirements. These include discovery, development, validation, regulatory clearance and market adoption. ST2 is a protein biomarker that was discovered in a gene expression exploration analysis to be involved in cardiac disease and to potentially have clinical value in managing patients with cardiac disease. Following this discovery Critical Diagnostics developed an in vitro diagnostic assay to accurately measure ST2 and performed the necessary clinical studies to determine the clinical value proposition. This information was used to pursue and obtain regulatory approval and the test is now available in most of the world. This lecture will cover the processes and issues from taking a biomarker target from discovery through to commercialization. | <urn:uuid:68c34e47-f374-43fd-92df-941aea5409e3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.labroots.com/webinar/found-in-translation-st2-from-discovery-to-clinical-adoption | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571502.25/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811194507-20220811224507-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.946656 | 146 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Monks with astrolabe, Salterio de Blanca de Castilla, Queen of France
S. XIII, National Library of France, Ms Arsenal Lat. 1186, f. 1v
The Project for Innovation and Quality Teaching “Base de datos digital de Iconografía Medieval” (Database of Medieval Iconography Digital data) developed after five call for tenders (2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2011-21012, 2013, 2014 and 2015), gathers professors and researchers of the History of Art Department I (Medieval) of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
It has two working trends, one is the creation of an iconographic repertory that reflects the variety, wealth and complexity of Medieval figures (Iconographic entries); and the other, the publication of a biannual magazine that collects Monographs of project members and external authors ( Revista Digital de Iconografía Medieval).
Likewise the project members annually organize an open workshop for teachers and students where they present some of the most important progress of the last project edition. | <urn:uuid:cafb5d71-ceea-456e-88a8-fe548fb452e5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://estudiosindianos.org/en/links/digital-data-base-of-medieval-iconography/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.783736 | 221 | 2.109375 | 2 |
srImadh varavaramunayE nama:
srI vAnAchala mahAmunayE nama:
emperumAnAr explains to vangi puratthu nambi the obstacles that are faced by srIvaishNavas in various aspects of day-to-day life. vangi puratthu nambi documents these instructions in a wonderful grantham with commentary named virOdhi parihArangaL (removal of obstacles). We are now viewing the English translation of this grantham with the help of the explanations given by srI U. vE. V V Ramanujam swamy. The whole series can be viewed at http://ponnadi.blogspot.in/p/virodhi-pariharangal.html.
38. Avasyaka virOdhi (ஆவச்யக விரோதி) - Obstacles for principles that are to be essentially remembered and avoided
One should essentially remember these obstacles and avoid them. When our saliva touches any thing that becomes contaminated. The human body is said to have nine outlets (Our body is called nava dhvAra pattaNam - city of nine gates - 2 eyes, 2 ears, mouth, 2 nostrils, urinary organ and anus). When our hands come in contact with any of those parts, the hands become contaminated and they need to be purified. One can wash the hands with water and purify the same. When the hands touch the feet one should wash them before touching anything else.
Translator's note: This topic and the next couple of topics relate to asuddhi (contamination). In the modern culture, there is total disregard for contamination. Generally, eating/drinking with the hand touching the mouth/lips (sipping, licking with tongue, etc) is called contamination. There are also many other aspects of contamination such as
- touching the main container of food with the contaminated (eating) hand
- eating/drinking with left hand
- eating/drinking with spoon, straw, etc., also lead to contamination.
- not purifying the place after eating. One should purify the place with cow dung.
- after eating one must wash hands, feet and rinse their mouth properly.
- vizhuppu (contaminated clothes)
- once a dhoti or saree is worn while sleeping or touching the bed on which one sleeps in the night, it becomes contaminated. It should be put to wash and not be touched after bathing.
- During birth/death of paternal relatives, one acquires Asoucham and thus can not participate in any kainkaryam (including ones own home perumAL's thiruvArAdhanam). Yet, one cannot give up sandhyA vandhanam even during Asoucham.
- Visiting barber (for hair cutting, etc), hospitals, etc., contaminates such visitors. One should take bath after coming home (or return home after bathing in a water body such as river, lake, etc., near by if available).
- After passing stool one becomes unclean and should bath to purify oneself.
- Women during their menstruation cycle, should stay/rest separately and not mix with others at home.
- Coming in physical contact or close proximity with others who are contaminated is also an aspect of contamination and one needs to purify oneself in such cases.
- Contaminating (by spitting, etc) in the vicinity of the residences of srIvaishNavas and AchAryas. Translator's note: Spitting in the streets has become very common now. One must be very careful and avoid such act since it is a great mistake.
- Contaminating the streets which are visited by emperumAn (during processions) and srIvaishNavas.
- Contaminating the gardens where nithya sUris assume the form of flowers to serve emperumAn. Translator's note: kulasEkarAzhwAr highlights in perumAL thirumozhi "UnERu selvam" (ஊனேறு செல்வம்) 4th padhigam "emperumAn ponmalaimEl EthEnum AvEnE" (எம்பெருமான் பொன்மலைமேல் ஏதேனும் ஆவேனே) - Let me become anything on the divine hills of thiruvEnkatam. parAsara bhattar highlights in srIrangarAja sthavam that the nithya sUris (eternal associates of emperumAn in paramapadham) descend to dhivya dhEsams in to the gardens and streets and assume the form of trees and flowers for the pleasure of emperumAn.
- Contaminating the place where AchAryan is present.
- After being contaminated, going behind the AchAryan to serve him or to assist him by giving him water, etc.
- After being contaminated, one should avoid
- touching emperumAn's archA vigraham
- touching bhAgavathas
- not moving away from bhAgavathas
- entering into the residences and gardens of srIvaishNavas
39. sarIra sudhdhi virOdhi (சரீர சுத்தி விரோதி) - Obstacles in purifying ones own body
sarIra sudhdhi means maintaining purity in ones own body. It can be applicable for preserving the purity of others too. Whatever action causes impurity are obstacles and should be avoided.
- Knowingly causing impurity for water bodies such as rivers, lakes, etc., which are used in fetching water for bhagavAn's kainkaryam. One should be very careful and not affect the purity of such waters.
- Using the water which is collected and preserved for AchAryas and srIvaishNavas. One should not try to usurp such water for personal use.
- Remaining water after used by srIvaishNavas is called "sEsham" and is considered to be very pure. One should not use such remnants to wash their hands, feet, etc. Translator's note: Remnants of srIvaishNavas are to be preserved carefully and consumed as srI pAdha thIrtham (charaNamrutham).
- One should not use the srI pAdha thIrtham of AchAryas and srIvaishNavas to wash his/her feet.
- The place where AchAryan washes their hands is to be considered as sacred. A sishya should not wash their hands or feet at the same place.
- One should not rinse and spit the water in a manner that the contaminated water spills on srIvaishNavas.
- Being seen or touched by bhAgavathas in itself will purify oneself. Looking at other options to purify ones body even after being seen or touched by srIvaishNava is an obstacle.
40. snAna virOdhi (ஸ்நாந விரோதி ) - Obstacles in bathing
snAnam means bathing in river, lake, etc., where one fully submerges in water and removes the dirt from the body. It is also identified in thamizh as nIrAttam or thIrththamAduthal. snAnam finds an important place in the daily routine of a brAhmaNa (and others too). Our elders have identified that avagAhana snAnam (submerging fully in water in river, lake, etc.) is the one that gives real purity. In our current times, there is very limited opportunity for such bathing - we are limited to bathing in bathrooms by pouring water on oneself using a mug.
- One should not bathe simply to clean ones body. One should bathe according to the rules of sAsthram.
- Being a prapanna, specifically bathing on special occassions looking for puNyam (piety) is an obstacle. Special occassions here mean sangamaNam, ayanam (dhakhsiNAyaNa puNya kAlam, uththarAyaNa puNya kAlam), grahaNam (eclipse), etc. Being a prapanna, one has already submitted all their responsibilities to protect oneself under the lotus feet of emperumAn. So, there is no question of bathing in these occassions looking for pious karmA - it is completely against jIvAthmA's true nature.
- After following certain actions which are contrary to the principles of prapannan out of great compassion and to protect the dharsanam (sampradhAyam), one should feel bad that it is due to being bound in the body, one has to undergo such deeds. Not fearing for such actions is an obstacle. This does not seem to relate to bathing directly.
- Bathing in the river ghats where water is fetched for emperumAn's kainkaryam is an obstacle. Translator's note: nammAzhwAr in his thiruviruththam 1st pAsuram says we have a dirty body (azhukkudambu - அழுக்குடம்பு). thirumangai AzhwAr also uses the same word to describe our body in thirukkuRunthANdagam. So, one should not go and wash their body from the same place where the water is fetched for emperumAn's kainkaryam. That place must be kept as pure as possible.
- Bathing in the same ghats where samsAris (materially minded people) bathe is an obstacle. We should not bathe in a place such that the water touched by samsAris touches us too. In this relation, there is an incident identified by azhagiya maNavALa perumAL nAyanAr in AchArya hrudhayam 32rd chUrNikai "sAdhana sAdhyangaLil muthalum mudivum varNadharmigaL dhAsavruththigaLenRu thuRaivERividuviththathu" (ஸாதந ஸாத்யங்களில் முதலும் முடிவும் வர்ணதர்மிகள் தாஸவ்ருத்திகளென்று துறைவேறிவிடுவித்தது) - One who understands the difference between karmam (which is the first stage of upAyam/means) and kainkaryam (which is the final stage of upEyam/goal) will say "you are simple followers of varNa dharmam and we are followers of bhagavath dhAsathvam (being servitor of emperumAn) - so we cannot mingle with you in the same ghats" and leave. mAmunigaL highlights a beautiful incident that happened in thiruvhindrapuram. There was a srIvaishNava (sannyAsi/jIyar or greatly learned scholar) named "villipuththUr pagavar" who was performing his anushtAnams in a separate ghat while a local brAhmaNa was performing his anushtAnam in another ghat. The brAhmaNa requested him to come to the ghat which are used by brAmhaNas and villipuththUr pagavar replies quoting a pramANam which says "We are the servitors and devotees of srIman nArAyaNa and you are followers of varNa dharmam - so there is no question of us mixing with each other" and leaves the place.
- While bathing in rivers, we should not bathe in a ghat where the water flows from another ghat which is used by samsAris. Translator's note: This means we are bathing in the remnants of the water used by samsAris which is not favourable.
- We should not bathe in a ghat which flows subsequently in to another ghat which is used by srIvaishNavas for bathing. We should bathe in the ghats which are after the ghats where srIvaishNavas bathe. In this relation we can see an incident from the life of mAmunigaL. periya jIyar (maNavALa mAmunigaL) used to go to cauvery river for bathing. A srIvaishNava named "thirumanjanam appA" who was serving srI ranganAthan regularly bathed after mAmunigaL bathes and thus was divinely blessed by gyAnam, vairAgyam, etc., by that simple of act of bathing after mAmunigaL and lead to accepting mAmunigaL as his AchAryan.
- Bathing with remembrance of other manthrams. Generally during bathing certain manthrams are recited (praNavam, etc). We should be careful to avoid avaishNava manthrams.
- It is also commonly seen that "imammE gangE yamunE sarasvathI" slOkam is recited before bathing. prapannas should not do that. As srI ranganAthan is glorified as "thriuvarangap perunagaruL theNNIrp ponnith thiraikkaiyAl adivarudap paLLi koLLum karumaNi" (திருவரங்கப் பெருநகருள் தெண்ணீர்ப் பொன்னித் திரைக்கையால் அடிவருடப் பள்ளி கொள்ளும் கருமணி) - "The black gem who rests (on the Adhi sEshan) in srIrangam touched gently by the waves of the pure cauvery river" in perumAL thirumozhi 1st pAsuram, one should recite "gangaiyil punithamAya kAviri" (கங்கையில் புனிதமாய காவிரி) - "cauvery which is more holy than gangA". It is also fitting for the true nature of the jIvAthmA to remember virajA river during bathing which flows at the border of paramapadham (since that is the river to be crossed before mOksham).
- It is not proper to bathe after returning back from attending festivals of emperumAn, AzhwArs and AchAryas even after being touched by sEvArththis (the ones who visit to have the dharshan during the festivals). By the divine presence of emperumAn, AzhwArs and AchAryas, any inauspiciousness/contamination in the crowd will be dispelled.
- When srIvaishNavas (sannyAsis and other great srIvaishNavas) leave their bodies - the bodies are considered to be "vimala charama vigraham" (விமல சரம விக்ரஹம்) - pure final body. Such final thirumEni (body) is considered to be at par with emperumAn's archA vigrahams. So, claiming Asoucham/theettu (contamination) for such body is totally ignorant and should be avoided. After completing the final rites, one does take bathe - but it should be considered similar to avabrutha snAnam (holy dip - bathing done as part of uthsavam completion such as thIrtha vAri).
- When touched by avaishNavas/abhAgavathas (samsAris - materially minded persons) one should bathe and purify oneself. Not doing so is an obstacle.
- On AchAryan thiruvadhyayanam day (thIrtham - annual remembrance festival on the day of ascending to paramapadham), sishya should bathe properly, perform bhagavathArAdhanam and bhAgavatha ArAdhanam adequately. Translator's note: When the AchArya's thirunakshathram, thIrtham are celebrated at the mutt/thirumALigai, sishyas should participate both physically and monetarily. It is the primary duty of the sishya to conduct the thirunakshathram and thIrtham of the AchArya.
- After bathing one should not dry themselves by shaking their head, etc., such that water from our body sprinkles on the srIvaishNavas who are near by.
- srIvaishNavas are said to be vEdhakap pon (touchstone) - when touched by them we become purified. Considering their touch contaminates us and bathing for that is an obstacle. Translator's note: In srIvachana bhUshaNa dhivya sAsthram, piLLai lOkAchAryar says in sUthram 221 "vEdhakap pon pOlE ivargaLOttai sambandham" (வேதகப் பொன் போலே இவர்களோட்டை ஸம்பந்தம்) - Having the relationship with srIvaishNavas is like coming in contact with touchstone - when a touchstone touches iron piece, the iron piece becomes gold. Similarly, when touched by srIvaishNavas we become purified.
- Bathing after performing thimanjanam to emperumAn is an obstacle. Translator's note: While performing thirumanjanam, milk, curd, honey, etc may spill on us. That is a great fortune. One should never consider that one has become dirty by those and attempt to clean themselves.
- One should not bathe after bathing srIvaishNavas.
- It is not proper to bathe after sending off srIvaishNavas after their visit at our home.
- Bathing just to clean ones body (for healthy lifestyle, etc) is an obstacle. One should consider the spiritual aspects in bathing and perform the same.
We will continue with the next section in the next article.
adiyen sarathy ramanuja dasan
archived in http://ponnadi.blogspot.in, also visit http://srivaishnavagranthams.wordpress.com, http://guruparamparai.wordpress.com, http://sriperumbuthur.blogspot.com | <urn:uuid:18dad017-50d5-406c-9aad-cf9925d888bb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://ponnadi.blogspot.com/2014/01/virodhi-pariharangal-9.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.913269 | 4,801 | 2.4375 | 2 |
In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica fallout, it appears Facebook users have not made significant changes to their security settings.
Change is hard
The Wall Street Journal reported that, by and large, Facebook users haven’t actually changed their privacy settings. Facebook's healthy $12 billion revenue postings back up the 'business as usual' vibe.
According to Carolyn Everson, Facebook VP of global marketing solutions, “We have not seen wild changes in behaviour with people saying I’m not going to share my data with Facebook anymore.”
Everson also said that Facebook did not foresee any necessity to make major changes to its business model regarding ad sales.
The high court speaks
Meanwhile, the US Congress is hard at work writing new legislation focused on boosting consumer privacy protections.
Two senators have introduced the CONSENT Act, outlining the FTC’s suggested ability to enforce privacy standards targeted towards online platforms.
Mark Zuckerberg has since agreed to work with Congress, following his testimony before the Senate and House committee. What this means for the future of targeted advertising is anyone’s guess.
Are you surprised that habits haven’t changed? Do you feel the controversy will not impact Facebook’s bottom line? Tell us what you think in the comments below. | <urn:uuid:9ab3c5fd-83fa-4927-9543-a8d3f04f9e56> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://smk.co/report-despite-everything-facebook-users-habits-largely-unchanged/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.943212 | 264 | 1.546875 | 2 |
I HAVE LONG HAD
concerns about the wind ensemble repertoire being more about effects, technical difficulty, and incestuous formulas than beauty and expressive opportunities for players that demonstrate the maximum potential for expression by the performers. I found Mr. Alcalde’s work to have significant musical depth through unashamedly and refreshingly beautiful melodies within a strong formal structure. The harmonic imagination was fresh within a traditional framework, the contrast of rhythmic drive was inspired, and the orchestration maximized the idiomatic capabilities of the instruments while challenging the best of players.
Perhaps most notable, the aforementioned were structured for ingenious ebb and flow of emotion, seldom belaboring a theme and always leading to musical impact that reached the musical intellect of the players at their highest levels along with an accessibility that reached audiences from the musically trained through the casual listener. About the music of Antón Alcalde, one of my favorite living composers.
Thomas P. Rohrer, Ph.D. Professor of music & director of music education, Department of Music of Utah State University, United States. | <urn:uuid:3e71058b-e0cd-40f6-b5dd-4a3fa9047d88> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.aalcaldemusic.com/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.944455 | 221 | 1.65625 | 2 |
ELLWOOD CITY (KDKA) -- Emma Bowland, 16-years-old, is taking it a day at a time.
"I've been really sore, still hard to breathe, I take two naps a day," said Bowland.
The Riverside High School junior spoke at her Ellwood City home about the journey she's been through since she decided to use e-cigarettes.
"It all started as something to try and all my friends were doing it and we all just experimented and it just turned into something you got addicted to and all the different flavors and just wanted to keep trying them," said Bowland.
Addicted because of the nicotine. But doctors said teens don't always realize what's actually in an e-cigarette.
"What they're seeing on media and on ads is this is just harmless water vapor and I don't think they realize this is an aerosol. It contains chemicals in it," said Children's Hospital Pediatric Pulmonologist Franziska Rosser.
Emma said she started with Juul, then tried other brands.
"Being underage, friends of friends trade-off and sell," said Bowland.
Amy Wadas: "Do you think any were laced with THC?"
Bowland: "You never know. On the street nothing is safe."
Emma vaped for about a year until she realized something was wrong.
"I started feeling stomach pain which ended up being my lungs," said Bowland.
She spent time in a few hospitals before ending up in Children's Hospital for 10 days. Scans showed white spots on her lungs.
"It's like popcorn. A lot of patchiness and my lungs were bleeding and had fluid in my lungs," said Bowland
After countless medications, Emma took a turn for the better and went home Tuesday night. Her mom said she knew Emma was vaping, but wished she'd been more vigilant.
"If you see it, pull it. If you know it, take it from them," said Emma's mom Brenda Daufen. "They want to be adults but still kids need guidance."
"I would go through this again just so no one has to so I can raise awareness about it," said Bowland.
Bowland has been one of 22 patients within UPMC this year who had lung-related problems due to vaping.
For help, teens can head to MyLifeMyQuit.
The site is free and confidential.
for more features. | <urn:uuid:885f08d3-68fe-4a08-9067-deed459534fd> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/local-teenager-lung-disorder-vaping/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.985381 | 514 | 1.710938 | 2 |
Tracking Arts Learning and Engagement (TALE) was a three-year longitudinal research project funded by Arts Council England from 2015-18. The project partners were The Royal Shakespeare Company (Education), Tate (School and Teachers team), and The University of Nottingham. The research investigated four main questions:
- What do teachers learn from deep engagement with cultural organisations?
- How do teachers translate this learning into classroom pedagogies?
- What do students gain from these learning experiences?
- What do the different models of teacher professional development provided by the RSC and Tate offer and achieve?
Tate and RSC have adopted innovative but different approaches to teachers’ continuing professional development and learning [CPDL].
- Tate Schools and Teachers team offers individual teachers the opportunity to engage in immersive experiences, either through a network, through single CPDL events or through an intensive Summer School that takes place at the gallery. Through encounters with artists and artist mediated materials teachers are encouraged to experience, as learners, the pedagogical principles of open-ended, critical aesthetic inquiry. They are supported to consider how they might curate learning in which pupils question, explore, challenge, play and interpret. Tate St Ives and Liverpool also focus on individual teachers but within the context of their schools.
- The Royal Shakespeare Company offers school-focused professional development in which key teachers work alongside RSC professionals to embed RSC rehearsal room approaches to Shakespeare’s texts across a national network of schools. The RSC offer is rooted in the real-world work of actors and directors in the rehearsal room and explores the interpretive possibilities of the text. Teachers are encouraged, as learners, to get out of their seats and use their bodies, minds and emotions to get to grips with poetic and metaphoric language and the texts. They then take these approaches and use them in the classrooms. They are supported to consider how they can make the teaching of the only compulsory author in the national curriculum more vivid, accessible and enjoyable.
These two different models of teacher development – one focused on the individual teacher and the other on the teacher within their school setting – provided a unique research opportunity for investigating the different affordances and benefits of these models of CPDL, for teachers and for their pupils. At the same time, the research aimed to support the two organisations to learn from each other, strengthen their partnership and provide longitudinal evidence about the impact of committed arts teaching in schools.
The sample of schools and teachers
The research was conducted in thirty secondary schools, fifteen nominated by the RSC and fifteen by TATE, because of the long-term professional involvement of either a teacher (TATE) or school (RSC) with the gallery/company. The schools are spread across the regions of England from Northumberland to Cornwall. Three of the schools are special schools.
This was a purposive, not a representative, sample. We took the schools’/teachers’ involvement with the RSC or Tate CPDL programmes as an indication of (at least) a reasonable degree of commitment to arts and cultural education, so the sites were chosen for their potential to give empirical and theoretical richness to a critical but appreciative inquiry. In fact, the schools are far from homogeneous; they serve very different communities and were faring differently in terms of Ofsted inspection ratings at the time when the research was conducted.
We aimed to follow 60 teachers over three years, two per school: Teacher X, who had been involved with the professional development offered by the RSC or Tate, and Teacher Y who worked alongside Teacher X. In the event, the final total of teacher participants was higher (80), due to staff turnover, and we did not quite hit our target of 60 teacher interviews each year (see table 2). However, there was a core of 35 teachers who were interviewed in each of the three years of the project.
|2||59||Plus 3 additional teachers and 1 art technician|
|3||54||Plus 2 art technicians|
Table 1: Teacher interviews
Because of the nature of the arts organisations involved, most of the teachers in our sample were teachers of art, photography, drama, performing arts or English, though in schools with Creative Arts faculties we sometimes interviewed teachers of design and technology, with textiles or food specialisms.
Each year we visited each of the schools for between one and three days. Research visits in Year One were conducted between November 2015 and July 2016; Year Two visits took place between October 2016 and June 2017; Year Three visits started in September 2017 and were completed by June 2018.
Wherever possible, in the early stages of the project we recorded and transcribed interviews with each school’s head or executive head teacher or an appropriate senior leader. We conducted 24 of these senior leader interviews in total in year 1 and supplemented them with a further six interviews in year 2. In these interviews we asked about strategic and contextual issues and the school leaders’ views about the role of arts and cultural education.
We recorded and transcribed interviews with Teachers X and Y each year. We asked the teachers questions about: their own participation in the arts, both recreational and professional; their perception of the benefits of the arts to their students and to themselves; their educational philosophy and their planning, preparation, teaching and assessment of their subject. We followed up different themes in these interviews each year, depending on the issues that were arising from our ongoing analysis, and building on/revisiting issues that had been raised in previous interviews. Broadly, in year 1 we asked about the teachers’ personal backgrounds, engagement in the arts and philosophies of teaching; in year 2 we focused on planning and partnership working, and in year 3 we asked about pedagogical practice and arts learning in and out of school. As our aim was to understand the teachers in their various contexts, we used semi-structured interviews that allowed us to follow up interesting individual differences where these occurred.In all of the teacher interviews we enquired about CPDL and any links with the RSC, Tate or any other arts and cultural organisations, and in years 2 and 3 we asked whether the teachers’ work or the situation in their school had changed since the previous year. We examined, took photographs and wrote field notes about their classrooms, their teaching programmes and pupil work. Where possible, we watched them teach.
We also tracked students across the three years of the project in each of the 30 schools.Each year we recorded interviews with students in years 10-13 (ages 14-18) who were studying the arts. We talked to focus groups of students from the same year group, in each of the schools. The size of focus groups ranged from one-on-one, to seven students. Most were comprised of four students. We aimed for two groups per teacher per year group and to interview 24 students per school, each year. For logistical and other reasons it was not always possible to speak to the same students year on year, but in many cases we managed to do that. We spoke to students who had actively consented to be involved in the research, without teachers present. All interviews were recorded, coded and thematised after the visit, and key exchanges and quotations were transcribed. Through these focus groups, we spoke to almost 1500 students in years 10-13. (See table 2).
|Year||No of focus groups||No of students interviewed|
Table 2. Student interviews.
In 2016-7, year 2 of the project, we also conducted a survey of Key Stage 4 and 5 students in the sample schools to find out about students’ engagement with arts and cultural activities in and out of school. The survey is designed to replicate some items from the annual DCMS/Arts Council Taking Part survey so that we can compare students in the TALE schools against a representative national sample. We also added questions about subject choice in school and career intentions. We began with an online survey and, when we found that some schools were having difficulties in organising students’ online access, we conducted a second wave of data collection in the autumn of 2017 using paper and pencil surveys. In the end, 4,477 questionnaires were completed with just over half (2,310) completed on paper. Females are over-represented in the survey respondents (see table 3) so a matched sub-sample of 14/15 year olds was created to draw comparisons with the Taking Part data.
|Prefer not to answer||1.9%|
Table 3. Survey responses by gender.
Confidential school level reports of the survey findings were created for and shared with each of the schools that made a statistically significant return.
Analysis, ethics and partnership working
We amassed a large amount of data about the case study schools over the three years of the study. We worked systematically using templates and schedules, cross-visiting schools and meeting frequently to share findings. To ensure that our processes were iterative, we transcribed and began to codify data as we went along, looking for emerging themes or issues that we needed to return to in the following year’s visit. As patterns emerged, we shared them and discussed them across the university/RSC/Tate partnership team.
The University of Nottingham research team consisted of Pat Thomson and Chris Hall; Becky Parry worked as the researcher for the first year of the project; Lexi Earl was the researcher in years 2 and 3. Corinna Geppert joined the team in year 3 to work particularly on the analysis of the statistical data. The Tate team member was Emily Pringle, with Amy McKelvie deputising for Emily while she was on research leave. RSC Education, led by Jacqui O’Hanlon, was the lead partner in terms of organising and managing the meeting and reporting processes. This was important beyond the obvious need for administrative efficiency and accountability. We had identified from the outset that we wanted to work in a participatory and collaborative research partnership. We therefore devised a structure for sharing and discussing findings. Regularly timetabled ‘working group’ meetings brought together the university researchers with the Tate Learning team or the RSC Education team to discuss emerging findings in their 15 nominated schools. These discussions fed into scheduled governance meetings that brought all three partners together with an Arts Council representative. These meetings were a vital part of the process of making sense of the data we were collecting in the case study schools and through the survey.
Constructing the sample. The overall TALE sample consists of 1,693 14-year-olds and 1,477 15-year-olds. In the TALE sample 36% of students are male and 60% are female (3% identify as non-binary and 2% preferred not to answer the question). Nationally there is an equal distribution of males and females in state-funded schools and independent schools. The Taking Part sample reflects the national distribution of males/females (e.g. the 2015/6 sample was 49/51% male/female. To overcome the skewing of the TALE sample, a subsample was drawn, comprising 136 female and 139 male 14-15 year olds. This is the sample used to draw the comparisons.
29 in year one because of the late withdrawal of one school: 14 nominated by Tate and 15 by the RSC. Due to changes in schools’ circumstances, in Year 2 three new schools were recruited to the project.
Ofsted ratings of schools changed over the course of the research but, broadly, the profile of the sample was: outstanding – 8 schools, good – 13 schools, requires improvement – 7 schools, inadequate – 2 schools.
The TALE surveywas open to all students in years 10, 11 and 12 in the 30 case study schools. The Taking Part survey is a continuous face-to-face household survey of adults aged 16+ and children aged 5-15 years old in England. It collects data on engagement in arts, museums and galleries, archives, libraries, heritage and sport. For comparison with the TALE survey, we used Taking Part data relating to 14-15 year-olds from the 2010-2016 child datasets. Sample sizes can be seen in the table below. | <urn:uuid:a2f2cb96-ea91-46e4-959c-ba114f424c69> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://researchtale.net/what-are-we-doing/?shared=email&msg=fail | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.970339 | 2,708 | 2.640625 | 3 |
By Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.
Since the fall of man in the garden, men and women have needed to be adequately and decently clothed. When Adam and Eve sinned they became conscious of their nakedness and were ashamed – a consciousness and sense of shame needed in a world invaded by sin. They tried to cloth themselves with aprons of fig leaves, but God clothed them more adequately and decently (Gen. 2:25-31). It is interesting that the sacred text does not say that the aprons clothed them, but rather the coats or tunics that God made for them.
I heard a brother say that if he could find some of the fruit that Adam and Eve ate, he would pass it out to the sisters by the bushel – so that they would open their eyes and know that they were naked (Gen. 3:7). I might add that many are still sewing together less than fig leaves and calling themselves clothed.
Adornment: Inside and Out
Misinterpretations of Peter’s teaching about outward adorning (1 Pet. 3:1-4) have led to several extremes. Some conclude that all outward adorning such as wearing gold, braiding the hair, and the like is forbidden. It should be obvious that this is not what Peter meant, or else one could wear no clothes because another example given of outward adorning is that of “putting on of apparel.” While some versions other than the King James and American Standard say fine apparel, fine is obviously an interpolation supplied by the translators and is so indicated by italics in the New King James.
This is one of those “not . . . but . . . ” passages where the “not” portion of the passage may indeed be important, but is not nearly as important as the “but” portion. (John 6:27 is another example of such a passage.) Having correctly understood that the inward adorning is far more important than any outward adorning, one must not conclude that outward adorning is of no importance. Whoever said that “clothes do not make the man” may have been right, but it is also true that clothes may be a reflection of the man (or woman). The way that we dress sends certain signals about ourselves. This is why godly women should dress as women professing godliness (1 Tim. 2: 10). They want to signal their true character before all.
One’s dress may reflect one’s socio-economic standing (Jas. 2:14). Since, among saints, no partiality should be shown based on this factor, we should not show favoritism toward one whose clothing may reflect either prosperity or poverty. However, the fact still remains that the way one dresses does say something about the person.
One’s dress may reflect one’s attitude toward an occasion. Joseph was about to appear before the Pharaoh, so he “shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh” (Gen. 41:14). Queen Esther wanted an audience with the king, so she “put on her royal apparel” (Esth. 5:1). A wedding guest was expelled from a king’s wedding feast for his son for not wearing the wedding garment (which, I am told, was customarily supplied by the host, Matt. 22:11,12). All of this points to the fact that special occasions call for special attention being paid to one’s dress. How one dresses for the occasion reflects his attitude toward the occasion.
When we assemble around the Lord’s table to commemorate the great sacrifice of our Savior and to otherwise worship him, is this not a very special occasion? Is it a casual event? Yet, I sometimes see brethren who have good clothes, fitting for other special occasions, and who are careful to arrange their appearance for those occasions, attend the worship services looking like they had just come from or were heading to a hog-killing. Casual occasions may call for casual and unkept appearance, but publicly worshiping the Lord is no such occasion.
Dress and Character
One’s dress may reflect one’s personal character traits. For example, if one, with the means to do otherwise, habitually appears in public with unkept clothing, hair and general appearance; it is a pretty good indication of laziness and carelessness on his part.
Likewise, one may indicate either godliness or ungodliness by the way one dresses. Solomon speaks of seeing a young man devoid of understanding meeting a woman with the attire of a harlot (Prov. 7:6-9). Judah mistook Tamar for a harlot because of her outward appearance (Gen. 38:14,15). This did not justify Judah’s action, but it does show that one’s outward appearance can send out ungodly signals. How often have I heard it said of some sisters that they dress “like street walkers” and I find it hard to disagree. A person who professes godliness should dress as a person professing godliness (1 Tim. 2:10). If Christians are not the wrong kind of people and do not want to be identified as such, then they should not signal by the way that they dress that they are.
The way Christians dress should indicate a sense of modesty, propriety and moderation because these traits should be a part of their very character. Three significant Greek words, referring to a Christian’s character, are used relative to a Christian woman’s apparel in 1 Timothy 2:9: kosmios, aidos, and sophrosune. The way one dresses is indicative of whether or not the person possesses these characteristics. Kosmios (“modest”) means “orderly, well-arranged, decent, modest . . . of good behavior (1 Tim. 3:2, KJV)” (Vine). Adios (“propriety” – NKJ, “shamefacedness” – KJV, “shamefastness” – ASV, “decency” – NIV) is “that modesty which is ‘fast’ rooted in the character” (Vine). Sophrosune (“moderation” – NKJ, “sobreity” – KJV, ASV) is a “habitual inner self-government, with its constant rein on the passion and desires” (Vine).
Those professing godliness are to be governed by chastity or purity (Greek: hagnos – Phil. 4:8; 1 Tim. 5:22; Tit. 2:5; Jas. 3:17; 1 Pet. 3:2; 1 Jn. 3:3), rather than sensuality. They seek to conceal rather than shamefully (or shamelessly) reveal their nakedness (cf. Exod. 28:42; Rev. 3:18; 16:15). They should refrain from sexually provocative clothing or gestures (cf. Prov. 7:10,11,21-23). By doing this they can keep themselves pure and avoid being a stumbling block to others (cf. Matt. 5:28; 18:6-9).
What We Are Seeing
More and more Christians are dressing in a sexually provocative manner. In fact, Christians who have been taught that sexually provocative clothing is wrong and still want to wear such clothing to be “in style” are about the only ones who try to deny that such is provocative. Most people in the world freely admit that this is why they find such apparel appealing. Sex appeal is the name of the game with many of the fashion designers of this world.
Many wear clothing in public that barely stops short of complete nudity. The shame of their nakedness is revealed either by clothing that is too brief or too tight. I sometimes see sisters out in their yards, out shopping around recreational areas, at beaches and pools or at sporting events (both fans and participants) that expose at least as much flesh as they would in their underwear. I also see brothers at the same places in very short shorts without a shirt. If all of this is decent or modest apparel — pray tell what could be immodest or indecent and still be called apparel. Remember there is such a thing as “modest apparel,” necessarily implying the reality of “immodest apparel.” Others wear clothing, even to church services, that may not be as brief but is about as revealing. Skirts and dresses sometimes are so short they make it impossible for one to stand or sit in a decent manner and reveal as much or more flesh than the shorts mentioned above. Dresses, skirts, pants, and tops that are near skin tight and reveal the very form of private parts are all too frequently worn. Dresses and skirts, though they may be nearly to the ankles, are sometimes slit so as to reveal the entire leg with every step. Dresses very low cut at the top are not uncommon. A person who defends the design of such clothing as decent and non-sensual is either woefully naive or shamefully dishonest.
Brothers and sisters, we need to be careful about how we dress; but, more importantly, we need to constantly examine our hearts so as to develop and protect that basic sense of decency and shamefastness that should characterize Christians – then dress accordingly.
Guardian of Truth XXXVI: 8, pp. 227-228
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Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a 15,000-acre property along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The property is non-contiguous and surrounds within its authorized boundaries several Indiana State properties (state parks, natural areas, etc.). The landscape is a mix of sand dunes, marshes, swamps, bogs, fens, rivers, prairies, oak savannas and woodland forest.
The movement to create the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore began in 1899 but didn't reach fruition until 1966 when Congress finally authorized creation of the park. Public sentiment to create the park rose and fell over the years as the First World War, then the Great Depression, then the Second World War intervened and forced governmental focus on other things. There was also a lot of push-back from industries that were using the raw materials of the dunes in their manufacturing processes (as an example: the largest dune in the area was carted off in railroad boxcars to make glass). There was also a major effort in those days to built a "Port of Indiana" in the East Chicago-Gary area. Indiana Dunes State Park, established in 1926, was the first real toehold established by folks intent on preserving the Indiana dunes for future generations. The first glimmer of hope for establishing a National Park in the area came with the Kennedy Compromise in 1963. Kennedy was intent on establishing the Cape Cod National Seashore and using federal funds to acquire the land. That effort branched out to Indiana Dunes and shortly, that possibility became a reality. That first bill authorized a National Lakeshore that included only 8,330 acres of land but other bills in 1976, 1980, 1986 and 1992 authorized expansions of the park to its present size of more than 15,000 acres.
Several parcels of the National Lakeshore are set back from the beach, acquired because they have some intrinsic natural value the Park Service wants to preserve and protect. One of these is the Heron Rookery, once the site of many large heron nests but not any more. Others have been preserved because of their historical and/or cultural significance. One of those is the former Good Fellow Youth Camp, run by US Steel for employees' children from 1941 to 1977 when it was purchased by the NPS. Located near the geographical center of the National Lakeshore is the Bailly-Chellberg Farmstead, site of the historic Bailly Trading Post, Bailly Cemetery and the Chellberg Farm (still operating as a heritage farm under the auspices of the National Park Service).
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is located near the southern edge of the Michigan lobe of the Wisconsin glaciation (about 110,000 to 10,000 years ago). The glaciers in this area advanced and retreated several times before that final retreat about 10,000 years ago. That glacial action left several terminal moraines in the area, adding to the diversity of the landscape. There are geological remnants of at least four successive stages of historic Lake Michigan shorelines. This is also an area where you'll find Arctic and boreal plants living side-by-side with desert plants (especially prickly pear cactus). In addition to the more than 1400 species of plants on the property, sightings of more than 350 species of birds have been documented over the years.
There are more than 15 miles of sandy beach shoreline in the Lakeshore. The park also offers more than 45 miles of hiking trails, some accessible. Some of the dunes in the area reach a height of about 200 feet and between the dunes are extensive wetlands, important feeding and resting areas for the hordes of migratory birds that pass through in spring and fall.
The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitor Center is located in Porter, Indiana at 1215 N. Indiana Highway 49. The visitor center is open daily year round except closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days. Summer hours: 8 am to 6 pm, Memorial Day to Labor Day. Winter hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The West Beach Bathhouse is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, 9 am to 30 minutes past sunset. The West Beach area is open year round, sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset. Park headquarters is open Monday through Friday (except Federal holidays) from 8 am to 4:30 pm. The Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk is open daily from sunrise to 30 minutes past sunset, year round.
Dunewood Campground offers 78 camping sites, 3 of which are accessible. The campground is open from the last Friday in April to the third Sunday in October. There are grills, picnic tables, restrooms and showers but no electrical hookups. Sites are available first-come, first served and the campground usually fills up by late Friday afternoon.
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Bottom photo courtesy of Wikipedia userid Witoki, CCA-by-SA 3.0 License
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A mother’s love for her son is unconditional. I never knew love as pure as this in my whole entire life. My son is my life, and I couldn’t imagine a life without him. Seven months into my pregnancy my unborn son was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus is a medical condition that does not allow CF fluid to flow naturally. Hydocephalus is known as water on the brain. The reason for the nickname is because children born with this medical condition have larger head sizes than most normal children. As a mother of a special needs child I knew I would have to face many challenges. It wouldn’t be just a challenge for me, but for my son as well.
Children with hydrocephalus require a shunt. The shunt is a medical device that helps to drain the extra fluid from the brain. Too much fluid can cause too much pressure on the brain. A thin tube is connected to the shunt device. This tube allows the fluid to drain into two different locations, depending on the type of shunt. The extra fluid can either be drained into the heart or into the stomach. This device is an essential element for a child with hydrocephalus. It is a survival tool for them.
I knew right from the start my son one day would have to have a shunt placement surgery. A surgery is something a mother never wants to see her child endure. My son’s medical condition required for one to be performed. Brain surgery is a serious operation and can have anything go wrong. My son required many routine checkups, which are very important for him. A regular routine visit revealed the worst news. No mother should go through the agony of waiting and knowing your child will have to go underneath the knife.
Children’s hospital has been great to my family as well as many others. My son was seven weeks old when our lives forever changed. They gave my son a chance to be a normal child, or as a normal as possible. I can recall this day as if it happened just yesterday. The neurosurgeon informed me, his head size was getting larger and the CF fluid was not draining as it should, which occurred in hydrocephalus patients. A shunt as she described would need to be placed in as soon as possible. I felt my heart jump into my throat, choking me.
He would be scheduled as a walk in. This meant he would be fitted into the following surgery schedule. Registration gave us a number for privacy purposes. My son was prepped and ready for surgery. His father and I watched our son being wheeled back into the operating room on the gurney. Fear echoed in our hearts, it beat in unison with our hearts. The surgery would take at least three hours. It was the scariest three hours of my life. Anything could go wrong and there was nothing I or his father could do but wait and pray. We sat on pins and needles waiting. It was hard to imagine my little boy being cut. In my heart I knew the VP shunt would help to release the extra fluid from his brain. We both knew it was a necessity for him.
The three hours of waiting didn’t pass quickly. The number we were given for our son was a number that would appear on a surgery status board. We grabbed a bit to eat and returned to search the surgery status board. The number we were first given at registration was not on the board. Panic and fear rose quickly in our throats. Where was our little boy? Was he alright? What was going on? These were questions that ran quickly through my mind like a freight train. We tracked down a security guard who put our fears to rest. As he radioed in for an answer, the wait for a response seemed to be hours. They explained that since he was a walk in surgical patient and did not have the surgery on that specific day of registration, he was given a different number.
Fear quickly turned to anger for a moment. We were greeted with his doctor after sometime. We were allowed to go visit with our brave little guy. The surgery went great. The moment I saw him, my heart broke. It was hard to see my baby boy in pain and to see so many tubes and wires hooked up to his tiny body. I was afraid to hold him in my arms, afraid I would cause him more pain than he already was in. His journey was just beginning and I knew there would be many more challenges in both of our lives yet to come.
My son will be four years old in May of this year. He has not had a shunt revision nor has he had any complications from the surgery. In fact all of his doctors are in amazement of how well he is doing. He will have many delays in his speech, social and various other developments. My son will behind most children his age. He has made great strides and improvements. He has outdone himself. I couldn’t be more proud of my son. His VP shunt has been on the same setting since the day it was put in. This surgery has given my son a new beginning, a chance to blossom. The future is unknown to us all. I do know there will be ups and downs with my son’s hydrocephalus. It is unsure if there will be any revisions in his future, only time will tell.
My son is now six years old and about to turn seven in a few months. In these last few years, there have been no revisions. His shunt has been on the same setting since his surgery back in 2008. There have been many ups and downs. He has violent behaviors. These temper tantrums are brutal against others and himself. Despite the violent rages, he is still the sweetest boy who has a hard time understanding the ways of the world. This month we had him tested for Autism. Hopefully we will have answers for his behaviors.
It’s a very painful and frustrating situation to watch him lash out against others and himself. He never used to be this violent. It’s almost as if he is bio polar. His behaviors come and go quickly within matter of seconds. You never know what will set him off. You are walking on egg shells in your own home.
As a mother it is painful to watch your own flesh and blood beat himself up in his moments of frustration. I don’t know how to help him. In these moments I feel helpless and ashamed of myself for not being able to do anything for him.
Raising a special needs child isn’t easy. His father isn’t in the picture. It’s just me. I do the best I can. I’m not perfect. In my heart, I know my son has more medical problems than what is currently present. It could be Autism or it could be some other disorder. But there is something else amiss with him. I just can’t put my finger on it, not yet.
This isn’t just my struggle as a mother but this is his struggle. I couldn’t imagine my life without my son. He has taught me unconditional love and strength. Despite the struggles we have each other., he is always in my corner with a dashing smile. His smile can melt anyone’s heart. I have no idea what the future holds for him or for me. Whatever happens we are in this fight together. My son’s courage is something I wish I had. He gives me the strength to keep going even when the skies are dark and gloomy. He brings a joy and laughter to all those who meet him. He doesn’t know hate.
As a mother of a special needs child, I want other parents to know they are not alone. It is a struggle to raise a child who is delayed. There are no magical cures for handling these situations. They are not alone in the world. They have to find strength within themselves as I have. It has been a hard journey. But each day it does get a little bit easier. There is hope at the end of the rainbow. | <urn:uuid:3529a9be-9886-49e1-a768-673b3f03db13> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.youandmemagazine.com/articles/mother-and-son-a-hydrocephalus-journey | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.987923 | 1,683 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Climate guru Petteri Taalas: Climate change is not yet out of control, but the debate is – “It has the features of religious extremism.”
key excerpts from his opinions and quotations, translated from a September 6, 2019, article in Talouselama: — According to Petteri Taalas, there are, as of yet, no signs of horror images of climate change, such as the reversal of the Gulf Stream or large-scale methane depletion as the Siberian permafrost melts.
“If we look at the state of the world, excluding climate change and population growth, then we are at the best of mankind’s time in many ways: the economy, health and, for example, the position of women will never be better.”— “The IPCC reports are read like the Holy Book, where certain sentences are sought to justify their own extreme positions. It has the features of religious extremism,” Taalas says. — He hopes for the media to be incisive and versatile when interviewing experts and stakeholders.
“We also have certain reservations about our experts. We are sometimes promoters of our own cause.”— The career meteorologist does not see the basis for the apocalyptic scenarios that are being predicted now.
“This world will not end, the world will only become dark. The living conditions of some people on the planet are getting harder, but people have been living under difficult conditions for a while.”— Until a few years ago, climate scientists had a fierce debate with so-called skeptics who disputed the foundations and results of climate research. This has subsided, but, according to Taalas, experts are now being challenged from the other side.
“Experts are under attack for not being radical enough. There are threats and extremists in all corners of the world.”— “The Finnish media has been raising concern. The latest issue was that children became a negative thing. For example, I am concerned about young mothers who already have many burdens. This adds to their load.” According to him, the solution to climate change does not require an individual to have an ascetic life or to stop having children. — Much more radical climate action is being demanded today, by the Extinction Rebellion or the Rebellion Climate Movement, who already demand zero emissions by 2025 and “truthful” climate information from governments. Like the climate research from the Holy Book and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, which are now also being exploited in the same way. — He also does not believe that climate policy should be turned into widespread prohibitions or some form of command economy. The fight against climate change does not require a lower standard of living.
“A large amount of coal power has been built, and it is difficult to give it up immediately. This is a big economic issue,” Taalas says. He points out that giving up coal power has not been easy in Helsinki.The article was translated from the Finnish Financial Newspaper Talouselama (The Journal) for the CO2 Coalition by Language Innovations LLC, on September 23, 2019.]]> | <urn:uuid:57a8532c-50d1-4342-a346-0a28c0af5986> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://co2coalition.org/news/climate-guru-petteri-taalas-climate-change-is-not-yet-out-of-control-but-the-debate-is-it-has-the-features-of-religious-extremism/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.965013 | 652 | 1.789063 | 2 |
Need help in understanding the electromagnetic theory and diffraction problems. Then you have come to the perfect article on the web. Here We have provided the Imaging Optics Braat pdf you are looking for.
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Imaging Optics Braat pdf Description:
This comprehensive and self-contained text presents the fundamentals of optical imaging from the viewpoint of both ray and wave optics within a single volume. Comprising three distinct parts, it introduces the electromagnetic theory, including electromagnetic diffraction problems and how they can be solved using standard numerical methods such as RCWA or FDTD.
The second part is devoted to the basic theory of geometrical optics and the study of optical aberrations inherent in imaging systems, including large-scale telescopes and high-resolution projection lenses. A detailed overview of state-of-the-art optical system design gives readers the tools to successfully use commercial visual design software. The final part explores diffraction theory and concludes with vectorial wave propagation, image formation, and image detection in high-aperture imaging systems. The wide-ranging perspective of this important book provides researchers and professionals with a comprehensive and rigorous treatise on the theoretical and applied aspects of optical imaging.
Joseph Braat is an Emeritus Professor of Optics at the Delft Technical University, The Netherlands, and a Fellow of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. Previously he was based at the Philips Research Laboratories in Eindhoven, where he worked on optical disc systems for video and audio recording and high-resolution optical lithography. His further research interests are diffraction theory, astronomical imaging, and optical metrology.
Peter Tor¨ok¨ is a Professor of Optical Physics at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and at Imperial College London, UK. His research is focused on the theory of diffraction, focusing, and microscopy, with particular emphasis on confocal microscopy, spectroscopic imaging, and polarization. He has taught vector calculus, electromagnetism, optical imaging, and optical design theory throughout the years.
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Belarus will start paying the same gas price as Russian consumers, benefitting from an integration discount, by 2014, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Friday after a meeting with Belarus’ President Alexander Lukashenko.
“This is an important question, which will regulate our relations with Belarus for years to come and will ensure a secure and unquestionable transit of our energy to consumers in Western Europe through the Belarusian territory,” Putin said.
Belarus, a member of the Union State of Russia and Belarus and a Customs Union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, will pay $164 for 1,000 cubic meters of Russian gas in the first quarter of 2012 compared to an average gas price for Europeans of $400, Putin also said.
“This is a serious discount which will allow Belarus to save no less than $2 billion,” he noted.
Russian gas giant Gazprom will acquire 100 percent of Belarus’ Beltransgaz, in which it already owns a 50 percent stake, Putin said.
Russia’s current five-year gas agreement with Belarus expires on January 1. Markets have been following the talks, as previous gas disputes between Russia and transit countries have seriously hit energy supplies to Europe in the middle of winter.
Gazprom plans to provide 152 billion cubic meters of gas to the European market this year, some 20 percent of supplies running through Belarus’ territory.
Russia also agreed to restructure Belarus’ gas debts which arose from insufficient payments in 2011.
Russia will provide a $10 billion 15-year loan to Belarus to build a nuclear power plant, which is to be built by 2017, Putin also said.
“We have agreed and today corresponding documents will be signed to provide Belarus with credit for this purpose,” Putin said. | <urn:uuid:b28635bd-7e21-43f0-a275-a81fd44b5bf6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://news.windowstorussia.com/russia-to-offer-domestic-gas-price-to-belarus-by-2014.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.958279 | 369 | 1.929688 | 2 |
Syria’s civil war is having a dramatic impact on its neighbors, particularly Lebanon. The spillover is glaring in the northern city of Tripoli, where street violence is rising, sectarianism is at unprecedented levels, and Sunni extremism is flourishing. This instability threatens to spread to other areas of the country. Yet, Lebanon’s problems have as much to do with domestic dynamics as with the unrest in Syria. Lebanese policymakers must address a number of issues that have long been ignored.
Domestic Polarization and Marginalization
- The Lebanese Shia party Hezbollah provides active military support to the Syrian regime and has unparalleled influence in Lebanon, which fuels a Sunni-Shia divide in the country.
- Poverty rates are high in northern Lebanon, and Tripoli is broadly divided between poor neighborhoods and richer suburbs.
The presence of Syrian refugees in northern Lebanon has exacerbated socioeconomic tensions. A popular sense of disaffection is growing, particularly among Sunnis.
- Mainstream political parties and official religious institutions, such as the Sunni Dar al-Fatwa, have failed to channel rising discontent. Some Sunnis are radicalizing and turning to Salafi and Salafi-jihadi groups.
- The majority of Tripoli’s population is Sunni. The Sunni area of Bab al-Tabbaneh is engaged in a long-standing struggle with the Alawite neighborhood of Jabal Mohsen.
- Most Alawites are seen as supporting the Syrian regime, which many Sunnis strongly oppose. This tension has driven Tripoli to the brink of war.
- The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are supposed to guarantee security and stability in the country. But, despite improvements stemming from the implementation of a security plan, the dynamics on the ground have not fundamentally changed.
Challenges Ahead for Lebanon
Empowering Dar al-Fatwa. The religious body has the institutional capacity to help combat radicalism by providing state-sanctioned religious education to disenfranchised Sunnis. But to be effective it must be reformed.
Easing tensions between Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh. The state needs to support civil society efforts to calm tensions between rival neighborhoods and to provide a platform for dialogue.
Improving socioeconomic conditions. The state should increase its investment in education and local infrastructure while accelerating the pace of administrative decentralization to reinforce the capacity of municipalities to tackle local issues.
Enhancing security. The LAF leadership must do more to address the grievances of the Sunni community because no security plan to calm tensions in the north will succeed unless it is accompanied by a plan to win hearts and minds. The government must also decide whether Hezbollah should maintain its weapons.
As the conflict in Syria enters its fourth year, it continues to spill over the borders of neighboring countries and alter local dynamics, sometimes with significant consequences.
Lebanon, in particular, has been greatly affected by the Syrian civil war. An influx of Syrian refugees, now exceeding 1 million in a population of 4.4 million, has impacted the country’s local socioeconomic and religious fabric. The ongoing stalemate in Syria has also further polarized Lebanon’s already-tense domestic political situation, which is shaped by a schism between the March 8 coalition, broadly sympathetic to the Syrian regime, and the March 14 alliance, which is opposed to the government in Damascus. Most recently, the rise of Sunni extremism in the Syrian conflict has unleashed disturbing religious and security dynamics in Lebanon, with al-Qaeda affiliates that are fighting in Syria, such as the Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, launching Lebanese chapters.
Nowhere is this spillover starker than in the northern port of Tripoli, Lebanon’s second-largest city, where local sectarian and political tensions have been severely exacerbated. This should come as no surprise. The city—long known as Tarablus al-Sham, or Tripoli of Syria, because of its social and geographic proximity to the Syrian hinterland—has deep connections to Syrian society. Even Tripoli’s own religious makeup is reminiscent of that of nearby Syrian towns, with an overwhelming majority of Sunnis living alongside a minority of Alawites who inhabit the hilltop of Jabal Mohsen that overlooks the rest of the city. Political disagreements between the two religious communities are long-standing and rooted in various grievances, but the fact that most Alawites are seen as supporting the Syrian regime, to which many Sunnis voice strong opposition, has driven the city to the brink of war.
It could even be argued that Tripoli has become an integral part of the Syrian conflict. Both the regime in Damascus and the rebels have gained a foothold in the city through local proxies. In addition, more than one-tenth of Tripoli’s population is now made up of Syrian refugees. Street violence is on the rise, sectarianism has reached unprecedented levels, and Sunni religious extremism has flourished—all factors now threatening to spread to other areas of Lebanon.
These developments have earned Tripoli the nickname of “Lebanon’s Kandahar,”1 a reference to the hotbed of the Taliban insurrection in Afghanistan. Yet the quip is undeserved. In Kandahar, social conservatism and radical religious ideology were the primary drivers of extremism. The process of radicalization currently taking place in Lebanon’s northern port city is more complex and should not be dismissed as the mere product of religious fanaticism. The roots of this phenomenon run deep—sometimes local or national, sometimes regional—and extremism’s reach extends far beyond the walls of Tripoli to include whole segments of Lebanese society.
The rise of Sunni extremism in Lebanon, and particularly in Tripoli, is also often explained away as a product of the Syrian crisis. However, although the radicalization of elements of the Syrian opposition undeniably has an impact, this trend has at least as much to do with national, and sometimes even local Lebanese dynamics as well.
The past decade has borne witness to a growing feeling of socioeconomic and political marginalization on the part of Lebanon’s Sunni community. This leads many Sunnis to turn away from the state and look for alternative sources of support and protection, including joining certain Islamic groups that provide services or working with criminal networks in exchange for money. And this comes at a time when the Shia Islamist party Hezbollah seems to be at its military and political apex.
This trend is alarming, especially when combined with the inability of official Sunni religious bodies to provide sound leadership to pious Muslims. A sense of marginalization opens the door to more radical, sometimes even anti-statist, interpretations of Islam, such as Salafism, which calls for a return to the practice of the salaf, or the great ancestors and companions of the Prophet Muhammad. The real danger is that blossoming on the fringes of this conservative shift are radical currents recruiting disenfranchised young men to wage jihad in Syria—many of whom may return to Lebanon further radicalized.
Ultimately, the Lebanese army is supposed to be the neutral guarantor of security and stability in the country. But the force, given its historical ties to Syria, is viewed as a politicized institution by Lebanese Sunnis. And so far, it has not been able to quell fighting. In fact, some radical Sunni groups have begun to target the army and the military’s weakness has fostered the proliferation of local militias.
The influence of the Syrian crisis on Lebanon is very real. But ultimately, whether the country is able to weather the storm and avoid falling into another civil war will depend on the ability of Lebanese policymakers to address significant issues that have long been ignored.
Growing Disaffection With the State
Northern Lebanon has long been one of the country’s most deprived areas. There, poverty is reaching alarming levels. Statistics from the United Nations Development Program showed that in 2008, the north was home to 20.7 percent of Lebanon’s population but 38 percent of the country’s poor and 46 percent of its extremely poor.2
Tripoli itself is broadly divided between disaffected poor neighborhoods and rich suburbs with access to quality infrastructure. The variation in poverty levels between these areas shows the depth of such socioeconomic gaps. For instance, according to an unpublished United Nations survey from the end of 2011, while poverty struck 19 percent of the inhabitants of the suburban area of Basatin-Tripoli, it touched 75 percent and 87 percent of the people living in the urban neighborhoods of Abu Samra and Bab al-Tabbaneh, respectively.3
The Sunnis seem to be the primary victims of these socioeconomic inequalities. Research carried out by the International Poverty Center in 2008 suggested that significant disparities exist in northern Lebanon between areas mostly inhabited by Christians, where poverty struck 25 percent of the inhabitants, and cities that are mainly Sunni, such as Tripoli, where 57 percent of the population was considered poor.4
This persistent gap is increasingly leading to a resurgence of a discourse based, first and foremost, on sectarian identity that emphasizes the discrimination suffered by the Sunni sect at the hands of the Lebanese state. A popular Muslim cleric in Tripoli complained that the 1989 Taif agreement, which helped end a decades-long civil war in the country and regulates the distribution of power among sectarian groups, gave Sunnis political rights but “never addressed the socioeconomic inequalities the Sunnis are victims of.”5 Such discourse is increasingly common on the streets of Tripoli, especially given the ongoing conflict in Syria. The city has become a safe haven for mostly impoverished Sunni refugees from Syria, who as of March 2014 numbered 71,310 registered refugees out of 500,000 inhabitants—or over a tenth of a local population already living under strain. In northern Lebanon more broadly, there were 258,013 registered Syrian refugees as of that date.6
Of course, the Sunni population is not monolithic. Socioeconomic disparities within the Sunni community itself are also growing, which is particularly worrying because it leads to a high level of urban segregation and leaves many on the margins of society—and that can fuel radicalism. Often those who find themselves on the margins of society are more likely than their wealthier co-religionists to turn to a brand of Sunni populism that advocates extremism either against other Sunnis or against Shia and Alawites.
The passivity and sense of detachment displayed by richer sections of Tripoli when fighting erupts in the city deepens the divide. An armed leader active in Bab al-Tabbaneh explained his frustration, saying that “rich people here call us ‘gangsters’ but they don’t understand that, by defending the honor of the Sunnis, we are also defending them!”
Such bitterness occasionally translates into symbolic violence against richer and more Westernized areas of Tripoli. Civil society activists in the city report that, when fighting erupts, some armed militants tour wealthier areas while firing up in the air and take people out of restaurants to “force” solidarity with their cause. However, such actions only further the poorer areas’ reputation for violence and extremism—thus marginalizing them even further from society’s and the state’s reach.
Bab al-Tabbaneh has emerged as a symbol of these trends. Once a vibrant commercial area nicknamed “the gate of gold” (bab al-dahab) for the quality of the handicrafts its market sold to the rest of the region, it has come to embody the decline of the Sunni middle class. It has turned into a pocket of extreme poverty, and it now hosts in a relatively small space over 50,000 inhabitants hailing from both nearby rural areas and Syria.
In Bab al-Tabbaneh, access to the most basic state-provided infrastructure or services is virtually nonexistent. For example, 77 percent of the respondents to a 2009 survey carried out in the neighborhood confessed to not being covered by either private or public social security.7 Thus, when it comes to paying the bills, such as rent, medical expenses, or school fees, many inhabitants are left with two options: asking a political leader or joining a religious charity. The leader of the military wing of a powerful Islamic group in Tripoli explained that organizations like his “fill the void which used to be occupied by the state: providing security, running hospitals, and even giving education to the kids.”
Ideally, the frustration of these disaffected Sunnis should be contained and channeled through institutions such as city councils, which are theoretically meant to mediate conflicts and serve as local relays of the state. However, the municipality of Tripoli faces challenges that prevent it from seriously tackling the severe local socioeconomic issues, as do many other Lebanese cities. Tripoli’s city council has been mired in political conflicts for years that have to a large extent paralyzed its activities, mirroring the path of Lebanon itself.8 A local politician bluntly stated that “the issue with Tripoli is that it has many leaders but lacks leadership.”
In addition, Lebanese law is ambiguous with regard to the extent of the city council’s prerogatives and budget. Concretely, these challenges mean that Tripoli lacks local investment in the most basic public infrastructure. A member of the Tripoli municipality complained that “the city is treated as a mere village by the ministries in Beirut—they interfere in our local affairs on a daily basis and don’t grant us any budget whatsoever even for the most critical domains such as social affairs.”
This disengagement of the public sector, including of its local institutions, is fueling a dangerous dynamic. Increasingly, residents of poorer neighborhoods are giving up entirely on the state and resorting to alternatives—Islamic organizations, militias, or criminal gangs. This shift may be treacherous. Similar situations in the past provided breeding grounds for the emergence of anti-statist ideologies, such as communism or pan-Arabism.
A Fragmented Political Leadership
It may be surprising, on the face of it, that some within the Lebanese Sunni community are indeed attracted to anti-statist political alternatives—after all, a popular Sunni leader, former prime minister Rafik Hariri, was key in rebuilding and strengthening institutions destroyed by the country’s 1975–1990 civil war. But his assassination in 2005 dramatically changed that equation. With Hariri’s death, the Sunnis were left without a charismatic leader with influence at the top of the state. The subsequent ascendance of Shia Hezbollah only served to reinforce the anti-statist trend among Sunnis. Unlike the other militias involved in the Lebanese civil war, which were integrated into the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and required to disarm in the early 1990s, Hezbollah was exempted from giving up its weapons because of its role as a “resistance movement” against Israel. Since then, Hezbollah has risen to a position of overwhelming political and military dominance.
Today, a growing number of Lebanese Sunnis feel marginalized by the political process. Some are even starting to dismiss the Future Movement, a moderate party traditionally popular among Lebanese Sunnis that was set up by Rafik Hariri and is now led by his son, Saad, who has not been in Lebanon since 2011 because of threats to his life. The Future Movement is criticized for not doing enough for the Sunni community. This argument resonates particularly strongly in Lebanon because the country is a consociational democracy, based on an association of communities in which the patron of each sect, the zaim, generally gets elected in exchange for his ability to provide services to his community. The Future Movement has always preached these kinds of ideals, from strengthening the state security apparatus to state building. But in recent times, it has not been able to effectively fulfill that role. One of the Future Movement’s leaders acknowledged that “we have had financial issues since 2009 which have hampered our ability to provide scholarships and free medical care to many of our voters.” Even the party’s own employees are now only paid intermittently.
These financial difficulties stem from the reluctance of Saudi Arabia, long the financier of the Lebanese Sunni community and of the Hariri family in particular, to continue bankrolling the party. Riyadh objects to the fact that the Future Movement failed to forcefully resist Hezbollah, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s regional rival, Iran, when the Shia party sent its fighters to take control of the streets of West Beirut in May 2008.
After Rafik Hariri’s assassination, there were efforts on the part of officials within the Future Movement to set up a security team, the Afwaj al-Mustaqbal, that could transform into a full-blown armed group if Hezbollah’s domestic activities became too aggressive against the Sunni community. Soon, however, the enterprise collapsed after it became clear that the majority of Future Movement officials were not prepared to endorse such a move for fear of inciting further confrontations with Hezbollah. A political adviser of Saad Hariri summed up this reluctance by quipping that “in Lebanon, Sunnis win elections but they lose civil wars.” Other Future Movement members pointed to the contradictions that would have emerged if the party driven by Rafik Hariri’s state-building legacy had formed its own militia.
Although abandoning plans to form a military wing has earned the Future Movement praise from other Lebanese actors as well as the international community, a growing number of Sunnis seem disillusioned by what some see as the party giving up on its struggle against Syrian and Iranian influence in Lebanon—one of the platforms upon which it was founded. Such disappointment with the Future Movement only increased following Saad Hariri’s decision to join a national unity cabinet alongside Hezbollah in early 2014. A video released in January 2014 featured alleged militants in Bab al-Tabbaneh accusing the Future Movement’s leader of having “sold the blood of martyrs” and betrayed Rafik Hariri. The militants threatened to burn the party’s offices in Tripoli.9
Despite the rising disenchantment, the Sunnis have not fully backed Islamists in the political sphere. In other Arab countries, similar disillusionment with secular parties seems to have translated into a surge in the popularity of their Islamist rivals. This trend impacted Lebanon’s Shia in the early 1990s, when Hezbollah progressively took over the community’s leadership role, but it has not affected Sunni politics quite yet. For years, the electoral ambitions of Sunni Islamists have been hampered by internal divisions between those broadly sympathetic to Syria’s rulers, gathered in parties such as the Islamic Action Front and al-Ahbash (a Sufi movement close to Syrian intelligence), and those fiercely opposed to Damascus, including many Salafists and the Jamaa al-Islamiya—Lebanon’s branch of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Jamaa al-Islamiya was established in Tripoli, and the city is the group’s main stronghold. But since the beginning of the Syrian revolution, the Jamaa al-Islamiya has become the most influential Islamist actor in all of Lebanese Sunni politics. Now, the question is whether it can swiftly become an alternative to the Future Movement.
The organization certainly wields influence among Lebanon’s conservative Sunnis. It has successfully developed, over the years, a sophisticated nationwide network of schools, clinics, and charities that provides much-needed services to impoverished rural and urban Sunni communities, and it is very active in coordinating the local response to the Syrian refugee crisis. In northern Lebanon, the Islamic Education Association and the Islamic Medical Association, both affiliated with the Jamaa al-Islamiya, run eight large high schools and twelve medical centers as well as an entire hospital, respectively. In addition, some of the Islamist group’s leaders are renowned religious scholars, such as Sheikh Ahmed al-Omari, a respected member of the International Union for Muslim Scholars. The Jamaa al-Islamiya’s radio station, al-Fajr, broadcasts nationally, and the organization also boasts many “martyrs” from successive confrontations with Israel in the 1980s and 1990s.
Yet, for all its legitimacy and achievements, the Jamaa al-Islamiya has not yet managed to translate its influence over Lebanon’s conservative Sunni street into success at the ballot box—not even in Tripoli. None of its candidates from Tripoli were elected during the 2009 parliamentary election.
Critics often point to the gaps between the idealistic aspirations of Lebanon’s Sunni Islamists and the Jamaa al-Islamiya’s pragmatic discourse with regard to domestic political issues as a reason for its failure to gain political traction. Even its stance on the conflict in Syria—the organization rhetorically supports the revolution but refuses to let its members go fight—is criticized by those who would like to see the Jamaa al-Islamiya take a more proactive approach mirroring Hezbollah’s involvement in the crisis. It is precisely those critics who may well find radical interpretations of political Islam more appealing.
Risk of Islamic Radicalization
The lack of viable, visible political organizations for Lebanese Sunnis is dangerous because it is combined with an absence of sound leadership at the institutional religious level. In this void, the pan-Islamic doctrine in all its variations, including Salafism and Salafi jihadism, is best placed to welcome the growing Sunni resentment of society and the state.
Dar al-Fatwa is the official body meant to represent Lebanon’s Sunni community and provide Islamic guidance on a range of issues. But it has been mired in recurring scandals that have severely tarnished its image. An official in the body argued that the crises Dar al-Fatwa has undergone in recent years have hampered its ability to deliver sound, state-sanctioned religious training to pious young Sunnis. One of the organization’s officials, Ibrahim Bashir, is currently standing trial for corruption, and the body’s own head, Grand Mufti Mohamed Rashid Qabbani, is accused by sources in the Future Movement’s leadership of having stolen $6 million from the institution since 2009. The grand mufti has also come under fire for tacitly allying with Hezbollah. His popularity, as a result, has considerably dropped in the Sunni community—to the extent that he was physically assaulted by mourners during a funeral service for victims of a bombing in December 2013 in Beirut.10
Sunni disaffection with Dar al-Fatwa runs deeper than the grand mufti’s unpopularity and trickles down to local branches of the institution. In Tripoli, this hostility has taken the form of opposition to the head of Dar al-Fatwa’s regional branch, Mufti Malek al-Shaar, who spent a year in exile in Paris before returning to Lebanon in October 2013 and making statements regarding the positive role of the army that were controversial in the local Sunni community. A prominent Sunni politician from the north commented that al-Shaar “should have stayed in Tripoli regardless of the threats made on his life—during his absence, extremism rose to dramatic proportions.” An official in Dar al-Fatwa acknowledged that the body “should invest more in education to combat extremism.”
More informal, and more radical, religious bodies have indeed progressively replaced Dar al-Fatwa’s role in providing leadership to the Sunni community, such as the League of Muslim Scholars (Hayat al-Ulama al-Muslimin). Set up following the outbreak of the Syrian uprising, the league is a gathering of Sunni religious personalities who vocally support the revolution and whose leadership rotates to a different Islamic leader every year. Its first head was Ahmed al-Omari from the Jamaa al-Islamiya. His successors, Salem al-Rafei from Tripoli and, currently, Adnan Imama from the village of Majdal Anjar in the Beqaa Valley, are more radical. As a prominent member of the league explained, “we may have diverging views on many issues, but we are all united in our enmity toward the Syrian regime.” The cleric was very clear regarding the goals the new body had set up for itself, claiming that “the league is trying to fill the void left by Dar al-Fatwa nationally but also locally—and its views are in resonance with the Sunni street.”
It remains to be seen whether the League of Muslim Scholars has the institutional capacity to sustain itself as a relevant actor on the national stage. What is certain, however, is that its members are gaining in popularity day after day and that, in many cases, their actual authority supersedes that of state-sanctioned religious figures.
In Tripoli, most of these popular sheikhs are Salafists, whose ideology increasingly seems to resonate with local Sunni conservatives. Salafism has a long history in the city. It was first imported as a religious doctrine by Sheikh Salem al-Shahhal in the 1950s and then spread as a puritanical way of life during the brief military rule of the Islamic Unification Movement (Harakat al-Tawheed al-Islami), a staunchly conservative Sunni political party that controlled Tripoli from 1983 to 1985 and imposed strict social norms on the local population, banning alcohol and requiring Muslim women to wear headscarves.
By 1985, however, Tripoli’s Islamists had been crushed by Syrian troops as part of a war Damascus was waging on the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria and Lebanon. Some prominent clerics, such as Dai al-Islam al-Shahhal, were even forced to flee the city after fighting erupted again between armed Salafists and Syrian security services in the mountains of Dinniyeh to the east of Tripoli in 2000.
The U.S. war in Iraq, which began in 2003, prompted the Syrian regime to rethink its policy on Islamists. Syria allowed some Salafi groups to operate again and even encouraged a few of them to wage jihad against the American troops in Baghdad. The Salafi revival was further strengthened after the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon in 2005, which allowed the groups to expand their activities much more freely.11
Ever since, harsh Salafi critiques of Shia Islam have reinforced the appeal of the movement among the growing number of Sunnis who want to do more to counter the disproportionate weight that Hezbollah has acquired in Lebanon’s political system. A prominent Tripoli Salafi shared his views regarding the movement’s growth: “In Lebanon, Sunnis started to feel existentially threatened after the assassination of Rafik Hariri in 2005, Hezbollah’s takeover of West Beirut in 2008, and the resumption of fighting with the Alawites of Jabal Mohsen in Tripoli—the Syrian regime’s local agents were attacking us, and we needed to go back to the roots of our religion to find the strength to defend it.”
Beyond ideology, there are also socioeconomic underpinnings to the rise of Salafism in Lebanon. The movement primarily recruits followers among Sunnis of low socioeconomic status who are often living in deprived neighborhoods. Their situation makes them sympathetic to the Salafi critique of the modern state system, which argues that the current Lebanese state is beholden to the interests of other sects, such as the Christians or the Shia, and thus does not serve the interests of Sunnis. In many cases, Salafism channels a Sunni populism that has emerged in the disenfranchised Tripoli neighborhoods of Bab al-Tabbaneh, Mankoubin, and Qobbe, as a result both of the thirty-year-long struggle against the Alawite hilltop of Jabal Mohsen and of the state’s virtual absence from these areas. There, through generous donations coming from shadowy networks originating in Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, Salafi groups have established powerful local charities that provide for many needy residents.
For now, and despite its growing popularity, Salafism still remains a minority trend. Sources in the local branch of Dar al-Fatwa suggest that there are no more than 3,000 Salafists among Tripoli’s 500,000 inhabitants. Yet even such figures should be viewed with caution because it remains difficult to gauge the exact degree of the movement’s influence.
By and large, the Salafi spectrum is not homogeneous—it contains a wide array of opinions, groups, and figures without ultimate political or religious authority. As a Salafi cleric in Tripoli explained, “we are united around similar political goals but our reading of the meaning of the Quran often differs—and the arguments we have amongst ourselves are sometimes heated.” Even on topics that should, in theory, be consensual for Salafists, such as the Syria crisis, it is difficult to pinpoint one Salafi voice; some sheikhs encourage young Tripoli men to go and fight alongside the rebels while others discourage this.
On the fringes of this Salafi spectrum, some groups and individuals have become radicalized by the militarization of the Syrian uprisings. Tripoli witnessed the growth of Salafi-jihadi currents in the mid-2000s with the emergence of Fatah al-Islam, an extremist organization then active in the Palestinian camps near the city that was eventually crushed by the Lebanese army after fierce battles in September 2007.12 The Syrian uprising, and in particular Hezbollah’s growing involvement in it, has revived the appeal of Salafi jihadism. When Salem al-Rafei, a prominent Salafi cleric in Tripoli, called on his followers to join the battle against the Syrian regime in April 2013, many young men came to sign up for jihad. A well-informed Salafi source suggests that, by November 2013, some 200 Tripoli Salafists had already fought alongside the rebels, with an estimated 40 men still active in Syria. The source added that “the lingering crisis in Syria is definitely strengthening the local Salafi-jihadi current.”
These young men from Tripoli generally join radical Syrian groups that welcome foreign fighters, such as the Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The risk is great that they will return home further radicalized by the sheer violence and naked sectarianism they may have witnessed in these brigades. A Salafi figure who is used to interacting with the Lebanese fighters commented that “they certainly come back to us tougher and stronger.”
Another prominent Salafi cleric in Tripoli made a distinction between two categories of such militants and concluded that “they all return hardened but, there are those who go back to their sheikh, who will calm them down, while others think their sheikh has become too moderate and that only infidels support the existence of the Lebanese state—the latter are takfiris who pose a real danger” (takfiri is a term for Muslims who accuse their coreligionists of apostasy). He added, “personally, I feel even more threatened by these men than by Hezbollah!”
Some of these takfiris may be behind the announcement last January that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is inaugurating a Lebanese chapter in Tripoli.
Political Polarization Turns Violent
In the framework of Lebanon’s heavily polarized politics, Salafi jihadists have often targeted other Sunnis who may be aligned with the pro-Assad March 8 coalition. Contrary to popular assumption, an array of Sunni groups in Lebanon has over the years supported the agenda of the Hezbollah-led, Shia “resistance,” some motivated by generous donations from Hezbollah, others by political pragmatism.
Despite Tripoli’s history of enmity with the Syrian regime, March 8 groups are even present in the northern port city, where, according to an informed source, “they are unpopular but have military strength.” Most of these relatively small organizations and local figures have long had a presence in some Tripoli neighborhoods, but Hezbollah reinforced their financial and military capabilities by integrating them into a broader strategic map in the mid-2000s.
In the north, by the time the Syrian revolution started in 2011, Hezbollah had the support of paid Sunni fighters active in Tripoli’s most strategic locations and estimated to number over 1,000. These militants included the partisans of Sunni cleric Hashem Minqara, who controlled the port area of Mina, and those of his counterpart Bilal Shaaban, who oversaw the city from the hilltop of Abu Samra. Another cleric, Mustafa Malas, held sway over the neighborhood of Miniyeh to the north of Tripoli. And three large clans, the Mori, Nashar, and Aswad families, wielded influence in the popular area of Zahriyeh, the old city’s souks, and the Sunni stronghold of Bab al-Tabbaneh, respectively.
Many of these militants continue to back Hezbollah, which can also count on the political support of prominent local politicians such as Faisal Karami, the heir of a prestigious family, and Najib Mikati, a businessman who has long been close to the Assad family and who served as Lebanon’s prime minister between January 2011 and March 2013. The party can also depend on non-Sunni groups such as the Syrian Social Nationalist Party in the central Gemmayze neighborhood and the Arab Democratic Party (ADP) in the Alawite hilltop of Jabal Mohsen.
Popular resentment toward these groups and figures has been growing. Tensions between pro-Syrian March 8 and anti-Assad March 14 forces have been rising in Tripoli.
Partisans of the March 14 coalition have felt threatened and vulnerable since the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri. The 2012 assassination of Wissam al-Hassan, a Sunni intelligence figure close to the March 14 coalition, and Hezbollah’s military support to the embattled Assad regime added much fuel to the nascent fire. And as a senior security figure in northern Lebanon explained, “Hezbollah’s weapons and those of its March 8 allies in Tripoli are effectively giving a justification to Sunni militants in Bab al-Tabbaneh to also have weapons—it’s a deadly circle.”
Raising tensions further, Tripoli became a rear base for the arms smuggling and fundraising activities of many Syrian rebels, leading some March 14 supporters and Syrian opposition members to accuse local March 8 figures of spying on these rebels, providing information to Hezbollah and Damascus, and even carrying out attacks against the Syrian opposition and its supporters. Some of these March 8 Sunnis were accused of having cooperated with Syrian intelligence and the ADP to bomb two Salafi mosques in Tripoli in August 2013, killing 47 worshippers, injuring 800 others, and causing significant material damage.13 The military leader of a powerful local Islamist group warned that the “Party of Satan”—a reference to Hezbollah, which translates to “Party of God”—“is trying to control Tripoli through proxies, but we will not let that continue for much longer.”
Some residents of Tripoli seem to have taken matters into their own hands. The past two years have witnessed the mysterious assassinations of a number of prominent March 8 Sunnis in Tripoli, while many others have been the targets of gunfire. Among those assassinated were cleric Abdel Razzaq Asmar in October 2012, clan leader Hussam al-Mori in August 2013, and cleric Saadeddine Ghiyyeh in November 2013. Gunfire and grenades have been directed against the Syrian Social Nationalist Party headquarters in Tripoli, members of the Aswad family, the offices of cleric Bilal Shaabam, and members of the group of Hashem Minqara—who was forced to flee the city over a year ago.
A Sunni cleric who is part of the March 8 coalition criticized the “lack of political pluralism” in Tripoli and admitted to feeling personally threatened, saying “yes, we are with the Syrian regime, for reasons that have to do with our desire for political stability and, sadly, that makes us a target in Tripoli—bombs and grenades are regularly thrown at our areas.” This increasingly violent political polarization provides a glimpse into some of the chaos that has taken place over the past two years in Tripoli and that has earned the city a reputation for insecurity.
While some of these attacks have been carried out by jihadi groups, these organizations may not be the only ones to blame for the recurring political violence in Tripoli. In fact, the finger should sometimes be pointed at more mainstream actors. A prominent March 8 figure explained his reading of the events, saying that “Sunnis in the Future Movement have bet everything on Tripoli, where they dream of establishing their little kingdom to face the ‘Shia threat’—but they haven’t fully succeeded, so the battle is turning violent.”
Security sources point to the controversial role of former Lebanese army officers close to the Future Movement who are said to fund and arm groups of young men to carry out sporadic military operations in Tripoli. Incidentally, the targets of these groups are often located in densely populated and very poor communities, such as the souk areas, the slums of Mina, or the area of Bab al-Tabbaneh, all of which represent major pools of potential voters. A leader in the Future Movement commented on the sensitive activities of these former army officers, explaining that “they are merely trying to organize militants and to discourage them from going to Hezbollah proxies or to Sunni extremist groups for weapons and money.”
The rhetorical and physical violence that increasingly characterizes Lebanon’s political conflicts is setting up a dynamic that risks spiraling out of control. Indeed, in Tripoli, figures associated with the March 8 coalition have so far responded to threats made against their lives not by switching political allegiances but, instead, by arming themselves. When, for instance, Tripoli native Mikati was nominated as prime minister in the Hezbollah-dominated government that succeeded Saad Hariri’s cabinet, he faced violent protests in his hometown that pushed him to take a more proactive approach to his security than he had in the past. A figure close to him gave further details: “Najib Mikati started feeling physically threatened, so he tasked an adviser with forming and arming a group to protect him—it’s a sort of preemptive self-defense.”
Now, virtually all of the city’s militias, including some Salafi groups, receive partial funding from Mikati. The leader of a medium-size militia active in Bab al-Tabbaneh explained that “there are two reasons why Mikati supplies my group with money and weapons—to help with the re-election and to protect himself.” But such a way of seeking protection also has security consequences of its own because it helps fuel another dangerous conflict: the long-standing struggle between the Sunni area of Bab al-Tabbaneh and the Alawite hilltop of Jabal Mohsen.
A Political Struggle Turning Sectarian?
Over the past few years, the conflict between Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen has often been portrayed in the media as a “sectarian spillover” from the Syria crisis that is pitting the city’s Sunni majority against the Alawite minority.14 But, even though the struggle between Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh is unquestionably expressing itself in an increasingly sectarian way, its essence is first and foremost political.
Tellingly, the front line separating the two areas is frequently nicknamed by militants on both sides a “PO Box” for antagonist political forces to send political messages to each other, most often within the broader framework of the long-standing struggle between Saudi Arabia, on the one side, and Iran and Syria, on the other. It is undoubtedly rare to witness this sort of large-scale political polarization in such a small space—especially one in which fault lines so neatly match national and regional cleavages.
This conflict has deep roots. In the late 1970s, Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen had clashing political agendas. Back then, local Sunnis overwhelmingly supported Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization in its struggle against the troops of then Syrian president Hafez al-Assad, which were welcomed in the streets of Tripoli by Jabal Mohsen’s Alawites. The emergence in 1982 of the Islamic Unification Movement briefly rolled back Syrian influence, but the movement’s short rule over the city further exacerbated political and religious tensions between the two communities.
After the Syrian troops crushed the Islamic Unification Movement in 1985, the neighborhood of Bab al-Tabbaneh became the theater of a large-scale massacre in December 1986. Hundreds of families were summarily killed by militiamen from the ADP, the main Alawite paramilitary group ruling Jabal Mohsen.15 Because of the lengthy military presence of the Syrian regime in Lebanon, no serious investigation was ever carried out into the events, leaving many families in search of answers—and, in some cases, revenge—decades later. A Salafi cleric with ties to groups fighting in Bab al-Tabbaneh argued that “the memory of these atrocities continues to fuel, and even intensifies, the current conflict.”
Today, the struggle that was once between partisans and adversaries of Palestine’s Arafat is now between supporters and critics of Syria’s Assad. The flames of the confrontation were reignited in 2005, with Rafik Hariri’s assassination, and in 2008, with Hezbollah’s incursion into West Beirut, but the fire spread more quickly after the beginning of the Syrian uprising.16 Those living in disadvantaged Sunni neighborhoods such as Bab al-Tabbaneh, Qobbe, and Mankoubin overwhelmingly support the uprising, while Jabal Mohsen’s ADP belongs to the pro-Syrian March 8 coalition. The ADP’s leader, Rifaat Eid, has repeatedly stated that he would be “honored” to be a “small foot soldier in the service of Bashar al-Assad.”17 And posters of the Syrian president and flags of the Syrian Arab Republic can be found all around Jabal Mohsen. An armed street leader in the area of Qobbe with ties to a March 14 politician explained the current conflict as “a struggle between two political lines—the ADP’s choice of allying with the Syrian regime against our popular support for the revolutionaries.”
The enmity between Jabal Mohsen and its surroundings reached new heights after the Lebanese judiciary accused high-level ADP officials of having cooperated with Syrian intelligence to foment the August 2013 bomb attacks on the Salafi mosques in Tripoli.18 In the eyes of many in the city, the ADP showed its true face with those actions. According to the leader of a powerful Sunni militia, “the ADP is not just a political ally of Assad anymore—it’s become a total part of the Syrian regime, and it blindly implements the regime’s security agenda in Tripoli.” This change in thinking fuels a dangerous dynamic: the struggle in Syria is gradually being played out on Lebanese soil. As the militia’s head proudly concluded, “by battling the ADP in Jabal Mohsen, we are fighting for the Syrian revolution—but from home.”
This trend has been reinforced by the arrival of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees in Tripoli over the past few years—most of whom now live in the city’s impoverished Sunni neighborhoods.
Refugees are not necessarily fueling the fire by taking up arms themselves. Contrary to popular assumption, there is little evidence to suggest that these Syrians are active in the current fight against Jabal Mohsen. According to the head of an influential network of Syrian nongovernmental organizations in Tripoli, most of the refugees “escaped Syria precisely because of the war and the destruction” and are “looking to rebuild their lives and find jobs rather than resume the fight.”
But, even if the refugee community is not involved in clashes against Jabal Mohsen, the overwhelming majority of Syrian refugees are certainly sympathetic to the local struggle against the ADP. And that reinforces the narrative of Lebanese Sunni fighters that targeting Jabal Mohsen is part of the struggle against Damascus. A refugee who was active in the opposition Free Syrian Army argued that “the people of Tabbaneh are fighting for us Syrians—they have our suffering in mind when they hit Jabal Mohsen.”
The real danger of this gradual importation of the Syria crisis to Lebanon is that it carries with it the perils faced by Syria’s own revolution, including the sectarianization of the political struggle. Mistrust between Sunnis and Alawites may be long-standing in Tripoli, but it has recently assumed alarming proportions. In some cases, the naked sectarian nature of the violence has become unquestionable. The shops of some Alawite traders have been burned, a growing number of Alawite workers have been shot at while commuting between Jabal Mohsen and other parts of Tripoli, and even a few school buses carrying Alawite residents have been targeted.19
A few Salafi-jihadi groups may be behind some of these still-limited attacks, but there is a real danger that the violence could spread to a broader community effort. As the Syrian conflict drags on, it will become a popular assumption that all Lebanese Alawites encourage the ADP’s deeds and entirely share its political line—which could mean that the frequency and severity of attacks increase.
But making that assumption would be a mistake. The ADP is both a political party and a paramilitary group and has been ruled by the Eid family since the 1970s. The party is highly influential in Jabal Mohsen mainly because its militia, the Red Knights, is well-funded and distributes weapons and ammunition to Alawite residents who fear for their safety. Yet, Lebanese Alawites fiercely criticize the ADP’s socioeconomic record on the hilltop, and they increasingly question the appropriateness of the party’s uncompromising pro-Assad stance.20 A prominent figure in the community argued that “we need to prepare Jabal Mohsen for the post-Assad era: even if Bashar al-Assad stays, things will never be the same anymore in Lebanon and Tripoli—we need to get ready for this new configuration.”
Still, given the precarious security situation, Alawites feel that they need the ADP’s militia to protect them. As a result, there can be no political alternative to the ADP until the community is more secure. The emergence of any new Lebanese Alawite political force will therefore have to go hand in hand with an improvement of the security situation between Jabal Mohsen and Bab al-Tabbaneh.
To date, government-led progress toward easing tensions has been negligible. There have been virtually no state-sponsored initiatives to set up a public space through which residents of both areas could launch a formal or informal dialogue to improve mutual understanding and address each other’s grievances. Even the Tripoli municipality has been quite inactive on this front—its only initiatives have consisted of paying some youth from both neighborhoods to draw paintings on the front line of Syria Street, which separates Jabal Mohsen from Bab al-Tabbaneh, and to rebuild portions of the stairs linking the two areas. A member of the city council claimed that “the municipality cannot resolve the conflict—it’s a political issue.”
Civil society has tried to fill this gap and bridge the divide between neighborhoods. One local nongovernmental organization, Ataouna, has launched a training series on social mediation that will provide street leaders with the necessary skills to first negotiate their way out of conflicts within their own areas before, perhaps, using this training to mediate between wary neighborhoods.
Another civil society group, We Love Tripoli, organized a summer camp in 2012 that gathered 38 young men and women equally split between Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen to spend three days in a conflict resolution workshop. Participants attended the summer camp free of charge and participated in a variety of activities, including intensive sessions on social media, peace building, and art therapy. One of the organizers explained the goals of this initiative: “The truth is that most of the youth in Bab al-Tabbaneh and in Jabal Mohsen are tired of the conflict—we gave them the space to better accept each other, and we provided them with tools to raise their voice against violence whenever it emerges.” The experience seems to have been positive. “At the very beginning the group was split, but ice broke after the youth from both sides realized that they actually share much—especially things as down-to-earth as common musical tastes or a similar suffering from the conflict.”
Due to a lack of funds, the camp could not be held in 2013, but its success, even on such a small scale, shows the need for any sort of public space to be set up in order to gather the many voices that do not feel represented either by Bab al-Tabbaneh’s militias or by Jabal Mohsen’s ADP. Just such a development could then encourage the emergence of political alternatives.
Controversy Over the Role of the Army
In theory, the violence of the conflict between Bab al-Tabbaneh and Jabal Mohsen could also be contained through the intervention of the Lebanese Armed Forces. Yet, despite a presence in the city, the LAF has so far been unable to calm the fighting. This is largely due to the wider state of paralysis that has affected virtually every Lebanese institution since the country’s politics became heavily polarized in 2005—a trend further exacerbated when Mikati’s cabinet resigned in March 2013, leaving Lebanon without a working government for nearly a year.
But the LAF’s inability to resolve the fighting in Tripoli also stems from an unwillingness on the part of its leadership to take a firm stance that could endanger the army’s cohesion. The LAF, like other Lebanese institutions, recruits its officers according to both skills and religion, with a proportionally equal share of the top jobs attributed to members of the country’s eighteen officially recognized confessions. The LAF’s base membership, however, is overwhelmingly made up of Sunni Muslim foot soldiers, many of whom originate from the region of Akkar bordering Tripoli. In 1975, a disagreement between Muslim and Christian officers over the LAF’s policy toward the Palestine Liberation Organization led to a major split that greatly contributed to plunging the country into civil war.
It is thus no surprise that today the LAF leadership is especially wary of dragging its foot soldiers into the kind of military operation that could reopen the wounds of the past. And taking a strong stance either for Bab-al Tabbaneh or Jabal Mohsen could do just that by igniting Sunni-Shia strife within the army itself.
Calls are already mounting for Sunni officers to defect from the LAF and set up a “Free Lebanese Army” aligned against the Alawites of Jabal Mohsen and Hezbollah’s influence over all of Lebanon.21 These demands have so far had little popular appeal, but they still represent a major development for Lebanon—especially because a growing number of Sunnis perceive the LAF leadership as suffering from a serious pro-Hezbollah, Shia bias, a view that largely stems from the Syrian regime’s historical influence in Lebanon.
From 1976 to 2005, when Syrian troops were stationed in Beirut, Damascus held sway over local Lebanese political and security dynamics. Then, a number of LAF officers underwent training in Syria, allowing their counterparts in Damascus to build a powerful network of influence in Lebanon. Some critics argue that, when the Syrian army and intelligence apparatus formally withdrew in 2005, their basic networks remained and Hezbollah stepped into the void. A former high-ranking LAF officer went as far as arguing that Hezbollah’s security chief, Wafiq Safa, has now replaced the powerful former Syrian army commander in Lebanon, Ghazi Kanaan.
This perception, whether accurate or not, is certainly growing among Lebanese Sunnis. The Sunni critique of the LAF used to be confined to extremist corners of that community, but it is slowly becoming more common.
Some Sunnis feel they have been treated in an unfair way in comparison to the Shia in general and Hezbollah in particular. Accusations of double standards have multiplied in the wake of the Syria crisis, especially following Hezbollah’s involvement in the conflict and recurring attacks by Syrian army jets on Lebanese Sunni villages in the border areas of Akkar and Arsal. Both developments have so far failed to draw any strong response or condemnation from the LAF. The leader of an Islamist militia in Tripoli summed up the Sunni frustration by exclaiming that “the Sunnis are handcuffed” and going on to explain that “the LAF is letting Hezbollah militants go and fight in Syria alongside the regime while Syrian jets strike our areas; yet it arrests us if we join the rebels to defend ourselves and protect our extended families on the other side of the border.”
So far, moderate Sunnis belonging to the Future Movement and the Jamaa al-Islamiya still stress that their criticisms target the army leadership rather than the whole body. But there is a risk that a growing number of radicalized young men are not prepared to make this distinction anymore. A jihadi source warned that “Lebanon in general and Tripoli in particular are mere provinces and villages for Damascus—it has now become clear that the Lebanese state is part of the Syrian regime.” Such thinking could translate into an increase in Salafi-jihadi activities targeting the LAF—an institution considered by networks close to al-Qaeda to be a “crusader army supported by Hezbollah.”
In Tripoli, the LAF has responded to the deteriorating state of civil-military relations and the persistent violence by announcing a “security plan” to restore order. In November, the government sent in more troops and declared the entire city a “military zone”—thus placing all security agencies under the overall command of the LAF and allowing Lebanese troops to deploy. The formation in February of a new Lebanese government enabled the LAF to go one step further by intervening more forcefully when a new round of fighting erupted in March. Even though it did not go as far as detaining the heads of major militias, the LAF nonetheless seized weapons caches and arrested a number of Sunni and Alawite militants.
But despite a respite in fighting, security dynamics on the ground have not fundamentally changed. A senior security figure, recognizing the limits of the army’s latest move, said “you could compare the security plan to anesthesia—it calms the pain temporarily but it does not cure the disease.”
It is possible to envision more concrete steps to improve the LAF’s image on the ground in order to give it the popular backing it needs to take strong action. One of these steps could be the relocation of army bases away from their current positions, which are in the football stadium and the historical citadel, where they negatively impact the city’s economic and tourism potential. Another could entail pursuing a debate Mikati started in November 2013 on the possibility of incorporating Tripoli’s militias into the security services—thus mirroring what was done to dissolve the militias active in Lebanon’s civil war. Many immediately criticized Mikati’s proposal, including some militia heads who claimed that such a step “would not make [them] forget all of the blood that has now been shed,” but it may nonetheless be worth discussing in greater depth.
Pulling Lebanon Back From the Brink
Lebanon’s geographical proximity and socioreligious ties to the Syrian hinterland have made it particularly vulnerable to the dynamics unfolding on the other side of the border. This is especially true because the schism between forces opposing and supporting the regime in Damascus has been a feature of Lebanese politics since long before the Syrian uprising erupted. The events taking place in Tripoli best encapsulate this intertwining of local and regional factors, yet the trends there also hold wider significance for the rest of the country—and should be seen as a warning sign.
Reflecting awareness of the dangers, in June 2012 political leaders issued the Baabda Declaration, named after the presidential palace where it was signed, committing by consensus all Lebanese parties to disassociate themselves from the strife in Syria. Yet the provisions of the declaration have so far been largely ignored by its very signatories, who have become more, rather than less, polarized as a result of the ongoing crisis in Damascus.
The risk is great that this political divide will increasingly take on a religious coloration, pitting Sunnis against Shia, which may eventually fuel sectarianism and violence on a national scale. In particular, there is a danger that the militarization of the conflict in Tripoli may only reflect the tip of the iceberg. Momentum is growing in all corners of Lebanon’s Sunni community to get armed and reach a balance of power with the Shia in Hezbollah. Salafi cleric Ahmed al-Assir, for example, attempted to arm his followers in the southern port city of Sidon before his group was wiped out in fighting with the LAF nearly a year ago. And this dynamic may also be affecting the more moderate Sunni parties, such as the Future Movement, some of whose members have called for the establishment of “self-defense forces.”22 This threat has become all the more real since April 2013, when Hezbollah officially upgraded its own support for the Syrian regime to a large-scale military intervention.
A sound debate must be launched as to whether Hezbollah is a “resistance movement” or a “militia”—and what consequences the distinction entails for the party’s possession of a large stock of sophisticated weapons.
Opposing parties need to recognize that the existing polarization can only be resolved effectively by starting a new national dialogue that includes the most important issues, such as Hezbollah’s weapons. Each side will have to compromise, keeping in mind the certainty that any alternative to dialogue will lead to a far more costly and protracted domestic conflict—something that could, in the long term, affect the country’s promising economic prospects in the oil and gas sector.
In the short term, all of these tensions will be further exacerbated by the growing wave of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Given that Turkey will go to the polls in August 2014 for a presidential election, that Iraq faces a Sunni extremist insurgency in Anbar, and that Jordan is confronting growing socioeconomic challenges of its own, each of these countries will likely tighten its border restrictions—leaving the porous Lebanese borders as the only safe way out of Syria for refugees fleeing intensified fighting between the rebels and the government. So far, there is little evidence to suggest that Syrian refugees have become involved in local Lebanese political conflicts. Yet, as their stay may extend indefinitely given the absence of any prospect for a settlement in Syria, the socioeconomic and security consequences of their presence will continue to be felt and to polarize Lebanese parties.
The international community seems aware of these risks. According to World Bank estimates, the financial help Lebanon needs to tackle the refugee crisis amounts to around $2.6 billion. Still, a meeting of the Friends of Lebanon group, an informal gathering of governments that support Lebanon’s stability, held last March in Paris failed to translate pledges of support into concrete help, mostly due to concerns regarding the ineffectiveness of Lebanese institutions.
It is indeed alarming that the lack of political consensus has prevented to such a great extent some of the Lebanese state’s most important institutions from carrying out their duties properly. In certain cases, the very legitimacy of these institutions is now being questioned. The Lebanese Parliament, for instance—which postponed to November 2014 the general election that had been scheduled for June 2013—has not been able to convene on a sufficiently regular basis to pass the most critical legislation or appointments in the civil service.
More concrete and practical solutions must be found to overcome the persistent constitutional and institutional paralysis that is infringing upon the state’s credibility. Given the extent to which power, decisions, and resources are centralized in Lebanon, the long-dormant process of decentralization could for instance be revived. This would not only give local actors the means to mediate conflicts and to address more directly the concerns of their citizens, it would also strengthen public confidence in Lebanon as an entity—albeit in its most local embodiments.
Since early 2014, the political and sectarian violence shaking Tripoli has begun to spread to parts of the Beqaa Valley and is now threatening to engulf other parts of the country. To prevent all of Lebanon from falling into the abyss of civil strife once again, Lebanese decisionmakers must urgently come to terms with a series of challenges that have not been sufficiently addressed in past decades. These challenges have plagued Lebanon since long before the beginning of the Syrian uprising. The most obvious of these issues is the need to reverse the neglect and underdevelopment of Tripoli as well as other areas. These conditions provide the backdrop for radicalization. Sunni politicians should also reactivate Dar al-Fatwa to make sure that their medium- and long-term plans for economic development are accompanied by efforts to contain religious extremism.
In order to break the current cycle of deteriorating socioeconomic and security issues, Lebanese actors will have to move from passively acknowledging the need to dissociate from the Syria crisis to a more proactive approach. They will need to tackle head-on the country’s most significant challenges in innovative and unconventional ways.
The author would like to thank Ali el-Yessir and Marie Kortam for their kind help and research assistance. He is also grateful to the Gates Cambridge Scholarship and the Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS) for their support.
1 “Security Official: Tripoli Fast Becoming Like Kandahar,” Daily Star, June 4, 2013, http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2013/Jun-04/219354-security-official-tripoli-fast-becoming-like-kandahar.ashx.
2 United Nations Development Program, Millennium Development Goals: Lebanon Report 2008, 13, www.undp.org/content/dam/rbas/report/2008 en.pdf.
3 Unpublished study obtained by the author by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (UNESCWA) regarding the construction of a new poverty index to measure poverty levels in Tripoli in December 2011.
4 International Poverty Center, Poverty, Growth and Income Distribution in Lebanon, Country Study no. 3, January 2008, 9, www.ipc-undp.org/pub/IPCCountryStudy13.pdf.
5 Unless stated otherwise, this paper draws from interviews carried out in Tripoli by the author between September 2013 and January 2014.
6 Figures gathered from a study of the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis in northern Lebanon carried out by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in March 2014. See United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, “Syrian refugees in Lebanon – 22 March 2014” and “Syria Refugee Response—Lebanon North Governorate,” March 2014.
7 Bruno Dewailly and Catherine Le Thomas, Pauvrete et conditions socio-economiques a al-Fayha’a: diagnostics et elements de strategie (Paris: Agence Française de Developpement, December 2009), 142.
8 For an excellent overview of the elections to the Tripoli municipality and the political conflicts which emerged from them see Bruno Dewailly, “La municipalité de Tripoli: entre pouvoirs locaux et services de l’Etat,” Les Cahiers du CERMOC no. 24, 2001.
9 “Lebanon: Tripoli gunmen threaten Hariri,” Al-Akhbar, January 23, 2014.
10 “Angry Mourners Accost Mufti Qabbani at Funeral,” Daily Star, December 30, 2013.
11 For an excellent history of Salafism in Tripoli see Tine Gade, “Return to Tripoli—Battle Over Minds and Meaning Amongst Religious Leaders Within the Islamist Field in Tripoli (Lebanon),” Norwegian Defence Establishment (FFI), March 2009.
12 For an excellent study of Fatah al-Islam and the rise of jihadism in Northern Lebanon, see Bernard Rougier, L’Oumma en Fragments – Controller le Sunnisme au Levant (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 2011).
13 “Pro-Assad Sheikh Detained Over Tripoli Blast,” Daily Star, August 30, 2013.
14 “In Lebanon, a Worrying Sectarian Spillover From Syria,” Christian Science Monitor, June 3, 2012.
15 Amnesty International, “Amnesty International Calls for Inquiry Into Reported Massacres by Syrian Military and Syrian-Backed Forces in Lebanon,” March 12, 1987.
16 For an excellent overview of the evolution of the conflict from 1976 to 2010 see International Crisis Group, “New Crisis, Old Demons: The Forgotten Lessons of Bab al-Tebbaneh /Jabal Mohsen,” Middle East Briefing no. 2914, October 2010, www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/middle-east-north-africa/egypt-syria-lebanon/lebanon/B29-new-crisis-old-demons-in-lebanon-the-forgotten-lessons-of-bab-tebbaneh-jabal-mohsen.aspx.
17 “Avec l’appui du Mufti alaouite, Ali Eid refuse la convocation des enquêteurs,” L’Orient Le Jour, November 1, 2013.
18 “Report: Seven Members of Arab Democratic Party Behind Tripoli Bombings,” Naharnet, October 13, 2013.
19 Human Rights Watch, “Lebanon: sectarian attacks in Tripoli,” 20 December 2013.
20 For more details on the Arab Democratic Party and its influence in the Lebanese Alawite community see Raphaël Lefèvre, “Power Struggles Among the Alawites of Lebanon – Parts 1 and 2,” Carnegie Endowment for International peace, Syria in Crisis blog, January 2, 2014, http://carnegieendowment.org/syriaincrisis/?fa=54058.
21 “Assir Faces Death Penalty, Aimed to Establish Free Lebanese Army,” Al Akhbar, March 1, 2014.
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HIKING IN COLORADO: “Ignorance kills”; Unprepared Texas hikers rescued
ALMOSA COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) – The Alamosa Volunteer Search and Rescue Group said it rescued two unprepared hikers Monday who were suffering from hypothermia.
AVSAR said it was contacted at 2:35 a.m. by Colorado State Patrol dispatchers who said two hikers were suffering from hypothermia in the Sangre de Cristo Range near Lake Como.
Rescue teams arrived in the area and began driving the Lake Como road, which they said was exceptionally dangerous due to heavy rain, high risk of rockslides and extremely slippery rocks.
When rescue teams reached the hikers about a quarter mile from Lake Como, one of them was so cold they couldn’t move. AVSAR said the other hiker was vomiting, severely dehydrated and had a headache.
AVSAR said they gave the hikers hot water bottles and sugary drinks to rehydrate them, then brought them to the trailhead to be screened by EMS.
“Ignorance kills,” AVSAR said. “These hikers were totally unprepared. They had no extra clothes and no way to stay dry in their tent, which had no flysheet. These hikers said they couldn’t understand why it was so cold and rainy in Colorado because it was “so hot in Texas” where they hike all the time. They never checked the weather forecast and had no food, water, or extra layers for the strenuous hike or overnight camp. This is an extreme example of how ignorance can suddenly kill people in these mountains.
If you’re hiking in Colorado, it’s important to “know before you go.”
If you feel unwell, get lost, or suffer an injury, be prepared to ask for help if you need it.
Get a Search and Rescue Map for Colorado Outdoor Recreation:
If a search and rescue team incurs expenses during a mission, they do not charge the person they
assistance. They (or the sheriff of the county under which they operate) absorb this cost. Purchasing a CORSAR card helps ensure that a county sheriff and SAR team are financially prepared for the next mission – just as they were ready to help you because the people they helped had a card and that the team’s expenses have been reimbursed. This card allows first aiders to request reimbursement of extraordinary expenses, but not normal operating or mission expenses.
Be sure to download the free Pinpoint Weather app to stay up to date with the latest data as it arrives.
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Letter from ex-President Herbert Hoover to Levi Pennington, April 3, 1951 about the way he faces false public representations of his character.
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Herbert Hoover, Levi Pennington
George Fox University Archives, "Herbert Hoover to Levi Pennington, April 3, 1951" (1951). Herbert Hoover. 9. | <urn:uuid:a1b1074c-b180-4a83-bf6d-fc95ff810553> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/archives_hoover/9/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.793717 | 181 | 1.742188 | 2 |
How to Use a Windows Notebook with an External Monitor
If you regularly use a Windows 10 notebook with an external screen, the default power settings and display configuration isn’t ideal. In this article, I’ll show you how to have a smoother and more productive experience when using an external monitor.
Connecting an external monitor
There are several different connector types that can be used to connect external monitors to notebooks. If you are using modern hardware, then USB-C ports are usually the go-to connector type for working with an external display because they can carry DisplayPort signals. Notebooks might additionally have dedicated DisplayPort or HDMI ports that you can use to connect an external monitor.
You should check with the notebook manufacturer that the port you intend to use supports the maximum display resolution and refresh rate of your monitor. If you want to run more than one external display, then it’s likely that the resolution and refresh rate of each display will be restricted. This is usually determined by the capabilities of the notebook’s graphics card.
Extending or duplicating the notebook’s display
In most cases, it’s likely that you will use an external monitor on its own. I.e. without also utilizing the notebook’s built-in screen. That’s because the size of the notebook screen is probably smaller than your external monitor. The two screens aren’t likely to be convenient to use together.
But there will be times when having a less-than-ideal second display, in the form of the notebook’s built in screen, might come in handy. The default Windows display configuration is to extend your display across the connected screens.
To configure your display, open the Settings app from the Start menu or by pressing WIN+I. In the Settings app, click System. Display is the first option in the list on the left. If you have more than one display connected and the lid of the notebook isn’t closed, you can choose to either extend or duplicate the display using the Multiple displays dropdown menu.
Alternatively, you can select Show only on 1 or Show only on 2 from the Multiple displays dropdown menu if you want to use an external display and keep the notebook’s lid open. By default, ‘1’ usually refers to the notebook’s built-in screen and ‘2’ to the external monitor.
If you choose to extend your display, you can drag and drop the displays in the box at the top of the Settings screen to determine the order in which the displays are extended. I.e. from left to right, or vice versa. And from top to bottom, or vice versa.
Working with only the external display
For most of us, working with only the external display is likely to be the most common configuration. For the notebook to enter and exit sleep states normally, I recommend using the notebook with the lid closed. That is because with the lid closed, only the external display is recognized by Windows, allowing you to wake from sleep faster and more reliably. If the built-in screen is enabled, Windows will need to adjust the display for the notebook’s internal display when it wakes from sleep. And when the external display is detected, adjust the display again for the external screen’s resolution and DPI settings.
Change Windows power settings
Before you can work with the notebook and close the lid, you need to change the default power settings.
- In the search box in the bottom left of the taskbar, type control panel and then click Control Panel in the list of search results.
- In the Control Panel window, type power in the search box in the top right, and press ENTER.
- In the list under Power Options, click Change what closing the lid does.
- Under Power and sleep buttons and lid settings, use the dropdown menu to set When I close the lid under Plugged in to Do nothing.
- Click Save changes and then close the Control Panel.
Now close the notebook’s lid. If you open Settings again by pressing WIN+I, and then click System > Display, you should see that only one screen is shown in the app. And when your notebook wakes from sleep, it will default to using the external display immediately.
Reset the Windows graphics stack
Changing the display and power settings so that Windows works better when you want to use an external monitor exclusively with your notebook is usually the way to go. But Windows still sometimes gets its knickers in a twist after waking from sleep, incorrectly displaying dialog boxes at the chosen resolution and DPI settings for example. There are several ways you can correct this:
- Restart Windows.
- Log out and log back in.
- Reset the graphics stack.
Resetting the graphics stack is the least invasive way to correct any display issues. To reset the graphics stack, press WIN+CTRL+SHIFT+B simultaneously.
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Most popular on petri | <urn:uuid:3816087a-71b8-45d4-a96d-9bf3c05050e5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://petri.com/using-a-windows-notebook-with-an-external-monitor/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.82511 | 1,190 | 1.882813 | 2 |
In a recent ruling, the United Arab Emirates Federal Supreme Court upheld a man's right to "chastise" his wife and children."The ruling, citing the UAE penal code, sanctions beating and other forms of punishment or coercion providing the violence leaves no physical marks," Human Rights Watch reports.
The decision came in response to the trial of a man accused of beating his wife and 23-year-old daughter. A court found him guilty and fined him 500 dirhams ($136), but he appealed. An appeals court upheld the decision and he took it to the Supreme Court, which also upheld the decision (but nice try, guy). The court ruled that he was guilty of "abusing his Shari'a rights" because, "although the husband has the right to discipline his wife in accordance with article 53 of the penal code, he must abide by conditions setting limits to this right, and if the husband abuses this right to discipline, he shall not be exempt from punishment."
It's nice for the court to acknowledge that beatings can go too far, but the ruling ultimately reinforces that certain types of physical abuse are A-OK. "Domestic violence should never be tolerated under any circumstances," says Nadya Khalife, a Human Rights Watch researcher. "These provisions are blatantly demeaning to women and pose serious risks to their well-being." | <urn:uuid:1a7fe15e-69ac-4f20-983d-ea82e1e4fa38> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.salon.com/2010/10/20/uae_violence/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.977697 | 277 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Many see a painting and ask, "What does that mean?" I follow the words of Picasso who said, "When I have made the last mark, the painting no longer belongs to me, it belongs to the viewer."
Many artists have a concept in mind or start with a question they answer through paint and other means. They then send a message in their art for viewers to interpret in whatever way they relate through their own experiences. I hold resolutely to this motto. While it is only the viewer's interpretation that matters, I will deviate from my policy and reveal the question and answer I had in mind for 'Lifecycle I' - Oil 40" x 30". First in a Lifecycle series of 5 paintings.
I asked myself, "What is the most fundamental point about existence and how can I represent an entire lifecycle through existence in the simplest of graphics?" I elected to say, "We enter, we travel a road, we leave." Having said that, every interpretation that any viewer might apply to this piece is the correct one, regardless of my intent or the interpretation of someone else. | <urn:uuid:db86e7e2-373c-4f14-921d-167f24c6545a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.mcwattfineart.net/blog | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.96921 | 227 | 1.648438 | 2 |
I've never really considered myself a big spender.
Sure I love an expensive trinket as much as the next woman but I'm reasonably realistic when it comes to throwing my cash about. Because, well, I don't actually have any.
All the same - I've always managed to pay my bills and live within my means. At least, I have until recently.
Now, all of a sudden, I'm in debt.
It's not a massive debt, roughly $7K or so, all of which is on my credit card, but given I have zero savings it's definitely a scary place to be.
I'm a single mother of two, I receive no financial support from the kids' father, and if a bill lands on my table then it's up to me to pay it.
So how did I get myself into this position and why now? It's as simple as this - my kids are now 11 and 13 and like so many kids this age, they want expensive stuff. All the time. And foolishly I've been providing it.
Kelly Baker and her younger son - both are planning to spend less. One is happier about it than the other. Image: Instagram/@Kellybakermedia
It is so very difficult to say no to them. Particularly when they push and push and push.
But by caving I am not only putting myself into a precarious financial position, I'm setting a terrible example. Recently I decided that has to stop and so I turned to financial guru David Rankin, of Sort My Money.
David specialises in helping families set and meet budgets and so I hit him with the tricky questions. And this is what he had to say.
At what age do I start teaching my kids about the value of money?
As a rule of thumb, it is appropriate to start teaching children about money as of school-age.
It ties in nicely to the principles of maths which they are starting to absorb, as well as the way in which they are learning to interact with the wider world.
And how do I go about doing that?
To teach your kids about money, you really have to start to see money through the eyes of a child yourself.
Those first financial lessons will not be about buying power or any of those adult concepts – they will be much more abstract than that like explaining that this large gold coin actually contains 100 other smaller coins.
That takes a bit of understanding when you are five! My strategy was to place 100 dried peas on a plate and tell my children that’s how many small coins were inside one big one.
For more financial tips and tricks for those raising kids, tune into finance guru Ross Greenwood on our new podcast Honey Mums by clicking the link below.
Usually, children themselves will set the learning agenda.
When I tried to deposit my young daughter’s savings into her account, for example, I had to explain that handing over a bank note to the teller did not mean that the she was now $5 worse off and the teller $5 better off.
Similarly, she was convinced that the value of the coins in her money box resided in those particular coins and that they couldn’t be swapped for others.
Teaching her about that fundamental strength of money – its interchangeability – was a long and tearful process.
Pocket money? No? Yes? Amounts?
Yes to regular pocket money. A gold coin each week is a great starting point.
My sons just want, want, want … why?
The reason why some children just want, want, want is the exactly the same reason that some adults do the same – and that’s because they believe that money is infinite.
In the case of those adults, they have never grasped the finite nature of money. Your children will gradually ‘get’ the concept of a set amount of pocket money week in and week out. This means they won’t have that problem when they get older - they will understand that money is in limited supply.
After all, it is only when something is finite that it can have any value. If the streets were suddenly paved with gold, all trading in gold would cease. As children learn to recognise money’s finite nature, they start to value it and money, in turn, starts to value them - the basis of any beautiful (and life-long) relationship.
Small money can grow big if it's handled right. Image: Getty.
Where do I start? And how?
Supermarkets present us with the best way of teaching children that money is in limited supply.
It’s all a matter of re-framing your shopping trips. Instead of dreading the onset of pester power, start to see the combination of supermarkets and the word no as the most powerful of all teaching opportunities.
With my three young children in tow at Aldi, I delight in generously sprinkling this two-letter word all about the store. Then, when I do occasionally say yes - to the request for a squeezy yogurt, for example – they can’t believe their luck.
They want everything so desperately - until they get it. Then it's onto the next thing. How do I break this cycle?
Don’t make the mistake of not allowing them to make mistakes.
If they're intent on draining their money box to buy more boys’ toys, allow them the freedom to do it. See it as a safe testing ground for life. Then, once the novelty of the latest purchase has worn off, ask them how it feels to have spent all of their savings. If they're okay with it, good on them.
If not, with any luck, their first serious bout of buyer’s remorse might just turn out to be their last. | <urn:uuid:491b2076-ac8a-42f6-b3f6-26c621469771> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://honey.nine.com.au/parenting/how-to-teach-kids-the-value-of-money-budget-spending-saving-value-dollars/9c80e972-d7c2-4ffd-a0bb-e97f68c79348 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.972328 | 1,207 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Picture Book • Manuscript
Author and Illustrator: Tran Dac Trung
The boy wakes up to find his mother away to work early. She left a note of instruction for him, and the boy spends his day exploring many wonders of the street following (and sometimes disobeying) his mom’s words. No matter what happens, he knows home will always be there, with his mother waiting for him.
~• Sketches and Storyboard • ~
This is an unpublished project.
Should you be interested in publishing this story, please contact me at firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:77b182ed-a367-4f9f-8e42-b1630816878c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://dactrungart.com/mom-says-childrens-picture-book | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.956123 | 137 | 1.539063 | 2 |
By MICHAEL STRAND Salina Journal
Aug 5, 2015OK, so your gardening project was a success, and you’ve got 10 bushels of tomatoes sitting on the back porch.
Helping food producers answer questions like that — long before they’re in that predicament — was part of the goal of the “Healthy Foods Summit” on Tuesday at the Salina Bicentennial Center. The event was sponsored by the Live Well Saline County Coalition, a group working to improve health, wellness and access to healthy food.
Kicking off the event was Patty Cantrell, head of Regional Food Solutions, based in southwest Missouri.
Too many people live with what she called a “poverty of expectations” regarding food, thanks to tomatoes and other produce selected more for shelf-life and durability than flavor.
“We’ve come to accept as normal tomatoes that are too expensive and have no taste, and aisle after aisle of processed foods that we know aren’t good for us,” Cantrell said.
Part of the reason for that is global trade, driven by the economics of comparative advantage. When Cantrell began working on a project in Michigan to get locally grown food into school lunch programs, “there were apple orchards, literally, across the street from schools,” she said.
The locally grown apples tasted better, Cantrell said, but the same climate that gave them that better taste also meant they often had blemishes on the surface. So the local apples were sent to processing plants to be made into juice or pie filling, while unblemished apples from Washington went into the school cafeterias.
Yet when the local apples finally got into schools, kids started eating a lot more of them — five times as many, Cantrell said.
Distribution takes planning
In the past few decades, Cantrell said, local distribution systems have broken down, with trucks full of food now driving right through small towns that used to have their own grocery stores.
And while farmers markets have grown in popularity, that’s just one part of building a locally based food system.
Building wholesale systems requires a lot more planning and logistics, in what Cantrell called “Silicon Valley meets Organic Valley.”
One example she cited is Good Natured Family Farms, which started in 1997 with a farmer who had a “bumper crop” of tomatoes and talked a local grocery store into selling them.
Since then, the business has grown to several farms supplying the Ball’s and Hen House grocery chains in the Kansas City area, taking advantage of their warehouse and distribution system.
A similar system, called the High Plains Food Cooperative, has been established in northwest Kansas to gather and ship food from local farms to markets in the Denver area, said Chris Sramek, a board member who helped found the organization.
The idea was borrowed from a similar organization in Oklahoma, said Sramek, who returned to his family’s Rawlins County farm in 2005 and became the county’s part-time economic development director.
After three years of organizing, the group shipped its first food in 2008, an order for just over $700 “when we had $4 gas.”
In 2008, the co-op had total sales of $11,000. It has grown to $300,000 in 2015 and now includes 19 producers whose products are picked up across northwest Kansas and southwest Nebraska and arrive in a Denver market by noon. Sramek said about 12 percent of what’s produced is sold in Kansas.
Customer surveys show people are more concerned with knowing where their food is grown than whether it’s organic, Sramek said.
The products include about 600 dozen eggs a week and dressed poultry. The co-op recently acquired a mobile poultry processing unit so growers can prepare birds for sale under sanitary conditions.
“If you can’t get it where you need to get it, it’s not much good,” Sramek said.
— Reporter Mike Strand can be reached at 822-1418 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.org. | <urn:uuid:6f3f97b0-19b3-4cb0-91ec-e7a5dbe40c6f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://news.mikecallicrate.com/logistics-a-key-to-local-food-systems-by-michael-strand-salina-journal/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.972345 | 878 | 2.09375 | 2 |
The bad news about ticks from last year just keeps getting worse. Data from the Centers for Disease Control shows a steady increase and spread of tick-borne illnesses and the government agency says the U.S. is not fully prepared for this growing health threat. In 2016, a report revealed that ticks capable of carrying Lyme disease (the most commonly reported vector-borne illness in the U.S.) could be found in almost half of U.S. counties.
The CDC's webpage on ticks has the most comprehensive, current information to keep you safe.
What you should know about ticks and tick-borne diseases.
There are four species of ticks common to North Texas and they can carry a surprisingly wide variety of bugs, including bacterial and parasitic diseases and viruses.
- American dog tick: Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia
- Blacklegged (deer) tick: Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Powassan disease
- Brown dog tick: Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Lone Star tick: ehrlichiosis, tularemia, STARI (southern tick-associated rash illness)
The chart below shows just how serious tick-borne diseases can be. Mild symptoms may be treatable at home with antibiotics, while severe infections can require hospitalization. Some tick-borne illnesses can leave you with long-term debilitating health effects and some can be fatal if untreated.
Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are reported most often in Texas, along with other rarer tick-borne diseases.
Be aware that it can take days to weeks for symptoms of a tick-borne illness to appear. At the first sign, get medical help immediately and be sure to tell the doctor when and in what area of the country you were in when you got the bite.
If you removed the tick yourself, you may want to save it for identification and lab testing in case symptoms occur. To do this, place the tick in a plastic storage bag and freeze it. If this isn't possible and the tick is still alive when it's removed, kill it by soaking it in rubbing alcohol and flushing it down the toilet to prevent it from biting anyone else.
Signs and symptoms of tick-borne diseases.
View Text Version >
How to remove ticks.
Stay away from folk remedies such as nail polish, petroleum jelly or heat, which can actually cause ticks to release more saliva or burrow deeper into the skin. Instead, remove ticks as soon as possible following these steps:
- Use fine-tipped tweezers, or specialized tick removal tools if you have them, to grasp the tick as close to its mouth or your skin as possible.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure
- Avoid twisting or jerking the tick, which can cause mouthparts to break off under the skin
- If mouthparts do remain under the skin, remove them if possible with clean tweezers or leave them alone and let the skin heal
- Once the tick is removed, use an iodine scrub, rubbing alcohol or soap and water to thoroughly clean the bitten area, your hands and tweezers or tools used
- If you cannot successfully remove the tick or it has burrowed too deep, have it removed by a doctor
How to prevent tick bites.
- Use repellent products that last several hours containing:
- On exposed skin – 20% or more DEET, picaridin or IR3535
- On clothing and gear – 0.5% permethrin
- Use vet recommended products to treat dogs and cats
- Check for ticks daily:
- Under the arms
- In and around the ears
- Inside the belly button
- Behind the knees
- Between the legs
- Around the waist
- On the hairline and scalp
- Shower soon after being outdoors
- Treat home landscaping for a "tick-safe" environment
If you walk your dog, bicycle, run, hike or camp in or near tall grass or woods – in Texas or on your travels anywhere in the U.S. this summer – take every precaution to prevent tick bites and to quickly remove ticks and treat bitten areas. Remember to protect yourself from stinging insects, too, as Texas is home to all five species that cause allergic reactions.
If someone in your family shows symptoms of a tick-borne disease or any allergic reaction to insect bites or stings, one of our many Medical City ER locations across North Texas has you covered. With average wait times posted online, if you do have an emergency, you can spend less time waiting and more time on the moments that matter most. | <urn:uuid:add05eb1-9f6c-4f09-bff7-d44546a8ff13> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://medicalcityhealthcare.com/blog/entry/worst-year-ever-for-ticks-what-you-should-know | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.927939 | 967 | 3.265625 | 3 |
NEW CALL FOR PAPERS
After a relatively long pause imposed by Covid19 breakdown, Plurimondi is now building up its 20th issue.
It will host a special section on the studies presented in the ‘Research Wednesdays Seminars’ (I mercoledi della ricerca) by scholars of the Department of Civil Engineering (DICATECh) at the Polytechnic University of Bari, in 2022. The initiative stemmed from the idea to keep due track of the multifaceted research interaction path taking place in the Polytechnic department, as evidence of the interesting structural evolution and updating of a research and didactical institution, particularly in Italy.
Contributions dealing with Research Wednesdays topics will be welcome, and particularly interested in (but not limited to):
- Climate Changes and Impact on Urban Environment (including strategies for mitigation and adaptation, modelling and planning for resilience)
- Complexity and Uncertainty issues in integrated environmental system (including disaster risk management, disaster risk reductions, urban and regional resilience, risk assessment)
- Sustainable management of natural resources (including water management, land use and land cover changes, resource efficiency, biodiversity, ecosystem services, nature- based solutions);
- Energy resources management (including energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, smart energy systems, smart buildings, smart grids, energy planning);
- Environmental dynamics and human influence (including environmental impact assessment, strategic environmental assessment, life cycle assessment, corporate social responsibility);
- Decision making, knowledge interaction & public participation in Environmental modelling (including social inclusion, territorial cooperation, planning for resilient communities, participatory planning processes, urban environment).
Abstract submission: 7 September 2022
Paper submission: 10 October 2022
Notification of paper acceptance & revision to authors: 10 November 2022
Final paper due: 24 November 2022
Expected publication: 23 December 2022 | <urn:uuid:77fbe712-1847-445b-b958-e8be24d72e99> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://plurimondi.poliba.it/index.php/Plurimondi | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.899812 | 386 | 1.773438 | 2 |
School Blackboards for Tanza Elementary School
Supertyphoon Yolanda causing extensive damage to schools of the Philippines including the loss of buildings, equipment and learning materials.
From varying sources I learned that collectively almost 6,000 classrooms were destroyed and a further 14,500 classrooms sustained damage while 2,500 day care centers have been damaged or destroyed.
Tanza Elementary School is just one school of many. They needed 11 blackboards 12 of 15 classrooms lost their roofs (or were destroyed) and many of the blackboards were damaged by heavy rainfall.
Cost of materials using local construction company $435 (AUD)
Cost of labour using local tradesman $150 (AUD)
TOTAL $585 (AUD)
Materials were paid for and delivered on 16 June 2014 to the Tanza Elementary School. I was onsite during the delivery to check the order and hand over materials to the tradesman. Local carpenters hired by the school constructed and installed the blackboards. I visited the school and paid them then the job was completed in late June 2015. | <urn:uuid:7b5fabdb-3127-48d9-8120-31f33feaf87d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://melirvine.com.au/humanitarian-aid-work/disaster-relief-projects/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.984947 | 217 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders with MEd Option
This graduate certificate (with an option to complete a master's in special education in parallel) is ideal for educators, interventionists, psychologists, speech therapists, paraprofessionals, or family members who want to enhance their preparation for working with children and adults affected with autism spectrum disorders.
The Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) graduate curriculum provides training in topic areas required to implement a variety of programs for autistic individuals across their lifespans.
Students who wish to attain the master's in special education in conjunction with this certificate program complete an additional 12 credits of coursework.
What is the difference between the ASD and ABA certificates?
The autism certificate focuses on understanding the characteristics of autistic individuals and preparing students to apply research-based practices to their professional practice. The autism program is aligned with the Virginia Autism Council’s “Skill competencies for professionals and paraprofessionals in Virginia supporting individuals with autism across the lifespan”.
In contrast, the ABA program prepares students to use Applied Behavior Analysis, which is a scientific approach to the study of behavior, concerned with describing, explaining, predicting, and changing behavior. The ABA certificate is designed for individuals who design, implement, and monitor behavioral treatments and verbal behavior training programs, and is based on the standards of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.
- Students wishing to pursue the master's option should apply to the master's program and contact an advisor to add the certificate once enrolled.
- Coursework is delivered 100% online in a modified schedule to meet the needs of busy professionals.
- This program does not lead to teacher licensure.
- EDSE 620: Supporting the Behavior and Sensory Needs of Individuals with Autism (3 credits)
- EDSE 634: Characteristics of Individuals with Autism (3 credits)
- EDSE 635: Interventions for Individuals with Autism (3 credits)
- EDSE 636: Supporting Communication and Literacy for Individuals with Autism (3 credits)
- EDSE 637: Autism Across the Lifespan: Collaboration with Critical Partners (3 credits)
- EDSE 638: Autism Spectrum Disorder: Issues in Assessment and Intersectionality (3 credits)
Additional Master's Degree Courses
- EDSE 501: Introduction to Special Education (3 credits)
- EDSE 517: Computer Applications for Special Populations (3 credits)
- EDSE 590: Special Education Research (3 credits)
- 3 elective credits in special education (EDSE) or assistive technology (EDAT)
(classes starting in August)
(classes starting in January)
(classes starting in May, June, or July)
Priority*: April 1
Space Available: August 1
Priority*: November 1
Space Available: January 4
Priority*: February 1
Space Available: May 1
For more information and to apply, visit the admissions website.
* Priority deadline ensures consideration for the intended semester as well as financial aid options for students. Programs will continue to review applications until at capacity. Some programs do not review applications past the priority deadline.
All application materials must be submitted through Mason’s online graduate application. In addition to meeting general university admissions requirements, applicants will need to provide the requirements below. Please review the FAQ page for more information.
To be considered for graduate studies, the following items are evaluated during the admission review process:
- Graduate application and fee
- 750- to 1,000-word written statement of your goals and interest in the program
- Current resume
- Two letters of recommendation: Applicants should follow the instructions included in the online application to submit the recommendation forms directly to their recommenders. Mason does not accept paper recommendations. Recommendations should be professional or academic in nature.
- Transcripts from all previous institutions attended in the United States. Please refer to the Office of Graduate Admissions information page for specific requirements regarding uploading unofficial transcripts.
- Applicants with transcripts from institutions outside of the United States could have additional requirements. Please refer to the How To Apply page for specific requirements about submitting international transcripts, evaluations, and English language proficiency.
Admission to graduate programs at George Mason University is competitive. Applicants are evaluated on the strength of their academic backgrounds, results of standardized exams (if required by the program), work experience, and any additional evidence of potential success in the program. Faculty admissions review is a holistic review of requirements as well as the applicant’s potential academic and professional success upon completion of the program.
At a minimum all admitted students must have:
- An earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution of higher education, or international equivalent, verified from official transcripts. Expectation of an earned baccalaureate prior to the first day of classes for the term for which the student is applying will also meet this requirement. See the graduate admissions policy for more information.
- A minimum 3.00 GPA on a 4.00 scale in baccalaureate study. The GPA requirement may be higher for some graduate programs. The university, at its discretion, may additionally consider the difficulty of the baccalaureate degree, relevant work experience, and/or other evidence of ability to succeed in graduate study when evaluating the GPA requirement.
- International students should reference Admission of International Students for additional requirements.
|TUITION CLASSIFICATION||COST PER CREDIT|
|Distance Learning Fee||$35.00|
|Total Cost for Virginia Residents per Credit||$840.00|
|Total Cost for Non-Virginia Residents per Credit||$840.00|
|Graduate New Student Fee
(non-refundable, one-time fee)
For information on loans and scholarships, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid. For information regarding grants, tuition waivers, and other merit aid, please inquire with your graduate department. Also, many school districts offer tuition reimbursement options. Speak to your employer for more information.
Current students should visit MyMason for important forms and documents. | <urn:uuid:f3b3edf6-9857-4d2b-bd22-861a45b5e173> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://education.gmu.edu/special-education/med-certificate-autism-spectrum-disorders | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.912865 | 1,357 | 2.203125 | 2 |
Dear Lifehacker, Ever since I got a smartphone, I’m using it constantly. It dings, I respond. It entertains me in the car, in the shower, and even when I’m actually with other people. I feel like I’m extremely connected with technology and disconnected from reality. What can I do to use my phone without acting like an addict? Sincerely, Plugged Out
About three years ago I had a reputation for wearing my iPod headphones like jewellery. If not in my ears, they were draped around my neck for the next opportunity to plug in and listen to something. I chose this rather than actually interacting with people when at the supermarket or out in public without friends. I’d also check my phone whenever I felt like it, letting beeps and buzzes dictate interruptions in conversations, activities and thought.
Outline Your Smartphone Usage Rules
When I realised this was a problem, I put together a bunch of rules about how, when and where I use my phone. Doing this helped me a lot, and it might help you too. Here’s what my list looks like:
- No phone usage at social events unless you really need to call someone, you’re looking up information as a group activity (e.g. who was that actor in that movie or how do we get to the restaurant?), you’re sharing something on the phone with the people you’re with, or you’re responding to an expected event (for instance, your meter is running out and a timer went off).
- No answering calls or text messages on a date unless you’re expecting an emergency call or the calls will not stop coming.
- You can only use the phone at stoplights, and only to check directions or change music.
- No smartphone usage during short-term interactions (such as at the check-out at the supermarket).
I don’t always follow these rules to perfection, but I remind myself of them if a relevant situation is coming up, and that helps me adhere to them most of the time.
When you’re making your list of rules, you need to consider your goals. Why do you want to stop using your phone all the time? When is using your phone the most problematic? When does constant phone use upset people, or at least seem to upset people? Answering these questions should help you formulate a list that works for you. When you’ve got your list, just recite them in your mind before you go into any relevant situation. This may seem kind of silly, but it helps remind you of your goals. Putting the rules in your mind ahead of time will bring them right back to the forefront of your thoughts if you try to break them.
Set Custom Alert Profiles for Fewer Distractions
Another great way to turn off your phone is to have a mode you can set that will turn off all alerts. This way you won’t be tempted to play with your phone. I just set my phone’s vibrate mode to go completely silent unless an alarm goes off, because that’s the easiest route — I just have to flick a switch. You can always create custom alert profiles on your phone and switch them manually.
Having multiple profiles may actually work better in some cases as you may want to be informed about some things and not others. This is a really great way to customise what’s going to distract you and what won’t. If your smartphone supports customisable vibration patterns, you can set those to help you better identify your alerts. If you are in a situation where you’re waiting for something important, you’ll know what to ignore and what to check.
Lock Your Phone with a Long, Difficult Password
Passwords are meant to keep other people out of your phone, but if you find that you’re breaking your rules too often and need a little extra help, then a password can do the trick. I never needed this, but I hate entering even a short password on my phone, so I decided that if I ever needed to keep myself out I’d just set a long one. Come up with a password you can actually remember that takes a while to type. Make it 20 characters long and include numbers and symbols. Entering it will take a while and you’ll get frustrated. That frustration should keep you off your phone and train you to just ignore it unless you really do need to use it.
Don’t Expect Immediate Change
Finally, don’t expect things to change overnight. Even though being addicted to using a phone is kind of a silly first-world problem, it’s an issue many smartphone owners have. The devices are entertaining and they have alert systems that train us to instantly respond. Because there’s no real education on the proper use of these things, we just do what the devices tell us to do and don’t think too much about the consequences. Even if you didn’t have a mild-to-extreme smartphone addiction, the right goal is to train yourself to use your mobile responsibly and as the tool it is. It’s primary purpose is to connect you with people, so you never want to forget to do that when people are around you.
Got your own question you want to put to Lifehacker? Send it using our contact tab on the right. | <urn:uuid:b53f4820-cd77-46ad-9161-547b90420cb9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2012/04/ask-lh-how-can-i-stop-using-my-phone-and-connect-with-people-in-real-life/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.950243 | 1,136 | 1.921875 | 2 |
Instagram / Cindy Crawford
If ’90s supermodel Cindy Crawford could ensure her 15-year-old daughter, Kaia Gerber, would take away one lesson from her career, it would be this:
"My mom always just told me to stay true to myself and be myself, and I think people don't remind girls that enough," Crawford told E! News on Wednesday. "I think people might try to change themselves a lot in this industry."
Crawford’s simple yet solid advice is especially relevant given the rise of something people are nowadays dubbing Imposter Syndrome, or an overwhelming sense of self doubt often propelled by comparing oneself to others. (At its core, it’s really just another term for an inferiority complex — but these things sound so much more compelling with new and fancy names, don’t they?)
In all seriousness, though, we do know that the nagging, perceived need to change oneself in order to better meet others’ approval is something largely experienced by women, especially young women. The psychological reasons behind this are manifold, but stacks of research exist to support that at its essence, this sense of inferiority comes from women being plied with the message they’re “not enough” since girlhood.
As the Dove Self-Esteem Fund found in their 2008 report “Real Girls, Real Pressure: A National Report on the State of Self-Esteem,” for instance, as many as seven in 10 girls between the ages of 8 and 17 believe “they are not good enough or do not measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with family and friends.”
A more recent iteration of Dove’s annual report, published in 2016 and focusing on women in Australia, found that these feelings of inadequacy hardly go away upon reaching adulthood; in that survey, four out of five women reported having low self esteem, and of those four in five, nearly all (89 percent) said their insecurities drive them to opt out of important activities and life events.
So, what does all this have to do with women’s career prospects? Unfortunately, a lot.
One study, published in the 2016 Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and conducted over an eight-year span, assessed the average self-esteem rates in 48 countries and found there to be a sizable difference in the confidence levels of men and women, something they termed the “confidence gap.” And that gap is absolutely having an impact on women professionally. As synopsized to Forbes by Judith Beck, CEO of Financial Executive Women, it means that “women are less likely to take a risk on their career (and) over time they end up missing out on opportunities.”
Where Crawford’s lookalike daughter is concerned, some might assume her burgeoning modelling career isn’t at risk of being impeded by a confidence gap anytime soon. Recently booked as the new face of Marc Jacob’s Daisy fragrance, Gerber is everything the media and fashion world like to uphold as the standard all women should conform to — thin, tall, and traditionally beautiful (not to mention white and cis-gendered).
It’s important to remember, though, that in this society, no woman is truly exempt from that ubiquitous “not good enough” message. And learning ways to preserve and protect our self esteem is crucial not only to our mental health, but to our careers, too.
© 2022 Fairygodboss | <urn:uuid:4ef998a7-eced-4318-a349-99d90263d8c7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://fairygodboss.com/articles/cindy-crawford-daughter-career-advice-modeling | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.965573 | 747 | 1.703125 | 2 |
The resistor is applied in different electric appliances as a current limiting element. Alloy material with different resistance property can be used to produce resistors with different functions. The resistors can be divided into electrothermal resistor, strain resistor, precise resistor, heat sensitive resistor etc.
OHMALLOY can provide resistor material including nichrome, Fe-Cr-Al alloy, copper manganese alloy, copper-nickle alloy. You can get the bar material or wire material of these alloy materials to produce resistor.
During the manufacturing of the resistor, the material is quite important. We can provide the following four kinds of resistor material. You can click to check their property. We can provide customization service.
The wire wound resistor is used to protect the frequency converter and power grid. So it requires high and stable resistivity. We can provide custom FeCrAl alloy and nichrome alloy resistor with high resistivity.
The jumper wire is usually used as the connecting components on printed circuit board. It features small resistance value because it is usually made of copper nickle alloy.
The resistor is usually used as the heating component of electric furnace, kettle, air-conditioner etc. During the application, the most important factors are high resistivity and non deformation under high temperature. FeCrAl alloy and nichrome alloy are suitable material to produce electrothermal resistor.
Floor heating cable | <urn:uuid:051a3510-f80e-4a92-9c13-5a1b2df78cd0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.alloy-material.com/resistor.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.893923 | 294 | 2.71875 | 3 |
Expanding the sphere of interaction between the state and the medical business is one of the priorities for the development of the medical services market in the Russian Federation. The healthcare reform, based on the principles of evidence-based medicine, digital healthcare, and high medical technologies, is primarily aimed at improving the quality of medical services and the availability of highly qualified medical care for all segments of the population. Accessibility, quality and timeliness of medical care are the main postulates of the daily activities of a private medical institution. during the period of increasing crisis phenomena in the economy and social sphere, private medicine can provide significant assistance to the state health service, become the “lifesaver” for the domestic health protection system, which today is mostly represented by the public sector. One of the most effective mechanisms of interaction between the state and private business, adopted all over the world, is the system of public-private partnership.
The purpose of the study is to analyze possible forms and mechanisms of interaction between the medical business and the state within the framework of public-private partnership.
M a t e r i a l s a n d m e t h o d s . The assessment of the current regulatory framework was carried out, a significant volume of domestic and foreign literary publications was analyzed, the main theoretical hypothesis was formulated on the basis of the systematic scientific method and a research plan was built.
R e s u l t s . In the course of the conducted research, objective main cause-and-effect factors affecting the development of an adequate system of public-private partnership in the field of medicine and healthcare have been identified and analyzed, in terms of the distribution of benefits, costs and risks carried out on the principles of long-term, voluntary, manageability, legal validity between a private medical organization and federal and/or municipal executive authorities. The main causal factors include insufficient funding, an unfavorable demographic situation, low efficiency of using the resource base, a reduction in the bed fund under the guise of “optimization”, a decrease in the social level of the population and the redistribution of the medical and diagnostic structure due to the COVID‑19 infection pandemic.
It should be recognized that the state system of medical care is not always able to fully meet the needs of societies for high-quality qualified medical care. The analysis of foreign literature has shown that medical services abroad successfully use the principle of public-private partnership, redistributing efforts to form the necessary institutional environment in healthcare between private business and the state. Such a form of interaction as concession, leasing, franchise, outsourcing, aufstaffing allows us to optimally balance the interests of the medical business and public health, significantly optimize the budget costs for health protection, especially in a difficult epidemiological period.
The result of the research was the development of a conceptual and theoretical model of various forms of interaction between private medical business and government agencies within the framework of public-private partnership programs.
C o n c l u s i o n s . Thus, public-private partnership is an effective economic tool that ensures the coincidence of the interests of private medical business and the state, allowing to make a profit for both subjects of medical activity, with a reduction in state budget expenditures for healthcare purposes, but with the preservation of high quality medical services and resource provision.
Management in health care | <urn:uuid:14fd32bd-0c02-4234-b45a-690d0c179dff> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://idmz.ru/journals/manager-of-health-care/2021/8/theoretical-approaches-to-the-effective-interaction-of-the-state-and-private-medical-institutions-in-the-format-of-public-private-partnerships | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.949285 | 696 | 1.703125 | 2 |
Special Education and English Language Learners
Learn more about how schools and families can collaborate to ensure that ELLs, including those with special needs, have the appropriate support and services to meet their unique needs.
For teachers who work with English Language Learners (ELLs), ensuring that students have the appropriate support and services to meet their unique needs can be a big challenge.
We've created an in-depth resource section featuring recommendations and resources to help educators, administrators, and families to work together around this complex topic.
Thanks to our partners!
This project was made possible through our partnership with the National Education Association. Additional support was provided by our founding partner, the American Federation of Teachers.
Why do ELLs tend to be under- or over-identified for special education? What are the myths and misconceptions that result in these trends?
Learn more about the many factors that can impact student success such as language, culture, and prior experience and areas where a student may need additional support.
What are important considerations to keep in mind when preparing for and managing the special education referral process for ELLs?
Learn more about assessing and teaching dually-identified students and how the field is changing with the increased use of technology, student support teams, and collaborative practices.
Take a look at these recommended resources, which include reports, books, and guides providing detailed frameworks and tools that can help support ELL success.
These interviews with experts in the field of ELL education, bilingual education, and special education offer excellent guidance for educators who serve ELLs who may have disabilities. | <urn:uuid:be8d8559-13ad-4872-9509-c04411c174e9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.colorincolorado.org/school-support/special-education-and-english-language-learners | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.955724 | 325 | 3.265625 | 3 |
For critics, it's a rushed deal that's too soft on labor rights. For Angela Merkel, it's a strategic win and icing on the cake of Germany's Council of the EU presidency.
EU diplomats and officials say the German chancellor played a crucial role in finalizing the long-delayed EU-China investment agreement, which has taken more than seven years of negotiations. Those talks are set to be wrapped up Wednesday in a high-level videoconference between Brussels, Berlin and Beijing, just before Germany hands over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU to Portugal at the end of the week.
The video call with Merkel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel and Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled for 1 p.m. Brussels time Wednesday, the EU confirmed late Tuesday.
The leaders plan to give political endorsement to the deal, which would then still have to be legally revised, translated into different languages, and be officially approved by EU governments and the European Parliament as well as potentially national parliaments — a process that would take until early 2022 at least.
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The European Commission said the agreement was a success story because it not only increases market access for European investors in China and tackles forced technology transfer, non-transparent subsidies and state-owned enterprises, but also commits China to “make continued and sustained efforts” to ratify international conventions on banning forced labor.
However, some EU countries like Belgium and the Netherlands have raised concerns about the EU's ability to address human rights issues under the agreement. Others like Poland are questioning why the EU is rushing ahead to seal the deal with China without waiting for the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, whose transition team has already voiced concerns about the deal.
Strong criticism is also coming from the European Parliament. "The Commission has folded on the issue of workers' rights," said Green MEP Reinhard Bütikofer, the chair of Parliament's delegation for relations with China. Bütikofer said that simple commitments on abandoning forced labor were not enough: "It is ridiculous to try selling that as a success."
The German lawmaker also criticized the deal as "a solo-run as we know it from the Donald Trump administration," and said: "Explain why three weeks ago the EU — which likes to call itself the flag bearer of multilateralism — said it wants to coordinate with the Biden administration vis-à-vis China, and now it tries to push through this deal just before Biden is inaugurated as president."
Theresa Fallon, director for the Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies, also lambasted the planned investment agreement. "The main deliverable from Beijing's point of view was to drive a wedge in transatlantic relations, and Brussels appears to have complied," she said.
EU officials are rejecting criticism of rushing ahead with a deal without consulting the U.S., stressing that Washington secured its own trade and investment deal under President Trump and the EU is simply trying to get similar market-access conditions, which would allow Brussels and Washington to coordinate their China policies from a similar starting point.
One Commission official recalled that Brussels and Beijing committed in April 2019 at the highest political level to finalize the investment deal by the end of this year, and that both sides were sticking to their own target by now finalizing the negotiations, after having repeatedly failed to make substantial progress in the talks during previous years — "to the chagrin of some of those who are now criticizing this deal," as the official put it.
Yet there's also hardly any doubt in Brussels that the planned end-of-year conclusion of the deal — at an unusual moment for such high-profile agreements, between Christmas and New Year's — has Merkel's handwriting all over it.
The investment agreement is part of a strategic outreach to China that Merkel made a cornerstone of Germany's six-month Council presidency. "I believe that it is right and important to strive for good strategic relations with China," Merkel said on September 14, the day on which she had originally planned a giant EU-China summit in Leipzig, which had to be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic and was replaced by a videoconference with China's Xi instead.
Level playing field
For European businesses, particularly German carmakers and manufacturers, the agreement is of high importance as it would allow them to increase investments in the lucrative and steadily growing Chinese market without facing protectionist restrictions such as forced joint ventures, where local companies hold the majority of stakes and can access trade secrets.
"We must not have illusions at this point; instead, we must measure things against the realities," Merkel said in September. "Today, China is a clear competitor in many high technologies. So, of course, market access and the characteristics under which our trade takes place must be on an equal footing. A level playing field, as they say, must prevail."
Besides the strong steering from Berlin, which was reinforced in Brussels by German EU Ambassador Michael Clauss — who, by no coincidence, is the former German ambassador to Beijing — Merkel could also count on the “German engine" in the European Commission, as one EU diplomat put it: He named Björn Seibert, the head of cabinet of the Commission president; Sabine Weyand, the director general for trade; as well as Michael Hager, the chief of cabinet for Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis, as part of that "engine."
Crucially, Merkel seems to have secured the backing of France for the accord. An official close to French Trade Minister Franck Riester, who just last week voiced criticism of the deal related to human rights, said on Tuesday that "things are moving in the right direction." One EU official said that Merkel had reached an understanding with French President Emmanuel Macron under which she would get to conclude the deal under the German presidency, while the ratification and signing of the deal would be finalized under the French Council presidency in the first half of 2022.
Until then, it will be crucial to address concerns over China's human rights record, particularly when it comes to forced labor among the Uighur Muslim minority. Beijing has faced further international criticism after a Chinese court on Monday sentenced citizen journalist Zhang Zhan to four years in prison for her reporting on the coronavirus pandemic in Wuhan.
One EU official said that the time still remaining to ratify the deal by 2022 or later could be used to exert pressure on China to fulfill its commitment to implementing international conventions against forced labor — something that the European Parliament will certainly push for.
"We will scrutinize this agreement very thoroughly," said Kathleen Van Brempt, the trade coordinator of the Socialist & Democrats group. "Market access, stricter rules on subsidies and state-owned enterprises as well as addressing forced technology transfers are important, but so are human rights and labor rights.
"The agreement should be a meaningful step towards improving labor conditions, particularly with regards to the Uighurs. It goes without saying that before ratification, a unilateral ban on the import of products from forced labor and child labor should be proposed," Van Brempt added.
Barbara Moens and David Herszenhorn contributed reporting. | <urn:uuid:18581eb1-3b3d-4f04-b676-a2a5c5353571> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-china-investment-deal-angela-merkel-pushes-finish-line-despite-criticism/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.970961 | 1,485 | 1.710938 | 2 |
This brief review summarizes available evidence on the quantitative profiles of the quadriceps femoris in sports athletes. It is generally believed that sports athletes show event-related morphological profiles in muscle size that are specific to their competitive and training activities. Many previous analyses of cross-sectional data have indicated that athletes have greater size of the quadriceps femoris as comparedto untrained controls. However, little is known about which events have athletes with the greatest degree of quadriceps femoris. In addition, longitudinal studies on the adaptation of the quadriceps are few, and there is a paucity of quantitative evidence onadaptations of the quadriceps femoris induced by regular training for competitive activities. Only a limited number of studies have been carried out to examine the association between quadriceps femoris size and sport performance, e.g., sprinters, weightlifters and cyclists, with the conclusions controversial and inconsistent across studies. Furthermore, little is known regarding inter-muscle and/or intra-muscle differences inthe hypertrophic response, either in cross-sectional or longitudinal studies. There ishowever strong evidence that resistance training-induced changes in muscle size do notoccur evenly among the four muscles of the quadriceps femoris, nor along or across thesame muscle. Further studies will be needed if we are to develop an understanding of the mechanisms leading to the many differences seen in the quadriceps femoris, both within and across athletes.
ASJC Scopus subject areas | <urn:uuid:985b9e44-43b3-40f5-b97d-45f653ab6105> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://waseda.pure.elsevier.com/ja/publications/quantitative-profiles-of-the-quadriceps-femorisin-sport-athletes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.922226 | 367 | 2.3125 | 2 |
240V Heat Rocks assist reptiles in maintaining body temperature. In the natural environment rocks hold heat absorbed from the sun and this heat is used by many reptiles, both diurnal and nocturnal, to maintain body temperature and control metabolism and digestion.
These heat rocks are thermostatically controlled to maintain an optimum temperature day and night.
Features & Benefits:
- Thermostatically controlled, set to cut of when temperature reaches 45°C, +/-2-3°C
- Aids with digestion
|46535||240V AC||6W||14.5 x 12cm|
|46536||240V AC||12W||18.5 x 14.8cm|
|46537||240V AC||24W||29 x 18cm|
Suitable for: terrestrial Snake and Lizard habitats. | <urn:uuid:4f3623e1-3d6c-45fc-81df-eeb566476145> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.aqualifeaquarium.com.au/reptile-one-heat-rock-12w-46536 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.744928 | 187 | 2.265625 | 2 |
[bha size=’120×120′ variation=’01’ align=’alignright’]Last week, I blogged about a trip through Golden Gate City: San Francisco (1939). This week’s archival video goes back in time to views of Tokyo, 1913-1915.
- Notice the clash of those wearing modern (Western) clothing versus the traditional feudal garb
- A lot these kids (and their kids) probably went on to fight in both World Wars
- The girl with the bouncing ball (see gif) has impressive football and basketball skills
Another fascinating look at black and white footage augmented with a sound for added ambiance. Be sure to check out the archival footage of New York (1911) as well. | <urn:uuid:213b8ddf-a362-4ad7-924a-84ccadba9345> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wellsbaum.blog/tag/archival/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.900587 | 167 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Critical theory, Library administration
Oregon libraries work to meet the information needs of our communities, a mission that is dependent on teamwork. Library managers are tasked with leading, supporting and developing the teams that serve our communities. Social justice and critical theory are frameworks that are often discussed within library practice, but are only starting to be applied to library management practice. The more we discuss social justice, the more apparent it is that inclusion and equity are essential aspects of library management. This program will open with a brief presentation discussing the overlap between critical theory and library management, then we will open the discussion up to our panel. We will leave plenty of time for audience questions and wider discussion. The intended outcome for the panel discussion is to foster a robust discussion of how the incorporation of critical theory and social justice frameworks can improve our approaches to management and our service to our communities. The goal we are setting is for audience members to think critically about their own management practice and consider ways of improving equity and in their own organizations.
Branum, Candise, Gunderson, Molly, and Masland, Turner. "The Critical Library Manager." Presented at the Oregon Library Association Conference, Salem, Oregon, April 21, 2017. | <urn:uuid:77d2005b-630c-40ba-aa58-ed555b3b6cb0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/ulib_fac/222/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.919797 | 291 | 1.859375 | 2 |
THE CENTENNIAL BEDROOM
Restoration efforts in the spring of 2008 exposed a dull grey wall behind a 1950s kitchen. Upon examination, the drab colour proved to be original and bore the characteristic darkening towards the ceiling of years of gas lighting.
On account of this wall the room was selected to house our furnishings that are period to the house, c. 1870-80. It is designed to reflect the lifestyle of a Middle Class family during the Centennial Year of the Landing of the Loyalists in 1884, when thousands of visitors came to Adolphustown for the celebratory events. The Centennial Bedroom shows that within 100 years, some Loyalists had gone from simple cabin residences to luxury homes such as the Allison House. The bedroom is set up to show what life would be like for the family as they looked out on the 1884 Anniversary Events to honour the arrival of the Loyalists in Ontario, held on their grounds near the UEL Cemetery.
THE CENTENNIAL PARLOUR:
The house was built with every luxury available in the 1870s such as built in closets, a boiler system, gas lighting and most notably a washroom. As a result there is evidence that very few upgrades were done while the Allison’s lived in the house. The parlour room on the main level was used to entertain guests to the home. It is set up to show what it would have looked like at the time of the 1884 Centennial Events. Some of the original family photos are also on display in this room.
The photograph below shows an aging D.W. Allison with his family sitting before their Queen Anne mansion; however, the fountain behind them has long since fallen into disrepair and is now filled with weeds. | <urn:uuid:f69d4ca3-23b7-4e4a-8a79-375269ef053a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://uel.ca/exhibits/the-centennial-room/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.980235 | 363 | 2.046875 | 2 |
188.8.131.52 Residence requirements
It is a basic qualification or claim requirement for almost all pensions, allowances and benefits that a person must be an Australian resident.
To be an Australian resident, a person must:
|Reside in Australia, and||This topic|
Be ONE of the following:
Note: Although they do not meet the above definition of an Australian resident, the holders of some temporary visas have access to SpB and family payments. Refer to 184.108.40.206, FA Guide 220.127.116.11 and PPL Guide 18.104.22.168.
Act reference: SSAct section 7(2) An Australian resident is a person who …, section 729(2) Qualification for SpB
Determining whether a person is residing in Australia
SSAct section 7(3) lists the factors to be taken into account when deciding whether a person is residing in Australia. These are:
- the frequency and duration of the person's travel outside Australia
- the nature of the accommodation used by the person in Australia
- the nature and extent of the family relationships the person has in Australia
- the nature and extent of the person's employment, business or financial ties in Australia
- the nature and extent of the person's assets located in Australia, and
- any other matter relevant to determining whether the person intends to remain permanently in Australia.
When making a determination about whether a person is 'residing' - in other words 'living' - in Australia, the key point is to establish that Australia is the person's settled or usual place of abode - that is that the person makes Australia his or her home. In general, it is not possible for a person to be residing in more than one country at the same time. In most cases, the balance of a person's ties will weigh more heavily in favour of one country than another.
The decision as to whether a person is residing in Australia must be based on the balance of all the available evidence. No single factor should be taken to be conclusive on its own and some factors will usually provide a greater indication than others, however in the majority of cases the most weight should be given to the time spent in Australia. In general, it is also expected that a person who resides in Australia will be able to demonstrate strong ties to Australia under a number of different criteria listed in SSAct section 7(3).
1. Frequency & duration of the person's travel outside Australia
A person does not need to be continuously present in a country in order to be residing there. A person holidaying or working temporarily overseas does not necessarily cease to reside in Australia while they are away.
It is necessary to find the reason for being overseas and to look closely at the pattern and duration of time spent outside Australia in order to ascertain whether a person continues to reside in Australia. For Australian residence to be maintained during an absence, a person must demonstrate continued physical ties to Australia, the absence must be for a short duration, there must be a purpose for the absence and there must be a proposed end date for the absence.
Taken in isolation, a 3-year continuous absence would be regarded as an upper limit to still being considered residing in Australia, unless there are special circumstances delaying a return. When looking at the pattern and duration of time spent outside Australia, if a person regularly spends more than 6 months a year outside Australia, then their residence in Australia is questionable.
The purpose of an overseas absence may indicate whether a person continues to reside in Australia. The reason should be consistent with the intended length of the absence. For example, a person working on an 18-month overseas contract posting would still be considered to reside in Australia as long as they have demonstrated ongoing physical ties to Australia and a commitment to return to Australia at the end of the posting.
It is not uncommon for a person to remain overseas for a lengthy period of time but state that they intend to return to Australia to live at some uncertain, future date. In general, when a person states that they are leaving Australia temporarily with the intention of returning to Australia, the person's 'intent' becomes less of a factor as the length of the absence increases. A person's physical ties with a country will normally take precedence over their intentions when lengthy periods of time are involved.
A person who has spent the majority of their time overseas in the last few years and who returns to Australia to claim a benefit will not necessarily be eligible from the day they return to Australia. The person must demonstrate that their physical ties with Australia have been re-established, or are in the process of being established and that they intend to reside again in Australia.
Example 1: Derek is single, aged 56, and has spent the last 2 years in Thailand as he prefers the climate and cost of living. He initially went for a short holiday and when he came back he rented out his furnished property in Australia on an indefinite basis and took on a long term lease of an apartment in Thailand. He is not employed. He keeps in contact with extended family by phone and has a return trip booked to Australia for medical treatment. He has to renew his Thai visa every year and does not consider himself to be a resident of Thailand because he is not eligible for a permanent visa there. He plans to return to Australia one day and for this reason has not sold his house.
Derek's argument that he does not have a permanent visa to stay in Thailand does not override the fact that he spends the majority of his time living in Thailand. Based on the duration of his absence and the fact that his plans to return to live in Australia are vague, at this point in time he is considered to be residing in Thailand.
Example 2: John and Belinda are both retired and have rented out their home in Australia for 2 years while they are in Europe. Their vehicle is on loan to John's brother in Australia who is looking after their furniture. They have purchased a townhouse in Perugia in Italy for their daughter who will be studying at a nearby university for 4 years and they see it as a good investment. They plan to have an extended holiday in Europe after their daughter has settled into her first year of study. They have a firm plan to return to Australia at the end of the 2 years as John expects to be doing contract work for his previous employer. Due to the fact that their plans in Europe are for a defined period and a short term purpose and there is other supporting evidence, they are considered to still be residing in Australia.
2. Nature of the accommodation used by the person in Australia
People who spend considerable time overseas will need to provide evidence that they still maintain strong connections to Australia. One consideration is the nature of the accommodation used by the person in Australia and overseas. The aim is to establish that the person has more settled or permanent accommodation in Australia than in any other country and that they have made arrangements for an extended period of accommodation in Australia. If the accommodation circumstances are the same in both countries then more weight should be given to the nature of the accommodation where they spend the majority of their time.
Having legal title to a house that a person ordinarily lives in is a good indication that a person resides in that country. If the person pays rent for public or private housing this is also a good indication that the person intends to live in that country. In such cases the term of the lease may be a good indicator of how permanent their accommodation is.
In general, shared or hotel accommodation is considered temporary and is a low indicator that the person resides in that country. However it needs to be recognised that many people receiving a social security payment have very few assets and do not have formal living arrangements. For example in some cases informal shared accommodation (e.g. with family) is a normal and indefinite arrangement. The lack of formal living arrangements simply means the other criteria at SSAct section 7(3) have greater significance.
Example 1: Pam lives in rented accommodation in the UK and stays with adult children in Australia when she returns to visit family. She is retired and has only a few personal items, some of which are in each location. She intends to keep travelling between Australia and the UK and sees herself resident of both countries. In the last 2 years she has spent equal time in both countries. Pam has been determined to be a resident of the UK due to the greater weight on her long-term housing in the UK and other factors being equal.
Example 2: Kevin sold his home in Australia 6 years ago and lived in Fiji with his second wife who inherited the house from her parents. He separated from her when she decided not to come to Australia to live. Kevin is staying with his adult children in different parts of Australia and hasn't decided where exactly to settle but has transferred money back to Australia to buy a house in the near future. In the last year he has only been outside Australia briefly to visit his daughter from his second marriage. He stays in a hotel when back in Fiji. Although Kevin now uses short-term accommodation in both countries, he is considered to be now residing in Australia as a former resident, based on his demonstrated intention to settle in Australia, his transfer of assets, his family relationships and the length of time he has now been back in Australia.
3. Nature & extent of the family relationships the person has in Australia
Another factor that should be used to indicate what country the person is residing in is the nature and extent of the person's family relationships in Australia and overseas.
The term family member is not defined in SSAct section 7(3), however in general it includes the person's spouse, children, parents, brother, sister etc.
Just having a family member in a country does not constitute strong evidence that the person is residing in that country. In order to determine the level of connection to a family member the main guide is to look at how much time the person spends with them in Australia or overseas.
Strong weight should be given to where the person's immediate family is residing, or where the person is providing a significant level of care for a member of their family or where the person spends the most amount of time with their family. Conversely, having family in Australia where a person merely maintains a casual relationship over the phone or internet does not constitute significant ties to those family members. Similarly communicating with family in other parts of the world does not make that person a resident of those countries.
In cases where the person's immediate family such as a spouse and children live overseas and only extended family live in Australia, more weight should be given to the fact that the person's immediate family is overseas. Generally a person would be regarded as having stronger ties to their dependent children than to other family members they may have caring responsibility for. To make a decision on where a person lives it is necessary to look at where their partner and children are and how settled they are there. In some cases a person may have 2 families, one being from a previous relationship. In these situations, the focus must be on the family that the person is spending more time with.
Some people do not have a family or have lost connection with members of their family. In these situations the person will need to rely on the other factors listed in SSAct section 7(3) to establish their residence in Australia.
Example 1: Anna left Australia to marry in England 8 years ago and since then has returned to have a baby and stay with her parents twice for 3 months each time. She is now separated from her husband but is remaining in England so that he can have access to see the children easily. Anna states she intends to return to Australia but due to her financial situation and having to remain in the UK because of her joint custody arrangements for her children, she has not been able to do so as yet. When she returns to Australia she travels on a return ticket because this is a cheaper option than purchasing a one way ticket. Anna is considered to be residing in the UK due to all the indicators including her dependent children in the UK.
Example 2: Aisha was born in Malaysia and immigrated to Australia with her husband and young children. Their children were raised in Australia but have now moved back to Malaysia to live. Since her husband died Aisha has lived in Australia by herself in the house that she owns. She hasn't worked since raising her children, spends winters in Malaysia each year for the climate and to be with grown up children, and is considering moving back to Malaysia (so they can support her when she's older) but has not yet done so. A decision has been made that Aisha is residing in Australia at this point in time, despite her only family living outside Australia, due to the weight of other factors.
4. Nature & extent of the person's employment, business or financial ties in Australia
If the person is employed or self-employed, their place of employment or their main place of business is a good indication of where the person resides.
The nature and extent of the employment of the person's partner is also a factor in terms of the person's family ties. Therefore, if the person is a member of a couple, it is also necessary to find out where the person's partner is employed and whether their employment is permanent or temporary as this will influence where the person chooses to reside.
Financial ties such as business investments in Australia can be an indicator of where the person is living. However, given the nature of global banking today, simply having an investment in Australia is, by itself, a weak indicator of where the person is residing. Having a bank account in Australia will carry no weight as it is relatively easy to open an account without the person being physically in Australia.
Care should be taken to ensure that poverty and lack of employment are not counted against a person's claim to be residing in Australia. The lack of employment, business or financial ties simply means the other criteria at SSAct section 7(3) have greater significance.
Example 1: Kenji obtained a permanent visa to live and work in Australia and arrived in Australia by himself for a couple of weeks to activate his permanent visa and to investigate possible job prospects in Australia. He returned to Japan as he was not successful in securing employment and remained in Japan for another 6 months. He would not be considered to be residing in Australia yet as he has not made any permanent arrangements to settle in Australia.
Six months later he and his wife put their house on the market in Japan and Kenji resigned from his job in Japan. They returned to Australia and took out a one year lease in Sydney, found employment and brought money and possessions over from Japan. During their first year in Australia their first child was born.
By the end of the year their house had not sold, Kenji's employment contract had ended and they all went back to Japan for an unknown duration.
During the one year they spent in Australia they can be determined to be residing in Australia. However upon their most recent departure they ceased to reside in Australia due to the weight of evidence including Kenji's employment.
Example 2: Charmaine is receiving FTB and has advised that she, her husband and children will be leaving Australia for a 3-year stint in the Philippines where her husband has secured a contract with a Philippine company. Her husband has resigned from his position in Australia and they have given up their rented accommodation in Australia. They plan to take leased accommodation in the Philippines, the children will attend the local school in Manila and Charmaine hopes to do volunteering for an aid agency.
From the date Charmaine and her family depart Australia they are considered to be residing in the Philippines due to the length of the contract period, the strong community ties they plan to develop in the Philippines and their lack of remaining ties to Australia, other than an intention to return to Australia some time after the 3-year employment contract has ended.
5. Nature & extent of the person's assets located in Australia
Owning assets in Australia may also assist in the determination that a person is residing in Australia. However, by itself this would not be a conclusive determinant. If a person owns a house which has been rented out for a short period this could indicate that the person is only overseas temporarily and intends to return to Australia. A person may also be temporarily keeping their furniture or personal items such as clothes in storage, which is another indicator that they are only overseas temporarily. Conversely the sale or gifting of assets such as a car, furniture, or family home prior to leaving Australia, would be a strong indicator that the person has left Australia to live overseas for an extended period of time.
Owning assets for investment purposes may not necessarily indicate that the person is residing in Australia. The key is to establish the extent of a person's assets in Australia and whether the presence of these assets in Australia indicates that they have an ongoing connection to Australia. In many cases because of lack of income and poverty a person will have only very limited assets either in Australia or overseas. In these cases more weight should be placed on the other factors listed in SSAct section 7(3).
Example 1: Monique was born in Switzerland and was living there when she met and became engaged to an Australian man Evan who had been living and working in Switzerland for 2 years. She took leave without pay from her employer in Switzerland (but did not resign) and accompanied Evan to Australia on a tourist visa when his father was critically ill. While here Evan's father died and Evan inherited his father's estate including the business and substantial real estate investments. Although Monique only came to Australia for a short visit she now expects to be staying for several months longer while Evan looks after his father's business. They have a rental apartment in Switzerland and both Evan and she are planning to go back to Switzerland to resume their jobs when they can finalise the estate and find a manager for the business. Despite Evan's inherited assets in Australia, Monique and Evan are both considered to be residing in Switzerland due to their ties in Switzerland and the temporary nature of their visit to Australia.
Example 2: Marjory has been in Vietnam for a year while her husband is receiving health treatment there. They are staying in leased accommodation and gave up their leased accommodation in Australia. They sold their furniture and car to help finance the trip. All Marjory's family live in Australia and she can't wait to get back as she has not been able to participate in the care of her niece as usual. The fact that the couple no longer have assets in Australia does not overturn the weight of the other evidence - in particular the purpose and duration of their trip to Vietnam and the fact they have not built up any assets in Vietnam. The couple are considered to still be residing in Australia.
6. Any other matter relevant to determining whether the person intends to remain permanently in Australia
The term 'any other matters' includes the person's stated intention and any other evidence that does not fit under the other criteria, for example, whether the person is prevented from returning to Australia because of custody laws in the country they are in.
Evidence to support the person's intention would include the purpose of the travel - for example, overseas travel may be for the purpose of pursuing a contract of employment for a specified period time, or receiving medical treatment, or caring for someone. This type of purpose would in isolation suggest the absence is temporary but the other criteria should also be evaluated before making a determination.
The only time a decision would be based solely on the person's intention (and evidence of that intention) is where they have no ties under any of the other factors either in Australia or overseas - for example, newly arrived refugees. In these cases there are likely to be valid reasons why the person has not yet established new ties in Australia or fully broken their ties in their previous country.
In the case of former residents, all the factors under section 7(3) should be considered to determine both whether the person can be said to have been residing in Australia during their absence and whether they are now residing in Australia on their return.
In general, when a person states that they are leaving Australia temporarily with the intention of returning, the person's 'intent' becomes less of a factor as the length of absence increases. A person's physical ties with a country will normally take precedence over their intentions when lengthy periods of time are involved.
It is also worth noting that a person claiming Age may have plans to retire overseas. This does not automatically mean that they are not residing in Australia at the time of their claim. The issue is whether the person can, at the time of the decision, be said to be residing in any other country.
Example 1: Roger sold his home in Australia 2 years ago and purchased in the UK where his wife and adult children live. He has one adult child in Australia. He previously worked in Australia. He receives an allocated pension from his Australian super fund. He has kept an Australian bank account open with minimal funds in it but also maintains a UK bank account. His car is on loan to his son here but his and his wife's furniture and other car are in the UK where his wife still works. He resigned from his job in the UK after 2 years and returned to Australia and claimed Age, stating he intended to resettle here and was only temporarily staying with his son. The weight of evidence including his wife's place of employment, usual accommodation and the location of his assets support the decision that he is still residing in the UK.
Example 2: Max is an Australian citizen but has been living and working in the UK for 10 years. He left his wife and children there to return to Australia to look for work, after he was made redundant due to a downturn in the economy. His family are renting in England and he is staying in temporary accommodation in Australia until he is able to find work and obtain his own rented accommodation. Max has been applying for jobs in most capital cities as he intends to live wherever he finds employment. He has also made arrangements to have his overseas qualifications recognised in Australia. He plans to bring his family and personal effects over if/when he has secured employment in Australia. The actions Max has taken to try and find employment in Australia indicate that he does intend to reside in Australia, therefore he can be considered to have recommenced living in Australia despite his family still being overseas. | <urn:uuid:b0a0dbb7-bf59-4ddc-98aa-63ae09cc1b90> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://guides.dss.gov.au/social-security-guide/3/1/1/10 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.978427 | 4,615 | 1.960938 | 2 |
All people strive for a beautiful and healthy smile, as well as healthy gums and lips. In order to achieve this goal, it is crucial to follow the rules and guidelines regarding the routine of brushing and maintaining the health of teeth and gums. In this blog, we bring you some tips on how to achieve a bright smile. Keep your smile glowing and these tips.
First: brush your teeth regularly
The most important and always the first piece of advice you can get when it comes to dental health is, of course, brushing your teeth regularly. You need to brush your teeth at least 2 times a day. Use the correct technique of circular gentle movements and do not brush your teeth harshly so as not to damage the gums. If your gums are as sensitive as your teeth, pay attention to the choice of toothpaste. Let it be adapted to you.
Always clean your tongue!
It is very important to clean the tongue after cleaning the teeth. The reason for this is bacteria that can accumulate to a large extent and cause bad breath and various other problems. To clean your tongue, simply use a toothbrush or a tongue scraper. When cleaning the surface of the tongue, be thorough and gentle.
Use baking soda
This is a very popular home remedy that is very useful for various things, including teeth whitening. To get brighter teeth with baking soda, simply wet your toothbrush and dip it in some baking soda. Brush your teeth with baking soda and rinse with water. Be persistent and you will see results.
Stay hydrated – drink lots of water!
It is very important to maintain hydration, which is essential for overall health, and helps with healthy teeth and gums. When you drink a lot of water, it helps wash away any food particles or bacteria that might be on your teeth. Water also helps to maintain a balanced level of saliva. This is very important for preventing caries.
Avoid beverages that stain teeth
Black and red wine, coffee, carbonated juices, etc., are the main culprits of stains on the teeth. If you cannot do without these drinks, we recommend that you brush your teeth or rinse thoroughly with water after drinking.
Invest in a good toothbrush
Recently, electric toothbrushes have become increasingly popular, which are particularly effective when it comes to plaque removal. Investing in the best toothbrush to help keep your smile bright is very important, and don’t skimp on it.
For most people, going to the dentist is not exactly the most enjoyable event of the day. To reduce these visits to regular twice a year, we will introduce you to few steps that are key in preventing tooth decay.
A balanced diet plan that includes fruits, vegetables, protein foods, grains, and dairy products provides essential nutrients for optimal oral health as well as overall health. Check some of the recommended foods HERE. | <urn:uuid:3ef24c06-64c5-4ba7-9fde-219abce26ece> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://miamismiledental.com/tips-to-keep-your-smile-glowing/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.95588 | 588 | 2.59375 | 3 |
New Delhi: If governments don’t act now, global temperatures will rise to 3.2 degrees above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, bringing with it irreversible and cascading effects of climate change, states the latest report of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It adds, however, that there is possibility for the world to avoid the worst of climate change, by acting within this decade — through sustainable development, employing carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and methods, and making deep cuts in emissions.
The IPCC published the third, and final, part of its sixth assessment report — authored by Working Group 3 — Monday. Like the two reports that preceded it, this report too reiterates that without deep cuts in emissions, more extreme climate change will be inescapable, impacting the least developed countries the most. Global temperatures are already at 1.1 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
The years between 2010 and 2019 saw the highest emissions in human history (at 56 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide or its equivalent), and the window to adapt to and mitigate climate change is quickly narrowing, says the latest IPCC report. In order to keep global temperatures to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, emissions would need to peak by 2025, and fall right after, with “rapid and deep” reductions following every decade till 2050.
“Modelled mitigation strategies to achieve these reductions include transitioning from fossil fuels without Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) to very low — or zero — carbon energy sources, such as renewables or fossil fuels with CCS, demand side measures and improving efficiency, reducing non-CO2 emissions, and deploying carbon dioxide removal (CDR) methods to counterbalance residual GHG emissions,” says the report.
CCS refers to highly contentious technologies that can trap and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These have been a point of division among climate activists and researchers, because they are not yet scalable, are expensive, and their ecological costs are still not fully known.
According to the report, relying on carbon capture and removal of “hard-to-abate residual emissions” is “unavoidable” if the world is to achieve its net-zero targets. The report adds that the efficiency, feasibility, and application of these technologies need to be studied further.
Though the world is currently off-track to meet the 2015 Paris Agreement goal of keeping temperatures “well below” 2 degrees above pre-industrial level, the IPCC report presents several options for governments to avoid a world where temperatures soar to 3.2 degrees above it.
“I am encouraged by climate action being taken in many countries. There are policies, regulations and market instruments that are proving effective. If these are scaled up and applied more widely and equitably, they can support deep emissions reductions and stimulate innovation,” said Hoesung Lee, IPCC Chair, in a statement released Monday.
The sixth assessment report of the IPCC includes contributions by three working groups, and while the repots of the first and second groups were released in April 2021 and February 2022, the third and final report was released Monday.
Environment minister Bhupender Yadav said India “welcomed” the latest IPCC report, adding that it “justifies India’s emphasis on equity at all scales in climate action and sustainable development. We welcome it.”
The @IPCC_CH report underlines the need for deep and urgent global emissions reduction and justifies India’s emphasis on equity at all scales in climate action and sustainable development. We welcome it.
— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) April 5, 2022
Shifting development pathways
A growing source of emissions comes from urban spaces, which also provides an opportunity for governments to “systematically transition” to low carbon development pathways, says Monday’s report.
One way to do this is to introduce demand-side mitigation measures, and inspire behavioral changes — aspects of climate change mitigation explored by the IPCC for the first time.
“For example, food waste reduction or dietary choice for a sustainable, healthy, balanced diet is a choice individuals can make. If you make these choices, and you provide the right kind of access and infrastructure to make these choices in the whole supply chain of food, then you will see that land will actually be freed up,” Dr Joyashree Roy, one of the coordinating lead authors of the report, explained in a media briefing Monday. “That land could lead to a reduction in deforestation, or could be used for afforestation,” she added.
Other methods include moving towards electric vehicles, and designing cities in a way to ensure that the demand for personal transport is low. Lifestyle and infrastructure changes could lead to a 40 to 70 per cent reduction in emissions by 2050, says the report.
The report stressed the need for the world to transition away from fossil fuels, saying “the continued installation of unabated fossil fuel infrastructure will ‘lock-in’ greenhouse gas emissions”.
Gaps in climate finance
Like the previous report on climate adaptation authored by the Working Group 2, the latest IPCC report draws attention to gaps in funding for developing nations to implement climate mitigation strategies.
“Tracked financial flows fall short of the levels needed to achieve mitigation goals across all sectors and regions. The challenge of closing gaps is largest in developing countries as a whole,” says the report.
The Working Group 2 had said the estimated need for climate adaptation finance was “higher” than previous estimates.
The report shows that North America is responsible for the highest share of historical cumulative emissions (23 per cent), as well as the highest per capital emissions (15 tonnes of CO2), which is almost 20 times higher than that by an average person in the African continent.
Developed countries have failed to deliver on their promise of mobilising $100 billion in climate finance, for developing countries to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
“Accelerated international financial cooperation is a critical enabler of low-GHG and just transitions, and can address inequities in access to finance and the costs of, and vulnerability to, the impacts of climate change,” the report says.
The issue of climate adaptation finance had also come up in last year’s COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow. India was among countries that had asked for at least $1.3 trillion a year in climate finance, but countries like Australia, Norway, and the EU had been reluctant to settle on a figure.
Yadav has said the IPCC report “fully supports India’s view on the necessity of public finance for developing countries and the need for scale, scope and speed in climate finance.”
“The Report sends out a clear message on the global average investment
required to achieve 1.5°C or 2°C by 2030, and that the current projections show flow of finance is three to six times less than required on a global average basis at present. The finance shortage is across the globe, but the gap is relatively higher in developing regions like Asia, Africa and Latin America,” said Navroz Dubash, another coordinating lead author of the report.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee) | <urn:uuid:ce7286e9-3959-4453-aca9-4ebfdc52ad2d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://theprint.in/environment/govts-must-act-within-decade-to-mitigate-extreme-climate-change-impact-says-latest-ipcc-report/902847/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.940026 | 1,521 | 3.53125 | 4 |
Aragonite occurs in the oxidized zones or ore deposits formed at hydro-thermal locations near the surface of the Earth, such as in hot springs, mineral veins, and forming as stalactites in caves. It is chemically identical to Calcite.
Aragonite orthorhombic shaped crystals may come in a variety of structures; prismatic, twinned, columnar, stalactitic, radiating, fibrous, and/or hexagonal “Sputnik” shaped. Aragonite also forms the skeleton of many marine organisms. Aragonite’s color range includes gray, yellowish, green, blue, red, brown to white and colorless. Aragonite was named after the northeastern region of Spain. It’s hardness is rated at 3.5-4 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. Aragonite is transparent to translucent with a vitreous to resinous luster. Aragonite is found in throughout Europe, Morocco, Japan, and in the USA – New Mexico and Arizona.
Aragonite's soothing and energetic vibration helps to create confidence and provide encouragement to pursue the enjoyment of life on all levels. It teaches patience and acceptance, encourages discipline and boundaries, reliability and a pragmatic approach to life.
Aragonite stimulates communication with the higher planes and heightens intuition connecting thoughts with a sense of knowingness. Aragonite has the ability to center and ground physical energies.
Aragonite is useful in times of stress, as it helps to combat anger and relieve emotional stress. Aragonite may be helpful to identify the source of anxiety, angst, or disease linked with events from the past or that occurred during childhood. Aragonite’s soothing energetic vibrations helps to release and heal from emotional blockages. Aragonite heals, calms, and fosters love and peace in the heart space.
Aragonite is a wonderful crystal tool to help clear the thinking processes and balances brain function assisting those with dyslexic patterns.
Aragonite are powerful diagnostic crystal tools for energy workers.
Aragonite restores balance for meditation by raising vibrations to a high spiritual level and bringing energy into the physical body and clears the auric field. It stabilizes the base and earth chakras and provides a grounding, protective energy.
Aragonite may be placed in an area of disturbed Earth energy or on ley lines to help heal stress in the earth. Aragonite grounds and connects one with the energy of the Earth. Aragonite may be used as a reminder to walk softly upon the Earth leaving little imprint. Aragonite encourages conservation and recycling. | <urn:uuid:6a162f1d-770a-4b2c-b63d-7afc08345686> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.witchywares.net/aragonite | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571869.23/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813021048-20220813051048-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.921904 | 549 | 2.546875 | 3 |
DC Drop Simulation is more than just being sure you have enough copper on the planes. You should also investigate the following areas during DC drop analysis:
- Are the ICs on the board getting the required voltage at DC?
- Is the current density on the power nets well below the manufacturing guidelines?
- Will the high current density heat the board area and cause annealing and design breakdown?
It’s important to understand the behavior of the planes at DC because ICs tend to draw in large amounts of currents when I/O buffers are not toggling. Voltage drop can occur on power planes due to losses and imperfections of the planes, such as when the plane is too narrow or long or when there is a bottleneck, such as when multiple vias cut through the plane.
Adverse effects of DC drop can be disruptive to normal board functioning. The voltage as seen by the target IC, i.e., the voltage of the IC power pin minus the voltage of the IC GND pin may not be within the IC’s tolerance. This can cause the IC to not work as expected, as shown in the picture below.
High current densities in voltage-island neck downs can create excessive heat which, in turn, reduces board reliability and can cause board failures. Failures on power nets leads to disconnected power on the board.
To understand in detail how to simulate the planes at DC, check out my web seminar, “Managing Split Planes and Power Integrity”
Benefits of using PADS HyperLynx DC Drop:
- Easy to use
- Quickly analyzes voltage drop of power supply rails due to copper losses found in power plane shapes, power traces, and neck downs in dense layouts
- Interactive and batch-mode simulation capability
- Allows easy exploration of different conductor materials and trace thicknesses
- Identifies areas of excessive current density. | <urn:uuid:d5d5a5a5-a47c-4749-aeae-d9e33827492e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blogs.sw.siemens.com/pads/2017/10/18/are-you-meeting-ic-power-demands-for-your-design/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.924018 | 390 | 2.78125 | 3 |
How to Select the Right Ultrasound Tech College near Mcnary Arizona
Now that you have made a decision to pursue an ultrasound technician degree near Mcnary AZ, the next step is to begin the procedure of picking a college. First, you must find the ideal program that will provide the proper training to become a skilled professional. And because some states do mandate that sonographers be either certified or licensed, depending on your residence you may also need to be prepared to pass a certification or licensing examination. So it’s very important that you research each program so that you can evaluate and compare your choices. But just where does one begin? Most students will start by searching for schools that are within commuting distance of their homes and then by comparing tuition. Of course cost and location need to be taken into account when making a decision, but there are other significant factors also. Such as, if the ultrasound technician schools are accredited or if they provide internship programs. These and other qualifiers will be discussed more in detail later in this post. But to start with, let’s review what an ultrasound tech does and the degrees and online training options that are available.
Ultrasound Tech Occupation Description
There are more than one acceptable titles for ultrasound techs (technicians). They are also referred to as sonogram techs, diagnostic medical sonographers (or just sonographers) and ultrasound technologists. Regardless of name, they all have the same primary job description, which is to carry out diagnostic ultrasound testing on patients. Although many practice as generalists there are specialties within the field, for instance in pediatrics and cardiology. Most work in Mcnary AZ clinics, hospitals, private practices or outpatient diagnostic imaging centers. Routine daily job tasks of a sonogram tech can consist of:
- Preserving records of patient case histories and specifics of each procedure
- Counseling patients by explaining the procedures and answering questions
- Prepping the ultrasound machines for usage and then cleaning and recalibrating them
- Escorting patients to treatment rooms and ensuring their comfort
- Utilizing equipment while minimizing patient exposure to sound waves
- Assessing results and identifying need for additional testing
Sonographers must frequently evaluate the safety and performance of their equipment. They also must adhere to a high professional standard and code of conduct as medical practitioners. In order to maintain that level of professionalism and stay current with medical knowledge, they are mandated to complete continuing education courses on a regular basis.
Sonogram Tech Degrees Available
Ultrasound technician students have the opportunity to earn either an Associate Degree or a Bachelor’s Degree. An Associate Degree will generally take around 18 months to 2 years to complete dependent on the program and class load. A Bachelor’s Degree will require more time at as long as 4 years to finalize. Another option for individuals who have previously received a college degree is a post graduate certificate program. If you have obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in any major or an Associate Degree in a relevant health field, you can instead choose a certificate program that will take only 12 to 18 months to complete. Something to keep in mind is that the majority of sonographer colleges do have a clinical training component as part of their course of study. It often may be fulfilled by taking part in an internship program which numerous schools set up through Mcnary AZ hospitals and clinics. Once you have graduated from one of the certificate or degree programs, you will then have to comply with the licensing or certification requirements in Arizona or whichever state you elect to work in.
Online Ultrasound Tech Programs
As earlier discussed, almost all ultrasound technician colleges have a practical component to their programs. So while you can receive a degree or certificate online, a significant part of the training will be either conducted in an on-campus lab or at an authorized off campus facility. Practical training can usually be fulfilled by means of an internship at a local Mcnary AZ outpatient clinic, hospital or private practice. But the remainder of the training and classes can be attended online in your Mcnary home. This is especially convenient for those individuals that keep working while obtaining their degrees. Plus online programs are often less costly than traditional options. Expenses for commuting and study materials may be reduced as well. But similarly as with any sonography program you are looking at, check that the online program you enroll in is accredited. One of the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Accreditation is particularly important for licensing, certification and finding employment (more on accreditation later). So if you are motivated enough to attend classes outside of the classroom in the comfort of your own home, then an online school may be the right choice for you.
What to Ask Ultrasound Tech Schools
As soon as you have determined which degree or certificate that you would like to obtain, you can start the process of reviewing and comparing ultrasound tech schools. You will first probably want to choose whether you would rather attend classes online or travel to a school campus in the Mcnary AZ area. Clearly location will be significant if you select the latter, and the price of tuition no doubt will be an important qualifier as well. But there are additional factors that you must also take into account, for instance if the colleges are accredited and if they offer internships. Therefore in order to carry out your due diligence so that you can make your ultimate selection, below are a few questions that you need ask each ultrasound tech school prior to making a decision.
Are the Ultrasound Tech Programs Accredited? The majority of ultrasound tech colleges have received some type of accreditation, whether national or regional. However, it’s still imperative to make sure that the program and school are accredited. Among the most highly regarded accrediting organizations in the field of sonography is the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS). Schools earning accreditation from the JRC-DMS have undergone a detailed assessment of their teachers and educational materials. If the college is online it may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which targets online or distance learning. All accrediting organizations should be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. In addition to ensuring a quality education, accreditation will also assist in obtaining financial aid and student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges. Accreditation might also be a pre-requisite for certification and licensing as required. And numerous Mcnary AZ employers will only hire a graduate of an accredited school for entry level jobs.
Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Inquire if the ultrasound technician colleges you are assessing have associations with Mcnary AZ hospitals or clinics for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent means to get practical training in a clinical environment, they are also a means to satisfy the practical training requirement for most programs. As a supplemental benefit, they can assist graduates and students develop professional relationships in the Mcnary health care community and assist with obtaining employment.
Is Job Placement Assistance provided? You will probably want to secure employment quickly after graduation, but getting that initial job in a new profession can be difficult without help. Ask if the sonographer schools you are reviewing have job assistance programs and what their placement rates are. Rapid and high placement rates are an excellent sign that the schools have substantial networks and great relationships with Arizona healthcare employers. It also corroborates that their students are highly regarded and in demand.
Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the college they decide on will need to be within driving distance of their Mcnary AZ home. Individuals who have opted to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.
What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the ultrasound technician program as well.
Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the sonographer college you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Mcnary AZ area, make sure that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss as a result of illness, work or family obligations.
Ultrasound Schools Near Me Mcnary Arizona
Enrolling in the ideal ultrasound technician certificate or degree program is a vital first step to launching a rewarding new career delivering diagnostic services to patients. Sonographer schools require that you have earned a high school diploma or equivalent. Along with satisfying academic standards, you must be in at least reasonably good physical condition, capable of standing for prolonged periods with the ability to routinely lift weights of 50 pounds or more, as is it typically necessary to position patients and maneuver heavy machinery. Additional beneficial talents include technical proficiency, the ability to stay levelheaded when confronted by an anxious or angry patient and the ability to communicate in a clear and compassionate manner. You originally came to this website due to an interest in Ultrasound Schools Near Me and wanting more information on Sonogram Technician School Online. However, as we have covered in this article, there are multiple questions that you need to ask each school you are looking at. This is the case whether you enroll in an online program or commute to the school campus to attend classes. And by asking the proper questions so that you can evaluate each college, you will be able to narrow down your alternatives until you are left with the ideal program for your education. And with the proper training, discipline and motivation to succeed, you can accomplish your objective to practice as an sonographer in Mcnary AZ.
More Ultrasound Locations in Arizona
McNary (Western Apache: Cha'Bii'Tu) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Apache and Navajo counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. The population was 528 at the 2010 census. It is a 30-minute drive from Show Low and a 10-minute drive from Pinetop-Lakeside.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 5.6 square miles (14.4 km2), of which 5.5 square miles (14.2 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 1.30%, is water.
The climate in this area has mild differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, McNary has a marine west coast climate, abbreviated "Cfb" on climate maps.
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Ultrasound Schools Info: $1,000: Semi-annual, non-renewable scholarship awarded to an aspiring sonographer currently attending or enrolled in a CAAHEP accredited diagnostic medical sonography program. Ultrasound Schools Info Attn: Scholarship Committee PO Box 3026 Bellingham, WA 98227: Allied Healthcare Scholarship Program: Up to $8,000
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A.O.S. in Ultrasound Technology Program Clinical Training. Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts considers clinical experience one of the essential parts of medical education. Students must be rotated throughout our affiliated medical facilities while attending our ultrasound technician school. A.O.S. in Ultrasound Technology Program Graduation ...
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Why would someone want to become a sonographer? There are many reasons why this is a desirable career path. For example, the average annual salary is generous at $75,780 (BLS May 2019)—especially for an occupation that typically requires only an associate degree.According to the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), sonographers enjoy working as an integral member of a larger ...
Find Accredited Ultrasound Technician Schools in Washington
Ultrasound Schools Info: Two $1,000 scholarships each year: Our scholarship is a semi-annual, non-renewable $1,000 scholarship awarded to an aspiring sonographer currently enrolled in a CAAHEP accredited diagnostic medical sonography program, or a high school student who has been accepted to a program. Ultrasound Schools Info Attn: Scholarship ... | <urn:uuid:67a566c9-90e7-4540-a7c8-34d16f584815> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://medsonographyedu.info/arizona/ultrasound-technician-schools-mcnary-az-85930 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.949735 | 3,256 | 1.664063 | 2 |
ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Sec. Developmental Psychology
Infant Can Visually Differentiate the Fresh and Degraded Foods: Evidence From Fresh Cabbage Preference
- 1Department of Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- 2Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
- 3Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan
- 4Department of Psychology, Japan Women’s University, Kawasaki, Japan
- 5Department of Psychology, Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan
Perceiving and judging food quality is indispensable in daily life. The present study examined this ability’s development in infants during the early postnatal months. We tested if infants aged 5–8 months can discriminate different degree of freshness in cabbage, strawberry, carrot, and spinach. In Experiment 1, images of fresh and degraded vegetables were presented side by side; infants aged 7–8 months significantly preferred fresh over degraded cabbage images. In Experiments 2 and 3, infants aged 7–8 months maintained their preference when the images were achromatic, but no longer preferred the fresh cabbage images when pixels in those images were randomized. Given these results, we suggest that the ability to discriminate different degrees of freshness, at least for cabbage, develops at approximately 7–8 months of age, which is the time probably prior to taste learning.
Human visual perception develops rapidly during the first month of life. Infants aged less than 8 months can perceive visual attributes of objects, such as contrast, orientation, lightness, color, and 3D shape (for a review, see Braddick and Atkinson, 2011). Objects have numerous non-visual properties. Judging material and condition is equally important to judging color and shape. For instance, in a supermarket, most adults can quickly identify ripe or fresh fruit and vegetables without touching or tasting them. Visual cues allow us to evaluate foods’ freshness. Increasing research has examined visual freshness perception in humans and chimpanzees (Wada et al., 2010; Arce-Lopera et al., 2012, 2013; Murakoshi et al., 2013; Imura et al., 2016); however, freshness perception’s development after birth remains unclear.
To discriminate different degrees of food freshness, infants need to perceive the surface features (e.g., smooth, wet, soft) and utilize this information to infer its physical properties. However, inferring physical properties from optical features is not a simple task. The appearance of a surface is determined by the surface reflectance, the surface shape, and the lights in the environment. These reflectance properties can be defined by the bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) in optics. BRDF is a complex function, and it is impossible for vision systems to solve this function. Instead, recent studies in the domain of vision science demonstrated that similar reflectance properties have consistent structures, and a visual system appears to use image statistics (e.g., pixel intensity distributions, wavelet coefficient distributions, luminance distribution, and so on) to infer the surface properties (Adelson, 2001; Motoyoshi et al., 2007). Research examining visual freshness perception has found that degradation is correlated with changes in a stimulus images’ luminance distribution and that humans and chimpanzees can use these cues to evaluate the freshness of fruit, vegetables, and fish (Wada et al., 2010; Arce-Lopera et al., 2012, 2013, 2015; Murakoshi et al., 2013; Imura et al., 2016). A recent study also showed that chimpanzees are able to discriminate between various degrees of freshness based on the luminance distribution (Imura et al., 2016). On the other hand, a recent infant study revealed that 9-month olds showed sensitivities to natural image statistics (Balas and Woods, 2014). Moreover, infants aged 7–8 months appear to be able to perceive surface glossiness (Yang et al., 2011, 2015). These results indicate that infants at this age have the ability to detect image statistics and are able to use these visual cues to infer the properties of a surface. Therefore, it is possible that infants have a rudimentary ability to discriminate between different degrees of freshness using similar visual cues. It must be noted that the fact that infants can discriminate different degrees of freshness does not mean that infants understand the concept of “freshness,” because acquisition of concepts relies on the development of high-level cognitive functions. However, the grasping of the concept of “freshness” requires the fundamental visual ability to discriminate between different degrees of freshness. Although several studies have investigated how our food cognition develops and how early experience affects the development of food preferences, there is a lack of studies investigating how the ability to appropriately identify the quality of foods initially develops. The present study aimed at understanding how infants develop this rudimentary visual ability.
This study used the preferential looking paradigm to test if infants can discriminate between stimuli showing different degrees of freshness. Cabbage, strawberries, carrots, and spinach were used as the visual stimuli because they are common agricultural products in Japan. In Experiment 1, we tested if infants could discriminate between stimuli depicting fresh and degraded food items. In Experiments 2 and 3, we tested if infants’ preferences would persist the following randomization of the images’ pixels (to remove the surface texture of the food but preserve its color composition) or conversion of the image into grayscale (to remove the image’s color but preserve its depiction of the object).
In Experiment 1, we examined preferential looking at fresh food to test if infants can discriminate between images of fresh and degraded foods. We presented stimuli depicting fresh or degraded foods (Figure 1) side by side on a CRT monitor and observed which stimulus infants looked at longer during a fixed period.
Participants were 19 infants aged 5–6 months (nine males, 10 females; mean age = 168 days, range = 144–193 days), and 19 infants aged 7–8 months (10 males, nine females; mean age = 230 days, range = 208–252 days). Different participants were tested across the two age groups. An additional eight infants participated but were excluded from the analysis due to failure to complete the test (n = 4), side bias of >90% (n = 2), or low birth weight (n = 2). All participants were recruited through newspaper advertisements and were full term at birth and healthy during the experiment. None of the participants’ parents reported any family history of color deficiency. All experiments in present study were approved by the Ethics Committee of Chuo University and were conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Participants’ parents provided a written indication of informed consent.
The infant sat on his or her parent’s lap in the experimental booth during the experiment. A 21-inch color CRT monitor was located approximately 40 cm in front of the infant and displayed all stimuli (Sony GDM-F520). Participants’ looking behavior was recorded using a video camera located under the monitor. Behind the experimental booth, the experimenter observed participants’ behavior using a TV monitor and controlled the presented stimuli using a computer.
Samples of cabbage, carrot, spinach, and strawberry were randomly selected from a local market. To cause the food samples’ rapid deterioration, we put them in a controlled environment of 30°C temperature and 6% humidity. A 2D luminance and chromaticity analyzer (TOPCON UA1000) were used to measure the samples’ luminance and chromaticity every 30 min for several days. Subsequently, a fresh and a degraded food sample were selected. The fresh sample was selected at the first measurement (i.e., 0 h). The degraded sample was selected according to the author’s judgment that the sample was no longer appetizing. Degraded cabbage samples were selected at 8 h after the samples’ entry into the controlled environment. The strawberry, carrot, and spinach samples were selected at 72, 18, and 66 h, respectively. Color stimuli were created using a color management system to ensure exact reproduction of the sample’s luminance and chromatic data and cropped to square patches to eliminate global cues (e.g., the object’s size and shape; Figure 1). Table 1 shows the color difference and luminance difference between fresh and degraded images. No consistent change across foods was observed along degradation time. The stimuli’s viewing angle was 14.2° × 14.2°. Using the same stimuli in an adult experiment, Arce-Lopera et al. (2015) found that freshness rating decreased significantly depending on degradation time. Furthermore, chimpanzees were able to choose fresher texture stimuli of cabbage, which were similar to our stimuli (Imura et al., 2016). These results indicated that both adults and chimpanzees can distinguish between the fresh and degraded texture images by the perceived freshness.
Before the experiment, each infant’s parent was instructed not to look at the stimuli. To attract the participants’ attention, before each trial, a fixation figure and a short beep were presented to the participant. The experimenter started the trial after confirming that the infant was looking at the fixation figure and the parent complied the instruction. Each infant viewed four types of food, and each food was presented for two trials that had a fixed duration of 15 s. The position of the paired images for each food was reversed across two trials. The total eight trials were assigned to two blocks: each block was composed of four trials with four different types of food. The order of the presentation and the position of the paired images were randomized in each block for each infant. To confirm that the visual preference was not simply based on the glossiness difference of fresh and degraded images, eight adults (mean age = 27.6 years; SD = 1.8) rated the glossiness of fresh and degraded images using a 5-point scale over 32 trails (8 images × 4 ratings).
Data Coding and Analysis
For each trial, an observer who was blinded to the stimulus’ identity measured participants’ looking time offline. The observer selected one of three behavioral categories (i.e., left, right, or not looking) based on the video presentation of the trial, in real time. Data coding was continually performed during each trial. Twenty-nine percent of the looking time in each trial was recorded by a second trained observer. These reliability coding and the interrater reliability of two observers were calculated by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) using SPSS statistical package version 23 (ICC = 0.89 with 95% confident interval = 0.85–0.92).
Results and Discussion
The mean total looking time over eight trials was 68.4 s (57.0% of the total trial duration) for participants aged 5–6 months and 68.0 s (56.7% of the total trial duration) for participants aged 6–8 months. We calculated a preference score for each participant (i.e., the ratio of time looking at the fresh image versus total looking time; Figure 2). We conducted a two-tailed t test comparing with chance (i.e., equal time spent looking at either stimulus) to test for significant preferences for fresh images in each age group. Participants aged 7–8 months preferred fresh cabbage stimuli [t(18) = 3.28, p < 0.01, Bonferroni-corrected, d = 0.75] but showed no other significant preferences [strawberry: t(18) = 0.65, ns; carrot: t(18) = 1.01, ns; spinach: t(18) = 0.41, ns]. Participants aged 5–6 months showed no significant preferences [cabbage: t(18) = 0.43, ns; strawberry: t(18) = 0.15, ns; carrot: t(18) = 1.53, ns; spinach: t(18) = 0.75, ns]. These results suggest a possibility that infants aged 7–8 months may develop an ability to discriminate fresh cabbage and degraded cabbage, whereas infants aged <6 months cannot.
Figure 2. Result of Experiment 1. Mean percentage of looking time for fresh images. The error bars represent SE. Asterisks indicate the significance level of statistical differences: **p < 0.01.
One may argue that the preference for fresh cabbage image might stem from the higher glossiness perceived in the fresh cabbage image, because infants tend to look longer at the glossy object than at the matte object (Yang et al., 2011). We tested this possibility by calculating the difference of the glossiness ratings for each food pair. If the visual preference was based on the perceived glossiness difference, we would observe a correlation between the infants’ visual preference and the difference of the glossiness ratings. Figure 3 illustrates the difference of the glossiness ratings in each food pair. Bonferroni-adjusted post hoc comparisons indicated that glossiness ratings differed significantly between fresh and degraded cabbage and spinach [cabbage: t(7) = 6.30, p < 0.01, d = 2.27; spinach t(7) = 3.10, p < 0.01, d = 1.54] but not between fresh and degraded strawberries and carrots [strawberry: t(7) = 2.71, ns; carrot: t(7) = 2.54, ns]. Regarding the visual preference for the image pair, the infants only discriminated between fresh and degraded cabbage images. If the preference for fresh cabbage image was caused by the glossiness perception, we should observed preference for the fresh spinach image too. However, infants aged 7–8 months showed no preference for the fresh spinach image. These results indicated that discrimination of different degrees of freshness is not simply based on the glossiness perception.
Figure 3. The average ratings for glossiness. The error bars represent SE. Asterisks indicate the significance level of statistical differences: **p < 0.01.
Previous studies showed that infants appear to prefer stimulus images with high contrast (Slater, 1995), high saturation (Zemach et al., 2007), and particular contrast polarity (Dannemiller and Stephens, 2001). Therefore, it is possible that the infants may have preferred the images of fresh cabbage due to specific low-level image attributes, rather than visually apparent freshness. In Experiment 2, we tested if infants’ preference for fresh cabbage image stemmed from lower level image attributes (e.g., contrast, chromaticity). We performed experiments with infants aged 7–8 months using stimuli created by randomizing the pixels of the images used in Experiment 1 (Figure 4). These pixel-randomized images prevented infants from recognizing the object from the images but preserved the stimuli’s low-level image attributes. If low-level image attributes caused infants’ discrimination between fresh and degraded vegetables, the infants’ stimulus preferences would remain the same as in Experiment 1 after the stimuli’s pixels were randomized.
Participants were 17 infants aged 7–8 months (four males, 13 females; mean age = 224 days, range = 195–251 days). Three additional infants participated but were excluded from the analysis due to failure to complete the test (n = 2) or side bias of >90% (n = 1). Participants’ parents provided a written indication of informed consent.
We randomly redistributed the pixels in each of the original stimuli. This operation preserved the stimuli’s low-level image attributes and image statistics because only the pixels’ arrangement was changed. The pixel-randomized stimuli representing fresh and degraded foods were presented side by side on the monitor as in Experiment 1.
Apparatus and Procedure
The apparatus and procedure were the same as those used in Experiment 1.
Results and Discussion
Participants’ mean total looking time across eight trials was 68.4 s (53.8% of the total trial duration). We calculated preference scores for each participant (i.e., the ratio of time looking at the fresh image versus total looking time; Figure 5). Two-tailed t tests comparing with chance indicated that the preference for fresh cabbage observed in Experiment 1 was absent [t(16) = 1.57, ns]. This result indicated that low-level image attributes did not cause infants’ preference in Experiment 1.
Figure 5. Result of Experiment 2. Mean percentage of looking time for fresh images. The error bars represent SE. Asterisks indicate the significance level of statistical differences: *p < 0.05.
Participants showed a significant preference for the fresh strawberry stimuli [t(16) = 3.14, p < 0.05, Bonferroni-corrected, d = 0.75] but not for the carrot or spinach stimuli [t(16) = 0.09, ns; t(16) = 2.72, ns, respectively]. The participants may have preferred the fresh strawberry stimulus because infants tend to prefer high chromatic saturations [Zemach et al., 2007; differences in chromatic saturation (Table 1; ΔC in CIE L*u*v* color space) between fresh and degraded images: ΔC = 1.15, cabbage; ΔC = 6.21, strawberry; ΔC = 1.62, carrot; ΔC = −3.53, spinach]. Zemach et al. (2007) tested the infants’ chromatic saturation preference by using uniform color patches. In the present study, as long as the pixels of the original images were shuffled, these images looked more like uniform color patches without any texture, especially considering the poor spatial resolution of the infants. Therefore, the preferences were dominated by the chromatic saturation, and the infants showed the preference for the fresh strawberry stimuli. However, in Experiment 1, the high level information abstracted from the texture and the 3D structure could be more attractive in the degraded strawberry. Therefore, cancellation of the reverse preferences did not significantly affect the preference for strawberries.
Adults’ studies, which investigated the relationship between luminance distribution and freshness perception, indicated that the visual freshness perception is partly determined by skewness of images’ luminance distribution (Wada et al., 2010; Arce-Lopera et al., 2012, 2013, 2015). In adult observers, evaluations of freshness appear based on the information contained in the luminance rather than in the chromaticity. If infants use the same optical cue to discriminate the fresh and degraded cabbage image, they would show similar preference for the achromatic image that had the same skewness of images’ luminance distribution. In Experiment 3, we used achromatic version of stimuli used in Experiment 1 to test if luminance cues are sufficient for freshness perception in infants. Furthermore, if this extra experiment replicates the result in Experiment 1, it could confirm that the result in Experiment 1 was not simply a Type I error.
Participants were 17 infants aged 7–8 months (six males, 11 females; mean age = 229 days, range = 205–249 days). Six additional infants participated; however, they were excluded from the analysis due to fussiness (n = 4) or side bias of >90% (n = 2). Participants’ parents provided a written indication of informed consent.
The stimulus images from Experiment 1 were converted to grayscale using a photo editing grogram.
Apparatus and Procedure
The apparatus and procedure were the same as in Experiment 1.
Results and Discussion
Participants’ mean total looking time across eight trials was 68.4 s (58.5% of total trial duration). We calculated a preference score for each participant (Figure 6). Two-tailed t tests comparing with chance indicated that participants significantly preferred the fresh cabbage stimulus [t(16) = 3.11, p < 0.01, Bonferroni-corrected, d = 0.75]. No other significant preferences were identified [strawberry: t(16) = 0.25, ns; carrot t(16) = 1.57, ns; spinach t(16) = 1.93, ns]. This result indicated that, like adults, luminance is sufficient for infants’ perception of freshness. More importantly, this experiment replicated the finding in Experiment 1, suggesting the fresh cabbage preference shown in Experiment 1 was not simply a Type I error.
Figure 6. Result of Experiment 3. Mean percentage of looking time for fresh images. The error bars represent SE. Asterisks indicate the significance level of statistical differences: **p < 0.01.
This study examined perceptions of freshness among infants aged 5–8 months. We found that infants aged 7–8 months, but not aged 5–6 months, discriminated between images of fresh and degraded cabbage (Experiment 1). This discrimination was not based on a spontaneous preference for low-level image attributes (Experiment 2), and achromatic information appeared sufficient for infants to perceive freshness (Experiment 3). These findings indicated a possibility that infants aged 7–8 months who have only little experience in tasting may have an ability to discriminate the different degrees of freshness.
Recent results implied that human and non-human primates evaluate freshness using luminance distributions (Wada et al., 2010; Arce-Lopera et al., 2012, 2013, 2015; Imura et al., 2016). We speculated that infants aged 7–8 months use this same cue to discriminate between different degrees of freshness. First, this finding was in line with a recent infant study in which 9-month olds showed sensitivities to natural image statistics (Balas and Woods, 2014). Second, even when achromatic images were presented in Experiment 3, infants aged 7–8 months tended to look longer at the fresh cabbage image. This result indicated that infants use only luminance cue to discriminate between different degrees of freshness. As mentioned in section “Introduction,” this study aimed to investigate the ability to discriminate between different degrees of freshness in infants, rather than to test whether infants have a grasp of the concept of “freshness.” Our results demonstrated that 7–8-month olds already have this visual ability. In line with the present study, previous studies reported that food-related perception develops early in life. Infants aged 6–8 months appear to prefer correctly, rather than incorrectly, colored images of fruits (Kimura et al., 2010), and begin to recognize olfactory-visual congruency around the same age (Wada et al., 2012). These findings collectively indicated that infants can integrate multiple cues to recognize natural foods; they have a rudimentary perceptual foundation to develop the concept of “freshness” and knowledge about food, which may shape learned food preferences (Birch, 1999), even though they have little chance to taste any food before weaning.
The infants only succeeded in cabbage but failed in other foods, and this indicated that infants’ ability to judge freshness appears rudimentary and to depend on strong cues in the stimuli. A possible explanation is that the familiarity with the foods would affect the visual preference showed by infants. To investigate the familiarity with the foods, we assumed that the familiarities are correlated with the shipments in the Japanese market. In Japan, more than 808,700 tons of cabbages were distributed for wholesale trade in 2015, nearly twice amount of carrots (428,300 tons), six times amount of strawberries (145,200 tons), and 15 times amount of spinaches (54,700 tons; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2018). These data indicated that it was higher frequency of participant exposure to cabbages during the daily life, and this higher familiarity with cabbages should be a factor enhancing the freshness preference in the infants aged 7–8 months.
The present results indicate that infants aged 7–8 months can discriminate between images of fresh and degraded cabbage, and this discrimination probably stems from the perceived freshness. However, it also remains possible that infants use visual attributes other than luminance distribution (e.g., highlight patterns) to evaluate freshness. Accordingly, the present results represent initial findings regarding freshness perception in infants, rather than conclusive evidence. Future research should conduct further direct examination of the cues infants use to assess freshness and test whether infants can categorize the concept of freshness from different kinds of food.
All experiments in the present study were approved by the Ethics Committee of Chuo University and were conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Participants’ parents provided a written indication of informed consent.
JY performed testing and data collection. JY performed the data analysis and interpretation under the supervision of KO, SK, and MY. JY drafted the manuscript. KO, SK, and MY provided critical revisions. All authors contributed to the study design and approved the final version of the manuscript for submission.
This research was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Research Fellow (16J05067 to JY), Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas “Shitsukan” from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan (15H05926 to KO, 18H05014 to SK, and 16H01677 to MY), and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the JSPS (26285167 to MY).
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Special thanks to the infants and their parents for their kindness and cooperation.
Adelson, E. H. (2001). “On seeing stuff: the perception of materials by humans and machines” in Human vision and electronic imaging VI, Vol. 4299. eds. B. E. Rogowitz and T. N. Pappas (San Jose, CA, USA: International Society for Optics and Photonics), 1–13.
Arce-Lopera, C., Masuda, T., Kimura, A., Wada, Y., and Okajima, K. (2013). Luminance distribution as a determinant for visual freshness perception: evidence from image analysis of a cabbage leaf. Food Qual. Prefer. 27, 202–207. doi: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2012.03.005
Arce-Lopera, C., Masuda, T., Kimura, A., Wada, Y., and Okajima, K. (2015). Model of vegetable freshness perception using luminance cues. Food Qual. Prefer. 40, 279–286. doi: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2014.06.010
Kimura, A., Wada, Y., Yang, J., Otsuka, Y., Dan, I., Masuda, T., et al. (2010). Infants’ recognition of objects using canonical color. J. Exp. Child Psychol. 105, 256–263. doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2009.11.002
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (2018). Statistical report. http://www.maff.go.jp/j/tokei/sihyo/index.html (in Japanese).
Murakoshi, T., Masuda, T., Utsumi, K., Tsubota, K., and Wada, Y. (2013). Glossiness and perishable food quality: visual freshness judgment of fish eyes based on luminance distribution. PLoS One 8:e58994. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058994
Wada, Y., Arce-Lopera, C., Masuda, T., Kimura, A., Dan, I., Goto, S. I., et al. (2010). Influence of luminance distribution on the appetizingly fresh appearance of cabbage. Appetite 54, 363–368. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2010.01.002
Wada, Y., Inada, Y., Yang, J., Kunieda, S., Masuda, T., Kimura, A., et al. (2012). Infant visual preference for fruit enhanced by congruent in-season odor. Appetite 58, 1070–1075. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2012.02.002
Keywords: infant, freshness perception, visual preference, preferential looking, developmental perception
Citation: Yang J, Okajima K, Kanazawa S and Yamaguchi MK (2019) Infant Can Visually Differentiate the Fresh and Degraded Foods: Evidence From Fresh Cabbage Preference. Front. Psychol. 10:1553. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01553
Edited by:Elena Nava, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
Reviewed by:Paola Risso, University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy
Jeffrey Coldren, Youngstown State University, United States
Copyright © 2019 Yang, Okajima, Kanazawa and Yamaguchi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Jiale Yang, email@example.com
†Present address: Jiale Yang, Research and Development Initiative, Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan | <urn:uuid:d34d313d-3eb1-455e-8a4d-fd8094db2b6b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01553/full | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.916167 | 6,258 | 3.28125 | 3 |
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Currency Control in Ukraine
Ukraine is one the countries which has strict currency control rules. They are mainly the result of the political and economic crises of the last few years. Nevertheless, a lack of knowledge of key issues of currency regulations may significantly affect the business activities of foreign investors that have an intention to invest in Ukraine.
What should foreign business know about the currency control system?
Terms of Currency Settlements
First of all, there are established terms for fulfillment of currency settlements — 180 days. Residents that have exported goods or provided transport and insurance services in accordance with foreign economic agreement should receive currency payment within this term. The same term applies to the import of goods if prepayment of currency was carried out in favor of a non-resident supplier. Even taking into account that this term has doubled since 2014, when it was only 90 days, such requirements remain an obstacle to business. Besides, in case of violation a fine will be charged for each day of delay and the state authorities will have grounds to impose an individual licensing regime on the company, which requires obtaining a personal permit from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine to conduct any foreign economic operation.
Another dilemma is the fact that, according to the fiscal authorities, the parties cannot terminate their obligation under the contract by using other legal instruments that are common in commercial activities between two residents (for example by offset against counterclaims, assignments of rights or delegation of duties), although legislation does not contain any direct prohibitions.
Neither should a foreign business count on the flexibility of agents of currency control — banks, because the latter have strict instructions that regulate all their steps. However, their instructions are not comprehensive and do not provide answers to many situations, so the bank usually informs the fiscal authorities about a violation of currency legislation and delegates them powers to decide whether such a violation really did take place.
Thus, the company is actually accused of violating the rules of currency settlements and the obligation to prove that all operations are carried out within the legislative framework is put upon it.
Neither do court precedents clarify this situation, because there are different decisions in favor of state authorities and in favor of commercial entities with contradictory legal opinions.
That’s why it is quite difficult to find a balance in this situation between continuing to engage in international business and fulfillment of all the rules and requirements established by different state authorities. Superficial assessment of the situation may lead to negative consequences, so it is advisable to undertake deep analysis and adopt a comprehensive decision.
Purchase and Sale of Foreign Currency
Another essential issue is the purchase and sale of foreign currency in Ukraine. As of today, 50% of currency earnings received by a resident company from overseas is subject to mandatory sale. Thus, a Ukrainian company receives half of the settlement in hryvnia and only 50% in foreign currency. In addition, this currency may only be purchased on the Inter-bank Currency market under the established procedure which, in some cases, may last up to several days. Therefore, urgent transfer of foreign currency to the non-resident counterparty under the agreement may be delayed purely due to technical procedures. In addition, such a time gap and high volatility of the foreign exchange rate may also lead to direct financial losses.
Analysis of Documents and Participants in a Financial Transaction
Prior to the currency transfer in accordance with a client’s payment order, a bank should verify the participants of such transaction and check the documents concluded between the parties. Mentioned obligations are established by the National Bank of Ukraine in order to prevent any risky activities. In particular, a bank should find out the economic purpose of the transaction, the compliance of the essence of the financial transaction with the fields of commercial activities of its participants, source of funds, disclose beneficial owners, etc.
Such verification is usually not a problem for settlements between the parties under direct foreign economic agreements. However, in case of complication of the scheme of legal relations (via use of third-party beneficiary contracts, assignment of rights or delegation of duties, etc.) or conducting of non-core activities, a bank may not carry out a transaction until receipt of additional information confirming the legality of a client’s actions.
Thus, it is advisable to negotiate with the bank on the texts of contracts and other necessary documents prior to conducting settlements under foreign economic operations.
Individual Licenses of the National Bank of Ukraine
Some transactions involving the use of foreign currency may be carried out only after obtaining an individual license from the National Bank of Ukraine for their conduct. Among others, such transactions include settlements in foreign currency within the territory of Ukraine, granting of loans in foreign currency to non-residents, investments abroad, etc.
Temporary Restrictive Measures
Starting from 2013 the National Bank of Ukraine introduced temporary restrictive measures to prevent the outflow of foreign currency from the country. Such measures are subject to regular review depending on the current situation on the currency market. During 2017 a lot of them were eliminated, but a range of restrictions are still valid. Key temporary restrictions include limitation on the repatriation of investment by non-resident investors. They may return such investment, made into a Ukrainian company, upon the sale of their corporate rights or shares, the decrease of the company’s share capital or the investor’s withdrawal from the company in an amount not exceeding USD 5 million per month.
Foreign investors may repatriate dividends accumulated in 2016, in an amount not exceeding USD 5 million per calendar month.
As to prohibition on pre-term payment of loans by Ukrainian borrowers to non-residents, the list of exceptions from this rule was extended during this year. Nevertheless, because of a lot of conditions each loan should be checked individually.
In general terms, 2017 displayed a trend for step-by-step liberalization of currency legislation and abolition of restrictions on currency payments. The National Bank of Ukraine regularly reviews its regulations and analyzes the expediency of introduced mechanisms on preventing the outflow of currency abroad. Free movement of capital is one of the requirements of integration into the European Union; nevertheless, abolition of restrictions depends on the current economic situation in Ukraine. | <urn:uuid:29aabddc-0d0e-480c-9f16-3b3eb10ca1f8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://2018.ukrainianlawfirms.com/reviews/customs-law/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.915073 | 1,893 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Coping Pastorally with the decline of Rural Ireland
The issue of rural depopulation and increasing isolation is a cyclical problem for many country areas in Ireland and has been for quite some time. It is an unfortunate reality for many young people that they have to leave Ireland in order to get a job, maintain a livelihood of sufficient quality and be able to raise a family to a reasonable standard.
The Reality of Emigration – A constant Shadow for Irish People
Having gone to secondary school in Connemara in the 1980s there was always a strong link with England and America as so many people had to emigrate from a very young age. The concept of the “American wake” agus ag dul ar imirce nó ag dul ar an mbád bánwas very much part of life. Brian Friel in “Philadelphia here I come” records in dramatic form a snapshot of this and the effect it had on the psyche of those thinking of going and the sadness it left behind. Many however had the option of returning after a number of years with young family after earning some money and an improving local economy. For some coming home was permanent, but for a significant number the return was not sustainable with a further decline in the economy and the difficulty of getting worthwhile jobs at home.
Safe Houses across the Water – A land of Opportunity and Fresh Beginning
Fortunately, the safety valve of travel to the US, England and Australia gave a lifeline for countless people. For so many the sonnet New Collosusof Emma Lazarus at the Statue of Liberty in New York was almost Messianic:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
I recall being on a bicentenary school tour with the staff and students of Sr. Jarlath’s College, Tuam in 2000, the year before 9/11 when the Twin Towers and so many people tragically perished. Even the young students were moved almost to tears with the nostalgia and sadness of the legacy of the generations of ancestors who would have pased through the gates and doors of Ellis Island intent on survival and the adventure of making a new way of life.
A less favourable climate emerging towards the migrant
A certain amount of apprehension and fear, hopefully unfounded has emerged that this ongoing welcome might not continue under the current political regime in the US with a threatened policy of exclusion and resistance to the emigrant and refugee looking to make a new life in a land of opportunity that was traditionally so welcoming to the stranger and emigrant. The escalating threat of the evil of terrorism and uncertainties because of Brexitdo not make the option of heading to England much more palatable. Who could not have been deeply moved by the harrowing scenes of loss of life, mass migration and movement of refugees in the Mediterranean and environs in recent times. The movement of peoples and accompanying factors both favourable and blocking that are a human reality as old as the human race.
Religious interest in the human in “transit”
One of the key themes of the Judeo-Christian Scriptures and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is care for the stranger, the traveller, the homeless, the wanderer, the dispossessed. From Abraham to Amos, from Exodus to New Covenant, from Christ-like Benedictine hospitality for the stranger to the welcome for the medieval pilgrims, from the Mendicant love of the poor to the Optionfor the same of the more recent Liberation Theologyand the emphasis on Franciscan ideals by the current pope – concern for the human who is in transit has been a dominant theme of our Christian faith.
The reality in the rural Ireland
Since being ordained for the predominantly rural Archdiocese of Tuam in the west of Ireland over 26 years ago, I have witnessed a steady decline in the rural population and migration towards urban areas within Ireland and a return to the days of emigration. Some of this has been due to the downturn in the economy as a result of the departure of the Celtic Tiger, but even with the improvement of the finances, country areas are still declining in numbers.
Decimation of Island Way of Life
One of the ministries I most enjoyed was being on the pastoral ‘rota’ for Island ministry, mainly the English speaking islands off Galway and Mayo, but occasionally the Irish speaking also. There is a relaxed and friendly quality of life and living there that would be hard to find anywhere in the world. In the 20thcentury the population of many of these islands have literally decimated. The beautiful island of Inishturk is reduced to less than 50 inhabitants, with a mere two students in the local school!
The Killaloe Situation
Over the past year since I came to minister in Kiallaloe in various Church areas in the diocese many people have expressed great concern about the struggle for communities to continue to thrive. In the few weeks before Christmas with various trips to meet parishioners – in almost every rural Church Area, Day Centres & Nurshing Homes for the elderly this, sadly was a constant refrain.
In one small beautiful coastal village in West Clare, I was shown the sad reality of over 12 empty houses on the main street of the village. Another village in East Clare boasted of a population of over 8,000 people some years ago and is now doing well to maintain 1,000. In the last month one of the Parishes of the diocese in North Tipperary had the sad event of the ritual and ceremony of the closing of the local national school, due to declining numbers and this has had a profound effect on morale in the lead up to that.
A number of local GAA teams have had to amalgamation of teams in order to survive especially at U-21 and senior level. Concern, sadness and disappointment has been expressed at the closure of Garda Stations, Post Offices, Local Shops, Pubs, GP Practices and even local rural presbyteries where the Priest was very much at the heart of the community. At a meeting of Care for Carers in one of the county towns, the group gave voice to the sad reality of isolation and loneliness in many country areas.
What is being done to address the Problem?
Well done to the many public representatives who are working in this area to bring about an important initiative which will help overcome rural isolation & hardship. With the recently announced Government Action Plan for Rural Irelandthe guts of the €60m ‘Action Plan for Rural Ireland’ it is aimed to create 135,000 jobs across rural Ireland, notably along the Atlantic Economic Corridor. Key to it is revitalising town and village centres, apparently, including restoring derelict buildings, and also reducing one-off housing by building small housing schemes. Sustainable communities are part of the scheme, as are apprenticeships, enhanced broadband, and infrastructure. It is heartening to hear of this scheme.
Local Council Efforts
At local level in Limerick, University Seminars and think thanks have been held to address the issue and in Clare, the County Council have been working hard to link in with the above initiative. In April of this year the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys TD, addressed the Clare Rural Development Forum on the opportunities for rural communities in Clare through the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development. Staff at local level have worked hard to produce a plan, the commendable details of which are on www.clareruraldevelopment.ie. The Action Plan for Rural Development, Realising our Rural Potential, includes a number of key targets, including creating 135,000 jobs outside Dublin by 2020 and boosting rural tourism by 12%.
The Local Church
From the Church point of view – this is an area that has come under severe pressure in recent times with the decline in vocations to priesthood and religious life. In Killaloe diocese 1/3 of the population of the diocese is concentrated around a very few urban centres. 8 parishes currently have no resident priest at all and a further 12 would have none if it weren’t for the generosity of pastors working way beyond retirement age. One would be tempted to concentrate all the services around the urban hub areas, but as much as practicable a basic service and presence is kept in as many rural venues as possible. The Church will continue as far as possible also to be proactive in this area to ensure services are maintained, as far as resources will allow, but it is going to be a major challenge! Our own Fr. Harry Bohan has for many years been a pioneer and leader on this issue nationally and he continues to come up with many ideas to address the growing crises. Groups like Church Servicesare innovative and work hard to reduce isolation by trying to introduce Parish TV and already many parishes and Garda services have been linking into the world wide web in order to link local communities.
Overall coming up with strategies to help is an important issue for rural and urban Ireland, essential in order to maintain the values that rural living contributes and for the quality of life for those resident there. It is one that Church and State can profitably address together to continue to work for the common good of the many people involved and to be faithful to the Gospel value of care for the marginalized, the lonely and vulnerable. | <urn:uuid:c376f296-2a32-4f38-8e5c-c8f37ceea5db> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.killaloediocese.ie/the-decline-of-rural-ireland/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.963927 | 1,948 | 1.898438 | 2 |
The benefits of expanding your business’s reach and fanbase through customer reviews is lucrative, as a customer’s word is the best source of true credibility. This has become a valuable tool over the last decade, and the two main players have revealed a list of new features last year that helped businesses communicate more effectively during the pandemic.
Unfortunately, fraudulent claims are rampant on these platforms, and imposters can seek to harm a business by filling their claims pages with listings that are untrue. These are some of the easiest ways to drag down a businesses’ credibility, but don’t worry! There are ways that these fake reviews are being monitored.
Investigative Work Via Automated Detection: Looking at a user’s typical pattern can be a huge help when identifying review content that may not come from a reliable customer. What are commonly known as “click farms” have been responsible for generating inauthentic reviews in the past. Machine learning models have also helped to detect face profiles before they take place on Maps. Since many fake reviews can still get past these methods of detection, Google also deploys the human touch of analysts to help.
One The Mend With Content Moderation: These analysts strategize with in-depth evaluations of algorithms that can hone in and even understand dialects and slang specific to certain cities and counties, which is a huge help within the restaurant review genre. There are many things that Google has kept under wraps regarding the way these highly skilled people search for clues, but we know that staying ahead of dishonest people takes every advantage possible.
Yelp’s Method of Policing Fraudulent Activity: If any engaged community member, owner of a business, or their complex system in place alerts their team about an issue, they choose human eyes every time. Even though fake reviews can cause a brief disturbance in positive traffic and revenue, we have been encouraged to see some of the heavy hitters such as Yelp be very adamant about information found on business profiles and their willingness to issue consumer alerts.
What are the Consequences for Repeat Offenders? As the very first point of action, reviews deemed as fake will most likely be taken down. 55 million of these were removed last year alone! Yelp has taken the liberty of segregating reviews that are deemed as less reliable to be moved into a “not currently recommended” category. Once reviews are live, it is difficult getting them removed from Google’s platform, but Yelp may impose their own judgment for removal of fake or purchased reviews.
When a business violates Google’s policies, the content is subject to immediate removal, and there may be additional penalties afterward. Yelp issues a search ranking penalty, which can be lifted once it has determined the misleading behavior has been halted. Yelp may completely remove businesses that are attempting to falsely manipulate the system from its platform privileges, where Google’s business team can go as far as to revoke Business Profile ownership in its entirety.
Yelp bans businesses for up to a calendar year if they trigger Suspicious Review Activity Alerts and can exercise their power to ban businesses from advertising altogether if they feel they are using tactics that manipulate search or star rankings. Google does not carry stiff advertising penalties for businesses that violate policies when it comes to organic content, and Yelp tends to rely more on its actual users to report what could be taken as fraudulent and misleading. | <urn:uuid:d9fd8123-a3fd-42c5-a6c4-47cb719b399a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://farfetchedstudios.com/how-google-and-yelp-protect-against-fake-reviews/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.963408 | 691 | 1.539063 | 2 |
About the West Lothian Violence Against Women & Girls Partnership
The WLVAWG are a multi-agency partnership that is inclusive and welcomes contributions from statutory and third sector partners, including some of the following organisations:
- West Lothian Women's Aid
- Police Scotland
- Prison Service
- NHS Lothian
- West Lothian Council
- DASAT Domestic & Sexual Assault Team
- Housing Department
- Social Work Services
- Child Protection Services
- West Lothian College
- Wellbeing Scotland
The guiding principles which underpin the work of the West Lothian Violence Against Women & Girls Partnership are:
- Prevention - to prevent, remove or diminish the risk of violence against women and its impact on children and young people
- Protection - to protect women from victimisation, repeat victimisation or harassment by perpetrators and protect the children and young people affected
- Provision - to provide adequate services to deal with the consequences of violence against women and children to help them rebuild their lives
- Participation - to ensure policy making and practice development around violence against women is shaped by the experiences, needs and views of those who use services.
Definition of Violence Against Women
WLVAWGP understands violence against women as a cause and consequence of the social inequalities which exist between men and women.
It recognises that violence against women, children and young people can take many forms and that some women, children and young people may experience different and/or multiple forms of male violence over their lifetime.
The WLVAWGP supports the following Scottish Government definition of violence against women:
Violence against women encompasses but is not limited to the following:
"Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, within the general community, or in institutions including: domestic abuse; rape; sexual assault; stalking and sexual harassment and intimidation at work and in the public sphere; commercial sexual exploitation, including prostitution, trafficking and pornography; child sexual abuse and adult survivors of child sexual abuse; dowry related violence; female genital mutilation; forced and child marriages and 'so called honour crimes." | <urn:uuid:a043b5d0-5bd9-4318-a7c1-580230484d3b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://publicprotectionwestlothian.org.uk/article/66733/About-the-West-Lothian-Violence-Against-Women-Girls-Partnership | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.936035 | 446 | 2.625 | 3 |
Retiring Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, in his farewell comments, said that democracy was in danger in this country. As one who has fought this notion for a long time, I have finally come around to agree with him.
There is a danger of this happening through the kinds of behavior shown in Washington, both in the White House and in the Congress. But, sadly, there is evidence of the danger here on the Pacific University campus.
We have become a nation not of discussion and compromise, but of command. We are told what is right and what is wrong and the one question that is never addressed is “Why?” It is like the old parental cliché, “Because I said so.”
People are told they are offended by a variety of behaviors. Not that they could be offended or that they should be offended, but that they are offended. One very astute student told me this semester that what offended him most was somebody being offended for him. “I can decide myself if I am offended or not,” he said. “Don’t tell me to be offended.”
We are also told that we are victims. Not that we might be victims, but that we are based on what happened, whether we want to or not. And, because we are victims, we should act a certain way.
Twenty-two years ago my son committed suicide. I was chastised by many because I did not seem to be grieving properly. I had lost my oldest child in a violent manner and I should be feeling and acting a certain way. No one really asked why my son had killed himself. The “Why?” was not important. How I handled it was.
Earlier this semester I was reported to the University Title IX committee for failing to properly respect the MeToo movement in my class. I did not even mention the MeToo movement, it is just that something I said about the definition of sexual assault was improper in the minds of three of the students in the class. It was wrong because they said it was wrong. Nobody ever explained “Why?”
I hear complaints and accusations on this campus all the time and never any attempt at explanation. Students say they feel unsafe. Why? Students say they feel discriminated against. Why? I am not talking just about the minority populations but also the white conservative groups. They all feel marginalized. Another key term. I would like someone to explain to me, from any of the various populations on campus, why they feel this way.
You cannot just tell people they are bad and not explain why. What this leads to is a tyranny of enforced ideas. “You are bad because I said so.” And it does not make any difference what direction this comes from.
This university established an Office of Diversity in the past year yet it has made no effort to explain to the broader campus what it is and what it does. Buried deep in the student portion of the university website is how to make a bias report but there seems to be no definition of the kind of things to report. A personal attack, something that was overheard in Washburn University Center or, in my case, a comment that was made as part of a discussion in class.
Please tell me what this office is there for and maybe I can help it with its mission. I am not arguing against it, I just want to know what is it and what it is supposed to do.
Pacific has developed a reputation, both on and off of campus, of being a very politically liberal university with some very progressive ideas, many of which are exemplary. But drilling highly biased political rhetoric into the heads of students without a serious consideration of opposing ideas does not create better citizens or better people. It creates a potential danger to a democratic system based on discussion and compromise that is no different that the danger from the radical right. The insistence on being completely correct and unwillingly to address opposing ideas is what has divided and stalled Congress and prevented this country from moving forward.
Historically some of the most repressive societies have been right wing dictatorships, North Korea, but others have been left wing socialist governments, USSR, China. The insistence on one train of thought, whatever it is, is the most dangerous threat to our country today. | <urn:uuid:a540ad1f-8a1f-4ac9-bf2c-71e785a9485d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.pacindex.com/opinion/2019/02/20/letter-to-the-editor-professor-fears-for-democracy-across-the-country/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.983743 | 880 | 1.515625 | 2 |
It has been established in medical literature that women who have abortions are more likely to commit suicide than women who don’t. One study shows that up to 60% of aborting women have suicidal thoughts and that 28% actually attempt suicide (1). Another study showed that the suicide rate of women who had abortions was 6 to 7 times higher than the suicide rate for women who did not (2). In the case of teenagers, the statistics are even more dire – a teenage girl who had an abortion within the last six months is ten times more likely to commit suicide than a girl who didn’t have one (3).
Pro-choice groups continue to deny these facts. They argue that women feel mostly relief after an abortion and imply that women who have emotional struggles were mentally unstable before their abortions. This alienates women who suffer and may make them even more likely to feel abandoned and suicidal.
The pro-life movement has advanced legislation requiring women to receive counseling before an abortion and have a 24-hour waiting period for an abortion. These “informed consent” laws mandate that a woman be given information about alternatives to abortion, including programs that can help her if she chooses to have her child, to be informed about collecting child support from the father if she needs it, learn about their medical risks of abortion, and receive information about the unborn baby. Often, she is not required to view this information, but rather needs only to be offered the opportunity to do so at the clinic. A number of states have proposed these measures, and Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice groups have fought against them, sometimes successfully, every time.
According to one pro-abortion politician, “I just think it is patronizing and unfair to women and women’s health” (4).
According to the abortion resource handbook, a pro-choice reference guide which is geared towards women considering abortions (5):
In fact, the laws [mandating waiting period] cause many women unnecessary stress and delays, and information in state-mandated lectures and booklets is often biased, inaccurate, and intended to make women feel scared or guilty about having an abortion. … Women who go to pro-choice clinics are already receiving medical informed consent counseling before their abortions.
In reality, the “counseling” at abortion clinics is often either nonexistent or outright deceptive. Catherine Anthony Adair, former Planned Parenthood worker, says this about the counseling in her clinic (6):
In fact, clinic workers would purposefully avoid providing information on fetal development, what the child looked like, the child’s anatomical development and the pain he or she could feel. I was continuously reminded that when referring to the baby, the appropriate terminology was “clump of cells” or “contents of the uterus.”
Planned Parenthood’s mission is to pressure as many women into having an abortion as it can. Those in charge know that that can’t be accomplished if they refer to the child as a “baby.”
Then women would know what is really growing inside them: a little person with a beating heart, functioning nervous system, tiny hands and feet. The child is entirely disregarded. There is no counseling, no care, no waiting and no discussion. Once a pregnancy is confirmed, it is off to termination.
Women are denied the facts about fetal development and alternatives to abortion which would allow them to make an informed choice. They are also rushed through the counseling so that they cannot consider their options carefully. Many abortion clinic websites and publications encourage a woman to make a decision as quickly as she can – and that’s not surprising: studies have shown that the longer a woman waits to make her decision, the more likely she is to have her baby and the less likely she is to abort.
According to one anonymous clinic worker (7):
When a girl called to make her appointment, we’d work her in as soon as possible. If she called on Tuesday, we’d have her in no later than Friday. We wanted to avoid a long waiting period where she’d have time to think about it.
A waiting period after informed consent allows a woman to carefully consider her options in light of the information she has received. In 2006, a study published in Matrix: Journal of Law-Medicine has confirmed that waiting periods before abortion actually reduce the suicide rate among women ages 25-64.
The study found that the suicide rate drops 10% among these women when waiting period and informed consent legislation goes into effect. When adjusted for other factors, the numbers are even more dramatic – there was a 30% reduction in suicide due to these waiting periods. This means that almost one third fewer women commit suicide when such laws are in place. These laws are truly life-saving – not only do they save the lives of unborn children, but they save the lives of their mothers as well. According to the authors of the study (8):
It would appear as though waiting periods (and the counseling that usually accompanies them) induce a more reasoned approach to the abortion decision, avoiding rash decisions on the part of the pregnant women. Better decision-making processes presumably lead to fewer regrets later on, lowering the incidence of depression and, ultimately, suicide. These results suggest mandatory waiting periods represent public policies that generate large welfare gains for women faced with unwanted pregnancies.
Pro-lifers care about both unborn children and their mothers. While pro-choice activists claim that informed consent laws and waiting periods are burdensome to women and only delay the abortion process, such laws really are actually, literally, life-saving. Pro-abortion activists do not serve women by encouraging them to rush through their abortion decisions and denying them key information about abortion and its aftereffects.
- D. Reardon, Aborted Women, Silent No More (Springfield, IL: Acorn Books, 2002).
- Gissler, Hemminki & Lonnqvist, “Suicides after pregnancy in Finland, 1987-94: register linkage study,” British Journal of Medicine 313:1431-4, 1996; and M. Gissler, “Injury deaths, suicides and homicides associated with pregnancy, Finland 1987-2000,” European J. Public Health 15(5):459 63,2005.)
- B. Garfinkel, et al., “Stress, Depression and Suicide: A Study of Adolescents in Minnesota,” Responding to High Risk Youth (University of Minnesota: Minnesota Extension Service, 1986); M. Gissler, et. al., “Suicides After Pregnancy in Finland: 1987-94: register linkage study,” British Medical Journal, 313: 1431-1434, 1996; and N. Campbell, et. al., “Abortion in Adolescence,” Adolescence, 23:813-823, 1988. See the “Teen Abortion Risks” Fact Sheet at www.unfairchoice.info/resources.htm for more information
- Stephen Dinan “24-Hour Abortion Wait Progresses in House” February 3, 2001 The Washington Times, 8
- K Kaufmann. The Abortion Resource Handbook (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1997) 20-21
- Catherine Anthony Adair “Planned Parenthood lies about itself” Washington Examiner, 11/22/11. Quoted in Abortion Industry’s “Mission Is To Pressure Women”, Afterabortion.org, Elliot Institute, January 12, 2012.
- “Abortion Clinics: An Inside Look” Last Days Ministries http://clinicquotes.com/abortion-clinic-workers-were-not-allowed-to-talk-about-alternatives/
- Health Matrix: Journal of Law-Medicine, volume 16, P 183, 2006 FSU College of Law, Law and Economics Paper number 05 –27 | <urn:uuid:a037488f-2a45-44f0-b70f-326f302e25c4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.liveaction.org/news//pro-life-support-for-abortion-waiting-periods-and-informed-consent-saves-lives/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.951782 | 1,644 | 2.5 | 2 |
I was recently asked to put together a short document outlining my main policy recommendations in the area of “innovation, creativity and IP”. Below is what I prepared.
General IP Policy
Recommendation: IP policy, and more generally innovation policy, should aim at the improvement of the overall welfare of UK society and citizens and not just at promoting innovation and creativity
Innovation is, of course, a major factor in the improvement of societal welfare – but not the only factor, access to the fruits of that innovation is also important.
IP rights are monopolies and such monopolies when over-extended do harm rather than good. The provision of IP rights must balance the promotion of innovation and creativity with the need for adequate access to the results of those efforts both by consumers and those who would seek to innovate and create by building upon them. A policy which aims purely at maximizing innovation, via the use of IP rights, will almost certainly be detrimental to societal welfare, since it will ignore the negative consequences of extending IP on access to innovation and knowledge. As such, IP policy is about having “enough, but not too much”.
This basic point is often overlooked. To help minimize the risk of this occurring in future it is suggested that this basic purpose – of promoting the welfare of UK citizens – be explicitly embedded within the goals of organisations and departments tasked with handling policies related to innovation and IP.
Recommendation: Move away from a focus on intellectual property to look at innovation and information policy more widely
IP rights are but one tool for promoting innovation and often a rather limited one. The focus should be on the general problem – promoting societal welfare through innovation and access to innovation – not on one particular solution to that problem.
Provision and Pricing of Public Section Information
Public sector information (PSI) is information held by a public sector organisation, for example a government department or, more generally, any entity which is majority owned and/or controlled by government. Classic examples, of public sector information in most countries would include, among many others: geospatial data, meteorological information and official statistics.
While much of the data or information used in our society is supplied from outside the public sector, compared to other parts of the economy, the public sector plays an unusually prominent role. In many key areas, a public sector organization may be the only, or one among very few, sources of the particular information it provides (e.g. for geospatial and meteorological information). As such, the policies adopted regarding maintenance, access and re-use of PSI can have a very significant impact on the economy and society more widely.
Funding for public sector information can come from three basic sources: government, ‘updaters’ (those who update or register information) and ‘users’ (those who want to access and use it). Policy-makers control the funding model by setting charges to external groups (‘updaters’ or ‘users’) and committing to make up any shortfall (or receive any surplus) that results. Much of the debate focuses on whether ‘users’ should pay charges sufficient to cover most costs (average cost pricing) or whether they should be given marginal cost access – which equates to free when the information is digital. However, this should not lead us to neglect the third source of funding via charges for ‘updates’.
Policy-makers must also to concern themselves with the regulatory structure in which public sector information holders operate. The need to provide government funding can raise major commitment questions while the fact that many public sector information holders are the sole source of the information they supply raise serious competition and efficiency issues.
Recommendation: Make digital, non-personal, upstream PSI available at marginal cost (zero)
The case for pricing public sector information to users at marginal cost (equal to zero for digital data) is very strong for a number of complementary reasons. First, the distortionary costs of average rather than marginal cost pricing are likely to be high. Second, the case for hard budget constraints to ensure efficient provision and induce innovative product development is weak. As such, digital upstream public sector information is best funded out of a combination of ‘updater’ fees and direct government contributions with users permitted free and open access. Appropriately managed and regulated, this model offers major societal benefits from increased provision and access to information-based services while imposing a very limited funding burden upon government.
Recommendation: Regulation should be transparent, independent and empowered. For every public sector information holder there should be a single, clear, source of regulatory authority and responsibility, and this ‘regulator’ should be largely independent of government.
This is essential if any pricing-policy is to work well and is especially important for marginal-cost pricing where the Government may be providing direct funding to the information holder. Policy-makers around the world have had substantial experience in recent years with designing these kinds of regulatory systems and this is, therefore, not an issue that should be especially difficult to address.
The optimal term of copyright has been a very live policy issue over the last decade. Recently, in the European Union, and especially in the UK, there has been much debate over whether to extend the term of copyright in sound recordings from its current 50 years.
The basic trade-off inherent in copyright is a simple one. On the one hand, increasing copyright yields benefits by stimulating the creation of new works but, on the other hand, it reduces access to existing works (the welfare ‘deadweight’ loss). Choosing the optimal term, that is the length of protection, presents these two countervailing forces particularly starkly. By extending the term of protection, the owners of copyrights receive revenue for a little longer. Anticipating this, creators of work which were nearly, but not quite, profitable under the existing term will now produce work, and this work will generate welfare for society both now and in the future. At the same time, the increase in term applies to all works including existing ones – those created under the term of copyright before extension. Extending term on these works prolongs the copyright monopoly and therefore reduces welfare by hindering access to, and reuse of, these works.
Recommendation: Reduce Copyright Term - And Certainly Do Not Extend It
Current copyright term is significantly over-extended. Calculations performed in the course of my own work indicate that optimal copyright term is likely around 15 years and almost certainly below 40 (the breadth of the estimates here are a direct reflection of the existing data limitations but this upper bound is still (far) below existing terms).
Even a simple present-value calculation would indicate that the incentives for creativity today offered by extra term 50 years or more in the future are negligible – while the effect on access to knowledge can be very substantial, especially when term extensions are applied retrospectively (as they almost always are).
It is also noteworthy that recent extensions, such as that for authorial copyright in the US (the CTEA) and the proposed extension of recording copyright in the EU, have been opposed well-nigh unanimously by academic economists and other IP scholars. Policy-making in this area should be evidence-based and designed to promote the broader welfare of society as a whole. Policies that appear to reflect nothing more than special-interest lobbying will only perpetuate the “marked lack of public legitimacy” which the Gowers report lamented, discouraging those who wish to contribute constructively to future Government policy-making in these areas, and making enforcement ever harder – effective enforcement, after all, depends on consent borne of respect as well as obedience coerced through punishment. | <urn:uuid:6e749419-016b-4c26-a1bf-0b933720da6e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://rufuspollock.com/2010/03/08/policy-recommendations-in-the-area-of-innovation-creativity-and-ip/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.937238 | 1,581 | 1.773438 | 2 |
How do you open a URL in a separate window?1361 0 1
I am trying to have a link open in a separate browser window but not in a modal. Is that possible? and if so, how do you do it?
Comments( 0 )
Answers ( 1 )
window.open("http:/URL", "name", "width=1000,height=800,toolbar=0,scrollbar=1,menubar=1,statusbar=0");
And you only have to replace:"URL" and "name" | <urn:uuid:d6cf31bc-83c3-40da-94f9-f140771c0934> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://community.dominknow.com/question/How-do-you-open-a-URL-in-a-separate-window---05f85606 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.815524 | 183 | 1.695313 | 2 |
By Howard Schneider and Lindsay Dunsmuir
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Reserve opened the taps on Thursday for central banks in nine additional countries to access dollars in hopes of preventing the coronavirus epidemic from causing a global economic rout.
The Fed said the swaps, in which the Fed accepts other currencies in exchange for dollars, will for at least the next six months allow the central banks of Australia, Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Singapore, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and New Zealand to tap up to a combined total of $450 billion, money to ensure the world’s dollar-dependent financial system continues to function.
Those countries were given swap lines during the 2007 to 2009 crisis, and the Fed has permanent swap arrangements with the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, the Bank of Japan, the European Central Bank, and the Swiss National Bank.
The new swap lines “like those already established between the Federal Reserve and other central banks, are designed to help lessen strains in global U.S. dollar funding markets, thereby mitigating the effects of these strains on the supply of credit to households and businesses, both domestically and abroad,” the Fed said in a statement.
The central banks of South Korea, Singapore, Mexico and Sweden all said in separate statements they intended to use them.
It is the latest in a series of emergency steps the Fed has taken since Sunday to try to limit the economic harm from a health crisis that is forcing large parts of the global economy to shut down in rapid fashion.
“We have had some pretty bold moves by the Fed in the last week or two and most of them have had a very short-lived impact on the market so hopefully this one will help,” said Randy Frederick, vice president of trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab in Austin, Texas.
The virus has infected more than 200,000 people globally, but may just be in its early stages in the United States. It has prompted governments around the world to order businesses to close and restrict movements of whole populations to limit its spread.
Dollars have been in huge demand – and tight supply – in markets outside U.S. borders as banks, companies and governments scramble to secure them to service the dollar-denominated debts many have accumulated. That has sent dollar-funding costs spiraling and has led to a historic run-up in the dollar’s value against other currencies. The dollar index <=USD> has gained more than 7% in eight sessions, a run not seen since the early 1990s. Several of the currencies targeted by the new swap lines saw immediate relief from the Fed’s action.
The Mexican peso <MXN=> and Australian <AUD=> and New Zealand <NZD=> dollars all gained more than 1% after the announcement. The peso had been at a record low, while the Aussie and Kiwi had been at their lowest levels in a decade or more.
Economists anticipate a dramatic hit to world economic output in coming weeks, and much of the Fed’s effort has been to keep credit flowing so households and firms can prevent what is hoped to be a temporary collapse of wages and income from triggering waves of bankruptcies, loan defaults, and business failures.
That goes for foreign markets as well, as the U.S. dollar functions as the world’s reserve currency, involved in nearly 90% of all foreign exchange trades last year, according to the Bank for International Settlements.
Many foreign companies and institutions also borrow in dollars, and economists worry that a sudden stop in the flow of funds to foreign economies could leave them unable to re-fund debts or get new loans.
U.S. dollar credit to non-bank borrowers outside the United States grew by 4% year-on-year at end-June 2019 to reach $11.9 trillion, according to the BIS.
(Reporting by Howard Schneider and Lindsay Dunsmuir; Additional reporting by Ann Saphir in San Francisco, Lewis Krauskopf and Dan Burns in New York; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Steve Orlofsky) | <urn:uuid:79b90f58-a3c1-4c22-ba11-5e363e7ee1f8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://thisisalocalshop.com/2020/03/19/fed-opens-dollar-swap/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.96076 | 850 | 1.890625 | 2 |
How to Create a Safe Sleeping Environment for Your Baby
Part of the excitement of finding out that you're pregnant and planning for your baby's arrival is outfitting the nursery. It's like a free pass to redecorate and satisfies a parent's need to nest. Whether your tastes run to bright primary colors, soft pastels or how babies see the world for the first five months — in black and white — there's (at least) one item you should carefully consider: your baby's bedding.
Sadly, more than 3,500 American infants die each year while sleeping. Many become entangled with clothing, bedding or toys placed in the crib and die of accidental suffocation or strangulation. Still others die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), which is an umbrella term for infant deaths that can't be explained despite a thorough investigation.
Cribs aren't the only location that babies can be in danger while sleeping. In April 2019, Fisher-Price recalled the Rock'n Play Sleeper after it was linked to more than 30 infant sleep-related deaths. These included incidents in which sleeping babies rolled onto their stomachs or sides while unrestrained.
So put the brakes on your urge to run out and buy the latest sleeper or yards of sheets, blankets, pillows, comforters and bumpers. While you may need a truckload of comfy pillows to sleep like a baby while you're pregnant, your baby doesn't need much to snooze happy and healthy.
Lullaby and goodnight.
Follow these American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for placing your baby to sleep in a safe environment:
- Always lay babies on their backs on a firm sleep surface, such as a crib or bassinette
- Use a tight, fitted sheet that won't come untucked
- Don't place blankets or pads between the sheet and the mattress (babies don't need four inches of memory foam to sleep well)
- Don't place loose, soft objects in the crib, including:
- Bedding such as blankets, pillows, quilts and comforters
- Crib bumpers
- Sleep devices, such as wedges and positioners
- Soft toys, such as stuffed animals
- Put baby to sleep in your room (but not in your bed) for at least the first 6 to 12 months
- Room-sharing decreases SIDS by up to 50%
- Don't let your baby get too hot; babies should have no more than one additional layer
than you would wear
- If you're worried that your baby might get cold, use a wearable blanket, such as a sleep sack, or warm sleeper that's the right size for your baby
- Do not cover baby's head
- Make sure to schedule and keep all well-baby visits, during which your child will receive important immunizations that may protect against SIDS
Learn infant CPR.
Parents who prepare for emergencies will feel less anxious and more in control if they have to deal with one. It's a good idea to take an infant CPR class before your baby arrives. Find one at a Medical City Healthcare hospital near you.
Tia Raymond, MD, a pediatric cardiologist at Medical City Children's Hospital, demonstrates the technique you'll learn in class.
How to swaddle a baby like a pro.
Swaddling can be an effective way to soothe babies under two months of age, especially those that may have trouble getting to sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers tips for swaddling correctly, including keeping your baby's hips loose to prevent dislocation or hip dysplasia.
For parents who need a visual (don't we all?), here's a step-by step video featuring an adorable baby who just loves the swaddling she got from a nurse at Medical City Las Colinas.
We don't just deliver babies. We deliver dreams. Find the right doctor for you or your baby.
Janet St. James is the Assistant Vice President of Strategic Communications for Medical City Healthcare and a former award-winning WFAA-TV reporter specializing in health, harried mother of 3 teenagers and a straight-shooting breast cancer blogger dedicated to helping people lead healthier lives. | <urn:uuid:f414fde5-e034-460a-bddc-e3b7c2cf9360> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://medicalcityhealthcare.com/blog/entry/how-to-create-a-safe-sleeping-environment-for-your-baby | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.943825 | 885 | 2.4375 | 2 |
|Many houses in Minh Hoá Commune in central Quảng Bình Province were submerged due to flash floods. VNA/VNS Photo|
HÀ NỘI – Việt Nam needs to invest approximately US$368 billion from now until 2040 to build a climate resilient and low-carbon economy, according to the Vietnam Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) released by the World Bank on Wednesday.
The Vietnam Country Climate and Development Report is one of the first in a series of reports on climate and development of the World Bank Group.
Carolyn Turk, Country Director of the World Bank in Việt Nam, said that Việt Nam is increasingly seeing its development affected by climate change and now faces critical questions about how to respond.
The Vietnam Country Climate and Development Report is about how the country can maintain its economic growth in the time of climate change, and how it can balance its development goals with increasing climate risks, she said.
Climate change costs up to 14.5% of GDP
After more than two decades of steady growth, Việt Nam has set a target of becoming a high income economy by 2045.
To reach this goal, Việt Nam needs to shift its economic model and has initiated actions to cope better with climate change and combat rising greenhouse gas emissions.
With a coastline of 3,260 kilometres that includes major cities and production sites, Việt Nam is among the world’s very vulnerable countries and is highly exposed to sea-level rise, extreme weather and temperature rise.
Initial studies show that the country lost about $10 billion in 2020, equivalent to 3.2 per cent of GDP due to the impact of climate change.
Without appropriate mitigation and adaptation measures, it is estimated that Việt Nam will lose up to 15 per cent of GDP per year by 2050, resulting in one million people falling into poverty again by 2030.
“The country’s rapid economic growth, urbanisation, and industrialisation have been powered by coal-dependent energy creating significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,” she said.
Việt Nam is not a major contributor of greenhouse gas globally, with 0.8 per cent of the world’s emissions. But over the past two decades, the country has emerged as one of the fastest-growing per capita GHG emitters in the world.
Moreover, Việt Nam’s GHG emissions are also associated with the toxic air pollution that plagues many of its cities, especially Hà Nội, with implications for human health and labour productivity.
She said there is a path for Việt Nam to address the climate risks while sustaining robust economic growth - a combination of adapting to climate change by taking decisive measures to protect people, assets, and sectors, and mitigating climate change by steering the economy away from carbon-intensive energy.
If well designed, the country would expand its GDP per capita by more than 5 per cent a year — the average rate needed to become high-income by 2045 while achieving its climate objectives.
According to the report, a series of urgent and impact interventions should be focused on, including a coordinated regional programme for the Mekong Delta, an integrated coastal resilience investment programme for urban centres and connecting infrastructure, a targeted air pollution reduction programme for Hà Nội, accelerated clean energy transition, and a new social contract to protect vulnerable people.
In order to become a climate-resilient and net-zero-emissions economy, the country will allocate additional investments of about 6.8 per cent of GDP annually, or $368 billion cumulatively by 2040.
It recommends the amount can be funded by both the public and private sectors and a combination of domestic and international financial sources.
Adaptation measures will entail significant investments to upgrade and retrofit public assets and infrastructure. Protective investments to manage rising sea levels will also require substantial financing.
To achieve net-zero, Việt Nam will have to make substantial investments in its main emitting sectors, including energy, transport, agriculture, and industry.
Dynamic strategies will be required to curb emissions, especially in the energy sector, where renewables should be promoted, the report revealed. – VNS | <urn:uuid:d2bd0006-c936-4c32-a7ff-b7b9f02406eb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://vietnamnews.vn/society/1268906/viet-nam-needs-roughly-368b-to-develop-climate-resilient-low-carbon-economy-wb.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.939352 | 904 | 2.890625 | 3 |
Tips for Improving Financial Literacy Among Young People in India
by Sayantani Sanyal
October 11, 2021
Financial literacy is one of the most crucial aspects of any individual’s life. Learning and developing financial management skills is an essential skill that will enable the younger generation to effectively develop their wealth and economic assets in the future. This money management practice lays a solid foundation in areas such as saving, spending, and investing in children.
Parents can start with small steps to teach their children how to save and spend effectively. They can start giving pocket money from a young age in order to control their spending and buying habits. Parents can help children understand the cost of things so that they understand the value of money at an early stage. Different games like Monopoly and other trading games can also make them proactive in financial management. Last but not least, they can teach their children to deal with a financial crisis by teaching them to cut small expenses and save money for the bigger ones.
Today, technology has made investing easier with the click of a button. Introducing children to digital finance and teaching them the basics of digital currencies would help them make more informed decisions. In addition, the Indian government has organized several financial literacy strategies and programs.
- Financial Literacy Project: The RBI undertook this project to impart knowledge about central banking and banking concepts to various target groups, including schoolchildren and children.
- NSFE and NCFE: This venture was undertaken by the FSDC to raise awareness of some of the issues that arise such as how to invest, why to invest and how to borrow from banks. The board proposed to make financial literacy an official responsibility of industry stakeholders, such as RBI, SEBI and other financial institutions.
- Insurance material for children: This document is available online in the form of comics and videos. It is formulated by the IRDA (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority) to explain to children the basics of insurance, its advantages and prospects.
Financial awareness in India is crucial as it will enable its young residents to increase their income from the start of their career and maybe even before. If children are allowed to make their financial decisions at an early stage, in the future they will be economically alert and more independent.
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