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How to get Patent Protection in India?- In simple terms, it is a property, but an intellectual property (IP) – a protected innovation, which belongs to you solely. It ensures creations and changes to existing innovations. This IP is yours to use for your own purpose, in case others desire to use your property; they would have to pay a royalty. Another provision provided is that you can sell the IP to another person or party at certain amount.
In legal terms, A patent is an intellectual property right (IPR) relating to an invention (product or a process); it is a grant of an exclusive right for the intellectual property for certain duration of time granted by the government to the patentee in return of full disclosure of the invention to the public and for restricting others from exploiting, making, utilizing, selling, importing any IP or IP used in manufacturing of the item.
Subject matter leading to an Invention
It can be an item or a process that provides solution for the problem. Likewise, it can be a new methodology for performing or conducting a task, the synthesis of another item, or advancement in conducting a task. Generally, a protection term is of 20 years from the date of filing the patent application only if the patent renewal and its maintenance fees are paid regularly. Therefore, a patent is a monopoly right which offers exclusivity to the patentee to fully utilize and exploit the creation for a long time after which it public can make use of the protection invention.
A patent is a combination of art and science: Critical aspects to consider while composing a patent application
- Must Include entire scope of the invention
- Must Include every possible claims
- A counter balance is maintained between the vast range of possible protection and avoiding any invalidity claims due to existing prior art.
Your Patent Team and its experienced team understand it well, and actualize all the important aspects to your patent application simplifying the process of obtaining a patent. For more information about the process and services, allow our team of patent experts and agents to serve you at the most cost effective price available in the market. We provide easy and quick ways to place an order and guarantee 100% customer satisfaction. To know more about our services, please visit our service page.
Also Read: Patenting An Idea: Possible or Not? | <urn:uuid:5ab589db-3840-4112-838d-cc2cf8286fa8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://yourpatentteam.com/how-get-patent-protection-in-india/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.911115 | 467 | 2.390625 | 2 |
TransUnion says data on 37,000 Canadians may have been compromised
TransUnion says someone fraudulently accessed data using a customer's login credentials
The personal information of about 37,000 Canadians held by TransUnion may have been compromised this past summer, leaving both of Canada's credit monitoring agencies with data blemishes on their record.
The TransUnion incident is much more limited than the high-profile data hack at credit monitoring agency Equifax Inc. in 2017, which exposed the information of 147 million people, including about 19,000 Canadians.
TransUnion said in a statement Wednesday that someone fraudulently accessed its data through the use of one of its business customer's login credentials between June and July.
Company spokesperson David Blumberg said that while the investigation is ongoing, the company maintains that the fraudulent login was not a failure of its systems.
"The unauthorized access was not the result of a breach or failure of TransUnion's systems or our customer's system," he said.
Canadian Western Bank (CWB) confirmed that the credit report data was accessed through an account at its leasing division.
"In August, we learned that CWB National Leasing's account was illegally used by an unauthorized third party to perform unauthorized credit checks," said company spokesperson Maya Filipovic.
She said no personal information held by CWB National Leasing was taken, disclosed or misused in any way.
Type of personal information accessed
TransUnion did not disclose what kind of personal information was compromised by the fraudulent login.
A credit check by a bank or lender could give access to an individual's name, date of birth, current and former addresses, information on existing credit and loan obligations, credit repayment history and potentially their social insurance number.
TransUnion said it learned of the breach in August and has notified those whose information may have been accessed as well as the privacy commissioners.
The incident is the latest of numerous data breaches in recent years, including the Equifax breach. More recently, Capital One said in July that data of six million Canadians was hacked, including about a million social insurance numbers. Desjardins said in June that the data of about 2.7 million accounts was hit with a breach.
The problem is that no system is foolproof, said Hasan Cavusoglu, an associate professor of management information systems at the UBC Sauder School of Business.
"The reality is this is a moving target. Organizations are every day exposed to new type of attack vectors, new kinds of threat actors."
He said customers have little choice but to have their data held with TransUnion and Equifax.
"As long as you do some kind of transaction, your data will inevitably fall into these companies."
The two credit monitoring agencies collect a variety of financial data to help banks and other lenders figure out how reliably a customer might pay them back. The model means the agencies want to collect as much information as possible to clearly represent someone's credit worthiness, said Cavusoglu.
While breaches are impossible to rule out entirely, major financial institutions like credit agencies have significant incentives to keep the data safe, he said.
"Reputational damage as a result of these kinds of attacks is tremendous, let alone other kind of maybe regulatory sort of penalties as well as some legal costs associated with it. So they don't want that reputational damage."
Chicago-based TransUnion continues to look for ways to strengthen its defences against unauthorized access of any kind, and supports customers in efforts to protect their data, Blumberg said. | <urn:uuid:14db4305-c127-482b-b405-a6f00307aab9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/transunion-data-breach-1.5315488 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.973072 | 724 | 1.75 | 2 |
“In the end, does it really matter if newspapers physically disappear? Probably not: the world is always changing. But does it matter if organizations independent enough and rich enough to employ journalists to do their job disappear? Yes, that matters hugely; it affects the whole of life and society.” – Andrew Marr
Born this day in 1959, Marr is a British commentator, broadcaster and journalist who is former editor of The Independent and now political editor of BBC News.
He reflects a worry shared by many of us who have started as or continue to serve as journalists – that our newer generation of readers is forgetting about the valuable role that journalists have in our society, and that funding for newspapers as we long have known them is rapidly disappearing.
“The business of funding digging journalists is important to encourage,” he noted. “It cannot be replaced by bloggers who don’t have access to politicians, who don’t have easy access to official documents, who aren’t able to buttonhole people in power.”
Keeping that thought in the conversation is important for everyone who writes. | <urn:uuid:aa0e21d2-75dd-4db3-b6c6-3b6aee55c82d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://writersmoment.blogspot.com/2020/07/a-huge-effect-on-life-society.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.974959 | 230 | 2.59375 | 3 |
We are a year-round academic, educational opportunity program with a six-week summer residential program. We are a year-round academic, educational opportunity program with a six-week summer residential program. We work as “academic guidance counselors” providing comprehensive support to maximize student performance and enhance educational opportunities. But the residential component of Upward Bound is what makes our program so effective.
During the summer program, our students will have 4 hours of college preparatory courses, 3 hours of community service and will be surrounded by 49 other college-bound students. In Wheelock residence hall, our students will have tutor counselors, many who were Lyndon Upward Bound students and are now attending or have recently graduated from various colleges around the country. These TC’s are the best role models for our program and help our students to understand the preparation, hard work and commitment that it takes to complete their college degree. You can find more information on the summer program at the end of this handbook.
Rising sophomores will participate in a new student orientation week on the Johnson campus followed by a weeklong leadership trip where they are joined by our rising juniors and rising seniors. Following week two our rising sophomores will return home for the rest of the summer while our rising juniors and seniors complete an additional 5 weeks of programming.
During the summer program our students will have the opportunity to participate in dual enrollment, internships, and service learning opportunities. Program alumni will serve as mentors or as we like to call them, TRA’s (Teaching Residents Assistants). TRA’s are the best role models for our program and help our students to understand the preparation, hard work and commitment that it takes to complete their college degree.
You will learn to enhance vocabulary, math reasoning, writing and test taking skills necessary for the SAT test. You will take practice exams during the summer to familiarize yourself with the format and time limitations of the test. You are expected to take the SAT in the spring of your junior year and fall of your senior year.
Our primary role as Upward Bound counselors is to provide academic, career, and educational advising along with any personal counseling support as warranted. Services are available year round. Upward Bound Staff will check in with students each month at their high schools.
SAT, PSAT, AP, and College Application Fee Waivers
Every Upward Bound student will receive waivers to take the SAT, the PSAT and up to 5 college application fee waivers. Because these tests are a crucial part of your college portfolio, we expect that every student will take them. We will offer you fee waivers, but we also expect you to copy the results for Upward Bound. For any students that take the AP exams, we will also make sure that these tests are paid for. Colleges will review these test scores and offer you college credit if you do well enough.
We offer field trips and workshops to all Upward Bound students who are in good academic standing. We find that the opportunity to visit colleges has as significant an impact on the sophomore as it does on the senior. However, maintaining good grades and regular school attendance must take priority over Program activity participation. This means students with poor grades and/or high absenteeism should not participate in the Upward Bound school day activities. Student progress is evaluated prior to field trips. Due to financial and/or space considerations, the number of participants may be limited for some field trips, workshops and conferences. All expenses will be covered for students that travel with our program. Our goal is to offer each student opportunities to help better prepare them for success in college. Conference registration, meals, transportation and overnight accommodations will all be covered by our federal grant. | <urn:uuid:83f77c21-889d-4e81-993e-1fd69044853c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.northernvermont.edu/academics/non-traditional-students/upward-bound/johnson-upward-bound/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.958521 | 772 | 1.5625 | 2 |
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — The gene editing technique CRISPR has been making headlines worldwide for its potential to change the genetic makeup of organisms and treat genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia. It has vast potential in many areas — including neuroscience.
“Neuroscientists are currently using this technique to unravel how the brain works and hope to one day adapt it to offer treatments and cures for various neurological disorders, with certain forms of blindness perhaps most imminent,” said Kate O’Connor-Giles, Provost’s Associate Professor of Brain Science at Brown University. “The possibilities for neuroscience are wide open.”
CRISPR allows researchers to precisely cut and alter the DNA of a cell. Using CRISPR, scientists can probe the genes that underlie nervous system function in model organisms by introducing mutations, including those associated with disease. This allows scientists to study the effects of changes in genes on nervous system development, function and behavior.
CRISPR consists of two components: Cas9, an enzyme that cuts DNA and is often referred to as molecular scissors, and a synthetic RNA molecule called a gRNA, which can be programmed to recognize specific sites in the genome.
“You can target Cas9 pretty much anywhere in the genome where it will then cleave DNA,” said O’Connor-Giles, who is affiliated with Brown’s Carney Institute for Brain Science. “This then opens a window of opportunity for re-coding the DNA by hijacking the cell’s DNA repair machinery. This allows us to do all sorts of things, such as deleting one or more genes or introducing different kinds of mutations.”
O’Connor-Giles discussed how she and her team have been using the CRISPR technique, as well as what neuroscientists like her hope to do in the future, ahead of an April 27 Carney Conversations event where she’ll further explore the potential of gene editing technology in neuroscience.
Q: Why is CRISPR important for neuroscience?
Many of the genes that regulate nervous system development, function and maintenance are poorly understood. Changing this is one of the major areas of research in our lab. With it becoming easier to determine what genetic changes lead to atypical neurodevelopment, many uncharacterized genes are being linked to neurological disorders. CRISPR allows us to rapidly generate animal models to study how these genes function in an intact nervous system.
Similarly, CRISPR can be used for studying gene mutations in human cells. Neurons can be induced from stem cells with the altered gene, as well as from stem cells in which the disease-causing change has been repaired by CRISPR. This allows neuroscientists to study the effect of disease-associated genetic changes in the exact genetic background of the person to understand how that change is impairing the nervous system in the specific context of that person’s neurons. This is important because we all have slightly different genomes with small changes sprinkled throughout that may alter the effect of a disease-associated change.
In combination, animal and stem cell models generated with CRISPR technology are powerful tools for understanding neurological disorders. We can use CRISPR to study the effect of differences in genes on brain aging. We can also use CRISPR in model organisms to identify new genes that play important roles in the nervous system. The more of this we achieve, the more likely it is that when a change in a gene is found to underlie a neurological disorder in a patient, we’ll already have an understanding of what that gene does and what treatment options may be available, or promising avenues for investigation.
Q: When did you first hear about CRISPR and realize that you wanted to incorporate it into your research?
In 2012, my lab wanted to use gene editing to study new genes we had identified as candidate regulators of communication in the brain. We started by working to improve methods for gene editing in flies, which back then was time-consuming and often not even possible.
We were following any developments in gene editing closely, and we started paying attention to CRISPR as soon as the Doudna and Charpentier labs showed that it could be used to edit DNA in a tube. When multiple labs showed in January and February 2013 that CRISPR could work in cells, it was instantly clear that this approach was as simple as the first step in gene editing — cutting DNA at a specific site — was going to get. So, we decided to immediately focus our efforts on adapting CRISPR in flies and formed a collaboration with the labs of Jill Wildonger and Melissa Harrison. We had our first evidence that CRISPR was working in flies by April 2013, and we published the results the following month. This gave us the ability to essentially edit genes at will in flies, and we prioritized the open distribution of our reagents and approaches to make sure this was true for the entire fly community. It was a pretty exciting time, and I’m thrilled to have been part of it. The impact has been long-lasting, with CRISPR completely revolutionizing our ability to study neuronal genes in the lab.
Q: How do you see CRISPR impacting the treatment and cure of brain disease?
CRISPR greatly expands our ability to study disease mechanisms in model organisms and stem cells so that we can understand why neurological function is negatively affected. This foundational research is currently the area where CRISPR has the greatest impact. In our lab, for example, we’re using CRISPR to study genes whose loss has been linked to intellectual disability but have not been studied in the context of the brain. While there is also potential to use CRISPR to cure neurological disease, this needs to be balanced against the risks associated with breaking DNA. The delivery of CRISPR components to cells in the brain also presents a challenge. For this reason, retinal disorders involving more accessible neurons in the eye are currently the most promising candidates for CRISPR-based treatments in the nervous system.
Q: What are some of the challenges associated with using CRISPR to manipulate genetic materials in humans?
I think there are three primary concerns when considering manipulating human genomes. First, safety — can we use CRISPR in a way that doesn’t risk introducing mutations? Breaking DNA is inherently risky. The cell won’t necessarily repair the break as planned, and we could break DNA at unintended sites in the genome, accidentally introducing new mutations that could disrupt the function of other genes and result in different deleterious effects depending on the affected gene or genes.
Second, efficacy — can we actually conduct CRISPR in humans with high enough efficiency to be useful in the treatment of disease? As I mentioned, a major bottleneck here is the delivery of CRISPR components to the relevant cells. This is especially true in the human nervous system with its billions of neurons.
And third, there are ethical concerns, for example, surrounding equitable access to CRISPR-based therapies and the use of CRISPR to make changes to genomes that go beyond correcting disease-associated changes. This is a critical issue that extends well beyond the science, and should involve all of us thinking hard about how we do and do not want to use gene editing in humans. This is one of the main reasons it’s so important that we all have a basic understanding of CRISPR, what it can and can’t do, and how this may change in the relatively near future.
Q: How is the technology as a research tool changing, and what are ways it can be improved?
The precision and efficacy of CRISPR are improving steadily. And new CRISPR systems with distinct properties — such as targeting RNA instead of DNA — are being identified all the time. Scientists are also constantly devising new applications, such as using base editors, which enable gene editing without the risky introduction of DNA breaks, or adapting RNA-cleaving forms of CRISPR for detecting viruses or bacteria. CRISPR is evolving rapidly on numerous fronts, and I fully expect we’ll see many advances in the coming years. | <urn:uuid:ffa2b988-2d22-4439-a1f0-d3e21b444da0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.brown.edu/news/2021-04-22/crispr-neuroscience | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.95271 | 1,688 | 3.96875 | 4 |
The 16 Most Popular Edible Flowers
You may grow them for looks, but they can also add color, flavor, vitamins, and originality to culinary dishes
While you’re harvesting your fruits and veggies this summer for the dinner table, why not keep an eye out for edible flowers too? They can add color, flavor, vitamins, and originality to culinary dishes. In fact, I planted some nasturtiums this year in my new front lawn garden bed for two reasons: to attract beneficial insects and to brighten up my salads by adding bright color and peppery flavor.
A couple of things to think about before you go around harvesting lovely blossoms in your yard. First, not only are some inedible, but many are downright dangerous, such as foxglove (Digitalis). So be very certain that you’ve properly identified your flowers before choosing them to add to culinary dishes. Second, you don’t want to harvest and ingest flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides. The last thing is to try each flower variety one at a time so you can be aware of any allergic reactions that may show up if you (or a family member) haven’t eaten them before.
You’ll also want to choose flowers that are fresh and not old or faded if you want the best flower (and color). Most gardeners that I know remove the stems, pistils, anthers, and the like and just use the petals. One exception is the squash blossoms. You’ll want to leave the stems (but not the anthers) on those for sure to make stuffing them easier, as well as for presentation.
Edible flowers that are worth a try
Edible flowers can be candied, used for baking, and included in sauces, oils, and vinegars. They’re also popular in salads, syrup, teas, jellies, and flavored wines. Here’s a short list of just some of the delicious flowers that you may want to give a go in the kitchen.
- Roses—These have a very perfumy flavor and vary from sweet to bitter.
- Nasturtiums—These have a peppery taste.
- Squash blossoms—These flowers are usually used for stuffing and taste rather like the fruit that they would grow to be if left on the vine.
- Calendula (pot marigold)—Marigolds have a peppery flavor.
- Violets—These petals have a sweet flavor.
- Dianthus—These have a spicy, clovelike flavor.
- Borage—These flowers have a cucumber flavor.
- Garlic chive blossoms—These blossoms taste oniony.
- Lovage—These petals have a mild celery taste.
- Mint blossoms—These taste fresh and have a milder mint flavor than the leaves.
- Basil blossoms—These flowers have that spicy basil flavor but are much milder than the leaves.
- English chamomile—These blossoms taste like a sweet apple.
- Lilacs—The flavor is a little bit bitter and perfumy.
- Summer and winter savories—The flowers from these herbs are slightly peppery.
- Scented geraniums—The flavor will depend on the variety of geranium, such as lemon, chocolate, rose, etc.
- Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)—These have a mildly nutty flavor.
Get our latest tips, how-to articles, and instructional videos sent to your inbox. | <urn:uuid:3ed8a29d-39bc-450c-9b4b-2ae3a1327212> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.finegardening.com/project-guides/fruits-and-vegetables/edible-flowers | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.914863 | 751 | 1.96875 | 2 |
Never launch a New Brand without defining your goals, target, positioning and branding! Many Startups may think (wrongly) that defining the Brand Communication and Image Strategy is wasting time. WRONG! Creating a relevant and consistent brand allows us to establish strong links with users, encourage them to buy and retain them, increasing their visibility and becoming a Top Of Mind Brand. That is why it is so important to define a concept and symbol appropriate to the representation of the brand!
The logo, a lettermark (logo based on the initials of the brand), or a wordmark (logo based on the font of the brand, which work well when the company has a succinct and distinguished name, because it is focused on the brand name, eg Coca-Cola), pictorial marks (logo-symbol, eg, Twitter), an abstract logo (an abstract geometric shape representing the business, eg Adidas), a mascot logo (mascots - In cartoon, is often the spokesperson for the brand) or an emblem (emblem - particularly used by schools, organizations and government entities, due to its traditional appearance), allow you to stand out from the competition and have a unique and exclusive image and symbology. As well as the tone (eg formal, informal, institutional, casual) that you want to use with your audience and the design present in your communication channels (online and offline). It is also important to remember that creating a Brand Identity requires the use of Inbound and Outbound Marketing Strategies, in order to capture and retain your target.
Therefore, before we jointly define your brand, we must know what corresponds to each following characteristics:
Do you want to create a New Brand or launch a New Product/ Service on the market? Contact us, together we do Business #Double! | <urn:uuid:554f5fb1-4d52-4e8b-a01c-9603e26aa38a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://double.pt/en/services/design-ux/brand-identity-for-start-ups/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.936432 | 363 | 1.835938 | 2 |
The New Normal
by Lee Pitts
We’re living through the strangest year I’ve ever experienced. Just as World War II, The Great Depression and 911 changed our world forever, so too will the COVID-19 pandemic.
What will be left over from the coronavirus crises? Will people still wear face masks? Will they eat out less often? Will they social distance? Will personal protective equipment (PPE) remain in our vocabulary? Will people still fill concert venues, arenas and stadiums after a vaccine is produced? Here are a few predictions.
1) People will make greater use of mail-in-ballots, and eventually, voting by phone, which will make it possible for my dearly departed grandparents to vote again. And again.
2) With everyone wearing face masks, I haven’t recognized anyone since March. As a result of wearing masks, the number of flu and cold cases is radically lower, so many will continue the practice. The first company to produce a face mask with the old, “Hello, my name is,” tag printed on them for people to write in their own name will become a billionaire.
3) Zoom, Facetime and e-mail will replace meetings and committees.
4) Anyone who coughs or sneezes in public will be treated like a leper.
5) We’ll never forget who gave us COVID-19, and we’ll purchase less of anything saying, “Made in China.” This will cripple dollar stores. Craftsmen and hobbyists will bury tools made in China so in a hundred thousand years, they’ll make inferior coal.
6) Elon Musk will invent a temperature gauge to be hung over the entrance of every home and business that will unleash an alarm when someone tries to enter with a body temperature in excess of 98.8 degrees.
7) More people will keep a six-month supply of dehydrated meals in their basement. People will buy big freezers, halves of beef and whole hogs. They’ll stockpile food, liquor and toilet paper. Grocers will rethink the strategy of “just-in-time deliveries.”
8) People will relearn the joy of cooking and eat at home more often, as one-third of the restaurants in America will not reopen if we don’t find a vaccine soon.
9) Ranchers will buy more of their bulls online. Therefore, no one will show up at sales, causing purebred producers to have strokes when starting their annual bull sale with only four people on the seats including the Extension agent, a banker and a retired couple who came for the free lunch.
10) Big expensive weddings with hundreds of guests will go the way of the dodo bird. Newly married couples will take the cash instead and the word “dowry” will re-enter our vocabulary.
11) People have learned what a joy it is to eat outside, and they’ll do it more often. Outdoor home kitchens and patio dining at restaurants will be the trend.
12) The sports our children play will change. Gone will be football with its huddles and scrums, as will basketball with its close contact and sweaty bodies. Soccer will become the favored sport, and golf and tennis will both make big comebacks.
13) Employees will work from home more and instead of phoning a call center in India, they’ll be connected with an English speaking American sitting by his phone in his or her bathrobe.
14) More kids will be homeschooled. Colleges, which were previously more proud of their buildings and football fields, will now offer online courses taught by great teachers who’ll be paid like superstars. The value of a college education will become more questionable.
15) Cowboys and cowgirls will carry small bottles of Purell® in their saddlebags.
16) Old Sears and JC Penney buildings will continue to be converted into Amazon distribution centers, and malls will be transformed into “pay-as-they-go” dog parks.
17) People will shop at big grocery stores less and farmers’ markets more.
18) Residents of big cities will bail out of them faster than rats leaving a sinking ship. Speaking of which, I’d sure hate to own a cruise line these days. I predict many of these floating palaces will be parked permanently and their cabins turned into condos and resthomes.
19) The handshake will be replaced permanently by the fist bump.
20) We will respect and trust scientists less and nurses more. | <urn:uuid:da544a0d-a9e6-48e7-b2a5-95b58f053bca> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.wylr.net/2020/10/03/the-new-normal/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.944677 | 963 | 1.90625 | 2 |
by Helen Caldicott - £15.99 The New Press (2013)
paperback ISBN 13: 9781595588067 | ISBN 10: 159558806x
Ever since quitting her job as a pediatrician at Harvard Medical School in 1980, Helen Caldicott has worked tirelessly for a safe, sustainable, nuclear-free planet, most recently by hosting a weekly radio show featuring environmentalists and leading activists from around the globe.
Together with some of the most brilliant thinkers and inspiring advocates of our time, including Maude Barlow, Bill McKibben, and many others, Caldicott—whom Meryl Streep has called “my inspiration to speak out” — scrutinizes our unsustainable dependence on nuclear energy and the absurdity of nuclear arms and seeks to raise awareness about other planetary issues, including deforestation, sea-level rise, and privatization of water reserves. In these stirring conversations, we hear from Martin Sheen on the power of grassroots movements and the ability of unionized labor to influence politicians; Jonathan Schell, bestselling author and contributing editor to The Nation and Harper’s Magazine, on key environmental and economic fallacies; and award-winning nuclear engineer Arjun Makhijani on transitioning to a society based completely on renewable energy, omitting the need for fossil fuels or nuclear power.
Loving This Planet offers an informative and accessible overview of the chief environmental and social issues of our time.
(Price & availability last checked: September 2019) | <urn:uuid:68ce9664-eb0f-435f-b7f3-a1640ea7114c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://newsfromnowhere.org.uk/books/DisplayBookInfo.php?ISBN=9781595588067 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.918356 | 300 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Bus excursion to Bay of Islands from Auckland
August 28, 2011
The North Island of New Zealand is featured by many sheltered bays interesting for the nature, the flora and the endemic fauna. During the summer months these bays are one of the favorite holiday places also for New Zealanders. With a tourist bus from Auckland, I take a short day trip in Paihia and Waitangi.
The first stop during the trip from Auckland to Bay of Islands, is at the Parry Kauri Park, home to some Kauri trees hundreds of years old.
Kauri Photo: this huge Kauri tree (the black bag in the photo on the right is 50cm wide) has an estimated age of over 800 years, a height of 125 meters and a trunk circumference of 25 meters at the base.
Another magnificent Kauri tree in the park.
The tour along the North Island of New Zealand, continues with an excursion to the museum at Waitangi (Waitangi Treaty Grounds), the place where it was signed the peace treaty between Maori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) and the European settlers.
Inside the Museum of Waitangi there preserved books and artifacts from the colonial era, in addition to the original text of the Treaty of Waitangi.
A facsimile of the Treaty of Waitangi.
This meeting room (Te Whare Runanga) in Maori style was inaugurated during the centenary of the Treaty of Waitangi signing. It contains wooden statues representing some Maori tribal groups from New Zealand's north island.
The reproduction of a 35 meter long canoe (Waka Maori Ngatokimatawhaorua) that, according to studies, has been used by early Indians who colonized New Zealand, migrating from other islands of the Pacific Ocean. In the right photo, the remains of the kauri tree used for the construction of the canoe.
The trip to Bay of Islands continues boarding a catamaran in Pahia
Soon the catamaran is surrounded by lot of dolphins that swim, play and jump out of the water.
I see a little blue penguin, one of the smallest penguin species exsiting, endemic to New Zealand.
The catamaran continues along the rugged coast of this bay.
The catamaran excursion end at the "Hole in the Rock", a rock with a curious hole in the middle. | <urn:uuid:207dd008-bf88-437c-bd40-62a66291e7c7> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.besttravelreview.com/new_zealand/013_day_tour_bay_of_islands_pictures.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573667.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819100644-20220819130644-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.938691 | 502 | 1.820313 | 2 |
HydroGraph launches its patented graphene ink
by CM Staff
HydroGraph’s mass production method for graphene reportedly opens up opportunities for the practical applications of conductive ink patterns.
TORONTO — HydroGraph Clean Power Inc., a commercial manufacturer of nanomaterials and alternative-energy fuels, has launched its patented graphene ink, a form of “conductive ink” that maintains the valuable qualities of graphene including strength, non-toxicity, flexibility, and optical transparency. As the name suggests, conductive ink is a material that conducts energy with the utility of an ink. This development marks a step toward the production of foldable and wearable electronics.
“This is a significant milestone in renewable technology production. From touch screen displays, biosensors, radio frequency identification tags, electric vehicle batteries, and more, the technology’s applications are vast,” said Stuart Jara, HydroGraph chief executive officer.
With growing possibilities for printed electronics every day, the need for conductive inks like graphene ink is on the rise. HydroGraph’s mass production method for graphene reportedly opens up opportunities for the practical applications of conductive ink patterns.
“Once the ink is made, it can then be deployed in regular inkjet printers to make small-scale, flexible electronics. This puts manufacturing capabilities into the reach of many, making it far more accessible,” said Dr. Chris Sorensen, HydroGraph vice president R&D.
HydroGraph’s graphene ink technology with performance characteristics and fewer production barriers is covered in the “Nano-inks of Carbon Nanomaterials for Printing and Coating” patent.
HydroGraph is certified by the Graphene Council and is currently producing high purity graphene with no batch-to-batch variation. | <urn:uuid:f9a03dd8-7236-445a-8db3-a0c07722cc4b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/manufacturing/hydrograph-launches-its-patented-graphene-ink-283459/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.916157 | 375 | 2.578125 | 3 |
Opinion: Dr Jacqueline Rowarth responds to an interview The Country ran last month with Green MP Chloe Swarbrick.
At the end of October we were told that "change is hard". Spoiler alert - we know. We've been changing for decades – some of us have been around since the mid-1940s. All of us were born by the mid-60s.
The words were voiced by a millennial (generation born between approximately 1981 and 1996) showing understanding about what is ahead and why we, as farmers and growers, might be concerned about the future.
The words were broad in scope – the empathising was for "all people who are going through change."
Anybody trying to understand food production should have worked out that food producers deal with change every day. Farmers and growers respond to weather, climate, market signals, interest rates, exchange rates, legislation and societal pressures, as well as the requirements of their particular patch of earth – topography, soil type, plants and animals, pests and diseases.
More generally, as part of the Baby Boomer generation we've not only adopted the modern technologies that are now commonplace - we developed them. The world wide web, DNA fingerprinting, the lithium ion battery, artificial hearts - Baby Boomers were behind them.
Steve Wozniak is a Baby Boomer. So is Steve Jobs.
Think what life would be without the work that has resulted in so many life-improvements. Yes of course we accept that if we hadn't invented and developed things the X-generation or millennials might have done – and that they might have been better.
But the fact is, we did it for them, providing a platform for ongoing improvement. And we worked hard to ensure that the millennials, our children, would have a better future.
It is certainly true that some of the things we've done have had unintended consequences.
Though we were not responsible for the internal combustion engine, the Haber Bosch process the Green Revolution, or glyphosate, we have continued the productivity gains that they have enabled.
Food is more available (distribution and price), in greater variety and is better quality than in the past. Precision application of chemicals over the last few decades (Boomers again) means more control over targets, and less wastage. More people are being fed from each hectare of land than ever before – and there are more and more mouths to feed.
Organics and regenerative agriculture are not going to solve this population problem. And contrary to popular belief, they do use chemicals. Some approved natural chemicals are more toxic than their synthetic alternative.
Another statement requiring challenge is "giving back to the planet more than we've taken from it".
Alchemy? This was usually more about transmutation (base metal into gold, for instance) than actual creation of material.
The Millennial explanation was "ensuring that the planet is healthier than when you began those practices on that land".
The sad implication is that somehow farmers and growers don't have the same aim for the land they look after.
The statement overlooks the basic desire to be able to pass on to the next generation something that has been improved.
Research has shown that most business owners want to do an even better job than the previous generation, however that is assessed. Farmers in the 1950s (The Silent Generation) cleared the land because the government of the time had production as a goal. Clearance was regarded as an improvement.
Removal of subsidies in the 1980s shifted the emphasis to productivity (output per unit of input). The result is that New Zealand's pastoral-based agriculture has lower nitrogen and greenhouse gas footprints than other countries can achieve.
Listen to Jamie Mackay interview Dr Jacqueline Rowarth on The Country below:
Yes it's time to get real – but the suggestion that because change is hard we'll say "oh we're just gonna press pause on this and not do anything about it" is not supported by reality.
We've been told that "Empathy is saying I understand this challenge in front of you - how do we work together to get through it?" Agreed.
But empathy also requires listening and acknowledging that there might be real issues. It might be that the people being asked to change have doubts that what they are being asked to do will achieve the desired objective – and those doubts might be based on evidence.
The Green Party has promised to help farmers change to organic and regenerative agriculture but is unable to provide the evidence that what is being proposed will be better for the environment, the economy or even well-being and resilience. Research suggests that it won't be good for any of these aspects, including the efficiency that we've worked so hard to achieve.
Reluctance to embrace the change isn't about "cutting off our noses to spite our faces". It is about evaluation and calculation based on understanding of the context.
Boomers empathise with everybody who wants to create a better world.
We've been working for the same goal. We're using research and experience based on hard work to ensure that any changes made will be in the right direction.
Knowledge of land-based food production in context cannot be replaced by ideology, however, well-meaning.
• Dr Jacqueline Rowarth has a PhD in soil science and is a Baby Boomer who has enjoyed working with people from all generations. She is also a farmer-elected director of DairyNZ and Ravensdown. The analysis and conclusions above are her own. firstname.lastname@example.org | <urn:uuid:05d0cc16-bf59-4d27-b9a8-82687e9d1151> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/dr-jacqueline-rowarth-why-boomers-are-ok/RPW6PDI2OUUDLRDH43DUTJD2CY/?ref=readmore | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.97489 | 1,140 | 2.3125 | 2 |
||"Zar is both a possessing spirit and a set of reconciliation rites between the spirits and their human hosts: living in a parallel yet invisible world, the capricious spirits manifest their anger by causing ailments for their hosts, which require ritual reconciliation, a private sacrificial rite practiced routinely by the afflicted devotees. Originally spread from Ethiopia to the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf through the nineteenth-century slave trade, in Egypt zar has incorporated elements from popular Islamic Sufi practices, including devotion to Christian and Muslim saints. The ceremonies initiate devotees-the majority of whom are Muslim women-into a community centered on a cult leader, a membership that provides them with moral orientation, social support, and a sense of belonging. Practicing zar rituals, dancing to zar songs, and experiencing trance restore their well-being, which had been compromised by gender asymmetry and globalization.This new ethnographic study of zar in Egypt is based on the author's two years of multi-sited fieldwork and firsthand knowledge as a participant, and her collection and analysis of more than three hundred zar songs, allowing her to access levels of meaning that had previously been overlooked. The result is a comprehensive and accessible exposition of the history, culture, and waning practice of zar in a modernizing world"--Front flap of book jacket. | <urn:uuid:2a7e3ed7-b25c-446f-82a9-eb3b538dab6f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://library.soas.ac.uk/Record/10220510/Notes | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.949908 | 277 | 2.71875 | 3 |
The business-woman, Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of the controversial former prime minister, the tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, was chosen by Thailand’s parliament as the country’s 28th prime minister on 5 August.
She is the first female prime minister of the country. At the age of 44, she is also the youngest female prime minister in the world. This comes after the Pheu Thai Party led by Thaksin supporters won the 3 July general elections by an absolute majority. Winning 265 out of 500 parliamentary seats, they have built alliances with smaller parties to form a 300-seat coalition.
On paper, Yingluk’s government seems stable. It has 60 per cent support in parliament, a weakened anti-Thaksin movement and a lack of support for the military at this stage. But much of the unresolved social and economic dissatisfaction in society could trigger new conflicts. Thailand has gone through many military coups, interventions by the monarchy and the removal of prime ministers through uprisings and protests. All these changes of government have safeguarded the interests of the capitalist class while neglecting the needs of the working class and rural poor.
The new prime minister will have no ‘honeymoon’ period. The ‘red shirt’ supporters and the lower and middle income people that voted for her will demand that she fulfils her ‘populist’ election pledges. These included a sharp increase in the minimum wage, the construction of high-speed rail lines, providing free computers to primary school students and revamping the country’s healthcare system. The poor in the countryside hope that Yingluck will emulate Thaksin – the first Thai prime minister seen to address the needs of millions of people with cheap healthcare and village development funds from 2001 to 2005. For the urban population he was seen as corrupt and authoritarian, with a neo-liberal agenda and operating a crony capitalism.
The capitalist class in Thailand has already come out against the ‘populist’ promises of Yingluck. They believe they will undermine the country’s international competitiveness as well as increase inflation and the budget deficit, since such measures could cost as much as $77 billion over the next five years. Some corporations have already threatened to move their companies out of Thailand if Yingluck’s government raises the minimum wage. To appease the business class, the new government is expected to cut corporation tax. But an increase in public debt (expected to rise to 60% of GDP) and the growing uncertainty in the world economy could pressurise the government not to go too far with their ‘populist’ election promises and damage the capitalist economy.
Yingluk could also face tough challenges in having to pacify both the rural ‘red-shirted’ supporters of her brother and the urban ‘yellow-shirted’ supporters of the military and the elite who clashed with each other after the ousting in 2006 of Thaksin by a military coup. This was carried out in the interests of the business class and the elite, linked to the monarchy and the military, who felt excluded from Thaksin’s crony capitalism. Conflicts between the ‘red’ and ‘yellow’ groupings had also undermined the previous four governments.
Last year, the red-shirt supporters occupied certain parts of Bangkok, including its commercial centre, and suffered a military crackdown ordered by the ‘Democrat’ government of Abhisit. The army killed more than 90 people and hundreds more were injured. Yingluck has been described as Thaksin’s ‘clone’ and any of her moves will be scrutinized by the yellow-shirt supporters and the Democrat Party. If she seems to be favouring Thaksin and his red-shirt supporters, they could launch mass protests an occupations of their own, as they did during the previous government linked to Thaksin.
Yingluck under the shadow of Thaksin
Yingluck, who has never held political office before, was the president of a property company owned by the family. Just a few months ago she was urged by Thaksin to lead the Pheu Thai Party. It was in disarray with different factions fighting for the top post. Yingluck was chosen to end the bickering and win the elections. It is well known that Thaksin is the de facto leader and funder of the Pheu Thai party, as well as being involved in the planning of the election victory from his exile in Dubai. By using her ‘gentle and charming character’, Yingluck has not only garnered the votes of the red-shirt supporters of Thaksin but also the sympathetic votes of women, as well as support from some sections of the urban business class. Those who supported the red-shirts also used the election to send a protest message to the military and traditional elite, who had backed the Democrat Party of Abhisit.
Recently, Thaksin met Thailand’s ministerial hopefuls in Dubai and Brunei. This shows how he will try to continuously and meticulously use his authority in the party to plan the policies of the Yingluck government and the direction it takes. Yingluck, however, who came to power with her brother’s blessing, does not want to be seen as his puppet. Before agreeing that Thaksin can return to Thailand, she will act cautiously to avoid angering the yellow-shirt supporters, which could lead her government into trouble.
Thaksin is also known to have good relations with the Cambodian prime minister, Hun Sen, and could use the election outcome to try and soften the ongoing border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia. But any move that puts Thailand at a disadvantage, or even compromises its position, could particularly upset the nationalists linked to the monarchy and military.
If a political amnesty was implemented to allow Thaksin to return to Thailand, annulling the Supreme Court sentence of two years in jail for helping his ex-wife while he was prime minister to buy state land in 2003, it could lead to renewed street protests by yellow-shirt supporters.
There are also uncertainties surrounding the inevitable succession crisis once the ailing King dies. This could politically impact on Yingluck since Thaksin was not seen as being on good terms with the palace.
Socialists and populism
The right-wing populism of Thaksin, when he was in government between 2001 and 2005, attracted the rural poor. This was in the absence of a mass working class organisation that, aligned to poor farmers in the countryside, could have addressed their needs with a clear political alternative. At that time, the leading organisations in the countryside such as the ‘Assembly of the Poor’ uncritically supported Thaksin’s populism because he had addressed some of the demands of the poor farmers. Unfortunately, the leadership of the Assembly of the Poor, with some former members of the Communist Party of Thailand who orientated towards Maoism and NGO activism, had no clear political alternative to explain the capitalist character of the Thaksin regime.
At that time, like the rural poor, the working class in Bangkok had also been severely affected by the 1997 Asian financial crisis when the country plunged into political turmoil. The Chavalit government collapsed after just one year because of the crisis. The new government of the Democrat Party led by Chuan Leekpai, from 1997 to 2001, carried through huge cuts. It overturned the concessions for the rural poor, won through massive street protests in Bangkok by the Assembly of the Poor during Chavalit’s administration.
In the 2001 elections, Thaksin won mainly because of his populist agenda for the rural poor who were severely affected by the Asian financial crisis. The leadership of the Assembly of the Poor cultivated a cooperative relationship with him without taking a critical approach towards his pro-capitalist politics. Meanwhile, Thaksin cultivated populist support in an attempt to defend himself against being forced to step down by the constitutional court on charges that he had deliberately concealed his wealth. Later Thaksin, when there was reasonable economic growth in the country, consciously utilised populist policies to maintain support from the majority of rural voters and maintain his power in government. He also used his position in government to amass wealth for himself and his cronies. He assisted international and national capitalists to accumulate profits by exploiting the labour of the working class and the rural poor. The hypocrisy of Thaksin showed that he was not a friend of workers and poor farmers, and simply used them to maintain his own power and pursue his capitalist agenda.
During the recent election, some groups on the left also uncritically supported Yingluck’s populism merely to defeat the Democrat government linked to the monarchy, military and traditional elites. They still have some illusions in the so-called ‘progressive bourgeoisie’ or ‘lesser evilism’. They have not learnt from previous experiences of the left in Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries where the same mistakes were made of aligning uncritically with capitalist parties promising democracy. In the current economic circumstances, Yingluck could face far greater difficulty fulfilling the demands of the working class and rural poor and will be under pressure to revitalise profit-oriented activities and programmes for Thai capitalism.
Economic and social instability
The economic growth rates and social conditions in Thailand and the world are now very different from those during the Thaksin government. Currently, the uncertain economic situation in the US, with the deep credit crunch that started in 2008-09, and the contagious European debt crisis have demonstrated that the global capitalist economy is in one of its most serious crises in history and has an uncertain path to recovery.
Countries like Thailand, with GDP growth of around 4 percent, are very dependent on China and other neighbouring countries for economic growth at this time. However, the Chinese economic growth model is becoming inherently unstable based on massive overcapacity and overinvestment. With the threat of a real slow-down in China and the prolonged uncertainty in the global economy, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries are very vulnerable; another ‘Asian Financial Crisis’ cannot be ruled out.
Although the majority of the Thai population is still involved in agricultural activities, the manufacturing industries and service sectors in Bangkok and other urban areas have been the main contributors to the Thai economy. Landlordism and other feudal economic relations and activities have slowly been integrated into the capitalist economy with the rapid industrialisation that started in the 1980s. Thai capitalism has increased the wealth of national and multinational capitalists, neglecting the working class and poor farmers’ social and democratic needs. This shows the role of the working class: even where they are a minority, they contribute most to the profits of the capitalist class.
This reinforces the importance of building an independent political party with the working class playing the leading role, at the same time aligning itself to poor farmers, youth and others oppressed by the system. This is vital in order to counter the pro-capitalist policies as well as the political opportunism and right-wing populism of Thaksin Shinawatra and now Yingluck. Such a party should also be based on democratic socialism as the alternative to the capitalist agenda. It should draw up perspectives, programmes and tactics for the struggle of the working class, poor farmers and others oppressed by the system.
Only through this, a genuine effort to replace a government based on the profit-oriented and socio-political needs of capitalism with a workers’ and poor farmers’ government, could the restoration of justice and the needs of all be carried out. When it comes to power, such a government would have to nationalise the big corporations and banks in order to democratically plan the fulfilment of the needs of the working class, poor and youth. It would proceed to build solidarity with the struggles of the working class and poor in Southeast Asia and internationally with the aim of building a democratic socialist society world-wide. | <urn:uuid:91736967-14c1-40ff-afa7-6e4ad5c28215> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.socialistworld.net/2011/08/12/thailand-clone-of-thaksin-elected-but-social-conflicts-could-persist/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.974582 | 2,460 | 2.21875 | 2 |
It’s not always easy to tell when Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is serious about a policy. So it’s not a surprise to hear many are skeptical over the real estate tycoon’s recent announcement.
This Thursday, Trump unveiled his school choice plan while speaking from the Cleveland Arts and Social Sciences Academy charter school. During the event, Trump promised to “be the nation’s biggest cheerleader for school choice” once he’s elected.
“I understand many stale old politicians will resist,” Trump continued, “but it’s time for our country to start thinking big and correct once again.”
But despite the enthusiasm, Trump’s official website lacks detailed information about his school choice policies. What we know so far is that the Republican candidate would direct $20 billion in federal education spending to policies that would give students the opportunity to attend any school of their choosing, whether it’s a traditional public school, a public charter, or a private institution.
But school choice, much like any other service, works best when left to the states. That’s where local communities are given the opportunity to tweak the system so it may meet their own needs. Centralization, after all, forces states to play by the federal government’s rules, stifling the advances sparked by competition between state policies.
According to Cato Institute’s Neal McCluskey, Trump’s heart is in the right place. After all, school choice is “the key to empowering parents to get the education that is best for their unique children, and for educators to teach how they want and try new, innovative approaches.” But when it comes to allowing the federal governments to set the rules, McCluskey adds, things might get messier:
“The federal government has no constitutional authority to meddle in education, and as it has proven over the last several decades — including by coercing states to adopt the Common Core — once it starts paying for education it starts controlling it, telling everyone what to do and how to do it.”
Instead of giving the power to the federal government to dictate how school choice should work, an increase in power that could even give federal regulators the power to “impose mandates on curriculum and more,” even when it comes down to homeschooling.
At first, the idea sounds promising. But once you allow federal regulators to impose their own agenda, school choice rules may change over time with each new administration, jeopardizing the future of children who need school choice the most.
So instead of taking his support to school choice to the White House, Trump is better off leaving it to the states, where legislators are more accessible and parents have the opportunity to demand attention. | <urn:uuid:7238c5ea-8cb6-4e47-9f12-3c303e6c98df> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://alicesalles.com/2016/09/09/trump-wants-feds-to-participate-in-school-choice-heres-why-this-is-a-bad-idea/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573667.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819100644-20220819130644-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.9513 | 576 | 2.078125 | 2 |
27 May 1845–4 November 1916 (Age 71)
Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States
When Josiah Ricks was born on 27 May 1845, in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States, his father, Joel Ricks Sr, was 41 and his mother, Eleanor Martin, was 37. He married Lucy Ann Merrill on 11 July 1868, in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States. They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 6 daughters. He lived in Haden, Fremont, Idaho, United States in 1900 and Fremont, Idaho, United States in 1910. He died on 4 November 1916, in Rexburg, Madison, Idaho, United States, at the age of 71, and was buried in Rexburg Cemetery, Rexburg, Madison, Idaho, United States.
Josiah Ricks was born May 27, 1845 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois. He was three years of age when he crossed the plains with his parents. He spent ten of his growing up years in Centerville, Ut …
As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story. | <urn:uuid:bf9be9ea-f800-4066-91de-77789c87a809> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KWZ2-F7W/josiah-ricks-1845-1916 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.988538 | 248 | 2.078125 | 2 |
Since the beginning of recorded time, people have been thinking about the end of the world. As such, the planet’s major religions have formulated elaborate viewpoints on this topic. In Christianity, the Bible’s Book of Revelation details Armageddon, the final battle on Earth between the forces of God and Satan. Hinduism offers a version in which Vishnu returns to battle evil as a figure on a white horse. The doomsday beliefs of some ancient religions can still be felt in modern secular society, as was the case with the conclusion of the Mayan calendar cycle that predicted the end of the world in 2012.
According to a 2007 article in The New York Times, “[g]nostics predicted the imminent arrival of God’s kingdom as early as the first century.” The Shakers thought the world would be over in 1792, while the Jehovah’s Witnesses pegged various years between 1914 and 1994 as an end date. More recently, some doomsday forecasters have focused on the year 2012. Citing the conclusion of a lengthy cycle in the ancient Mayan calendar, certain theorists anticipate the end of life as we know it on December 21, 2012. These theorists believe that on December 21, 2012, the Earth will experience unprecedented, cataclysmic disasters ranging from massive earthquakes and tsunamis to nuclear reactor meltdowns. In order to prepare for these events, some proponents of the 2012 prophecy have already begun stocking up on survival supplies.
The planet’s major religions each have their own beliefs about the end of the world, the triumph of good over evil and Judgment Day. In Christianity, the Book of Revelation, the last chapter of the Bible’s New Testament, mentions Armageddon, the final battle on Earth between the forces of God and Satan. The word Armageddon is thought to come from the Hebrew for “mount of Megiddo.” Located in present-day Israel, Megiddo, an ancient, strategically positioned city, was the site of a number of battles. Some Christians interpret the Book of Revelation as a roadmap that lays out exactly how the world will end. They contend that Judgment Day will take place on Armageddon and Jesus will save the true believers, while non-believers left behind will face enormous suffering.
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In Islam, the end of the world is referred to as the Hour and involves Jesus returning to Damascus to slay an anti-Christ who has put the planet in peril. With the anti-Christ out of the picture, a period of perfect harmony will ensue. Jesus will later die a natural death, which will usher in a time of destruction that leads directly to the Hour. In Judaism, there is no term for Armageddon, but there are references in the Hebrew bible to events that could be compared with Armageddon, including the Day of the Lord (in which God causes death and destruction to people who deserve to be punished) and the War of Gog and Magog (in which Israel and its god fight their enemies, rather than an anti-Christ).
In Hinduism, there is the story of the god Vishnu coming back in the last cycle of time as a figure called Kulki, who rides a white horse, carries a sword that looks like a comet and destroys the forces of evil. In some Buddhist prophecies, the equivalent of Armageddon is Shambhala, in which good triumphs over evil; however, the planet is restored rather than destroyed so people can pursue enlightenment.
Despite the many theories and religious interpretations, the only thing that’s certain about the end of the world is that no one can know for sure what will happen. And until that day arrives–if it arrives–people will no doubt continue to speculate endlessly about when it will all be over. | <urn:uuid:39fd9a49-82ce-4f2b-a6f1-7e0867b9a4b9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://roots.history.com/topics/religion/religions-on-the-end-of-the-world | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.941859 | 769 | 2.75 | 3 |
Prince Hall Grand Masonic Lodge averts auction
A foreclosure auction for the Prince Hall Grand Masonic Lodge in Grove Hall scheduled for Thursday was called off last week after officials from the lodged reached an agreement with Northborough Capital Partners, the entity that currently holds their loan.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Prince Hall officials paid more than $30,000 in penalties and interest for defaulting on a $300,000 loan, according to a lodge member who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The lodge has six months to pay off the remaining principal on the loan.
Lodge officials would not speak to the Banner for this story.
The Lodge borrowed the $300,000 in 2006, to make needed repairs to the 30,000-square-foot building, including repairs to the roof and HVAC system.
According to the Banner’s unnamed source, rank-and-file members of the lodge were unaware of the default on the loan until a foreclosure auction notice garnered media attention.
Once lodge members became aware of the predicament, they began making donations.
“They’ve got members on fixed incomes coming up with $500 and $1,000 donations,” the source said.
Coming up with the funds to pay the remaining principal on the $300,000 loan shouldn’t be a problem, according to the source.
“There are a number of institutions that are now offering to step up and help save and restore the space,” he said. “This is do-able and should have been done a while back.”
The notice of the impending auction sent shock waves through Boston’s black community. The Prince Hall Lodge has been the site of numerous community events, including concerts, community meetings and political rallies. Sitting on an acre of land, it is one of the largest black-owned parcels of commercial real estate in the city.
“The Prince Hall Lodge is a historic facility,” said City Councilor Tito Jackson. “The work of the lodge and its members is invaluable work that we need to continue in our community. I will do whatever needs to be done to make sure we preserve this gem.”
The lodge is one of the oldest black-run institutions in the United States.
Prince Hall, the 18th century Mason for whom the lodge was named, was an abolitionist who is believed to have served in the American Revolutionary War. In 1775, while Boston was under siege by British forces, Hall and other Africans sought to be inducted into Freemasonry through the all-white Boston St. John’s Lodge but were rejected.
Hall and his cohort then turned to members of Lodge No. 441 of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, which was attached to the British forces stationed in Boston. The British troops initiated the group, but did not have the authority to issue them a charter.
Ultimately, Hall appealed to the Grand Lodge of England, which granted the group a charter for African Lodge Number 1.
Hall became a grand master and opened African lodges in Philadelphia and Rhode Island before his death in 1807. In 1827, the African Grand Lodge was named the Prince Hall Lodge in his honor. | <urn:uuid:5db87c65-d71e-461d-8766-25b289eb2380> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.baystatebanner.com/2014/04/16/prince-hall-grand-masonic-lodge-averts-auction/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.974287 | 661 | 1.617188 | 2 |
Jan 04, 2022 · Cleopas was a follower of Jesus during His earthly ministry and among the few who saw the Lord on the day of His resurrection. Cleopas was not one of the Twelve, but some have surmised that he was one of the seventy ( Luke 10 ).
Saint Cleopas ( Greek Κλεόπας, Kleopas ), also spelled Cleophas, was a figure of early Christianity, one of the two disciples who encountered Jesus during the Road to Emmaus appearance in Luke 24:13–32 . Contents 1 Etymology 2 Account in the Gospel of Luke 3 Apocryphal books 4 Traditions 5 References 6 External links Etymology [ edit]
Cleopas is a Greek name, contracted from Cleopater, while Cleophas, or Clopas as in the Revised Version, is an Aramaic name, the same as Alphaeus. [N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible [E] indicates this entry was also found in Easton's Bible Dictionary Bibliography Information Smith, William, Dr. "Entry for 'Cleopas'".
Cleopas was one of two disciples Jesus met on the road to Emmaus on the day of His resurrection. We do not know the identity of the other disciple, but we know that neither was one of the eleven apostles remaining after Judas' death (verse 33).
Sep 22, 2021 · Cleopas was a follower of Jesus. What Do We Know about Cleopas—before and after Emmaus? Luke’s account of Cleopas is one of enlightenment. This encounter with Jesus took place on Resurrection Sunday. Luke focused on Cleopas’ transformation of faith while Christ revealed what the Scriptures taught about the Messiah.
Cleopas creates opportunity for time apart with God through retreats and quiet days, spiritual accompaniment, seminars & short courses on Christian spiritual formation. In Cleopas we are passionate about nurturing the life God intended His followers to know. | <urn:uuid:28699216-bfba-4407-bdc3-430c77f0188b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://search.yahoo.com/tablet/s?p=Cleopas&ei=UTF-8&age=1w&d=%7B%22dn%22%3A%22yk%22%2C%22ykid%22%3A%229e975d33-9a2b-44c4-924e-f4601930db93%22+%7D&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Aw%2Cm%3Akg-pasf%2Cct%3AGetPersonInfo | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.947928 | 417 | 2.65625 | 3 |
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Self-Paced PostGIS Training Course Available Now
Refractions Research is pleased to announce the release of our new self-paced PostGIS training course.
The course includes:
- Approximately 3-hours of instructor video covering the topics listed below
- A 100+ page workbook that also provides a great ongoing reference manual
- Example data and exercises for all topics as well as an answer key for reference
Topics covered are listed at http://refractions.net/products/postgis/training/
Contact us for pricing and ordering information.
Instructor-lead training is also available; please contact us for more details. | <urn:uuid:6ae18b0e-b044-46fe-b8b2-fedbc1868ab6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://mapserver.refractions.net/company/news/20111111/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.937001 | 166 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Civil Society in Action through Art
Mohamad Ali ‘Dali’ Agrebi is a 25-year-old Tunisian theatre artist currently studying art at the University of Malta. His partner is 30-year-old professional contemporary dancer and choreographer – Chakib Zidi, also from Tunisia, who has performed in various countries across Europe and the Middle East. Chakib and Dali are both passionate advocates for LGBTQI+ and migrant rights on the island. This week we hear from them about their use of dance and interactive theatre to promote solidarity around these issues.
You are both clearly passionate advocates for LGBTQI+ rights. What challenges did you face as a result of your sexuality in Tunisia and how did these experiences influence your decision to migrate to Malta?
DALI: In Tunisia, LGBTQI+ community […] can be in jail for 3 years […] through a law in the penal code that condemns homosexuality […]. People find themselves in […] a society that doesn’t want to accept them […]. So, as an LGBTQ activist I was working on advocacy and I was working also with the community as a social worker dealing with traumas of people […]. I found myself arrested in Tunisia a few weeks before I came to Malta and it was an investigation all about an artwork that I was working on […]. They ended up searching in my messages, email, Facebook, and they took all my IT tools […]. I was really in danger and when I came here [Malta] it was the only way that I will be safe.
CHAKIB: […] I faced a lot of discrimination and also aggression and it was impossible to create a career […]. Then I went on my European tour and […] I went to Malta to work with the prestigious dance school in Malta […]. I was deciding to go back to Tunisia […] but unfortunately, an accident happened back home which is why I made a decision to stay here in Malta because I feared my life was in extreme danger.
How significant do you think these experiences have been in influencing your dance and your choreography?
DALI: All our artwork is based off our life experiences and what we see wrong in a way. Like, in a way, for me art is activism [….]. This is something that I work on to change rights, to have rights as a gay person in Tunisia, to work more on human rights, to work more on women rights, migrants’ rights…
When you now create a show what do you want the audience to take away from your performances?
DALI: Within our shows, for the audience it’s not about take away something but mostly it’s a question. It’s just…I want people to think differently, to not be brainwashed […] and educate themselves [….] It’s about also showing the good things of the future, the good things of accepting others.
Why do you think it is important to tackle serious issues such as LGBTQI+ and migrant rights through artistic performances such as your dances and interactive performances?
DALI: […] We want […]to give an idea to people that change is not good only for me – it is good for everyone.
CHAKIB: […] We are trying to give an educational aspect […] about acceptance, about love, about rights and how really, as refugees, […] what we are suffering from and the process, the long process that to be accepted into society isn’t easy. So, we are trying to put all these things into one performance.
How do you think dance can help challenge people’s notions of gender fluidity?
CHAKIB: […] despite growing up as a male in what we call, for example for me, a […] conservative society it gives you a different aspect of how you should act as a male and what are your duties […]. My challenge when I dance is to break up those stereotypes. I mean, it’s fine to be whatever you feel like and I try through my dances to give that sensibility through my body, through the movement and to express it in a way it gives different notions, different definitions of who I am […].
It [dance] gives […] the opportunity to discover your strength as men or as women or as trans or non-binary or whatever, and these experiences they allow you to be completely human […] because it teaches you how to not be ashamed of your body parts, do not be ashamed of who you are.
What are the biggest daily obstacles you face as an asylum seeker and a member of the LGBTQI+ community here in Malta?
DALI: […] I had my decision two weeks ago, so I am officially a refugee here in Malta and being an asylum seeker it’s so hard just because it takes too long […]. It’s a stigma […] just showing this paper – things change, even looks change, ways of how people address you and how they give you service will change […].
CHAKIB: Basically, being an asylum seeker in Malta is a nightmare […]. People don’t really care about who you are, and you are just a number on a file […]. You cannot even get married, I cannot even open a bank account […]. As an asylum seeker it means you are in the prison […] you don’t have freedom in so many different levels.
Image: Kris Micallef
Finally, what would you like people here in Malta to be more aware of when it comes to migration and the rights of LGBTQI+ asylum seekers such as yourself?
DALI: People […] are running away from war, they are coming to a safe place just so that they don’t die. It’s not about money, it’s not about the place that you are living in […], it’s about a human being that he’s saving himself, so this is the idea that we want that people have in mind […].
When it comes to LGBT asylum seekers […] it’s double rejection; rejection from your country, rejection from this country […]. People they are suffering from violence in the centres, they are suffering from psychological threats […]. So, for us […] this is what people have to understand in way and this is what we aim to work on and to change.
If you are interested in the work of MOAS and our partners, please follow us on social media, sign up to our newsletter and share our content. You can also reach out to us any time via [email protected] If you want to support our operations, please give what you can at www.moas.eu/donate. | <urn:uuid:2862b897-de94-456d-be22-c6151240d657> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.moas.eu/blog-civil-society-in-action-through-art/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.972622 | 1,399 | 1.796875 | 2 |
A biological pathway is the collection of interactions among molecules that are related to a function in a cell. The complexity of regulatory mechanisms and their interplay is formidable. Changing just one element is likely to cause downstream effects, disturb feedback-loops and trigger compensatory backup systems.
Bioinformatic pathway analysis seeks to answer which main cellular pathways are affected by the the genes that are differentially expressed between sample groups. This is done by comparing the mRNA results from the differential gene expression analysis with a pathway database. For miRNAs quantified by small RNA sequencing, target prediction is initially performed followed by pathway analysis based on the targeted mRNAs.
This type of analysis comes in many flavors; pathway analysis, gene ontology enrichment analysis, gene set enrichment analysis. The common goal is to ascribe a likely biological mechanisms affected by the difference between the samples being compared.
We mainly perform pathway analysis on gene ontology (GO) terms. GO terms are divided into three categories; biological process, cellular component and molecular function.
Alternatively, we also use the KEGG database.
OUTPUT FROM PATHWAY ANALYSIS
Most significantly enriched GO terms. Gives you a visual representation of the pathways/terms most significantly affected by the difference between the samples.
TABLE OF PATHWAYS
All significantly enriched GO terms. Dive into the specifics behind each term and get exact individual info for each GO term, including GeneIDs, p-values, and FDR values | <urn:uuid:d7115609-15ef-4711-972d-30843f3d03d5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://omiics.com/Services/bioinformatic-analysis/pathway-analysis.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.936992 | 306 | 2.359375 | 2 |
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving a website’s search engine ranking, usually without the use of paid advertising. For any serious band or business, SEO is a critical element in building and maintaining an effective and engaging online presence. It’s a part of doing business online and, as a musician, it’s a strategy that can enhance the promotion of your music to old and new fans alike.
Of course, if search engine optimization and ranking for search engines were easy, you wouldn’t be reading this article. In fact, SEO is a less than glamorous, but necessary, task that requires patience and persistence. You can improve the ranking of your website, but it’s a gradual process that takes time. Luckily, there are tricks and techniques that can help you along the way. We’ll cover the use of meta title tags, meta description tags, keywords, and complementary links to get you started in understanding how to delve into the world of SEO for your website.
Before we get started, however, it’s important to talk about your online content. Content is king, and no amount of SEO can overcome poor or nonexistent content. Make sure you’ve invested in creating quality, keyword-rich content that engages your prospective audience. This is not only a prerequisite for search engine optimization, but is a basic requirement for your own career longevity. For the purpose of this article, let’s assume you currently have a simple, but effective online presence that shows off your musical side to good effect.
Search engines, such as Google and Bing, are designed to organize the near infinite amount of information on the web using algorithms that change over time to reflect changes in search patterns and innovations on the web. These search engines analyze (or “crawl”) specific parts of a website to determine its importance and, subsequently, a particular site’s ranking in search engine results. This includes page titles and headings, meta titles, meta descriptions, keywords, links from other websites, interactions from social media sites, and the most important element, your site’s keyword-rich content.
If the code behind web pages is something new to you, be sure to take a moment now and review the short articles found in the story links at the end of this article. Every page on your website should make use of the meta title, meta description, and meta keywords tags in its header section. These tags provide most of the information that search engines display in search results. To improve your ranking in search results, you’ll need to invest the time to create unique and relevant tags that accurately describe the content for each page on your web site using keywords. (Remember, you don’t have to do it all in one day!) Below you’ll find an example of a header section from an online information resource called the Musician’s Business Dictionary.
As you can see, this website’s description is short and to the point, and the keywords list is not overly long. That is because relevance trumps quantity when it comes to carefully selecting your keywords. NOTE: As of this post, Google no longer puts much emphasis on the actual “keywords” meta tag, though it may be relevant for other search engines.
Selecting the Right Keywords
Deciding which keywords to use can be a challenge but it’s absolutely essential to improving your ranking. Use relevant keywords in both the meta title tag and the meta description tag, as well as throughout your website’s content. Keywords are a critical part of determining who sees a website in search results and how that website is ranked within those results. To help you determine the best keywords for your site, there are some tools at your fingertips.
Google Analytics (GA) is one of the most effective tools that will help you improve your keyword selections – and it’s free. (Learn how to set up your own Google Analytics account in the article linked at the end of the post.)
Among a wealth of other information, Google Analytics will show you which keywords are currently driving traffic to your website (to see this information, login to your GA account and visit the Organic tab under Traffic Sources > Sources > Search). You should also review the number of visits and the number of pages per visit each keyword generates. Additionally, Google Analytics shows the average length of each visit and the percentage of new visits for keywords. Use this information to emphasize keywords that score high in each of these areas.
Another useful tool for determining which keywords to use is the Keyword Tool inside Google AdWords. Unlike Google Analytics, Google AdWords is a paid advertising service that provides a complete online advertising system for businesses to quickly design and launch a marketing campaign with a set budget. However, you don’t need to spend a cent or even create an account to use Google AdWords to your benefit because the Keyword Tool is free.
As part of the analytical tools found in Google AdWords, the Keyword Tool will identify the potential best keywords for your site based on search information collected from all past Google searches and will generate not only a list of suggested keywords but also the number of monthly global and local searches that use each keyword. Simply visit Keyword Tool and provide either a word or phase describing your website, your website’s URL, or the category of your website. The resulting suggested keywords may surprise you and provide additional ideas and inspiration.
Exchanging links, or “link building”, is another important part of improving the ranking of a website in search results. This is because search engines judge websites based on “votes” in the form of back links from other websites. The more websites that back link to a website, the more important that website appears to be. Of course, it’s not purely about numbers since search engines not only count the number but also evaluate the quality of back links pointing to a website.
One way to increase the number of quality back links to your website is to identify and reach out to other websites that appear in the top search results when you search for related keywords. Mutually exchanging links with other websites is a great way to not only boost your website’s search ranking but also reach the audiences of similar sites. Be careful to exchange links with credible and similar sites, however, because failing to do so will hurt your search ranking. Also don’t spam other websites with requests for link building. It simply doesn’t pay to develop that kind of reputation in the online world.
Another way to increase the number and quality of back links to your website it by posting updates with links to new content from your website on news platforms like Digg, Reddit, and StumbleUpon. This will not only increase your number of back links but also get your website in front of new audiences and help to increase your band and brand awareness.
With the meteoric rise of social media, search engines are beginning to adjust search algorithms to incorporate information from popular social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. It’s becoming increasingly common for the number of likes, shares, keywords, and comments on the content of external websites within social media to impact search rankings. This means that as a musician, it’s even more important to maintain an active presence on social media sites.
If you haven’t already done so, be sure to setup a Facebook page, a Google+ page, and a Twitter account for yourself or your band. While this is not an article about how to use and interact on social media, it’s important to be genuine and relevant in your posts. To get an idea of how established artists are using social media, check out the social media presence of Imogen Heap, Blink 182, Amanda Palmer, and Neko Case to see what works. Try to share new and engaging content on a regular basis, based on how much time you can devote to this aspect of your career. Interact with fans by answering their questions or asking for their input on creative projects. The more relationships you cultivate through social media, the more likely your content will be liked and shared, thus improving your website’s search ranking with time.
While it’s important to build and maintain a presence across all of the major social networking sites, it’s now especially important to do so on Google+. This is because Google recently announced that it has begun including interactions on Google+ and the +1 button as key signals in its search algorithm. Simply put, connecting with fans and other artists on Google+ in a genuine fashion will have a positive impact on your search ranking.
In a similar method as evaluating the quality of back links, Google considers the quality of connections. Simply adding hundreds of Google+ users to your circles will do nothing to improve your ranking (in fact, it will hurt it). A Google+ profile with interaction among genuine connections will rank significantly higher than a Google+ profile with hundreds of unrelated or fake account connections. Again, the key to success here is investing the time required to build relationships with fans, similar artists and related websites.
There are many more advanced search engine optimization techniques. For the brave of heart, using a robots.txt file to restrict crawling (the term search engines use for the process of indexing a site) can improve your website’s search ranking by removing your website’s less relevant or redundant pages from the search results. You can either write this file by hand or use Google Webmaster Tools to generate a properly formatted file. Additionally, you can utilize Google Webmaster Tools to identify issues Google encountered while crawling your website.
A more automated SEO tool worth considering is BrandYourself. You can submit links to your website, Facebook page, Google+ profile, a review of your latest album, etc. BrandYourself then analyzes the content of the links and provides suggestions for improving the search rankings. BrandYourself even sends alerts when your search rankings change and allows you to see who is using Google to find your content. However, to insure the best overall results, BrandYourself and similar automated search engine optimization sites are best used in tandem with the traditional, manual techniques outlined earlier. There is no single “silver bullet” that can instantly improve search rankings. Learning how to benefit from SEO takes time, patience, and persistence.
Search engine optimization can be intimidating but it’s essential to promoting your music online. If fans can’t find you, your voice can’t be heard. If all this makes you want to run screaming from the room, don’t panic! Instead, identify one of your fans who is a web wizard and enlist them to help you chart a plan to use SEO to build your audience and online visibility.
Use keyword-rich tags within website pages to accurately and creatively describe content; use Google Analytics and Google AdWords to find the right keywords for your website; use link building to exchange links with other artists and engage fans with social media to increase your website’s number of back links and social activity; and, of course, continue creating great content! Once you learn the basic tools covered in this article, it’s likely that by using each of these steps for as little fifteen minutes each day throughout the week, you’ll begin to significantly improve your band or arstist website’s search ranking and drive more traffic to discover your music.
Keith Hatschek is a contributing writer for Echoes and the author of two books on the music industry. The Golden Moment: Recording Secrets of the Pros and How to Get a Job in the Music Industry. He directs the Music Management Program at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA.
Bryce McLaughlin began developing digital solutions for musicians in 2010 when he the started the non-profitKey Man Group. He is currently pursuing an MBA from the University of the Pacific.
How Websites Work (MediaCollege.com)
A basic overview that explains which technology and software is required to create an individual web page.
Search Engine Marketing and Optimization Glossary of Terms (Shannon K. Steffen International LLC)
SEO work relies on a specialized set of jargon and acronyms that can be confusing to a newbie.
Getting Started Using Google Analytics by Meghan Peters (Mashable.com)
A great intro to how to set up and use GA to understand what’s working and what’s not to drive traffic to your website.
Developing Your Voice on Facebook
A CD Baby guide to getting comfortable using the world’s number one social media platform to promote your music.
Social Shares Trump Keywords in Google Search Rankings (Business2Community.com)
An excellent article that shares useful data on the rising tide of social media activity in your SEO implementation. The author makes the case that social media activity is surpassing keywords as the leading indicator for search results. | <urn:uuid:442c2689-5b34-49d6-93e3-4f147f1fda36> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blog.discmakers.com/2012/08/a-musicians-guide-to-seo/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.906591 | 2,682 | 1.890625 | 2 |
Bathrooms are very characteristic places and are the focal point of everyone’s eyes. Though their key objective is to offer individuals with a place to relax themselves, bathrooms have become so much more than that. Many individuals put a lot of thought and energy into how they want their bathrooms to appear. For many it is of no importance but unattractive bathrooms do not really make a sense. To decorate bathroom is a very challenging task. We should keep in mind following important things before decorating a bathroom.
The wall, ceiling and floor material like mats or carpets should be water proof and can easily and quickly be cleaned. To reduce the risk of electric shock we should use install electrical appliances with permanent connections rather than sockets and plugs. System of lighting should be proper so that person can perform his daily routine activities like showering, shaving, cleaning in an efficient manner. Following are basic 20 modern particulars that renovate your dull bathrooms into fantastic relaxation and refreshing spaces.
Paints produce wall cover challenges due to high levels of moisture. So the paint used, should be of good quality. Paints that are specially formulated to perform well in high humidity should be used. Colors that are used in bathrooms should be attractive as well as refreshing. Dark color schemes is not a very good choice for small bathrooms. Choose paint that isn’t too wildly dissimilar from your bathroom tiles.
Natural light is a vital part of modern design style particularly in the bathroom. Even if it is a small bathroom, if there is natural light getting in you will definitely feel relaxed and refreshing. So there should be one or two windows allowing natural light to come in or for ventilation purposes.
A small chandelier is a good choice for a bathroom as it adds style to your bathroom. You can make your bathroom become romantic by using these lovely chandeliers.
Lighting your room from the floor up is an electrifying and modern idea to add beauty to your bathroom. Floor lights offer atmosphere along with an effective level of light.
Vanity Lighted Mirror
Mirror in bathroom is an important necessity. And we also know that mirror are important for reflecting light and usually brightening a room so a mirror should be of top quality and well placed. More and more people choose LED mirrors for their bathroom. Because backlit mirrors containing lights are perfect if you would like to use the bathroom mirror for doing shaving, make-up and more. A good bathroom vanity mirror brings more light into the room and can add an atmospheric touch.
Corner Vanity Sink
Installing a corner vanity sink is a good choice over pedestal sink if you want to give your bathroom a modern look. If your bathroom is of small size it would be the best choice as it takes little space easily fit into a vacant corner of your lavatory.
If you have an old-fashioned dull yellow light scheme in your bathroom replaced it with white light. So that your bathroom gives a modern look. Yellow light makes bathrooms to look small and gloomy. Embellish your bath with lighting that makes a statement. Use damp rated recessed lighting in showers to avoid rust and yellowing.
Curtains add beauty to your bathrooms. Fit blinds or curtains of a light shade like skin, peach or of cream color. Make sure that they are thick enough to offer a protected screen but thin enough to let some natural light in as it feels peaceful and relaxing if a good natural light comes in. You could also fit blinds that hide place only the bottom half of your windows, allowing light in through the top half.
If you do not want to replace yellow light use a light covering so that it reflects the bright light despite of outdated yellow lights and gives your bathroom an incredible look.
Tiles or Flooring
Tiles are very important for the bathroom, it can give your bathroom a modern look. Glass tiles are more eye-catching.
Freestanding tub is a basic entity for modern bathroom designs. It is a beautiful luxury. Freestanding bathtubs proposes several great advantages that are hard to overlook.
One of the most guaranteed ways to give an excellent look and improve functionality of your bathroom is through the addition of bathroom cabinets. You can keep clothes, towels and other bathroom products in these cabinets that helps in maintaining the bathroom neat and decrease the amount of mess lying around.
Use small and elegant towel holders instead of very big and ugly hanger.
This may seem like a really simple idea, but put your hand soap in a beautiful dispenser. Appears like a really small bathroom decorating idea, but it is the particulars that make all the difference.
Spotlights are fashionable and up-to-date and can give the kind of light that creates atmosphere. They are very discreet and can be used in ceilings to precisely highlight an area of the room. Fixing a spotlight above a vanity mirror, can work really well.
Tray or box
To keep toiletries find any beautiful tray or box matching with your bathroom’s color scheme and keep it, from where it can easily be accessible.
Adding a touch of greenery gives an attractive and refreshing look to your bathrooms. Keep indoor plants in your bathroom so that it will help you to lower your worry levels, calm you and start your day off on a happier note. Plants also purify the air.
If your bathroom has shelves, use this space by putting different kinds of decoration pieces like vases, candles etc. or you can also use it to keep toiletries.
One common thing people hate about their bathrooms is an absence of aeriation. Steaming up the room can be enjoyable if you have a head cold, but it’s not great for the life of the paint or the general freshness of the room. By fitting a bathroom fan, you can make an environment perfect for you.
To make your child’s bath time, a fun time bathroom toys is one of the best option. Keep them in elegant basket or on the shelves if your bathroom has.
So, if you want to give your bathroom an eye catchy look do not forget to get an idea of decorating it with the above mentioned manners. | <urn:uuid:8676bcc4-dc5b-4e88-95fa-8ca3ebef67c9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.decoraport.ca/english/blog/inspirational-ideas-for-decorating-a-bathroom | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.938869 | 1,330 | 1.734375 | 2 |
Environmental technology or envirotech, also called green technology or clean technology, applies theories from environmental science, green chemistry, environmental monitoring and energy conservation to provide better ways for humans to interact with the world. Green technology is apart of sustainable development. Recycling, water purification, air purification, sewage treatment, environmental remediation, solid waste management, renewable energy and energy conservation are all included in green technology. New technology becomes available every year that challenges the old world thinking of how to use resources.
Biofiltration is one pollution control technique that uses living materials to capture and biologically degrade process pollutants, such as those in waste water. This technology helps to remove both air and water pollution. In most applications, biofiltration treats malodoros compounds and water-soluble volatile organic compounds often found in food and animal products.
Electricity by hydropower is another example of green technology, where electrical power is created through the use of gravitational force of falling or flowing water. Hydroelectricity is used as a renewable form of energy in many societies. This technology produces hardly any direct waste and produces a lower level of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.
Solar power is one of the most recognized green technologies. Using sunlight, solar panels convert the light into electricity, either by photovoltaics or concentrated solar power. Concentrated solar power use lenses or mirrors to focus large portions of sunlight into a small beam. Photovoltaics convert light into electric currents using what is known as the photoelectric effect. Solar power is becoming more common and even comes with tax benefits for those who install solar panels in homes and businesses.
There are new forms of energy conservation technology being developed every year. Engineers work exclusively on projects to create different energy conservation applications, such as electronic ballasts for high-intensity gas discharge lamps for use along public roads. Other gadgets include solar powered clocks and new energy efficient washing machines are also a focus in the green technology sector.
Original Article Here | <urn:uuid:dd2438d8-c999-40b6-af31-59d8aa1de0b9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://agrihunt.com/recent-researches/green-technology/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.931771 | 401 | 3.546875 | 4 |
A coronavirus variant discovered in Colombia is showing up among patients in South Florida, increasing infections and putting health officials on alert as calls grow louder for unvaccinated individuals to get inoculated.
Migoya told the news station that he speculated B.1.621 is rising in South Florida because of international travel between Colombia and Miami, which serves as a gateway to Latin America.
A person who replied to an email sent from The Washington Post to Migoya’s office said he was unavailable to comment.
Health experts will keep B.1.621 on their radar as the fall season looms and as parts of the country still lag in their vaccination efforts, experts told The Post.
The earliest documented samples of B.1.621 were noted in January, and at least 16 cases have been recently reported in the United Kingdom, where health officials have noted that the majority of cases linked to the variant were the result of international travel.
Public Health England noted last week that there is currently no evidence to indicate that the variant causes more severe disease or evades the efficacy of vaccines. Yet the agency has designated the variant to be under investigation as it continues to conduct lab testing to better understand the impact mutations have on the coronavirus.
The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention has also chosen to assign the variant as one of interest, as evidence could suggest significant impact. But the designation also notes that much of the data is preliminary and marked with many questions.
In the United States, the variant has yet to be named a variant of interest or concern, accounting for just more than 2.1 percent of cases as of July 17, noted John Sellick, a professor at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.
“The only time it becomes important is if it gives virus selective advantage, which we’ve seen with delta variant,” he said. “We’ll see with this one. … What we have to see is two weeks from now, or four weeks from now, is this going to do another trick and wind up being more?”
Sellick noted how quickly the delta variant went from accounting for just more than 10 percent cases at the beginning of June to more than 80 percent of cases by mid-July.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring more than 10 other variants in addition to B.1.621, the variant popping up in South Florida.
Only time will provide more information about B.1.621, Sellick said.
“If this thing is really more transmissible and goes from 2 percent [of infections] to 30 percent or to 60 percent; we don’t want to see that,” he said. “It has to be more fit than the delta variant. It would have to be more transmissible.”
It doesn’t take much time for variants to spread, especially among unvaccinated people, said Preeti N. Malani, chief health officer and a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Michigan.
Malani pointed to drug company Biogen’s annual leadership conference in February 2020, from which the coronavirus spread across Massachusetts and the country, as an example of how quickly variants can spread.
“If you have a lot of unvaccinated people gathering and then they’re going back home, you could have very rapid transmission in few weeks,” she said.
Concerns about variants really set in when they are more contagious or elude the vaccine, she said.
Many worries about variants and further infections can be mitigated with more people choosing to get vaccinated, but that effort has become like a “whack-a-mole” initiative as new variants emerge and fears about vaccination hinder progress, Malani said.
“This concept of risk is interesting. We understand we take risks with a lot of things,” she said, mentioning car travel or late-night dog walks as examples. “With coronavirus, that risk seems so high to some and to others it’s not. [The risk is] somewhere in the middle. The risk of vaccination is really rare. As we move forward, the risk is not going to go to zero anytime soon.”
As the delta variant continues to wreak havoc across the country, along with other coronavirus variants making their debut in new infections, it might be time to reconsider travel and social plans even if one is vaccinated, experts say.
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This course explores the physical processes that control Earth's atmosphere, ocean, and climate. Quantitative methods for constructing mass and energy budgets. Topics include clouds, rain, severe storms, regional climate, the ozone layer, air pollution, ocean currents and productivity, the seasons, El Nio, the history of Earth's climate, global warming, energy, and water resources.
This is the first semester in a two-semester introductory course focused on current theories of structure and mechanism in organic chemistry, their historical development, and their basis in experimental observation. The course is open to freshmen with excellent preparation in chemistry and physics, and it aims to develop both taste for original science and intellectual skills necessary for creative research.
This is a continuation of Freshman Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 125a), the introductory course on current theories of structure and mechanism in organic chemistry for students with excellent preparation in chemistry and physics. This semester treats simple and complex reaction mechanisms, spectroscopy, organic synthesis, and some molecules of nature.
This course focuses on three particularly interesting areas of astronomy that are advancing very rapidly: Extra-Solar Planets, Black Holes, and Dark Energy. Particular attention is paid to current projects that promise to improve our understanding significantly over the next few years. The course explores not just what is known, but what is currently not known, and how astronomers are going about trying to find out.
This course provides a thorough introduction to the principles and methods of physics for students who have good preparation in physics and mathematics. Emphasis is placed on problem solving and quantitative reasoning. This course covers Newtonian mechanics, special relativity, gravitation, thermodynamics, and waves.
This is a continuation of Fundamentals of Physics, I (PHYS 200), the introductory course on the principles and methods of physics for students who have good preparation in physics and mathematics. This course covers electricity, magnetism, optics and quantum mechanics. | <urn:uuid:e3e3c30a-d814-4645-8930-fb9925abf032> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wlresources.dpi.wi.gov/browse?f.provider_set=135 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.920447 | 395 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Once long ago a region of fishing and farming villages and later a British colony for over 150 years, Hong Kong is today a glorious mix of traditional Chinese elements interwoven with progressive 21st century modern living and ideals; in every way Hong Kong is an embodiment of a true east-meets-west destination. Although the territory has a diverse array of things to offer its visitors, for many the name Hong Kong is synonymous with skyscrapers. Nowhere else in the world has as many buildings which soar to heights of more than 150m and the sight is all the more spectacular here as most of these are clustered into a relatively small space giving the appearance of a space-age skyline straight from a science fiction movie.
The territory which encompasses both natural and densely populated urban environments is full of a diverse offering of things to see and do. These include a journey on the oldest funicular railway in the world, charming colonial leftovers, boat trips of every kind, a giant Buddha perched on a hilltop and ornate temple complexes infused with the heady aromas of eternally burning incense. For exploring it all Hong Kong has excellent and multiple forms of public transport. This includes its extensive MTR network of heavy and light rail services, a highly efficient bus system, trams and multiple taxis which make getting around its various neighborhoods and islands as easy as possible. As you wander the Hong Kong streets there is no knowing what delights you may unearth. You might find locals practicing tai chi, stroll past food vendors selling dishes unrecognizable to the western eye, find yourself in front of a colonial church or stumble across one of its traditional markets selling birds, goldfish or flowers.
The itinerary suggested here allows for a route which takes in many of the city’s major highlights while also allowing an element of chance discoveries between getting from one point of interest to the other. The morning packs a lot in around the busier Hong Kong districts while the afternoon options allow you to slow things down a little.
A Morning in Hong Kong
Many of the most fascinating elements of Hong Kong are best found from wandering and chancing across its delights during your exploration as already mentioned. However, Hong Kong is crowded – especially the area around Hong Kong Island’s north shore where most of what you will want to see is clustered. This means doing everything on foot, although possible, can be exhausting and even frustrating at times. The perfect solution to this is to ride the iconic double-decker trams known to the locals as ding-dings – a sound you will hear often as the bells are rung for passengers wanting to get off.
A Hong Kong Tram Ride
A ride on these wonderful trolley cars which have been serving Hong Kong since 1904 and which are a very obvious left-over from times of British rule is an attraction in itself. As the only double-decker tram service which still exists in the world they also have great historical significance. Their high frequency, slow pace and incredibly budget-friendly fares make them ideal to use as a kind of hop-on hop-off self-tour for covering the main Hong Kong Island must-sees. As you make your way along these time-worn routes you will be granted a unique glimpse into Hong Kong life and you can if you wish simply take the entire 1 hour journey from Kennedy Town in the west to Shau Kei-Wan in the east which covers both city center and suburbia. Doing so allows you to enjoy the distinctly contrasting views of Hong Kong’s east-meets-west aspects and have one-after-the-other views of both its more traditional and modern sides. Along the way will be found soaring skyscrapers, colonial architecture and ancient temples while flashy and fashionable shopping centers rub shoulders with old-fashioned stores and traditional markets selling dried foods and medicines.
Using this wonderful relic of days gone by couldn’t be simpler. The Hong Kong tramway has more than 100 stops along its 13km stretch with trams departing from each every couple of minutes. Stops are normally a covered island located in the road with a green sign which denotes its number and name. The same is also painted on the shelter roofs to give top-deck travelling passengers the ability to see where they are from the tram itself; some tram-cars also have an internal LED ‘next stop’ display in English. If you get super lucky you might get to ride car 120 with its bamboo benches and wooden window frames – the only one of the three remaining 1950 trams plying the public route. Payment of the HK$2.60 (around 30 US cents) is made on exiting the tram and is a flat rate no matter whether you ride one stop or the entire route.
The following suggests some of the main sights along the route in detail but should something catch your eye and you feel merits a closer look you can simply hop off and explore the color and life on foot and then catch another tram when you have satisfied your curiosity.
Man Mo Temple Complex
Just a 400 meter walk from the major tram stop of Western Market and surrounded by the financial district’s famous skyscrapers can be found an exquisite Taoist temple complex. Constructed in the mid 1800s during China’s last imperial era, Man Mo is a riot of red and gold with the air constantly heavy with the aromas of incense. This latter is created by a sea of giant cones suspended from the ceiling, each of which burns for about 2 weeks.
Dedicated to the deities of Man and Mo (gods of literature and war), the temple was once a go-to spot for both scholars and students of Imperial China with dreams of success and career advancement. This relatively small space can often be full of present-day worshippers but always manages to exude an air of serenity which is in stark contrast to the hectic city bustle which is a short distance from its wooden entrance.
The complex is also home to Lit Shing Kung which serves as a space for worshipping all Chinese gods along with Kung Sor whose purpose was that of community assembly hall.
The Mid-levels Escalator
Although the 20 escalators and moving walkways which make up the Mid-levels Escalator system were not intended as a tourist attraction they have certainly become one. Covering just less than 1km, this system represents the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator and, serving as a means for Hong Kong locals to get to and from work, is perhaps one of the planet’s most unusual commuting methods. Every day 78,000 people use these escalators to make light work of Hong Kong’s hilly terrain – a great deal more than were envisaged when the system opened in the 1990s. To make it even more attractive to city visitors the whole is lined with shops and places to eat while clear signage points out where to get off for specific attractions.
The journey, if ridden from beginning to end of its Central to Mid-levels route, takes about 20 minutes and covers plenty of interest on route for tourists. These include Hong Kong’s oldest market district and those known for arts and antiques while also passing by museums, shops and historic buildings.
One quirk of the escalators is that they only run in one direction at a time – downhill from Mid-levels to Central from 6 to 10 am for the morning commute and then in reverse from 10 am to midnight. The nearest tram stop for the start of the escalator system on Queens Road Central is Pottinger Street/72W. You can combine your escalator ride with your visit to Man Mo Temple – getting off at the Hollywood Road exit for the temple – although as this is uphill you will have to do so after 10 am.
The Peak Tram and Victoria Peak
Closest tram stop 33E Murray Road
This next part of your Hong Kong adventure gives you two special treats in one – a ride on one of the world’s steepest funicular railways and views from Hong Kong Island’s highest look-out point. Aside from being a thrilling ride which at times feels not far off a dizzying vertical, the journey is also an historic one as the Peak Tram has been ferrying passengers to and fro along its 1.7km track for more than 130 years.
Traditionally Victoria Peak was where the wealthiest of the British colonists lived and where, by law, the Chinese were actually denied residence until the middle of the 20th century. Today your steep climb will take you through what even in modern times remains the most exclusive residential districts for the rich and influential of Hong Kong.
There is a choice of ticket types to ride the Peak Tram some of which give you included access to the Sky Terrace observation deck or include entry to Hong Kong’s Madame Tussauds which is one of the Peak’s attractions. The ride is short but rising to a height of around 1,300ft/396m affords wonderful views of the harbor. However if it is views you are after the Peak itself – or more specifically the Peak Tower – is star of the show with its 360 degree views from the 1,404ft/428m open-air look-out deck – probably not one for vertigo sufferers. Your gaze will take in a sea of skyscrapers, ocean and islands with far reaching views beyond Hong Kong on a clear day.
Along with its breath-taking views the Peak Tower is also home to shops, restaurants and cafes and the Sky Gallery which exhibits historical photos. Also located on the Peak is the Peak Galleria which is a shopping and dining complex with its own open-air free-entry observation deck and a tram museum. While you are here you can explore the free-to-enter Trick Eye Museum if you are in need of some special effects diversion and great photo opportunities. This collection of art pieces uses clever optical illusion techniques to make its paintings appear 3D. By posing, climbing and otherwise interacting with the paintings you can appear to be traversing giant holes on a thin strip of wood or escaping the jaws of a monster fish.
If you’d prefer to stretch your legs and make the most of the high-point’s cooling breeze you can take the 2 mile cliff-side Peak Circle Walk to arrive at another stunning look-out point.
Once you have had your fill of spectacular views you can either ride the Peak Tram back down to where you started or stroll down through a peaceful tree garden.
It is worth noting that although the tram cars leave every 10 minutes or so the lines for this must-do attraction can get long later in the day – mornings are usually the least crowded. Alternatively you can get to the Peak by bus.
Morning Coffee Break in Hong Kong
Having been part of the Hong Kong crowds for a while you will no doubt need a pause for breath and a refueling before embarking on the rest of your morning adventures.
If you intend to take in Golden Bauhinia Square next as suggested in this itinerary a great choice for morning coffee in the vicinity is the Yiu Wa Street Coffee Academics. This is definitely one for the artisanal coffee fan and those who love gorgeous interiors in which to enjoy it.
Coffee Academics is something of a big name in this corner of the world with other locations in Hong Kong as well as China and Singapore. It has received wide acclaim appearing in such lists as The Telegraph’s ‘world’s best coffee shops’ and has scooped itself international awards with its in-house roasting and distinctive brands. The Causeway Bay branch however is its flagship venue and features an industrial Bohemian style interior complete with exposed brick, wood and marble and warmly muted tones with splashes of color.
A firm favorite with the Hong Kong locals, Coffee Academics also serves meals and snacks along with its menu of handcrafted coffees, teas and cold drinks.
Another convenient choice if you decide to forego the possible interesting asides detailed a little later and hop straight on the Star Ferry after the Peak Tram is Cafe Bauhinia. This calm, quiet space serves up a fair amount of quaint along with its coffee, teas, snacks and sweet treats as it is part cafe and part flower shop. Bright and airy, the flower-festooned walls and terrace not only fill the air with the scent of blossoms but create a secret garden atmosphere. This quirky concept cafe acts as the perfect coffee break antidote to the bustling Hong Kong streets just outside its doors.
A few Interesting Asides – Golden Bauhinia Square, the Noonday Gun and St John’s Cathedral
Depending on your energy levels and time schedule you might like to fit one of the following aside attractions into your itinerary. Each can be reached on foot from a tram stop to make life a little easier.
Golden Bauhinia Square
Closest tram stop 45E Fleming Road
For many visitors a quick stop-off at Golden Bauhinia Square is a must. While the views of Kowloon and its skyline or a stroll along the promenade appeal to many the principal attraction here is a 6m high sculpture of a giant golden flower. As sculptures and monuments go you have probably seen them in more spectacular forms elsewhere but it is what this blossom symbolizes that makes it of such great importance to the people of Hong Kong. This sculpture was gifted to the city by China to mark the return of Hong Kong to China by the British in 1997.
The Noonday Gun
Closest tram stop 51E Percival Street
The Hotchkiss naval artillery gun known as the Noonday Gun is set inside an enclosed waterfront area at Causeway Bay. Although the gun here today is not the original – this one was used during WWI in the 1916 Battle of Jutland – the Noonday Gun has a story attached. The first gun on this site was placed there in the 1840s by a mighty British trading house whose wealth was founded through involvement in the tea, cotton and opium industries. When the Japanese occupied Hong Kong during WWII the original gun was removed and the one you see now put in place by the British Royal Navy.
Every day at noon the gun is ceremonially fired – hence the name.
St John’s Cathedral
Closest tram stop 31E Bank Street
From an aesthetic point of view St John’s Cathedral is perhaps not an attention grabber; it has a rather plain exterior and its interior is bereft of original fittings as they were stripped by the Japanese during wartime occupation. However, for those interested in places with historical significance this is worth making a stop for. The skyscraper-surrounded church dating from 1849 is the oldest Western religious building in Hong Kong and nowhere in the Far East has an Anglican church which pre-dates this one. During the WWII occupation by the Japanese military it was used as a social club by the soldiers.
The Star Ferry
Closest tram stop 33E Murray Road
With Hong Kong made up of a series of islands there is no shortage of ferries plying the waterways to carry passengers to and fro. However, there is one – the Star Ferry – which is considered the major must-do for any visitor to the territory and along with the Peak Tram takes the title of most popular tourist attraction. The historic Star Ferry is not one but a fleet of boats – some of them vintage craft – displaying names such as Twinkling Star and Celestial Star which between them shuttle around 26 million passengers between either Central or Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island to Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon peninsula every year. And as they have been offering the same service for more than 120 years the Star Ferry is an important piece of Hong Kong’s heritage.
The iconic journey is incredibly cheap (around 30 US cents) and actually relatively short (about 11 minutes). However during your few minutes of crossing the harbor’s calm waters you will get to drink in views of what is often described by those who have seen it with words and phrases such as ‘spectacular’, ‘breathtaking’ and ‘the best urban panorama on the planet’. This is particularly stunning on a bright day when the city’s sea of skyscrapers which paint such an impressive skyline of every shape and size are reflecting the sun’s rays from their glass and metal surfaces. An added bonus to enjoying this incredible scenic backdrop is the cooling breeze.
If you don’t feel you can get your fill during the brief shuttle between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island Star Ferry also offer hour long tours with a variety of ticket types possible.
Once alighting from your Star Ferry ride you will be setting foot on the part of Hong Kong which connects with mainland China – Kowloon. Besides its wonderful views of Hong Kong Island’s towering skyscrapers this densely populated area – in fact one of the most densely populated in the world – offers a wonderfully chaotic blend of street markets, private dwellings, museums, temples and shops both traditional and modern. Any exploration here will reward you with some real glimpses into local Hong Kong life.
The Clock Tower
Within a stone’s throw from the Star Ferry Tsim Sha Tsui terminal can be found a famous Hong Kong landmark; at 44m high and directly overlooking the harbor it is in fact impossible to miss this elegant colonial remnant when approaching by ferry. One of the city’s Declared Monuments, the Clock Tower dates from 1915 and was once part of the railway station built here although all but the tower is now long gone.
Lunch in Hong Kong
Whether your heart is set on some elegant lunchtime dining in international venues hosted by celebrity chefs, satisfying your appetite with authentic Cantonese cuisine or tucking into midday meals at something more street-side and casual you couldn’t have arrived in a better place than Tsim Sha Tsui. This is the area where you will have disembarked after your Star Ferry journey. The location has some of the city’s most acclaimed restaurants as well as being known as a Cantonese cuisine hot-spot so your choices will be endless.
If you have a fancy to do lunch the Hong Kong way and indulge in some of those morsels known as dim sum you would be hard pressed to beat Hotel Icon’s award-winning Above and Beyond. Not only is the dim sum itself here often described as heavenly but so too is this Cantonese restaurant’s altitude which means a sky-high view of Victoria Harbour is also on the menu. If you are new to the world of the delicately crafted bites known as dim sum and a little bewildered by your choices you can simply opt for the dim sum platter which puts together some of the acclaimed chef’s top creations. Otherwise you can choose a set lunch or one of the a la carte menu choices which include light and tasty treats as well as more filling options for those with larger appetites. The dining space is an understated but elegant mix of soft tones and white table cloths with the spectacular view through the large windows likely to be the major focus of attention.
Other great choices in the area for dim sum fans include Michelin starred Inter Continental’s Yan Toh Heen where food is served with beautiful jade tableware and which also happens to have a great Victoria Harbour view.
For something delightfully different why not try a picnic in the park at Urban Park in the Attitude Hotel on Granville Road. The ‘park’ is actually a large grass covered open-air roof restaurant which specializes in European cuisine. The air is unpretentious casual fine dining and the lines elegantly simple. Their lunchtime picnic basket choices come packed with hot and cold treats and sparkling wine with a picnic blanket supplied to add extra charm. Otherwise there are set lunch options and an a la carte menu.
An Afternoon in Hong Kong
Appetites sated with dim sum, picnic treats or some other city cuisine choice you are ready to begin the second half of your Hong Kong day. This itinerary has been purposely planned to allow you to slow things down a little now after your busy morning in lively Hong Kong streets. Take your pick from visiting one of the city’s most acclaimed museums combined with beautiful gardens or head out to Lantau Island to tick off a few of the city’s most iconic must-see sights.
Hong Kong Museum of History
Hong Kong has a wide choice of museums covering themes as diverse as space, tea-ware, coastal defense, chocolate and science. However, that which most consistently emerges as the cream of the crop is the Museum of History located just a 20 minute walk from the Star Ferry pier. Previous visitors rave about its excellent layout and its ability to totally absorb and engage with its innovative galleries.
Packed inside this large 75,000 square feet complex divided into eight galleries is a collection of over 90,000 items and 4,000 exhibits which cover an astonishing 400 million years of Hong Kong history. Starting from the area’s geological beginnings, the museum leads you on a journey of discovery through time covering such highlights as various Chinese dynasties, the opium wars, the colonial period and the Japanese occupation during WWII while the end of the story is marked by the 1997 hand-back of Hong Kong to China by the British.
Along the way with the help of graphic panels, dioramas and audio-visual effects you will also learn about Hong Kong’s various natural disasters – which include floods, earthquakes, wildfires, typhoons and landslides – as well as local folk culture, religious ceremonies and wildlife. The whole is a refreshing state-of-the-art deviation from the museum format which can seem to be just an endless series of displays in glass cases. The Hong Kong History Museum is truly about immersion, interaction and helping history come to life. These concepts are all perhaps best demonstrated with the museum’s full-size recreation of an entire street as it would have appeared during colonial times. This charming mock-up comes complete with shops, a double-decker tram and a soundtrack which recreates vendor street cries and the rattle of rumbling carts. Elsewhere on the two floors highlights include elaborate Chinese costume displays, village housing replicas and actual WWII film footage from the time.
As an added bonus the Hong Kong Museum of History is free although its temporary exhibitions normally attract a charge.
Other Museum Choices
While the Museum of History consistently ranks among visitors as one of the city’s best there is no shortage of other options including some more unusual offerings. One definitely in this category is Dialogue in the Dark where visitors are guided through complete darkness accompanied by a visually impaired guide. Other more conventional offerings include the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre. In the themed category are such things as the Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences which guides visitors through the story of healthcare from traditional medicines to modern day methods, the Hong Kong Railway Museum and the International Hobby and Toy Museum with its collection of antique toys through to memorabilia and pop-culture collectibles.
Nan Lian Gardens
While Hong Kong is undeniably fascinating it is also without doubt crowded, So, if exploring one of the 10 most densely populated cities on the planet has left you feeling in need of a little peaceful downtime there is a perfect solution right here. After passing through the Nan Lian’s three-way entrance gates representing compassion, wisdom and skilful means you will instantly (and almost magically) transition from the decidedly bustling to that of blissful sanctuary.
Opened in 2006 as a free-to enter public park, the Tang Dynasty-style Nan Lien Gardens were designed with a view to promoting traditional Chinese culture. In centuries gone by classical gardens such as these were built on grand scales for emperors while individuals such as poets, scholars and warriors created more intimate spaces as places for reflection and retreat. But whether vast imperial leisure garden or a means of escape from the outside world the intention was always to create a harmonious link between man and nature.
Water is the main theme of this culturally-rich sanctuary inside the city and that comes in the form of lotus-sprinkled ponds, waterfalls and musical brooks which tumble their way over and around rocks. The rest of the 3.5 hectares park is a series of wooden bridges, islets, timber structures, trees and trailing flowers, exquisite pavilions and wriggling leafy pathways with the area’s impressive mountains serving as a beautiful backdrop to it all. To stay true to the Tang Dynasty design – a period in Chinese history which spanned the 7th to 10th centuries – none of the featured timber structures uses nails but instead incorporate skillfully interlocked sections which again represent harmony. While these gorgeous gardens offer a series of delights to be discovered as you wind your way one major highlight is the two stunning red Zi Wu bridges which lead to the octagonal gold-colored Pavilion of Absolute Perfection.
While the whole purpose of the park is simply to be, surrounded by tranquility, there is also a great deal to take in. However, its layout ensures you won’t miss anything of especial interest. The gardens are formatted according to a classical one-way circuit which purposefully leads its visitors in such a way to make the most of all that is here. If you simply want a leisurely stroll the circular route will take about an hour to complete while those who want to explore its features in more detail or take time to sit, gaze and reflect along the way should allow more time.
For those in need of refreshment during their green space wandering there is both a tea pavilion and a vegetarian restaurant within the gardens.
The Chi Lin Nunnery
The large Chi Lin Nunnery temple complex is right next door to Nan Lian Gardens so visiting the two together couldn’t be more straightforward. Like the gardens it is all free to enter. Originally built in the 1930s for Buddhist nuns, the complex – made up of statue-filled halls, a library, a school, a pagoda and towers – was redesigned in the 1990s to incorporate the Tang Dynasty design which the gardens later followed. Like the gardens all of its structures are nail-free and for those interested in the mechanics of this there is a small museum at the entrance which illustrates the building process.
An Alternative Afternoon – Lantau Island
While Lantau is unlikely to be described by anyone as a desert island type experience it can certainly feel so after the crowds of central Hong Kong. Actually twice the size of Hong Kong Island and sitting to its west, Lantau Island’s wealth of special attractions can make for a distinctly different and much more tranquil Hong Kong experience. Tucked within its boundaries are open countryside, lovely beaches, waterfalls and scenic mountains with highlights such as a charming traditional fishing village, a cable car ride with spectacular views, a giant Buddha perched on a hilltop and the chance to get a glimpse of rare dolphins.
While ferries can take you from Hong Kong Island to Lantau Island it is also possible to make the journey with the MTR’s Tung Chung line via the bridge which is the quickest way to do things. Getting around the island once you are here is easy with the bus network or taxis and luckily the major highlights are somewhat clustered together which means you can fit a great diversity of sights into your afternoon with minimal effort.
Riding the Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car to Ngong Ping Village
When there is beautiful mountain scenery to be had nothing quite beats getting above it all and here on Lantau Island it is easily achieved with the Ngong Ping 360 cable car. While the cable car offers what is essentially a means of transporting visitors from Tung Chung to the major higher altitude attractions of the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery it is a breathtaking experience in itself. Named by CNN in their list of the world’s 10 most amazing cable cars, this incredible 25 minute ride offers 360 views of land, sea and sky. Your first views will have you gazing from above on the beautiful blues and greens of tree-backed Tung Chung Bay. As you continue your 5.7km journey you will also be rewarded with a bird’s-eye view of planes landing and taking off from Hong Kong International Airport, see the 50km Zhuhai-Macau Bridge snaking off into the distance and glide over a mountain landscape cloaked in lush vegetation with the sparkling blue of the South China Sea as a constant backdrop. You will even be able to see the super-size Big Buddha which you will be visiting up close before your afternoon’s explorations are over.
For your ride you can choose from a standard car or one with a glass floor – there is even the option to have a private cabin if you want to celebrate a special occasion.
Ngong Ping Village
Once you have completed your spectacular ride you will alight at Ngong Ping Village – a purpose-built tourist complex. While most head this way for the Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery there are all kinds of things to see and do here such as the Motion 360 immersive cinema experience which is half roller-coaster ride and can take you on a spaceship journey over the Big Buddha before diving beneath the sea to swim with the area’s pink dolphins. The other themed attractions here are VR 360, Stage 360 and the multimedia immersive Walking with Buddha along with plenty of restaurants, tea-rooms and shops full of souvenirs. Dotted around outside are all kinds of points of interest which make for great photo opportunities such as the large red and white Blessing Drums and the bodhi tree where you can add your own ‘wish’ to the many scarlet placards already hanging there. Perhaps one of the best viewing spots of all can be had in Stupa Square where the Big Buddha’s profile is dramatically silhouetted against the skyline, rising up from its surroundings of lush vegetation. The village is blatantly touristy which may not appeal to some but it does not detract from the other wonderful and very different attractions to be found in the vicinity – most significantly the Big Buddha, the Po Lin Monastery and the Wisdom Path.
The Big Buddha
A short walk from the village will bring you to the lovely Ngong Ping Piazza which is the access point for both the Big Buddha and the Po Lin Monastery. Make your way beneath the new Pai Lau gateway – a modern constructed grand gateway built to match the older gate to Po Lin Monastery. From here you can stroll along the 1.2km Bodhi Path, over which the 12 Divine Generals statues stand sentinel with the whole interspersed with stone lanterns. The Tian Tan Buddha – normally just referred to as Big Buddha – sits atop its own peak which can be accessed via a long stone stairway or ramped path. As you climb to the statue’s pedestal, surrounded by dragonflies and butterflies, the steepness of the stairway aids the impression that the Buddha is constantly looming over you.
On arrival at the top you will find yourself in glorious company with what is the world’s largest seated, bronze Buddha, completed in 1993. Its elevated perch, surrounded on all sides by densely crowded trees, makes the already impressive even more spectacular. When the skies are clear this giant statue can even be viewed from faraway Macau. The huge Buddha is depicted as sitting atop a lotus flower, eyes closed in contemplation and has the right hand raised in a classic Buddha pose which symbolizes protection and overcoming fear. Even when there are many other visitors sharing this circular wrap-around platform with you it is almost impossible not to find yourself affected by the Buddha’s calmness and serenity. Facing north (which is unusual for a Buddha statue) Hong Kong’s enormous bronze statue is attended by six smaller bronze sculptures kneeling at it base, known as the Six Devas, making offerings of flowers, fruits, incense, oils and a lamp.
Although the Buddha is without doubt star of the entire show the incredible views from its elevated peak offer vistas which are a delight in themselves.
It is completely free to visit the Buddha’s viewing platform which circles the statue but if you want to take a peek inside and visit the three floors of Buddhism-related exhibitions which include the holy relic you will have to pay an entrance fee.
The Po Lin Monastery
Literally across from the steps leading to the Big Buddha can be found the Po Lin Monastery. Founded in 1906, this plateau-located monastery had always been something of a remote place of worship, tucked away as it is in the mountains. However, in the 1990s the Big Buddha arrived and the crowds who came to see it also started visiting the nearby monastery. Today this beautiful Buddhist temple complex is very definitely on the tourist radar but it continues to be a highly significant pilgrimage place for the faithful and home to devout monks. On your way in you will see incense being sold at stalls so you can make your own offering if you wish along with the steady stream of Buddhist devotees who come to visit this sacred place.
The entire complex made up of 40 or so buildings is a conglomeration of newer additions, which includes the grandly impressive Hall of the Ten Thousand Buddhas, along with the original structures which are nestled together at the rear. Whether more recent buildings or older temples though, everywhere can be found rich and colorful iconography and exquisite detailing in columns, windows and roofs which offer a feast for the eyes at every turn; much of the carved detailing and embellishments can really only be appreciated once up close.
One major highlight is the Great Hall in the main temple which dates from the 1920s. Lovely from the outside, the interior is spectacularly lavish, colored principally in golds and reds and with soaring ceilings full of incredible details, vast paintings and hung with decorative lamps. At the center of the hall are positioned three golden images of Buddha representing his three states of being – previous life, present life and afterlife.
Besides the many buildings to be explored the monastery’s small gardens are also a delight, filled with the sounds of birdsong and infusing the air with the scent of a multitude of flower blossoms. There are also of course some great views to be had which include the Big Buddha in the near distance.
The Wisdom Path
Obviously marked from both monastery and Big Buddha, the Wisdom Path takes you on an incredibly peaceful walk which begins under a canopy of trees. As you make your way along the vista opens up to green-cloaked mountains and ultimately rewards you with a South China Sea panorama. Adding to the walk’s air of serenity is a series of wooden columns set along the pathway with verses carved into each. This is in fact the Heart Sutra – a prayer often chanted at morning ceremonies and representing a text sacred to those of Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist faith.
If you want a more involved hike there are plenty of options and easy access to a multitude of walks – both long and short and easy to challenging – from Ngong Ping Village.
Tai O Fishing Village
Another of Lantau island’s major highlights – the Tai O fishing village – is just a short taxi ride from Ngong Ping or a bus ride from the station found behind the village. Where once the traditional stilted houses of fishing communities was a common sight in the territory today Tai O is one of the last.
The stilted houses of the village sit out over the water and come in varieties which range from robust and comfortable to those which appear to be held together with nothing more than luck. Wandering the picturesque bridges and walkways that connect the whole, watching the harbor bustle and having a privileged glimpse of the villagers going about their daily lives is both an historical and fascinating cultural experience; it couldn’t feel more removed from Hong Kong’s skyscrapers and 21st century elements. To make those photo shots even more memorable the whole is framed with a coastal and mountain backdrop.
The whole village is compact and easily explored on foot. Make sure to have a wander through the lively market where live seafood in tanks, dried seafood in piles and packages and vegetables both familiar and totally unknown are displayed along with souvenirs and trinkets in a riot of colors. While the market is a favorite tourist haunt this is also an authentic living market where locals come to shop and stock up on Tai O’s shrimp paste.
Today the villagers supplement the income from their traditional way of life by taking tourists on short 20 minute or so boat trips. Hopping on board a boat will give you a totally different perspective of the stilted houses and narrow waterways up close after which you will be whisked out to open seas in search of dolphins. These waters are inhabited by an endangered species known as the Chinese white dolphin which, despite the name, can sometimes be – as they are here – pink. While these short trips give you a small chance of seeing dolphins for anyone especially interested it is also possible to take a specific dolphin-watch boat trip which lasts around three hours and has a 96% success rate in finding dolphins.
Pre-dinner Drinks and Dinner in Hong Kong
An exciting day of hopping on and off trams, weaving your way through the city crowds and climbing steps for views and giant Buddhas will have earned you some sun-downer drinks. When it comes to places to indulge in pre-dinner drinks Hong Kong has a bit of everything. Tucked-away drinking dens, speakeasies, bars with fake facades where entry is gained by pressing a hidden panel, gin joints, colonial retreats and luxurious lounges where Hong Kong’s elite congregate – it is all here.
Whether you finished your afternoon’s exploration on Lantau Island or at the Nan Lian Gardens you are ideally placed to enjoy the best of Kowloon’s cocktail choices without having to work too hard to get there.
As spectacular harbor and skyscraper skyline scenes are something of the city’s signature theme it will perhaps come as no surprise to learn that bars with a view are plentiful. Hong Kong’s rooftop options are an obvious choice for combining relaxing drinks with a vista which you will never grow tired of looking at. And of course located in Kowloon you will have the best of the best views with Hong Kong Island’s impressively soaring sea of buildings sitting across the water. Any mention of the city’s rooftop bars has to include Ozone. Part of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and located on the 118th floor of Hong Kong’s highest skyscraper – the ICC Tower – Ozone enjoys the title of the highest bar anywhere on Earth. The interior created by an acclaimed Japanese designer is bold, moody and modern and topped by a 3D ceiling with expansive wrap-around windows for taking in that almost dizzying view of Victoria Harbour. The crowd here is glamorous (there is a casually formal dress code) and the cocktail range has some intricate inclusions such as the vodka-based ‘Bed of Roses while the range of wines, beers and spirits is extensive.
While nowhere else in Hong Kong can rival Ozone’s height there are other contenders for the best of the city’s sky-high drinking venues. One of these is the 30th floor Eyebar located on Nathan Road. This lovely spot features an outdoor terrace which of course comes with a spectacular view thrown in for free as you sip your cold beer or a cocktail chosen from the list of extensive and exotic choices. The atmospherically lit inside area has huge floor-to-ceiling windows for enjoying an obstructed view across the water of Hong Kong’s incredible skyline with its sea of lights. There is even a telescope if you want a closer view.
For views which may be less elevated but are certainly no less lovely head to Red Sugar located at the Kerry Hotel, part of the Shangri-la group. The exceptionally lovely planted outdoor terrace here gives you a feeling of sitting out over the water and with 270 degree views to take in the majesty of the Hong Kong skyline. The expansive and comfortable chairs make relaxation easy while creative candle-lighting and spotlights enhance the romantic urban oasis atmosphere. The drinks list is no less impressive with cocktails both classic and contemporary, a plethora of wine choices and spirits which include a malt and whiskey range worthy of the connoisseur.
With such wonderful pre-dinner drink spots on offer you might find it hard to tear yourself away. However, the dining venue possibilities in Hong Kong are no less extensive and lovely with cuisine types of every kind. These include many Chinese regional options through to other Asian choices and many exquisite award-winning restaurants serving up a range of European and international specialties. Eating out is not just reserved for the city’s visitors either. Going out to dine is common practice for Hong Kong residents and for many even a daily part of life so you can expect to be sharing your dining experience with the locals.
While great dining choices can be found pretty much anywhere in Hong Kong there are some areas especially known for certain genre choices or where there are a plethora of options clustered conveniently together. For example, some of the most popular seafood restaurants are found in the areas of Sai Kung and Lei Yu Min while Central’s Lan Kwai Fong has a wide choice of smart casual restaurants along with its multitude of bars and clubs. The more luxurious fine dining choices are often part of the higher end hotels such as the Sheraton or New World Renaissance Hotel but Central and Tsim Sha Tsui areas have plenty of possibilities in this category too.
If you have decided the rest of your Hong Kong day should involve little effort you can of course simply move from drinks to dining in each of the options suggested previously. Ozone offers its own dining as does the Kerry Hotel’s Red Sugar while the Eyebar has the Nanhai Number 1 Restaurant next door. Otherwise the Tsim Sha Sui area of Kowloon has a cluster of about 30 bars and restaurants around the strip of Knutsford Terrace and Observatory Court. The incredible variety here includes Tex-Mex, Japanese, Italian and Scandinavian.
A great choice among the Knutsford Terrace options and especially ideal for all those who have trouble deciding quite what food choice to settle on is the Mira Hotel’s Yamma restaurant with its luxury dinner buffets. Consistently scooping a range of dining industry awards, this top quality option features live cooking stations and mouthwatering culinary creations so exquisite they are both feast for the eye and the discerning palate. The choice is vast and so extensive it is divided into themed counters which take inspiration from around the globe. Dining experiences here are elegant and exciting and give a whole new meaning to the phrase innovative cuisine.
Something which many Hong Kong visitors are keen to experience while in the city is a dinner at one of the floating restaurants found around Aberdeen Harbour. Although getting here will require a little more effort Hong Kong’s wonderful transport systems make it as easy as possible and many believe it is worth it. King of all the floating restaurant choices is the colossal barge known as Jumbo Kingdom which ranks as one of the largest floating restaurants in the world. Known principally for its seafood, this enormous four-floored wonderland is a collection of eateries offering wine gardens to fine dining establishments and can cater for more than 2,000 diners in one sitting. While its interior is an impressive labyrinth of sweeping and ornately decorated stairways and galleries its exterior appearance has granted it something of an iconic status in Hong Kong. Predominately painted in gold and red tones with a wealth of extravagant embellishments, this giant boat was designed along the lines of an emperor’s palace. At night its elaborate lighting turns it into an incredible spectacle worth stopping by to see even if you don’t intend to eat here.
An Evening in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is an incredibly vibrant city at night with a vast range of ways to spend your evening hours no matter what your tastes. The following are a few suggestions for some memorable ways to finish off your Hong Kong day.
The Symphony of Lights
If you have chosen to dine in one of Kowloon’s Tsim Sha Sui neighborhood restaurants you are going to be perfectly placed to enjoy the dazzling nightly performance of what is known as the Symphony of Lights. In essence this is a sound and light spectacle with the iconic Hong Kong skyline as star of the show but even if you are a veteran of such things you have probably never seen anything on this scale. According to the Guinness Book of World Records it is the largest permanent light show in the world.
The Symphony of Lights has been enchanting its audiences since 2004 with buildings lining either side of the harbor playing their part. The stakes were upped in 2017 when a new soundtrack and show were unveiled. The musical score, performed by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, entwines elements of both the traditional and the contemporary, intended to represent the very essence of the city itself and its east-meets-west elements. A dazzling forest of lasers and searchlights throw their beams into the night sky from more than 40 buildings, in patterns choreographed to harmonize with the music while other lighting elements and LED screens add to the whole extravaganza.
You will have a front row seat for this breathtaking 8pm multi-media show from anywhere along the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade with the area around the Cultural Centre considered the best spot as this is where the music is broadcast from. Many of the area’s rooftop bars and restaurants also make for prime spots but the vantage point winner has to be that from a boat. The Star Ferry is one option but there are several companies who run evening boat trips with a light show view to die for as a trip highlight.
Even if you have been out on the water during the day a boat trip at night offers a very different experience. Hong Kong’s magnificent skyline night-lit is nothing short of a visual extravaganza and most of the options allow you to have the best seat in the house for the breath-taking Symphony of Light laser show.
Quite how you enjoy your evening on the water is up to you. Possibilities include cocktail cruises, dinner cruises with either dining on board or a stop-off at places such as Jumbo Kingdom and straightforward harbor cruises.
The Temple Street Night Market
There is probably no quicker way to get an instant glimpse into the culture and authentic sights and sounds of a place than by visiting its markets and nowhere in the world is this truer than in Asia. Some of Hong Kong’s markets are just as thriving at night as they are during the day but there is only one true night market – the Temple Street Night Market – which is a firm after-dark favorite hot-spot for tourists and locals alike. If you intend to take in the Symphony of Lights from the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade you won’t have far to walk either.
Even if you have no intention of buying anything the atmosphere and buzz of this lively market make it a wonderful place to wander and simply soak up the exotic location. Brightly lit stalls are a riot of color selling everything from jade, tea-ware and antiques to clothing, watches and electronics. Dotted about among the hawkers and stall-holders you will also find fortune tellers and herbalists while Chinese opera performances are not uncommon.
The Fringe Club
While many choose to create their own entertainment in Hong Kong’s after dark hours by picking a prime spot to enjoy views and drinks there are also options for those who want something more laid on. One such is the Fringe Club which hosts exhibitions, live music gigs, stand-up shows, open jazz nights and other art performances. Established for more than 30 years, the Fringe Club has received a Hong Kong Heritage Award by tastefully transforming a colonial building into a freedom of creative expression art space. As you may guess from its title it is an established platform for off-beat and innovative performers so quite what you might see is a wonderful lottery but it is sure to appeal to the contemporary art passionate.
The Peak Tower
While you may feel your Symphony of Lights performance or sky-high drinking and dining have satisfied your craving for night spectacles you have another great choice if you still want to squeeze in one more. As one of the city’s most iconic attractions the Peak Tram and Victoria Peak have already featured in your daytime itinerary. However, if you want some killer night views the Peak Tram operates up until midnight every day and of course there are plenty of places to take a leisurely drink once you reach the top. Many come complete with wonderful views of Hong Kong’s magical blinking and twinkling night-scape to serve as your entertainment. | <urn:uuid:20c74850-37ee-4220-b25d-98787ee8cf0f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://blog.windstarcruises.com/what-to-do-in-hong-kong-in-24-hours/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.957195 | 10,149 | 1.851563 | 2 |
Handball games and history; Handball is a team sport where two teams have seven players (6 players and a goalkeeper). Players pass the ball among themselves to try to throw it inside the opposition’s goal for a goal. Handball matches consist of two 30-minute halves, and the team that can score the most goals against the opposition at the end of the game is the winning team.
Handball at Present
Handball games and history handball matches are usually held in dedicated indoor lounges, unlike in outdoor venues, such as baseball on the football field and beach handball. American handball is very different from European handball. When the game starts, the players move very quickly, and there is physical contact between them when the defenders of each team try to counter the attacks of the opposition players and prevent them from approaching the goal. Friction between players is permitted only if the defender of one of the two teams is in confrontation with one of the opposition’s attackers; Anything between the attacker and the goal. Any lateral or backward friction is deemed to be contrary to the rules of play and carries severe penalties. If the attacker’s defender is prevented from reaching the goal for a goal, the referee stops the game at this point and resumes again with the attacking players starting from the offense point or the line 9 m away from the goal. While basketball players are allowed to commit only five offenses (6 according to the National Basketball Association), handball players have the right to engage in an unlimited number of crimes that favor the defense but, at the same time, affect the rhythmic movement of attackers.
The Number of Scored Goals
Handball games and history, as for the number of goals in handball, each team is entitled to at least 20 goals. Therefore, it is unsurprising that the match result was 33 points against 31. However, this has not existed in the history of the game. The number of handball goals in old times was more like ice hockey. But as methods of attack have evolved, most notably the use of counter-attacks (blitz) after the opposition team fails to launch attacks, the achievement rate of targets has increased.
History about the origin and evolution of the game
Handball games and history is one of the old sports that have gone through many stages and succeeded.
Old, medieval handball-like toys appeared in France and among the Eskimo people of Greenland and in ancient Africa, Especially in Egypt during the Pharaohs. By the 19th century, many handball-like games in their current form appeared in many different countries, such as the Danish game håndbold, the Czech Republic’s Hazen game, Slovakia’s hádzaná match, Ukraine’s gambol game, Germany’s torball game and similar games in Prague. Originally, handball was formed in its current form at the end of the nineteenth century in Northern Europe, particularly in Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Sweden.
The Danish Holger Nielsen was credited with drawing the rules of a handball game (håndbold) in its current form in 1898 and published it in 1906. He also did the same thing, “RN Ernst,” in 1897. On 29 October 1917, “Max Heyzer,” “Carl Shelens,” and “Eric Conway” of Germany published another set of rules for team handball. After 1919, these rules were developed by “Carl Shelens.” These rules were first applied in the 1925 men’s handball match between Germany and Belgium and the 1930 women’s handball match between Germany and Austria. In 1926, the Legislative Council of the International Federation of Amateur Athletes commissioned a specialized committee to draw up international rules governing stadium handball matches.
In 1928, the International Handball Federation was formed, while the International Handball Federation was formed in 1946. The first men’s handball matches were held at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin at the request of leader Adolf Hitler. The game returned as one of the team sports held at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. A women’s team handball match was held at the 1976 Summer Olympics. The International Handball Federation organized the Men’s Handball World Championships in 1938, held every four years (sometimes every three years) from World War II to 1995. The competition has become held every two years. The Women’s World Handball Championships have been held since 1957. The International Handball Federation also organized several international championships for young women and men. By February 2007, the International Handball Federation had 159 members – about 1.130,000 teams, 31 million players, coaches, administrators, and referees – from 2222 countries.
Handball games and history, the handball match is held on a 40-meter pitch with a width of 20 meters, and the line is located in the middle. The stadium has two aims, each surrounded by an almost semi-circular area known as the goal area, which is defined by a line 6 meters from the goal. There is also a semi-circular line in the form of points 9 meters away from the plan, known as the “free-throw line.” Every line in the stadium is the back of the original network to strengthen it.
The Goal Posts
Handball games and history, goal is a rectangular-shaped area, 3 meters wide and two meters high. The goal should be fixed by the field or wall from behind. The goal and beam lists are made of the same substance (e.g., [iron]) and have a square cross-section with an 8.5-centimeter interface. The three aspects of the main beams of the stadium should also be painted interchangeably in two colors different from the background color. Both goals in the stadium should be painted in the same color. And every plan has a grid. The net must be lax so that the ball entering the goal does not bounce directly outside. If necessary, another network is installed by a plan.
Handball games and history, goal is surrounded from the outside by an area known as the goal area. The quarter circles determine this area, and around the far corners of each stand, there is a beam of 6 meters long and a line parallel to the goal line, known as the seven-meter line. Only the goalkeeper is allowed to be present in this area. However, any player can catch the ball and touch it in the air within the boundaries of this area as long as he starts his jump outside the edges of the site and throws the ball before coming down on the ground. If the player touches the pitch within the goal zone, he should take the shortest route out of this area. However, suppose a player deliberately crosses this area to take a better position to score a goal within the opposition goal. In that case, the ball is the right of the opposition players. Similarly, if a defender deliberately bypassed this area to take a better position on the pitch, it would be tolerated because it violated the rules of play. And the opposition player should be guarded.
Players Switch Area
Handball games and history, player’s switch area for each team is located outside both sides of the halfway line on the pitch. These areas usually have seats. The team coaches, reserve players, and detainees sit on these seats. Each substitution area should be close to each team’s own goal. During the halftime break, these zones are switched between the two groups. Each player who enters or exits the field shall override the switching line, which is part of the sideline of the stadium and extends by 4.5 meters, From the halfway line to each team’s side area.
Handball games and history, handball match consists of two halves of 30 minutes each, for all teams aged 16 and above, with a half-time break of 10 minutes. During the break, both teams may exchange sides of the stadium and seats. For young people, the match time is as follows:
- 2 × 25 minutes from age 12 to 16
- 2 × 20 minutes from age 8 to 12
However, in some countries, national federations may vary in implementing officially agreed guidelines and rules. If it is necessary to determine the winning team in the final qualifier of a course, the time is extended for two additional runs in case of a draw, each of which is 5 minutes between them for a break of 1 minute. Suppose the two different halves end in a draw as well. In that case, two other halves of 5 minutes each are added. If the interest continues, give time at their discretion, usually due to injury to a player, exclusion, dismissal, or pitch cleaning. It also requires weighted throws only giving time out because changing goalkeepers take a long time to execute. Each team is entitled to 1 minute of time cut-off at the request of each team in each ordinary game time. This right is given only to the team possessing the ball. The team administrators who wish to obtain time out must indicate the green card with the letter T in black. Then it heads to the middle of the sideline and raises the green card high, and in an obvious way, the timer can distinguish it directly. And immediately whistle my meals to announce that the game has been stopped and time has been stopped.
Handball games and history, leads a handball match with two referees. Some national bodies allow the game to be held in the presence of only one referee in exceptional cases, such as the second referee having an illness that prevents him from participating in the match shortly before the start of the competition. If one of the judges is injured in the game, the two judgments are replaced by two others to complete the half. If the two provisions disagree on any issue relating to the game, a decision is reached between them after taking a short time out. If the two provisions give a simultaneous determination against the offending team and disagree on the type of punishment, the maximum penalty shall be imposed. The match officials must make the right decisions based on their observations of the match’s progress. Their findings are decisive and irreversible and are reviewed only if they are outside the rules of play.
Players, Substitutes, and Administrators
Handball games and history, handball team consists of 7 starters and five reserve players – at most – sitting on reserve seats. Each group appoints a goalkeeper in a different outfit than the rest of the team’s players. There is no specific number to switch players, and the switching process occurs at any time throughout game time. Replacement should appear on the dedicated switch line. The judgment does not have to be notified. Some national bodies, such as the German Handball Federation DHB, permit the conversion of junior teams only if the ball is acquired or during a time-out. This rule prevents players from being divided into forwards and defenders before the game begins. | <urn:uuid:ebb0eaad-827b-41e6-a835-c21fd401ebe1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.sportsfan-store.com/handball-games-and-history/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573667.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819100644-20220819130644-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.969364 | 2,260 | 3.0625 | 3 |
The Brunswick Girls' Home was established by the Salvation Army in 1892. It was situated in Albion Street, Brunswick, and closed in 1902.
Sources used to compile this entry: The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory, 'Children's Homes: A list of openings, closings and function (submission 46)', in Inquiry into Institutional Care: Submissions received as at 17/03/05, Commonwealth of Australia, 2005, http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Completed_inquiries/2004-07/inst_care/submissions/sublist.
Prepared by: Cate O'Neill
Created: 1 May 2009, Last modified: 25 July 2013 | <urn:uuid:69df2ac6-bd03-4508-bfd9-282d9e38ca57> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://findandconnect.gov.au/ref/vic/biogs/E000259b.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.962105 | 156 | 1.609375 | 2 |
How to name a new restaurant? Top 7 best restaurant names
You may think now that we are crazy to write an article about how to name a new restaurant when almost all the restaurants in Europe and U.S. are closed right now. But this is the exact reason why we do it. The restaurants have been seriously hit by the coronavirus crisis. They are in the front line of the economic crisis next to other businesses.
We have decided to write an article about restaurants in order to remind you, guys, who work in this field that we appreciate a lot your struggle to make our life more beautiful, we are next to you in these hard times and we hope to see you again very soon. You are not alone!
In the next period of time we have decided to write similar articles for all the fields which have been badly hit right now and to encourage you, the people who have planned before this crisis to open a new restaurant, for example, to keep planning. It’s important after the quarantine period ends to start and restart our lives empowered by a strong boost. No one will crush your dream!
We have studied the names of many restaurants in the world and we have decided to make a top based on our opinion as naming specialists.
Here we go:
7. Den (Japan)
It is one of the most popular restaurants from Tokyo. According to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Head Chef Zaiyu Hasegawa offers an elevated, deeply personal take on Japanese home cooking. He draws on diverse influences, both home-grown and gleaned on overseas trips, but always based around prime ingredients from ocean, pasture and forest.
The name? In Japanese language, “den” means “to teach”. It is a word typically used as a secret technique which is passed on only to a person who is supposed to be the only deserving student. It is a term very known in the martial arts. We love the name very much because besides having a deep, strong meaning, it is short, clear and easy to pronounce in any language. A good choice for a Japanese restaurant which has an international target audience.
6. Ultraviolet (Shanghai)
The name is not just a metaphor. The experience itself is special in this restaurant. What to expect according to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants? Here, diners meet and enjoy cocktails A van with pre-roll video shuttles guests through Shanghai to a secret non-descript location on the outskirts of the city. From there, a large door opens leading into the main room – seemingly bare walls surround a single table with your name illuminated on your seat. What starts out as a stark room transforms in coordination with the meal as sight, sound, and smell merge as the dishes arrive, carried by well-choreographed waiters.
The name in this case is inspiring the entire visual philosophy of the restaurant. We’ve been in a lot of places which have fancy names and the experience is disappointing compared with the expectations raised by the name. The name “Ultraviolet” is a very good choice: easy to pronounce in any language, language neutrality and most important: a name strong connected with the experience encountered in the restaurant.
5. Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao (Bilbao)
It is one of Spain’s most popular restaurants. Housed within Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum, so you may guess why a part of its name is “Guggenheim Bilbao”. Why “Nerua”? It takes this name from the Nervión River, meaning the “backbone” of Bilbao’s city. It is said that it has a great vibe and that the plates are spectacular.
We’ve loved the name because it associates some of Bilbao’s most important local elements. The name itself represents a tribute for this wonderful city.
4. Cosme (New York)
It is known as one of New York’s best places which combines a buzzing vibe with exceptional, unique and original food. Besides from the fantastic menu which makes you come here over and over again, the restaurant prides itself on having a kitchen staff that is 50% female and 50% male, promoting balance and a mix of nationalities from US, Latin America and more.
Why Cosme? The name derives from the Ancient Greek “Kosmas” which means “global”, “universe” or “order, lawful”. We love this metaphor and the fact that the restaurant respects the equilibrium vision promoted to its short and clear name.
3. Twins Garden (Moscow)
The name story of this restaurant is pretty awsome. It was founded by two identical brothers, Ivan and Sergey Berezutskiy. The first of their restaurants is called “Twins”, and you can imagine why. With the new restaurant, they’ve had a bigger dream: to be able to supply the restaurant with their own organic products. So, they have now also a farm outside Moscow which supplies 70% of the ingredients used by the restaurant. And the leftovers are sent back to feed their animals from the farm. The restaurant is known also for having one of the biggest wine collections in Russia and their places are very well respected in Russia and by international travelers.
We love the name for its metaphorical connection with the chef founders and also for the inspired link with their wonderful initiative of having their own farm as main ingredients supplier.
2. Noma (Copenhagen)
Noma is a two-Michelin-star restaurant run by chef René Redzepi in Copenhagen, Denmark. The name is a syllabic abbreviation and synergy between two Danish words: “Nordisk” (Nordic) and “mad” (food). It was opened in 2003 and the restaurant is famous for its reinvention and interpretation of the Nordic Cuisine.
We love the name because is simple, clear, easy to pronounce in any language and, for sure, very easy to remember.
1. Mirazur (Menton, France)
Mirazur was named 2019’s Best Restaurant in the World. What has so special?
Unrivalled views of the French Riviera, three levels of cascading vegetable gardens churning and a fantastic team of talented chefs. Its unique cuisine is inspired by the sea, the mountains and the restaurant’s own gardens, including emblematic citrus fruits.
It is situated in the elegant seaside town of Menton in French Riviera and this is the clue behind its sophisticated name. “Mirazur” roughly translates as “look at the blue”, suggesting the main vantage point over the wonderful landscape of the water and French Riviera.
We love the name for its premium, sophisticated, original sound and for highlighting a marvelous advantage of the entire experience offered by the restaurant.
Of course, there are many more restaurants which have wonderful names. We’ve just wanted to share with you some examples. What makes a restaurant name to be perfect?
- It is simple, clear and easy to pronounce. Mainly if you target also travelers, not only local people, it is very important to name your place in a way that it may be further shared to your customer’s friends and, of course, remembered
- Language neutrality. This is a very sensitive topic. Many people affirm that a name inspired by the local language and traditions is better. But if you target also international travelers, it is very important to neutralize the name from the language point of view. Even if you get inspired by your local traditions, try to create a neutral name which makes people to quickly understand it.
- Do not promise through your name what you can not accomplish with your entire restaurant’s experience. If you are planning to open a restaurant which serves, for example, fast food plates, don’t choose a fancy name which will make people to expect a three-star Michelin restaurant. The name is telling your target audience what to expect.
- Try to get related to something unique, original and fantastic, part of your entire offered experience. It may be the food itself, but sometimes, as you have seen in these examples, something else truly defines the restaurant. It may be the view, the location, a specific show which will take place into the restaurant, a distinguished element of the design etc.
One of our latest projects is a renaming of a vegan restaurant. We are proud of this new project and we will share with you the case study soon! Until then, we hope that these hard times will soon be gone, and we will meet again our family, our friends and beloved ones to have a wonderful evening in our favorite restaurants.
For all the people who own a restaurant and for all the people who are working in this field:
Stay safe! Stay Strong! You will rise and shine again! | <urn:uuid:1dc1c990-d307-4739-859f-05a3726527ae> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.namzya.com/blog/naming/how-to-name-a-new-restaurant-top-7-best-restaurant-names.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.951974 | 1,896 | 1.507813 | 2 |
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things in our lives. Some are temporary, but others will be permanent. One of the most impactful and probably permanent changes has been how we provide and receive health care. How did the pandemic change the way we seek health care, the way we receive it, and why? What will stay? What will not? Is the future state better, worse, the same? And what does the new evolutionary path for healthcare delivery look like?
These are big questions, and no one knows all (or even most) of the answers. But there is a single, critical component of health care that touches everyone, and has arguably been the most profoundly affected by the pandemic. And although it has been the topic of intense focus recently, it has actually been undergoing a slow-moving shift for many years. It is the patient-clinician encounter, mainly the physical examination (PE).
The most abrupt and obvious change to the PE during the pandemic has been the complete inability to come to a physician’s clinic. Sometimes it was the patient’s desire to avoid exposure to others who might be ill. Other times it was to avoid exposing the office staff to infected patients. Sometimes entire physical facilities were shuttered, or medical staffing was redirected to more urgent care areas such as Emergency Departments or Intensive Care Units. Regardless, the sum effect of this forced separation between patient and clinician was an immediate surge in demand for remote, “telehealth” PE tools. And this had to suffice because, as we all know, at its peak, many health care systems were conducting 100% of PEs using these tools.
Did these telehealth visits include a PE? Certainly not. But before I decry the situation, this tectonic shift did have some benefits. For example, the rapid expansion and dissemination of video chat apps did enable remote and shut-in patients to engage with their healthcare professionals (HCPs) much more easily. New internet-enabled medical devices could capture and transmit vital signs. Expanded local and national reimbursement coverage determinations spurred manufacturers to develop new systems of care that accommodated and improved remote visit capabilities.
But one of the most important learnings has been that the PE, which had been steadily fading from clinical practice and was suddenly, completely forced out of practice during the pandemic, actually is an extremely powerful (and under-appreciated) clinical tool. In fact, by reversing this decline and by boosting the value of the PE, the pandemic will have shown us one of the best ways that we can successfully transition from a clinic-only patient encounter experience to something that can happen anywhere, at any time, and with terrific accuracy and impact. In other words, we have until now let the physical examination become a missed opportunity where we can improve care in many ways. We must not let that continue.
But first we must look at the state of the art and address the obvious. At present, the “remote PE” is terrible. It is little more than a video chat, and departs completely from the standard of care for a patient encounter. Granted, we had to do something in the face of the pandemic, and we did not have the proper tools at the beginning. For example, if the HCP could only (kind of) look at something like a skin lesion over video, and not take any vital signs or listen to the heart or lungs, that was ok. But we cannot allow that to stand, where every principle of the PE would be lost, where the HCP can only take a history and do little else.
We need to restore the core components of the PE: physical inspection, palpation (feeling), auscultation (listening), percussion (tapping). Without those, how can the HCP tell whether there is a tumor in the abdomen? A new heart murmur? Decreased or absent breath sounds in the left chest? Are we to declare defeat and simply send every patient for a CT scan of the entire body? Besides being simply untenable, such a “non-PE” already makes patients and HCPs feel uncomfortable, inadequate, distrustful, and guilty. Stated in another way, the “video PE” plainly falls well below the standard of care, and puts every patient at risk of missing disease. Yes, we got away with this practice in a time of crisis, but we cannot and should not justify this practice in the long run.
How can we fix this? Should we fix this? The simplest answer is to return to in-person PEs, which will happen to some extent. But not everyone will want to discard the benefits of a remote exam. So we will turn to technology: Developing hardware and software solutions that can replace and recreate the experience of an in-clinic PE and capture the same data as an in-clinic PE. And this approach brings with it a terrific opportunity to build tools that go well beyond the same functionality and performance as our tools of old; they will have more functionality and better performance.
These tools will be used in person as well as remotely. These tools will enable HCPs to perform PEs more quickly, effectively, and accurately, no matter where they or their patients are. These tools will provide value that we have not even thought of yet, pushing disease detection upstream and replacing diagnostic modalities that have up to now been reserved for the laboratory or radiology suite. These tools will have the potential of improving patient outcomes through earlier detection and treatment of disease, as well as reducing the cost of care by reducing the amount of unnecessary, expensive testing.
Not only is this all possible, it is in fact already under way. Examples of these tools include automatic, wireless blood pressure cuffs, weight scales, pulse oximeters; digital, wireless stethoscopes; point-of-care ultrasound probes. More such tools are on the way. Not only will they enable the HCP to conduct an (almost) exact duplicate of the in-person PE, but by collecting and analyzing a much bigger data set than ever collected, will also bring the power of analytics to bear on health care. Changes in a patient’s condition will be tracked and trended; artificial intelligence algorithms will detect disease at least as well as an expert; expensive, inconvenient, and invasive tests will be better utilized and negative studies avoided. The end results are that HCPs will be able to gather the data they need to make clinical decisions, patient and HCP confidence and trust in the results of the PE will grow, and life-threatening diseases will be identified and treated earlier and more effectively.
The sum of this is that we will change the way we practice medicine.
At Eko, we are working hard to move the needle, to save the PE and bring it into the future. Our Eko CORE and DUO digital, artificial intelligence-enabled stethoscopes improve the examiner’s ability to hear body sounds through amplification. The CORE stethoscope can also cancel ambient noise. The DUO stethoscope can add a single-lead ECG. And both of these devices digitize and transmit these signals over Bluetooth to a mobile device or Chrome-based web browser for storage, display, and sharing.
But this is only the beginning of change in what the PE can do. Artificial intelligence machine learning algorithms can now analyze digital signals to detect, among many maladies, heart murmurs and heart rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillation. And they can do this at the performance level of an expert, independent of who is actually using the stethoscope, and without variation, fatigue, or unavailability.
By putting this kind of technology into the hands of HCPs everywhere, and enabling them to use it for their in-person and remote PEs, companies like Eko can help bring back the power of the PE and take advantage of the opportunity to detect serious abnormalities as early as possible. We can enable better care, with better outcomes, and capture this missed opportunity.
Webinar: Click here to join to a live panel discussion on November 4, 2021 as we dive deeper into the importance of the physical exam for the future of healthcare. | <urn:uuid:fe59d8ac-87dd-4fb3-a1a7-b51af9ba204a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ekohealth.com/articles/why-the-physical-exam-is-an-opportunity | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.956653 | 1,704 | 2.296875 | 2 |
Commissioned by the University Hall Gallery at UMass Boston for the exhibition Local Ecologies, this video, letterpress print, and boat tour focuses on the land use histories of Deer Island in the Boston Harbor. Going beyond mere ‘recognition’ of Native territory, the project asks instead what it means to accept the relationships and responsibilities that come with living on occupied land. In the 17th century, Deer Island was a forced Indian removal and incarceration site, where between 500 and 1,000 people suffered from dire conditions comparable to a concentration camp. It is now the site of the Boston’s wastewater treatment plant.
The framed land acknowledgment is presented alongside a stack of leaflet prints available for viewers to take away in the gallery venues at UMass Boston, which occupies Massachusett land. In traveling versions of the exhibition, an annotation of the original print poses questions that might guide viewers in acknowledging Indigenous claims to this territory.
The boat tour that accompanied the original exhibition of the film and print may become an annual event sponsored by UMass Boston.
Boston, MA – Roxbury International Film Festival, June 17-26, 2021.
Medford, MA – Tufts University Art Gallery, “Artist Response,” September 8, 2020-May 15 2021.
Lowell, MA – UMass Lowell, University Gallery, “Local Ecologies,” January 21-March 6, 2020.
Dartmouth, MA – UMass Dartmouth, University Art Gallery, “Local Ecologies,” November 7, 2019-January 10, 2020.
Boston, MA – UMass Boston, University Hall Gallery, “Local Ecologies,” September 3-October 26, 2019.
Sarah Kanouse and Nicholas Brown, Ecologies of Acknowledgment, 2019. HD Essay film, 9 minutes, 53 seconds; three-color letterpress print, 12” x 19,” edition of 10; black and white letterpress print, 12″ x 19,” edition of 250.
Sound Mix: Jacob Ross
Letterpress: David Medina, Huskiana Press at Northeastern University | <urn:uuid:7ffe763e-e953-4a05-a5b8-f49c7bf510a5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://readysubjects.org/portfolio/portfolio/ecologies-of-acknowledgment/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.900863 | 448 | 2.171875 | 2 |
OBJECTIVE Mice with complete deletion of insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2) develop hyperglycemia, impaired hepatic insulin signaling, and elevated gluconeogenesis, whereas mice deficient for proteins tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)1B screen an opposing hepatic phenotype seen as a increased awareness to insulin. PTP1B in the double-mutant mice restored hepatic IRS1-mediated phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase/Akt/Foxo1 signaling. Furthermore, resveratrol treatment of hyperglycemic IRS2?/? mice reduced hepatic PTP1B mRNA and inhibited PTP1B activity, thus rebuilding IRS1-mediated PI 3-kinase/Akt/Foxo1 signaling and peripheral insulin awareness. CONCLUSIONS By regulating the phosphorylation condition of IR, PTB1B determines awareness to insulin in liver organ and exerts a distinctive function in the interplay between IRS1 and IRS2 in the modulation of hepatic insulin actions. The insulin receptor substrate (IRS) protein are fundamental mediators of insulin and insulin-like development aspect (IGF)-1 signaling. Cyclopamine From the six IRS proteins discovered, IRS1 and IRS2 integrate important signals in the insulin receptor (IR) and IGF-IR that control a number of procedures including fat burning capacity and cellular development, development, and success (1). Signaling by IRS protein is normally mediated by two primary pathways: the phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase as well as the mitogen-activated proteins kinase pathways. Although IRS1 and IRS2 talk about similar appearance Cyclopamine patterns, many lines of proof suggest the tissues specificity of IRS-mediated signaling in development and fat burning capacity (2C5). IRS1?/? mice screen decreased body size, insulin level of resistance, Cyclopamine and -cell hyperplasia (2). On the other hand, comprehensive deletion of IRS2 in mice causes flaws in hepatic insulin actions coincident with failed suppression of hepatic glucose creation (HGP) (3,5,6) and -cell insufficiency because of impaired IGF-1 mitogenic signaling (4). Therefore, IRS2-lacking mice develop type 2Clike diabetes & most expire at 16 week old due to diabetes complications. Relating to insulin actions in the liver organ, the transcription aspect Foxo1 links IRS/PI-3 kinase-mediated signaling towards the regulation of varied genes involved with metabolic pathways (7). Activation of Akt/Foxo1 phosphorylation in the response to insulin treatment is normally disrupted in hepatocytes of IRS2?/? mice (8). Nevertheless, recent studies have got showed that Foxo1 phosphorylation in liver organ may be successfully mediated by either IRS1 or IRS2 signaling (9C12). Proteins tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) catalyze the dephosphorylation of tyrosine-phosphorylated protein (13) and so are detrimental regulators of tyrosine kinase receptorCmediated signaling. PTP1B Cyclopamine straight interacts with both IR and IGF-1R (14,15). The need for PTP1B in hepatic fat burning capacity has been showed in vivo and in mobile versions (16,17). Mice missing the gene display increased insulin awareness owing to improved phosphorylation of IR in liver organ and skeletal muscles, resistance to putting on weight on the high-fat diet plan, and an elevated basal metabolic process (18C20). Moreover, the power of insulin to suppress HGP is definitely improved in PTP1B?/? mice. We’ve recently shown that level of sensitivity to insulin in liver organ due to PTP1B deficiency is definitely obtained during postnatal advancement: adult, however, not neonatal, PTP1B?/? hepatocytes screen improved insulin-mediated signaling via Akt/Foxo1 and a far more pronounced inhibition of genes that regulate gluconeogenesis than in charge hepatocytes (21). Considering that the hepatic phenotype of PTP1B?/? mice contrasts with this of IRS2?/? mice, we hypothesized that deletion of PTP1B with this model would restore level of sensitivity to insulin. With today’s study, we show that manifestation of PTP1B is definitely upregulated in the liver organ of IRS2?/? mice. Furthermore, we have noticed that the lack of this phosphatase allows activation of IRS1-mediated Akt/Foxo1/signaling, therefore repairing hepatic insulin level of sensitivity. Thus, hereditary ablation of PTP1B or pharmacological inhibition of its manifestation and activity by resveratrol treatment rescues hepatic level of sensitivity to insulin actions in IRS2?/? mice. Study DESIGN AND Strategies Reagents and antibodies. Fetal serum (FS) and lifestyle media were extracted from Invitrogen. Insulin for cell tradition (I-0516), anti-mouse immunoglobulin (IgG)-agarose (A-6531), antiC-actin antibody (A-5441), and resveratrol (R-5010) had been from Sigma Aldrich. Proteins A-agarose was from Roche Applied Technology. (32P)-ATP (3,000 Ci/mmol), (32P)-dCTP (3,000 Ci/mmol), and a cDNA labeling package had been from GE Health PIK3CB care. AntiCphospho-Foxo1 (Ser 256) (kitty. simply no. 9461), antiCphospho-Akt (Thr.
Domain name antibodies (dAbs) are promising candidate therapeutics and diagnostics. non-cognate positions. It is based on our previous library where H1 was replaced by a library of human light chain CDR3s (L3s) thus combining three most diversified fragments (L3, H3 Cyclopamine and Cyclopamine H2) in one VH scaffold. This large (size ~ 1010) phage-displayed library was highly diversified as determined Cyclopamine by analyzing the sequences of 126 randomly selected clones. Novel high-affinity dAbs against components of the human insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system were selected from the new library that could not be selected from your previously constructed one. Most of the newly recognized dAbs were highly soluble, expressible, monomeric and may have potential as candidate cancer therapeutics. The new library could be used not only for selection of such dAbs thus complementing existing libraries but also as a study device for exploration of the systems identifying folding and balance of individual antibody domains. HB2151 stress – produce of soluble dAbs from m8l around 15 mg l?1 and of these from m9l C about 2.5C20 mg l?1. Nevertheless, only one from the three dAbs extracted from m8l destined with realistic activity (EC50, ~ 50 nM) to IGF-2 as assessed by ELISA; on the other hand, three from the four dAbs chosen from m9l destined with higher power (EC50, ~ 5C20 nM) (Desk 2). Among these dAbs was cross-reactive for IGF-1 also. This antibody and a different CD163 one chosen from m9l considerably inhibited IGF-2-induced IGF-1R phosphorylation in the individual cancer cell series MCF-7; the just binder from m8l didn’t display measurable inhibitory activity (Chen, Dimitrov and Feng, unpublished function), suggesting these dAbs focus on different epitopes on IGF-2. Fig. 5 Collection of antigen-specific antibodies. PpELISA for panning of both libraries hand and hand against IGF-2 (A), IGF-1R (B) and IGF-1R with elution with the IGF ligands (C). Desk 2 CDR variety of exclusive phage-displayed VHs chosen after panning with individual IGF-2 In the IGF-1R panning, particular and equivalent enrichment was attained with both libraries also after the initial circular of panning (Fig. 5B); three and two exclusive clones were chosen from m81 and m91, that exhibited high solubility respectively, yield and equivalent EC50s which range from 10 to 30 nM (Chen, Feng and Dimitrov, unpublished function). All chosen IGF-1R antibodies, nevertheless, did not considerably inhibit IGF-2-induced IGF-1R phosphorylation in MCF-7 cells recommending they didn’t precisely focus on the ligand-binding site on IGF-1R. They may be aimed against different surface area regions of the individual IGF-1R which really is a large proteins. This prompted us to help expand do a comparison of both libraries regarding collection of antibodies against a particular region C the ligand-binding site of IGF-1R. In a fresh panning, bound phage was eluted with an assortment of IGF-2 and IGF-1 after incubation from the libraries with IGF-1R. The ppELISA demonstrated a significant particular enrichment was extracted from m91 however, not from m81 Cyclopamine (Fig. 5C). Two book dAbs with high affinity (EC50 fairly, 30C50 nM) had been discovered from the brand new panning that considerably competed with IGF-1 in binding to IGF-1R (Chen, Feng and Dimitrov, unpublished function). These outcomes suggest that the brand new collection contains possibly useful candidate healing dAbs that can’t be chosen in the previously constructed collection, which those antibodies chosen from both libraries against the same antigen focus on different epitopes. The recently discovered dAbs from m9l are getting additionally characterized and additional improved for examining in animal types of cancers. 3.4. Antibody oligomerization and folding To investigate the dAbs out of this collection for several biophysical properties such as for example oligomerization, degradation and aggregation four dAbs were. | <urn:uuid:0757a2f6-0921-4ff2-82dd-4cedf05f4403> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://cenicriviroc.info/tag/cyclopamine/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.916748 | 2,102 | 1.601563 | 2 |
SAN FRANCISCO — For the first time since the end of the Cold War, Bay Area residents are being forced to confront the unthinkable: the possibility of a nuclear attack on our own soil.
It’s a scenario that suddenly became real after reports that the North Korean government has figured out how to make a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on an intercontinental missile — and after President Donald Trump vowed North Koreans would face “fire and fury” if they continued making threats, in an apparently improvised public response.
A nuclear strike would be devastating to the Bay Area, and there’s no preparation that could avoid that. But there are a few simple steps — like staying inside instead of trying to flee — that can help prevent radiation poisoning and save lives, experts say.
As geopolitical tensions ramped up this week, the North Korean military said it is studying missile attacks on Guam — and the U.S. mainland. “The provocative war the U.S. has devised and plans to execute will be countered with a just all-out war of wiping out all the strongholds of the enemies, including the U.S. mainland,” a North Korean military spokesman said in a statement Tuesday.
It’s not clear how close the North Koreans actually are to being able to attack the West Coast or the rest of the United States. Even if their missiles can reach across the Pacific, one of the hardest parts of engineering a nuclear attack is getting the warhead to survive the re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere, and there’s no evidence yet that they’ve figured it out.
But imagine that a missile attack succeeded, targeted on San Francisco. The latest North Korean nuclear test is estimated to have the explosive power of 20-30 kilotons — equivalent to 20,000 to 30,000 tons of TNT going off at once. That’s more than the 15- and 20-kiloton strength of the bombs the United States dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, but far less than the 2,000-some kiloton Soviet missiles aimed at the U.S. during the height of the Cold War.
First, there would be an explosion — a fireball roughly a third of a mile wide with temperatures equal to the surface of the sun. A blast wave would knock down most buildings within a half-mile of the explosion. A flash of thermal energy would burn exposed people within a mile of the detonation and temporarily blind those looking toward it. Up to several miles away from the detonation, there would be less severe damage, like shattered windows.
Then, there would be deadly radiation. Debris from the explosion would be sucked upwards into a giant mushroom cloud and then carried downwind. This would be the threat that concerns most of us: Falling particles the size of grains of sands sprinkling down across the Bay Area would emit gamma rays that could give people severe radiation poisoning.
The most dangerous zone would be 10 to 20 miles downwind of the explosion, while some fallout could occur 100 miles away or farther, depending on the magnitude of the explosion. (Communities upwind and far enough away from the explosion would escape relatively unharmed.)
“The bottom line is you’re looking at an incredible human catastrophe,” said Jeffrey Lewis, a nuclear weapons expert at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey. “The trick is to not have the nuclear war in the first place.”
The best thing to do in the event of an attack, experts say, is get inside, ideally in a basement or interior stairwell that puts as much building material between you and potential radiation as possible. Staying inside for 12 to 24 hours is best, but staying sheltered for at least the first hour is the most important.
“When you’re looking at a high population density area like the Bay Area, you can save hundreds of thousands of people from significant exposure if we just get people inside after the nuclear detonation,” said Brooke Buddemeier, a health physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory who studies the effects of nuclear detonations.
San Francisco’s Department of Emergency Management doesn’t have specific preparations in place for a nuclear missile strike, but it has prepared for other nuclear events. “While a nuclear missile attack is a thing from the Cold War, what local agencies including ours have been planning and preparing for is a radiological device or a dirty bomb,” said Francis Zamora, a spokesman for the city’s department. Officials have stockpiles of radiation detection devices ready to go.
The first warnings of an imminent attack would come from federal radar, and local, state and federal officials would send out warning messages via phone alerts and broadcasts over air sirens — but it’s not clear how long we’d have between the first warnings and an attack.
Ray Riordan, the director of San Jose’s Office of Emergency Services, said that local officials would follow cues from the federal government. “What we would be responsible for is any of the consequences or impacts related to (an attack),” he said. The city’s fire department is currently going through training on responding to radioactive incidents, although it was long planned and wasn’t prompted by North Korea’s saber rattling, Riordan said.
Just because the Bay Area is on the West Coast doesn’t mean we’re a top target. “People are in total denial about how far those missiles go,” Lewis said. It’s likely that most of the U.S. mainland, including New York and Los Angeles, are in range of the regime.
A map in a 2013 North Korean propaganda photo showed potential targets of Washington, D.C., the Pacific fleet in San Diego, the Pearl Harbor base in Honolulu, and several Air Force bases in middle America — not San Francisco or the Bay Area.
Julie Pullen, a professor at Stevens Institute of Technology who studies civil defense issues, said dramatic headlines about North Korea provided a good chance for officials to spread the word about best practices in the unlikely event of an attack. “I don’t think this is an imminent threat,” Pullen said, “but it’s an opportunity for people to learn about nuclear weapons, particularly younger people who didn’t grow up in the Cold War.”
Some Bay Area locals, however, are still worried about the possibility of a strike. In the suburb of Hercules — not exactly at the top of Kim Jong Un’s hit list — resident Giorgio Cosentino spoke out at his City Council meeting Tuesday night to ask what type of preparations were being made locally.
“We are seeing action at the highest level of government, so we should also be seeing action at the local level, but we are not,” Cosentino said in an email. “There is a disconnect. No one is talking to the citizens about what to do if this goes down tomorrow.”
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia said he thought state and local officials needed to do more to prepare for the North Korean threat. “Having grown up in a generation not faced with the prospect of these types of threats, it’s new territory for us,” Gioia said. | <urn:uuid:ac53dd2f-b7ba-46ed-86ff-41f1c2e7e0ff> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.mercurynews.com/2017/08/09/north-korean-threats-make-bay-area-ponder-the-unthinkable-a-nuclear-attack/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.945185 | 1,534 | 2.65625 | 3 |
Darkest Hour puts the first few weeks of Winston Churchill’s time as Prime Minister under a microscope. It is May 1940, and England’s politics are shaky as Neville Chamberlain is voted out as Prime Minister. Churchill is not the first choice, and has his political enemies, but is appointed next. With the fall of France, it looks as though Hitler and his Nazi army will take over all of Europe. Just across the channel, the entire British army is stranded at Dunkirk and surrounded by the invading German army. If nothing is done, the British army will be completely lost within days. Meanwhile, Churchill’s advisers are pushing for him to surrender to Hitler and attempt to negotiate peace, before it’s too late. How will Churchill pull his country up by its bootstraps, save their army and stand up in the face of doom and tyranny?
Gary Oldman becomes completely immersed in his transformation into Winston Churchill. The flawless makeup done on him makes Oldman completely unrecognizable, I expect that award to be given easily. But just as impressive is Oldman’s acting, fleshing out Churchill not only as a historical figure, but as a man who seems larger than life at times. The fact that Oldman studied Churchill and his mannerisms over a year to prepare for this role shows his dedication to getting it right. I’ve also heard that he tried not to be influenced by other actor’s portrayals of the man and I think it has worked out well. While Oldman’s performance feels authentic, it is also unique compared to other films and shows about Churchill.
A favorite scene of mine was towards the end when Churchill decides to ride the underground to Parliament. He escapes out of his personal car without his driver noticing and immerses himself within the bustling streets and busy people of London. A young woman helps him navigate the underground map and as he enters the train, a once hum-drum commute is suddenly shaken by his presence. But Churchill doesn’t lord his power and prestige over the people he serves, but rather strikes up conversations with everyone around him. He shakes hands, takes names and asks them all, children included, if they should consider negotiating peace with Hitler, or stand and fight. Thankfully, the people of London are much more influential on Churchill than his advisers.
Darkest Hour is currently nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Gary Oldman is obviously in the running for best actor and favored by many. The other four awards compliment the visual details and appeal within the film: best makeup and hair styling, production design, costume design and cinematography.
While some may worry that Darkest Hour is a dry biopic, I assure you that it is not. Churchill’s gusto and antics keep the film light and human even when depicting such a bleak moment in history. The rich cinematography and attention to detail around the film make it a visual treat. And whether you are a history buff or not, you’ll probably walk away from the film knowing a little more about just how close all of western Europe came to collapse in May 1940.
“Nations which go down fighting rise again, and those that surrender tamely are finished.” | <urn:uuid:15781994-9c0c-4cfc-9d92-bb88bf2def46> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://thebestpictureproject.wordpress.com/tag/wwii/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.977254 | 667 | 1.507813 | 2 |
Before you play the ADOM game, you will definitely want to know these simple but useful tips and tricks. If you have any tips feel free to share with us!
Things to Know Before Playing
Some of the easier starting classes include:
- Archer: One of the strongest and safest classes in the game, especially bow-and-crossbow -oriented ones. Starts with the Concentration skill so can also do some spellcasting on the side.
- Paladin: Strong skillset, good starting equipment, both melee and spellcasting abilities, easy to please their diety.
- Priest: Similar to the Paladin but focused on the casting side. Starts with the convenient Detect Item Status skill which can help avoid cursed items.
- Barbarian/Fighter/Healer/Duelist: Different flavors of melee-focused fighters. Barbarians are the physically strongest (but non-elves start illiterate), Fighters are the most balanced, Healers the most resilient and Duelists the best weapon specialists.
- Wizard: Very frail early on but grow to be extremely powerful with an immense amount of options for practically all situations.
- Elementalist: Basically simpler Wizards that learn spells innately as they level, easier start than Wizards but not quite as many options in the long-term.
Some race considerations:
- Most Dark Elves, Orcs and Trolls start Chaotic in alignment which can make certain things trickier for a beginner. Dark Elves and Orcs do start with the very desirable Find Weaknesses skill, while Trolls are immensely tough (but level very slowly).
- Mist Elves have amazing caster stats but are immensely frail and take damage from iron items such as certain rings or amulets, making them a poor starter option.
- Gnomes level up very fast so they’re especially good for classes that are weak at the beginning. They’re also tougher than elves, which makes them a pretty safe spellcaster race.
- Drakelings are well-balanced, start with good abilities and can spit acid which gives them a bonus ranged option especially handy for classes that lack them.
Some notable star signs:
- Candle is always a solid choice, providing strong natural HP regeneration even without the Healing skill (and especially with it) and a free Talent doesn’t hurt either. Recommended for beginners.
- Raven gives a large Speed boost which makes all actions noticeably faster. It also lets you acquire a certain mid-game quest reward (a powerful polearm) a whole 20 levels earlier than non-Raven characters.
- Book makes it much easier for semi-casters to successfully learn spells. Good for any non-Mindcrafter class that has the Concentration skill but isn’t inherently a spellcaster such as Archers or Healers.
- About starting attributes: Toughness is critical with any character and most also want at least 10 Learning and Perception for guaranteed literacy and decent vision range. Learning, Willpower and Mana are all important for casters. Charisma and Appearance have very niche uses and be considered dump stats for most characters. You start with a bonus talent if your starting attributes are divisible by 7 though, so them being cheap to raise can help hit that.
- Many talents have a variety of prerequisites, including other talents. Consult the talent tree on the wiki for details as these are not visible in-game. Some easily missable special options include “Treasure Hunter” for more loot (Alert + Miser) and “Heir to the Family” for a powerful starting item (Charismatic + Boon to the Family).
- The ADOM Guidebook is a historically useful resource, though some information is outdated by now. The ADOM wiki has been maintained over the various patches.
- Don’t forget to try prayer if you’re in a dire spot! Prayers cost piety which is primarily gained by sacrificing gold, corpses and living creatures on co-aligned altars (Shift-O sacrifices a living creature standing on an altar tile.).
- It’s good to always have a ranged weapon equipped for some free shots at approaching enemies, at least some stones to throw if nothing else. In the same vein, even a spellcaster should be prepared having to engage in melee at times.
- Eating corpses can have a variety of effects, some desirable and some not. You can safely eat the corpses of most common creatures, with some exceptions like kobolds and normal rats.
- You can get a rough estimate of an unknown item’s quality by checking how much a shopkeeper is willing to pay for it.
- Combat tactics can be changed on the fly with the F1-F7 keys without it consuming an action. Offensive tactics are especially useful when firing a ranged weapon for example, while casters tend to stay on the defense. Note that Berserk tactic prevents improving one’s skill with shields, while Very Defensive/Coward tactics do the same for weapons. Coward also makes you move faster while very low on health.
- There are two mutually exclusive quests in the first town, one by the druid and the other by the village elder. The latter is the easiest way for a (non-Chaotic) character to learn the very important Healing skill that boosts HP regeneration. The quest involves finding the mad town carpenter from a nearby cave who one should try not to kill, but instead lead to the wandering healer found on an earlier level of the cave.
- Before you dive into a dungeon, it can be worth visiting the shop in the outlaw village southwest of the first town. Even if you can’t afford anything, walking over the items will permanently identify them for the future.
- Spear and shield is a solid weapon combination for almost every class for their hefty avoidance bonuses when trained. Swords are also always reliable. Be careful of cursed items though, and keep an eye out for items with irregular weights as they might be made of rarer materials.
- You can make holy water by dropping water (or “watery potion,” which is just unidentified water) on the altar of a god who likes you. Anything dipped in holy water will become blessed. A lot of items become much better when blessed, and in a pinch it also allows you to remove (previously) cursed equipment.
- Quick-marking spells and abilities to number keys via the in-game menu can expedient the use of anything you make frequent use of. | <urn:uuid:d3d55618-ca40-4850-b48e-92df0b76cbf2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://gameplay.tips/guides/11285-adom.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.928483 | 1,343 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Lewin’s Cove is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Take a look below for 12 awesome and fun facts about Lewin’s Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. 1. The town had a population of 544 in the Canada 2016 Census. 2. Lewin’s Cove is located just outside the Burin town limits. 3…. | <urn:uuid:c7afb30c-9652-426f-b2d6-b98902e35b78> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://tonsoffacts.com/tag/lewins-cove/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.939623 | 78 | 2.125 | 2 |
Sophie Janssens (Community of Sant’Egidio in Rome) presents a case study exploring new ways to utilize Church property in Rome – Repurposing Urban Spaces to Serve.
Catholics have an obligation to be good stewards of the assets of the Church, following Jesus’ calling to love one another as He loved us. Within this context, Sophie Janssens, a volunteer at the Community of Sant’Egidio in Rome, explores the community’s diverse and innovative approach to urban Church property, walking us through many examples of repurposing Church properties in urban spaces to meet the needs of the poor and marginalized.
The community of Sant’Egidio, lovingly called the community of the 3 Ps (prayer, poor, peace) by His Holiness Pope Francis, is a wonderful example of a community faithfully responding to the Church’s call to serve all of God’s children through new and ingenious projects that reimagine our call to the new evangelization.
From the community’s response to the challenges that stemmed from the many measures imposed during the COVID pandemic (e.g. opening the St. Egidio Community’s Migliori Palace by repurposing an old papal palace so that homeless people could find a safe and caring environment where they were treated as children of God; and spearheading an initiative to keep hotels and inns in Rome running while offering their services to the homeless) to the community’s work with the impoverished youth in the slums of Rome (where the Community’s work began in 1968), without forgetting their famous Trattoria Degli Amici (a popular restaurant in Rome that employs and helps form professionally disabled people), Sophie Janssens gives us an encouraging look at ways Church properties can be repurposed for the greater good.
©2022 Global Institute of Church Management and Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate at the University of Notre Dame. All rights reserved.
Sign up for our mailing list to get the latest Church Management news and thought leadership | <urn:uuid:32948f17-c650-4b6c-982c-e276d7dc71eb> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://gicm.org/the-2022-re-conference-rome/real-estate-the-new-evangelization-conference-2022-santegidio/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.926799 | 433 | 1.75 | 2 |
Save the date: Federal contractors will see their minimum wage increase to $15 starting January 30 | Fisher Phillips
The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced a final rule raising the minimum wage for some federal contractors to $15 an hour — and it will go into effect Jan. 30. The final rule – officially known as the “Minimum Wage Increase for Federal Contractors” – also requires annual increases to this minimum wage rate for contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2023. Contractors can recall that President Biden issued Executive Order 14026 early in his administration; this Final Rule implements that Executive Order. What do you need to know about the final rule and how can you successfully implement it? Here is what we have to share:
What does the final rule mean for federal contractors?
As of January 30, some federal contractors must have a minimum wage rate of $15 per hour. Then, beginning January 1, 2023, the wage rate will be determined annually by the Secretary of Labor. This new wage rate will be published at least 90 days before the entry into force of each new minimum wage. The amount will not be less than the amount in effect on the date of determining the salary, will be increased by the amount of the annual percentage increase in the consumer price index for urban employees and office workers (CPI- W), rounded to the nearest multiple of $0.05.
For example, if the annual percentage increase in CPI-W applied to the current minimum wage rate of $15 per hour brings it to $15.68 per hour in 2023, the Secretary of Labor would round up to $15.70 per hour. For tipped employees, the final rule also provides that employees of covered federal contractors must earn at least $10.50 per hour, effective January 1, 2023. However, covered employers will no longer be able to pay employees a tip. tipped salary after January 1, 2024.
How do we know if our contract is covered by the new rule?
Federal contractors may already know if they have “covered contracts” to get them minimum wage coverage, as the recently suspended Federal Contractors Vaccination Mandate borrowed its own definition of coverage from proposed regulation EO 14026. Covered federal contractors have contracts, subcontracts, or contract-like instruments in four broad categories:
- Dealership contracts, including those not covered by the Service Contracts Act (SCA);
- Federal government contracts related to federal property or lands and related to the provision of services to federal employees, their dependents, or the general public;
- Construction supply contracts covered by the Davis Bacon Act (DBA); and
- Contracts for services covered by the SCA, unless waived.
The final rule applies to workers performing work on or in connection with a covered contract in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and outer continental shelf lands.
How do we know if our policy is NOT covered?
It is important to note that the following contracts are not covered by the final rule:
- Contracts for the manufacture or supply of materials, supplies, items, or equipment to the federal government, including those subject to the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act;
- Contracts, contract-like instruments or agreements with Indian tribes under the Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act;
- Subsidies ;
- Construction supply contracts that are excluded from DBA coverage;
- Contracts for services that are exempt from coverage under the SCA, unless expressly covered by the final rule; and
- The government solicited tenders issued before January 30, 2022 which resulted in the conclusion of contracts before March 31, 2022.
What if I’m not sure if our contract is covered or if we have contracts that include both products and services?
Where the Contractor has hybrid contracts that provide for products as well as services that support its products, such as installation or repairs, these contracts should be reviewed very carefully to determine whether the service portion(s) of the contracts can be robust enough to trigger the minimum wage coverage requirement. The contractor must review the contract documents themselves to make this decision and may want to engage legal support to do so.
How do I know which workers are covered?
Contractors must pay the required minimum wage and the minimum wage rate only applies to workers performing work “on” or “in connection” with a covered contractor and whose wages are governed by the DBA, SCA or the FLSA. For the purposes of the Rule, a worker who performs “on” a covered contract is any worker who directly performs the specific services required by the terms of the contract. A worker who performs work “in connection with” a covered contract is any worker who performs work activities which, although not specific services provided for in the terms of the contract, are necessary for the performance of these specific services. Note that workers who perform only de minimis work under a covered contract (less than 20% of their work) may be exempt from warranty.
How does the new rule affect our tipped employees?
As previously stated, after January 1, 2024, covered employees will no longer be able to tip employees. As a reminder, part-time and full-time employees are generally considered “tipped employees” when they habitually and regularly receive more than $30 per month in tips. Only tips actually retained by the worker after any tip pooling can be considered in determining whether the person is a tip employee. Under the final rule, wages paid to a tipped employee may consist of cash wages and a tip-based credit. As of January 30, 2022, the cash wage that must be paid to this worker is at least $10.50 per hour. Effective January 1, 2023, it increases to at least $12.75 per hour and the applicable federal contractor minimum wage rate effective January 1, 2024.
What else should covered contractors think about?
Notably, only covered contracts entered into on or after January 30, 2022 – in addition to any existing contracts that are renewed or extended after that date through bilateral amendment – fall within the jurisdiction of the final rule. Federal contractors and subcontractors should not, however, develop tunnel vision and focus solely on raising the minimum wage. The final rule also requires: (i) compliance with payroll frequency and record keeping requirements; (ii) a compliant minimum wage contract clause is included in the covered subcontracts; and (iii) federal contractors must notify workers of the minimum wage increase, as described in the rule (and possibly as required by relevant state laws).
Take away food
Failure to comply with the Final Rule may result in severe penalties, including, but not limited to, substantial monetary arrears, liquidated damages, reasonable attorneys’ fees, and withholding of contractual payments and/or a ban on working on future federal contracts. Workers also have the right to enforce their rights under the FLSA in private action brought in federal district court against federal contractors and subcontractors.
To best prepare for the final rule, federal contractors and subcontractors should:
- Make sure he has determined whether or not he is the holder of a covered contract or subcontract. If covered contracts are held, federal contractors and subcontractors must implement the new minimum wage requirements as of the effective date of the executive order.
- Monitor salary increases to be enacted each year from 2023.
- Plan to phase out tipped wages if covered contractors and subcontractors pay employees tipped wages.
You should work with your legal advisor to determine whether you have a covered contract or a contract-like instrument. | <urn:uuid:c5072194-2615-4d82-a2dd-84a460e9ff98> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://hanadama.biz/save-the-date-federal-contractors-will-see-their-minimum-wage-increase-to-15-starting-january-30-fisher-phillips/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573667.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819100644-20220819130644-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.958039 | 1,563 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Nature is in full bloom this summer at Palm Harbor Museum! Funded by a Municipal Services Taxing Units (MSTU) special projects grant from Pinellas County, a “living landscape” is taking shape on the museum’s grounds. And while beautifying the land is certainly a benefit of the project, its intent is to also fulfill another mission—the reintroduction of native Florida shrubs, trees, and wildflowers that will complement the existing historic specimen plants. Through the introduction of more Florida nature in combination with a wealth of local history, the museum hopes to instill in visitors a “sense of place and community pride,” while also encouraging them to consider incorporating native plants in their own gardens and home landscapes.
To kick off the living landscape project, staff and volunteers trimmed trees and removed non-native palms and shrubs. Non-native plant species are those that do not occur naturally in an area. They are often introduced by people, either accidentally or deliberately. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, native plants have many advantages over non-native plants.
For instance, they are adapted to their environment, so they are resistant to local weather and require less water once they have been established. They have a greater defense against indigenous insects and plant disease, so they need little or no artificial fertilizer and pesticides. They are usually not invasive—that is, they will not cause harm to other native plants or hinder their growth. And they create a natural habitat and a source of food for native animals and insects like birds and butterflies.
Bob Fortner, president of Palm Harbor Historical Society, agrees native plants are best. “Before we began the project,” he said, “we had a lot of invasive non-native palms here. We never saw birds or insects in or around them. They didn’t support native wildlife.”
The first Planting Days for the museum project were June 24th and July 9th. Plants were generously donated by Dr. Craig Huegel, founding member of the Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society and former state Education Chair, and Hawthorn Hill Wildflowers. The museum acquired additional plants from Sweet Bay Nursery. Community and museum volunteers, along with members of Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Florida Master Gardeners, Pinellas Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, and GFWC North Pinellas Women’s Club, began planting in the areas bordering Belcher Road and the back entrance ramp. New native plants were also added to the Veterans Memorial near the museum’s entrance. (right)
As these new native plants grow and mature, visitors can expect to enjoy features that include a bird thicket, butterfly garden, heritage rose garden, wildflower garden, pollinator overlook, and muhly grass meadow. Terry Fortner, the project’s manager, is developing informational signage that will explain to visitors how early humans and subsequent settlers to North Pinellas made use of these native plants, as well as the benefits of native plants and the significance of historic specimens.
One such historic specimen plant is the guava tree, like the one Ida Hartley used to make preserves that supplemented her family’s income. Ida and her family lived in the historic Hartley House from the time it was built, between 1914 and 1919, until their deaths in the 1950s. The building is now home to the museum. Although guava trees likely originated in southern Mexico and Central America, the seeds sprouted in South Florida in the 1800s and began spreading across the state.
The museum has tentative plans for another volunteer workday in August, organized by Keep Pinellas Beautiful. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for December. Keep an eye on their website for announcements: https://www.palmharbormuseum.com.
Palm Harbor Museum welcomes assistance with hand-watering the new plants; they need tending daily to take root and establish. The staff also invites visitors and community members to pull weeds, pick up debris, or help in any way they can. If you would like to participate in this project, call and leave a message at 727-724-3054 or email [email protected]. Other volunteer opportunities are available, as well.
You can find the Palm Harbor Museum at Belcher and Curlew Road. It is open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 10 AM – 2 PM, and admission is free, although donations are welcome. Located in the historic Hartley House, built between 1914 and 1919, the property was also the site of a factory that made ladders for citrus growers. The museum’s exhibits promote self-guided learning and discovery, but docents are available to answer questions and share knowledge that will enhance your visit. Group tours are also available.
Sources for story can be found by visiting: Palm Harbor Museum website: https://www.palmharbormuseum.com/, Bill Fortner, president of the Palm Harbor Historical Society, and the United States Department of Agriculture: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/. Photos are courtesy of the Palm Harbor Musuem. Some photos are added as a representation of the native plants planned as the museum continues to grow and plant! Story written by Dianna Gravemen exclusively for Destination Tampa Bay™
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For my final project I decided to create a series of animations inspired by the work of John Whitney, an animator and inventor often regarded as the pioneer of computer graphics.
produced by: Harry Wakeling
I was introduced to Whitney’s work as I have always been interested in early examples of computer animation and film. Over the last few years I have experimented with video art, utilising techniques such as video feedback and circuit bending to produce psychedelic motion-based pieces. Through this experimentation I was introduced to the oscilloscope, one of the first devices to display real-time visual output from a computer. It was used by Whitney and his contemporaries to control the movement of electronic beams, visualising signals such as sine waves to display vector graphics; this was used to create some of the first examples of video games and computer-based animation. I felt it would make an interesting project to produce an animation in Processing that could be displayed on an oscilloscope, combining contemporary software with a device that formed the foundation of digital art.
After studying his animations I realised that he made frequent use of sine and repetition. In order to create work that effectively paid tribute to his style, I felt it was important to implement these within my animations. All 4 scenes include geometric shapes that have been animated with sine, as well as repetition using for loops. The project also saw me delve into object-oriented programming. I had experimented with this briefly in a previous assignment and I was interested in learning about it further; I felt this would be necessary if I were to create a sketch where the user toggles between different scenes smoothly. The ability to store data and functionally into separate objects proved to be very useful, as it made organising and structuring my work a lot easier. I implemented code that allowed the user to toggle between each animation by pressing different keys. I also set up sliders that allowed the user to modulate each animation, as well as the colour of various shapes.
After I had completed the animations, it came time to figure out how to display them on my oscilloscope. I came across the work of Ted Davis, an artist and programmer who created a Processing library called ‘XY scope’. This library allowed the user to convert vector graphics into audio signals, enabling them to display animations on oscilloscopes and CRT displays. After some experimentation and tweaking, I was able to get my animations to appear on the display.
How to use
Use buttons 1, 2, 3, and 4 to toggle between each scene. The user can also modify each animation using sliders.
I conclusion, I feel happy with the work produced on this project. I am glad to have learnt the basics of object-oriented programming, as I feel this will prove to be very useful going forward on the course. I am also particularly happy that I got the animations to display on my oscilloscope; I believe this was an important part of my project in terms of creating a piece reminiscent of Whitney’s style. I believe this project has the potential to be developed further; I would like to implement more interactive elements using the oscilloscope, for example getting it to work with a Kinect, or perhaps displaying real-time data. I would also like to experiment with other vector displays on a larger scale, for example a CRT screen. | <urn:uuid:2ae70d9b-e66e-4428-b504-ab751bcd3d7b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://doc.gold.ac.uk/compartsblog/index.php/work/electronic-abstraction/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.955396 | 872 | 2.359375 | 2 |
- Research article
- Open Access
Barriers and enablers of implementation of alcohol guidelines with pregnant women: a cross-sectional survey among UK midwives
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth volume 21, Article number: 134 (2021)
In 2016, the UK Chief Medical Officers revised their guidance on alcohol and advised women to abstain from alcohol if pregnant or planning pregnancy. Midwives have a key role in advising women about alcohol during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate UK midwives’ practices regarding the 2016 Chief Medical Officers Alcohol Guidelines for pregnancy, and factors influencing their implementation during antenatal appointments.
Online cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of UK midwives recruited through professional networks and social media. Data were gathered using an anonymous online questionnaire addressing knowledge of the 2016 Alcohol Guidelines for pregnancy; practice behaviours regarding alcohol assessment and advice; and questions based on the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to evaluate implementation of advising abstinence at antenatal booking and subsequent antenatal appointments.
Of 842 questionnaire respondents, 58% were aware of the 2016 Alcohol Guidelines of whom 91% (438) cited abstinence was recommended, although 19% (93) cited recommendations from previous guidelines. Nonetheless, 97% of 842 midwives always or usually advised women to abstain from alcohol at the booking appointment, and 38% at subsequent antenatal appointments. Mean TDF domain scores (range 1–7) for advising abstinence at subsequent appointments were highest (indicative of barriers) for social influences (3.65 sd 0.84), beliefs about consequences (3.16 sd 1.13) and beliefs about capabilities (3.03 sd 073); and lowest (indicative of facilitators) for knowledge (1.35 sd 0.73) and professional role and identity (1.46 sd 0.77). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the TDF domains: beliefs about capabilities (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.88), emotion (OR = 0.78; 95%CI: 0.67, 0.90), and professional role and identity (OR = 0.69, 95%CI 0.51, 0.95) were strong predictors of midwives advising all women to abstain from alcohol at appointments other than at booking.
Our results suggest that skill development and reinforcement of support from colleagues and the wider maternity system could support midwives’ implementation of alcohol advice at each antenatal appointment, not just at booking could lead to improved outcomes for women and infants. Implementation of alcohol care pathways in maternity settings are beneficial from a lifecourse perspective for women, children, families, and the wider community.
Regardless of amount, alcohol consumption has an impact on health . Globally, alcohol is the leading risk factor for deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in females aged 15–49 years, which in 2016 led to 3.8% of deaths and 2.3% of risk-attributable DALYs. Alcohol consumption over the last 10–15 years has declined in the UK, although average annual consumption is still 9.7 l of pure alcohol per adult aged at least 15 years equivalent to around 19 units per week . In 2017, 14% of women exceeded 14 units per week, and 11% drank more than 6 units in 1 day in the past week, indicative of increased risk of harm .
The health risks associated with alcohol are liver disease, cancers, injuries and accidents and communicable diseases . If alcohol is consumed during pregnancy, it may also cause miscarriage, preterm birth, low birthweight and fetal neurodevelopmental effects [3,4,5,6]. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the more severe form of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which encompasses a range of cognitive, growth and neuro-behavioural impairments which have lifelong consequences [7, 8], and is estimated to cost in excess of £2 billion per year in the UK . Recent meta-analyses have estimated the global prevalence of fetal alcohol effects and alcohol consumption during pregnancy. FAS was estimated as 14.6 per 10,000 livebirths and FASD as 77 per 10,000 in the general population of children and youths, meaning that 1 in 13 women who consumed alcohol during pregnancy would deliver a child with FASD . This is of concern, as the global prevalence of drinking in pregnancy was estimated as 9.8% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 8.9–11.1) with the prevalence of any alcohol consumption in the UK one of the highest at 41.3% (95% CI: 32.9–49.9) .
In 2016, the UK Chief Medical Officers’ revised the alcohol drinking guidelines (the CMO Guidelines), and due to the lack of evidence to establish a safe level of alcohol consumption during the periconception period and during pregnancy advised complete abstinence for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy . This brought the UK in line with many countries who already advised complete abstinence. International [13, 14] and UK clinical guidelines recommend that as part of routine antenatal care all women should be assessed for alcohol consumption, provided with advice, and the appropriate level of support offered. Midwives have a key role in identifying, advising, managing and supporting women regarding alcohol consumption during pregnancy [16, 17]. Yet it is unclear to what extent midwives discuss alcohol consumption with women during antenatal appointments, whether they provide structured advice and support to change unhealthy drinking behaviours and what the barriers are to providing alcohol-related advice to pregnant women. The lack of consensus on a safe level of drinking during pregnancy may contribute to variations in practice regarding how to ask women about alcohol intake and advise them about alcohol consumption.
Studies exploring midwives’ alcohol-related knowledge and practices have been conducted in Australia [18,19,20], Sweden , Denmark , Norway , Netherlands , Scotland [25, 26] and in England . One study showed that despite a change in policy advocating alcohol abstinence during pregnancy, only 61% of midwives implemented the advice . A more recent study reported 99% of midwives advised abstinence following the same change in policy in Australia . Factors that have been suggested to influence practice include tailoring of advice according to perceived risk of alcohol-related harm [19, 24]; lack of skills to discuss alcohol with women [20, 21, 23]. Time constraints, lack of organisational support [18, 20, 23], and lack of confidence in assessing and advising women about alcohol have also been identified as barriers. The application of a comprehensive implementation framework to investigate determinants of practice on a large sample of midwives in the UK has not been previously reported.
There are many values to using a theoretical approach in assessing barriers to practitioner attitudes and practices. It may mitigate cognitive biases such as logic , automatic responses , and fundamental attribution error . The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) comprises a comprehensive set of potential determinants of practice behaviour . It is based on 33 published models (which include a total of 128 psychological constructs). The original 11 domains are: knowledge, skills, social/professional role and identity, beliefs about capabilities, beliefs about consequence, motivation and goals, memory attention and decision processes, environmental context and resources, social influences, emotion and action planning. A twelfth domain considers the nature of practice behaviour rather than determinants of the behaviour. More recent versions involve 14 domains with optimism, reinforcement and intentions added to the original 12 . The TDF empirically maps to a number of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) that are effective in supporting or changing practice behaviours and can underpin the design of pragmatic interventions to overcome assessed barriers to implementation . It has been used to address implementation of guidelines or interventions among midwives to discuss place of birth with women , physical activity and supporting pregnant women to stop smoking . Most recently, it has been used to understand midwives practices in Australia .
This study draws on the TDF to examine a broad range of factors that may influence midwives’ practices regarding implementation of the CMO Guidelines by UK midwives with women under their care. Specific objectives were to determine midwives knowledge of the CMO Guidelines; and to identify potential barriers and enablers of practice behaviour regarding asking and advising women who are pregnant about alcohol consumption.
We used an anonymous self-reported online questionnaire and carried out a survey among midwives working in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The methods are described in greater detail in the final report and are summarised below. The study is reported in line with the STROBE checklist for reporting cross-sectional studies (additional file 1).
Sampling and recruitment strategy
The questionnaire was developed using Qualtrics, and link was distributed using social media, a project stakeholder group and the authors’ professional networks. Questionnaire data were gathered between October 2018 until January 2019. Midwives were eligible to take part if they were currently in practice in the UK. Participants had the opportunity to enter a prize draw to win one of three £100 shopping vouchers. An achieved sample size of 1000 midwives was set, similar to other questionnaire surveys of this kind, and give sufficient data for multivariable analyses based on a minimum of 300 plus at least 10 events for each variable added to the model as recommended [39,40,41].
Data collection questionnaire
The questionnaire was informed by previous research on midwives alcohol-related practices and the TDF . Questionnaire items were discussed with a stakeholder group, comprising of academics and researchers, representatives from third sector organisations (including FASD and birthmother advocacy groups; and alcohol, maternal and infant health-related charities), midwives, public health practitioners, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and Public Health England (PHE). The questionnaire was pilot tested with 16 midwives and minor revisions made based on their feedback. Piloting suggested it would take 15–20 min to complete.
To determine midwives’ knowledge on alcohol-related issues, questions included knowledge of the CMO Guidelines for pregnant women. To determine practices, questions elicited information about: how and when midwives gather information on alcohol consumption, what advice is routinely given to women about alcohol consumption, whether advice is recorded in a woman’s notes and what action is taken if they are concerned about a woman’s drinking. Midwives were asked separate questions about practices regarding all women and for women whom they suspect have an alcohol problem. The knowledge questions came after the practice questions to reduce a potential order effect and all used either five-point Likert scale response categories (always, usually, occasionally, rarely, never) or free text responses.
To evaluate the determinants of midwives’ implementation of the CMO Guidelines, 26 statements aligned to 10 TDF domains were developed (see additional file 2 – Table 1). We did not include the domain ‘nature of behaviour’ here as it is not a behavioural determinant but more a set of characteristics than can be used to describe a behaviour . Each of the 10 TDF domains were measured using between one and four statements. Additionally, a hypothetical statement was included “if I were pregnant now I would abstain from consuming alcohol” as a proxy for midwives’ personal attitudes towards alcohol use during pregnancy. Midwives rated their responses to all statements on a seven-point Likert scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree. Some of the statements were phrased negatively to avoid response bias . TDF statements were followed by questions on alcohol education and training, demographics, and practice-related characteristics (see additional file 3 - questionnaire).
Questionnaire data were transferred from Qualtrics to an Excel database, checked for fidelity, and negatively phrased questions reversed before analysis using SPSS version 25. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical data. Measures of central tendency and dispersion were estimated for each TDF statement. The scores for each statement within each of the TDF domains were summed to create a domain score (range 1–7). Lower scores indicate agreement with the statement, in other words a facilitator of carrying out the behaviour, and higher scores indicate disagreement with the statement and consequently a barrier of carrying out the behaviour. As a rule of thumb, we considered scores of three or above as a barrier. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between each of the TDF domains and 1) at booking advising all women to abstain, and 2) other than at booking advising all women to abstain. Response categories ‘always’ and ‘usually’ were combined to represent carrying out the advice and ‘occasionally’, ‘rarely’ and ‘never’ were combined to represent a comparison group. The association was reported as an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). All TDF domains were added as variables in the regression model.
A total of 1636 survey links were accessed, of which 957 questionnaires were completed. After exclusion of 115 surveys that did not meet the eligibility criteria, 842 were retained for analysis. The distribution of the midwives in the sample by each nation reflected the expected distribution for midwives in the UK (RCM 2016). The majority of respondents were aged > 35 years (73%), 52% had worked as a midwife for > 10 years, 43% worked in the community and a further 27% rotated between community and hospital settings. Demographic and practice characteristics of the midwives are shown in Table 1.
Ninety four percent of midwives agreed with the statement that if they were currently pregnant, they would abstain from alcohol consumption.
Knowledge regarding alcohol guidelines
Almost two thirds (58%) of midwives reported being aware of the CMO Guidelines, yet when asked what the specific recommendations are within the Guidelines, responses varied. The vast majority (91%) reported that alcohol abstinence is recommended (Table 2). However, 19% of midwives aware of CMO guidelines reported limiting intake to 1–2 units 1–2 times per week after the first trimester, avoiding intoxication (17%), and avoiding binge drinking (23%) were recommendations which align with the content of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) antenatal guidelines pre-dating an update in 2019 .
Alcohol assessment and advice
Midwives were asked about their usual practice regarding assessment and advice on alcohol consumption for all women (Table 3). At booking, almost all midwives ask about pre-pregnancy drinking and current frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption. In contrast, about three-quarters ask about alcohol consumption before pregnancy recognition or specifically about current heavy episodic drinking. At booking, the vast majority of midwives always (90%) or usually (7%) advise women to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy. However, only two thirds always (44%) or usually (21%) discuss the effects of drinking on mother and baby.
At subsequent antenatal appointments, fewer midwives always (26%) or usually (12%) advise abstinence and fewer still always (20%) or usually (11%) discuss the potential alcohol-related effects on mother and baby.
Midwives were also asked about their usual practice regarding assessment and advice on alcohol consumption at booking for women with a suspected alcohol problem. The vast majority always (89%) or usually (9%) advise women to reduce or abstain from drinking and 93% always refer onward to appropriate agencies with 6% who usually refer (Table 3). However, a lower percentage of midwives always or usually further explore a woman’s drinking behaviour regarding previous referral for an alcohol-related problem and alcohol consumption during previous pregnancies, and fewer still always or usually enquire about her partners drinking and the context within that drinking takes place (see Table 3).
At antenatal appointments other than booking, the proportion of midwives who always or usually assess for current alcohol use (63 and 20%), advise to abstain (67 and 15%) and discuss alcohol effects (54 and 22%) is substantially higher if an alcohol-related problem is suspected than for all women (Table 3).
Scores for each item from the TDF are shown in Table 4. For the domains beliefs about capabilities, beliefs about consequences and social influences, the mean scores were higher. This shows that these domains were considered to be stronger barriers to implementation of the CMO Guidelines compared with other domains. The individual items with higher scores (thus considered a barrier) and the TDF domains that they aligned with were: lack of belief that the guidelines are accurate and represent the best available evidence on alcohol and pregnancy (knowledge); belief that the guidelines do not support building a rapport with women (skills); that women do not like being advised about abstinence (social influences) and belief that advising women to abstain has no impact on their behaviour (beliefs about consequences). Weaker barriers were midwives’ level of confidence/self-efficacy in discussing alcohol (beliefs about capabilities), prioritising other tasks (motivation and goals) and the extent they found it rewarding (emotion). Individual items and domains with lower scores thus considered enablers of advising women to abstain were that midwives wanted to and intended to advise women about alcohol (motivation and goals) and that they see it as part of their job and agree that it is expected of them (professional role and identity).
Predictors of advising women to abstain from alcohol
The multivariable results for predictors of providing advice at booking are not reported here. A high proportion of midwives always or usually advised women to abstain at booking in relation to the number of potential explanatory variables added to the model. Therefore, the analysis would lack sufficient power to estimate the effect of each variable in a multivariable analysis.
The multivariable regression analysis showed that ‘beliefs about capabilities’, ‘professional role and identity’ and ‘emotion’ domains of the TDF were the determinants that were significant predictors of midwives always or usually advising abstinence at antenatal appointments other than at booking (Table 5). The likelihood of midwives advising women to abstain at subsequent appointments were significantly reduced if they did not agree that ‘providing advice was expected of them’ and ‘saw it as part of their job’ - ‘professional role and identity domain’ (aOR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.95). Lacking self-efficacy to inform women about alcohol consumption - ‘beliefs about capabilities domain’; not ‘feeling that it is rewarding’ and not ‘regretting to advise women’ - ‘emotions domain’ also significantly reduced the likelihood of advising women to abstain at subsequent appointments, aOR 0.71 (95% CI: 0.57, 0.88), and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.67, 0.90), respectively.
This is the first study reporting on awareness and implementation of the CMO Guidelines among midwives in the UK. Around one in three midwives lacked awareness of the CMO guidelines and to some extent their content. The results indicated that the guidance recommending abstinence was not implemented at all antenatal appointments with a midwife. Practice varied according to whether the appointment was the initial or subsequent appointment, and the midwives’ perceptions of a woman’s alcohol consumption. Findings from the TDF-informed items suggested that knowledge was an enabler of practice, and that midwives see addressing alcohol consumption as part of their role and are motivated and intend to advise women. Barriers to implementing CMO guidelines were related to lack of expectation and prioritisation of gestational alcohol consumption within clinical teams, and lack of belief that it was worthwhile, rewarding or that it would lead to a beneficial change in a woman’s drinking behaviour. Midwives also lacked self-efficacy to implement the CMO guidelines. We identified professional role and identity, emotions and beliefs about capabilities as strong predictors of advising women to abstain from alcohol at appointments other than at booking, indicating these domains may be useful targets for interventions to support midwives’ implementation of alcohol assessment and advice.
The lack of awareness of both the CMO guidelines and their content was disappointing, particularly as they represented a change in 2016 from a permissive low risk stance to a precautionary abstinence stance, but perhaps not that surprising given a similar lack of awareness by the general population of the revised CMO guidelines . This highlights the importance of understanding the determinants of practice behaviour as issuing guidelines in isolation are not sufficient to ensure their implementation in practice. Moreover, the NICE antenatal care guidelines were in fact not updated until 3 years after the release of the CMO guidelines, potentially hindering healthcare practitioners delivering clear and consistent advice.
Despite the lack of awareness of the specific CMO guidelines, midwives advised abstinence. A limitation was that it was addressed at booking, but rarely again at subsequent antenatal appointments. This is similar to other studies examining midwives’ views and practices [18, 19, 26, 27] and women’s reported receipt of alcohol-related care . This warrant further investigation since drinking behaviours may change during the course of pregnancy, and women may be more inclined to report alcohol consumption once a relationship with the midwife has developed. Furthermore, asking at each antenatal visit is a recommendation in World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines . Not addressing alcohol at subsequent appointments is a missed opportunity for the midwife to support a woman’s behaviour change.
Furthermore, we found that although advise to abstain was given, the specific risks of alcohol exposure during pregnancy were rarely discussed. This is similar to studies involving midwives in England and Australia [18,19,20]. We found that midwives lacked confidence to inform women about the CMO guidelines, so the reason for not discussing the risks of alcohol consumption may in part be attributable to a lack of skills and knowledge to discuss wider alcohol-related health with women beyond advising them to abstain. A small qualitative study of Australian midwives reported a lack of knowledge of alcohol-related risks , similarly Dutch midwives reported a lack of knowledge about mechanisms and consequences of gestational alcohol consumption [24, 26]. Gilinsky (2009) found that midwives worried about giving conflicting advice about safe drinking levels. Further studies have cited time constraints, and concerns about offending women as a reason for not discussing the topic [16, 20, 25, 26, 41].
We found that beliefs about capabilities and emotions domains were important predictors of advising women to abstain at antenatal appointments other than at booking. This may be because midwives want to develop a trusted relationship with a woman and think that a woman is more likely to discuss her drinking behaviour once a relationship has been established [20, 25]. Particularly when women are not open to or are more difficult to engage in a conversation about alcohol . Another potential reason for the influence of these domains is the difficulty midwives face when women report drinking before they realised they were pregnant and their desire to allay a woman’s fears about potential alcohol-related harm [44, 45]. This suggests that building skills and self-efficacy in clinical conversations about alcohol without disrupting the professional trusted relationship would be a useful component of an implementation intervention to support midwives’ practices regarding alcohol assessment and advice.
Engagement with women to promote health is in line with the public health role of the midwife in the UK and internationally [46,47,48]. Reassuringly, professional role and identity was a strong enabler of advising abstinence at antenatal appointments other than booking, indicating that midwives see advising women to abstain as part of their role and that it is expected of them and that they have intentions to do so. This suggests that if barriers to implementation can be overcome, then midwives would be better supported to carry out this role.
Strengths and limitations
Strengths of this study was the application of a theoretical model to help understand factors that influence midwives advising women in line with the current national guidance on alcohol use during pregnancy, the large achieved sample size and use of an anonymous questionnaire to gather comprehensive data on midwives knowledge, practices and the behavioural determinants of practice. The convenience sampling, cross-sectional design, and reliance on self-report of compliance with the Guidelines weakens the inferences that can be drawn from the findings.
The TDF has been a useful framework for identifying determinants of midwives practice behaviours regarding implementation of alcohol guidelines. The findings will help contribute to the development of a theoretically informed intervention to support midwives’ discussions with women about alcohol consumption during pregnancy. An implementation intervention to support midwives delivery of alcohol advice at each antenatal appointment and not just at booking could lead to improved outcomes for women and infants. Reducing risky drinking has benefits which extend beyond pregnancy, including during breastfeeding and subsequent pregnancies and throughout the lifecourse to prevent chronic disease. Pregnancy presents an ideal opportunity to change behaviour, and midwives are in a key position to engage with women to facilitate this change.
Availability of data and materials
The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Adjusted odds ratio
Behaviour change techniques
Chief Medical Officer
Fetal alcohol syndrome
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Public Health England
Royal College of Midwives
STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology
Theoretical Domains Framework
World Health Organisation
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The authors would like to thank all midwives who took part in the study and contributed with their valuable time. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank the Stakeholder Advisory Group who commented on and supported the development of the study. Finally, the authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Philippa ‘Pip’ Williams, who was a member of the stakeholder group and sadly passed away before the completion of this work. Pip was a strong advocate for birthmothers and individuals with FASD and her legacy will continue to inspire researchers, practitioners and families.
This study was funded by the Institute for Alcohol Studies. Following approval of the final study design, the funder was not involved in collection, analysis, or interpretation of data or in writing the manuscript.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Ethical approval was obtained from the Section of Nursing Studies Ethics Research Panel at the University of Edinburgh (ref: STAFF124). Participants provided written consent to taking part on the first page of the questionnaire before they could progress to the survey questions. A completed survey was considered consent to partake.
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Smith, L.A., Dyson, J., Watson, J. et al. Barriers and enablers of implementation of alcohol guidelines with pregnant women: a cross-sectional survey among UK midwives. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 21, 134 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-03583-1
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By Jan Boone
Picture courtesy of Colorado State Forest Service
We all have watched with dread the fires that have ravaged both Northern and Southern California in the past months. As someone with family members and friends impacted by several of these fires in my home state, I can’t help but think it’s time to re-examine the more serious aspects of safety in foothills living and our gardens, for the off chance our turn will be next.
According to the Colorado Climate Center, as of January 2018, 99% of our state’s population is being impacted by some degree of drought. The Foothills and surrounding Metro area is still classified as Moderate, but as we all know weather patterns can impact us very quickly. This includes the scary fact our snowpack is currently between 50-70% of average. Yes, our typical snowiest months are March and April, so as I write, we are halfway through March and we’ve only received half our normal snowfall. Follow their website at (www.climate.colostate.edu).
Since our surrounding environment is heavily forested with peaks and canyons and our climate is arid, we’re at a high risk for wildland fire destruction The potential of a wildland fire impacts most every aspect of our daily living. Here’s a challenge: when was the last time you considered fire mitigation around your house and property?? Consider places where wildlands meet more urban-based building structures and how they can be defended against fire.
The Colorado State Forest Service (www.csfa.colostate.edu: https://static.colostate.edu/client-files/csfs/pdfs/FIRE2012_1_DspaceQuickGuide.pdf) has great guidelines on recognizing the Home Ignition Zones that starts with two basic principles: Structure Ignitability (your house and surrounding facilities) and Defensible space (the area around your home). While it’s true your homeowner’s insurance may help point out potential hazards they see on and around your immediate house structure, there are still greenhouses, storage sheds, barns, etc. to also consider. Have you thought of little things that may prove impactful? Do you allow pine needles to collect under any raised wooden decks, or against your siding? What about your gutters? Do you store items in potentially flammable containers up against the house? What about the woodpecker holes in siding you say you’ll get to later or the big dead pine bough that overhangs the roof? These all may impact your dwelling in case of a wildland fire.
Let’s also focus on the garden and space around your home. Do you worry about the dried cheat grass in a space next door? How about the small attractive pine you planted next to your house a few years ago? The dried needles it may drop are trouble!! All of these circumstances are easy targets with potentially sad outcomes, especially in wind driven ground fires where sparks can ignite your plantings and house. Do you watch for ladder fuels (i.e. dead pine boughs that start on shrubs, especially firs, at ground level and may rise 2-3 ft to current growth in a young trees. These fuels enable sparks to quickly move vertically, easily turning a ground or grass fire into a crown fire at treetop level .
Now turn your attention specifically to garden plants and landscaping. (CSU fact sheet #6.305 on Firewise Plant Materials: extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/natural-resources/firewise-plant-materials-6-305) We are often asked during the summer months “What plants won’t attract deer or elk”?? We can turn that question around for the purpose of this blog article and ask “What plants are more fire resistant”?? If we think of your home’s exterior space in Zones, there are 3 Defensible Space Zones: Zone 1 is 0-15 feet from your structure, Zone 2 is 30-100 feet from your structure. And Zone 3 100 feet and beyond. Here’s some added information to help.
Picture courtesy of Colorado State Forest Service
If you you’re collecting water in Zone 1, as in a rain barrel (CSU Fact Sheet # 6.707: http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/natural-resources/rainwater-collection-colorado-6-707/) or maybe a water feature with a pool, you may want to consider keeping a good hose nearby, especially to help spray water on the base of the house or to water plants near the house. A good friend in Napa did this using water from a swimming pool to help save a wood fence! However, if you are asked to evacuate, do so immediately without taking time to soak anything. Look for low growing ground covers and some wildflowers for this specific zone.
Zone 2 and 3 plantings may be subject to loss or damage from a wildland fire despite best efforts, but you can help protect the Zone 2 garden occupants by following these guidelines found in above referenced Fact Sheet on Firewise Plants. Look for plants with these specific characteristics: open branches and sparse vegetation, low sap or resin contents and good moisture content. While eliminating dead or dying branches or dried diseased leaves is work, the payback is a healthier garden as well as less available volatile materials in case of fire. Zone 3 is apt to be native growth, including tall pines. This zone may be a priority of first responders in case of a wildland fire. Consider and ask about plants or trees that may regenerate themselves after a fire.
Here are some good low water, native wildflowers and plants that may be suitable while also creating a reduced water need in a fire wise garden. These are also beneficial to pollinators. A fact sheet that can help with this is Native Herbaceous Perennials for Colorado: http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/native-herbaceous-perennials-for-colorado-landscapes-7-242/. Also, low-water native plants for pollinators: extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/native/FrontRange.pdf. In early growing season at our altitude, look for Nodding onion, Firecracker or Blue Mist Penstemon and Pasque flower to name a few. Mid to late season you can also include Milkweed, Harebells, Blanket flower (Gaillardia), Beebalm, Black-eyed Susan, native Yarrow, Aster, Oriental Poppy, even Hens and Chicks. Specific shrubs varieties may also include Rabbitbrush, Chokecherry, Golden Currant and Woods Rose, Cotoneaster, Serviceberry, Aspen. some maples and Mountain Ash.
The Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department is hoping to hire a wildland fire educator in the coming months so watch for further information we can share should this hiring occur. In the meantime, prepare as best you can with some of the ideas mentioned in this article. Here’s wishing everyone a peaceful and safe season in our gardens and surrounding communities these coming months. To those who may be called upon to help protect us in case of emergencies, we honor your commitment and thank you. | <urn:uuid:7a8e9cd9-9043-4c26-bc0b-3333425434b9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.radenpedia.com/2018/05/foothills-drought-conditions-fire.html?amp=0 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.939807 | 1,542 | 2.328125 | 2 |
Top best answers to the question «Why is internet so slow today»
“If you're getting slower Internet than you're supposed to, you can try resetting your modem and router (turning them off and on again). You might also want to check the other devices in your house before or after this step. If it's just one device that's slow, you might just have a hardware problem.”
5 other answers
But broadly speaking, in Pakistan, the relatively slow internet speed of broadband and cellular services is because of limitations of maximum available bandwidth per site, the low penetration of optical fiber cable infrastructure, complications in deployment of telecom infrastructure, and the fragile state of the telecom sector.
According to a new report by Broadband Now, a consumer advocate website that compares U.S. internet service providers (ISPs), many cities are experiencing internet slowdowns during the ongoing...
Two of the most frequent causes of poor Internet performance are spyware and viruses. Spyware can slow your system by interfering with your browser and monopolizing your Internet connection. Spyware monitors your Internet use and keystrokes, which adds delays.
Internet connections slow down for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the fault belongs to your internet service provider (ISP) and sometimes you're the culprit. It may be a little bit of both. Let's...
Change internet plans. Wi-Fi is slow in the corners of the house: Weak Wi-Fi signal: Reposition your router. Upgrade to a more powerful router or mesh system. Use a Wi-Fi extender or access point. Internet speeds slow to a crawl at the end of the month: Throttling due to exceeding data cap: Upgrade to a plan without data caps. | <urn:uuid:5faa2d9c-1ced-45ed-891a-6cdc16cb7bcc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://opnworks.com/why-is-internet-so-slow-today | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573667.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819100644-20220819130644-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.904714 | 356 | 2.25 | 2 |
There’s a motion in course of an built-in medication as extra orthodox practitioners are starting to affix in, led largely by their sufferers. Any quantity is finest than none in any respect.
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While you’ve acquired problem falling asleep, a scorching tub with considerably little bit of lavender scented bubble bathtub or physique wash proper earlier than mattress does wonders to calm your thoughts and relax tense muscle tissues. Muscular endurance – the pliability of a muscle or muscle group to carry out repeated actions with a sub-maximal strain for extended durations of situations. It is worth point out that each of those phrases are very broad and canopy a lot of fully completely different therapies and coverings however that the ultimate concepts are the identical primarily based on which sort of medication it is. As well as in case your physician is prescribing allopathic medication for you then it is likely to be doable to utilize holistic medication alongside this as a solution to get the utmost advantages for you and your situation.
if no Verizon Media Entity is specified to be the supplier in respect of a particular Service, the Relevant Verizon Media Entity is Oath Inc. (Take care of: 22000 AOL Means, Dulles, VA 20166), and for such Suppliers the phrases of Half 14.2 (United States) apply. Cardiorespiratory (CR) endurance – the effectivity with which the physique delivers oxygen and vitamins wished for muscular exercise and transports waste merchandise from the cells. This case is pretty straight forward, and there are many efficient therapies and medicines. As soon as you discover one factor that works for you, you’ll almost definitely should take it for just some months to heal injury, though usually life-style modifications can work wonders and also you might be able to stop sooner. Most drugs are of the once-a-day choice, however your doctor will tailor your prescription to your needs.
It is potential you may get bored doing the identical exercise on each day foundation. And after you do the identical exercise on a regular basis for six to eight weeks, your muscular tissues adapt to it. You burn fewer energy and construct a lot much less muscle. Try interval teaching: Step up your tempo for a minute, then decelerate, and repeat. Try power coaching and cardio actions like swimming, indoor biking, and kickboxing. 7. The Principle of Individualization implies that well being coaching packages should be adjusted for private variations, resembling skills, expertise, gender, experience, motivation, previous accidents, and bodily state of affairs. Whereas primary ideas and finest practices are good guides, every individual’s distinctive qualities should be a part of the practice equation. There isn’t any one dimension fits all coaching program.
You’ve got tried widespread fiber. You have tried probiotics. However they aren’t supplying you with the lasting outcomes you want. You’ve got be taught greater than the others, you’ve got acquired studied, you’ve got watched, you’ve got acquired found and you’ve got found the easiest way to achieve lasting intestine nicely being is through balancing the micro organism in your intestine. Nourishing your intestine micro organism with the right prebiotic helpful meals is the way in which during which to achieve that steadiness. Now we have achieved the analysis and we have developed the right mix of prebiotic parts derived from pure sources like tapioca and chicory and have put them collectively in a useful, simple mixing, nice tasting powder that saves you money and time. We make it even simpler by offering you a simple to cancel, under no circumstances have to think about it, subscription that delivers merely the correct quantity of prebiotic fiber to the doorstep each month.
Males previous the age of forty are liable to prostate illnesses. Prostate enlargement whether or not or not benign or malignant may trigger undue struggling. Benign enlargements want lifelong treatment and frequent monitoring. Most cancers of the prostate is much additional deadly and one has to bear surgical procedure, chemotherapy and radiotherapy to attenuate the unfold of the sickness. Substantial advantages can be derived from preventive measures like herbs for prostate enlargement and a eating regimen that options meals wealthy in lycopene, selenium and Vitamin E, however they are not a treatment of their very personal proper.
Biking: Many Gyms provide a health functions using their practice cycles. Prospects are in a position to improve or decrease the resistance to satisfy their health ranges. It is a good program it doesn’t matter what your health diploma is. It is helpful for firming leg muscular tissues and enhancing coronary heart and lung perform. Gout treatment can be categorized into medicines used to take care of an acute assault, and medicines used to stop gout points, akin to tophi. The facility to mix a lot of distinct movement patterns proper right into a singular distinct movement. As an illustration, the pliability to make your arms, legs and completely different physique components switch in a managed manner.
Software program License. Subject to your persevering with compliance with these Phrases, we grant you a non-public, royalty-free, non-transferable, non-assignable, revocable, and non-unique license to utilize the software program program and APIs we may provide to you as a part of the Suppliers. This license is for the one perform of enabling you to utilize and revel in the good thing about the Companies we provide, within the technique permitted by these Phrases and any additional phrases or ideas. You may not reverse engineer or attempt to extract the provision code of our software program program, except related legal guidelines prohibit these restrictions or you should have our specific written permission. Our software program may robotically get hold of and arrange safety or completely different updates with out prior notification to you.
Principally, we’re doing the similar factor in each situations. By selecting to reach a couple of minutes early, warming up (checking e-mail), starting our train routine with a specific intention in thoughts for every cardio and weight coaching (see victims and shoppers, take notes), taking a break (lunch time), repeating the method (sufferers and purchasers), and preparing for the next day we’re at an infinite benefit. Biomedical scientists use biotechnology methods to evaluation natural processes and illnesses. They function to develop worthwhile treatments and cures.
Normally, you can develop these muscular tissues by taking part them in overload practice and steadily growing the amount of load you carry throughout practice. As an illustration, isometric train entails making an attempt to boost or pull immovable objects (though it isn’t advisable for people with hypertension); isotonic practice contains the utilization of dumbbells and completely different widespread objects utilized in weight lifting; and isokinetic practice is normally executed by athletes and professionals.
artinya well being care apa
Licensed trainers can be found for individualized workouts and some well being gyms have masseuses accessible. Dwelling Work-Out Too usually, many individuals sign onto a contract at their native health well being membership and see they’ve simply signed their life away for a 12 months. Nonetheless, some people similar to the setting of a health health middle with the entire latest train instruments and classes.
Weight Low cost Functions: With a weight low cost program, there could be such actions harking back to cardio exercises, fat and calorie burning workouts and firming workouts that helps people drop pounds and company the muscle teams. | <urn:uuid:63830bbc-cbe1-4fce-bd5d-029dfdbb6be0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.healtheveryday.us/the-five-parts-of-health-related-fitness/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.934725 | 1,561 | 1.585938 | 2 |
ALMATY -- Beijing is actively taking advantage of Central Asia's struggles to deal with the coronavirus fallout to advance its geopolitical and economic goals, say observers.
Central Asian countries continue to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken an incalculable political, economic, social and health toll, as well as a pneumonia epidemic and an major economic decline due to plummeting hydrocarbon prices and remittances sent home by migrant workers.
The GDP of the Central Asian countries could fall by as much as 5.4% by the end of the year, according to the World Bank.
Meanwhile, China's economy appears to have recovered significantly from the pandemic, and a number of signs -- including recent pictures of Chinese partying in Wuhan, the birthplace of COVID-19, without masks or worries of social distancing -- suggest Beijing is already moving on from the crisis.
This imbalance has created a situation in which an empowered China is able to exploit countries in Central Asia that have been made more vulnerable by the pandemic, and observers say Beijing is doing just that.
"[China's] quicker economic recovery has positioned it to resume purchases of the numerous commodities, including oil from Kazakhstan, on which the Central Asian economies depend," wrote Philip Caruso, a fellow at the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, in Foreign Policy on August 3. "And true to form, it has negotiated potentially billions of dollars in loans to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, including through the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank."
"Beijing is still intent on seeing China rise to the top in global affairs and it sees the current disorder from the virus as a way to achieve that goal," Nadege Rolland, a senior fellow at the National Bureau of Asian Research and a former adviser on Chinese strategic issues to the French Defense Ministry, told RFE/RL.
Although Beijing has promised support, it is actually reassessing its current and future ventures as Chinese infrastructure and other economic projects in Central Asia have not proven to be sound enough in the last few months, according to Bishkek-based economist Elmira Suranchiyeva.
In June, the Chinese government examined the status of projects being carried out in the region as part of the Belt and Road Initiative and found that about half of them had taken a hit from the pandemic, she said.
"These Chinese projects, funded by China itself, drove the Central Asian countries even deeper into Beijing's debt bondage," Suranchiyeva said. "The pandemic halted the projects, but no one cancelled the debt to China."
Meanwhile, the Chinese regime is not rushing to provide economic support to its neighbours, which need to increase their exports.
In fact, in trying to develop the Chinese market, Central Asian manufacturers often run up against Beijing's protectionist policies.
The numerous tariffs and inspections at Chinese customs and the subsequent price hikes make Kazakh flour much less competitive in China, said Dos-Mukasen Taukebayev, director of Mutlu, a large flour mill in Karaganda.
"As a result, their local flour is much cheaper than ours," Taukebayev said. "China has made it very hard to conquer its market."
Beijing is interested in Central Asia more as a source of raw materials than as a valuable partner, said Aidos Sarym, an Almaty-based political analyst.
The region's countries need to be wary of China and not fall for "economic games", he said.
Amid the worsening situation, the foreign ministers of China and the five Central Asian countries met on July 16 in a video-conference to discuss economic plans and co-operation in fighting the pandemic.
In his statement at the conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi primarily expressed the standard diplomatic rhetoric on "Central Asia's important strategic position in today's international arena" and "great changes unlike anything seen in 100 years".
He stressed the value of co-operating on trade and security and praised successes in solving "border issues and transforming the shared border into a symbol of friendship and co-operation".
However, shortly after the online conference, Chinese media published an article with the provocative headline, "Tajikistan Initiated a Land Transfer to China, and the Lost Pamir Mountains Were Returned to Their Rightful Owner".
The article described the 2011 cession of 1,158 sq. km of Tajik territory to China, which outraged many Tajiks at the time.
The Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan belong to China, asserted the author, a Chinese journalist and historian named Qu Yao Lu, relying only on Chinese sources.
The article angered the Tajik government, and "Dushanbe appealed to Beijing not to allow the publication of provocative stories about the Tajik-Chinese border," Asia-Plus reported on July 24.
"China has already taken our Upper Kumarg gold mine to settle a debt. They say they want to help, but obviously, a bill will come after their 'help,'" said Abdurakhmon Khasanov, a Dushanbe resident who works at Avitsena, a construction company.
In 2018, China received a licence to operate that mine in exchange for building a power plant in Dushanbe, as media reported.
"Beijing is simply using Central Asia," he added.
While the Central Asian governments are co-operating with Beijing out of economic considerations, the region is showing widespread concern about Chinese expansion.
This attitude is sparking anti-China protests and conflicts among local residents and Chinese workers at companies launched by Beijing.
In the summer of 2019, a brawl broke out at the Solton-Sary gold mine in Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan, between workers at the Chinese company Zhong Ji Mining and local residents, leading to dozens of injuries.
The local residents accused the mining company of violating environmental standards and of causing mass livestock deaths through pollution.
One month later, a wave of anti-China protests united under the slogan "No to Chinese expansion" swept through several cities in Kazakhstan.
Activists demanded the cancellation of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's upcoming visit to Beijing and the shutdown of Chinese industrial and agricultural projects.
China was also caught in July circulating disinformation in Central Asia on the coronavirus outbreak, exploiting the escalating pandemic to stir panic and confusion in the region.
Other concerns about China's exploitation of the COVID-19 crisis centre around Beijing's military expansion in the region. | <urn:uuid:8b5aed75-1789-4819-ad7e-cea5dc7aa617> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://central.asia-news.com/en_GB/articles/cnmi_ca/features/2020/08/20/feature-01 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573667.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819100644-20220819130644-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.957129 | 1,354 | 1.898438 | 2 |
Web 2.0 i difusió de la recerca
Type of work: Seminar
Categories:Digital Literacy | Information Society | Open Access | Social Media & Social Software
Abstract:Buzzword or not, the Internet is changing and the so-called Web 2.0 applications might mean new ways to work in the research-education-diffusion field (i.e. the University field). This presentation’s goal is raising a reflection and showing a “good” practice in difusion of research, after Ismael Peña’s experience in the area of Public policies for development and ICT4D at the Open University of Catalonia and the use of blogs, wikis and other tools in his ICT4D personal portal.
Observations:Presentation given in Barcelona, March 10th, 2006 in the homonimous seminar organized by the Faculty of Law and Political Science at UOC. Available in the following languages:
Web 2.0 i difusió de la recerca (1.11 Mb)
Web 2.0 and diffusion of research (1.11 Mb)
Related reference: Peña López, I. & Córcoles, C. (2006). “Web 2.0 and diffusion of research”. In ICTlogy, April 2006, (31). Barcelona: ICTlogy. | <urn:uuid:fe2a0f21-b4ba-47c0-af07-aef93a3cbe79> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://ictlogy.net/bibliography/reports/projects.php?idp=264 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.703043 | 311 | 1.914063 | 2 |
On Feb. 2, the Supreme Court of Canada restored a decision of the Specific Claims Tribunal and ruled that the Colony of British Columbia breached its fiduciary obligation to preserve the lands of the Williams Lake Indian Band from settlement before Confederation. The Federal Court of Appeal overturned the Tribunal’s decision two years ago, concluding that Canada’s post-Confederation actions were sufficient. In a split decision, the Court found that the federal Crown is responsible for the pre-Confederation breach as well as its own failure to meet its obligations it owed to the band after British Columbia joined Confederation in 1871.
This decision is the Supreme Court’s first interpretation of the Specific Claims Tribunal Act, and was quickly heralded by Indigenous groups across Canada. The Specific Claims Tribunal can now consider what would be adequate compensation for the breaches.
The full text of the decision can be found here. | <urn:uuid:8fb6c59c-e737-4b9a-949f-9c24c3033c6d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://arbutuslaw.ca/williamslake/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.959917 | 180 | 2.375 | 2 |
Garrett’s Gift is currently raising funds to purchase The CuddleCot for IU Health Bloomington Hospital Labor & Delivery/NICU. Many of you might be wondering what exactly is The CuddleCot? The CuddleCot is internationally recognized across the world as helping parents who suffer the loss of a baby. Dealing with the death of a baby is clearly an incredibly difficult event for parents and an increasing number of US/Canadian hospitals are looking at how they can improve their bereavement
services to parents.
A major way that hospitals can improve their services is to provide bereaved parents with the option of spending time with their baby. Providing families time is internationally encouraged by midwives, bereavement practitioners, still birth/neonatal charities, academics and is also recognized in International Position statements/guidance. This “time” allows the family to form an important bond with their baby; whether dressing the baby or simply just to stay close as this can help families in dealing with their loss. The problem is that in a warm room the baby’s condition can deteriorate quickly which parents often find distressing. Therefore, cooling the baby is absolutely essential; however, parents do not want the trauma of being separated from their baby while they are placed into a morgue refrigerator to cool.
Please consider donating to this important cause to help families in our community. | <urn:uuid:9efe7be8-608e-4bf2-afac-1b30fdb029db> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.garrettsgift.org/lets-donate-a-cuddlecot/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573667.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819100644-20220819130644-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.963915 | 285 | 1.828125 | 2 |
What is ethical jewellery? and why is it important to invest in ethical jewellery?
Constantly soughting after the newest and latest trends, has created a supply and demand in the fashion industry with negative consequences, namely 'fast fashion'. Whilst it is may be easy and normalised to impulse buy cheaper alternatives on the high street, these actions can directly impact the environment and people's lives on a global scale, with moral and physical boundaries being abused.
If you are wanting to invest in ethical jewellery it's important to understand what defines jewellery as ethical. At Freya Rose, ethics are considered during every step of the manufacturing process and we are always seeking new ways we can ensure our jewellery does not have a negative impact on the environment or the people producing it. Working with families, instead of factories for the past 12 years, has meant that our skilled jewellers are truly part of the Freya Rose family and valued by Freya herself - without these members of our team Freya Rose creations cannot come to life!
All the finest materials used to produce our exquisite jewellery creations are ethically sourced to ensure any damage to natural settings are minimal, something that larger mass producers tend to overlook in the manufacturing process. Whilst we are always aiming to preserve ancient crafting techniques, it is just as important to preserve the environment we are sourcing them from too. Ethical manufacturing and practice not only displays a conscious effort of working towards a cleaner environmental but it also shows consideration for those that are creating these beautiful products, by you the consumer. Without the passion of these skilled artisan jewellers that Freya has built a strong relationship with and truly considers them part of our family, the brand would not be what it is today - a business that cares beyond personal gain. The entirety of the demi-fine jewellery is made from semi/precious materials that have been ethically sourced and produced with long-lasting wearability and quality in mind - you will notice that all gold, silver or rose-gold components are 22ct gold vermeil with a 3-micron layer plating to ensure a durable piece which can last for over 5 decades when cared for properly. An investment in ethical jewellery, is an investment for the greater good without needing to sacrifice on style. We urge our customers to make the conscious effort to be more ethical with the things you buy and we make it that much easier by creating ethical jewellery which is good for your conscience and your fashionable ways.
Read on to find out about our intricately crafted collection of jewellery featuring stand-out mother of pearl earrings that are both ethically sourced and produced, that Freya Rose customers love.
Contemporary Everyday Hoop - Woven Mini Hoops
One of our latest launches and most ethically conscious product to date, find our 'Woven for Women Mini Hoops' - In collaboration with The Prince’s Trust, Freya's reimagined our best-selling Mini Hoops design in aid of the #CHANGEAGIRLSLIFE campaign for International Women’s Day. With every purchase of our new ‘Woven Mini Hoops’ on International Women’s Day, Freya Rose London will donate £10.00 to The Prince’s Trust #CHANGEAGIRLSLIFE initiative and £5.00 thereafter. Using an ancient east-indonesian technique these mini hoops allow the preservation of this wired weave to flourish and be worn by modern women - an appreciation for the craft to continue.
Elegant Evening Jewellery - Pearl Drop Earrings
The Tahitian Black Pearl Drops make for the perfect occasion-wear earring. Their effortless elegance is easy to see as this natural Black Tahitian Pearl hangs from a hand-made pear shaped cubic zirconia encased in sterling silver. These are a classic evening wear jewellery style that we have never seen go out of style - it is a classic after all.
Best Bridal Earrings - Baroque Pearl Drops
Our Baroque Pearl Earrings are a fashion-forward bride favourite and we can see why - these hand-beaded tassel earrings feature hand strung seed pearls and baroque pearls, creating an opulent and organic shape which provides beautiful movement as you sway the night away with your other half. The lustrous pearls hang on a 22ct gold vermeil 3-micron plated chain for that extra touch of shine and chic style.
As a small business, in the world of fashion, we have ambitious goals for the future of sustainability and ethics at Freya Rose. There are always ways in which we must improve, invest and dedicate time to continuing research and developments to continue making these beautiful creations in the most ethical and sustainable way possible. Part of our commitment to customers are complete honesty and transparency on this matter. We also promise to continue the journey to slower ethical fashion which has little impact on the environment around us and continues to value the craftsmanship behind it, with your continued support we know this is more than possible
Let us know the changes you would like to see in the industry surrounding ethics/sustainability below x | <urn:uuid:6dc4bd74-df6d-4bf7-8635-b87279ca4870> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://freyarose.com/blogs/journal/the-importance-of-ethical-jewellery | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.937656 | 1,063 | 2.140625 | 2 |
Scores of people on Wednesday gathered in Mullivaikkal village, in Sri Lanka’s northern Mullaitivu district, to remember the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians who were brutally killed in the final stages of the civil war in May 2009, when the armed forces crushed the LTTE.
Simultaneously, dozens came together expressing solidarity in a rare public remembrance event in capital Colombo, at Galle Face, the ocean front where citizens’ groups are protesting for 40 days now, asking President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to quit over the economic crisis stifling the country.
Although small, the commemoration in Colombo assumed significance, amid sharp divisions in how the Sinhala-majority south and Tamil majority north perceive the civil war’s end.
While the UN has recorded at least 40,000 civilian deaths in the final stages of the war, many in the island’s south are yet to confront hard questions about the Sri Lankan military’s alleged human rights abuses at the time, that too targeting civilians reportedly directed to a ‘No fire zone’. Their popular narrative conflates the LTTE with Tamil civilians, hails soldiers as “heroes” for crushing the outfit, and celebrates the end of the war as the military’s “victory”.
The divide has starkly manifested in the war anniversaries observed since 2009 – with some citizens reliving the enormous pain of losing their loved ones, and others cheering Sri Lankan troops marching down the very same Galle Face promenade in “victory day” parades.
Today, the stretch in the international spotlight is for other reasons. Citizens, mainly Sinhalese, are mounting unprecedented resistance against the Rajapaksas, who they blame for the economic meltdown. The ruling clan, once revered for “defeating” the LTTE in war, is now widely detested. But President Gotabaya Rajapaksa seems determined to stay in office, despite other resignations including that of his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa, who stepped down as Prime Minister on May 9.
In a ‘War heroes’ day message on Wednesday, President Gotabaya said there is “no doubt that various local, foreign groups and individuals are trying to use” the economic and political crisis “as a pretext to influence” national security. “We must defeat it together. Only then will the courageous war hero’s commitment to the country be preserved,” he said in a statement.
“Let us remember our Tamil brothers and sisters who died, or were forcibly disappeared on this day in Mullivaikkal,” said Fr. Jeewantha Peiris at the remembrance event at Galle Face, where participants drank kanji or porridge in coconut shells, as many Tamils did while living precariously amidst indiscriminate shelling. Participants made speeches in English, Tamil, and Sinhala, as they expressed solidarity with the victims and their families.
“This is a very significant moment, as some Sinhalese have also joined this event in solidarity with Tamil families in Mullivaikkal remembering those killed during the war. Conversations about how we address our troubled past, how we confront questions of justice and accountability are just beginning,” said lawyer Swasthika Arulingam.
Tamil lawmaker from Batticaloa Rasamanickam Shanakiyan termed the commemorative event in Colombo “a great leap” in reconciliation efforts.
“The memorial held at #GGG [Gota go gama or village] to commemorate the lives lost & families affected in #Mullivaikkal 13 yrs ago today is a great leap in the reconciliation efforts as it acknowledges the pain Tamils in Sri Lanka went through during the war.
We are hopeful about an equal and just future,” he said in a tweet on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Tamil families commemorated their loved ones in Mullivaikkal, offering flowers and lighting lamps in their memory. In the 13 years since the war ended, Tamils have frequently raised concerns over heightened surveillance and intimidation around memorial events. Last year, a plaque erected in Mullaitivu was found vandalised, while authorities bulldozed a memorial on the University of Jaffna campus. | <urn:uuid:955c8de5-b679-4b18-a103-3e5d470fcd50> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ceylonguardiannews.com/index.php/2022/05/18/mullivaikkal-remembrance-tamil-victims-remembered-in-colombo/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.947891 | 909 | 2.125 | 2 |
Road trips are fun. They take us to new destinations to see exciting things. While we often find adventure and thrill in road trips, travel for cattle can be stressful.
Cattle transport presents a plethora of potential stressors, which can lead to weakened immune systems and sickness. From tough weather conditions to lengthy travel to commingled loads, many factors can have detrimental effects on cattle. Helping animals become resilient against these stresses by bolstering their immunity can significantly decrease incidence of sickness and mortality during the receiving period.
Taking proactive measures to prepare cattle for the stressors of the receiving period may help maintain feed intake, boost average daily gain (ADG) and reduce costs from clinical health events. And it all starts in the gut.
Gut: The first line of defense
The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the primary point of attack for pathogens, diseases and infections. Pathogens latch on to cattle with compromised immune systems much easier compared to cattle with resilient guts. In fact, 70 percent of a ruminant’s immune system is associated with the gut, proving that a healthy animal is synonymous with a healthy gut. When the GI tract is healthy, cattle are more resilient to stressors like transport.
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), also known as shipping fever, is the most prevalent disease in stocker and feedlot cattle and can account for up to 80 percent of feedlot morbidity1. So how do you keep cattle healthy? When you improve immunity, you’ll not only boost cattle health, but you’ll also improve profit margins.
Feeding for success
With increasing pressure to decrease antibiotic use, producers are turning to alternative ways of maintaining animal health. Nutrition is central to helping prevent sickness like BRD and achieve production goals. CELMANAX™ works proactively in the gut to maintain the natural microbial population and support beneficial bacteria. When beneficial bacteria are supported, animals are healthier and the need for antibiotics can be reduced.
CELMANAX delivers Refined Functional Carbohydrates™ (RFCs™) to help cattle cope with environmental changes. RFCs block receptor sites in the gut and prevent pathogens from attaching to the intestinal lining. They also support fermentation and rumination to reduce the effects of toxins, like mycotoxins, in feed.
By maintaining and supporting nutrient uptake, CELMANAX ultimately leads to better feed efficiency and animal performance.
Study shows RFCs are transport approved.
One research trial2 examined two truckloads of heifers fed receiving diets. One group received a control diet and the other received a control diet with CELMANAX. The group fed CELMANAX recorded higher ADG, with a 61 percent decrease in BRD cases.
Setting cattle up for success
Don’t let stress wreak havoc on your herd. Set up your cattle for success in the receiving period by adding CELMANAX to rations to improve gut health and strengthen immunity. By doing so, cattle will be more resilient to the diseases and infections associated with transport stress.
To learn more about how CELMANAX can support receiving period health in cattle, find an ARM & HAMMER rep near you.
1 BRD. Back to basics. Drovers September 22, 2014. Available at: https://www.drovers.com/article/brd-back-basics-0
2 Ponce CH, Schutz JS, Elrod CC, Anele UY, Galyean ML. Effects of Dietary Supplementation of a Yeast Product on Performance and Morbidity of Newly Received Beef Heifers. Prof Anim Sci 2013;28:618-622.
Written by Dr. Neil Michael
Source: Ruminant Technical Services Manager March 12, 2020. | <urn:uuid:d2877b7e-9f68-49db-9f47-2abd0b5e9cf8> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.auspacingredients.com.au/say-goodbye-to-the-effects-of-cattle-transport-stress-with-rfcs | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.931618 | 774 | 2.796875 | 3 |
In recent years tattooing has emerged to the forefront of popular consciousness, and has evolved into a highly stylized and valued fashion product for millions of middle-class consumers and celebrities alike.
The word Tattoo is said to be derived from the Polynesian word ‘ta’, meaning to ‘strike something’, and the Tahitian word ‘tatau’, meaning to ‘mark something.’ The tattooed remains of ancient peoples have been discovered across the globe, evidence of tattooing’s long practice, dating back more than 5000 years1. It is said that the first tattoos were likely created by accident; someone had a small wound, and rubbed it with a hand that was dirty with soot and ashes from the fire, and, upon the wound having healed, the ashen mark remained permanently.
There have been stereotypical and sensationalized associations with tattoo design. For instance, the tattoo conventions were often associated with sailors (using common motifs such as flowers, hearts, mermaids, ships, anchors, snakes, birds, and names) and ‘hoodlums’ (as the ultimate insignia for some gangs, and an imprint for autonomy and identity). In the latter part of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, the popularity of tattooing prospered in the circus, with major circuses exhibiting people covered in tattoos; however, these stereotypical associations have changed over the past 20 years2. In 2008, it was estimated that 14% of Americans have one or more tattoos, and there are an estimated 20,000+ parlors operating in the United States3.
In the 1970s, artists trained in traditional fine art disciplines began to embrace tattooing and brought with them entirely new sorts of sophisticated imagery and technique. Advances in electric needle machines and pigments provided artists with new colour ranges, delicacy of detail and aesthetic possibilities. Flaunted by influential rock stars including the Rolling Stones, tattooing became accepted by ever-broader segments of mainstream society by the late 1980’s. Today, tattoos are routinely seen on celebrities from rock stars, professional sports players, ice-skating champions, fashion models, film stars and a number of other public figures, each playing a significant role in setting the norms and behavioral patterns of contemporary culture.
According to journalist Hoag Levins, two distinct categories of tattoo salons have emerged over the last fifteen years. The first is the tattoo parlor, offering “pictures-off-the-wall” assembly-line service and often operating with less than optimum sanitary procedures. The second is the tattoo art studio, most frequently featuring custom, fine art design—the ambiance of an upscale salon, and worthy of mention “by-appointment” services only3. In here, the person being tattooed doesn’t simply pick out a design from the shop wall; he or she has an image in mind when arriving at the studio and then discusses it with the artist, much as a patron might commission a work of art. In Toronto, all shops have to meet minimum provincial guidelines through health inspection. Thus, the sanitation of the ‘tattoo parlors’ isn’t widely in question, so much as the quality of work, and comfort of the setting.
Today’s fine art tattoo studio draws the same kind of clientele as a custom jewelry store, fashion boutique, or high-end antique shop. The market demographics for tattoo services are now skewed heavily toward mainstream consumers. Tattooing today is the sixth-fastest-growing retail business in the United States. The single fastest growing demographic group seeking tattoo services is, to the surprise of many, middle-class suburban women. In 1997, Canada’s Toronto Star reported 80% of the customers were “upper middle-class white suburban females.”4 Why you ask? According to Levin’s, tattooing makes women feel better about themselves and allows them to express their identity. But I also wonder if tattoos represent a sign of deviance—rebellion and pushing the envelope, or it is simply a fad.
Tattooing is recognized by government agencies as both an art form and a profession, and tattoo-related artwork is the subject of museum, gallery and educational exhibitions across the United States. With confidence, one can say that tattooing is a well-established art form that, unlike other arts, could be lucrative for many artists and feel-good for the tattooees.
This narrative is my contemplation to get one done. I like tattoos. But despite the acceptance of tattoos as fine art, I cannot help but wonder about the needle, the pain, the side-effects, and the permanence of the chosen image. What if I don’t like the image, the work, and the side effects (if any)? Would it make me feel better about myself? Furthermore, there is a substantial literature on tattooees who wish to have their tattoo removed, but tattoo removal is expensive and incredibly painful. As a result, I am not ready to go under the needle, yet, but if you are, thumbs up!
Would love to hear your thoughts!
1 A brief history of tattoos
2 Tattoo Facts & Statistics
3 The Changing Cultural Status of the Tattoo Arts in America by Hoag Levins
4 Life, Young Street’ by Odelia Bay, The Toronto Star, Sept. 30, 1997, p. E1.
5 Tattoo removal is expensive, time-consuming and painful. It’s also a booming industry | <urn:uuid:9e97fd43-60e5-49dd-bd0a-146913b199bd> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://arttalkinthecity.com/2013/02/05/should-i-get-a-tattoo/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.955558 | 1,162 | 2.609375 | 3 |
McGowan organised petition and recieved apology from Facebook
A MAN from Glasgow who tried to log-in to Facebook using the same Gaelic name he had been signing in with for four years, Gabhan Mac A Ghobhainn, was told he would be banned unless he got a “proper” name, before starting a petition and receiving an apology from the social media company.
Facebook had told Gavin McGowan: “We don’t believe your name is your real name and unless you submit one that is acceptable to Facebook we will close your account.”
McGowan responded by organising a petition which quickly attracted 2,000 signatories.
Facebook apologised, saying: “We accidentally requested you to change your name. This was a mistake, and we sincerely apologise for this error. We’ve corrected your name, and you should now be able to see it now.”
However, Scottish Gaelic is still not recognised as a language by Facebook, and the company’s software is understood to reject Gaelic names because of the capital letters and apostrophes in them, as they try to crack down on fake and joke accounts.
McGowan and his wife both learnt Gaelic out of interest, and are now fluent in it.
He told The Herald: “There is an Irish Gaelic version on Facebook – there just isn’t a Scottish one.
“Scottish Gaelic names are apparently unacceptable.”
Eilidh Scammell, project manager for Ainmean-Aite na h-Alba (Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland), said: “I think Facebook should recognise Scottish Gaelic.
“There are 58,000 speakers here and another 10,000 or so abroad. It is a minority language, but not so much as others. I think it is just ignorance – they don’t realise.”
Other accepted Facebook languages include “Pirate” and “Upside down English”.
Picture courtesy of Acid Pix | <urn:uuid:0d69d063-d0f9-4de0-b29f-47d737fd6aac> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://sourcenews.scot/get-a-proper-name-facebook-apologises-after-trying-to-ban-scottish-gaelic-name/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.958244 | 431 | 1.820313 | 2 |
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Skills recogntion for young volunteers in Erasmus + projects
Young volunteers, when participating to an Erasmus + project, may recognise their skills through the Youth Pass.
Skills recogntion for voluntary staff
Skills recognition affects mostly specialised voluntary staff such as leaders and coordinators in summer camps. Holidays centres must have a certain percentage of highly qualified staff to supervise kids and teenagers. Young volunteers aged above 16 years old have the possibility to follow a training which may lead to the award of a certificate. This training must be undertaken in collaboration with recognised youth organisation or youth centres.
The Decree of 17 May 1999 establishes the standards to get a certificate.
There are 2 authorities responsible for validation and recognition of competences:
- The training ooperators which decides whether the certificate is awarded or not;
- The Youth Department of the French-Speaking Community which approve the certificate.
Young volunteers can validate skills through a certificate. The latter is awarded by a training operator and approved by the Youth Department of the French-Speaking Community. There are 29 training operators recognised by the French-Speaking Community whose 17 are specialised in training in holiday’s centres. Training operators have their own methods and tools to train young volunteers.
There are 2 others skills recognition mechanisms established in the Decree related to holiday’s centres:
- Equivalence: the commission of holiday’s centres examines on a case-by-case basis the professional path of the volunteer to determine if he/she is eligible for the certificate without doing the training. The commission takes its decision according to a reference document which gives common indicators to evaluate.
- Assimilation: the National Office of Childhood (ONE) assigns this status to volunteers if they meet the criteria (formal diploma in the education sector and professional experience).
The certificate is not a formal document valid in the official education sector but it still has a value on the labour market.
There are no synergies between national validation arrangements and European credit systems applicable to the formal education and training system.
According to the Decree related to holiday’s centres, the Government organises the supervision and the educational support of holiday’s centres.
The Youth Department is responsible for the recognition and the financial support of training organisations. | <urn:uuid:79ae139f-95de-4da9-a5b7-30de1fa53753> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://national-policies.eacea.ec.europa.eu/youthwiki/chapters/belgium-french-community/27-skills-recognition | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573163.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20220818033705-20220818063705-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.934698 | 477 | 1.984375 | 2 |
How does the Informix SQL Optimizer choose which index or table or access method to use when running your SQL? This presentation will focus on how to view and understand the SQL Explain plan to see how your SQL is executed. The SQL Explain plan will provide times for each step in your process.
This presentation will focus on Best Practices for Informix database indexes. Every table should have at least one index, and managing indexes is an integral part of a DBA's task and time. Indexing is one method to optimize the performance of a database by reducing the number of disk reads when a query is executed. An index is a structure which is used to locate and access a row in a database table quickly. Indexes are used to enforce uniqueness, primary, and foreign keys and constraints. Indexes can also be a source of problems in a database and may slow performance down when misused. | <urn:uuid:3011852f-ae9b-40c5-a813-e2a10bc7b576> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://advancedatatools.com/tag/sql-explain/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.916068 | 180 | 2.921875 | 3 |
This report has been updated to include additional context that was not included with the video that went viral online of the incident.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden warned on Sunday that next month’s election was the “most consequential” in a long time because of what would happen if there were “four more years of George,” a remark that many interpreted as a reference to former President George Bush. Biden, after saying “George” twice, made clear that he was speaking about “if Trump gets elected.”
“This is the most [consequential], not because I’m running, but because who I’m running against, this is the most consequential election in a long, long, long time,” Biden said. “And the character of the country, in my view, is literally on the ballot, what kind of country we’re going to be.”
“Four more years of George, uh, George, uh, he, uh,” Biden said, “gonna find ourselves in a position where if Trump gets elected we’re gonna be, we’re gonna be in a different world.”
However, after the publication of this report and similar reports by Fox News, the “Today” show, the Daily Mail, Sky News, and others, new context came to light about the interview. Biden was speaking at the “I Will Vote” concert and one of the co-hosts was George Lopez. Biden was responding to a question from Lopez when he made the remark. The Washington Post rated the viral video, from RNC Rapid Response Director Steve Guest, as earning “Four Pinocchios” for eliminating “key context by removing the most obvious George that Biden could be referring to — George Lopez — and filled in the gap with an answer better suited to the Trump campaign’s unproven narrative of Biden’s faltering mental acuity.”
There is no way to be certain about who Biden was referring to when he made the remark. PolitiFact attempted to evaluate the incident before ultimately concluding that “it’s difficult to determine whether he was addressing his interviewer or making a verbal flub that he corrected.”
Guest responded to The Washington Post’s fact-check with the following statement:
This isn’t a “fact check.” It’s the Washington Post doing the Biden campaign’s bidding to cover up what Biden actually said. Biden was talking about “four more years” of President Trump and said the name “George” instead. His wife is mouthing “Trump” next to him in an attempt to save him and remind him who is currently president. Which explanation makes more sense? That Biden was expressing concern for 4 years of George Lopez as President!? Or does it make more sense that the same Joe Biden who couldn’t remember Mitt Romney’s name or the office he is running for mistakenly referred to a past Republican administration instead of the current one? It’s obviously the latter.
Guest also tweeted out a long thread on Twitter of other similar incidents involving Biden.
Joe Biden confuses President Trump with George W. Bush: “because of who I’m running against…George, ah, George” pic.twitter.com/ujAni2Q7Gh
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) October 26, 2020
Biden made another confusing remark over the weekend during an interview with Crooked Media, a leftist publication. While speaking on the issue of voting, Biden said to the hosts, who are former Obama administration officials (emphasis added):
First of all, go to iwillvote.com to make a plan exactly how you’re going to vote, where you’re going to vote, when you’re going to vote. Because it can get complicated. Because the Republicans are doing everything they can to make it harder for people to vote—particularly people of color to vote. So go to iwillvote.com.
Secondly, we’re in a situation where we have put together, and you guys did it for President Obama’s administration before this, we have put together, I think, the most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics. What the president is trying to do is discourage people from voting by implying that their vote won’t be counted. It can’t be counted. We’re gonna challenge it and all these things. If enough people vote, it’s gonna overwhelm the system. You see what’s happening now. You guys know it as well as I do. You see the long, long lines in early voting.
While it’s not completely plain what Biden was referring to with the comments — which subsequently went viral on Twitter — immediately after, the former vice president added something potentially clarifying:
If, in fact, you have any, any problem, go to, and I don’t have the number, but it’s 833-DEM-VOTE. The letters D-E-M-V-O-T-E. Call that number. We have over a thousand lawyers, over a thousand [and they’ll] answer the phone. If you think there’s any challenge to your voting, go to 833-DEM-VOTE. Dial those letters on your phone, that will get you the assistance that we have already put in place.
Joe Biden brags about having “the most extensive and inclusive VOTER FRAUD organization in the history of American politics” pic.twitter.com/PfkqrFXu7i
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) October 24, 2020
Trump Deputy Campaign Manager Justin Clark quote retweeted the video, writing: “People ask why the President fights so hard in court for ballot integrity? Why we have such an extensive Election Day Operations team? This is why.”
President Donald Trump retweeted Clark’s video and later quote Clark’s tweet, writing: “What a terrible thing for Biden to say! Rigged Election?”
What a terrible thing for Biden to say! Rigged Election? https://t.co/jQXxeQCZU9
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 25, 2020
This report has been updated to include additional information. | <urn:uuid:c7338ba0-37fa-40be-980f-a38a635559c4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-this-is-the-most-consequential-election-due-to-possibility-of-four-more-years-of-george?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=mjk&fbclid=IwAR0yhcrXnoKKOoZL8CsiSm-Q_z_eT4SKWcpsJ38EVVhhuSg5HgvNTnQf164 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.954821 | 1,368 | 1.507813 | 2 |
"Let he who doubt our power and munificence look upon our buildings." Like the rest of Tamerlane's most grandiose project, this inscription survives only in part, yet the ruined entrance towers stand in monumental testimony to an age of power writ large on tiled canvas.
Following his capture of Kunya Urgench in 1379, Tamerlane dispatched its craftsmen to his home town to build his greatest palace, similar in structure to Samarkand's Bibi Khanum Mosque, begun twenty years later, but unparalleled in size and decoration. The name Ak-Serai (White Palace) symbolizes his noble descent, not the dominant colour, for blue, green and gold patterned the vast mosaics.
The slave artisans of Khorezm and Azerbaijan were still at work in 1404 when Spanish ambassador Clavijo passed, wide-eyed, between 65-metre high towers, flanking a portal arch 40 metres high and 22 metres wide, into a marble-paved courtyard 100 metres wide, enclosed by two-storeyed arcades. Beyond another ornate gateway was Tamerlane's domed reception hall, "where the walls are panelled with gold and blue tiles, and the ceiling is entirely of gold work". Clavijo's tour continued through "marvellously wrought" chambers and a banqueting hall for Tamerlane's wives to a garden of fruit trees and water pools, ideal for summer days of mutton, horse flesh and wine. "It is the custom with the Tartars to drink their wine before eating, and they are wont to partake of it then so copiously and quaffing it at such intervals that the men soon get very drunk. No feast we were told is considered a real festival unless the guests have drunk themselves silly." According to Clavijo, the rear courtyard was 300 paces wide (in all an estimated 1.6ha) and the reception halls were painted azure blue and richly gilded. It must have been quite a sight.
Ak-Saray was probably Timur’s most ambitious project, 24 years in the making, following a successful campaign in Khorezm and the ‘import’ of many of its finest artisans. It’s well worth climbing to the top of the pishtak to truly appreciate its height. It’s staggering trying to imagine what the rest of the palace was like, in size and glory.
Envisaging the scale and might of this structure today requires a little imagination. In their attempt to wipe out memory of the Timurids, the Shaybanids destroyed many of the original structures, leaving just 38m of the central gateway intact. This may not sound a great deal, but it still rises dramatically above the surrounding parkland and is visible from quite a distance. Unlike many of Uzbekistan's other historic sites, to date very little restoration work has been done here, and UNESCO's current project seems to focus, quite rightly, more on shoring up the building than touching up its magnificent (albeit time-ravaged) tile work. This approach enables you to appreciate what is original and what is a modern interpretation of the site, far more so than is possible in Samarkand. This crumbling relic blending seamlessly with everyday life will thrill critics of Samarkand’s zealous restoration efforts.
Immediately in front of the gates is Shakhrisabz's new statue of Amir Timur. It's big, it's brash and it probably looks nothing like the man himself, but every bride and groom in the vicinity, plus their inebriated entourages, are clamouring to have their photos taken alongside. If you stray too close, expect to be enveloped into the fold and to have a glass thrust into your hand: foreigners are popular additions to wedding photographs, it seems, even if you've previously never met. It’s not uncommon to see 10 weddings at a time posing here for photos at weekends, creating quite a mob scene.
Today visitors must conjure the whole from 38-metre high entrance towers and dazzling facades at the base of the arch or climb the eastern staircase to golden tiles and swallows' nests. The band of Kufic inscription on the east flank reads "The Sultan is the shadow of Allah [on earth]", while the west abbreviates to "The Sultan is a shadow". Perhaps the craftsman intentionally avoided symmetry-prohibited by the Koran-but legend has the easily insulted Tamerlane pushing him from the top of the masterpiece he had created.
A small section of Shakhrisabz's mud-brick city walls has been preserved just behind the gateway. Originally at least 8m thick and 11m high, and broken up with a tower or archway every 50m, they must have been an imposing prospect for any would-be invader.
For those with a head for heights, a ride on the Ferris wheel behind the park gives panoramic views across the walls and a unique perspective on the Ak Serai site.
The glory of Shakhrisabz, dwarfing all else, gleamed in dereliction above its own parklands. Here the White Palace of Tamerlane had stood on the caravan-route to Khorasan and India, and had left behind a gateway so immense that nothing -not even the Bibi Khanum - could equal it. Such buildings were expressions of political power. The terror and grandeur of their appearance was crucial, for few ever entered them, and their gateways, like awesome warnings or advertisements, were huger, more portentous, than anything inside.
it occupied a megalomaniac dimension of its own. It belonged among those dazing gargantuas of ruin - Karnak, Angkor, Baalbec - which might have been built by another species. Its central arch had long ago collapsed, but on either side a cylindrical tower merged into a nine-storeyed complex of buttresses and chambers, so that each jamb rose in a self-contained citadel 140 feet to a skyline of naked brick. The patina of tiles ripened as the entrance went deeper, edged in bands of peacock blue, packed with white script. Exposed for centuries, they hung precariously in veins of cobalt and gold high up - an inexplicable delicacy of calligraphy and flowers.
The Lost Heart of Asia by Colin Thubron | <urn:uuid:650a18b8-f972-4f38-8517-0d84cb5bcd43> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://uzbek-travel.com/about-uzbekistan/monuments/ak-saray-palace/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.962328 | 1,341 | 2.265625 | 2 |
What is the Definition of Structure?
Definition: Refers to the tax and legal structure of a CMBS such as a pass-through structure, a bond structure, a Collateralized Mortgage Obligation (CMO) or a Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit (REMIC). The “structure” can determine the tax benefits, or penalties, and the rights of the CMBS holders and the issuer in the event of a failure or default within the terms of the security. Most CMBS are senior/subordinated, multiple class passthroughs classified as REMICs.
Pages that Mention Structure
FHA Rental Housing Loans - HUD Section 213 Mortgages
Section 207 mortgage insurance can be used to finance the substantial rehabilitation or construction of individual, semidetached, row, walk-up, or elevator type structures with 5 plus units.
FHA Apartment Loan Application Process
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Division of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers government-insured loans for multifamily properties with experienced (and patient! ) investor/owners. It also offers loans for healthcare facilities (i. e. hospitals and residential care facilities) as well as special needs facilities for the elderly or disabled. Although FHA apartment loans have longer closing times and higher fees than any other mainstream multifamily product, this is a strong go-to product for long-term investors with large loan requests because of the long fixed term and amortization, non-recourse structure, low interest rates, and high leverage point.
Risk Retention: Proposed Changes & Where Lenders Go From Here (Pt. 3)
Last year, some government officials began to realize the fallout that the original structure of the Securitization Safe Harbor Rule (i. e. risk retention) would have on the commercial real estate market. Because of that, some representatives started to look for a way to soften the original regulations while still protecting the public. On March 2nd of 2016, the House Financial Service Committee proposed an amendment called the Access to CRE Capital Act (meant to ease some of the original restrictions) that is supposed to be put up for consideration in the House and Senate this year. Let’s take a look at how this bill could change the current structure.
How Millennials Are Changing Commercial Real Estate: Crowdfunding (Pt. 1)
Many members of the so-called “millennial” generation (1982-2004) entered into the job market during one of the most difficult times in US history—the Great Recession. Loaded with student debt, no savings, big dreams, and the skills learned during internships, we had to come out of school and try to make a living when most companies were not only not hiring, but letting go some of their most seasoned employees. This difficult economic environment paired with the technological savviness of our generation has combined to make a meaningful and unique contribution to the growth of commercial real estate, which has been long overdue. One of the most interesting ways this creativity has expressed itself has been the establishment of alternative investment structures in commercial real estate, especially crowdfunding. Created by millennials for millennials, crowdfunding allows for comparatively small monetary investments to be made in commercial real estate, something that was previously off-limits for those that didn’t have substantial liquidity readily available.
Fannie Mae Manufactured Housing Loans - FNMA Mobile Home Park Financing
Fannie Mae provides loans for residential real estate developments where the borrower owns the mobile housing sites and associated common amenities and infrastructure.
About Commercial Loan Direct - Company Profile
About Commercial Loan Direct. Learn more about our company profile and corporate structure.
Fannie Mae Structured Adjustable Rate Apartment Loans
Fannie Mae’s Multifamily Mortgage Business offers long term financing with a very competitive variable interest rate that is convertible to a fixed rate. | <urn:uuid:638fbcde-b059-4d4c-8ddd-9c7333ce8e69> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.commercialloandirect.com/definition/structure | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.943937 | 802 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Let’s talk about my favourite Spices
Number one✨✨Green cardamom is one of the most expensive spices by weight. The seeds have a couple of medicinal properties used in traditional medicine for centuries✨✨ Cardamom has been used for thousands of years to help with digestion mixed with other spices✨✨✨
Cardamom is a strong antioxidant plant, so it is called the queen of spices✨✨ Cardamom can also improve inflammatory pathways and oxidative stress in obese, those with high cholesterol and pre-diabetic people. Cardamom is great for bad breath and periodontal disease.✨✨✨ cardamom might be able to kill common mouth bacteria and prevent cavities✨✨Studies show it could be useful in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress in these patients.
cardamom in cooking is safe ✨✨Remember as with any food, moderation is the key, Cardamom in excess may not be suitable for children and pregnant women
Cardamom is the main spice in my sweet functional spice mix of spices
#Energy Balls Recipe
Dates and walnuts (equal amount)
Dust with cardamom, cinnamon, raw cocoa spices
Dates contains 23 types of amino acids, some of which are not present in the most popular fruits such as oranges, apples and bananas. Dates contain at least six vitamins including a small amount of vitamin C, and vitamins B(1) thiamine, B(2) riboflavin, nicotinic acid (niacin) and vitamin A✨✨✨Among the different tree nuts, walnuts contain omega 3, n-3 PUFA, specifically ALA has been shown to improve brain health and ageing. | <urn:uuid:dfe08aee-2904-4962-8315-c3958c0390b9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://smileandagewell.com/2021/02/28/cardamom-benefits-easy-energy-recipe/?replytocom=4 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.908744 | 373 | 1.75 | 2 |
English Language Arts
Introductory Elements of Literature
The Freshman English course at Averroes High School is creative, collaborative, and challenging. Students entering the ninth grade at Averroes High School are expected to have a foundation in literary elements to supplement their coursework within each unit. With this foundation, the students will begin to analyze literature from various angles, practicing the art of applying historical context to develop connections between literature and the arts. The chosen texts will provide an overview of literature across the major forms and genres, including short stories, novels, poetry, drama, epic poetry, and literary non-fiction. During this course, students will begin to distinguish and assess each academic tool presented within the literature. In introductory seminars, the students will also engage in research and reflection, and discussion amongst peers. In addition to writing and developing their writing on select works, students will read and deliver poetry paying close attention to their expression and use of language. At the end of ninth grade, students will be prepared for literary study and world literature in tenth grade.
ELA II The Sophomore English course at Averroes High School is designed to strengthen each student's language and composition skills, including vocabulary and concept development. Writing will be taught as a process with instruction in each stage: pre-writing, drafting, sharing, revising, and evaluation. Assignments will stress the concepts of unity, coherence, logical development, and appropriate diction. The writing component includes expository forms such as reflection, speculation, interpretation, and persuasion. The literature component further develops analytical and reading comprehension skills in the different genres: novel, drama, poetry, short story, and non-fiction. Students will begin to strengthen their listening and speaking skills, delivering oral reports, and evaluating oral and media communications. In addition, they will analyze the structure and form of workplace documents to begin college and career readiness preparation.
Modern Literary Genres
The Junior English course at Averroes High School is essential in providing the foundation for advanced English studies. This course examines and refines the writing process for narrative, argument, synthesis, and analysis writing. Students will read various historical drama texts focusing on the development and progress of the 'American Dream.' Additionally, students will acquire new vocabulary and grammar skills in preparation for standardized college admissions tests and academic writing. The ultimate goal of this course is to hone students' reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, all of which are essential to achieve college and career readiness.
The Senior English Literature and Composition course at Averroes High School is designed to challenge your skills as an active reader, writer, and thinker. The literary works involved in this course will cover a range of periods (i.e., 1600's to contemporary), genres (i.e., novels, non-fiction, epic poetry), style, and themes. Each piece of work may or may not be "easy" to read, but through careful study, students can be sure to gain an appreciation and deep understanding of the texts and a broader perspective on the world of literature. In addition, this course will study the formation and shift of Old English to Modern English more relative today. The emphasis for the course will be on class discussions, for such discourses drive both our interest and desire for self-improvement. | <urn:uuid:4d9c8269-7ca2-43bc-90e8-e1bfcc70a565> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://averroeshighschool.com/our-program/curriculum/english-language-arts | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.942948 | 682 | 3.328125 | 3 |
Today has been quite a tumultuous one in the United States with not one, not two, but three different active shooter emergencies, including one this morning by a gunman who attacked Congressional Republicans during a charity baseball game practice. One of the Congressman’s 10-year old son was nearby the playing field in Virginia.
Now that these incidences are becoming more common place here and abroad, places like cafes, movie theaters, schools, sporting events and concerts are fertile ground for terrorists or lone gunmen to target. It’s pretty sad and scary because no longer can we be assured that we can avoid the type of places that these incidents occur at because there is not typical target any longer.
We may have heard the story of the little girl who survived the Sandy Hook shooter by pretending she was dead and staying still. Most kids are not prepared for such a situation and wouldn’t necessarily be that quick on their feet to think like that. It then leads us to the inevitable. We have to prepare our children for surviving an active shooter situation.
Here are some basic pieces of advice, adapted from instructions and policies created by the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) Training Institute
What is an Active Shooter?
An active shooter emergency involves one or more persons, using a firearm, engaging in a random or systematic shooting spree. The vast majority of shootings in this country are over in a matter of minutes, involve persons known to one another, and are confined to a particular area.
An Active Shooting incident does not follow this template. It may last for minutes or hours, range over a large and constantly changing area, and threaten everyone within close proximity of the shooter(s).
Do You Get any Warning?
Persons may or may not receive advance warning of an active shooter. A witness, personal observation or the sound of gunshots may be the only alert you receive, leaving little time to react.
What Does an Active Shooter Emergency Sound Like?
The sound of gunshots, unlike special effects in movies and television, may sound muffled and make a “pop, pop, pop” noise. It is reasonable to assume that a series of such noises are gunshots and you should begin to take necessary precautions.
What’s Wrong With the Traditional “Shelter In Place” Process Police Use?
Traditional response to this type of incident has been to shelter in place and wait for the police to arrive. While this type of response is not wrong, case studies of several active shooter incidents have shown there may be instances where it is not possible or a secure location has been breached, resulting in an increase in casualties.
What is a Good Alternative for Pre schools and Day Care Centers?
The “ALICE” response plan has been identified to assist you in your response should this type of incident occur.
Pre-Schools and Day Care Centers come with unique factors and questions in dealing with this type of emergency. Building layout and features, the high number of younger children, and the consideration of possibly having only the option of “Lockdown” in some areas presents issues outside of normal protocols.
The staff should become skillful and think in terms of “when…then…” for an alert mindset.
Why Pre-Schools and Day Care Centers Present a Problem
Unlike most buildings, Pre-Schools and Day Care Centers usually only have one identifiable entrance for the public, but have several egress points for those in the building to escape in case of emergency. These points usually lead to playground areas that are fenced in order to keep children from wandering from the premise.
Consideration should be given to these fenced areas being gated and easily opened by staff to exit. Whether in an Active Shooter Emergency or Fire, the ability to move large numbers of staff and children away from the premise should be paramount. Once away from the building, the issue becomes one of keeping the children together and moving them to a safe haven. This location should be planned out and drilled into the children in much the same way we evacuate for fire drills. Campus Safety Has an Excellent Plan for administrators of schools and day care centers you can download HERE!
What should You or Your child do in an Active Shooter Situation to Survive?
What follows is a simple, example of an ALICE for Pre-Schools/ Day Care Centers.
“ALICE” is an acronym for 5 steps you can utilize in order to increase your chances of surviving a surprise attack by an Active Shooter. It is important to remember that the “ALICE” response does not follow a set of actions you “shall, must, will” do when confronted with an Active Shooter. Your survival and the survival of the children are paramount in this situation. Deal with known information and don’t worry about unknowns. You may use only 1 or 2 parts of the response plan or you may have to utilize all 5. In this type of incident, your perception is the reality and you will be deciding what the appropriate action is for you to take.
- Alert- Can be anything.
- PA Announcement
- Phone alert
- Lockdown- This is a semi-secure starting point from which to make survival decisions. If you decide to not evacuate, barricade to secure the room.
- Lock the door using all securing mechanisms.
- Cover any windows in the door if possible
- Tie down the door, if possible, using belts, purse straps, shoe laces, zip ties etc.
- Barricade the door with anything available (desks, chairs, rolling cabinets, etc.)
- Look for alternate escape routes (windows, other doors)
- Call 911
- Move out of the doorway in case gunfire comes through it
- Move children to the safest location in the room
- Silence or place cell phones on vibrate
- Once secured, do not open the door for anyone. Police will enter the room when the situation is over.
- Gather weapons (coffee cups, chairs, books, pens, etc.) and mentally prepare to defend yourself or others.
- Put yourself in position to surprise the active shooter should they enter the room.
- Inform- Using any means necessary to pass on real time information.
- Given in plain language.
- Can be derived from 911 calls, video surveillance, etc.
- Who, what, where, when and how information
- Can be used by people in the area or who may come into it to make common sense decisions
- Can be given by “Flash Alerts”, PA Announcements or Police Radio speakers
- Information is a two-way street, if you have information share it with the police dispatch or the office
- Counter- This is the use of simple, proactive techniques should you be confronted by the Active Shooter.
- Anything can be a distraction device
- Throws things at the shooters head to disrupt their aim
- Give children the command to act (disruption tactics) or move
- Create as much noise as possible
- Attack in a group (swarm) if possible
- Grab the shooters limbs and head and take them to the ground and hold them there
- Fight dirty-bite, kick, scratch, gouge eyes, etc.
- Run around the room and create chaos
- If you have control of the shooter call 911 and tell the police where you are and listen to their commands when officers arrive on scene.
- Commit to your actions, this is the last resort.
- Evacuate- Remove yourself and the children from the danger zone as quickly as possible.
- Decide if you can safely evacuate
- Assist children in moving to secure rally points away from the building
- Run in a zigzag pattern as fast as you can if alone
- Do not stop running until you are far away from the area
- Bring something to throw with you in case you would encounter the Active Shooter
- Consider the distance to the ground if you go out a window. 3 floors up is considered the survivable drop zone.
- Break out windows and attempt to quickly clear glass from the frame
- Consider using belts, clothing or other items as an improvised rope to shorten the distance you would fall
- Hang by your hands from the window ledge to shorten your drop
- Attempt to drop into shrubs, mulch or grass to lessen the chance of injury
- Do not attempt to drive from the area
- Once at the rally point move children to most secure position possible and account for all the children in your care
- Anyone may call 911 should they perceive a threat. Don’t worry if it turns out to be no issue, error on the side of caution.
- Responding Police will have their weapons drawn and ready for use. They do not know exactly who the shooter is and will probably point weapons at you. Just remain calm and follow any directions they may give you. You may be asked questions, patted down, and given orders to exit certain ways.
- Responding Police are there to stop the Active Shooter as soon as possible. They will bypass injured people and will not help you escape. Only after the shooter is stopped will they begin to provide other assistance.
- If you come into possession of a weapon, do NOT, carry or brandish it! Police may think you are the Active Shooter. If possible, put it in a trashcan and carry it with you. If you come across Police, calmly tell them what you are carrying and why. Follow their commands.
- Be prepared to provide first aid. Think outside the box. Tampons and feminine napkins can be used to stop blood loss. Shoes laces and belts can be used to secure tourniquets. Weighted shoes can be tied around a person’s head to immobilize it. Remember it may be several hours to secure an entire building and safely move an injured person. The actions you take immediately to treat injuries may save their life. Equip rooms with “GO Buckets” containing water, bandages, medications, zip ties, kitty litter to absorb moisture in the bucket should it be utilized as a toilet, etc.
- If you are in lockdown for a long period of time, give consideration to issues such as bathroom use, keeping people calm, games, books, etc.
- Pre-select Rally Points away from the building and practice with the staff and children moving to these locations. Make sure that the locations you are evacuating to know why and where to place you should an emergency occur. Involve local Law Enforcement in this planning.
- Consider setting up classrooms and offices to make it harder for an Active Shooter to enter and acquire targets. Remember, posters and signs on windows, while welcoming, may obstruct your view of people entering the location.
These measures are meant to provide you with the knowledge and skills you may need to make decisions for your safety and the safety of the children. There are no mandates on how to survive, you are empowered to make decisions and won’t be second guessed.
What Can Parents do To Prepare for Non School Active Shooter Situations?
A new book from the Alice Institute called “I’m Not Scared, I’m prepared” ($8.55) tells the story of a teacher who has to tell her students what to do if a “dangerous someone” is in their school. Because we live in the world we live in, a book like this is needed for educators and parents so that their children are prepared for surviving a possible attack. It teaches the concepts taught in the training school for all children in a non-fearful way. Children learn things like:
- Listen to the teacher and the announcements
- There are ways to help the teacher barricade the door
- There may be a time to go to a rally point with or without the teacher
photo: Screengrab WBUR/Getty | <urn:uuid:853674a1-4837-40d5-bb22-a9728a1e61dc> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://bellyitchblog.com/tag/lockdown/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.94186 | 2,490 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Katie Dawson and husband Chris Martin own the Cut and Dried Flower Farm, a family owned greenhouse business located close to Glencairn, Ontario.
Who me? With a little planning you can design a garden that deer and rabbits may pass over.
For the best selection buy early and harden off your annuals at home.
Shredded bark or wood chip mulches will last longer, but usually have to be topped up every 3 years.
Fall garden tasks – relax, most plants will come through the winter without any special treatment.
Drying flowers and herbs – Herbs can be crushed and stored, flowers can be left hanging as decoration or used to make dried arrangements.
The general rule is there is no rule, remember they are all perennials and will grow back again next year.
The benefit of growing fruit bushes (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries etc) as opposed to fruit trees (apple, pear, plum etc) is that they will start to produce fruit soon after planting – in many cases, the same year.
The best way to control this nasty pest is to continually scout for the adults, larvae and eggs. Wipe the eggs off with a soapy cloth and drop adults and larvae into a bowl of soapy water.
No time like the present to start working in the garden! Use these tips to clean up and get ready for new plants.
Heritage tomatoes are available in a huge range of sizes, shapes and colours and have fantastic flavor.
We are often asked to recommend perennials for ground cover – whether it be sun or shade, so I thought I would list my favourites.
It is especially important to have flowers in mid to late summer when most butterflies are active.
This is a great project for kids or adults and is fun to do at this time of the year when you can’t get into the garden yet!
Any plant designated a zone 5 or more needs winter protection.
Add a few new bulbs every year. Some multiply well (Daffodils), some die out with time or get eaten by animals (Tulips).
Make some spaces for some new plants, and give away extra plants.
Keep your plants happy and healthy with soluble fertilizer. | <urn:uuid:2535e981-3af8-49b6-8167-f00da9ab09ab> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.inthehills.ca/author/katie/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.946487 | 465 | 2.1875 | 2 |
Confusing Words Clarified: Group M; Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs, Synonyms, Polysemes, etc. +
(lists of "M" sections that are organized into what for some people are confusing groups of words)
If you have any problems understanding the pronunciation symbols, go to this Pronunciation Chart for clarifications.
Mandy has many brothers and sisters.
There are many words that still need proper definitions, not just a few.
Mike didn't get much sleep last night because he watched TV until 2:00 in the morning!
Marian has too much work to do and has to stay at the office until she is finished!
Carol felt as if she had too much homework to do even though there were really not very many pages of math problems to complete.
2. A state of mind in which those involved are not prepared to deal with something because they aren't paying attention: When the financial problem appeared again, the government was not prepared to act on it; in other words, officials were taking a nap instead of being alert to the situation.
3. A soft layer of threads on the surface of a piece of cloth, a carpet, etc.: The fine nap of the wet cloth felt wonderful when Lenora wiped her face after waking up from her nap.
When Dennis took a nap, his head was resting on an ornamental pillow, but then, after he woke up, he could see the pattern of the nap of the pillow on his face in the mirror. It almost looked like a map to the land of nod.
The newly elected mayor, who came from the mare region of the country, rode a white mare to her installation ceremony.
2. An officer of the law, who is appointed or elected, with duties similar to a sheriff in terms of enforcing the law: The marshal accompanied the prisoner to court to stand before the judge.
3. The senior head of a civic function; such as, a fire department: The marshal, who was head of the town's police department, was appointed for two years and was rewarded for his good work.
The fire marshal had a long martial history before entering into a marital relationship which made him very happy.
2. A distinguishing impression or trait of something: When Albert completed his university education, he had the mark of a gentleman and a scholar.
3. A prominent or well-known object or guidepost for travelers: The tall building on the corner was the mark Lenora was looking for because she wanted to turn left at that point.
4. A label or indication of quality or price: The mark on this jacket indicated that it was on sale.
5. When capitalized, it is a man's name: Marissa's friend, Mark, is going to drive the car tonight when they go out.
2. To determine the value of something: The teacher decided to mark all the students' essays on the weekend.
Jason's friend, Mark, who was usually an easy mark for teasing, decided to check out the mark on the new laptop before buying it; however, he decided on a laptop which had a well-known marque.
At the summer fete, the marquis instructed that a large marquee should be constructed in the park for the luncheon after the festivities.
Trina's friend, Mary, always stated, "I shall make merry when I marry."
Marriage is said to be a climate where the husband usually reigns and the wife often storms.
Also, in some cases, marriage can begin with "I do" and end with "adieu".
Marvin built a house for the flock of martins that usually came each spring.
2. When capitalized, it can be used as a male’s first name or a family name: Debora's friend, Martin, is coming for a visit in two weeks.
Nell's nephew, Martin, enjoyed going for hikes in the mountains and once he reported that he saw a lively brown marten by the side of the trail.
Then, going across the valley, he said that he had also seen a martin swoop down to skim the river, catching bugs, and then, as he looked up, he claimed that a Martian ship was landing on the hill top.
2. The image or copy of a face made by a mold: That's the mask of the famous composer which was made after he died.
3. A covering for the face to protect it from harm: When Rosario went to see the factory, she was asked to wear a mask so she wouldn't breath in the fumes.
2. To reconfigure or to modify the size or shape of something: The photographer agreed to mask the photograph so it had a narrow border around it.
When Rosie and Chad went to the masque, they each wore a different mask to cover rhwie faces; then, as the photographer was developing the pictures from the masque, she was careful to mask the scenery behind them, emphasizing how well each mask really did mask their individual identities.
2. To change numbers, data, etc. in a dishonest way in order to deceive people: Some businesses are said to massage their sales results in order to make their profits appear to be greater than they really are.
2. Information that is communicated by writing, signals, etc.: Linda asked, "Dina, may I use your mobile phone to send a message to my mother that I will be late getting home."
In the middle of an important meeting, the chairman of the board received a message from the reception desk to advise him that it was time to go for his daily massage.
The tall mast ships massed in the harbor for the special historical anniversary.
The massage parlor advertised that the customers could have a male masseur or a female masseuse for their appointments.
2. Solid, ponderous, heavy: The pyramids were not built with small stone blocks, but with massive ones!
At an important juncture of the meeting, each participant received a massive missive which outlined in detail the long term plans of the corporation.
Norman's masterful strength of character enables him to impose his will on others.
The carpenter did a masterly job of repair work in Jenifer's house.
The head of the association had a masterful personality that easily established his masterly position to negotiate for better working conditions.
Aaron's mother wanted to match him up with her friend's daughter and it turned out to be a good match because they are going to get married.
When Frankie went out with a new guy, he seemed like a good match for her in terms of their common interests; however, she quickly lost interest in him when he asked her for a match to light his cigarette. | <urn:uuid:f5b25b56-219f-4ea7-88a6-2b2c76680ea0> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wordinfo.info/unit/4342/page:2 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.981811 | 1,407 | 2.65625 | 3 |
St Joan of Arc (c. 1412-1431), also known as the Maid of Orleans, was a French patriot and martyr who challenged the English military ascendancy in France during the Hundred Years’ War.
Born into a peasant family in Domremy, France, Joan at the age of 13 or 14 began to hear the voices of St Michael, St Catherine and St Margaret, telling her to rescue France from English domination in the Hundred Years’ War that was then raging and to free the French city of Orleans from the English who then besieging it.
She was taken to see the Dauphin (the eldest son of the King of France and the direct heir to the throne) Charles, who was to be the future King Charles VII of France, in the castle of Chinon in the Loire Valley. Charles was initially sceptical and had Joan examined by a group of theologians and clergy in Poitiers, who became convinced of Joan’s sincerity and orthodoxy.
Charles then sent Joan with a small force to Orleans, where she joined the French army that was opposing the English forces. Wearing a suit of white armor and flying her own standard, Joan led a number of successful assaults against the English. By May 8, 1429, she forced the English to raise their siege and depart.
Joan now called for Charles the Dauphin to be crowned in Reims Cathedral, a move that she believed would give Charles more authority and would return a sense of national unity to the downtrodden, war weary French people.
Joan accompanied Charles and an army of 12,000 through English-held territory, with the French army clearing the territory of the English to make way for Charles and his party. Charles was then crowned in Reims Cathedral on July 17, 1429 as King Charles VII of France.
In April 1430 Joan and a small group of soldiers went to Compiegne, which was then under siege by the Burgundians, but on May 25 was captured and sold to the English by John of Luxemburg for 10,000 crowns. The English were very pleased to have Joan in their hands as she was becoming an impediment to their military advances in France.
Unfortunately for Joan, after her capture Charles VII made no attempt to negotiate with her captors or to offer a ransom payment.
In January 1431 she was put on trial in an English-constituted court in Rouen. She was originally charged with witchcraft and heresy; however, the trial itself was just for heresy and, moreover, was conducted with various irregularities.
Joan was found guilty and was burnt at the stake in Rouen’s Old Market on May 30, 1431.
Twenty five years after her trial and execution, Pope Callistus III set a formal retrial (known as a Trial of Rehabilitation). The result was that Joan’s 1431 trial was declared irregular – that is, Joan was exonerated by the Church. (Some commentators have suggested that this development was simply to strength the validity of Charles VII’s coronation in the face of any challenges.)
Joan was canonized in 1920. She is now known as Saint Joan of Arc.
St Joan of Arc remains a French national heroine. Certainly, her actions did block the English advance south of the Loire in her time and her military victories and the coronation she promoted gave the French new strength in the Hundred Years’ War while demoralizing their English foes.
But the meaning of Joan’s life and death goes beyond this and are have been explored by many historians and writers of literature over the years, including by the dramatists Schiller, Shaw, Peguy and Brecht. | <urn:uuid:87d212a6-f767-498d-8c5b-0acc12d3e25e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.centrobeatriz.es/index.php/2022/02/02/joan-of-arc-french-patriot-and-martyr/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.984989 | 766 | 3.671875 | 4 |
In a historic agreement signed with the United States earlier this year, the Taliban made certain counterterrorism guarantees in return for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. However, the fact that officially the Taliban continue to outright deny credible and detailed reports on the presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan — even reports that The Diplomat has exclusively obtained from Taliban fighters on the ground — raises questions about their commitment to these counterterrorism pledges.
The Counterterrorism Guarantees of the Doha Agreement
On February 29, after more than 19 years of being at war, the United States and the Taliban signed the “Agreement for Bringing Peace to Afghanistan“ in Doha, Qatar. At its core, the agreement foresees that the United States will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in return for counterterrorism guarantees provided by the Taliban. The key guarantees pledged by the Taliban are that the group will:
- “not allow any of its members, other individuals or groups, including al-Qa’ida, to use the soil of Afghanistan to threaten the security of the United States and its allies.”
- “send a clear message that those who pose a threat to the security of the United States and its allies have no place in Afghanistan, and will instruct [its] members (…) not to cooperate with groups or individuals threatening the security of the United States and its allies;” and
- “prevent any group or individual in Afghanistan from threatening the security of the United States and its allies, and will prevent them from recruiting, training, and fundraising and will not host them in accordance with the commitments in this agreement.”
Contrary to other parts of the Doha Agreement — first and foremost the first phase of the U.S. troop drawdown and the release of prisoners by the Taliban and the Afghan government — the counterterrorism guarantees have received little publicity and there are conflicting views about the status of their implementation.
“On the day the agreement was signed, our emir [i.e. the Taliban leader] issued a statement. In this statement he ordered the implementation of all commitments of the agreement. All our mujahideen [fighters] were ordered to not allow anyone to use Afghan soil to threaten other countries and no one will come to harm from [a threat emanating from] here, inshallah. This statement was also the clear message [against terrorists mentioned in the agreement],” official Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told The Diplomat via telephone on July 19. “According to our information, there are also no foreign fighters in areas under our control,” he added after having been asked about such fighters.
In other words, Mujahid insisted that the Taliban have already sufficiently implemented the pledged counterterrorism guarantees. Later, in a statement released on July 28, Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada explicitly confirmed this by declaring that the Taliban have “fulfilled [their] obligations” under the Doha Agreement.
This, however, stands at odds with the U.S. position. Asked for a comment on Mujahid’s above statements as well as the general status of the implementation of the counterterrorism guarantees by the Taliban, a spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State replied that “[a]s [U.S.] Special Representative Khalilzad has said in a recent tweet thread marking 135 days since the signing of the U.S.-Taliban agreement, more progress is needed on counter-terrorism,” indicating that the United States does not yet see the counterterrorism guarantees as implemented.
The Taliban’s Doubtful Assertions on Foreign Fighters
The main reason for these contradicting views is that the Taliban deny the presence of foreign fighters in areas under their control, while Washington claims that not only there are such fighters in Afghanistan but that they collaborate with the Taliban. While the latter is not clearly stated the text of the Doha Agreement, it is mentioned in numerous official U.S. reports (see for one of many examples this report of the U.S. Department of Defense from June 2020).
The Taliban have regularly rejected such U.S. reports as well as others, namely from the U.N., as “false,” “propaganda,” and “unsubstantiated” and displayed them as malign attempts by their enemies to sabotage the peace process (see, for example, recent official Taliban statements here and here). However, it is not only the Taliban’s “enemies” who assert that foreign fighters are indeed present in Afghanistan.
In July, The Diplomat reached out to Taliban fighters on the ground in areas where the presence of foreign fighters had been reported. Some of the contacted Taliban openly and immediately admitted that foreign fighters operate on Afghan soil.
“There are many Punjabis [from Pakistan] in Marawara and in Ghaziabad [both districts in the eastern Afghan Province of Kunar]. In Marawara, the Punjabis work together with Din Mohammad, who is a local Taliban commander. I have seen them myself,” a Talib from Marawara declared.
“In Shirzad [a district in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar], there are a number of Punjabis and Uyghurs [from China]. The Punjabis used to be members of Jaish-e Mohammad and Lashkar-e Taiba [both Pakistani extremist groups] but currently operate completely within the Taliban. The Uyghurs are in a separate group but also work together with the Taliban,” another Talib from Nangarhar told The Diplomat.
In yet another example, a source of this author is in direct contact with a Pakistani national who is currently in the Afghan province of Ghazni. The Pakistani admits that he is waging jihad together with the Taliban, by building detonators for improvised explosive devices among other actions. There are also detailed reports on the presence of foreign fighters in Taliban-controlled parts of the northeastern Afghan province of Badakhshan, including videos of such fighters and a photo of their leader Haji Furqan. All these reports can hardly be termed “unsubstantiated” and each case has been corroborated by more than one non-governmental source who had no motive to distort facts for propaganda purposes.
In addition, this author has, as late as early July 2020, himself met members of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, in eastern Afghanistan. That said, the TTP presence in eastern Afghanistan is a peculiar example as at least in Kunar members of the TTP and the Afghan Taliban stand at odds with each other.
Confronted with these reports, the official Taliban spokesman Mujahid again waved them away as false or enemy propaganda — without asking for time to check the various detailed allegations. With respect to border areas in Nangarhar and Kunar, Mujahid admitted, though, that there are “some problems with local [Pashtun] tribes.”
“Some of these [tribesmen] are armed and have influence. One such man is called Mangal Bagh, another Abdul Wali. They are Pakistanis from the tribal areas and there are sometimes on this side and sometimes on the other side of the disputed border,” Mujahid continued. Mangal Bagh is the leader of Lashkar-i Islam, an extremist group that originated in the Pakistani Khyber valley, but has been present in Afghan areas near Khyber, namely parts of Nangarhar’s Nazian District, since at least 2008. Abdul Wali is the name of the leader of Jamaat ul-Ahrar, a UN-sanctioned TTP splinter group. “In this context, it has to be noted that we [the Afghan Taliban] don’t have these areas under our control; we also don’t have any border force that would allow us to do something against this,” Mujahid added. He also described these tribesmen as “not coming from other countries,” as they are “just from across the Durand Line [the disputed Afghan-Pakistani border],” exemplifying that many Afghans do not perceive Pakistani Pashtuns from the border areas as foreigners.
Mujahid seemingly chose to overlook that the reports with which The Diplomat confronted him mainly indicated the presence of Punjabi — not Pashtun — Pakistanis, who hail from far away from the border and that some reports also mentioned Uyghurs. Pressed for comment on such foreigners, Mujahid curtly rejected the claims as wrong without further elaborating.
With respect to reports on relations or contacts between al-Qaida and the Taliban, Mujahid told The Diplomat that no such contacts exist. “They [al-Qaida] are not in Afghanistan now. When the war started in 2001 they all left. Later came the Arab Spring. They left for Tunis, Iraq, Syria, Somalia. We don’t have any contacts with them now,” he explained. That assertion was later reissued in an official Taliban communiqué.
When asked why the Taliban did not reject the pledge of allegiance by al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri to the current Taliban emir Haibatullah, or why they have not rejected it now after the signing of the Doha Agreement, Mujahid said that, at the time of the pledge (after the killing of the former Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour in a U.S. drone strike on May 21, 2016), the Taliban had been “at war” with the United States. He added that “now, it is not necessary to reject the support that someone had declared years ago.”
Given that the Taliban have for years denied the presence of foreign fighters in Afghanistan as well as reports that they collaborate with transnational terrorist groups like al-Qaida, The Diplomat asked Mujahid what exactly had changed in the counterterrorism context since the singing of the agreement, but could not get a clear answer.
Possible Explanations and Concerns
It is safe to assume that the U.S. side has, during the negotiations preceding the signing of the Doha Agreement, not only clearly indicated their concerns about foreign fighters in Afghanistan to the Taliban but also their expectations that the Taliban have to do more against such perceived threats. Thus the Taliban messaging raises serious questions about their commitment to the pledged counterterrorism guarantees.
This is all the more so as the Taliban statements described above eerily resemble the mid- to late 1990s, when the Taliban regime initially outright (and incorrectly) denied that Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida members were present in Afghanistan. “History is repeating itself,” Anne Stenersen, who has written a detailed book on al-Qaida in Afghanistan before 9/11, told The Diplomat in this regard.
However, Stenersen added that it would be too simplistic to jump to the conclusion that the Taliban are denying the presence of foreign fighters to deceive the United States in order to pursue sinister plots. “Western perspectives on Afghanistan tend to lack appreciation of the complex domestic challenges that the Taliban are facing, and how these challenges influence Taliban’s foreign policy decisions,” she pointed out.
This was also confirmed by Andrew Watkins, a senior analyst working on Afghanistan with the International Crisis Group. “Denouncing the presence of foreign fighters on Afghan soil, in particular al-Qaida, might estrange some Taliban rank-and-file amongst whom such fighters are popular, which is why some Taliban leaders fear that such a step could lead to a fragmentation of the movement,” Watkins elaborated.
“For the Taliban it is not so much about deceiving the U.S. [about foreign fighters], as it is about ensuring the movement’s own political survival; above all, the [Taliban] leaders want to avoid making controversial decisions that might cause splits in the movement itself,” Stenersen concurred.
Whatever the motive is, it does not change the fact that the Taliban — in view of the overwhelming evidence of the presence of at least some foreign fighters in Afghanistan that are in contact with the Taliban — apparently knowingly misrepresent facts connected to the counterterrorism guarantees, which they claim to have fulfilled.
In this regard, it should be kept in mind that the actual threat posed by foreign fighters in Afghanistan is sometimes exaggerated, as shown, for example, in a detailed case study on Uyghur extremists in Afghan Badakhshan. This, however, does not exonerate the Taliban from the responsibility to acknowledge the presence of such fighters and to do something about them or, alternatively, explain why such foreigners would not pose any relevant threat. While the Doha Agreement does not state that the Taliban have to implement the counterterrorism guarantees publicly, the fact that the Taliban chose to publicly and consistently deny the presence of any foreign fighters can hardly be reconciled with the guarantees in the agreement. In view of this, the problem of foreign fighters in Afghanistan must be more seriously addressed — be it in public or behind closed doors — so that history won’t simply repeat itself.
Franz J. Marty is a freelance journalist based in Afghanistan. He writes on a broad range of topics, but focuses on security and military issues. You can follow him on Twitter @franzjmarty | <urn:uuid:8ca97941-4009-4fc1-b9b6-49a26b5c608d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://thediplomat.com/2020/08/the-taliban-say-they-have-no-foreign-fighters-is-that-true/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.958108 | 2,793 | 1.914063 | 2 |
Rapper Common tapped into the power of music to capture his outlook on life, and now he empowers those in prison to do the same. According to CBS Chicago, the musical artist — whose real name is Lonnie Rashid Lynn– helped establish a recording studio for inmates at the Stateville Correctional Center in Illinois.
The studio is part of a new program launched at the prison to inspire those behind bars to use music as a creative outlet. The project arose from the lawyer Ari williams‘vision of cultivating an artistic space centered on music within the prison. Through the program, run by Lynn’s nonprofit Imagine Justice, inmates will have the opportunity to explore different sides of music in a 12-week course within a studio including instruments, mixers and other equipment.
“I know music brings us all together. I want them to be okay. I want them to do something they love to do, ”Williams said in a statement, according to the outlet. “And I know a lot of them are rappers. They love to rap and they love to sing. Lynn added that those who are incarcerated are underserved and “deserve to have access to better things.” Programs like the one created by Williams and Lynn are needed. Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council reported 43 percent of those released from state prisons would most likely reoffend within three years.
It’s not the only impactful project Lynn has been at the forefront of. Last year, he launched a video series focusing on the importance of wellness. The project, baptized How many, was created to allow members of black and brown communities to focus on self-care practices in unprecedented times. “I deeply believe that the more you are at peace with yourself, the more you are able to spread love and compassion in the world,” he said.
Rapper Common launches wellness series
Rapper Common to invest in transforming underdeveloped South Side Chicago property | <urn:uuid:80b5df15-733d-4e9d-8ddc-203a45112778> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.courtneysmusicsite.net/common-helps-establish-music-recording-studio-at-illinois-correctional-center/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.963994 | 407 | 2.109375 | 2 |
The new year is a wonderful time to rethink our goals and redetermine the areas where we’d like to continue to grow. It’s a fresh start, another go at the changes we want to make to be better versions of ourselves. But why do our New Year’s Resolutions make us feel like the pressure is on? Why is it that when we decide we want to be better, we end up stressing ourselves out so much that we end up worse off than when we started? It happens to everyone like clockwork this time of year.
In our opinion, there’s a stigma with the “R” word that people throw around at the start of a new year. For the sake of this new year (and new decade might we add), let’s get rid of that dirty word altogether. Let’s take a step back and determine the areas of our lives we want to improve and come up with a plan to create sustainable, lasting change.
Here at Pack Health, we believe that setting goals takes a shift in behavior, not just a crash diet sort of approach.
Our first recommendation is to set S.M.A.R.T. goals.
If you have a Health Advisor, you’ve heard of this before. In case you’re new here, S.M.A.R.T. goals set you up for success instead of failure like a huge New Year’s goal.
S.M.A.R.T. goals are:
If your reserv … (er, we mean goals) fit into these five categories, you’re on the right track!
Another thing we love to do around here is set Tiny Steps
Tiny Steps are exactly what they sound like. Small goals may seem too tiny to make a difference, but in reality, they’re little checkpoints that help hold us accountable to our big-picture goals.
Maybe your goal is to take 10,000 steps per day. Initially, that’s a huge, scary number! But if you take a step back and break it down into Tiny Steps and build up to that larger goal, you’ll be blown away by your progress. Start by taking 2,000 steps a day. After the first week, add 2,000 more so you’re taking 4,000 a day. Work your way up by taking little walks to the mailbox or grocery store if you live in a walkable area. Those steps will add up in no time!
One thing you might have noticed is that Tiny Steps make excellent S.M.A.R.T. goals:
- Planning to take 2,000 steps per day is specific because you know how many steps you want to take.
- It’s measurable because we can count our steps with a phone or a pedometer.
- It’s attainable because it’s something you can do now.
- It’s relevant because it will help you achieve your larger goal.
- It’s time-based because the goal is to reach 2,000 steps in the span of one day.
You’ve got this! It’s a new year, a new start, and a great time to continue working on being your best self. If you stumble along the way, don’t fret. Be kind to yourself and enjoy the journey that 2020 will bring! | <urn:uuid:1fe12635-4739-4a62-bbbf-b3ff64905c1a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://packhealth.com/resolutions-dont-have-to-be-hard-here-are-two-ways-to-create-lasting-change/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.920109 | 745 | 2.03125 | 2 |
Museum Association of New York
Log Number: CAGML-246991-OMLS-20
The Museum Association of New York (MANY) will support 100 museums in high needs locations in the state to help them respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by giving staff the tools and training to reach their communities virtually and raise their profiles with audiences beyond their physical locations. The project will provide partners with hardware, software, and training to develop virtual programs focused on stories from their collections revealing cultural and racial diversity within their communities. Each museum will partner with a local library to develop and implement programs that build on the assets of both organizations. Each museum will develop, implement, assess, and revise at least two new programs, resulting in access to 200 new virtual programs for museums-no matter their geographical location. MANY will post project results and a documentary video on its website and YouTube channel. | <urn:uuid:c57d0e8e-a1d2-4eb0-8ed4-43379e15c383> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded/cagml-246991-omls-20 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.940425 | 183 | 1.898438 | 2 |
President John Magufuli has cast doubt on the country’s coronavirus testing process after he allegedly submitted secret samples from invalid subjects, including a goat and a papaya (yes, the fruit), that came back as “positive” for the virus.
Magufuli suspended the head of testing at Tanzania’s national health laboratory in response to the alleged errors on Monday, one day after revealing that he had flooded the lab with a variety of samples from things the virus shouldn’t be able to infect.
Magufuli, who has repeatedly downplayed the threat of the virus, claimed on Sunday that he put human names and ages on several samples taken from non-human subjects. He says the lab came back with positive test results for a papaya, a quail and a goat — three things that have never been linked to the virus in the past.
Magufuli claimed that there is a “dirty game” going on at the laboratory, and announced that his security forces would be investigating the test kits. He did not say where the lab got its kits.
“The equipment or people may be compromised and sometimes it can be sabotage,” Magufuli said in a speech to the nation, which was broadcast through the country’s state-run news outlet.
The supposed false positives suggest that Tanzania’s infection numbers might not be accurate, Magufuli said. He also stoked concerns about accepting foreign aid.
“There is something happening,” Magufuli said. “I said before we should not accept that every aid is meant to be good for this nation.”
He also claimed that he was sending a plane to collect a bit of foreign aid from Madagascar’s president, who has been touting a bogus herbal remedy for the virus.
“The medicine will be brought in the country so that Tanzanians, too, can benefit,” he said.
The country hasn’t reported any new data on COVID-19 infections since Sunday, when the numbers stood at 480 cases and 17 deaths. That’s likely because the country’s testing lab is now under investigation.
Tanzania has been accused of politicizing virus data in the past. Last fall, for example, it refused to share samples collected for Ebola testing with the international community amid a broader outbreak in Africa. Tanzania’s officials claimed there was a plot to show the country in a “bad light” at the time.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
— With files from Reuters and the Associated Press | <urn:uuid:c3b31e8a-3905-4944-b9cc-3bbb555e91f4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://globalnews.ca/news/6910821/coronavirus-papaya-goat-tanzania/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.966096 | 683 | 1.609375 | 2 |
The word “home remodeling” takes into account a range of ventures that are finished at a home, such as indoor and exterior. The practice is also called home redecorating, or your home restoration. This can be a very well liked technique to improve the price of a house. In addition, many people use home improvement projects to help increase the appeal with their home, for instance setting up a whole new roof structure or updating ruined house windows. Regardless if you would like introducing latest features or improving the style of your property, you will discover a undertaking for you to consider.
Your house enhancement market has experienced a solid expansion over the last several years, run partly through the Millennial era, which happens to be expected to get millions of $ $ $ $ in investing over the following a few years. Millennials are primarily very likely to carry out redecorating projects, as well as segment keeps growing for a more quickly speed than other market sectors of reseller. While aged residences may need a lot more repairs and enhancements, Millennials can also be very likely to get aged houses, that could require more maintenance.
In 2017, 5.2 million Americans replaced flooring surfaces and roof floor tiles. The price tag on overhauling these surface types underfoot and business expense averaged $3,283. These types of jobs can be extremely costly, so make sure you research fees right before performing any redecorating assignments. May easily extend past $5,000, though the price these undertakings varies. When you have an extra budget, think about redesigning or improving your basement instead. These projects are an excellent way to enhance the appearance of your own home.
Along with restoring and improving your residence, also you can hire a qualified to perform the meet your needs. The cost of renovating is deductible when the effort is made by a competent skilled. Some do-it-yourself undertakings are only tax-insurance deductible in the past year you promote the home and property, and some can only be subtracted in which the home is distributed. Even though developments are taxes-insurance deductible around you sell the house, other folks could be deducted during of building.
While most home improvements are relatively inexpensive, there are some things you should think about before taking on a larger job. Some assignments are going to be highly-priced, while some will simply cost you a very few $ 100 or so us dollars. A good thing to do is usually to exploration a property improvement mortgage that suits the budget. You will certainly be more unlikely that to run out of money midway.
When you can’t afford to shell out hard cash for the venture, then you definately really should reconsider undertaking your house betterment undertaking, if you are able to estimate the complete value of the job right before selecting a loan. You should consider working with a do it yourself loan in case you can’t afford the task. While these loans can be obtained, you should always keep in mind they are not mortgages. You should ensure to research redecorating financial products before making a final selection about what one to implement. It is possible to hire a qualified.
Well before coping with a property improvement undertaking, give some thought to the cost of the task, when you can’t pay for the fees of an reconstruction. In general, renovations ought to be done inside the spending plan. You should look into choosing a person for the job in your case if you can’t pay for the complete expense. Whether you’re redesigning your house or simply just changing several windows, you need to know how much the task costs. And don’t forget about to make certain you’re staying away from any secret fees, for example unpaid income taxes.
Home remodeling mortgages are a different fantastic way to fund your house enhancement job. They can help you finance the servicing and remodeling you need to make to your home. Along with trying to get a residence advancement personal loan, take into account your capacity to pay. This may ensure that you have sufficient income to finish the job. After you have the moment, it is possible to decide to work with your project, and pay the balance of the financial loan once you can. It will probably be worthy of the more time to purchase a home advancement financial loan, and you can now save on the long term.
Millennials would be the largest number of redesigning individuals. They offer a lot more disposable earnings than every other era, plus they have no issue filling out more compact household reconstruction undertakings. However, they are certainly not suitable for major-size makeovers, additionally they generally come with bigger interest levels. In addition, you might be unable to qualify for a financial loan when your credit standing is undesirable. This is often a dilemma, so ensure that you compare your choices before you apply for 1.
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Astrology cannot be defined in terms of science. It is completely a different world and has its own significance and existence. Astrology is mainly believed by Hindus and followed by many people all around the world. Being one of the most and trustable ways to solve all the issues in your life, astrology is your helping hand every time you are in trouble. For your convenience you can visit the leading astrologer in Chandigarh at www.lalkitabexpert.com.
Astrology can be used for various things. Some people mistake astrology with just removing negative impact from your life. Astrology is much more than that. The day you are born, your birth chart starts to predict everything related to your life. May it be the hurdles, success, anger, happiness, you get to know if the stars are performing in your favor or not.
Astrology can be used for identifying every problem in your life and how you can remove them from your life. Also, you can predict and prevent any big issues that are about to affect you or your family. Moreover besides just the problems, some people are not able to find their inner peace and true happiness even after growing well, astrology can provide the perfect remedy for the same. | <urn:uuid:8f69a644-0c19-4148-9756-e6e73e9487c6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cheztxotxsidreria.com/tag/pandit-in-chandigarh/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.966497 | 255 | 1.726563 | 2 |
The Texas audit of the 2020 election in a sample of major counties shows that the status quo for the state’s elections simply cannot be allowed to continue.
The audit results found that thousands of potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as registered to vote. Although the audit did not reveal enough irregularities to potentially have swayed the election (that Donald Trump won in Texas), it does raise the following major concerns:
- Statewide, a total of 11,737 potential non-U.S. citizens were identified as being registered to vote. Of these, 327 records were identified in Collin County, 1,385 in Dallas County, 3,063 in Harris County, and 708 in Tarrant County. So far, Dallas County has canceled 1,193 of these records, with Tarrant County canceling one. Neither Collin nor Harris have canceled any potential non-voting records.
- Since November 2020, 224,585 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls in Texas. Collin County removed 4,889 deceased voters, Dallas County removed 14,926 deceased voters, Harris County removed 23,914 deceased voters, and Tarrant County removed 13,955 deceased voters.
- Statewide, a total of 67 potential votes cast in the name of deceased people are under investigation. Of those, three were cast in Collin County, nine in Dallas County, four in Harris County, and one in Tarrant County.
- In a review of each county’s partial manual count report required under Texas law, three of the four counties reported discrepancies between ballots counted electronically versus those counted by hand. The reported reasons for these discrepancies will be investigated and verified during Phase 2 of the audit.
Secretary of State John Scott earlier said that the audit was the country’s “most comprehensive forensic audit of the 2020 election.”
In September, Governor Greg Abbott signed a handful of voter integrity bills into law over the opposition and antics of radical Democratic legislators in the House.
According to Fox reporting, the Texas election integrity bill accomplishes a number of objectives to ensure that elections are free, fair, and legitimate.
“The bill regulates early voting hours, bans drive-thru voting and allows poll watchers to record voters who receive help filling out ballots,” Fox reported. “It will also become a crime for local election officials to reject an appointed poll watcher or send out unsolicited applications/ballots for voting by mail.”
“The bill also expands measures previously only afforded on Election Day.,” the report adds. “Now, even in early voting, poll workers have to let people vote if they were in line before the polls closed. In addition to that, employers must let their employees go vote even during early voting if their work hours conflict. The bill would also give voters the chance to correct their mail-in ballots if it was received with an error.”
In July, nearly 60 Democratic lawmakers fled the state to Washington D.C. in July to prevent a quorum on the voter integrity bills. After a number of the legislators tested positive for Covid, enough Democrats returned to Texas to ensure the quorum. The election integrity bills were passed, along with the authorization for the election audit.
Texas’ audit shows that despite its election integrity measures, there is still a way to go before all the state’s voters can be entirely sure the election results are free from voter fraud. | <urn:uuid:d4320bec-73b4-4fc4-a132-323062c6717c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://beckernews.com/texas-audit-of-2020-election-results-have-come-in-its-so-bad-that-its-taking-peoples-breath-away-43568/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.970986 | 724 | 1.835938 | 2 |
The Functional Medicine Approach to Weight Loss
Remove the Metabolic Hurdles
If weight loss was a track event, it would be the hurdles. You line up at the weight loss starting line. Pow! The gun fires and you start down the track towards the finish line. You clear the first couple of hurdles, but then you trip on the 3rd and 4th. You can see the finish line, but there are so many more hurdles in front of you. You’re left wondering “Why can’t I lose weight,” and “What are the medical reasons that may be stopping me from losing weight?”
Why Weight Loss is Often Unsuccessful
95% of all weight loss patients are unsuccessful at long term weight loss. Many will lose some of the weight, others will lose none despite their best efforts, and then the remaining will reach their goal only to gain it back. The usual reason for unsuccessful weight loss efforts is simple—the metabolic processes and fat burning engines of the body were not functioning optimally. So, what should you do? How do you remove these metabolic process hurdles? Everyone is different, and the number and difficulty of weight loss hurdles is unique to each patient.
The Functional Medicine Approach to Weight Loss
Unfortunately, most doctors don’t even mention these hurdles much less work towards removing them. They are not trained to think that way, but Functional Medicine doctors are. We uncover and address the root cause(s); we remove the hurdles. Our Functional Medicine clinicians and health coaches work together to identify and remove the barriers.
With all of the different hurdles weight loss patients face, this conversation could get real long, real quick. Here are some of the most overlooked weight loss hurdles that we address & remove from patients every day. Remove these hurdles and weight loss becomes easy.
Medical Reasons You May Not Be Losing Weight
- Suboptimal thyroid health
- Poor gut health
- Hormonal Imbalances
- Too little or too much exercise
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Chronic emotional and mental stress
- Inadequate sleep and sleep quality
Suboptimal Thyroid Health
“But my PCP said my numbers were in the correct range.” We hear this so many times it’s become clichéd. Just because your numbers are “normal” does not mean your thyroid gland is functioning optimally. If your thyroid function is suboptimal, your attempts at weight loss will be futile. Thyroid function is impacted my many, many things–diet and gut health, food intolerances, nutrient deficiencies, high toxin burdens, STRESS and high cortisol levels, medications, fluoride consumption, heavy metal toxicities, poor sleep, etc.
I think it’s safe to say that most conventional medicine physicians are not addressing these lifestyle behaviors and environmental exposures. Conventional medicine physicians simply were not trained to think in terms of root causes. Their approach of a “pill for an ill” is not working. Thyroid dysfunction, hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s, Graves disease, etc. are all SYMPTOMS that the body is not working as it should. A thyroid condition with abnormal or suboptimal thyroid labs is only ONE piece of evidence of the dysfunction. Lifestyle behaviors and environmental exposures play HUGE roles in thyroid function and health, and must be addressed to ensure the thyroid gland is functioning optimally. What’s good for your thyroid health is good for your overall health, and vice versa.
Poor Gut Health
Gut health is a lot more complicated than taking a handful of probiotics. I agree with Hippocrates. All disease truly does start in the gut. In fact, many researchers feel that 90% of chronic disease, including obesity and weight loss difficulties, can be traced back in some way to the GI tract. The GI tract is much more than a “food tube”. Your GI tract is a major part of your immune system. 80% of your immune cells reside in, near, or along your GI tract. What you put into your mouth matters. The foods you choose to consume can either promote inflammation or prevent it. And inflammation is at the core of most of our chronic diseases. Inflammation will make you fat, and fat will make you inflamed.
Your GI tract also houses about 3-4 pounds of microbial inhabitants which directly and indirectly impact metabolic pathways in ways we haven’t even begun to appreciate. Your GI microbiome plays vital roles in immune function, detoxification processes, thyroid function, nutrient status, hormone metabolism, to name a few. When your microbial inhabitants become out of balance (dysbiosis) the GI tract is at risk for becoming “leaky.” Gut permeability, or “leaky gut” (caused by stress, a poor diet, medications, toxins, infections, and more) can lead to chronic systemic inflammation and sabotage weight loss efforts. “Heal your gut to lose your butt” is one of our classy mottos. 😉
These signaling molecules work best when they are in balance. Your body functions best when your hormones are in the “Goldilocks Zone,” neither too high nor too low. Hormonal issues are most often downstream symptoms of upstream problems. Many well-intentioned physicians will prescribe hormone pills, creams, injections, and pellets to correct “imbalanced” hormone lab values without ever addressing, or giving thought to, WHY the imbalances are occurring.
Prescribing hormone replacement without addressing the root causes often makes a mess of things. Initially, symptoms may improve, but more times than not, other symptoms develop or existing issues worsen. I see it time and time again. Women will gain weight, complain of “puffiness,” feel fatigued or irritable. There is a complicated “metabolic dance” occurring among the different hormones, and these hormonal interactions should be addressed with care. The production, transport, signaling, and detoxification of hormones are all crucial for optimal metabolism. And each of these important “steps” is impacted by gut health and function, nutrient status, stress and cortisol levels, thyroid function, and many other things. Always look upstream.
Too Little or Too Much Exercise
“If I just work out harder I’ll lose weight, right?” Not always. Physical activity is not optional. It’s a must, but it must be done correctly. Patients often get into trouble with exercise when they “over exercise.” Too much and too strenuous activity can backfire quickly. Those extra miles on the treadmill or bike can prevent fat loss if you are placing excessive strain on an already overburdened body. Strenuous activity and “over exercising” will increase cortisol levels. Cortisol is one of the “fight or flight” hormones released during acute stress. Some stress is good, but too much is not. Excessive cortisol production interferes with thyroid function, hormone metabolism, gut motility, digestive enzyme function and production, mitochondrial function, immune function, and detox abilities. Elevated cortisol levels are like kryptonite to weight loss and fat burning.
The “Goldilocks Zone” applies to exercise also. I find that most people spend way too much time on cardio, and way too little time engaging in activities that build muscle. Weight training should comprise the majority of one’s exercise prescription. Muscle is more metabolically active than other tissues, like bone and fat. Thus, the more muscle you have the higher your metabolic rate, even at rest. A combination of HIIT (high intensity interval training), cardio, weight training, and stretching is ideal.
It’s important to note that exercise and physical activity provide much more benefit to one’s body than reduction in fat stores. Physical activity is good for the following: detoxification processes (sweating is good for detoxing), mitochondrial function, cognition and mood, stress reduction, improving sleep quality, and bone density.
There are tens of thousands of reactions occurring daily in your body. These reactions require nutrients in order to occur. If you are nutrient deficient, your body will not work optimally. All of the nutrients must be present in the right amounts, and these nutrient amounts will vary from person to person. Stress, environmental exposures, activity levels, genetic polymorphisms, gender, and age affect one’s nutrient needs. These needs can vary from day to day and over the course of one’s life.
Nutrient deficiencies can occur for a few different reasons–inadequate consumption, inadequate absorption, and excessive utilization (stress, chronic disease and infections, over exercising, medications, etc). Chronic stress often increases our need for B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids, and zinc. Medications also increase our need for certain nutrients, as can high toxin burdens and chronic exposure to chemicals. A “leaky gut,” dysbiosis, and suboptimal GI function impair the body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Also, dysbiosis can impact nutrient production–your GI microbiome is responsible for making nutrients such as vitamin B12 and vitamin K.
With regards to inadequate intake, this appears to be an issue for most everyone, even those who are eating according to sound nutritional principles. Despite the fact that we live in one of the most wealthy countries and have access to food like no other time in history, most of us are walking around with nutrient deficiencies. The food we have access to is very different than that of our grandparents. Current big farming practices are producing foods that are less nutrient dense. Many of our fruits and vegetables have significantly less nutrients compared to the same varieties of 30-40 years ago. Combine that with the fact that our diets are comprised of too many processed foods devoid of adequate nutrients and it’s a perfect storm for developing nutrient deficiencies. It’s why I always recommend a quality multivitamin. Key word here is QUALITY.
Chronic Emotional & Mental Stress
Who doesn’t have stress, right? Life can have its challenging moments. And some stress is okay, even necessary for our survival. But too much stress or a poor response to stress, will eventually cause a lot of problems. Some of us do a better job at managing our stress than others. I find that the majority of my patients underestimate the amount, source, and effects of their stress on their health. They are walking around with cortisol levels that are either through the roof, or they have completely burned out their adrenal system.
Cortisol, which your adrenal system produces, is necessary for life, but too little or too much can also cause a lot of problems–immune dysfunction, hormonal issues, weight gain, thyroid dysfunction, GI issues, detox inefficiencies, and mitochondrial dysfunction. It really does impact everything! Furthermore, when we are chronically ill and overweight, we don’t handle stress as well as we could if our bodies were operating optimally. We must give up the illusion of control and allow ourselves to be imperfect.
Inadequate Sleep and Sleep Quality
Sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture, yet many of us think we can reach our goals by shortchanging ourselves on sleep. This will bite you on the backside every time! Well rested people have far less chronic health issues, including weight problems. I cannot say enough about how important quality sleep is for your health and for reaching weight loss goals. Some of you are trying to sleep in combat conditions–pets in the bed, TV blaring, smartphones in your hands, blankets being stolen by small children, spouses sawing logs.
Sleep is when your body repairs itself. It’s when your body “takes out the trash.” Despite what many say, humans do best with 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. And it isn’t just about the length of sleep time. Quality matters, too. Just because your eyes are shut doesn’t mean you are getting quality sleep, getting into those deep stages where repair occurs. Things like blue light exposure, caffeine, stress and high cortisol levels, nutrient deficiencies, inflammation and leaky gut, poor sleep hygiene, and many other things can impact the quality of your sleep. We can help you get the sleep you need!
We Can Help Remove the Barriers
Life will always have hurdles, but your weight loss efforts don’t have to. Working with a Functional Medicine team can help you remove and/or clear the metabolic hurdles. We can help you cross the finish line in a leaner, healthier body that is functioning optimally, ensuring long-term weight loss success.
You can sign up for an online Initial Health & Medical Investigation here. During this 60-minute video consultation we will work with you to identify the barriers you are facing and develop an individualized treatment plan. Treatment plans may include behavior and lifestyle changes, nutraceuticals, therapeutic nutrition/weight loss plans, stress management techniques, health coaching, and/or advanced diagnostic testing. | <urn:uuid:0efa651f-2b39-436f-97bb-15036d80e694> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://amybeardmd.com/functional-medicine-approach-weight-loss/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572192.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815145459-20220815175459-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.940135 | 2,719 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Schooner Cove in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is one of my favourite places on the west coast of Vancouver Island to visit. It takes a little longer to get to (about 30 to 45 minutes depending on which parking area you choose and how fast you’re walking), and for that reason it’s less crowded than other places in the park. If you’re planning to do this hike in the evening and return after sunset, a flashlight is recommended. Make sure to check the tides as well as there is a natural choke point along the way.
I usually try to time my visits with a low tide since the rocky tidal island in the middle of the cove is spectacular for intertidal life. It’s hard to get to before sunrise because the parking areas don’t open until around 7 am, so sunset is a good option. For some reason, despite the many seasons I’ve worked out here, I’ve never gone out to photograph the cove in the evening.
I met Bob Bellefleur a week ago photographing South Beach and when he suggested Schooner as an location for a shoot I decided to join him. We hiked out via the Schooner Cove Trail access point (I usually prefer Incinerator Rock — it’s slightly longer but walking back on the beach after dark is easier than navigating the stairs and boardwalk of the Schooner Trail).
The weather cooperated and we managed to get some good light and clouds. I decided to focus more on the drift logs at the high tide line to capture the overall view of the cove and some of the native plants like yellow sand verbena (Abronia latifolia) in the foreground. The wind has shaped the sand here in the cove and the driftwood has a lot of character! At this time of the day there was no one else on the beach except a couple of local kids who had bicycled out to catch the sunset from the top of the rocky island.
By the time we packed up and started heading out around 10 pm the light was finally starting to fail. I’m definitely planning another sunset shoot here this summer, the landscape and the sweep of the cove is spectacular.
To view more photographs from Schooner Cove please visit http://www.daveingram.ca/Photography/Ocean/Schooner-Cove-Sunset. | <urn:uuid:c8175138-3321-4f09-ad7d-9675c6ad05ea> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://islandnature.ca/2014/07/serene-schooner-cove-sunset/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.942971 | 495 | 1.609375 | 2 |
Fusenews: “Even books meant to put kids to sleep should give them strange dreams.”
Sharp-eyed spotters in the children’s book realm caught site of an interesting little something in the Kidlitosphere this week: An honest-to-gosh manifesto. Not a manifesto of a nefarious nature, mind, but one that begins with the conversation starter, “We are tired of hearing the picture book is in trouble, and tired of pretending it is not.” It goes on from there.
Naturally, I was curious so I asked my buddy and future National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature (my opinion, give or take twenty years) Mac Barnett where this came from and whose idea it was. Mac responded:
“I’d been thinking about–and talking to colleagues about–the issues in the proclamation for a while. It felt like it was time to do something. Late one night at the beginning of summer, my former professor and I were in the middle a feverish talk about the picture book, and he suggested that I write an art manifesto, and take out an ad in Horn Book. It seemed like a great idea at the time, and still seemed great in the morning. So I wrote down some thoughts about picture books–the way they’re made and discussed–and solicited feedback from artists and writers I knew and whose work I admired. The proclamation gained signatures, and soon we had enough to fill an ad in small magazine (part of what was exciting and gratifying about releasing it on the internet yesterday was seeing the document so quickly grow beyond its 6″ x 9″ trim size). The great Carson Ellis designed, drew, and lettered the manifesto, and finally it was ready.”
The undersigned make up a fascinating cross-section of the current crop of up-and-coming children’s book staples. We shall have to refer to them as The Proclaimed from here on in. It’s the ones I don’t know that catch my attention the most, though. Isol? Not exactly an American household name.
And with that taste still fresh on our tongues, we begin today’s Fusenews.
- You may recall that the other day I pointed out that Simon & Schuster had held a blogger preview (like a librarian preview but more bloggy) here in town, possibly setting off a trend amongst the publishers here in town. PW picked up that ball and ran with it in their article The Mighty Mom Bloggers. I would argue that mommy bloggers are hardly a new force, but the piece is interesting. My comments in it stand in contrast to statements made along the lines of “We’re kind of like the influencers of the influencers.” More than anything else I tried to point out that there are two kinds of children’s literature bloggers out there. There are the people who came to blogging via books first and those who came to it via children first. The most interesting part of it, for me, is to see how publishers are catering to the mommy blogger contingent. It all makes me wonder . . . whom would you say is the most powerful parental blogger of children’s literature working today?
- This past Sunday the Bird flock decided to take a trip down to Zuccotti Park to check out this Occupy Wall Street everyone’s been talking about. I was so glad that we did too. The scene (there’s no other word for it) is amazing. But don’t take my word for it. Arguably it is our own Lemony Snicket/Daniel Handler who, when he is not helping to put a name on proclamations, may be said to be the most eloquent man speaking on the topic of the occupation. Equally eloquent is Philip Nel whose Little Rebels came under fire when a fellow who had obviously not read said book made a host of blind assumptions about it. Phil’s response is, to put it plain, beautiful. Finally, blogger/librarian Rita Meade, for her part, located the library in the park. And yes, just as SLJ reported so accurately, they do have a children’s section. Wonderful!
- Oo. There’s a topic. Liz Burns, self-confessed back-o-the-book-flipper tells all. She then wonders how many other closet back flippers there are. I cannot count myself amongst them, though I have been known to skim future pages of a book in an effort to tell whether or not a character lives/continues to exist in some way. I did that most recently with Meloy’s The Apothecary so as to determine the status of the Russian kid.
- Neil Gaiman was sweet to link to my recent Halloween video with Monica and to call mine an “excellent video” (I credit Baby Bird), but his most recent blog entry is of note because of the attention paid to the Harper Collins All Hallow’s Read poster contest. Well played, sir.
- Long ago I created a series called Hot Men of Children’s Literature. Maybe someday I’ll follow it up with Cutest Couples of Children’s Literature. Dillons, Steads, and Provensens beware. David Roman and Raina Telegemeier may have won this round.
Bologna Book Fair fraud? It happens.
Movie news! Time for some choice bits from la la land. First up, from Cynopsis Kids:
Canada-based animation studio Rainmaker Entertainment teams with producer Jane Startz (Ella Enchanted, The Indian In The Cupboard, Tuck Everlasting) to develop and produce two new family feature films, Tiger’s Apprentice, based on the first book in Laurence Yep’s eponymous young adult trilogy, and Far Flung Adventures: Fergus Crane, which is based on the kid’s fantasy book penned by Paul Stewart and illustrated by Chris Riddell. Both new movies, which will utilize Rainmaker’s CG animation capabilities, will be produced by Startz and Catherine Winder, President and Exec. Producer, Rainmaker. Screenwriter David Magee (Finding Neverland, The Life of Pi) has written the movie adaptation of Tiger’s Apprentice. David Berenbaum (Elf, The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Haunted Mansion) wrote the screenplay for Fergus Crane.
- And along similar lines is this scintillating info from PW:
DreamWorks Animation has acquired at auction feature film rights to Dav Pilkey’s Captain Underpants series, published by Scholastic/Blue Sky. The eight-volume series revolves around two precocious fourth-grade boys, who hypnotize their principal and turn him into Captain Underpants. According to Deadline New York, DreamWorks Animation has been chasing the rights to the series since it began back in 1997, but Pilkey hadn’t wanted to sell them until now.
Until now? What changed, Dav? And how the heck do you turn that into a film?
- Daily Image:
The title reads PSA: Please Knit These Penguins Some Sweaters (this is true) and then it includes this image:
Even Roy and Silo [And Tango Makes Three] were never this stylin’. I may pass out from the cute of it. Thanks to Molly O’Neill for the link.
Filed under: Fusenews
About Betsy Bird
Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.
SLJ Blog Network | <urn:uuid:a9ca02c4-a28d-4fe1-a1a0-3651baa9ce4f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://afuse8production.slj.com/2011/10/25/fusenews-even-books-meant-to-put-kids-to-sleep-should-give-them-strange-dreams/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.957904 | 1,700 | 1.6875 | 2 |
Water Features- Accessorize Your Outdoor Space With Tranquility and Peace
Ronkonkoma Water Features | Manorville Poolscape
Water features are always a welcome addition to any outdoor living space. They not only add property value but also create a zone of peace and tranquility. In some climates, they can also reduce heat by cooling the area around the water feature by evaporation. Let’s look at various water features you can add to existing areas or include in a planned patio or poolscape project.
Ponds — A pond not only is a visually pleasing addition, it also acts as an ecosystem and refuge for small animals and fish. An established pond can require little ongoing maintenance when setting up with fish and plant life that will add oxygen and filter the water. Ponds can be almost any size to accommodate existing areas in your landscape.
Streams — Adding a small stream to your landscape adds a feature attractive to the eyes and ears. Streams often include small rapids or waterfalls to add a pleasant audio sound, and even flat areas can have a stream by building up the stream with dirt and rocks. Water use is minimal by incorporating a recycle pump in the small pond at the base of the stream to return water to the top of the stream.
Waterfalls — A larger waterfall can stand alone or be part of a stream. It can also be added to an existing pool to recycle water from the pool and back again. Waterfalls add a relaxing sound to any living area.
Fountains — Adding a fountain, large or small, is always a pleasant addition to your outdoor spaces. Fountains can be added to existing pools or water features or can be a standalone feature. Fountains come in all sizes as pre-manufactured elements or can be the product of your imagination and custom-built to suit.
If your backyard living area or pool lacks the pleasant sounds and visual appeal of a water feature, contact Long Island Poolscapes. We have expertise in bringing your ideas to life or can suggest ideas to add the relaxation and peace of a water feature to your home. | <urn:uuid:88c9c0dc-2cb9-4447-af8f-3b44db56e296> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.lipoolscapes.com/water-features-accessorize-your-outdoor-space/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.933006 | 431 | 1.625 | 2 |
London – Energy companies are working to restore power to hundreds of thousands of homes after one of the worst storms to hit the United Kingdom in decades.
Storm Eunice brought fierce winds, toppling trees and sending debris flying on Friday, causing the deaths of three people in the UK.
Five people died elsewhere in Europe.
A 122mph gust on the Isle of Wight set a provisional record in England, and as of Friday night about 400 000 homes were left without power.
Many train operators extended warnings not to travel into Saturday.
The Met Office had issued rare red weather warnings for coastal areas of south-west England and south Wales, along with south-east England, indicating a danger to life.
A less-severe yellow wind warning for much of the south coast of England and south Wales was issued on Saturday.
The Met Office said the latest warning could hamper recovery efforts from the storm.
Eunice is the second storm in a week to hit the UK, after parts of Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland were battered by Storm Dudley.
It has also brought dangerous conditions to areas across north-west Europe.
In Ireland, a man in his 60s was killed by a falling tree in County Wexford. Three people also died in the Netherlands after being hit by falling trees, and a Canadian man aged 79 was killed in Belgium. (BBC) | <urn:uuid:821b1ffb-b725-4249-95f9-81962d87f012> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://246bajanvibesradio.com/2022/02/19/uk-storm-eunice-leaves-400-000-homes-without-power/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.983163 | 283 | 2.125 | 2 |
Copy-number analysis is a useful tool for many researchers and we use it a lot for analysis of tumour samples. In the past this was done using SNP arrays e.g. Affymetrix SNP6.0 in METABRIC, but today we're generally using low-coverage whole genome sequencing and tools like qDNAseq. I've posted before about our use of low-coverage WGS in our exome pipeline. Most recently we've got groups doing low-coverage WGS on large numbers of samples purely for copy-number analysis.
Low-coverage WGS makes CNV-seq fast and cheap but a recent Genome Research paper suggest some great methodological improvements to push costs down to very low levels: SMASH, a fragmentation and sequencing method for genomic copy number analysis.
|WGS and SMASH generate highly concordant CNV calls|
SMASH vs WGS: Essentially both low-coverage WGS and SMASH use the same idea - map short reads to the genome and count how many fall into genomic bins to estimate copy-number for that bin. The clever bit about SMASH is that by using longer libraries made from concatamerised DNA, multiple fragments are sequenced in a single read. Essentially the same low-coverage WGS data is generated but from many fewer reads and that is what keeps costs down. The use of chimeric libraries probably removes any chance of detecting translocations and other non-CNV structural variations, but SMASH is designed to do CNV-seq as cheaply as possible.
Short Multiply Aggregated Sequence Homologies borrows heavily from the ideas behind SAGE, which was used for cDNA analysis. SMASH starts with random fragmentation of genomic DNA to around 40bp. The fragments are ligated to create concatamers of around 400bp-700bp in length, which are sequenced using longer paired-end reads. These chimeric reads are mapped using a strategy described in the paper. Briefly they look for the "maximal almost-unique match" for each read and generate read-depth counts in genomic "bins" for copy-number calling. The use of chimeric libraries has an added benefit in returning reads from unique DNA fragments this should remove the impact of PCR duplication and/or bias on CNV calling.
Although the authors discuss some of their wetlab and drylab automation they do not mention HiSeq 4000 or patterned flowcells. This is likely to be an issue and the SMASH libraries will need to be less variable in length, and around 300-500bp long to work optimally.
The cost of SMASH: Because SMASH squeezes 4-6 unique DNA fragments into each read-pair it brings the costs of sequencing down to very low levels. Assuming a cost per lane of £600 for single-end 50bp reads, and £1200 for paired-end 150bp reads on HiSeq 4000 we can count around 350M DNA fragments with low-coverage WGS (SE50), but over 2 billion with SMASH (PE150). For copy-number analysis using 10M reads per sample this is equivalent to £35 for low-coverage WGS, and just £10 for SMASH!
Using SMASH for RNA-seq, ChIP-seq & cfDNA: It might be very little work to adopt SMASH for RNA-seq. Fragmentation of oligo-dT selected mRNA to 40bp, ligation/concatamerisation of RNA fragments (similar to miRNA preps), random primed cDNA synthesis to around 400bp and adapter ligation of ds-cDNA. As the ligation can only happen once for any RNA fragment we should get data very similar to RNA-seq using unique molecular identifiers, but without the hassle. Our RNA-seq sequencing costs drop from £35 to £10 per sample, but we'll need library prep costs to come down too; and with a more complex protocol the cost benefits of SMASH may be offset. But if the removal of PCR duplicates from RNA-seq is valuable enough then SMASH for RNA may be a significant step forward.
For ChIP-seq we could also concatenate the short DNA fragments released after immuno-precipitation. It may be even better to combine SMASH with a ChIP-exo protocol to better define the binding sites of transcription factors and other DNA binding proteins. Exonuclease V digestion of the genomic DNA not protected by the bound protein, followed by end-repair, concatamerisation and SMASH sequencing should work pretty well. And again it should remove the issue of PCR duplicates.
For cfDNA the fragment length of around 160bp means the sample needs further fragmentation to work in a SMASH protocol, whereas todays cfDNA methods simply ligate adapters directly to cfDNA giving a very simple protocol. However cfDNA in urine is significantly smaller at around 50bp - and may be perfect for SMASH? The use of urine would make minimally invasive tests for pregnancy and/or tumour monitoring truly non-invasive, and possibly push costs down even further? | <urn:uuid:1d0dded3-e8bf-45b4-a37b-6967a48192cf> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://core-genomics.blogspot.com/2016/06/cnv-rna-chip-and-cfdna-sequencing-for.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.922004 | 1,060 | 1.96875 | 2 |
The only way to answer this question with any certainty is, “Know exactly what it is you want to build, exactly how to build it, and make sure it can be legally built where you want to build it.” – That’s basically it in a nut-shell.
Simple question, simple answer.
If it were only that simple.
First you need to know the Zoning Designation of your project site property. R-2, R-3, M-1 etc. This is the first touch to understand what is structurally allowed and what use is allowed to exist on your property. The property you own has many definitions in the eyes of the Department of Building and Safety, Zoning Department and The Department of City Planning. Having completed this research, then and only then do you request the services of an Architect. You must guide the Architect to draw what you want to have built. Architects are construction ”Artists” that wish to create beautiful structures on paper. And when possible, after approved construction, we all benefit from the beauty of these structures. However, on the onset of design conception these structures may be unrealistic, unsafe and impossible to legally construct under the law. Know what can be done first. He or she, the Architects, will create building plans based on the parameters outlined in your properties Zoning/Planning designation. The Department of Building and Safety will examine these plans for structural integrity in regard to personal and public safety. | <urn:uuid:72b1bb4d-1358-4c0c-a631-1976e9b0b222> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://buildingpermitslosangeles.com/how-do-i-get-a-building-permit-in-los-angeles/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.946325 | 302 | 2.328125 | 2 |
BY JAIME YARBROUGH
On Saturday, January 11th, from 11 AM to 2 PM a water bath canning class was conducted at the Family Resource Center on Pacific Ave. in Crescent City.
The instructor, Deborah Giraud is a Farm and Community Development advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension in Eureka.
Due to a enrollment oversight the proposed class of about a dozen people was exceeded to a total bath course is part one of a series. During the class a batch of pickled carrots, and two batches of strawberry jam (one sugar the other no/low sugar) were made.
A second class is being offered with limited seating later this month on the 25th of January and will be centered around the pressure canning process. These two classes are actually part of an 8 part Master Food Preservers course which will be starting in May and is already completely filled up. For more information contact the UCCE : http://cehumboldt.ucanr.edu/ | <urn:uuid:0c9bd65c-0e4c-42b4-8058-2d2b6f7e5f4e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://crescentcitytimes.com/canning/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.966853 | 207 | 1.726563 | 2 |
The passive advanced treatment of wastewater with phosphorous removal and disinfection answered the following requirements:
|Treatment capacity||4,270 L per day|
|System surface area||130 m2|
|Treatment results are available upon request.|
The Yamaska National Park is a provincial park with a clear conservation role on the Choinière Reservoir in Québec, Canada. The Park is home to some forty fragile species considered rare, be it plant or wildlife. Their protection is among the priorities of park management. Recreational activities, which help fund its conservation, must be carefully considered. This is why an advanced level of treatment was chosen to passively disinfect and remove phosphorus from the wastewater and provide an extra level of protection to the environment.
This system receives a daily flow of 4,270 L of wastewater coming from showers, toilets and sinks in buildings of the Les Roselins sector of the campground.
The System O)) is preceded by a primary treatment. Primary treatment of wastewater is a physical decantation of liquids and solids, usually done in a septic tank, where the solids are pumped out at regular intervals (usu. 2 years).
In this case, wastewater is collected in a 6,410-L pretreatment tank. Inside the tank, the wastewater separates into layers as the fats float to the top and the solids sink to the bottom.
System O)) septic systems combine wastewater distribution, treatment and infiltration in one simple step.
The primary treatment tank effluent is distributed throughout the system with a combination of pumping stations and watertight membranes.
The optimal functioning of a System O)) installation depends on an even distribution of wastewater over the entire surface of the treatment bed. This is possible thanks to a low pressure distribution system. Through each Advanced Enviro))Septic pipe is inserted a 38-mm pipe, which is perforated to allow water to spurt out. This mode of distribution makes it possible to evenly distribute the effluent through each pipe.
The treated wastewater leaving the polishing field is collected in a watertight membrane and directed towards the second pumping station, to be then sent through a reduced polishing field. The treated effluent is once again collected in a watertight membrane that empties into a 3rd pumping station, from which the water is sprinkled into the Dephos O)) module. The treated water leaving the Dephos O)) module is then pumped into a conventional pipe-and-stone polishing field to be dispersed into the soil.
This System O)) uses seven rows of five parallel Advanced Enviro))Septic pipes for a total of 35 pipes. The wastewater flows along the length of the rows where it is treated by bacteria living in the pipes and in the filter sand during the infiltration process. The treated water passes through a smaller polishing field containing six Advanced Enviro))Septic pipes.
- All wastewater at the site is treated passively
- No moving parts
- No energy is spent on wastewater treatment
- Wastewater odours cannot develop
- Treated water is perfectly clear and free of pollution
By using a System O)) with a Dephos O)) module, the client saves money by providing a passive treatment as opposed to having to use chemical coagulation. There are no moving parts that can break and the Dephos O)) media lasts more than five years before needing to be replaced. Maintenance is simple which means fees are low; on-site personnel can even be trained to do it themselves!
Choosing a passive wastewater treatment solution is very cost-effective, as the treatment process does not need to be powered, has no moving parts that can require replacement or repair, and its maintenance is so simple that employees can be trained to do it themselves.
With the proximity to a body of water such as the Choinière Reservoir, nutrient removal is very important. By removing the phosphorus from the treated effluent, we greatly reduce the risk of algae and cyanobacteria blooms. These present a huge danger to the environment by removing oxygen from the water and producing toxins.
Choosing a passive wastewater treatment solution is very positive for the environment, as the treatment process requires no power, has no moving parts that can fail and requires little maintenance. | <urn:uuid:fd6e1caf-29fe-4156-a828-2295c2e142da> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://dboexpert.com/en/case-studies/quebec-campground-with-passive-advanced-treatment-of-wastewater-with-phosphorous-removal-and-disinfection/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.925398 | 901 | 2.5 | 2 |
How brain injury can change the language we speak - Reading in the news Tue 23 Oct23 October 2018
Language and brain injury: Dr Holly Robson (Psychology) spoke to BBC Radio Berkshire (approx 1hr 9mins) about why brain injury can cause bilingual people to forget one language, in connection with a story about a local woman who found she could only speak English in the morning and German in the afternoon after a bike accident.
Optical illusion in films: Popular Science looks at how hobbits were made to look much smaller than other characters in the Lord of the Rings films, using a ‘forced perspective’ technique. The article quotes Professor Andrew Glennerster (Psychology) on how the technique works.
Plastic in the food chain: New research has found microplastics in human faeces around the world suggesting plastic pollution is contaminating more and more eco systems. Articles by Newsweek and MSN News quote Professor Amanda Callaghan (Bio Science) whose research recently showed plastic in water is able to transfer from flying insect larvae to the adults, exposing birds and bats to the plastic. Read our news story.
Accommodation ranking: Times Higher Education reports that Reading is in the top 20 for quality student accommodation, according to a StudentCrowd survey.
- Business Magazine reports on roundtable discussions on shaping Reading’s sustainable future, held by Pitmans Law, where Dr David Gilham (Director of the Thames Valley Science Park) gave a talk on the importance of connections between academic institutions and businesses.
- Magzter quotes Dr Gunter Kuhnle (Food and Nutritional Sciences) on Harvard research that showed women who eat cured meats have a higher risk of breast cancer.
- Edie.net reports that the University of Reading is one of five universities to sign the Government’s Emissions Reduction Pledge. Read our news story.
- RSVPLive covers research by Reading and Birmingham academics that suggests the youngest sibling in a family is the most likely to become a millionaire. | <urn:uuid:32ea393f-9479-4281-89e3-107ba95e697e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://archive.reading.ac.uk/news-events/2018/October/pr785341.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.93729 | 417 | 2.3125 | 2 |
The Pew Research Center has released the latest version of its American Values Survey, and the headline result is that although the values gap hasn’t changed much by age or gender or race or anything else, it has continued to increase by political affiliation. The differences between Democrats and Republicans remained steady throughout the late 80s and 90s, but since 2000 have gone up from 11 percentage points to 18 percentage points. And the gap is continuing to grow.
The most dramatic change is in environmental views. Take a look at the chart on the right. Back in 1987, there was hardly any daylight between Democrats and Republicans. Everyone agreed we needed strict environmental regs. But Republican support for environmental regulations dropped during the early 90s, and then, after ticking back up a bit, cratered completely during the Bush and Obama adminstrations, plummeting from 79% to 47% over the past decade. Some of this is probably due to the GOP’s general move toward the right during that time, but I’d guess that it’s mostly a response to global warming. Until 2003, the environment was a roughly bipartisan cause, but since then it’s become overwhelmingly identified with climate change, which in turn has become a violently political issue. We’d need more detailed polling to confirm what Pew seems to show here, but what it seems to suggest is that the partisan war over climate change has poisoned Republican support for environmental regulations more generally.
In related news, Pew has put up an interactive database that allows you to scroll through the questions they’ve been asking since 1987 and view the trends by age, gender, party, etc. There’s some interesting stuff there. For example, take a look at the question below, sorted by generation. Over the years, most of us have retained roughly the same view of whether the government is wasteful and inefficient. The postwar (“Silent”) and Boomer generations hover around 65% and Gen X hovers around 55% — with very little change as members of those generations get older. But Millennials are different. In 2003 they were pretty optimistic about government-run programs, with only about 30% saying they were wasteful. Today, though, nearly 50% think that. In the course of only a decade, they’ve become far, far more cynical about government programs.
Why? Is this related to the Iraq War? To the Bush/Rove administration more generally? To the stimulus bill? (The numbers went way up between 2009 and 2011.) Or were they just unnaturally optimistic during their 20s and are now catching up to everyone else? Any guesses? | <urn:uuid:01e8c3f1-7e6e-40ca-a2e1-9c88f33fe1e2> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://adops.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/06/yet-more-evidence-we-are-becoming-more-politically-polarized/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.976555 | 541 | 2.25 | 2 |
15 Wild Stories From The Making Of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Reindeer and dentists, puppets and LED fluorescent lamps, Genomic Autry and General Electric–to the lay person these unlikely pairings appear to have little in common. But they all contributed to the creation of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, a beloved Christmas special that is now in its 57th year of annual episode reruns.
A succession of tragedies, twists of fate, and/or lucky inconsistencies allowed Rudolph's story to survive through the centuries, eventually securing a place throughout holiday tradition.
We look into the beginnings of this and some other Christmas music written by even the most highly improbable people. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, was written by a Jewish author who was inspired to create his little reindeer by the death of a spouse and his love for his baby girl.
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, may have even been created for marketing reasons (shocker). In particular, 1930s advertising for a Chicago shopping mall. Scroll down for more information on that and other topics: | <urn:uuid:d95d8650-fa46-4dbe-b789-6219b289aea3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.cracked.com/pictofacts-2373-15-wild-stories-from-the-making-of-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573667.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819100644-20220819130644-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.965247 | 235 | 2.671875 | 3 |
THIS IS A DISCUSSION QUESTION QUESTION. PLEASE ADD REFERENCES.
Mr. Smith, who has diabetes and hypertension is a patient on a medical surgical unit status post hip surgery. The computer systems in the hospital are down. Nurse Jones, who was covering for a colleague, took a verbal phone order to administer Humalog Insulin to Mr. Smith. Because of a poor telephone connection, Nurse Jones heard the order from the prescribing physician as 20 units of Humalog Insulin instead of 10 units of Humalog Insulin. The bar coding system was also not working so Nurse Jones could not check the order in the system. Nurse Jones administered the Humalog Insulin, and Mr. Smith’s blood sugar dropped precipitously and he passed out. The Nurse Manager disciplined Nurse Jones and told her she might be fired.
Using a systems theory, examine the case and propose solutions that would prevent a similar error from happening in the future. Remember that a systems framework moves from a punitive model where individuals are viewed as at fault, to a process model where faults in the system are viewed as resulting in errors.
"Place your order now for a similar assignment and have exceptional work written by our team of experts, guaranteeing you A results." | <urn:uuid:4252c5cb-40b2-44e1-b7bf-1e4db84ac89e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://platinumnursingwriters.org/mr-smith-who-has-diabetes-and-hypertension-is-a-patient-on-a-medical-surgical-unit-status-post-hip-surgery-the-computer-systems-in-the-hospital-are-down/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.948346 | 261 | 2.5625 | 3 |
Stories are a great tool to introduce and/or review vocabulary and expose learners to the language in context. When using stories with second language learners in the setting of a world language program, where students only have the language once or twice a week, you have to take into account that you can’t bring any story written for native or heritage speakers. Most of the time these stories are packed with too much language and not enough repetition which can lead your students to frustration. These stories might not be comprehensible enough for them. It’s important to take into account that most students who participate into this type of programs follow under the Novice Proficiency Guidelines by ACTFL.- (Visit link for more info).
When I bring stories to my classes I like to:
1.Keep them simple, engaging and repetitive.
2. Use games to support them.
3. Keep the arts and crafts simple.
4. Provide mini-books for students to take home.
5. Use real pictures when possible.
What else would you add to this list? Let me know int the comments!
You might like these resources on Teachers Pay Teachers: | <urn:uuid:4bae2888-fa67-4128-a5fe-e612612de2a1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://funforspanishteachers.com/2022/07/tips-to-bring-stories-to-an-elementary-spanish-class/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.918791 | 237 | 3.84375 | 4 |
Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Elasmobranchii (sharks and rays) > Carcharhiniformes
(Ground sharks) > Scyliorhinidae
(Cat sharks) > Scyliorhininae
Etymology: Cephaloscyllium: cephalus, from kephale (Gr.), head, referring to its very broad and depressed head; skylion, Greek for dogfish or small shark. (See ETYFish); sarawakense: -ensis, Latin suffix denoting place: Sarawak, Malaysia, type locality. (See ETYFish).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 100 - 200 m (Ref. 94801). Subtropical
Pacific Ocean: South China Sea (western south Taiwan, Hong Kong, Gulf of Tongking, Vietnam, Malaysia).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 37.5, range 35 - 40 cm
Max length : 39.7 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 75582); 44.1 cm TL (female)
Morphology | Morphometrics
This small-sized shark is distinguished by the following characters: adults with 2 distinct and wide brown saddle blotches before first dorsal fin while juveniles with 3; first saddle immediately behind eye, second over posterior 1/3 of base and inner margin of pectoral fin, the third a little before first dorsal fin, which fades with growth; dark lateral circular to oblong blotches above gill openings and on lateral side of trunk; young individuals with many polka dots on body and fins; anterior nasal flap triangular without an elongate flap (Ref. 98601).
All specimens were collected by trawl nets near the edge of the continental shelf (Ref. 75538).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Yano, K., A. Ahmad, A.C. Gambang, A.H. Idris, A.R. Solahuddin and Z. Aznan, 2005. Sharks and rays of Malaysia and Brunei, Darussalam. SEAFDEC-MFRDMD/SP/12. Kuala Terengganu. Sharks and Rays Malaysia and Brunei:557 pp. (Ref. 75538)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 125652)
Threat to humans
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingNutrientsMass conversion
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969
): 17.5 - 23.6, mean 20.2 °C (based on 66 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805
= 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00288 (0.00148 - 0.00562), b=3.19 (3.01 - 3.37), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Subfamily-BS (Ref. 93245
Trophic level (Ref. 69278
): 4.0 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref. 120179
): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153
): Low to moderate vulnerability (34 of 100) .
Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649
): (0 of 100) . | <urn:uuid:f5b41f27-2136-4185-a80e-97033d874e91> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://fishbase.org/summary/63780 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571198.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810161541-20220810191541-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.73315 | 898 | 2.90625 | 3 |
Russian Court Fines Children-404 Founder for Violating LGBT Propaganda Law
Washington, D.C. – Human Rights First today said the decision of a Russian district court finding Lena Klimova, founder of the online LGBT youth support group Children-404, guilty of violating Russia's anti-gay propaganda law is an important reminder that Russia’s propaganda law will continue to have a harsh impact on the rights of LGBT people. Klimova was convicted despite being prevented access to legal counsel, due to her lawyer's illness, the day of the court's decision. She will face a fine of 50,000 rubles.
“It’s been nearly a year since the Sochi Olympics brought international attention to the situation for Russia’s LGBT community. While much is happening in the world, it is crucial that we not move on to the next issue and ignore what is happening in Russia, particularly when neighboring countries such as Kyrgyzstan appear to be following suit,” said Human Rights First’s Shawn Gaylord. “Russian activists who are standing up for justice and human rights for all still face persecution and we must continue to support their efforts.”
Last year, Klimova was acquitted by the same court for her work with Children-404, an online forum for Russian-speaking LGBT teens to write openly and anonymously about their daily lives and hardships. The site posts letters from LGBT teenagers, including coming out stories, and organizes online chats with LGBT community leaders. Klimova created Children-404 in March 2013 out of concern for the effects that the then-new propaganda law would have on young people. In addition to providing a refuge for teens, the site has information for adults about discrimination LGBT teens face.
The original case was brought against Klimova by request of St. Petersburg Legislative Assemblyman, Vitaly Milonov. Following last year's ruling, he vowed to appeal. Milonov has repeatedly referred to members of the LGBT community as "perverts" and "sickos."
Since the passage of the 2013 discriminatory propaganda law, members of LGBT community have faced harassment from government officials, threats of violence, and imprisonment for peaceful public demonstrations. Human Rights First continues to urge the Obama Administration to appoint a special envoy for the human rights of LGBT people within the State Department to stand as a statement of the U.S. commitment to the human rights of LGBT people worldwide. In addition, the organization recently released a Blueprint titled “How to Stop Russia from Exporting Homophobia.”
For more information or to speak with Gaylord, please contact Brenda Bowser Soder at 202-370-3323 or [email protected]. | <urn:uuid:cbc9decc-ee5d-46a7-8e43-4c321918d6ba> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/press-release/russian-court-fines-children-404-founder-violating-lgbt-propaganda-law | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573667.83/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819100644-20220819130644-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.956853 | 550 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Surveillance video captured what is believed to be a meteor lighting up the night sky in South Australia.
The footage from a camera from Mount Gambier shows a falling ball of light followed by a bright flash. Then the sky lights up after it crashes down, apparently to Earth.
South Australia police released the incredible video Wednesday but have not confirmed if it was a meteor. They added sound effects from the 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind to the video. No damage was reported. | <urn:uuid:14fff0ef-c9d9-486f-9ee2-a64d88223ee1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/meteor-lights-up-sky-in-australia | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.933924 | 100 | 2.171875 | 2 |
Tesla FSD Beta V11 will be released by the end of August, hopes Elon Musk. At the moment, the company is focused on solving specific problems that have arisen in the current version.
According to Elon Musk's earlier statements, FSD Beta is considered not so good, because it still uses a separate stack for city streets and traffic. Moving to a single FSD stack requires a huge amount of neural network training, which is what the Tesla team and beta testers are currently doing. According to the head of the company, V11 will have a single software stack that will combine city and highway, as well as many other architectural upgrades. To achieve this goal, FSD Beta has to make a few more important changes.
On the way to V11, the company made a number of architectural improvements that allowed the car to move more smoothly, especially when making difficult, unprotected left turns and overtaking maneuvers. At the moment, Tesla is particularly focused on a specific complex left turn that one of the beta testers was having trouble with. Today, Musk announced that next week there will be a release of V10.13, which should solve this problem.
He also revealed that Beta V11, as he hopes, is to be released at the end of August, which he says “just amounts to incorporating highway.” He explained that the importance of V11 has been reduced due to the many 10.x releases, but the company is already mostly at V11.
10.13 goes to internal beta tomorrow, external next week. Should handle Chuck’s complex left turn.— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 14, 2022
Beta v11 hopefully end of next month, which just amounts to incorporating highway. Importance of “v11” has been reduced by all the 10.x releases. We’re already mostly at v11.
It should be kept in mind that the creation of full self-driving is a very difficult task. Although each of us, as well as Tesla, wishes that it be achieved as soon as possible, there are still quite a large number of problems that need to be solved for this. On the path to full self-driving, we must remember that safety is the highest priority, so delays are an integral part of the process.
© 2022, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.
We appreciate your readership! Please share your thoughts in the comment section below. | <urn:uuid:3c4c6665-ae2a-484b-a349-36940d7930ee> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.tesmanian.com/de/blogs/tesmanian-blog/tesla-fsd-beta-v11-will-be-released-by-the-end-of-august-hopes-elon-musk | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.968914 | 515 | 1.5 | 2 |
The following are terms commonly used by cranberry growers.
Bloom: cranberry blossom.
Dewberry: very persistent plant that competes with cranberries for light and interferes with harvest.
Dew point: humidity.
Dieback: The gradual dying of plant shoots, starting at the tips, as a result of various diseases or climatic conditions.
Ditching: removing the debris (from the ditches inside the bogs) that has accumulated over the winter.
Fairy ring: waterborne fungal infection.
Flooding: floodgates on the reservoir feeding the selected area are opened and water flows into the ditches and over the vines to a depth of about 18 inches.
Gate: a flood gate, used for water management (reservoir or canal to bog as well as bog-to-bog).
ICM: Integrated Crop Management. How Pine Island Cranberry manages the big picture: the relationship between water, soils, weather, disease, insects, weeds, and nutrition.
Leaf drop: a premature falling of leaves associated with various diseases.
Phytophthora: Phytophthora cinnamomi is a soil-borne water mold that produces an infection which causes a condition in plants called root rot or dieback.
Root rot: a disease which causes a reduction of root mass, stunting and eventual death of the vine.
Red maple: invade beds as windblown seed.
Runner: trail and spread the plant as much as two feet in one growing season.
Sanding: Sanding is a practice where a 1/2″ to 1″ layer of sand is spread over the cranberry beds in order to stimulate new root and vine growth, improve aeration, and promote surface water drainage (source).
Scald: bruising of the fruit due to excessively hot and dry conditions.
Scouting: sweeping and/or observing a bog to check for pests, disease, nutrition, etc.
Tensiometer: instrument used to measure soil moisture.
Upright: Short vertical branches; grow up from the runners and produce the flowers and fruit. | <urn:uuid:48f2b6cf-127f-495d-8020-ceabe14b35a9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.picranberry.com/picc-2/glossary-terms/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.928281 | 440 | 3.53125 | 4 |
Finite element modeling of impulsive excitation and shear wave propagation in an incompressible, transversely isotropic medium.
Elastic properties of materials can be measured by observing shear wave propagation following localized, impulsive excitations and relating the propagation velocity to a model of the material. However, characterization of anisotropic materials is difficult because of the number of elasticity constants in the material model and the complex dependence of propagation velocity relative to the excitation axis, material symmetries, and propagation directions. In this study, we develop a model of wave propagation following impulsive excitation in an incompressible, transversely isotropic (TI) material such as muscle. Wave motion is described in terms of three propagation modes identified by their polarization relative to the material symmetry axis and propagation direction. Phase velocities for these propagation modes are expressed in terms of five elasticity constants needed to describe a general TI material, and also in terms of three constants after the application of two constraints that hold in the limit of an incompressible material. Group propagation velocities are derived from the phase velocities to describe the propagation of wave packets away from the excitation region following localized excitation. The theoretical model is compared to the results of finite element (FE) simulations performed using a nearly incompressible material model with the five elasticity constants chosen to preserve the essential properties of the material in the incompressible limit. Propagation velocities calculated from the FE displacement data show complex structure that agrees quantitatively with the theoretical model and demonstrates the possibility of measuring all three elasticity constants needed to characterize an incompressible, TI material.
Rouze, NC; Wang, MH; Palmeri, ML; Nightingale, KR
Volume / Issue
Start / End Page
Pubmed Central ID
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | <urn:uuid:274f4276-a674-411d-8000-f96e80f1a4d9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://scholars.duke.edu/display/pub966225 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572021.17/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814083156-20220814113156-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.848574 | 454 | 1.703125 | 2 |
At The Pregnancy Center, we can help guide you through your challenging decisions, provide emotional support, provide information and resources.
We can also refer you to adoption agencies that will help you plan for adoption.
Women that are considering adoption may feel:
They aren't ready to be a parent, but do not want an abortion.
They do not want to raise the baby alone.
They are not financially stable to have a child.
Know the Facts:
There are three different types of adoption that may be chosen: closed, semi-open, and open.
If you feel that you are not able to provide for your baby, you can still be a part of your child's life depending on which form of adoption you choose. | <urn:uuid:0dfec272-5a3b-48b9-86ce-a5eff8c4d19e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://pregnancyoxford.org/options/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.943093 | 155 | 1.601563 | 2 |
Everything you've ever wanted to know about dashes
If you're confused about the various types of dashes and when to use them, you're not alone. Figuring out whether to use an en dash, em dash, 2 em dashes, or even (gasp!) 3 em dashes can be confusing. Let's take a look at the different types of dashes and when to use these little punctuation marks.
The en dash (–) gets its name because it's the same width as the letter N. It is generally used in place of "to" for connecting numbers in ranges, although it can also connect words (in which case, it means "through"). For example,
- David Foster Wallace (1962–2008)
- The Packers won 21–14.
Note that an en dash should not be used for negative numbers, and that there should be no spaces before or after it. It should also not be used when the number or word is preceded by from or between (from…to, or between…and). So, the following sentences are correct:
- The temperature is 32–45°F.
- The park is open May–October.
- The temperature is between 32 and 45°F.
- The park is open from May to October.
However, these uses are incorrect:
- The temperature is between 32–45°F.
- The park is open from May–October.
Instead of a hyphen
The en dash can be used when joining compound modifiers where at least one of the words is an open compound (meaning not hyphenated) or is already hyphenated. For example,
- New York–Tel Aviv connection
- Mother-of-the-bride–approved dresses
- Post–October Revolution politics
Creating an en dash
Creating an en dash can be done by either:
- [ctrl] and the minus sign on the numpad or
- [alt] 0150 (on the numpad)
The em dash (— or -- [on an old-fashioned typewriter]) is the most commonly used type of dash and is often simply referred to as a dash. It gets its name—no big surprise here—because it's the width of an M. This punctuation mark is used primarily in informal writing in place of a comma, colon, semicolon, or parentheses to provide emphasis.
Set off parenthetical elements/explain
When I was driving—well, asleep at the wheel—I got into an accident.
The em dash in this example could be substituted with parentheses, but not a comma because commas cannot be used to set off parenthetical expressions when there is internal punctuation (commas inside the expressions), as can be seen in the following example.
When I was driving, well, asleep at the wheel, we got into an accident.
Sudden turn in thought/break in dialogue
"Mary, How could—Why would you do such a thing?"
"Can I finish my—," the child pleaded.
"No! Get over here right now," his mother shouted.
Unknown values in a table
An em dash can be used in place of an unknown value in a table.
Creating an em dash
Creating an em dash can be done by either:
- [ctrl] [alt] and the minus sign on the numbers pad or
- [alt] 0151 (on the numpad)
2 em dash
The 2 em dash can be used to indicate missing letters in a word, either because material is missing or illegible, or to conceal a name. For example,
Mr. H—— and Mr. S—— entered into a legal agreement.
3 em dashes
These are used in bibliographies when the author's name is repeated.
———. Adventures in Fancy. New York: Labadie & Sons. 2010.
Overall, dashes—especially en and em dashes—are useful tools writers should master. To learn more about the correct use of dashes and other punctuation marks, check out GrammarCamp, a proven grammar training course.
Image source: Francesco Gallarottie/Stocksnap.io | <urn:uuid:f446abc2-214f-4c30-881d-9917699cc787> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://scribendi.com/academy/articles/using_dashes.en.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.912208 | 952 | 4.03125 | 4 |
“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. 24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25).
It is a gospel truth that Jesus has no faith in the faith of some men. Many believe in Jesus though He has no belief in them, because He knows the hearts of all men. The warning goes forth that there is a faith of which Jesus will not approve or validate, just as there is a form of repentance that needs to be repented of.
In the narrative of John 2:23-25, Jesus exercised discrimination, made a disqualification, and told of the distinction by which He will close with those who truly believe in Him. Jesus drew men to Himself by His words and miracles in order to divide them. He wins people to a point where they hear His message, and then winnows them, separating the spiritual chaff from the wheat.
As Jesus is lifted up, He draws all men to Himself, but from that exalted position He judges those beneath Him. Some who were drawn to the Cross mocked, while others wept. No one who comes to Jesus can remain neutral, or insincere. When a person comes into the presence of Jesus, the content of their character, and the intent of their heart is made manifest.
It was so in Jerusalem. Many believed in His name, but only in as far as they saw the miracles which He did. But they did not commit the totality of their hearts to His eternal care. Jesus was discriminating enough to recognize what was happening. Elsewhere Jesus said, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the King of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21-23).
Jesus discriminates between authentic faith, and insincere faith. There is the faith of Judas, and there is the faith of John, whom Jesus loved. Those who are the recipients of the Lord’s special love bow in gratitude knowing He loved them, despite all their faults, before they ever loved Him.
We note again the untrusted faith of Jesus in His work of discrimination. The untrusted faith is the kind of faith that will not believe unless it sees a sign or a wonder. At Calvary there were those who said, “If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him” (Matt. 27:42). To such people Jesus say, “Go away. I do not trust your faith. You are not sincere. You are only curious.”
There is the untrusted faith of religious emotion which masks unbelief. The gospel can be presented in such as way as to elicit compassion for the humiliation of Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount is beautiful in its eloquence. No man every spoke like Jesus. However, a faith built upon emotion cannot be trusted. Such a person is blown about by every doctrinal wind. It has no root.
There is the untrusted faith which will not submit to God. A prayer is offered and, if the Lord does not answer in an anticipated way, His goodness is questioned. His power is cast into doubt. Such a faith is untrustworthy because it is unsound. It is a faith that believes in God only as far as He remains a puppet on a string to comply with self-centered prayers.
The untrusted faith does not bow to God and say, as Jesus did, “Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” To such a faith Jesus does not respond, and the heaven’s become as brass.
There is the untrusted faith of subjectivity. Many believed on the name of Jesus when they saw the signs. Such faith is untrustworthy because it is a subjective faith whereby a soul sits in judgment to say, “I will see what this Man can do, and then I will make a final decision to believe in Him.”
True faith begins when the conscience is convicted of sin and a person gets a true sight of themselves in the eyes of God.
True faith continues to express itself in penitence. Two men went up to the temple to pray. One cried out, “God! Be merciful to me the sinner!” He went home justified. The other man went home dignified for he saw himself a good person with no need to repent of anything.
Truth faith flourishes when it believes that Christ, and Christ alone can rescue the soul from the power and corruption of sin. Faith believes that Jesus helps sinners.
True faith continues when the soul can sing,
“Christ is all I need,
Christ is all I need,
Christ is all that I need.”
To such a faith, Christ will respond. Such a faith is simple. It does not need to manifest itself with unintelligent utterances, bodily contortions, hysterical screaming, or shameful and immodest acts of exhibition in worship. Such a subjective experience is not honoring to God but is of the flesh. It comes from beneath, not from above.
Beware of those who come as an angel of light to teach that the evidence of faith, and the fulness of the Spirit, is to engage in behavior that makes the angels weep. Such faith is untrustworthy.
There is a faith which Jesus will respond to. There is a faith which Jesus will commit Himself to for we read that which the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy saying, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” (2 Tim. 1:12). Then Paul goes on to say, “Timothy, hold fast, keep that which has been committed unto you.”
To commit means to trust. Jesus will commit, or entrust Himself to those who love Him, believe in Him, and linger to fellowship with Him. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20). Jesus commits Himself as a brother will trust a brother, or a friend will trust a friend. There came a time when Jesus could say to His disciples, “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you” (John 15:15). The disciples of Christ could be trusted.
Christ commits to those He trusts His reputation. We are be like Jesus in our love, our grace, our speech, and our mercy and forgiveness. Take the Name of Jesus with you.
Christ commits to those He trust His message. We are to go and make disciples.
Christ commits to those He trust His Word. No Scripture is to be of any private interpretation. There is the faith delivered to the Church which must be contended for (Jude 3).
Christ commits to those He trust the work or reconciliation in order to pluck individuals as brands from the burning.
It is a high calling to be trusted by Jesus. The question arises, “Has the Lord committed Himself to you?” Examine yourself on this matter by answering the following questions.
“Do you have a desire to love others?”
“Do you have a zeal for holiness?”
“Do you long to see souls saved?”
“Do you want to be fundamentally and forever different?”
“Do you refuse to ask for a sign before you believe?”
“Do you reject every subjective expression of religious exhibitionism?”
“Do you want to preach the gospel?”
If the answer is yes to each inquiry, then rejoice! Christ has committed Himself to you. You have faith that can be trusted. | <urn:uuid:cb26d44e-59f8-4b42-9a46-b63db402ed99> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://stanmurrell.org/2022/05/09/an-untrusted-faith/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.969795 | 1,733 | 2.03125 | 2 |
While Google Docs is predominantly for word processing, more users want to insert shapes/textbox in Google Docs. This is because the way we interact with information has become more visual. And adding drawings, images, and visually appealing blocks of text into a document is now more commonplace.
Inserting shapes or textboxes in a Google Doc is relatively straightforward. To insert shapes, use either the Drawing tool, special characters, images, or tables. Or you could do a freehand drawing. You can also similarly add shapes on your Android mobile device. The Drawing tool also comes in handy when inserting a textbox into your document.
So today, we will discuss the simple ways of inserting various shapes and text boxes into a Google document.
7 Ways to Insert Shapes/Textbox In Google Docs
1. Insert Shapes in Google Docs Using the Drawing Tool
The most straightforward way to insert various shapes in a document is by using the drawing tool, which is the built-in feature in Google Docs.
The advantage of using the Drawing tool is it can be used while editing a document or presentation. So you don’t have to leave the document to create the shapes of your choice.
The basic functionality of the Google drawing tool allows you to insert various types of shapes already available in the tool. You can also edit and modify the default shapes according to your requirements.
One of the useful features allows you to insert single-shape objects or multiple shapes if you want them together. Follow these steps to do so:
- Open Google Docs with your Gmail account.
- Select Insert>Drawing> click on the New button from the top header menu.
- Or, if you want to insert the shape available in Google Drive, select the “From Drive” option.
- Now, select the Shapes icon from the Popup window of the drawing tool.
- A Drop-down menu will open with four options. As you hover over the Shapes option, you will see different types of shapes that you can insert, as seen in the screenshot.
- The four options include Shapes (Basic shapes), Arrows (includes Arrow shapes), Call outs (includes shapes for chat bubbles), and Equations (includes mathematics shapes).
- Select the required shape and drag it to the drawing page.
- OK, now the shape is added, and you can modify it by changing the color, border color, size, and many more.
- After formatting the shape, click Save and close, and the shape will be visible in the main document.
- You can resize it, move it by dragging it across the document, and click on the Edit button to make further changes.
2. Inserting Shapes in Google Docs Using Special Characters
Google Docs also provides special characters to insert shapes and characters around the document. You can add these special characters with standard or modified text. To insert the special character, follow the below steps:
- Open Google Docs.
- Select the Insert option from the top header menu to include the special character.
- Click on the Special Characters option.
- Now the Insert Special Characters window will open, and you can search for the various shapes in the search bar.
- For example, we searched for “circle” to locate all the circular shapes in the list. You can also draw the circle on the drawing area, as shown in the screenshot.
- Drawing the shape will begin a search for similar shapes from the list.
- As you hover over any Special Character, you will have a large preview of that character. If satisfied, click on the special character, which will automatically be inserted into the main document.
- Also, add multiple characters by just clicking on the characters in the list.
- As the character is inserted in the main document, it can always change its formatting. Double-tap the character to select it, and then use the header menu to change the formatting, like font size, color, or size.
3. Inserting Shapes in Google Docs Using Images
Sometimes users want to use some creative shapes for the document. In that case, you should use some third-party tools like Photoshop to create the shape and then upload that shape in Google Docs. Or you can refer to this content on how to create curved word art & text in Google Docs.
Follow the below steps to upload the shapes in the document:
- Open Google Docs.
- To upload an image, go to the insert option in the top header, image, and select the preferred one from the two options:
- Upload from computer.
- Search the web.
- The first option is to upload the shapes or images from the computer. And you can use the second option to search for the shapes on the web.
- If you want to use “Upload from computer“, simply click on the first option, and the uploader window will open, or you can use the second option, Search the web.
- As you select the second option, a right-hand window will open in which you can search for the required shape, then click the insert button.
- After the shape or image insertion, you can easily resize it. You can also change the border colors and transparent effect by selecting the image options in the right-click menu.
4. Inserting Square Shapes in Google Docs Using a Table
Another popular way to insert square shapes in the document is by using the table format. Using this method, you can format shapes using colors and custom settings, which can be helpful and creative.
The good part is you can easily insert your text directly into your shapes. First, you need to insert a basic table. Now with this table option, you can only have a square or rectangular shape.
Users prefer this method because you can effortlessly add a shape to the document, and the text can be easily inserted and customized.
- Select the “Insert” option in the top header menu.
- Hover over the table option and select the “table” size from the popup window.
- If you want to create a square shape, select the (1*1) size, or choose the (1*2) size for a rectangular one.
- After you create the table, you can always resize and modify it according to the need. Also, you can change its background color with ease.
- Click the Bucket icon on the toolbar header and select the color from the panel.
- Also, you can modify the border width of the table. Simply click on the border icon and change the border width from the default 1pt. If you change the default width from 1pt to 0pt, the selected border of the table will become invisible.
- If you want to hide the border, you can use this simple feature. You can also select different types of borders and decrease their size to make them invisible.
5. How Do You Freehand Draw in Google Docs?
When inserting shapes, we have several different premade options to use, providing a good level of customization in the document.
But sometimes, users want to create original shapes they come up with from scratch. Fortunately, we can do a similar thing with the help of the Google Docs Drawing Tool.
In the language of drawing, it is called Freehand Drawing, which you can do quickly with the proper selection of a specific drawing tool. Follow the below steps to freehand draw.
- Open Google docs, and create a new document.
- Click on the “Insert” option, hover over “Drawing,” and select “New.”
- Click on the “Line Select” option in the drawing popup window.
- Now in the drop-down, you will see seven different ways to draw.
- Select the last option, “Scribble,” from the list. It will allow you to create a freehand drawing on the area.
- Create the design and click on “Save and close.”
- As in the screenshot, I drew a random figure that does not look good but works fine. This way, you can create several different shapes from scratch.
6. How to Add Shapes in Google Docs Mobile
We discussed four methods to insert shapes in Google Docs. You can use similar techniques on a mobile device, but some methods do not work with a smartphone.
There are only two methods that will work with the smartphone’s Google Docs app:
- Add shapes in Google docs using images.
- Add shapes in Google docs using a table.
Add Shapes In Google Docs Using Images.
- Open the Google docs app on your smartphone and create a document.
- Click on the plus icon on the top menu options, and a menu will open.
- Select “Image,” and you will have three options.
- From Photos.
- From Camera.
- From Web.
- Now for this method to work, you need to upload some premade shapes available in your smartphone gallery. Or you can use the third option, “From Web,” to insert the shape directly from the internet.
- For this, click on the “From Web” option, and a new window will open where you can search for the image and insert it into the document.
- Note: Always use copyright-free shapes and images for commercial purposes.
Add Square Shape in Google Docs Using Table.
- Open the Google docs app on your smartphone and create a document.
- Click on the plus icon located on the top menu options.
- Select the “Table” option and select the columns and rows as required.
- And now you have a “Square Table” in the document.
- You can also adjust the size of one table column by simply dragging it across the screen.
- To add one column or row directly, long-press the table and then click on the icons at the screen’s bottom right corner.
7. How to Insert a Text Box in Google Docs
Users want to add text boxes in Google Docs to distinguish the text. Text boxes are also a type of shape that allows you to use text box formatting, like changing the background color in style formatting. Moreover, refer to this post on four ways to insert text captions in google docs.
Follow the steps to insert a text box in Google Docs:
- Select the “Insert” button, then click on Drawing from the drop-down.
- The drawing tool window with open. Click on “Text box” in the header menu.
- Now click & drag the arrow in the drawing area to make the text box.
- This action will insert a textbox. Now enter the text in the text box area.
- When editing is complete, click Save and close, and the text box will appear in the main document, as shown above.
Modifying the Text Box
The drawing tool comes with customization options for text boxes and various shapes, so we can easily change the text box’s background color. You can change the font size and color of the textbox in a few clicks. To modify it, follow the below steps:
- In the drawing tool window, tap and select the text box.
- Just click the “Bucket” icon in the header menu to change the background color.
- To change the border color of the textbox, click on the “Pencil” icon and choose the color from the panel.
- To change the border weight, click on the “Border” icon and select the right weight.
Word processing tools have become incredibly advanced in recent years. Developers understand that the way we receive and retain information is changing in this fast-paced and busy world. Visual elements are now crucial to holding a reader’s attention. This is why the ability to include visual elements when creating documents is essential. And Google Docs is no exception. By following our simple guide above, you’ll insert shapes/textbox in Google Docs like a pro in no time.
How Do I Draw on Google Docs?
Google Docs does not provide a direct way to draw something on the document. So to draw on Google Docs, you must use features like inserting shapes and customizable world art.
And all of this can be done using the Google Docs drawing tool. This tool also provides you with freehand drawing in Google Docs.
Remember: Use this drawing tool in Google Docs on the browser because the drawing tool is not available for Android and iOS devices.
As we discussed, various shapes are available that you can insert with the formatted text. Features like Word Art will surely help you create the design for the document.
How Do I Move Shapes in Google Docs?
After you create a shape or use freehand drawing in the drawing tool, move your pointer over the shape, and a grabber icon will appear as a pointer. Press and hold the left-click on the mouse and drag it across the screen.
In Google Docs, most of the time, users will face problems when dragging shapes, causing users to start dragging the shape before the grabber icon appears. | <urn:uuid:f83e7179-afe4-46a4-b08a-6ab4407ddef3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.searchinventure.com/2021/07/insert-shapes-textbox-in-google-docs.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.844789 | 2,819 | 2.953125 | 3 |
As from September 1, 2021, the thermal energy tariff will be EUR 57.31 per megawatt-hour, an increase of EUR 12.04 or 27%. Independent thermal energy producers are also expected to increase heating prices.
Only the variable costs are rising in the heating tariff, namely, the prices of thermal energy purchased, the other sections of the tariff remained at constant low levels, explained Rīgas siltums.
Rīgas siltums said the concerns of the population are understandable, also taking into account the Covid-19 situation.
"In order to minimize the increase in the thermal energy tariff as far as possible, operators are called upon to carefully assess and correctly adjust the individual heat units of buildings by reviewing the temperature regimes that have been set up. We also encourage residents to actively express their wishes to operators about the desired temperature in housing, thereby saving thermal energy, because changes in each temperature degree affect the heating bill by 5%," said the company.
The company promised to provide free advice on improving the performance of individual heat units in terms of efficiency. | <urn:uuid:3ffae46e-ba83-412c-a776-7c49ecc6faa6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://eng.lsm.lv/article/economy/economy/riga-heating-tariffs-to-grow-by-27.a414796/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.929744 | 221 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Things You'll Need
When a new kitten arrives, it may take an adult cat a while to adjust to the change. This can sometimes present conflict, since cats are known for disliking change. The older cat may also become territorial. Introducing the kitten to the cat gradually, in a controlled environment, can prevent problems that may arise between the kitten and adult cat.
Let the cat observe and explore the new kitten. Set the kitten in a carrier in the middle of the room. Let the adult cat walk up to him and check him out. After a few minutes, let the kitten out to wander around the room. Allow the cat to approach the kitten, but stay in the room in case the cat becomes hostile.
Introduce the adult cat to the kitten's scent. Hold the kitten gently but firmly in your hands near the adult cat. Let the cat smell the kitten so she can begin to get acquainted. If the adult cat reacts well to the kitten, she may lick or nuzzle him. If the adult cat feels hostile toward the new kitten, she may hiss or try to swipe at him. If the adult cat reacts badly, you will have to continue to familiarize her with the kitten.
Encourage the cat and kitten to play together. You might use a common cat toy such as a feather or a piece of yarn to get them to interact. Rolling a ball across the floor will also encourage them to interact in a playful setting. The adult cat will probably monitor the kitten's movements and actions carefully.
Start with separate supplies. You do not want to force the adult cat to share everything with the new kitten right off the bat. Until the cat adjusts to the change, let the kitten have a separate food dish, litter pan and bedding. Early on, you may event want to keep the new kitten in a separate area or room when you are not supervising the cats' interaction.
Give extra attention to the adult cat. You do not want the cat to feel like she has to compete with the new kitten for attention. You might give her some extra treats or new toys. Make sure the adult cat receives plenty of affection and gets her share of the spotlight while she is adjusting to the kitten.
Marie Farmer writes informational articles on adult education for another website, and she creates study materials for an academic decathlon. She has been a writer since 2006 and published work in two Loyola journals: "Revisions" and "The Reader's Response." She has a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in writing from Loyola New Orleans. | <urn:uuid:199b596a-5487-4c5e-aa0b-f20aa071b080> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://animals.mom.com/how-to-introduce-a-kitten-to-a-cat-12352988.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00265.warc.gz | en | 0.945925 | 558 | 2.90625 | 3 |
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