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Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the Holy Lamb of God,
On England's pleasant pastures seen?
And did the Countenance Divine,
Shine forth upon our clouded hills..."
So wrote William Blake, the slightly eccentric poet and alleged "mystic" of English literature but with more than a grain of truth in his musings.
Did our Lord and St Joseph of Arimathaea, the Jewish Christian member of the Sanhedrin who later buried our Lord, come to Glastonbury, called the Isle of Avalon (meaning "apples"), as the legends of King Arthur and other stories would have us believe?
Since we know that St Mary Magdalene, St Mary the mother of James and John, and St Mary the mother of Salome, together with St Lazarus found their way to the coast of France near Marseilles and that St Lazarus became the first bishop, it is by no means impossible that St Joseph of Arimathaea came to Britain. Certainly, there is evidence of a Roman jetty on the side of Wirral (“Weary-all”) Hill and the Phoenicians traded with Britain.
St Thomas, let us not forget, went to Persia and India and founded the Syriac Churches who, to this day, use Aramaic, the spoken language of our Lord, in their sacred liturgy.
Legend has it that St Joseph brought with him the Holy Grail used at the Last Supper but also used later to collect the Holy Blood of Christ (later called the Sang Real or San Greal by Malory, meaning either “Royal Blood” or “Holy Grail”) which then gave rise to the Grail Legends in which King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table went in search of the Grail but only Sir Galahad, the pure and holy knight, was able to find it.
(The Glories of Glastonbury: her legends, history and saints, Armine Le Strange Campbell, Sheed & Ward, London, 1926)
King Arthur was a Romano-British knight who, after the Roman Legions had withdrawn, was compelled to become a chief of the remaining British Christians. That he was called “king” need not surprise us since the idea of the Roman Empire, the Emperor and of kings, was then well-established in Christian theology and politics. Let us not forget that the Emperor Constantine was declared Emperor at York by his army over 100 years before. Imperial and Royal ideas were the norm, as was Roman Catholic Christianity and Roman Christendom.
The Grail legends have a sub-stratum of truth for all that later writers have much embroidered them and they have exercised a great influence in British political and literary history.
The longest Abbey in England was built at Glastonbury and within it was incorporated the original "wattle and daub" oratory of St Joseph. The Abbey enjoyed the highest royal favour until the Protestant Reformation when King Henry VIII's Commissioners sacked and pillaged it and caused the last Abbot, Blessed Richard Whiting OSB, to be hanged from the tower of St Michael's Church upon the Tor. Now only the tower remains on the Tor and can be visited to this day.
Here is a good summary of the Glastonbury Legend:
“It is at Glastonbury that legend takes upon itself to go up not only to the beginnings of British Christianity, but also to the beginnings of Christianity itself. The legends of the spot go back to the days of the Apostles. The place is indeed unique, for from the very beginnings of Christianity it was hallowed ground. A legend even tells us that Christ himself as a boy walked upon the hills of Somerset…There is, in any case, more than enough of proved history to shew that Glastonbury was for centuries the most ancient and famous centre of Christianity in the land.
For example, the legend of St Joseph of Arimathaea coming to England is of ancient date, and there is also that others lovely tradition that Christ himself in his boyhood came hither. Though improbable it is not impossible, for we know that the Phoenicians came to Britain seeking metals, several centuries before the Christian era. Herodotus, in the fifth century BC, speaks of Cornwall as the Tin Islands, and Greeks too came in search of ore. St Joseph may conceivably have been one of those merchants and have acquired his wealth thus, in which case he might have brought the Holy Child with him on one of his journeys. If he had had this former acquaintance with our island, it would account for Joseph's being chosen as a missionary to Britain by St Philip. Such traditions are stories to cherish…
About the middle of the thirteenth century the traditions concerning the coming of St Joseph of Arimathaea to Glastonbury were written down as an introduction to William of Malmesbury's work On the Antiquity of the Church of Glastonbury. We learn from these traditions that the Apostle St Philip sent Joseph of Arimathaea from Gaul with twelve companions to bring the gospel message to our ancestors. This cultivated and wealthy Jew left his home and possessions and all that he had, and now, a poor man, bearing with him the priceless treasures of the true faith and a relic of the Holy Blood, he braved the long and perilous journey which brought him in AD 63 to the shores of Wales and thence travelled across the inland sea [Severn Sea or Bristol Channel] and marshy ground [Somerset Levels] to the Isle of Avalon...
John of Glastonbury relates this story and adds that Joseph and his son Josephes were disciples of St Philip by whom they were baptised. While St John was at Ephesus St Joseph remained with our Blessed Lady and was present at her Assumption. Fourteen years later he went to St Philip in Gaul whither that Apostle had been sent after the Ascension, as Freculfus, bishop of Lisieux states. Josephes, whom the Lord had consecrated bishop in Sarath went with him. Then the Apostle sent twelve of his disciples to preach the faith in Britain and he placed at their head St Joseph and his son Josephes…The pagan king Arviragus to whom they came rejected their teaching but gave them the island Ynyswitrin, or Glassy Isle, now called Glastonbury. He and two other kings subsequently gave them a further grant of lands known as the 'twelve hides' [one hide = 160 acres]. The legend says that St Joseph brought with him two cruets in which some of the sacred blood and the water which flowed from the wounds of our Blessed Lord was miraculously preserved.
'Avallon is entered by a band of Twelve:
Joseph, Arimathaea's flower, is chief of them;
And with his father cometh Josephes.
So to these Twelve Glastonia's rights are given.
In Pynson's Life of Joseph of Arimathaea we read:
And when our lorde in the sedony was drest
This blood in two cruettes Joseph did take.'
...At Weary-all Hill he and his companions rested, gazing down upon the valley where, at the foot of the Tor close by, he built what was probably the first Christian church above the ground that was ever raised. A later tradition also says that while resting he thrust his pilgrim's staff into the soil, and forthwith it budded, and a fair tree grew and flourished, and blossomed twice in the year. In the Life of Joseph of Arimathaea printed by Richard Pyerson or Pynson, the pupil of Caxton, in 1520, we read:
'The hawthornes also that groweth in Wirral
Do burge and bere greene leaves at Christmas
As freshe as other yn May...'
The holy thorn was cut down in 1653 by a zealous Puritan, but many slips [shoots] of it had been budded and its descendants still 'blossom at Christmas, mindful of our Lord'.
The Archangel Gabriel appeared to St Joseph and bade him build a church in honour of our Lady's Assumption:
'So Joseph dyd as the angell hym bad,
And wrought there an ymage of our lady;
For to serve hyr great devotion he had;
And that same ymage is yet at Glastonbury,
In the same church; there ye may it se.
For it was the fyrst, as I understande,
That ever was sene in this countre;
For Joseph it made wyth his owne hande. '
Thus did the first Apostle of Britain and his disciples make a little oratory 'of twisted twigs' to praise God at the foot of St Michael's Tor; it was 60ft long and 26ft wide, and from that wattle church dedicated to His Blessed Mother by our Lord Himself, they and their successors scattered far and wide the seed of the true faith, to north and south, to east and west; and like the seed of mustard it grew to a great tree whose branches spread over north-west Europe. In Tennyson's Holy Grail the monk Ambrosius tells Perceval that:
'From our old books I know
That Joseph came of old to Glastonbury,
And there the heathen prince, Arviragus,
Gave him an isle of marsh whereon to build;
And there he built with wattles from the marsh
A little lonely church in days of yore.
For so they say, these books of ours.'
It is said that the once-wealthy Jew, the 'friend of Pilate and of the Lord', who had given the sumptuous sepulchre he had prepared for himself to Him Who had no place to lay his Head, slept his last sleep in the shadow of the poor and primitive church of reeds at Avalon, the first of those innumerable saints whose bodies have sanctified this soil.
John of Glastonbury quoting a prophecy of the British bard Melkin, says that in Avalon's Island Joseph...
'Hath found perpetual sleep;
And he lies on a two-forked line
Next the south corner of an oratory
Fashioned of wattles
For the adoring of a mighty Virgin
By the aforesaid sphere-betokened
Dwellers in that place, thirteen in all. ..'
His [Joseph's] feast was formerly kept on July 27th and great was the concourse of pilgrims who flocked to pray before his statue. William Good, born at Glastonbury in 1527 and who, a member of the Society of Jesus [Jesuits], died at Naples in 1596, says that in a long subterranean chapel there was a most famous place of pilgrimage 'which was made to a stone image of St Joseph there and many miracles were wrought at it. When I was a boy of eight, for I was born there, I have served Mass in this chapel, and I saw it destroyed in the time of Henry VIII...' " | <urn:uuid:2a425beb-1237-49fe-9c7b-3e008fd665b1> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://romanchristendom.blogspot.com/2007/08/and-did-those-feet-in-ancient-time.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280242.65/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00079-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.977224 | 2,312 | 2.484375 | 2 |
The first direct flight between Hefei, the provincial capital of Anhui and Osaka, Japan was launched on April 26th. According to the plan, the direct flights are twice a week on Thursdays and Saturdays between the two cities.
The direct flights between Hefei and Osaka are executed by China Eastern Airline. Flight MU 2005/2006 is scheduled to take off from Hefei at 13:20, arrive at Osaka at 16:00; while the flight from Osaka is scheduled to take off at 17:00, and arrive at Hefei at 19:35.
Anhui owns the original rural scenery. For example, Xidi and Hongcun Ancient Villages are ranked as the World Heritage Sites, showing the profound historical and cultural connotation. | <urn:uuid:dd4b416d-f43f-45d0-8a9b-931aee1ab9e5> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.cits.net/china-travel-news/hefei-osaka-direct-flights-launched.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280065.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00547-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.9672 | 159 | 2.0625 | 2 |
Loneliness is the focus of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week. Our Head of Research Psychology Dr Ariele Noble looks at the link between loneliness and mental health and explores how we combat loneliness by facilitating meaningful connections for our beneficiaries through Shout, and volunteers and businesses through our training offers.
Harnessing technology for connection
Very little has prepared mental health services for how to provide support in times of global crisis, when uncertainty and isolation become unavoidable shared experiences. Technology has become an essential tool for connecting us with others and it offers us ways to be listened to, to be understood, and to meet our true need to be cared for. This has become increasingly important given the challenges many of us have been experiencing from the first Covid-19 lockdown, throughout the pandemic and in current times.
Since launch, our text message support service Shout has taken more than 1.3 million conversations with 480,000 people in the UK challenged by distress, isolation, loneliness and fear following a pandemic, climate change and social trauma. For many, our Shout Volunteers are the first point of contact and sole source to connect and communicate and receive the care necessary to cope, stay safe, and explore support at home and within the community.
Thoughts of suicide are the main difficulty for which people contact Shout. Suicide is talked about in nearly 35% of the conversations we have; closely followed by depression (32%), anxiety (30%), relationships (25%), loneliness (16%) and self-harm (14%).
Loneliness is often what underlies other difficulties, and is a significant cause of anxiety and depression. Loneliness happens when we feel no one is there for us and when we don’t feel cared for - not necessarily because of physical absence but because of a sense that we are not sharing meaningful thoughts and feelings with others. We can be surrounded by people and still lack meaningful contact.
For many, Shout is a first point of meaningful connection. Almost half of people who text Shout tell us that they felt they had no one else to talk to. Feedback confirms that people who use Shout most appreciate being listened to and feeling understood. Having the opportunity to talk is vital, as by doing so, we encourage social connectedness, which increases our resilience.
“I can not express what this conversation had done for me. I was taken out of the situation where I felt lonely and like no one cared. I honestly can not thank you enough for your help.” - Shout texter feedback
Research tells us that the need to feel understood has a neurological function. Feeling understood doesn’t just enhance our personal wellbeing, it also activates neural regions of the brain associated with feeling socially connected. The opposite is true as well. Feeling misunderstood activates parts of the brain that leave us feeling disconnected from the people around us. This is why helping others feel understood in conversation is important — by encouraging people to feel connected, we create a space for more open, honest and meaningful lives.
Making meaningful connections through volunteering
Our training offer for volunteers is based on the principles of making meaningful connections with others, particularly at times of need and struggle.
This framework, designed by Shout, has trained nearly 10,000 volunteers to date and is informed by a huge data set generated from over one million conversations. 86% of Shout Texters find the service helpful and 74% say they feel calmer after their conversation.
Skills learned in these training sessions are highly transferable - helping people build rapport, help others with personal struggles like a breakup or grief, and talk about everyday concerns like relationships or loneliness.
Following Shout training, Volunteers report that they feel more comfortable dealing with difficult situations at work and at home and supporting colleagues, friends and family. Volunteers also report that Shout skills have given them more confidence pursuing new avenues and opportunities in their own personal lives.
“Unique opportunity to add to and improve my professional skills in a congenial environment.” - Shout Volunteer
Facilitating connections in a work environment
This framework also extends through our range of digital and in-person mental health training and tools to help employers improve workforce wellbeing and facilitate positive conversations and meaningful connections at work.
‘Mental Health Works’ is our digital training programme to support wellbeing in the workplace, in partnership with peer learning platform, Hive Learning. This training helps people develop self-awareness about their own wellbeing and practise the skills for more supportive conversations that will benefit them in every aspect of their work — whether building rapport and making positive connections, or talking about everyday work concerns like workload or tough feedback.
Our clinical experts also deliver bespoke in-person and remote training to help leaders, managers and employees develop critical skills for supportive conversations that enhance resilience, wellbeing and performance in the workplace.
This Mental Health Awareness Week, explore how we can help business employees make meaningful connections at work by contacting email@example.com. | <urn:uuid:fab55188-ceb6-4c74-ab90-6340a08c9b92> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://mentalhealthinnovations.org/news-and-information/mental-health-awareness-week-how-mental-health-innovations-combats-loneliness-by-making-meaningful-connections/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00276.warc.gz | en | 0.954745 | 1,015 | 2.8125 | 3 |
A Syrian Wedding in Lebanon: A time to set aside sorrow and embrace life
Yousra, aged 16, is marrying 21-year-old Ahmed. Both are Syrian refugees whose families fled the conflict more than 18 months ago.
MARJ EL-KHOKH, Lebanon, May 15 (UNHCR) - In the back room of the large home-made tent, Yousra is being made up and having her hair arranged. It will take all afternoon. In the front room her women friends are dancing.
At the end of the day, a wedding ceremony will take place in the tent camp at Marj El-Khokh in Marjayoun, south Lebanon. Yousra, aged 16, is marrying 21-year-old Ahmed. Both are Syrian refugees whose families fled the conflict more than 18 months ago.
Theirs is not an arranged marriage; they saw each in the camp "from afar," as Ahmed's father Abdul Aziz puts it, and eventually got close enough to talk. Then Yousra's family moved north to the Bekaa Valley to rejoin their relatives. The courtship carried on by phone.
The Marj El-Khokh informal camp holds 150 tents and 700 people. The UN refugee agency provided the plastic sheeting, the wood and the heating stoves for the tents, and the coupons for food. The residents tapped into the local Lebanese electricity supply. When people in the town protested, UNHCR worked out a compromise agreement to keep the refugees supplied.
"Without help from UNHCR," Hamid, a camp resident, said, "One brother might kill a second brother to eat, to survive."
Almost every family brings a history of sorrow and loss into exile. Abdul Aziz, the groom's father, tells of a niece and her family killed in the north-west Syria city of Idlib, and eight members of his family still suffering in Syria. But a wedding is not a time for sorrow. "We live with death," he says. "But we must not be morbid, we must not dwell on death, but think of life and embrace it."
In the north of Lebanon, near Tripoli, marriage is also on people's minds at a former holiday resort in the town of A Herri. Just a short walk from a long sandy beach and the Mediterranean, the Nour resort is now home to 500 Syrian refugees. In one of the tiny apartments built for summer visitors, Amina sits with her daughters and talks sadly of an engagement - that of her daughter Batoul, who is just 14.
"I was married at 14," Amina, 35, says. "I never wanted that for my daughter, but we come from a conservative culture. At home, girls were never out with boys. But here they meet outside. There's little work, and few go to school. We worried. We felt we had to protect her honour."
Batoul sits next to her mother, unsmiling. Her fiancé Mohammed, in the engagement arranged by her parents, is 17 years old. After hesitating, Batoul says that she likes him and shows his photo. But later, quietly, she admits she doesn't want to get married. "But my parents have decided," she says. "There's nothing I can do."
Upstairs, in another tiny apartment, Amina's friend Rabiha talks of the climate of fear that infects many refugee parents here. Rabiha is the head of the local women's committee, which UNHCR helped set up.
"In Syria, girls married after school at 16, 17, 18. Here, for most, there's no school. The parents worry about sexual aggression, about rape. And so we hear of arranged marriages for girls of 14, and even 12."
Rabiha has tried to persuade Amina and other mothers not to lock their daughters into early marriages. Physically and psychologically they're too young, she tells them. And, despite the parents' fear, there have been no reported cases of rape around the resort. But half-a-dozen times she has failed.
She and her committee, with UNHCR help, will continue to try to influence attitudes, along with organizing the residents to pick up garbage and wash the halls once a week. "For young people, girls especially, life can be hard. I've seen it," she says. "With no school, they fall into depression. We mustn't add to it with far-too-early marriages."
In Marj El-Khokh, the atmosphere is more upbeat. In an echo of her future father-in-law, Yousra says, "Exile is our reality now and we have to deal with it. We want to create life and I look forward to it."
Abdul Aziz chuckles as he waits for the evening festivities. "I'm 60 now and my old comfortable life disappeared in an instant. The main pleasure of life is to provide for a family and we still do what we can. Back home I would have slaughtered five goats. Here it will be five chickens."
By Don Murray in Marj El-Khokh, Lebanon | <urn:uuid:d58d8b08-93a1-4cf7-8df5-d2504f88457f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.unhcr.org/5374b8af6.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281419.3/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00490-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.978438 | 1,065 | 1.953125 | 2 |
Recent research has suggested that women who drink insufficient milk during pregnancy probably to limit weight gain or due to concerns about allergies may inhibit their babies' growth in the womb.
The results of the study were pubished in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. 300 women took part in the study. All were non-smokers. However, on comparison of the birth weights of babies of mothers who drank at least a cup of milk a day during pregnancy with babies of mothers did not revealed that the former were heavier.
AdvertisementThe results of the study are especially important for women who restrict milk consumption during pregnancy in the belief that it will lower fat intake thereby minimizing chances of weight gain, lactose intolerance and development of allergies. The negative impacts of this dietary practice in fetal development would definitely alter the outlook of mothers-to-be as well as health professionals.
The study chose a cup of milk as the benchmark as this contains about 2.5 micrograms of vitamin D. although this by itself is significantly below the daily intake of 5 micrograms, which is recommended by some dieticians and nutritionists.
Vitamin D is vital in skeletal growth in addition to transporting calcium from the mother during pregnancy to the developing baby through the umbilical cord.
The rising pressure among pregnant women to gain their pre pregnancy figures after birth is exemplified by the wide media coverage of celebrities such as, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Madonna and Victoria Beckham and their post pregnancy figures within weeks of their respective deliveries.
Earlier studies conducted by scientists at the University of Southampton revealed that children of mothers deficient in vitamin D during pregnancy tend to grow up with lower-than-normal bone mass, thereby increasing the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures later in life.
The Canadian study found that each daily cup of milk added, on average, 41g to the birth weight of the baby.
The report also revealed that although most nutrients in milk may be replaced from other foods or with supplements, vitamin D is found in few commonly consumed foods besides milk
The study also proposed that all pregnant women should receive a Government advice book from their health care providers, which emphasises the importance of dairy products as a part of a healthy diet for mother and baby. The book suggests that at least one portion of milk, cheese or yoghurt be consumed every day, while pregnant women on income support are entitled to receive seven pints of cow's milk free each week.
You May Also Like | <urn:uuid:7066a38a-85ec-4c7f-b76a-c6c28bb20414> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=9761 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988718278.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183838-00239-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972473 | 499 | 3.21875 | 3 |
TALLAHASSEE-- Environmentalists are crying foul over what they call the legislature’s failure to fund land acquisition. The future of the water we drink could depend on what happens at the polls this November.
The state has identified 1.9 million acres for purchase. All of it critical to Florida’s drinking water future. But state lawmakers got stingy with cash, spending just $10 million in new money to buy important land.
"Special natural areas, wildlife habitat, greenways, trails, land that's gonna protect our drinking water sources and our water quality. And the funding for that has virtually disappeared since 2009," Will Abbinger, spokesman for the Land and Water Conservation Amendment, said.
Environmentalists hope inaction fires up voters. Amendment one on this November’s ballot would guarantee money already being collected on each home sale would go to water and land conservation. If passed, about $300 million a year would go to lands needed to recharge water resources. It could come at a critical time, according to Water Use Attorney Pete Dunbar.
"The competition for water is now materializing in almost every place in Florida," Dunbar said. "That's a competition between the urban needs for water supply, the needs for agriculture to continue,"
Environmentalists are also unhappy with legislative efforts to protect springs.
In the end, lawmakers put a onetime $30 million appropriations into protecting springs, that's one tenth of what they originally started with.
Now, Dundar says, all eyes are on the 2015 legislature, which has already said water will be the top priority.
"So we'll see it addressed, I think with a great deal of significance."
But legislative promises that involve money are often hard to keep, which is why everyone is looking at what voters do on amendment one this November.
The state can sell up to $40 million in non-conservation lands, such as old prisons or schools, lawmakers are allowing the proceeds to purchase conservation lands. | <urn:uuid:50372fc0-2bee-4eca-8b3f-c761a4458ce2> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/Environmentalists-Cry-Foul-Over-Land-Money-258364031.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280364.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00025-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964634 | 409 | 1.90625 | 2 |
What is Caching and How Does it Work?
Caching makes your computer faster
Caching makes your computer faster
If you have purchased a computer recently, you may have heard the word "cache." It is usually mentioned as part of the specifications. Caching is a technology used with the memory subsystem of your computer. The main purpose of a cache is to accelerate your computer while keeping the price of the computer low. Caching allows you to do your computer tasks more rapidly.
The Basic Concepts
To understand the basic idea behind a cache system, let's start with a super-simple example that uses a librarian to demonstrate caching concepts. Imagine a librarian behind his desk. He is there to give you the books you ask for. For the sake of simplicity, let's say you can't get the books yourself -- you have to ask the librarian for any book you want to read, and he gets it for you from the stacks in a storeroom (the library of congress in Washington, D.C., is set up this way). First, let's start with a librarian without cache.
The first customer arrives. He asks for the book Moby Dick. The librarian goes into the storeroom, gets the book, returns to the counter and gives the book to the customer. Later, the client comes back to return the book. The librarian takes the book and returns it to the storeroom. He then returns to his counter waiting for another customer. Let's say the next customer asks for Moby Dick (you saw it coming...). The librarian then has to return to the storeroom to get the book he recently handled and give it to the client. Under this model, the librarian has to make a complete round trip to fetch every book -- even very popular ones that are requested frequently. Is there a way to improve the performance of the librarian?
Yes, there's a way -- we can put a cache on the librarian.
Let's give the librarian a backpack into which he will be able to store 10 books (in computer terms, the librarian now has a 10-book cache). In this backpack, he will put the books the clients return to him, up to a maximum of 10. Let's use the prior example, but now with our
The day starts. The backpack of the librarian is empty. Our first client arrives and asks for Moby Dick. No magic here -- the librarian has to go to the storeroom to get the book. He gives it to the client. Later, the client returns and gives the book back to the librarian. Instead of returning to the storeroom to return the book, the librarian puts the book in his backpack and stands there (he checks first to see if the bag is full -- more on that later). Another client arrives and asks for Moby Dick. Before going to the storeroom, the librarian checks to see if this title is in his backpack. He finds it! All he has to do is take the book from the backpack and give it to the client. There's no journey into the storeroom, so the client is served more efficiently.
What if the client asked for a title not in the cache (the backpack)? In this case, the librarian is less efficient with a cache than without one, because the librarian takes the time to look for the book in his backpack first. One of the challenges of cache design is to minimize the impact of cache searches, and modern hardware has reduced this time delay to practically zero. Even in our simple librarian example, the latency time (the waiting time) of searching the cache is so small compared to the time to walk back to the storeroom that it is irrelevant. The cache is small (10 books), and the time it takes to notice a miss is only a tiny fraction of the time that a journey to the storeroom takes.
From this example you can see several important facts about caching:
- Cache technology is the use of a faster but smaller memory type to accelerate a slower but larger memory type. It also helps when data is transferred from a relatively slow data channel, like the Internet.
- When using a cache, you must check the cache to see if an item is in there. If it is there, it's called a cache hit. If not, it is called a cache miss and the computer must wait for a round trip from the larger, slower memory area.
- A cache has some maximum size that is much smaller than the larger storage area.
- It is possible to have multiple layers of cache. With our librarian example, the smaller but faster memory type is the backpack, and the storeroom represents the larger and slower memory type. This is a one-level cache. There might be another layer of cache consisting of a shelf that can hold 100 books behind the counter. The librarian can check the backpack, then the shelf and then the storeroom. This would be a two-level cache.
Caching can also improve performance when you retrieve information from the Internet. Your Internet connection is the slowest link in your computer. So your browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, Opera, etc.) uses the hard disk to store HTML pages, putting them into a special folder on your disk. The first time you ask for an HTML page, your browser renders it and a copy of it is also stored on your disk. The next time you request access to this page, your browser checks if the date of the file on the Internet is newer than the one cached. If the date is the same, your browser uses the one on your hard disk instead of downloading it from Internet. In this case, the smaller but faster memory system is your hard disk and the larger and slower one is the Internet.
The browser cache works well with individual computers, but is not efficient when many people access similar web sites. To provide caching for many users on the network, you need to set up a separate computer server that does the job of caching web pages for everyone. This type of special server is called a web-caching appliance. The Avantis ContentCache™ system is an example of this type of server
The ContentCache web-caching appliance provides one of the functions of a proxy server. It provides a store-and-forward cache. When you configure your web browser to use the caching appliance, it never connects to the URL. Instead, it always connects to this special proxy server, and asks it to get the URL (web page) for you.
How the web-caching appliance works
The web-caching appliance receives a request for an Internet service (such as a Web page request) from a user. The server looks in its local cache of previously downloaded Web pages. If it finds the page, it returns it to the user without needing to forward the request to the Internet. If the page is not in the cache, the web-caching server, acting as a client on behalf of the user, uses one of its own IP addresses to request the page from the server out on the Internet. When the page is returned, server relates it to the original request and forwards it on to the user. It also adds this new page to its cache. If the cache is full the web-caching server uses special rules to decide what other page to remove from the cache. Just like the librarians backpack cache, if the bag becomes full they have to remove one of the books. For example they may remove the book that has been requested the least.
To the user, the web-caching server is invisible; all Internet requests and returned responses appear to be directly with the addressed Internet server. (The web-caching server is not quite invisible; its IP address has to be specified as a configuration option to the browser or other protocol program.)
Even organizations that already have very fast internet connections, can benefit from web caching because it effectively removes upstream contention and all the interaction delays associated with traversing the internet (typically 10-20 hops between the user’s web browser and the origin server). Therefore, it will take longer for web content to travel through the Internet than the near instantaneous LAN delivery when caching is deployed.
Caching systems must ensure that users always receive identical content to what would have been delivered had the request been forwarded to the originating server via the Internet. Web servers deliver a ‘caching directive’ with their web pages that determine how long content is to be cached. For example, the directive may instruct the web caching appliance not to cache the content or for the content to time-out after a period of time. A professional web caching solution, such as the Avantis ContentCache™ will follow the originating server’s caching directive when setting all attributes of cached content to ensure that content is always ‘fresh’ and identical to the originating server. If required, ContentCache™ can also be configured to determine how often the content should be re-loaded e.g. on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
How is it different from a Proxy Server?
The Web-caching server provides some of the functions of a proxy server, but is not as difficult to set up and use. Microsoft provides Proxy Server software which runs on a server. It usually requires a very experienced network technician to get this working correctly. The web-caching appliance, as it name implies, is as easy to use as an appliance. It is a plug and play device that includes the hardware and software necessary to perform the Proxy Server function.
In a typical organization up to 90% of internet traffic is generated by users requesting the same web content more than once – making caching particularly advantageous. However, ContentCache™ offers much more than just dynamic caching – allowing high bandwidth content and e-learning resources to be hosted and delivered from the local cache on the network. This provides a better data gathering experience for all organizations, regardless of their Internet connection speed, and frees up the connection for other bandwidth intensive activities such as video conferencing.
Just as the librarian’s performance can be improved by adding a backpack cache, the Internet performance can be improved by adding a web-caching appliance to your network. | <urn:uuid:87ab5c5d-1f4c-4b21-b6ed-a996a8cdcf21> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://bypassthesecurity.blogspot.in/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280065.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00540-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.928651 | 2,104 | 3.640625 | 4 |
October 20, 2009
There are many ways of preserving food. You can can it or you can dehydrate it, but if you have a freezer, you have a world of possibilities. The freezer is not just for storing your meat and TV dinners anymore. Some of us remember our mothers or grandmothers working in the kitchen with boxes of clean jars and lids and rings putting up all of their summer produce. If you were lucky, with all the great smells of the kitchen, came lessons on how to can.
Well, I grew up in California and my mother never canned anything. She told me there was no need anymore because of the advancement of processed foods. Well, we now know that processed foods are not the miracles that some of our mothers thought. With the movement now towards a more natural and healthy diet, our ability to preserve naturally grown produce has brought back the need to preserve our own food.
As I said I never learned how to can. When I talked to girlfriends who grew up with mothers that did can, it seemed like a long and hard process. That is when I started researching how I could freeze my fresh produce. At that time, because I had such a large family, a friend gave us a freezer.
Well, I found out that their were many cookbooks out there with great charts on how to freeze produce and fruits. The basic procedure was wash, cut up and then blanch (plunge in boiling water and then into ice water) and then to package. If you were doing fruit, you added a product called "Fruit Fresh", which is powdered citric acid that would keep the fruit from darkening.
In talking to the many helpful farmers at my local farmers market, I learned a lot of tricks. Like freezing my ear corn with the shucks and all, just pop them in my freezer. When we wanted corn, I just de-frosted them and shucked and cleaned them and we had great corn on the cob well into the winter. I even got some great recipes for tomato based sauces like spaghetti and a tomato base that could be used for any thing from chili to tomato soup. All this and I could freeze it! I was in Seventh Heaven.
This was back in the 80's. A new friend moved into the neighborhood and she gave me some beautiful jars of jams and pickles. I was jealous because I did not know how to can. Well, she explained that I could make pickles and jams that I could freeze. We started that day and she taught me well and she gave me some of her mother's recipes. So here I hope to pass on some of my knowledge to help you to have some of the greatest jams and jellies and pickles you have ever eaten.
Freezer Jam And Jelly
Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, apricots, peaches, cherries and plums and apples. Summer offers fruit at its best, why not preserve some for later? Is the local grocery store having a great sale on raspberries or blueberries then it is the perfect time to make some of these wonderful tasting jams. Not only is it easy and safe, but it tastes remarkably like fresh fruit since the jam is never cooked. It retains all of it's fresh fruity flavor and color.
The ingredients for freezer jam are few, but it's important to follow the recipe exactly if you want reliable and safe results.
- Fruit: Use perfectly ripe fruit. Since you won't be cooking it, the flavor of the jam is going to be much like the flavor of the fruit, meaning if the fruit is over or underripe, you'll be able to taste it. Jam made with under-ripe fruit (besides being sour) may jell too much, while jam made with overripe fruit (besides having an off-flavor) may not jell enough. So only use the freshest best tasting fruit that you can and always let under ripe fruit ripen before using.
- Pectin: Traditional jam recipes call for cooking; this process thickens the jam. Since you don't cook freezer jam, most recipes call for additional pectin to thicken it, giving the mixture the consistency you expect from your preserves. Commercially produced pectin is derived from fruit, usually apples or citrus. Store-bought pectin comes in two forms: powder and liquid. These are not interchangeable, you should use whichever form your recipe calls for. Ball (the company that brought us canning jars) has a powdered pectin for freezer jams and jellies. Also the Kraft company has a pectin product called Sure Gel which is also a powder. Kraft also makes a liquid pectin called Certo. At most stores, these are sold on the same isle as Jello.
The most common freezer jam recipes call for powdered pectin. The basic ratios for each packet of powdered pectin are:
- 3 cups mashed fruit
- 5 cups sugar, and
- 1 cup water in which to dissolve and boil the pectin
This formula can vary a little depending on the brand of pectin, however, so the best thing to do is follow the manufacturer's instructions on the package.
Sugar: Sugar inhibits the growth of bacteria, keeping your jam fresh, fruity, and safe to eat. Jam recipes are formulated to call for a certain ratio of pectin to sugar, and they will not jell properly if you don't use the correct amount of sugar. If you'd like to make less-sweet jam, you'll need to buy a special kind of pectin that's formulated to work with less sugar and follow the proportions as given to you on the package.
- Containers: Before you begin making the jam, have all your jam jars ready and waiting. Use either sturdy plastic containers with tight-fitting lids or the new containers for the freezer made by Glad. They are inexpensive and can be used more than once. Small jars with tight fitting lids can also be recycled from other things that you have bought like peanut butter or mayonnaise. It's best to choose containers that are no bigger than pint-size; the jam will not set up as well in larger containers. Wash them as you would any other dishes; Just run them through your dishwasher on the top rack so they will not melt. There's no need to boil them like with traditional jam-making.
The process itself is simple. Wash well and stem the fruit (and peel it, if applicable). Place it in a wide-bottomed bowl, preferably plastic, glass or ceramic, as metal can give your jam a off taste. Crush with a potato masher to a smooth consistency, leaving some chunks of fruit if you like. You can also put the fruit in your food processor or a blender. A blender or food processor is also great for making apple sauce or apple butter. Stir in the sugar and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In the meantime, mix together the pectin and water in a small saucepan until the powder is dissolved. Bring it to a boil over high heat, and let it boil for a full minute. Pour it into the fruit and stir for a couple of minutes. Pour the jam into your containers, leaving a half-inch of "headspace" at the top. Cover the containers and let them sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
The jam should have thickened significantly overnight, but it can take up to two weeks for it to completely finish its jelling process. If it's too thick, stirring it will soften it up. If it's still too runny after two weeks, you can pour it into a saucepan and bring it to a boil. It will get thicker as it cools, and you can re-bottle as you did before.
Designer Jams and Jellies: You can mix your fruits. If you like strawberries and raspberries mixed together, try and make some delecious strawberry/raspberry jam.
Storing Your Jam
Freezer jam is meant to be stored in the freezer. In fact, it will keep beautifully in the freezer for up to a year. Store your jams and jellies and pickles in the freezer at 0 degrees or lower. You can also keep freezer jam in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Once you open a container of jam, you should use it within three weeks as well. Just remember never to keep freezer jam at room temperature, or it will spoil. If you notice a white mold-like formation in your freezer jam or jellies when you take them from the freezer to serve, don't be alarmed. It occasionally forms during storage, it is harmless and will melt away when your jam or jelly reaches room temperature.
Homemade Freezer Jelly
You can use any frozen fruit juice concentrate or canned or bottled juice. The only difference between jams and jelly are that jams usually use whole fruits and jelly uses the juice of the fruit. If you have an orchard near you that makes their own juices from their fruits, you can get some of the more exotic juices like boysenberry, cherry, and blueberry there.
Basic Ratios for Jelly
- 3 cups Juice
- 5 cups sugar
- 1 cup water in which to dissolve and boil the pectin
- 3 cups bottled or refrigerated apple juice
- 1 package of pectin
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 5 cups sugar
Makes 6 cups
Then there are freezer Pickles which are quick and easy to make. Try any one of these recipes and you won't be buying pickles anymore. These also make great gifts.
Aunt Susie's Freezer Dill Pickles
- 1 lb. cucumbers, sliced 1/8 inch thick
- 3/4 lb. yellow onions, sliced 1/8 inch thick
- 4 Tbsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp. water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. dried dill weed
Mix cucumbers, onions, salt and water in a 2 quart non-metal bowl. Let stand 2 hours. Drain after stand time but do not rinse. Return vegetables to bowl and add sugar, cider vinegar and dill weed Stir occasionally until sugar completely dissolves and liquid covers vegetables. Pack wide mouth jars or plastic freezer containers leaving 1 inch head space. Seal tightly and freeze. Defrost in refrigerator or at room temperature.
Aunt Susie's Freezer Sweet Pickles
- 2 quarts cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 2 onions, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. salt
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 3/4 cup sugar
Mix Cucumbers and Onions together and sprinkle with salt; mix well and let stand 2-3 hours. Rinse and drain well. Mix Vinegar and Sugar until sugar is dissolved. Put cucumbers and onions in freezer containers or freezer bags; pour vinegar and sugar mixture over cukes and onions. Freeze 3 weeks before eating, the longer you let them sit the sweeter the pickles. Thaw in refrigerator or in cold water.Aunt Susie's Freezer Hot and Sweet Pickles
- 3 1/2 cups thinly sliced pickling cucumbers
- 1 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
- 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 Tbsp. salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 2 Tbsp. water
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Cook sugar, vinegar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour mixture over cucumber mixture. Cover and chill 48 hours. Spoon evenly into half-pint or pint canning jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch of room at the top; seal, label, and freeze pickles 8 hours or up to 6 months. Thaw in refrigerator before serving; use thawed pickles within 1 week. Hot-and-Sweet Freezer Pickles serves/makes 3 pints
CommentsRead More Comments | <urn:uuid:79e78485-54bd-44b7-8f9d-e20248fb6f28> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.thriftyfun.com/Making-Freezer-Jams-Jellies-and-Pickles.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570767.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808061828-20220808091828-00473.warc.gz | en | 0.955213 | 2,549 | 1.789063 | 2 |
The Westridge band program has established a wonderful tradition of excellence and we are glad for you to be a part of it. Participation is beneficial in many ways – students are engaged daily in a highly creative performing art that stimulates growth in other areas. Students develop traits such as teamwork, responsibility, dedication, self-discipline, social skills, confidence, leadership and dependability. Band gives students a sense of accomplishment, belonging, pride, and respect as they develop musical and personal skills.
Middle school band introduces new music technique and concepts on their instrument, as well as reinforces those learned in elementary band. It gives students a chance to try another instrument to possibly add to the ensemble. Students perform at several performances in their building as well as in the community. Students learn how to play all sorts of music, including jazz, marches, concert, chorales, popular, and more. | <urn:uuid:e2c9b1b8-84de-4668-88a7-e4babc684657> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://westridge.smsd.org/activities-athletics/band | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573623.4/warc/CC-MAIN-20220819035957-20220819065957-00677.warc.gz | en | 0.97556 | 180 | 2.328125 | 2 |
The aroma of cardamom itself makes one seem like eating food. Cardamom, which is included in the crucial spices of the kitchen area, can likewise be utilized as a mouth freshener. Frequently people likewise consume cardamom in betel leaf. Green cardamom has lots of anti-bacterial homes, which assists in rooting out the bacteria in your mouth. It is extremely useful in the smell of the mouth, halitosis, mouth sores, discomfort or swelling in the gums and so on. You will likewise use this cardamom.
Cardamom to decrease facial fat
If you are troubled by facial fat and want to reduce it, then after consuming dinner, chew 2 cardamoms with a glass of lukewarm water. You need to chew this green cardamom till it ends up being fine. If you do this, you see a distinction within a couple of days.
Relief in the problem of throwing up – If you too have a problem of throwing up after traveling a couple of kilometres, then consuming cardamom prior to beginning the journey will be alleviated. If you feel that there may be an issue of throwing up throughout the journey, then put small cardamom in the mouth all the way.
Cardamom plays a crucial role in increasing red cell in the body. It battles totally free radicals by eliminating harmful compounds from your body.
It makes your gastrointestinal system strong. This removes the problem of stomach gas. In addition, it is useful in boosting food digestion, decreasing stomach bloating and getting rid of heartburn.
If you are struggling with a cold, cold and sore throat, then it is extremely helpful for you. For this, after eating food during the night, chew a cardamom properly and drink lukewarm water from above, which treatments your issue.
Disclaimer: Story suggestions and suggestions are for basic information. Do not take them as guidance from any medical professional or doctor. In the case of signs of health problem or infection, consult a doctor. | <urn:uuid:55d579a1-6372-48ca-8bf9-cf26634a442f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://breakingnews365.in/cardamom-is-practically-fixing-everything-from-bad-smell-to-digestion/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572908.71/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817122626-20220817152626-00077.warc.gz | en | 0.938132 | 418 | 1.640625 | 2 |
THE EARLY YEARS
It was 1950, a year of good beginnings.
R.A. No. 433, a law enacted by the Philippine Congress in June 7, 1950 transferred the accounting services to the Budget Commission. Six idealistic men with a vision, understood that the law meant the onset of changes to government accountants. They knew that it was an opportune time to organize and establish an association that would promote the interests of government accountants and, at the same time, improve the practice of government accountancy.
These six men, who dreamt and conceptualized AGAP in October 1, 1950 were the following:
- Bernardo Bumatay
- Eugenio Nabong
- Rosendo San Mateo
- Jose de Kastro
- Bernardo Bravo
- Luis Roque
Like many organizations, the initial goals of AGAP, as enunciated by its founders, were quite modest. They simply wanted to attain and ensure the following objectives:
- To unite all government accountants into an Association so that their common interest in the profession of accountancy may be better protected and fostered;
- To promote and maintain high professional and ethical standards among government and private accountants;
- To advance the science of accountancy and to develop and improve accountancy education;
- To encourage, promote and foster cordial relations, understanding and intercourse among government accountants; and
- To give or render mutual/moral aid and advice freely to any member in all matters pertaining to the accounting service in their respective units, or offices of the government as a whole.
By 1953, Atty. Bumatay realized that the aggrupation they created required a legal personality. Thus, AGAP was registered as a non-stock, non-profit corporation. Its original incorporators were as follows:
- Benardo B. Bumatay
- Jose A. de Kastro
- Juan P. Pedro
- Aurora Rivera
- Felipe Saldaña
- Enrique Martinez
- Maximo Racela
- Franscisco Dalusong
- Rafael Ramos
- Rosendo San Mateo
- Alfonso Perez
- Eugenio Nabong
- Ramiro Abdon
- Mateo Buenaluz
- Bernardo Bravo
There were other significant changes in the government accounting services which occurred in the 1950s.
In 1956, Congress approved Reorganization Plan No. 47-A. Implemented by Executive Order No. 279, the accounting functions were transferred to the respective agencies and departments. However, technical supervision remained with the Budget Commission, specifically through the National Accounting Services.
The AGAP officers were in the forefront of reforms and were thoroughly involved in the training of all accounting personnel at different levels. One day quarterly meetings were conducted by AGAP to discuss the various problems/issues which agency accountants faced. It was likewise a venue to tackle new issuances, policies and procedures.
THE BATON IS PASSED
1960 marked the changing of the guard insofar as the Presidency of the AGAP, was concerned. Atty. Bumatay who served as President from 1950-1959, who led the fledgling organization’s growth, was succeeded by Serafin Soriano, who also was from the National Accounting Service of the Budget Commission.
By this time, AGAP was no longer a small organization with less than a hundred members. It was a steadily growing organization, maturing, strengthening, and beginning to undertake new ideas and projects.
Thus, in 1960, AGAP introduced the concept of a National Convention for Government Accountants. Held at the Teachers Camp, the theme of the First Convention was quite apt for AGAP, as an organization. It was “Widening the Horizons of Government Accountants”.
Baguio City in the 1960’s was not only the summer capital of the Philippines, it was AGAP’s city. The relaxed atmosphere and the easy camaraderie during these early years of AGAP spilled over during their national conventions.
These national conventions assured participants of learning experiences and opportunities for professional growth, while at the same time providing AGAP members with a chance to socially interact in more friendly surroundings.
THE HIATUS OF THE 70’s
The 70s proved to be a decade of contrasts for AGAP, of changing fortunes and radical changes.
The decade started quite well for government accountants. A law i.e., R.A. No. 6404 provided standardized salaries for all personnel constituting the accounting group. In effect, it raised salaries for accounting personnel by 30%. More importantly, the law recognized the important role of accountants in fiscal management of government agencies.
In 1971, AGAP held its 8th National Convention outside Baguio. For the first time, in the history, AGAP had a woman President , Ms. Angelina T. Tecson of the Social Welfare Administration. When Martial Law was declared in September 21, 1972, AGAP momentarily suspended the conduct of its national conventions. Instead, it held periodic membership meetings where various topics of interest were discussed.
1975, saw AGAP celebrating its silver anniversary and its 10th National Convention. At its helm was Irene G. Daleja of the Ministry of the Budget.
The decade saw radical changes taking place in the national arena. PD No. 898, as amended by PD No. 1445 or the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines transferred the technical supervision over accounting units to COA from the Budget Commission.
During this period of radical changes, AGAP went into a long hiatus.
PERIOD OF CONSOLIDATION
After the tumultuous 1970s, the 1980s and 90s proved to be the period of consolidation, stability and unprecedented growth for AGAP. Only two Presidents presided for most of the 1980’s – Amado Esleta (1981-86) and Roberto Banico (1987-88).
In 1989, Maeste Gumtang was elected AGAP President. She served from 1989-97 thereby becoming the second longest serving President of AGAP after Bernardo Bumatay. She oversaw this period of renewal.
AGAP was back with the same vigor and energy it previously exhibited.
Conventions were held twice a year in different provinces with more varied topics and speakers. Membership continued to grow as a result of the decentralization/regional presence of national government agencies, the growing role of the finance sector of local government units and the active participation of government owned or controlled corporations.
AGAP, at the turn of the millennium had matured, weathering the periods of growth and rapid change, of inactivity and societal turbulence.
THE PRESENT AND GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE
More than 50 years after its establishment, AGAP is now a venerable institution. It has remained the same and yet has not remained stagnant, introducing a number of innovations and changes for the welfare of its members.
From a motley group of less than a hundred members, AGAP has grown to its present size of about 10,000 members. Not only accountants have been welcomed to the association. Budget officers, supply officers, cashiers and all personnel belonging to the Finance Group from national government agencies, local government units and government owned or controlled corporations participate, attracted by the feel of family which the AGAP provides.
Conventions are held annually, an event where the awards for Outstanding Accounting Offices are handed out. There is a more glossy feel to the current annual conventions, having evolved from the homey atmosphere of the conventions of the 60’s and 70’s. Yet despite the many changes some things remain the same - learning, sharing, addressing common concerns in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere - the core values of AGAP.
As AGAP approaches its 60th year, it enters the electronic age by launching its own website: www.agap.org.ph. This innovation ensures that relevant information is shared among members at the fastest time possible. It also marks the entry of AGAP to the global village enabling the interchange of ideas and interlinking of projects with and among similarly situated international organizations.
No one really foresaw the enduring quality of this association when it began in 1950.
But its growth is really not that surprising. AGAP had the good fortune of having, as its leaders, men and women who put the interests of association’s members first and foremost, who never veered away from its original objectives of the association.
AGAP has come a long way indeed. Born in the year of good beginnings, it is hoped that the association’s legacy and core values will endure. | <urn:uuid:2d51f104-73af-4100-b03c-d1ded79fed4a> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.agap.org.ph/history.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719453.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00231-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956672 | 1,790 | 2.171875 | 2 |
How eco-friendly is your hotel stay? A number of organizations certify hotels as “environmentally friendly,” but beware: Some hotels simply buy into membership programs. Look for true certification programs that require hotels to meet stringent standards.
GREEN SEAL: A nonprofit organization that certifies domestic hotels. (202) 872-6400.
NORDIC SWAN: A voluntary, neutral seal-of-approval program that certifies products, including hotels, in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark.
GREEN HOTELS ASSOCIATION: While not a certification program, this organization offers a membership program for environmentally minded hotels. Its international membership listing is available online. | <urn:uuid:b36cd7bc-c9d6-4b6c-b64a-7336a7e2022a> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.motherearthliving.com/Green-Living/BedCheck | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988720475.79/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183840-00355-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.913719 | 142 | 1.71875 | 2 |
Interior decorating is undoubtedly an science and art of improving the inside of the actual composition to generate a much healthier and natural environment for those who take advantage of the space. An inner surface developer is an individual who match, scientific studies and plans and oversees these betterment undertakings. The expression interior decorating may include any aspect of the interior decorating that comes inside the purview of this self-discipline. Inner surface developers will often be appointed by architects to complete some jobs nevertheless, there are numerous who opt to begin their own personal corporation and operate just as one unbiased specialist.
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An indoor designer performs with numerous industry experts in the field of beauty. This consists of furniture painters, contractors and carpenters yet others. Probably the most significant jobs of inside makers is to discover the needs of the purchaser and also the opportunity on the task. After that has become motivated, the custom can then make use of other trained professionals to make a plan of action. This course of action will likely be shared with the house user or even the landlord, so that they can know what shifts really need to be built to the present set up to make sure that the desired cosmetic appeal is obtained.
When a human being gets into the field of design, one of the primary ways is to sign up for a licensed school or university or college. In order to get into the occupation, you need to have a diploma, possibly a Bachelor’s or Master’s Diploma. After getting your degree, you will want to work on becoming an designer or even a landscaping gardener. There are also exhibits that will help you to present your art although you’re joining courses with a college or university or college. You may decide to go after an Associate’s degree in Interior Design, some layout firms even need to have possibilities candidates to consider a recording studio course well before supplying them a job like a designer.
After getting received professional instruction and have the ability to commence utilizing your expertise and knowledge. This can provide the broadest instructional basic foundation feasible and it will also help to complete various layout tasks. Internships and arms-on knowledge about a selection of buyers will sharpen your capability to provide a visual and purposeful answer to any homeowner’s requires. You will learn about tone idea, furniture building, place lighting fixtures, organizing and composition visible telecommunications, inside staging, and many more. Your understanding within these numerous career fields will further more help you to reach your aspirations and targets for an indoor designer brand.
Now inside your profession, you can have already got a account of various assignments, and also a several tips from preceding business employers. These will help you get the opportunity to exhibit your very best self do the job, build a group of acquaintances, and locate opportunities that you might meet the ideal man or woman. Networking is a vital part of learning to be a profitable interior designer. You never know that you could fulfill while having your profession or maybe in this industry.
To create spaces that are appealing on the eyeball and efficient interior makers have to have the capacity to appropriately road map out an design structure. The development of room or space includes establishing the actual size of the spot that is being employed, the layout of home furnishings and equipment, structural considerations, the ideal lighting effects placement and options, in addition to other requires and wants on the purchaser. After these wants and dreams are determined, the inside developers should develop a floors plan that outlines the agreement and height and width of each location.
On many occasions, the development of a surface prepare will depend on the shape and size from the locations, rooms, patios and pool locations. This enables to the inside makers to construct suites that look symmetrical when using their artistic style good sense to optimize the spatial aspect of the places. A few examples of home design concepts involve proportional structure, which means a number of rooms are proportioned with other rooms, and geometrical design and style, meaning the arrangement of areas and locations practices straight queues.
An indoor decorator must have formidable social knowledge to be effective with their situation. The achievements of the developer depends on the capability to associate with their buyers, producing the interior style and design method as easy and nice as is possible for them also as building a space that is certainly aesthetically useful and eye-catching. Communication is the vital thing, and indoor creative designers really should be skilled at spoken together with nonverbal communication. To create a spot, so correspondence is crucial.
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Associated articles or blog posts indicated by subscribers of your site: | <urn:uuid:baab6124-bae1-4567-a7cf-09f5517c4748> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://evookart.website/home-design-ideas/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570767.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808061828-20220808091828-00477.warc.gz | en | 0.951128 | 985 | 2.046875 | 2 |
According to Spots, 42.7 million households in the U.S. own cats and cat-owning households have an average of two cats each. While having multiple cats in a household can lead to more love and cuddles, it can also result in a higher risk of aggression.
Cats can become aggressive when they feel like their territory has been invaded or when they must compete for resources within the home. Physical confrontations can occur between felines, resulting in potential injury. Once this behavior is established, it can be difficult to stop.
Curbing aggression in multi-cat households requires pet owners to recognize the early signs of aggression and create a plan to consistently prevent the cats from acting out. Check out these signs of territorial behaviors and how you can reduce or prevent these aggressive interactions.
Signs of Aggression in Cats
Cats communicate with each other in a number of ways, and in some cases, this communication is aggressive in nature. As natural territorial creatures, cats are compelled to guard and protect things that they perceive to belong to them, such as a food bowl, litter box, or toy. Bringing a new kitten or cat into the household can lead to resource aggression or general territorial behavior.
Some warning signs that could indicate that your cat is about to be aggressive or become physical include the following:
- Growling or hissing
- Dilated pupils
- Hair standing up on the back of the neck
- Ears and/or whiskers held flat or pointing straight out or down
- Crouching into a small position or backing into a corner
- Trying to appear as large as possible
- Flashing tail
Reducing Conflict Between Cats
Keeping the peace between cats in the same household requires some intervention from pet owners. Here are some things that you can do to help reduce conflict between pets in a multi-cat household:
- Provide Ample Resources
Resource guarding is one of the most common reasons that cats in multi-cat households exhibit aggressive behaviors. The fewer resources available to cats, the more aggressive they can become. Ensure that the cats in your home have access to sufficient resources. Ideally, each cat should have its own feeding station and litter box.
- Introduce Cats Slowly
It’s never a good idea to let a new kitten or cat run loose in the home with existing cats. For the first few days, the new cat should be kept separated in a closed room. Introduce the new kitten or cat to the existing ones through smell. Allow the new cat to sleep on a shirt or blanket and then put that piece of clothing where your other cats can become familiar with the kitten’s scent.
- Take Turns Playing
Cats rely a lot on their sense of smell to learn things about the world around them. Once you have gotten your cats used to the smell of the new kitten on a blanket, let them smell the new kitten on you. Take turns playing with the new kitten and your older cats, allowing your older cats plenty of time to sniff out the new kitten on your skin and clothes. The kitten will also have the opportunity to smell the older cats in the home.
- Release Pent-Up Energy
Cats, especially younger felines, are more likely to show aggression when they have a lot of pent-up energy. One way to release this energy is by engaging in play with your cats. Invest in a variety of stimulating toys that will help satisfy your cats’ hunting instincts and keep them busy. Distract your cats with small toys that they can chase or swat. Provide them with things they can hide and explore, such as cardboard boxes.
- Set Up Scratching Posts
Scratching posts have several functions in multi-cat households. They provide cats with a vigorous activity and can help alleviate destructive behaviors. They also play a role in marking as cats have scent glands on their paws. When they scratch, the cat’s unique scent is left on the object. If possible, set up several scratching posts throughout the home. Consider having different types of scratching posts as some cats prefer vertical scratching while others like horizontal.
- Spay and Neuter
Aggression between cats is more common when the animals have not been spayed or neutered. Intact (unneutered) males are more likely to fight one another and intact females are at risk of having litters, resulting in maternal aggression. Cats should be spayed and neutered as soon as possible, ideally around six months of age, but can also be fixed at any age.
- Recognize Signs of Stress
Some cats will not become aggressive immediately and instead, show signs of stress. It is important to recognize these signs and do your best to intervene. When stressed, your cat may appear to always be on the lookout or may constantly scan the area in an attempt to stay safe. The cat may hide away and become less tolerant of other cats. Increased scratching of their post or furniture in the home may also indicate higher-than-normal stress levels.
Managing Aggression in Multi-Cat Homes
It’s not uncommon for cats in multi-cat households to not get along. This may be an occasional problem or an ongoing issue, but either way, should be dealt with immediately. If you continue to have aggression issues between cats, consult with your vet or a veterinary behaviorist. | <urn:uuid:2542acba-e4d2-4c01-b46a-6cdd6fb31719> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.petassure.com:443/maxscorner/aggression-in-multi-cat-households/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571584.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812045352-20220812075352-00666.warc.gz | en | 0.953497 | 1,098 | 3.375 | 3 |
Yesterday, we discussed the myth that the poor would be spared by the fiscal cliff, with one of the reasons being the large tax increase at the end of the year. According to the Tax Policy Center, the poorest 20 percent of people would face a tax hike of $412, or a 3.7 percent reduction in their after tax income.
Now, the Tax Policy Center has released a new tax calculator for different taxpayers by income group, filing status, and how they would fare under the cliff or competing plans. The calculator then allows you to compare your tax burden under current law (the fiscal cliff), a complete extension of current policy, and the Senate Democratic and Republican plans.
Below is a sample of what the calculator shows.
Of course, the Senate Democratic and Republican plans are not the only alternatives to the fiscal cliff. A better approach would involve comprehensive tax reform that could be equally or more progressive than the current code with lower rates and more revenue. Under the bipartisan proposals of Domenici-Rivlin and Simpson-Bowles, a far greater burden falls on the wealthy even with a lower top marginal rate. Tax reform can make the code simpler, fairer, and more conducive to growth. But lawmakers need to be willing to make the tough choices.
The tax calculator can be found here. | <urn:uuid:c1e6df53-2539-4ee0-a708-8f252a98d4ab> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://crfb.org/blogs/tpc-releases-fiscal-cliff-tax-calculator | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280221.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00234-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956703 | 266 | 2.328125 | 2 |
If you look closer, you would notice that there are spelling errors on the sign. In fact both English language and Bahasa Melayu (Malay language). The words are: “BUAUNG” and “THORW”. When they should be “BUANG” and “THROW” respectively.
Interestingly, both words with spelling errors are the same word in different languages, which means throw or discard. Sad to say, it is a piece of good advice, but with bad spelling. Well, personally I think that sign with spelling errors need to be thrown or buang (thrown) away into the dump bin.
Spelling Quote: “A kiss can be a comma, a question mark or an exclamation point. That’s the basic spelling that every woman ought to know.” – Mistinguett | <urn:uuid:d24fcf88-7e53-4ddf-85db-43816163de48> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://malaysiannews.info/funny-malaysian-signs-good-advice-bad/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282926.64/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00399-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.936031 | 183 | 2.015625 | 2 |
From Philosophy Teacher to Game Developer: The Unusual Journey of Howard Go
Like a proud parent, Howard Go was beaming when a game his company developed earned a coveted place of honor at the Global Game Exhibition G-STAR 2018 in Busan, South Korea.
Google Play had picked Bounc.io, a game developed by a company Go co-founded called MochiBits, to be featured at its giant booth at the three-day convention and exhibition, the first ever for a Filipino-made game.
This was the first time Google Play had presented games developed outside Japan and South Korea, its two largest markets in Asia, at the global convention. Alongside nine other Asian-developed mobile games, Bounc.io took center stage at GooglePlay’s hall at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO) from November 16 to 18.
The three-day convention is a yearly affair held in South Korea and is considered one of the largest of its kind in the world. For this year, Google Play, the official app store of the Internet giant for Android users, leased an entire hall to showcase the independent game developers it supports during the event.
“It’s so humbling and such an honor to be here,” Go told the press after he was presented as the Philippines’ representative at Google Play’s hall. “Just coming here was already such a big thing for me. And when I saw the booth and what Google put into it, it feels heartwarmingly good.”
This yera's edition of G-STAR 2018 was the first time Google Play presented games developed outside Japan and South Korea, its two largest markets in Asia
It’s hard to imagine that when he was in his early 20s, Go didn’t even program, much less build computer games. He was a Philosophy instructor at St. Louis University in Baguio City for four years, after which he joined a telecom company where he worked his way up and became a vice president. And then he quit.
“My biggest frustration was that I don’t get to make a decision in key things. And when there are some things that have to be done I would have fight fire to fix it. And if it did well, I wouldn’t really reap the rewards since I’m just an employee. I wanted to do something on my own,” Go recounted his startup story at the sidelines of G-Star.
Keen on making it on his own, Go took inspiration from the success of smartphone games Angry Birds and Cut the Rope, apps that were developed by independent companies with lean teams. Together with his partner Kyle Yamamoto, Go founded MochiBits in 2010.
The former telco executive admitted he had to study coding and game development for over a year, not even formally, as he almost always just took advantage of the content available online for free.
“I barely knew how to code at that time. In fact, I flunked out of computer science back in college,” he shared. “I just really wanted to get into game design so I found someone who wanted to develop games and knew how to code. Then we became partners.”
Today, MochiBits has developed and published at least five mobile games that are available both for iOS and Android devices. Since the beginning, the company has mainly focused on word and brain games, having found success in the genre early on. The first game the company created, SwipeTapTap, became a hit in two months’ time.
“It’s also how most game developers start out. They build word games at first then upgrade to arcade games and adventure games later on,” he said.
Go says one of his long-term goals is to set up an incubator for local game developers
MochiBits still hasn’t diversified to other genres as it continues to find success in word games. Two of its three flagship mobile games already have more than 15 million downloads in total on Google Play. The company is hoping its newest offering—Bounc.io—will be its next big thing.
“Our last two games tapped different markets. Left VS Right mainly catered to 35 and up while Hexar.io is a fast-paced arcade game so it was mostly for kids,” Go explained. “With Bounce.io we’re hoping for the same success.”
Bounc.io’s principle is simple: let the ball bounce and break the blocks on screen. What makes it more exciting though is that you can either play against a friend or with another random user online.
To make it more attractive, the game also allows users to earn “blocks” that would help them build an avatar of their own in the platform. So far, it already has over 10,000 downloads on Google Play with a respectable rating of 4.6 stars.
Go’s career transition has paid off. These days, the game developer can easily earn a monthly salary more than double of what he used to receive as a VP-level executive in a telecom company.
And now that he is almost on his ninth year in game development, the longest he has ever stayed in a job, the Filipino game developer is looking not just at the success of his company but of the local industry, too.
“One of my long-term dreams when we make a lot of money is to set up an incubator [for local game developers],” Go shared. “One of our challenges in [local] game development is we’ve got the talent. But they don’t have the savings, the tech. The incubator will be the perfect solution for it.”
This story originally appeared on Entrepreneur.com.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors. | <urn:uuid:0532e8af-2edc-4dab-932c-43f08a29a663> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.esquiremag.ph/money/movers/from-philosophy-teacher-to-game-developer-the-unusual-journey-of-howard-go-sa00178-20181225-src-entrep-lfrm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570741.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808001418-20220808031418-00075.warc.gz | en | 0.980299 | 1,240 | 1.570313 | 2 |
Disasters occur every day. The community health nurse has a significant role in preparedness, response and recovery when disaster strikes locally. Effective response to disaster demands the community health nurse to develop specific competencies. These include understanding the role, recognition of disaster-related health conditions, infection control post disaster, disease reporting, public education and stress management in the affected community.
Identify your own level of preparedness should disaster strike in your area. Visit the Red Cross site: http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/be-red-cross-ready to review details on disaster preparedness kit, plan and information. Discuss your response to this information. Were you surprised at your level of readiness? What steps will you take to prepare yourself and your family for the possibility of disaster? How can you share this information with your community?
Your initial posting should be at least 400 words in length and utilize at least one scholarly source other than the textbook. | <urn:uuid:7542ca7f-504c-4e2e-ae5d-6dede190b20b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://onlinetoptutor.com/identify-your-own-level-of-preparedness-should-disaster-strike-in-your-area-visit-the-red-cross-site-http-www-redcross-org-get-help-prepare-for-emergencies-be-red-cross-ready-to-review-d/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.917486 | 208 | 3.203125 | 3 |
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Clinging on to the sands of the awe inspiring Stockton Sand Dunes is the shifting shanty residence of Tin City. Living in these tin shacks, in desert like conditions are the resilient town folk. These sturdy folk have been battling the wind elements for over fifty years. With the sand advancing one metre per year they band together into digging shifts, toiling around the clock to save their shacks from being buried. The wind shifts do have a plus, as recent dunal movement has unearthed some long forgotten huts. Sadly, according to the Department of Land and Water Conservation, no further shacks are allowed to be built.
Also by Andre Martin
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Select a Shoot Out contest credit package below. | <urn:uuid:4c2a9cf3-2c4e-48a3-aaaf-dd272674399b> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://jpgmag.com/photos/3512482 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280835.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00470-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.915764 | 186 | 1.90625 | 2 |
Pacific Southwest, Region 9
Serving: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Pacific Islands, Tribal Nations
NPDES Wastewater & Stormwater Permits
|NPDES Quick Finder|
|NPDES HomeCompliance & EnforcementState Programs||NEPA ProjectsGuidance||Permits and Public NoticesPretreatment||Sewage Sludge (biosolids) Stormwater|
The following States in Region 9 are authorized to implement the NPDES program.
- Department of Environmental Quality
- EPA's authorization of Arizona NPDES program (December 5, 2002)
- State Water Resources Control Board
- Regional Boards - Regional Boards issue NPDES permits for nine geographic areas of California. | <urn:uuid:1a32777e-9891-4045-a4b1-f2beaaf3ae93> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www3.epa.gov/region9/water/npdes/stateprogs.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560283008.19/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095123-00081-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.745506 | 151 | 1.726563 | 2 |
What Affects Breezi’s Speed
In this article we’ll explain several situations that have to do with our web tool speed. We’ll also address possible fixes where applicable.
We’ll go over the following topics:
- CDN for Static App Files
- Minimum Memory Required
- Internet Connection Speed
- Avoid Intermittent Connections
- Recommended Browsers
- Avoid Developer Tools / Firebug
- Refresh the Editor
1. CDN for Static App Files
We use the Amazon CloudFront to serve all static files.
This service consists in delivering content from different locations throughout the world. Every request made is redirected to the closest server, so content is served as fast as possible.
For example, if a user is located in Australia, the requests for static files being made will head to a server in his/her country, instead of going to a server in the US or somewhere else.
The closer the server, the faster the transfer of files.
This only speeds your experience up, wherever you are located.
We only serve static APP files from CDN, not for the public sites.
2. Minimum Memory Required
You’ll need at least 2GB of RAM to run pour web tool smoothly.
If you have less than this, you may be experiencing lags in your browser or in your computer in general.
3. Internet Connection Speed
We transfers a lot of data back and forth, thus a fast connection is required.
2 MBPS (megabits per second) is recommended.
4. Avoid Intermittent Connection
Data is saved constantly, so if your Internet connection is being interrupted continuously, your site might suffer errors.
This issue is a delicate one. Data might get corrupt or not properly saved.
This can happen frequently on a wireless network. If you’re on Wifi, the further away you are from the router or access point, the faultier your connection will be.
Try getting closer to it.
5. Recommended Browsers
Latest versions of standard compliant browsers are required to work with our editor. And it’s also a good advise to use them for browsing any site.
Both Firefox’s and Chrome’s latest versions are advisable, though we’d suggest Firefox if we have to pick just one. At the time of writing this post, the latest versions are: Firefox 18.0.2 and Chrome 24.0.1312.57 m..
You can download them from these links:
- No version of Internet Explorer is supported yet (for the editor).
- All modern browsers are supported for visitors of your site (including Internet Explorer)
6. Avoid Developer Tools / Firebug
They are sometimes called generically the “F12 Developer Tools”, referencing the keyboard shortcut that’s usually associated to them.
These tools are very handy for developers as they debug code, functionality and other advanced issues not required for our program as all the functionality is already coded and built in.
Besides this and most importantly for performance and speed purposes, it is recommended to avoid having these tools opened when editing a site in our editor, since it can slow your browser down.
7. Refresh the Editor
If for some reason you feel your experience is a bit slow, you can try refreshing the editor (ctrl/cmd+R).
If you’ve followed all these recommendations and are still having a slow experience, please contact support stating your setup and issue. | <urn:uuid:101ce55e-b613-498b-892e-9bf4360dd73e> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://breezi.com/how/breezi-speed/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279489.14/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00011-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.910545 | 730 | 1.578125 | 2 |
There are an ever-increasing number of vehicles on our roadways. As the number of vehicles increases in New Jersey, the likelihood of being involved in an accident also increases. A recent truck accident on Interstate 78 serves to underscore this point.
A dump truck traveling on Interstate 78 collided with three cars at about 3 p.m. The skid marks on the road indicate the truck may have lost control and crashed through the median and so collided with cars coming in the opposite direction. The driver of one vehicle was killed. The driver of the truck and the other two vehicles suffered minor injuries.
The accident happened near Berkeley Heights and caused major disruption during the evening rush hour. The backup extended for over five miles. Drivers were stuck in traffic for up to four hours and some traffic lanes were closed for eight hours. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
People are told to drive defensively and be prepared for the unexpected in New Jersey. While a driver may monitor the traffic going in the same direction, it is almost impossible to prepare for a truck accident that comes from the other direction on a divided highway. The shock and grief to a family and loved ones of a person lost in such an accident can be overwhelming and as the feelings of grief subside, family and loved ones may wish to find answers and possibly some closure. Talking to an experienced personal injury attorney may be of help in such a circumstance. A knowledgeable lawyer can review the situation and assist his or her client in determining if a civil suit against the parties deemed responsible is a viable option. | <urn:uuid:24236c5f-ae28-406c-a8e9-dfbfa1e21a18> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.currantriallaw.com/blog/tragic-truck-accident-causes-massive-delays/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571210.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810191850-20220810221850-00471.warc.gz | en | 0.973471 | 314 | 1.523438 | 2 |
Women in waste focus
Inspired by the International Women’s Day theme this year of #choosetochallenge, Rachel Rowley, Managing Director at Encore Environment, discusses how choosing to challenge the status quo both in terms of how her team is doing business, and her client’s traditional views about waste disposal, is turning heads in the right way.
As a managing director, I surround myself with people who are skilled at what they do, are team players and really care about the impact their job has. In particular, the difference it makes to the environment and the wider communities and charities we work with. This is irrespective of their gender. At Encore, women actually hold the majority of our workforce, and it has always been important for me to forge an inclusive work environment where their careers thrive, and achievements are celebrated.
The waste industry, and the construction industry in which we work, is clearly male dominated, however we are noticing an increase in the number of women coming into the industry in search of leadership roles. I think one of the reasons for this is the shift in efforts within schools to teach children about gender equality and gender equity. When I was at school in the 80’s there were still very traditional roles for ‘girls’ and traditional roles for ‘boys’. I certainly broke that mould, and I hope that through my dedication in a ‘not so traditional’ role and sector, my daughter and son will feel empowered to know there are no glass ceilings in any profession they want to work in. Although the gender pay gap still seems to exist, hopefully this is a downward trend, and the next generation of women will be paid what they deserve for the job they do.
At Encore, the women on our team (as well as the men) are very involved in our key objective to challenge the traditional routes of waste disposal and offer our clients alternative, data-driven methods of waste management and to deliver social, economic and environmental value as well as save on waste costs. We make sure everyone understands our social values, our waste reduction initiatives and our strategic technology advances – which is going to be so important in the next decade as the net-zero economy accelerates.
I also believe in offering our team flexible working. This is so important for families, and particularly to help women back into work after having a baby. We recognise skill sets in various disciplines and won’t discriminate against anyone, male or female, if they can’t work the traditional 9-5 working hours. Never under-estimate a woman’s strength! Work, family, home – these plates will keep spinning. We know that work should not hinder the other plates, so we make every effort to ensure our workforce are happy, motivated and for them to feel supported. If there’s one thing lockdown has shown us it is that we can count on our staff to continue to do an excellent job, be amazingly productive and resilient even in a crisis, whilst juggling family life and keeping themselves and their family safe. They are superstars.
My work ethic came from a corporate background which was very lonely at times, but even back then I was not going to let my gender be an issue. I have been leered at on construction sites, and talked down to in a board room, or worse, not talked to. In the early days especially, my operations director, Gavin Pilcher, generally accompanied me to meetings and questions would be directed to him, however he would always look at me and say: “Rachel, what are your thoughts, after all it’s your call and you make the final decision.” This raised quite a lot of eyebrows! Now, it doesn’t bother me, but I remember feeling very disheartened at the time. Perhaps that’s because grown used it or that now I’m confident enough in my abilities to not even acknowledge it. However, when it affects my staff, that is a different matter. Unfortunately, we have had some of our female staff spoken to in a derogatory way but in any situation, we have an absolute ‘no tolerance’ policy. Male or female you should speak to others as you want to be spoken too.
I think women in waste are already disrupting the traditional, and as more intelligent and innovative women emerge in senior roles, this will be game changing for the future of the sector. Perhaps as a women entrepreneur in the industry, I’ve had the flexibility to think outside of the box with the advantage of not being held back by archaic processes and procedures. I have been able to bring a fresh approach to waste which our clients have really valued. I secretly started out by saying ‘I wanted to make waste sexy’! By this, I wanted to inject enthusiasm into the decision makers so they didn’t automatically put waste in skips which would go straight to an MRF or landfill. That actually, by thinking about waste differently, they could make a real difference to the environment and their local communities by facilitating the diversion of reusable items to organisations in need – and save carbon and costs at the same time. In this sense, I have never felt like I am competing with a man or anybody else. What we offer is unique so I’ve carved my own path.
I think it’s important that women leaders recognise they don’t have to know everything, we just need to surround ourselves with a dedicated team people that have the relevant skill sets and share your vision. I hope to empower women in waste to be disruptive, if you think something can be done in a better way go for it, put your head above the parapet and you will be heard. Don’t be afraid to stand out, use it to your advantage. I hope that as Encore Environment grows, we will be able to support more women in waste achieve their goals. | <urn:uuid:e088a64e-e3b3-4afe-9692-a7676ae45085> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.encore-environment.com/women-in-waste-international-womens-months-2021/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570765.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808031623-20220808061623-00268.warc.gz | en | 0.97498 | 1,215 | 1.75 | 2 |
guanidin is a valid word in this word list. For a definition, see the external dictionary links below.
The word "guanidin" uses 8 letters: A D G I I N N U.
No direct anagrams for guanidin found in this word list.
Words formed by adding one letter before or after guanidin (in bold), or to adgiinnu in any order:
e - guanidine s - guanidins
Words within guanidin
not shown as it has more than seven letters.
Try a search for guanidin in these online resources (some words may not be found):
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Each search will normally open in a new window.
List all words starting with guanidin, words containing guanidin or words ending with guanidin
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Other words with the same letter pairs: gu ua an ni id di in
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Previous word in list: guanethidines
Next word in list: guanidine
Some random words: odyl | <urn:uuid:450e6a07-c3e4-488b-a20e-af9d5fca90f3> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.morewords.com/word/guanidin/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281746.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00291-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.792347 | 255 | 1.742188 | 2 |
Fortunately, no. Even though #GivingTuesday is far less familiar than the special shopping days it follows, it seems to be growing every year. See, right after consumers finish their Thanksgiving meal starts a series of special shopping days to spark holiday spending. But while consumers are well aware of days like Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, it’s the one that follows right after that may be the most meaningful. It’s the annual day of giving known as Giving Tuesday and while it captures the spirit of the holiday, it has failed to capture attention. Only 18% of Americans are familiar with #GivingTuesday, according to the new Templeton Giving Survey conducted by the John Templeton Foundation. Yet the survey also showed that consumers believe that charity is important. Philanthropy.com shared more from the survey to show why #GivingTuesday is worth giving a second thought.
The fourth annual #GivingTuesday is set to fall on December 1 this year. Since it falls immediately after so many popular shopping days, many charity fundraisers have expressed major doubts about participating in the annual event.
Even though the survey revealed that only 18% of consumers know #GivingTuesday, it also found that many consumers support charitable giving. Some of the key findings included:
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- 80% of Millennials surveyed thought there needed to be a holiday for giving back to people in need.
- 41% of charitable respondents said they give 5% or more of their annual household income to charity each year.
- Religious respondents reported giving three times more money and time to charity than non-religious people.
- Respondents who claimed to be grateful every day gave more money to charity each year on average than people who were grateful less often.
While days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday may generate more hype, #GivingTuesday touches more hearts. As a result, it’s quickly gaining more attention and donations every year. According to a recent infographic from MDG Advertising called 2015 Trends: How Digital and Social Media Have Transformed Nonprofits:
- In 2014, #GivingTuesday donations were 36% higher than in 2013.
- 4,300 organizations raised more than $26.1 million for variety of charitable causes last year.
- #GivingTuesday saw a 50% higher transaction volume than in 2013.
“Holiday consumer spending is climbing each year,” said Henry Timms, founder of #GivingTuesday and executive director of 92nd Street Y. “”But #GivingTuesday allows consumers to focus on the true meaning of Thanksgiving.”
MDG Advertising, a full-service advertising agency with offices in Boca Raton and New York, NY, is one of Florida’s top branding firms. MDG’s capabilities include print advertising, direct mail marketing, branding, logo design, creative, media buying and planning, radio and TV advertising, outdoor, newspaper, digital marketing, website design and development, online video advertising, infographic development, email marketing, video marketing, mobile marketing, content marketing, social media marketing, paid search marketing, and SEO. To learn about the latest trends in advertising and branding, contact MDG Advertising today at 561-338-7797 or visit mdgadvertising.com. | <urn:uuid:09327a16-7392-4cd2-bbe1-b63a7c663e13> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.mdgadvertising.com/blog/is-givingtuesday-a-lost-cause/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282140.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00125-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.950016 | 682 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Last February, Middle Church gathered at their 128-year-old sanctuary in the East Village to observe Ash Wednesday. Like churches around the world, Middle Church administered ashes on their congregants’ foreheads. But quite unlike other churches, the community considered the finitude of human life by commemorating the full import of the date, February 26—the anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death.
Throughout the service, all pastors wore gray hoodies, as Martin wore when killed. And on the altar alongside the traditional bread and wine of communion, Martin’s last meal was served—Skittles and iced tea. “We did that because we believe Lent is this moment that reminds us . . . how in our humanness, sometimes we sin,” said Reverend Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft, the Executive Minister for Justice, Education, and Movement Building at Middle Church. “And as a society, we fall short—especially in the areas of racial justice and equity.”
As the service concluded, Reverend Benjamin Perry, with his hood pulled toward his ash-streaked brow, encouraged the community to help build a world of peace. The congregation exited in silence through the historic, stained-glass sanctuary, back into the winter streets of New York City, and into 2020 as it would unfold.
Ash Wednesday would be Middle Church’s last liturgical holiday in the church. Within weeks, COVID-19 would inhibit the congregation from meeting in person, a tragedy shared by the rest of the world. And by the end of the year, Middle Church would experience an exclusive loss—an accidental early-morning fire would spark inside their 19th-century sanctuary.
2020—a year when grief characterized appraisals of equity, justice, economics, politics, health, and mortality—has uniquely positioned churches to lament as they prepare to observe Ash Wednesday on February 17. The liturgical holiday inaugurates Lent—the 40-day season of fasting and lament to prepare for the celebration of Easter—with an invitation to contemplate human mortality. As told in the Biblical origin story, God created mankind from the dust of the earth, but it is ultimately to this dust that mankind returns. And it is through the grief and reflection of Ash Wednesday that congregants consider how to live in the interim as they consider that which is finite—and that which is infinite.
“We spent a lot of time thinking about how we were going to do ashes,” Ashcraft said. She consulted the Facebook group Spiritual and Communal Practices for COVID-19, but the suggestions weren’t viable. Some churches plan to mail ashes to congregants at home, but that wasn’t an option for Middle Church: “We have 3,500 members, I’m not stuffing that many ashes in an envelope!” Ashcraft said. And they couldn’t invite congregants to receive ashes socially-distanced because remaining remote throughout the pandemic has been an integral practice of their values. Since New York City issued lockdown orders last March, the congregation has consistently remained online even when lower transmission rates permitted small group gatherings. “As a way to love our neighbors . . . we’re not even going to do it with ten people. If it’s not safe for everybody, it’s not safe for anybody,” Ashcraft said.
This sentiment—like their unorthodox practice of a traditional holiday last Ash Wednesday—evidences much of who Middle Church is. This multiethnic, multiracial, intergenerational, LGBTIQA+, interfaith community is, as stated on their website, as diverse as a New York City subway. And their mission is to “heal the soul and the world by dismantling racist, classist, sexist, and homophobic systems of oppression” through revolutionary love.
Their beliefs today diverge from who Middle Church once was, but their history is a story they transparently address and seek to rectify. Their 17th century Dutch founders exploited the local Lenape people to acquire land, and some early clergymen owned enslaved people. Their honest reckoning with the past helps Middle Church more forward—it is also why Ash Wednesday is essential to the church: “Public lament gives us space to intentionally look back and know our history . . . so that then we can look forward to continue to create the world that we want to live in,” Ashcraft said.
It was in 1892, as the early Middle Church community grew within the growing city of Manhattan, that they built their church in what is now the East Village. This year, Middle Church’s remote Ash Wednesday lamentations will grieve the loss of this sanctuary.
At 4:45am on December 5, Ashcraft was awoken by a phone alert notifying her of a fire at the church. “It was a nightmare, an absolute out-of-body, surreal experience,” she recalled. “Running through the East Village and [coming] upon the church engulfed in yellow flames was horrific.” Though the fire, ignited by an electrical problem, would consume the sanctuary, the executive ministers remained intentional about how to lament the tragedy—it was a building that burned, not the Church. In the aftermath, as Middle Church gathered virtually to grieve, Senior Pastor Reverend Jacqui Lewis maintained that their movement of revolutionary love and justice could never be stopped, not even by a fire.
The burned sanctuary on the corner of 7th Street and 2nd Avenue may look irrevocably different from the church of 1892—but so does the Middle Church congregation. And as this vibrant community of love and justice gathers virtually to commence Lent, the ashes that now streak their sanctuary (temporary ashes because they will rebuild) may inspire their liturgical reflections.
Eventually, the church staff found a solution for administering ashes remotely that captures the humility and humanity of the holiday: “We think it’s so beautiful . . . mud is accessible to everyone,” Ashcraft said.
On Ash Wednesday, the community of Middle Church will gather mud from any outdoor space to apply to their foreheads. Though scattered across New York City, congregants will be united through the common Earth of mud. As explained on their worship site, “This ritual will remind us that humans are all ‘adam,’ all created from the red earth—adamah. . . In this act, we hope to remind you that you belong to the Earth, God and one another.”
“I read an article recently of a pastor saying, ‘Do we even need to have Lent this year? Haven’t we been living in Lent for the past year?’ And the truth is, we have to do it,” said Ashcraft. “We need the reminder that we ourselves are human. And that we are finite and that we need something else.” | <urn:uuid:a93687cc-a09e-4c48-85b7-06cffb15d0c5> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://bedfordandbowery.com/2021/02/a-trailblazing-church-survives-fire-and-pestilence-to-mark-ash-wednesday/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570879.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809003642-20220809033642-00670.warc.gz | en | 0.961591 | 1,432 | 2.125 | 2 |
When the summer driving season starts soon, and tension heats up over Iran, gas may reach $5 a gallon. Nothing bothers voters more than paying an extra $20 or $30 every time they fill up. In times like these, they soon might prefer even an oilman in the White House to an ideologue whose opposition to new oil development seems more religious than empirically based.
All presidents, of course, usually get the blame or praise when the price of gas skyrockets or plummets, just like they own a bad or good economy, or a successful or failed war. Obama, however, earns additional blame for the gas rise for reasons well beyond the normal oil bogeymen — tension in the Middle East, rapacious OPEC dictators, oil-company greed, and Wall Street speculation. Why? Americans remember that his team boasted about wanting higher energy costs in 2008, when Obama was still basking in hope-and-change adulation.
Keep reading this post . . . | <urn:uuid:8f7531b0-4bc6-487f-a940-2e2998561ac1> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://bernardgoldberg.com/faith-based-energy-policy/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280825.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00204-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938063 | 202 | 1.671875 | 2 |
5 Work from Home Eye Care Tips You Should Know
Work from home has got us pinned to the screens, all day long; a similar problem persists for students attending online classes from home. To prevent any harm to your eyes you must focus on easy eye care tips that can be maintained from home.
According to leading ophthalmologists, moving away from well lit classrooms and offices may have long term defects on the eye. You must make sure that your working area is properly lit up. Try to set up a home office, eat food for eyesight improvement, and maintain other methods demonstrated below.
How to take care of your eyes?
Maintain a proper distance of the screen from your eyes and place your device a bit down from the line of vision. Looking straight up gives more strain to the eyes, you should look slightly down on your screen. Looking up straight on your screen might cause irritation and dryness which is prevented by looking down, this keeps your eyes partially closed and prevents drying up.
The diet you follow has a significant effect on your eyes. Your diet should be rich in food for eye sight improvement, which includes green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale; yellow vegetables like pumpkin, and fishes rich in omega-3 fatty acid like tuna and salmon.
For eye care, you have to concentrate on your overall health and not just eye. The functioning of other parts of your body has an effect on your eyes as well. Take a light walk down the road and keep your body moving. Diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol are kept in control by regular exercise, which has a positive effect on your eyes.
- Block blue light
The blue light coming out of screens degrades vision, in order to prevent that from happening, one eye care tip that you must follow is using a glass that blocks blue light or use the in built blue light filter that comes in many devices. Researches have revealed detrimental effects of prolonged exposure of blue light on eyes.
- Eye hygiene
For maintaining eye hygiene, you must keep your hands away from your eyes because it contains most of the germs. If you wear contacts, you might switch to glasses because you are at home and you should avoid wearing and removal of contacts every now and then. Wash your face at least twice a day for maximum eye care.
Apart from the eye care tips that will answer your question of how to take care of eyes, you should remember to take breaks from your computer and mobile screens, try to minimize screen time as much as possible. The best way to reduce screen time is by creating a technology free zone, where you will keep all the devices and technologies away. By entering this zone you can try to relax and spend time with your family. This will help your entire family to become stress free.
Additional natural eye care tips
Undoubtedly natural eye care tips cannot beat anything, so here are some bonus eye care tips to take care of those beautiful eyes.
- Chop up some cucumber and pop it in the refrigerator. At night take it out and place it on your eyes. This will soothe your eyes and as a bonus, it will also prevent dark circles.
- Follow the 20-20-20 rule. It says that every 20 minutes you must take a break for 20 seconds and look at any object for at least 20 seconds. This will reduce the strain on your eyes and enhance eye care.
- Blink frequently. This will allow your eyes to lubricate itself and your eyes will stay moisturized naturally.
- If you are using decorative lenses, try to avoid using it while you are at home and you are sitting in front of your device almost for the entire day.
- Fill your diet with food like sweet potato, apricot, almonds, grapes, blueberries.
- Avoid junk food as much as possible as it may mess with the balance of your body.
The pandemic situation has got everyone thinking about their body, but little to no attention has been paid to the eyes. You have to pay equal attention to your eyes and follow the eye care tips to face less issues in the future. Maintain eye hygiene to avoid infection of any kind.
Make sure to check out 7 self-care tips for the flu | <urn:uuid:d19c003a-9d6a-43c0-90e1-02ff83ff6e5d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.revivenursinghome.com/2021/10/29/5-work-from-home-eye-care-tips-you-should-know/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570651.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20220807150925-20220807180925-00466.warc.gz | en | 0.950599 | 875 | 2.265625 | 2 |
NEAR DELTA, CO (KKCO)_Sixth graders from Montrose, Delta and Olathe ditched the classrooms today and spent the day learning in the great outdoors.
The BLM along with other agencies hosted the students for their third Public Lands Investigations.
Over 650 students made the trek to the Gunnison River to learn more about the great outdoors. They learned about fly tying, macro-invertebrate collection, identification and analysis,and officials say being outside is a great way to learn.
Around 150 students attended each day. The program is designed to enhance the kids scientific thinking and to learn to explore their natural resources throughout the area. | <urn:uuid:22665f34-6e0e-446e-b027-1c9d42c0b1fa> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/BLM_hosts_outdoor_learning_for_students_130887193.html?storySection=comments | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280221.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00228-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958202 | 135 | 2.484375 | 2 |
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Voiced by Amazon Polly
By CHARLIE COOPER
Good Friday morning. This is Charlie Cooper, covering for Emilio.
DRIVING THE DAY
THE VACCINE RACE: It’s Friday so how about some good news to start with. Confidence is very high this morning that the U.K. can hit its target of vaccinating the 15 million most vulnerable people to COVID by mid-February. Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi told BBC Newsnight he was “pretty confident” that would be achieved, while Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth told BBC Question Time: “Everyone I’ve spoken to who understands what’s happening with vaccination seems to think they will meet this target” — and wants a more ambitious goal to be set.
500k a day: More vaccine optimism in the papers this morning, following the apparently accidental publication of confidential figures (later removed) by the Scottish government on Wednesday. “The document estimated that Scotland would receive 309,382 doses in the week beginning on Monday,” explain Nigel Morris and Chris Green in the i. “That equates to 3.8 million jabs for the whole of the U.K., enough to deliver 500,000 inoculations every day.” Bring it on. Meanwhile, a senior Whitehall source tells the Times’s Steven Swinford ministers are increasingly confident that all 32 million over-50s could receive their first vaccine dose by mid to late March.
3M jabs milestone: Boris Johnson last night announced the U.K. had passed the 3 million mark in terms of vaccine doses delivered. The prime minister is expected (although not yet confirmed) to be holding a press conference this afternoon alongside England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance, where we’ll likely get a firmer sense of how solid these figures are. But for the moment at least, things look positive.
What the UK’s getting right: Our vaccination rate is (as you may have heard the prime minister mention once or twice) way out ahead of the rest of Europe. POLITICO’s Cristina Gallardo has run the rule over what the U.K. is doing right and what lessons EU countries can take.
**A message from Equinor: Is it high time for hydrogen in the U.K.? Equinor is working with partners to enable industrial areas of Humberside and Teesside to reduce carbon emissions, using carbon capture and hydrogen produced at scale from natural gas. See bottom of this newsletter or visit equinor.co.uk.**
NHS UNDER STRAIN: Of course, no amount of good news on the vaccine front can disguise the severity of the strain on the NHS right now. While case rates are beginning to come down in many parts of the country, that won’t translate into a significant drop in hospital admissions for some time yet. In the Independent, Shaun Lintern reports that military medics are to be sent to some London hospitals to shore up intensive care units. Andrew Goddard, president of the Royal College of Physicians, told Playbook the health service was “busier than anybody currently working in the NHS has ever experienced.” Full interview below.
Care homes crisis: Meanwhile, the Telegraph splashes on concerning news that COVID outbreaks in care homes have more than trebled in a month, with numbers now approaching where they were at the peak of the first wave.
SOUTH AMERICA TRAVEL BAN: Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has the morning broadcast round, as the government’s ban on travelers from South America, Portugal and Cape Verde comes into force in the wake of concerns about the new Brazilian variant of the virus. The government’s (delayed) new requirement for a negative test for all international arrivals will be in place from 4 a.m. Monday.
YESTERDAY’S UK STATS: 48,682 new cases, ⬆️ 1,157 on Wednesday and ⬇️ 3,936 on the previous Thursday … 1,248 deaths, ⬇️ 316 on Wednesday and ⬆️ 86 on the previous Thursday.
Vax stats: 2,918,252 people have received the first dose, ⬆️ 278,943. 437,977 people have received the second dose, ⬆️ 9,745.
TODAY IN WESTMINSTER
PARLIAMENT: Not sitting.
THE RASHFORD REVIEW: Alternative PM Marcus Rashford is first on the list of signatories to a letter to the prime minister calling for an urgent, full-scale review of the free school meals policy. The letter — which is also signed by celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver, Tom Kerridge and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, as well as the Food Foundation and more than 50 charities, health and education organizations — calls for a change to eligibility criteria, pointing to Child Poverty Action Group research that suggests two in five kids below the poverty line are missing out. A Downing Street spokesperson said the PM “thanks Marcus Rashford for his letter and will reply soon.” You do get the impression they’ve learned not to keep the Manchester United man waiting …
Half-term bust-up: It comes amid a brewing row over the government’s plans for free school meals during the February half-term holiday. The department for education says it’s for councils to deliver, paid for by a £170 million government grant from November. Councils say that cash was never intended to replace free school meals. The BBC has more.
Cash for kids: Meanwhile Labour is calling for free school meals to be replaced with cash payments to families while schools are closed to most pupils. “Giving cash directly to families would support parents in making the best choices on how to look after their children during an unprecedented crisis,” Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said.
NEXT WEEK IN THE COMMONS: Monday is opposition day and Labour is looking to put pressure on the government over both free school meals and the looming March deadline to extend the emergency £20 weekly top-up to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit welfare payments. According to Joseph Rowntree Foundation estimates, failure to roll over the top-up (which was brought in during the first wave of the pandemic) will cost 6.2 million families £1,040 a year and push hundreds of thousands into poverty. A government amendment to Labour’s opposition day motion says the increase was only ever “temporary” and “just one of a range of measures the Government has taken to support vulnerable families.” Which doesn’t sound much like they’re backing down on this.
And yes … Marcus Rashford is interested in this issue too.
Stamp it out: Meanwhile the Sun’s Matt Dathan reports Chancellor Rishi Sunak is against extending another popular COVID economy measure — the government’s cut to stamp duty on house purchases. Nothing confirmed yet, but the paper reports Sunak is determined to resist calls for an extension to the tax holiday beyond March, as he looks for ways to balance the books after the past year’s mammoth increase in borrowing.
YIKES … More than 150,000 arrest records have been lost from police databases because of a tech screw-up, according to the Times’ Fiona Hamilton. The paper splashes the story and the Home Office was hot-footing it last night to get its response out, with a spokesperson saying officials are “working at pace with law enforcement partners to assess” the impact. “The issue related to people arrested and released where no further action had been taken and no records of criminal or dangerous persons have been deleted,” the spokesperson said. Labour’s calling on Priti Patel to give an urgent statement.
WORKERS RIGHTS: This morning’s FT lead story is also making some waves. The paper says the government is drawing up plans to tear up workers rights enshrined in EU law, including the 48-hour week working time directive, in a major divergence from Brussels’ rules that could spark the first big post-Brexit row — and potential retaliation from the EU under the terms of December’s trade deal.
But but but … Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng was quick out of the blocks last night to try and shoot down the story. “We are not going to lower the standards of workers’ rights,” he tweeted. However, Labour already appears to spy an opportunity to drive a wedge between the Tories and their working class voters. Kwarteng’s opposite number Ed Miliband said: “Labour will fight tooth and nail against this attempt to deny even the basic rights we have to the workers of our country.” We haven’t heard the last of this one …
ERG/CRG cross-over: Meanwhile, POLITICO’s eagle-eyed trade team in Brussels have seen a draft of the EU’s investment deal with China and spotted that — on certain points — the EU has gone softer on Beijing than it did on, erm … the U.K. “One of the more concrete aspects of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment is that Beijing has secured a greater threshold within which it can give cash to its companies under the terms of the pact than Britain did in its deal, without having to be transparent about it,” write Sarah Anne Aarup, Thibault Larger and Jakob Hanke Vela. Which has the makings of a story that will unite at least two Tory MP “research groups” in fury …
COVID EXODUS: A fascinating analysis published yesterday by the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence — which suggests the pandemic may have contributed to an exodus of 1.3 million people from the U.K. — is picked up by the FT and the Telegraph. The estimate “implies that the resident population of London might have fallen by nearly 700,000” as jobs were lost in sectors often dominated by migrant labor. The numbers are, by the authors’ own admission, only “illustrative” but, as they point out, “if this is even close to being accurate, this is the largest fall in the U.K. resident population since World War II.”
**Over 50 leading academic institutions will showcase their undergrad and postgraduate programs at POLITICO’s virtual EU Studies and Career Fair on February 4-5. Share the event with your network.**
PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW — ANDREW GODDARD, ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS
DISPATCH FROM THE FRONT LINE: With the NHS coming under unprecedented strain, Playbook caught up with Andrew Goddard, president of the 500-year-old Royal College of Physicians, which represents 39,000 medics, to give an update on how the health system and, critically, the people within it are coping. Professor Goddard is a consultant physician and gastroenterologist and has been working shifts on the wards at the Royal Derby Hospital caring for COVID and other patients.
The bottom line: With roughly 50 percent more admissions than during the first wave, the NHS is in a “far worse place” this time around, Goddard said. “This is busier than anybody currently working in the NHS has ever experienced.”
Regional picture: Things are better in some parts of the country than others, with case rates now seemingly falling in London and the South East, hopefully translating into a sustained fall in admissions. “But they’re still continuing to increase in the North West and in the Midlands,” Goddard said. “We know that the number of hospital admissions lags by two weeks … The Midlands is already struggling. It’s going to really struggle in two weeks.”
Differences to first wave: Although there are more COVID inpatients overall, there are actually about the same numbers in intensive care as at the previous peak in April. That’s because doctors know so much more about how to treat COVID now, so fewer need mechanical ventilation, Goddard said. “This has put much more of an onus on respiratory medicine teams and other medical teams. The use of steroids and CPAP [a form of ventilatory support which uses a mask] is much greater than in the first wave.”
Sharing the load: It also means that nearly all of that 50 percent increase in patient numbers is being seen on non-intensive medical wards. Goddard believes the NHS will have enough beds to cope, but it may well require many more patients being transferred away from their local hospital to where there is bed capacity further afield. That has already been seen with intensive care patients during this crisis, but is “almost unheard of” for non-intensive care patients. “Everyone’s going to have to muck in. I think then there will be enough beds. But we will be sweating the NHS asset harder than it has ever been sweated before,” Goddard said.
How are staff doing? “There are lots of people in the workforce who feel utterly drained and scared. This the worst they have ever experienced. But there is very much also a feeling of we are all in this together — and we will get through it. There’s a belief that this is our time, this is what we trained for. It’s hard but there is light at the end of the tunnel with vaccinations.”
Vaccines for the front line: Goddard said there was still a “mixed picture” across the country in terms of the rollout of vaccinations to front-line health care staff, but said it was “utterly achievable” for all to get a jab by the end of the month. “That’s what we should aim for.”
Workforce, workforce, workforce: If he had one ask of government, Goddard said it would be on workforce, now and in the future. He warned of a “significant mental effect, burnout and potentially PTSD in some groups of staff” at the sharp end of the pandemic response, but also of a more widespread risk of “disaffection” when the worst of the crisis is past. “I really worry about retention afterwards. What I worry about is that people who weren’t sure whether they wanted to stay in the NHS or were thinking ‘when am I going to retire?’ may well leave earlier than planned. Clearly — given where we are, where we were even before COVID — that would be a disaster. We can’t afford to lose any more staff.”
NHS rest leave proposal: “If you work for the U.N. in a disaster zone, in your job plan you have timetabled time-out in order for you to get over it. I think we need to have the same attitude here. NHS staff are probably going to need to have specific time away from the front line in order to recuperate and be at their best for the restart.”
Getting the PM’s attention: Goddard noted that one of the first questions asked to the prime minister at the liaison committee this week was on NHS staffing — and wants it to remain top of the agenda. The RCP put out a plan for doubling medical school places last week. NHS understaffing, Goddard said, was “the root of all problems” in the health service — and addressing it should be a post-pandemic priority.
SCOTTISH LABOUR LEADER: RUNNERS + RIDERS
WE HARDLY KNEW YA: The Scottish Labour Party is preparing for a leadership election to pick its seventh leader since it last left office just over 13 years ago, after Richard Leonard’s abrupt resignation in the early evening yesterday. POLITICO’s Andrew McDonald has more. In the meantime — as the party begins planning today for a leadership election just four months out from May’s Holyrood election — Andrew has your runners and riders for Scottish politics’ poisoned chalice …
Jackie Baillie, interim leader: Deeply experienced Scottish Labour figure. Was on the call with Angela Rayner and party donors that preceded Leonard’s resignation, according to the Times. On the party’s moderate/centrist wing. Will fill in as leader while a contest plays out but is unlikely to stand herself.
Anas Sarwar, constitution spokesperson: The early favorite. Narrowly lost to Leonard in a bruising leadership contest in 2017. Said to fancy another go. Had a public spat last night with a Holyrood colleague that rather shows the scale of the party’s in-fighting problem. Self-identifies as a Brownite. Like Brown in 2007, may feel his time at the top of the party has come.
Monica Lennon, health spokesperson: Potential dark horse. Received cross-party plaudits and boosted her profile with a bill that made Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products. To the left of the other candidates but not a Corbynite. Has called for a formal split from the U.K. operation. Also thinks the party should rethink its opposition to a second independence referendum.
Daniel Johnson, Edinburgh MSP: Highly rated among the party’s moderate wing. Key player in the botched leadership challenge against Leonard in the fall. Might let someone else have a go, given the party’s immediate prospects.
Ian Murray, Shadow Scotland secretary: Former pub landlord, now Scottish Labour’s only surviving MP. Might fancy following the Douglas Ross playbook by having a tilt at the leadership from Westminster. Didn’t work out that well when Jim Murphy tried in 2014. Unlikely but not impossible.
Gordon Brown, former PM: It’s not happening.
BEYOND THE M25
DANGEROUS WATERS: A mighty row continues to take place between Scottish fishermen and the U.K. government over exports to the EU, with the SNP helpfully wedging itself in by calling for the resignation of Fisheries Minister Victoria Prentis — who said earlier this week she hadn’t actually read the Brexit trade deal due to a nativity play taking priority. POLITICO’s Graham Lanktree wraps together what this one’s all about here.
LEAVE, LEAVE! Leave.EU, has immigrated to Ireland — shifting its domain registration to Waterford in southeast Ireland from its previous home in Bristol, England, seeking to retain the ability to operate online with its .eu suffix addresses. But Fine Gael’s Neale Richmond wants it deported. POLITICO’s Shawn Pogatchnik has the story.
CURFEW, BUT IN FRENCH: A nationwide 6 p.m. curfew will apply to France from Saturday, as French ministers battle surging infections and the emergence of the U.K.’s more infectious strain in the country. New travel measures will also see travelers from beyond the EU forced to provide a negative test result before entering France. Full story from POLITICO’s Elisa Braun.
MEANWHILE IN THE US: Donald Trump’s impeachment trial looks set to begin at 1 p.m. on January 20 — an hour after Joe Biden is sworn into office as the 46th U.S. president. POLITICO’s Burgess Everett and Andrew Desiderio run through the ramifications here. Meanwhile Biden last night set out a nearly $2 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package. “Significant sums [are] directed at expanding testing, accelerating vaccine deployment and safely reopening schools. The bill will also include $1,400-per-person checks to working families, extended unemployment insurance and housing and nutrition aid,” POLITICO’s Alice Miranda Ollstein and Adam Cancryn report.
**A message from Equinor: Is it high time for hydrogen in the U.K.? Equinor is working with partners to enable industrial areas of Humberside and Teesside to reduce carbon emissions, using carbon capture and clean hydrogen produced at scale from natural gas. Hydrogen provides a practical, scalable solution to decarbonize existing industries that currently depend on fossil fuels. H2H Saltend will produce hydrogen at scale to advance the world’s first fully decarbonized industrial cluster in the Humber, and helping the U.K. on its journey to net zero. Find out how we’re supporting the U.K.’s energy transition at equinor.co.uk **
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps broadcast round: Sky News (7.05 a.m.) … BBC Breakfast (7.30 a.m.) … LBC (7.50 a.m.) … Today program (8.10 a.m.) … ITV Good Morning Britain (8.30 a.m.) … Times Radio (8.50 a.m.) … talkRADIO (9.06 a.m.).
Also on the Today program: Anna Taylor, executive director of the Food Foundation (7.12 a.m.) … Rob Halfon, education committee chairman (7.30 a.m.).
Also on Good Morning Britain (ITV): Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green (7.10 a.m.).
Also on Sky News breakfast show: Scottish government National Clinical Director Jason Leitch (7.30 a.m.) … Former Chancellor Norman Lamont (8.30 a.m.) … Zahid Chauhan, Oldham Council health cabinet member (8.45 a.m.).
Also on Times Radio Breakfast: Hannah Essex, the British Chambers of Commerce’s co-executive director (6.35 a.m.) … Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh (7.05 a.m.) … SAGE member Andrew Hayward (8.05 a.m.).
Also on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast (LBC): Former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith (7.05 a.m.).
Also on Julia Hartley-Brewer breakfast show (talkRADIO): Darren Morgan, ONS director of economic stats (7.20 a.m.) … David Salisbury, former DHSC director of immunization (8.06 a.m.).
Good Morning Scotland (BBC Radio Scotland): Scottish Deputy First Minister John Swinney (8.15 a.m.) … Now former Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard (time tbc).
Reviewing the papers tonight: BBC News (10.40 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): New Statesman’s Rachel Cunliffe and Daily Express’ Michael Booker … Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): Fleet Street Fox Susie Boniface and commentator Tim Montgomerie.
TODAY’S FRONT PAGES
(Click on the publication’s name to see its front page.)
Daily Express: Dare we hope … tide is turning in COVID battle.
Daily Mail: At last … infection rates in retreat.
Daily Mirror: Jabs on the high street.
Daily Star: Landfill your boots! Bloke offers £55M to find £230M dumped in tip.
Financial Times: Plans to tear up EU worker rights regime puts 48-hour week at risk.
HuffPost UK: Tories or JVT — Who should Boris fear?
i: 500,000 jabs a day in U.K. vaccine plan.
Metro: Sorry, no beds left.
POLITICO UK: 8 reasons the U.K. leads Europe’s coronavirus vaccination race.
The Daily Telegraph: ‘Shocking’ care home outbreaks at levels not seen since first peak.
The Guardian: Mass school COVID testing not approved by regulator.
The Independent: COVID pushes 4.5 million on to NHS waiting list.
The Sun: Sad Katie — Why I’m putting Harvey in care.
The Times: 150,000 arrest records wiped in tech blunder.
TODAY’S NEWS MAGS
The Economist: The reckoning.
THANK POD IT’S FRIDAY
(Click on the links to listen.)
Acting Prime Minister: Paul Brand is joined by Tory MP Tracey Crouch.
Brexit and Beyond: Anand Menon talks to University of Cambridge politics lecturer Chris Bickerton.
Chopper’s Politics: Christopher Hope speaks to Reform U.K. co-leader Nigel Farage, Culture Minister Diana Barran and EU Ambassador the U.K. João Vale de Almeida. (Out on Saturday.)
Commons People: The HuffPost team is joined by former Labour MP Caroline Flint and former Tory MP Caroline Spelman.
EU Confidential: The POLITICO team looks at the German CDU leadership race and is joined by British author Simon Anholt.
Making Common Ground: Catherine Neilan talks to former Vote Leave Chief Executive Matthew Elliott.
Newscast: The BBC team discusses the Brazilian COVID variant, with new UNISON boss Christina McAnea.
The Bunker: Dorian Lynskey is joined by the BBC’s Latin America correspondent Will Grant to talk left wing populists.
Westminster Insider: ICYMI last week, Jack Blanchard looks at the history of pandemics in the pilot episode of POLITICO U.K.’s new podcast.
What Were You Thinking: Former SpAd Laura Round talks to Global Partnership for Education CEO Alice Albright.
YOUR WEEKEND IN POLITICS
SUNDAY SHOWS: No confirmed guests yet for Andrew Marr (BBC One, Sunday 9 a.m.). Sophy Ridge will be joined by former FBI Director James Comey (Sky News, Sunday 8.30 a.m.).
G&T: Tom Newton Dunn and Gloria De Piero will be joined by Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs, Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Fleur Anderson and Church of England parish priest Richard Coles (Times Radio, Sunday 11 a.m.).
Westminster Hour: Carolyn Quinn will be joined by Tory MP Bim Afolami … Shadow Science Minister Chi Onwurah … Former U.K Ambassador to the U.S. Kim Darroch … and the Telegraph’s Lucy Fisher (BBC Radio 4, Sunday 10 p.m.).
HAPPENING IN GERMANY: The three candidates vying to lead Germany’s main governing party, the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), face off on Saturday for the leadership of the party — with the winner getting a good shot at succeeding Angela Merkel as the chancellor later this year. POLITICO’s Laurenz Gehrke has the runners and riders, while Matthew Karnitschnig takes a closer look at one of them, Friedrich Merz, a combative lawyer with a penchant for revenge.
Westminster weather: ☁️☁️☁️ Dry but icy in the morning. Highs of 4C.
Doctor Who meets the Commons: Classic virtual Commons moment during yesterday’s coronavirus debate, where Tory MP Scott Mann didn’t quite sound himself — more like a Dalek, according to Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans. Watch the great footage here (h/t the PA’s Richard Wheeler).
Internal news: POLITICO Europe will be a launching China Direct in March, a weekly newsletter looking at relations between Europe and China. Stuart Lau, a former Europe correspondent for the South China Morning Post, will join POLITICO to anchor the newsletter as the first EU-China Correspondent. Read the team’s full release and register in advance for China Direct here.
Birthdays: Derby South MP Margaret Beckett … Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie … Holyrood Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh … Foreign Office head of Latin America James Dauris … Tory peer Andrew Tyrie … Lib Dem peer Jeremy Purvis … U.K. Ambassador to Mexico Corin Robertson … Former No. 10 spinner Dylan Sharpe.
And celebrating over the weekend: Rugby MP Mark Pawsey … Former Glasgow North East MP Paul Sweeney … Labour peer Jeannie Drake … Tory peer Patricia Morris … “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda … Ashford MP and former de-facto deputy PM Damian Green … Shadow Armed Forces Minister Stephen Morgan … House of Lords Opposition Deputy Chief Whip Denis Tunnicliffe … Stormont Deputy Speaker Christopher Stalford … U.K. Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward … BBC News Tech Correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones … and former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama.
PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editor Zoya Sheftalovich, reporter Andrew McDonald and producer Miriam Webber.
SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | EU Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | AI: Decoded | D.C. Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters | <urn:uuid:0e0c6a56-3546-4c4a-bed0-e4df5a10e550> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/politico-london-playbook-vaccine-race-rcp-president-interview-scottish-labour-runners-and-riders/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572161.46/warc/CC-MAIN-20220815054743-20220815084743-00472.warc.gz | en | 0.929646 | 6,111 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Because fame is so subjective, any attempt to name a single most famous mathematician of all time is completely subject to opinion. Many big names in the history of mathematics vie for the title of most famous mathematician:
Who was the most famous mathematician?
- Pythagoras (6th century B.C.): Although his name is most associated with the Pythagorean Theorem, which is used to calculate the length of the sides of a right triangle, Pythagoras was also the first to discover irrational numbers. He was also an acoustician, philosopher, and cult leader.
- Archimedes (3rd century B.C.): Considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time, Archimedes estimated ∏ (pi) with great precision and showed that a circle's area is equal to ∏ times the square of the circle's radius. He also figured out how to calculate the area under a parabola, discovered how to measure an item's mass by dropping it in water, and developed an explanation for the principle of the lever.
- Rene Descartes: Although he's most well-known for his philosophical endeavors (including the oft-quoted phrase, "I think, therefore I am"), Rene Descartes also developed the Cartesian coordinate system, the old x-y axis graphing system at the heart of any geometry class, and the basis of analytical geometry.
- Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz: Isaac Newton is most famous for his theories of gravity, his laws of motion, and his experiments with prisms. In the world of mathematics, Newton, working in Great Britain, and Gottfried Leibniz, working in Germany, independently discovered calculus. Leibniz also discovered binary theory, which is the foundation of all computer systems today.
- Alan Turing: In the early 20th century, British mathematician Alan Turing was important to the development of the concept of the algorithm and of computation in general. During World War II, he was crucial to England's success in cracking Nazi naval transmission codes, and his ideas and discoveries led to the development of the first stored-program computer. Today, he is considered the father of computer science.
- Albert Einstein: You know you've made a big impact when your name becomes synonymous with genius. Although his main focus was theoretical physics, he couldn't have accomplished what he did without a hefty bit of mathematical magic. Einstein is, of course, the author of the world's most famous equation: E = mc2.
Mathematicians are recognized for great work with a number of awards. Perhaps the most prestigious is the Fields Medal, which is awarded every four years to two to four mathematicians under the age of 40. But many other awards exist, many of them named after great mathematicians of the past, including the Abel Prize, the Euler Medal, the Fermat Prize, and the Wolf Prize in Mathematics. | <urn:uuid:b60b7d6c-a37e-4546-bec6-9734d185b2ac> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.cliffsnotes.com/cliffsnotes/subjects/history/who-was-the-most-famous-mathematician | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560283689.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095123-00347-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968535 | 600 | 3.71875 | 4 |
France will cut its income tax rate by three percentage points in next year's budget, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin has said in a press interview.
The Prime Minister wants to kick-start the economy
The move is intended to boost France's sluggish economy and comes despite calls from the European Union for the country to cut its budget deficit.
In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, Mr Raffarin also said benefits for low earners would be increased.
"What we need in this country is to encourage employment," he told the paper.
"We need to create wealth before we can share the fruits of growth.
"It would be a serious mistake to change strategy just at the moment when we perceive signs of a return to growth."
The weakness of the French economy has already caused the government to cut its growth forecast for this year to 1.3% from 2.5%, and reports have suggested it could be lowered further.
But news of tax cuts is likely to raise fears about the state of government finances.
Earlier this week France admitted that its budget deficit this year will be 4% of gross domestic product - a level way above eurozone rules on fiscal discipline, which were designed to help underpin the euro.
This would be the second year in succession that France has exceeded the 3% deficit ceiling, and adds to the growing list of eurozone countries to have broken the rules.
There are also fears it will break the 3% barrier in 2004 as well, a move which could incur fines from the European Commission.
The French Government has been particularly vocal in its calls for looser eurozone budget rules.
Last week Mr Raffarin repeated the call for flexibility after a meeting with European Commission president Romano Prodi. | <urn:uuid:6437fdfa-3e13-406a-ba7b-4b9fc84d9e0b> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3079336.stm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280730.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00253-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.967209 | 357 | 1.625 | 2 |
|Publication number||US5086870 A|
|Application number||US 07/606,560|
|Publication date||11 Feb 1992|
|Filing date||31 Oct 1990|
|Priority date||31 Oct 1990|
|Publication number||07606560, 606560, US 5086870 A, US 5086870A, US-A-5086870, US5086870 A, US5086870A|
|Original Assignee||Division Driving Systems, Inc.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (7), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (162), Classifications (12), Legal Events (8)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of systems for the operation of motor vehicles with specialized control systems. More particularly, this invention relates to systems whereby the steering, acceleration and braking functions of a conventional motor vehicle are controlled by a single device through the mediation of microprocessors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The mobility of the individual is considered an essential element in the educational, business and recreational aspects of life in our society. In particular, this mobility permits the individual to be self-sufficient and, therefore, less reliant upon society for his or her well-being. The principal basis for the realization of this individual mobility, which has essentially occurred within the last fifty years, has been the proliferation of motor vehicles. Currently it is estimated that there are more than 120 million individually-owned vehicles in this country alone. Typically, these vehicles are produced, en mass, and sold to individuals who use them to travel from home to school, or to work, or to any other location of choice.
For most individuals this mobility is achieved simply by stepping into their production-line automobiles, turning on the engine and driving away. Unfortunately, within our society there are several hundred thousand Americans who are paraplegic or quadriplegic (i.e., suffer from restricted motion and strength in one or more limbs of the body) and who therefore cannot simply step into their autombiles and drive away. For these individuals the production-line automobile does not provide the mobility most take for granted. Since one of our societal goals, as evidenced by recent legislation--see the AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990, enacted July 26, 1990--is to provide all physically-impaired individuals with equal access to all those activities which are available to the population as a whole, there is great pressure to provide equivalent mobility. To this end, several devices have been developed in order to transform production-line vehicles into accessible and useable vehicles for the physically-impaired. Nevertheless, the prior art devices directed to this end suffer from various deficiencies which make them unsuitable. Generally, these devices have problems related to the electronics and to the user/vehicle interfaces which either render the vehicles inoperable, or at least very difficult to operate by the seriously impaired individual. Confronted with such problems, the handicapped individual may minimize his or her use of the vehicle and this, in turn, undercuts the goal of selfsufficiency.
One particular prior art means for control of a vehicle by a physically-impaired individual is the control device of Ahnafield (U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,416). Ahnafield discloses the use of hydraulic cylinders for operating the steering, acceleration and braking of a vehicle. Control of all of the hydraulic cylinders is achieved through the operation of a remote manipulator and the hydraulic pressure used in the cylinders is delivered by the vehicle's own hydraulic pump. The remote manipulator described by Ahnafield comprises a single joystick of the type well known in the field of motorized wheelchairs. Such manipulators provide two axes of motion wherein side-to-side motion is translated into left and right turns, and forward and backward motion are translated into acceleration and braking.
Another type of control device is the one disclosed by Johnson et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,476,954). This device also operates by means of a single joystick, similar to the one described by Ahnafield. The joystick controls input to DC motors which are then used to rotate the steering wheel and to depress the accelerator and brake pedals. In particular, the joystick has a range of motion that approximates the range of motion of an airplane joystick. Although the use of such a joystick for controlling a vehicle is of particular interest to the physically-impaired individual, such a range of motion may limit the usage of the Johnson device to those individuals with the dexterity to reach and maintain full extension as the driving situation dictates.
The prior art devices which provide a joystick method of operating a vehicle all fail in one particular aspect: they do not fully address the needs of the physically-impaired individual. Although such individuals have physical deficiencies, they respond to driving stimuli utilizing the same mental processes as fully functional individuals. In order to provide vehicle access to all but the most severely impaired, there must be a control system which translates the limited movement and strength of the individual into commands that direct the vehicle to operate as a function of the mental process rather than the physical process. To do so, the translation from electronic input, initiated by the physically-impaired individual, to operation of the vehicle must be as smooth as the translation from the brain to the hands and feet of the normal individual.
Additionally, to make the vehicle completely adapted for physically-impaired use, there must be means by which the impaired individual may control the vehicle in the event of catastrophic failure of the control system. In the prior art devices, failure of one or more major components disables the control system and prevents the physically-impaired individual from controlling the vehicle entirely. Such catastrophic failures are often caused by environmental exposure of system components placed external to the passenger compartment of the vehicle. It is therefore essential that any backup system be placed within the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Also, any backup system which permits continuous operation by the impaired individual after catastrophic failure of a primary component must continue to account for the similarities in mental processing as described above.
A further problem associated with the prior art devices is the difficulty in switching control of the vehicle from a unitary mode of control to a conventional able-bodied mode of control. These devices often require hours of servicing by an expert mechanic to remove all the disabled-body features and reset the standard steering and acceleration/braking functions.
Therefore, what is needed is a control device for the operation of a vehicle by a physically-impaired individual that: (1) provides a means by which the normal thought processes used in steering, accelerating and braking a vehicle can be implemented smoothly regardless of the physical impairment of the operator; (2) provides multiple redundant backup systems to guard against catastrophic failure of the system; (3) accommodates the full range of impairments associated with the particular individual; (4) is contained within the passenger compartment of the vehicle; and (5) can be easily switched, in a short period of time, from disabled-body control to conventional able-body control.
The devices which have been described as providing control of a vehicle through a unitary control joystick are useful starting points for the physically-impaired individual. Such devices have been known and used for a long time in specialized land vehicles (see, for example, the lunar rovers utilized during the exploration of the moon in the 1970's and in other experimental vehicles as early as the 1950's ). Although the single joystick means of control is an essential element in the operation of a vehicle by a physically-impaired individual, it is necessary to accommodate the physical-impairment throughout the entire control system. In particular, it is necessary to provide a response to joystick operation which accounts for, in all essential features, the steering, acceleration and braking patterns which are most natural for the human brain. This is achieved in the present invention through the use of a joystick with a small range of motion, a joystick-interfacing design which permits "digitized" steering, acceleration and braking control, backup control systems and mechanical components that provide a smooth transition from a limited physical input to a desired vehicle movement.
In the present invention, the first consideration in providing accommodation throughout the control system is the human interface with the steering operation of the vehicle. Observations of able-body driving techniques, undertaken during the development of this system, demonstrated a decidedly repeatable driving pattern and illustrated a key principle: steering of a vehicle is basically a digital action. When approaching and negotiating a turn, drivers first assess the amount of steering input required to accomplish the maneuver. They then rotate the steering wheel to a particular position and hold it for a duration which they believe will accomplish the desired maneuver. Once under way they constantly reassess the initial decision and make required adjustments to the steering wheel angle. Once at the desired turning radius they continue to assess the situation and make small incremental adjustments. This also occurs coming out of the turn. It is a process which follows the logic of assess, act, reassess, react and complete. There is, of course, a difference between entering and exiting a turn with a vehicle in that in coming out of a turn the input is not powered by the driver; instead, the driver permits the natural recentering of the steering wheel to accomplish the desired adjustement. In effect, the vehicle itself limits the required driver input. All human beings appear to process the perceived driving situation in the same way; however, the physically-impaired individual is physically incapable of acting on his or her perception in the same way as the physically-able individual can. It is precisely the elimination of the physical impairment bottleneck which is at the heart of the present invention.
A problem of particular concern addressed in the present invention involves the relationship between the limited range of motion of the physically-handicapped individual and the extent to which a steering wheel can be rotated. The means of control of steering was to consist of a remote manipulator directed by the driver's extremity, with the arm being supported so as to bring the extremity into comfortable proximity to the manipulator. This was only the beginning of the solution to the problem. In particular, a manipulator which controls the entire turning radius of a steering wheel (typically, a total of four steering wheel revolutions from left lock to right lock) in a direct manner would have been extremely sensitive to any driver motion. Contrary to all prior art, the present invention provides a digital rather than analog link between the driver input and steering angle. This is done by means of a "split-stick" joystick wherein the sensitivity of the joystick input to the steering wheel varies with the steering angle and rate of speed of the vehicle. This digital rather than analog input means is achievable through the present invention utilizing a programmed central processing unit and stepper motors to translate a small range of joystick motion into full scale steering wheel motion.
Even more important is the present invention's "turn and hold" feature which enables the physically-impaired driver to operate a vehicle in fundamentally the same manner as the able-bodied driver. Contrary to prior art steering controllers, the present invention permits the driver to turn the wheels of the vehicle to a particular angle and hold them at that position. In this way the joystick can be set to one position and held without the requirement that it be continuously adjusted back and forth in response to the wish to maintain a constant steer angle on the vehicle's front wheels.
A central problem which had to be addressed involved the effect of a catastrophic failure on any major component of the system and how that would affect the ability of the physically-impaired individual to maintain control of the vehicle with his or her limited range of motion. This is achieved in the present invention by providing redundant backups to all critical components. In particular, the central processing unit of the invention contains complete dual control components which are independently powered such that a failed element, such as a microprocessor, is automatically backed up. In addition, the cables in closed loop operations of the system are backed up with secondary cables. Finally, unlike prior art devices, the present invention automatically shuts down the vehicle in the event of a mechanical component failure, but nevertheless, with enough backup power to permit the physically-impaired individual to bring the vehicle to a complete stop on the side of the road.
The central processing unit of the present invention comprises four microprocessors that control the active input and output of the system and which are set up independently and operate autonomously. Two of these microprocessors are active in the primary mode and the other two microprocessors are redundant backups to the first two. One of the primary microprocessors controls the input and output associated with the steering functions of the vehicle, and the other primary microprocessor controls the acceleration and braking functions. Although the two secondary microprocessors will control the respective mechanical functions of the vehicle only when the primary microprocessors fail, the backups are operational at all times, serving as reference checks for the primary controllers. Contained within each of the four microprocessors is a coordinating integrated circuit which enables an exchange of information between the microprocessors such that they perform as autonomous devices without attempting to control the entire system. The coordinating circuitry is of the type which is standard within the automotive industry.
The input signal received from the remote manipulator of the present invention is analyzed by the microprocessors, which in turn provide an output signal to stepper drive controllers corresponding to the stepper motors. The stepper drive controllers in turn convert these signals into motion information for the stepper motors of the system. As with the microprocessors, there is a mirrored pair of stepper drive controllers and associated switch-over circuitry to allow for backup operation. The stepper drive controllers control the direction of motion and speed of the stepper motors by translating low level control signals from the microprocessors into the required voltage and current to obtain the power needed at the stepper motors to achieve the desired motor rates and directions. The direction of stepper motor motion is relayed by the motor drive controllers by virtue of the order in which the windings of the motors are energized, and the rate of stepper motor motion is controlled through the frequency in which the windings are activated, all as is well known. The utilization of a combination of microprocessors, stepper drive controllers and stepper motors thereby permits translation of a small joystick range of motion into thousands of discrete and repeatable locations of steering wheel and accelerator/brake positions.
As part of the entire control system of the present system which enables the physically-impaired individual to operate a vehicle, there is also incorporated a programmable control pad. This pad permits the driver with limited dexterity to control all of the other necessary functions of the vehicle, including: engine start-up; automatic shifting; window, lock and light control and several other functions. The pad is positioned for easy access, has a wide target area, and is color-coded for quick recognition. It is programmable in the sense that each specific pad area can be programmed to operate any of the vehicle's switch controls. This includes the capacity to make the specific pad area outputs correspond to either a latch-type or a hold-type switch function.
Although the present invention is described as operable essentially by physically impaired individuals, it is to be understood that the control system disclosed herein is a complete system that is operable by able-bodied individuals as well and therefore should not be seen as being limited to any one use in particular.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the components of the present invention located within a vehicle.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the central processing unit, power supply/drive unit and backup power supply of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the central processing unit and the power supply/drive unit of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an expanded view of the armrest unit of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle sensing system and ignition interrupt system of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of the initialization sequence of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a detailed side view of the joystick assembly.
FIG. 8 is a descriptive view of the control bands of the joystick of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a schematic block diagram of the steering function of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the steering assembly of the present invention. FIG. 10a is a top view of the steering assembly.
FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of the acceleration/braking function of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the acceleration/braking assembly of the present invention. FIG. 12a is a top view of the gears of the acceleration/braking assembly.
FIG. 13 is a front view of the acceleration/braking assembly of the present invention. FIG. 13a is a side view of the adapted accelerator pedal of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a diagram of the control touch pad system of the present invention, including a front view of the touch pad.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a joystick-operated control device is affixed to a vehicle 1 in accordance with the present invention. The vehicle 1 is of any type having an automatic transmission, steering means, acceleration means and braking means. To accommodate the physical limitations of a physically-impaired individual, the operation of said vehicle 1 must be achievable through minimal physical movement. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, said vehicle 1 is completely operable through the manipulation of a single joystick 2 and a control touch pad 8. In particular, movement of said joystick 2 to the left or right translates into a left or right turn of said vehicle 1 and forward and backward motion of said joystick 2 accelerates and decelerates said vehicle 1. The motion of said joystick 2 transmits a signal to a central processing unit 16, which in turn directs a power supply/drive unit 5 to command a steering assembly 6 to operate a steering wheel 7, and an acceleration/braking assembly 9 to operate an acceleration pedal 55 and a braking pedal 56 of said vehicle 1.
To power the present invention, the operating system of said vehicle 1 can be used. This 12-volt supply consists of a main battery 82 and an alternator 83 and is connected to said power supply/drive unit 5 through a power cable 84. While the vehicle power supply is in normal operation, it is capable of delivering a minimum of between 200 and 500 amps instantaneously and between 70 and 100 amps continuously. In normal operation there exists a surplus of approximately 55 amps which can be drawn for use by the present invention without any detrimental effect on the rest of the vehicle's system. The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been designed so as require no more than 45 amps at all times.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, said power supply/drive unit 5 powers said central processing unit 16 through a controller power cable 85. Said controller power cable 85 comprises a 25 pin d-subminiature connector 86 that is screwed into a power receiver 87 of said central processing unit 16. To provide a redundant source of power to said central processing unit 16, a backup power supply 23 is connected to said central processing unit 16 using a circular format locking plug 88. Within said power supply/drive unit 5, a voltage converter 89 steps the 12-volt input from said main battery 82 up to 84 volts. This higher voltage is required to operate stepper motors and their corresponding drives in order to achieve the high motor speed and high torque necessary to accommodate the physical impairment of the driver. Output from said converter 89 is also used to power said central processing unit 16, after the supplied power has been filtered and reduced to 60 volts.
Said converter 89 is a subunit mounted to the bottom of an enclosure 90 of said power supply/drive unit 5 and is connected to said power supply/drive unit 5 by means of a circuit latching plug 91. Said circuit latching plug supplies said converter 89 with vehicle voltage and ground and supplies the system with a positive 84-volt output and a ground. Vehicle ground for said unit 5 is supplied through a front panel 92 of said enclosure 90 by way of a threaded stud 93 and utilizing a braided ground strap 94 to a ground bolt 95 through the floor of said vehicle 1. Input voltage to said unit 5 is controlled through a power relay 96 located on a coordinating microprocessor activated by said central processing unit 16. Said converter 89 has the capability to limit its output current and then reset to normal when demand is reduced. A status line 97 provides communication from said central processing unit 16 indicating when output is to be reduced.
In the event of main power failure, said backup power supply 23 is a 78-volt battery with the capacity to provide power to the entire system of the present invention for up to 45 minutes. Further, a switching circuit 98 within said central processing unit distributes power from said converter 89 to said backup power supply 23 in order to provide a constant float charge to said backup power supply 23.
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the manipulative means for controlling the steering, acceleration, and braking operations of said vehicle 1 is contained within an armrest unit 110. Said armrest unit 110 comprises a system display unit 4 and a control arm assembly 3. In particular, said display unit 4 informs the vehicle operator of the operational status of the system at any given time. Said display unit 4 comprises six lighted indicators 13a-f and a manual backup switch 15, all of which are located forward of said joystick 2 so as to permit easy viewing. Said indicators 13a-f and said backup switch 15 are contained in an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) housing 14. Two of said indicators 13a and 13b disclose whether the present invention is in "OPERATION" or in a "BACKUP" mode. BACKUP is illuminated when said manual backup switch 15 is activated since this changes the system from primary to backup control if automatic means of switching primary to secondary functions fail. The remainder of said indicators, 13c-f, serve to announce, respectively, that the system is: (1) in "STANDBY" --a phase of operation characterized by a central processing unit 16 being in its self-diagnosis and initialization mode; (2) in "BATTERY" when said backup power supply 23 is at low voltage; (3) in "TEMP" when detectors of the present invention detect operating temperatures outside of the safe-operating range; and (4) in "SERVICE" when said central processing unit 16 has detected a system default.
Said control arm assembly 3 contains said joystick 2, electronic equipment 18 located within a junction box 19, and an orthotic pad 11. Said control arm assembly 3 is affixed to a base 12 in said vehicle 1, wherein said base 12 is modifiable to accommodate the particular user. The interface between said electronic equipment 18 and said central processing unit 16 comprises a primary interface cable 20a and a secondary interface cable 20b. Said primary cable 20a supplies power to said electronic equipment 18 within said junction box 19, transmits command signals from said central processing unit 16 to said display unit 4 and transmits input signals from said joystick 2 and said manual switch 15 to said central processing unit 16. Said secondary cable 20b is a redundant backup link and carries electronic signals from parallel circuitry within said junction box 19 in the event of primary system failure. Said parallel circuitry is also utilized by said central processing unit 16 to confirm primary circuit reliability. An indicator light power source connector 21 is also housed within said control arm assembly 3. Said connector 21 connects a vehicle battery power wire 111 and a backup power supply wire 112 to said indicator lights 13. All wiring in said interface cables 20a and 20b which interfaces with said central processing unit 16 is internally harnessed, uses latching-type headers, is strain relieved and is protected from chaffing, all as part of addressing the crucial need for reliability and multiple redundancy.
The interface between said joystick 2 and the mechanical elements of said vehicle 1, i.e., the acceleration, braking and steering mechanisms, is controlled through said central processing unit 16. Said central processing unit 16 contains the circuitry to initiate use of the system as well as the microprocessors that control the electronic/mechanical interfacing of the driver inputs and vehicle operation, all of which sub-systems are well known within the industry. Four levels of electronics are all contained within said central processing unit 16. These four levels correspond to: (1) initialization of the joystick-control of the vehicle and sensing vehicle status: (2) control of vehicle motion; (3) perform input and output functions; and (4) perform self-checks to evaluate control reliability. Within each of two primary microprocessors, 28 and 29 and each of two secondary microprocessors 30 and 31 of said central processing unit 16 there is a coordinating integrated circuit. In the preferred embodiment, said coordinating integrated circuit is the CAN chip, manufactured by Intel. Said CAN chip permits the transfer of knowledge and data back and forth between said microprocessors 28-31, wherein the coordination of said microprocessors 28-31 is prompted by programming commands, all as is well known. Through this command system mechanical functions of the present invention can be varied to meet the needs of the particular vehicle operator.
To begin operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an initialization sequence incorporated into the programming of said central processing unit 16, performs a systemwide evaluation prior to engaging joystick control of the vehicle. Said sequence checks all system utilities and hardware individually. All vehicle evaluation information is transmitted through said vehicle 1 by means of a vehicle interface cable 22, which interfaces with several vehicle sensors, all of which are well known. Although redundant elements are essential features of the present invention, there is no redundancy for said vehicle interface cable 22, primarily because of the sturdy design of the components involved, and because failure of said vehicle interface cable 22 is non-catastrophic to the present invention.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the information transmitted through said vehicle interface cable 22 is derived from a vacuum sensor 69, a park sensor 70 and a speed sensor 50, which transmit current vehicle status information utilized by said central processing unit 16 to evaluate vehicle readiness. Said vacuum sensor 69 connects to a manifold system 71 of said vehicle 1 by means of a tee tap 72. Said vacuum sensor 69 is set to trigger when the engine of said vehicle 1 stops producing a vacuum. Said park sensor 70 is placed on a power shifter apparatus 73 of said vehicle 1 and is set to trigger when said shifter apparatus 73 is set to PARK. Said park sensor 70 is constructed of a high quality microswitch and is mounted such that a mechanical linkage 74 of said shifter apparatus 73 trips a switch lever 75 of said park sensor 70 when said shifter apparatus 73 is placed in PARK. Said speed sensor 50 connects directly between a speedometer 76 and a speedometer cable 77 of said vehicle 1. Said speed sensor 50 sends an electrical signal to said central processing unit 16 identifying vehicle motion and speed.
When said procesing utit 16 senses that said vehicle 1 is: (a) in park, (b) not moving, (c) has engine vacuum and (d) ignition is on, said STANDBY indicator 13c is lighted to inform a driver that the system self-check has been initiated, as illustrated in FIG. 6. During this sequence, said microprocessors 28-31 prevent said vehicle 1 from being shifted out of PARK until OPERATION indicator 13a is lighted. Next, a diagnostic check is made of said four microprocessors 28-31 of the invention. If a failure is detected then the initialization sequence stops and said SERVICE indicator 13d is lighted.
If there are no failures detected in the microprocessors, then said backup power supply 23 is checked for full charge. If not fully charged, said BATTERY indicator 13e is lighted and said processing unit 16 initiates a charging sequence utilizing said main battery 82. After said backup power supply 23 status has been confirmed, the temperature at said enclosure 90 is measured. If said drive temperature is outside of the temperature range of 32° F. to 140° F. (0° C. to 60° C.), then said TEMPERATURE indicator 13f is lighted. In order to bring said drive temperature within the stated range, ventilation fans 25 are activated and said drive temperature is remeasured every 0.05 seconds. When said drive temperature is brought within the stated range, said TEMPERATURE indicator 13f is turned off by command of said central processing unit 16. Next in the initialization sequence is the evaluation of steering and acceleration drive controllers 26a and 26b respectively. Said drive controllers 26a and 26b power steering and acceleration motors 39 and 52 respectively. Said SERVICE indicator 13d is lighted if there is a fault in either drive controller 26a or 26b. If no fault is detected, then said central processing unit 16 enables said drive controllers 26a and 26b to power said motors 39 and 52, which are in turn operated and evaulated by said central processing unit 16 for movement and feedback. If fault is found during this procedure said SERVICE indicator 13d is again lighted and the initialization sequence is halted. When all evaluations indicate proper operation and feedback of these critical systems, then primary microprocessors 28 and 29, and secondary microprocessors 30 and 31 are activated and said STANDBY indicator 13c is turned off and said OPERATION indicator 13a is lighted.
To prevent start-up of the initialization sequence, an able-body switch 79, connected to said vehicle interface cable 22, disables said vacuum sensor 69 and sends voltage to an ignition circuit 27 to permit normal operation of said vehicle 1. In this manner, said central processing unit 16 never senses the proper inputs from the various sensors and therefore never begins the initialization sequence.
While the system comprising the present invention is in operation, said primary microprocessors 28 and 29 constantly check themselves against said secondary microprocessors 30 and 31. Through said CAN circuit, all information gathered by the microprocessors is shared through communication lines, thus enabling redundant evaluation of the information received. Said communication lines are buffered so that in spite of shared information, the actual output of a particular microprocessor never jeopardizes the electrical autonomy of another microprocessor. Isolation of the inputs and outputs of each microprocessor is also insured. This is achieved by means of individual optocouplers 99 for each line. Said optocouplers 99 use a beam of light within said CAN circuit to transmit a signal without a physical connection. Said optocouplers 99 isolate said microprocessors from any damage which may occur as a result of the failure of an outlying component or assembly.
In the event of any serious system fault at any time during the operation of the system, an ignition interrupt trigger 17 provides said central processing unit 16 with a means for stopping said vehicle 1. Said interrupt trigger 17 interfaces with said ignition circuit 27 of said vehicle 1 through a relay drive pack 78. Said interrupt trigger 17 enables said central processing unit 16 to shut off the vehicle engine only, while maintaining necessary accessory functions, allowing the driver to move said vehicle 1 to the side of the road.
To incorporate the digital action/reaction process of the physically-impaired vehicle driver, said joystick 2 of the present invention is constructed using a set of potentiometers to provide the desired mechanical/electronic interface, as illustrated in FIG. 7. In particular, said joystick 2 operates as a two-axis assembly wherein a front-to-back axis utilizes a high reliability potentiometer 49 to control acceleration and braking functions, and a left-to-right axis controls steering utilizing a system of opposing potentiometers 32 and 33. Said joystick 2 is manufactured of high quality steel stampings and machined aluminum components. Said joystick 2 employs two axial compression springs 80a and 80b, to allow said joystick 2 to center itself when there is an absence of input force.
The particular feature of said joystick 2 which distinguishes it from the prior art involves the steering operation. Referring to FIG. 8 regarding this feature, when said vehicle 1 is driven straight ahead, said joystick 2 has a large area near the straight-up position that may be referred to as the center deadband (region A). This deadband is approximately plus or minus 15 degrees about the steering axis of said joystick 2. Any motion within the deadband is ignored by said central processing unit 16, allowing the physically-impaired driver the comfort to hold said vehicle 1 in the straight-ahead position in spite of involuntary movement of said joystick 2. When the driver wishes to turn said vehicle 1, said joystick 2 must be moved beyond the 15-degree area into a steering region (region B). As long as said joystick 2 is held beyond the 15-degree deflection, the wheels of said vehicle 1 will continue to turn (i.e., the steering angle will increase). To prevent the front wheels from turning further and to hold them at the steering angle they have reached, said joystick 2 may be brought back into a holding region (region C). Region C lies between a 5-degree position and 15-degree deflection. This holding band permits the driver to limit the extent of wheel-turn and at the same time permits a relaxation band wherein involuntary movement will not affect the extent of wheel-turn. To increase the wheel-turn, said joystick 2 is simply moved beyond the limit of region A. When the input wheel-turn extends beyond the desired position or there is a desire to straighten out the wheels completely, then said joystick 2 may be relaxed to its natural straight-up position and when it is within 5 degrees or less of the straight-up position the wheels will return to a centered position at a variable rate, as defined by a centering motion region (region D). Once at the center position, the original center deadband region (region A) will become active.
Additionally, said regions A-C may be further defined to vary the rate at which the wheels turn. This variation is achievable through modifications in the controlling functions of said central processing unit 16. For example, in the preferred embodiment, when said vehicle is moving at 20 miles per hour and said joystick 2 is moved just beyond the 15 degree range, just into region B, said central processing unit 16 will command said steering wheel to turn at 0.25 revolutions per second (i.e., lock-to-lock in about 16 seconds). If said joystick 2 is pushed to full extension in region B, while said vehicle 1 remains at the same speed, said steering wheel will be commanded to rotate at 1.0 revolution per second. As the vehicle speed increases, the extent of rotation is reduced, e.g., at 45 miles per hour the rate of steering wheel revolutions is reduced to 0.12 revs per second at the start of region B and increases to 0.50 revolutions per second at full extension. This rate variation has been incorporated into the present invention as a result of the human factors observations previously described. The rate variation permits the physically-impaired driver to drive in the same manner as the able-bodied driver by permitting small increments of wheel turn at high speeds.
Within region D there exists means to vary the rate at which said vehicle 1 may be taken out of a turn. For example, if said vehicle 1 has been turned to the right, said joystick 2 may be permitted to return to the straight up position and the wheels of said vehicle 1 will self-center. However, if the driver wishes to increase the rate at which the wheels return from the right-hand turn, said joystick may be moved to the left of center, within region D, and the wheels will return to the straight ahead position more quickly than if self-centering were permitted. The rate at which this return occurs is less than if said joystick 2 were positioned in region B but more so than when said joystick is in the straight-up position.
FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a control system of the present invention for the steering function of said vehicle 1. To initiate a turn, said joystick 2 is moved left or right, in the manner previously described, through region A into region B. This mechanical movement is translated into a first electronic steering signal 35 by means of primary steering potentiometer 32 and a secondary steering signal 35b by means of a secondary steering potentiometer 33, wherein said secondary potentiometer 33 is a redundant backup for said primary potentiometer 32. Said potentiometers 32 and 33 are of any type which translate mechanical motion into a voltage signal. A key feature of the present invention is a voltage-to-frequency converter 81, located under said orthotic pad 11, converts said first steering signal 35 into a steering frequency signal 35a. Said converter 81 is designed with three discrete sections and four discrete circuits, so that the failure of one section will not disable the present control system. In particular, the first section converts said first electronic steering signal 35 from said primary steering potentiometer 32 and a second section converts the signal from said secondary steering potentiometer 33. The third section operates to convert the joystick signal related to the acceleration and braking functions of said vehicle 1. Said converter 81 permits operation of the stepper motors of the present invention, wherein said steering motor 39 translates left and right joystick movement into small and discrete shifts in steering wheel rotation. Said converter 81 permits the digital actions of the driver to be translated into digital data which in turn is processed by said central processing unit 16.
To control steering, a primary steering microprocessor 28 compares said steering frequency signal 35a with a present-position signal 36 transmitted by said speed sensor 50. The variance between the desired extend of wheel turn, as indicated by said steering frequency signal 35a, and the present extent of wheel turn, as indicated by a steering encoder signal 48, is analyzed by said primary steering microprocessor 28. Said primary steering microprocessor 28 in turn transmits a second electronic steering signal 114 to said steering drive controller 26a which in turn transmits a steering movement signal 115 through a steering motor cable 38 to said steering motor 39 located within said steering assembly 6 of the present invention.
As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 10a, said steering motor 39 operates to transmit the steering input by the movement of said joystick 2 to a standard, manufacturer-supplied steering shaft 40 of said vehicle 1. Initially, said steering shaft 40 is shortened to compensate for the added length resulting from the attachment of said steering assembly 6. This shortening of said shaft 40 is achievable by cutting and fitting said shaft 40 without removing such safety features as collapsibility and airbags. In particular, a steering plate 41 is affixed to said steering shaft 40 by attaching a 4" diameter column gear 42 to said steering shaft 40. Said steering plate 41 further comprises a steering motor gear 43, a steering motor/encoder interface gear 44, a steering encoder gear 45 and a steering encoder potentiometer 46. The movement of said steering motor gear 43 is controlled by said steering motor 39 to which it is affixed. Said motor gear 43 in turn moves said steering shaft 40 by directly contacting said column gear 42. Adjustable slots 47 on said steering plate 41 permit the adjustment of said motor gear 43 to fit the teeth of said column gear 42. Both said motor gear 43 and said column gear 42 have face widths of 0.75" and 48 teeth to yield a ratio of 1:1. Said motor/encoder interface gear 44, with a 1.5" diameter and 48 teeth, transmits the rotary motion of said motor gear 43 to said steering encoder gear 45. Said steering encoder gear 45, with a 6.25" diameter and 199 teeth, sets a ratio of 4.15:1, thus enabling said steering encoder gear 45 to turn less than one full revolution for the entire 3.8 revolutions required by said steering wheel 7 to go from a full left to a full right turn. The movement of said encoder gear 45 is in turn transformed into said steering encoder signal 48 by means of said steering encoder potentiometer 46. Said steering encoder signal 48 is changed from a voltage to a frequency by means of a voltage-to-frequency steering converter 140 and is then transmitted to said primary steering microprocessor 28 through a steering encoder cable 37, for comparison with said first electronic steering signal 35 to determine the extent to which said steering frequency signal 35a should be modified, as well as to confirm that said steering motor 39 has been commanded to operate as indicated by the movement of said joystick 2. Said steering converter 140 is located within said steering assembly 6.
FIG. 11 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a control system of the present invention for the acceleration and braking functions of said vehicle 1. To accelerate said vehicle 1, said joystick 2 is moved forward, i.e., toward said display unit 4. To decelerate said vehicle 1, said joystick 2 is moved backward, i.e., toward said orthotic pad 11. This mechanical movement is translated into a first electronic acceleration signal 101 by means of a primary acceleration potentiometer 49. Said voltage-to-frequency converter 81 in turn converts said signal 101 into an acceleration frequency signal 101a. A primary acceleration microprocessor 29 compares the output from said acceleration frequency signal 101a with the output from said vehicle speed sensor 50. Said primary acceleration microprocessor 29 transmits a second electronic acceleration signal 102 to said acceleration drive controller 26b located within said power supply/drive unit 5. Said acceleration drive controller 26b in turn transmits an acceleration signal 103 through an acceleration cable 51 to an acceleration motor 52 located within said acceleration/braking assembly 9 of the present invention.
As illustrated in FIGS. 12, 12a, 13 and 13a, said acceleration motor 52 operates an acceleration pedal 55 and a brake pedal 56 which remain in their common location within the driver's space of said vehicle 1. In particular, said acceleration motor 52 is attached to said pedals 55 and 56 by means of a disc assembly 57, which is attached to an acceleration gearhead 58 of said acceleration motor 52. In the preferred embodiment, said disc assembly 57 is fitted with a cam follower roller 59 and an acceleration eyelet 60. Said cam follower roller 59 contacts the surface of a brake pedal arm 61 so as to actuate said brake pedal 56. Said acceleration eyelet 60 retains an acceleration cable 62, which actuates said acceleration pedal 55.
To control said brake pedal 56, said disc assembly 57 sets the movement of said cam follower roller 59 along an arc which is 2.125" from the center point of an acceleration motor output shaft 63 of said acceleration gearhead 58 in order to generate a thrust of 194.2 pounds. As said disc assembly 57 rotates to force said cam follower roller 59 to press said brake pedal arm 61, the moment arm decreases to a minimum of 1.01" and the applied force increases to a maximum of 407.76 pounds. The speed of actuation is estimated to be about 7.0" per second, which results in full braking in less than 0.3 seconds.
Actuation of said accelerator pedal 55 is achieved by means of a cable and pulley assembly 64 which is affixed to said disc assembly 57. Said acceleration eyelet 60 is set up such that it will pull said acceleration cable 62 on a rotation opposite to the braking rotation. A capture nut 141 affixed to said acceleration eyelet 60 permits said acceleration cable 62 to slide within said acceleration eyelet 60 to allow for rotation of said disc assembly 57 upon deceleration of said vehicle 1. Said capture nut 141 permits said acceleration eyelet 60 to pull said acceleration cable 62 upon acceleration of said vehicle 1. Two pulleys 65a and 65b are set on an adjustable plate 66 which in turn is mounted to said steering shaft 40. This arrangement permits said acceleration cable 62 to be affixed to said acceleration pedal 55 at an acceleration cable mounting point 67. In particular, said acceleration cable 62 is affixed to an adjustable clevis 68 which in turn may be welded to said mounting point 67. Through this arrangement, the force needed to operate said accelerator pedal 55 is minimal in comparison to the force required to actuate said brake pedal 56. The speed of actuation of said accelerator pedal 55 is about 5.0" per second, yielding a full acceleration time of 0.5 seconds.
An acceleration encoder gear 104 interfaces with said acceleration gearhead 58 and, in turn, moves an acceleration encoder potentiometer 105. Said acceleration potentiometer 105 then transmits an acceleration encoder signal 106 through a voltage-to-frequency acceleration converter 142, which in turn transmits said acceleration encoder signal 106 to said primary acceleration microprocessor 29 through an acceleration encoder cable 107. Said acceleration encoder signal 106 is then compared with the signal received from said speed sensor 50 and said primary acceleration potentiometer 49. Said acceleration converter 142 is located within said acceleration/braking assembly 9.
In order to operate the control system of the present invention, said steering motor 39 and said acceleration motor 52 that operate the steering, acceleration and braking of said vehicle 1, are, preferably, stepper motors. In particular, said motors 39 and 52, which are moved by alternately energizing the many windings of said motors so as to make the increment of movement 1.8 degrees of motion in said motors, provide 4000 discrete and repeatable locations in one revolution. Through the gearheads of said motors, both of which have 20-to-1 ratios, the mechanical operation of the steering, acceleration and braking means through said joystick 2 is achieved with absolute positioning controllable by a repeated output. The utilization of stepper motors further permits power draw for the system to come entirely from excess power available from said main battery 82 of said vehicle 1.
A key feature of the present invention is the ease with which control of said vehicle 1 by a displaced individual can be switched over to control by an able-bodied individual. As previously stated, said able-body switch 79, when activated, will disable said vacuum sensor 69 so that said central processing unit 16 will never initiate the operation of the system described. In particular, said able-body switch 79 overrides the initialization sequence previously described by preventing said microprocessors 28-31 from receiving a signal that the engine of said vehicle 1 is creating a vacuum. Although failure to detect a vacuum would prevent activation of said ignition circuit 27, said able-body switch 79 activates said ignition circuit 27 such that said vehicle 1 is operable without the control system described herein.
To enable the able-bodied driver to control said steering wheel 7, a safety bolt 144 is removed and adjustment bolts 100 located within said adjustable slots 47 are loosened. Said steering motor gear 43 can then be slid down and thereby disengaged from said column gear 42 which is affixed to said steering shaft 40. As a result of the location of said adjustable clevis 68 and said cam follower roller 59, said acceleration pedal 55 and said brake pedal 56 are operable by an able-bodied driver at all times and therefore require no adjustments.
To complete the entire system of the present invention, such that a physically-impaired individual may operate said vehicle 1 with total self-sufficiency, said control touch pad 8 is positioned within the passenger compartment of said vehicle 1. Said control touch pad 8, as illustrated in FIG. 14, comprises a plurality of membrane switches 121 of said touch pad 8, when pressed, transmit touch pad signals, related to the particular function selected, through a 26-pin membrane connector 126 and a ribbon cable 122 to an interface unit 127. Said interface unit 127 in turn transmits command signals by means of trigger wires 123 through a relay-driver module 124 to various operational units within said vehicle. Said touch pad 8 may be utilized to operate: (1) a transmission of said vehicle 1, (2) an ignition system of said vehicle 1, and (3) lights, windows, windshield wipers and other accessories of said vehicle 1.
A key to the utilization of the device incorporating said touch pad 8 is said relay-driver module 124. Specifically, said relay-driver module 124 permits easy disconnect of said trigger wires 123 such that internal wiring for the devices controlled by said touch pad 8 will not be disturbed in the event that changes in membrane switch 121 controls are to be made. Further, a programmable switching device 120 permits reprogramming of the operation of said touch pad 8.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described herein, it is to be remembered that the above description is merely illustrative. Other methods may be employed to provide a physically-impaired individual with control of a vehicle wherein the control system takes into account the human factors described herein. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to that precisely shown and described.
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|U.S. Classification||180/333, 180/336|
|International Classification||B60W30/18, B62D1/12, B60K26/02|
|Cooperative Classification||B60W30/18, B62D1/12, B60W2710/06, B60W2710/18, B60W2710/20|
|European Classification||B60W30/18, B62D1/12|
|23 Aug 1991||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: DIVISION DRVING SYSTEMS INC. A CORPORATION OF MD,
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:BOLDUC, SCOTT;REEL/FRAME:005814/0431
Effective date: 19910729
|26 Jun 1992||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: STOLERU, M.D., SAMUEL
Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:DIVISION DRIVING SYSTEMS, INC., A CORP. OF MD;REEL/FRAME:006162/0540
Effective date: 19920511
|30 Oct 1992||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: DIVISION DRIVING SYSTEMS, INC., MARYLAND
Free format text: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST EFFECTIVE AS OF 08/06/92;ASSIGNOR:STOLERU, SAMUEL M.D.;REEL/FRAME:006331/0956
Effective date: 19920626
|11 Jan 1993||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: ELECTRONIC MOBILITY CONTROLS, INC., MARYLAND
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:DIVISION DRIVING SYSTEMS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:006425/0361
Effective date: 19920805
|5 Jun 1995||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|8 Jul 1997||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: ELECTRONIC MOBILITY CONTROLS, LLC., LOUISIANA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ELECTRONIC MOBILITY CONTROLS, INC.;REEL/FRAME:008587/0555
Effective date: 19970624
|31 Mar 1999||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|1 May 2003||FPAY||Fee payment|
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The Perfect Raisin and Pretzel Cousins Club is a book that teaches kids about accepting others. When two cousins join together to create a club, many of their other cousins are quick to ask to be a part of it. At first, the name doesn’t reflect the true members of the group. By altering the name to reflect and include all members they accept, they are showing how they adapt to and accept new people no matter how different they are. Despite their differences, they find at least one thing in common with the cousin looking to join the club and realize that they can adapt to perceived differences by using their existing commonalities to get along.
This book is a great children’s book because it shows that no matter what you think you know about a person, as you look deeper, you might realize that you have some things in common that were hidden. Although people may not look exactly like you and act just like you, there will be some common ground that you will be able to find between the two of you. At a young age, little ones wonder why people may look different from them or why they practice different religions for example. However, these differences are not the facts that ought to be focused on. What this book emphasizes is finding that common ground which exists between people, and learning to use this strategy to befriend them. As opposed to simply assuming you have nothing in common based on simple outward appearance, digging deep proves valuable for making friends with people who appear much different than themselves. | <urn:uuid:f351eb6c-2b0a-443d-b6d4-69ea4bd3397c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://portsmouthreview.com/the-perfect-raisin-and-pretzel-cousins-club-by-catherine-tobin-book-review/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570921.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809094531-20220809124531-00271.warc.gz | en | 0.981928 | 305 | 3.046875 | 3 |
Saturday, March 20, 2021, we will experience the Vernal Equinox, when the days and nights are (very nearly) the same length. The point of the Vernal Equinox on the wheel, 0º of Aries marks the endings and beginnings of cycles, large and small. This time of year, when the sheep are having their lambs and the trees are budding, everyone feels the push of Nature. We have a sense of new possibilities. We want to clear out the stagnant air of the past months and do some ‘spring cleaning’. There is suddenly an urge to hook up and get the juices flowing.
The equinoxes of March and September offer us a unique opportunity to balance our dual nature. Meditation during the equinox is an ancient practice aimed at achieving internal equilibrium of the polarities within us. The spring equinox sees us moving from the inwardly-focused half of the year to the externally-focused half of the year. Activities these past months have been primarily indoors, focused on home and family, but as the weather warms up, we begins to think about all the activities we want to do outdoors this year.
The traditional symbols of Spring live on even if we have become disconnected from their meanings. Eggs represent the never-ending circle of life (§), rabbits are the very definition of fecundity, and the baskets filled with new grass, eggs and flowers nod to growth, fertility and youth. It may seem a modern idea to color the eggs with dyes but it isn’t. Back in the times when we lived closer to Nature, we dyed eggs with natural things like dandelion, heather, madder root, berries, and the tops of carrots.
An Aries person (with Sun, Ascendant or Moon in Aries or with Pluto in the 1st house) is propelled through life by the force of their desires. Aries corresponds to pure, subjective being and instinct. It must go towards what it wants and it must have total freedom to follow where those desires lead. Aries people need challenges to overcome (a positive target for the force of their will), they will need to deal with their anger, let go of the past, and work on being less impulsive (thinking before acting or speaking).
When the Sun moves into Aries all of us have a chance to hit the reset button and make another go of things. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi said, “Well begun is half done.” This month, from March 20 to April 19, give a big push: begin new projects, ramp up your exercise goals, and face fears to try new things you’ve never done before.
Please share If you liked this article. Thanks. If you’d like to know more about Mars or Aries in your own chart, grab your birthdata and send me a message.
(§) The conundrum “What came first the chicken or the egg?” is meant to get us to see that life is a circle. Although, technically, it would seem the egg came first. Reptiles lay eggs and reptiles are older than birds.
Doesn’t it feel like the speed of life has picked up? We can feel the energy is moving differently now than it was moving just last week. That’s because, this week, all three of the inner, personal planets will change signs.
On January 7, Mars moved into Taurus after six months in Aries. Mars normally spends about six weeks in a sign, but last year, just after entering his home sign of Aries, Mars stationed retrograde, which made his stay in that sign much longer than usual. While Mars was in Aries, we felt energized, like our internal fires were stoked, and getting what we wanted seemed not only possible, but easy to achieve. Mars entering Taurus is like down-shifting in a car. The mechanism is spinning wildly but we are going slower now. Getting things done, in these next six weeks, will take consistency and perseverance. While Mars is in Taurus, we will be driven to achieve financial stability and a safe, warm, beautiful place in which we feel secure.
January 8, Venus moved into Capricorn for a four week visit. Venus in Capricorn echoes Mars in Taurus in that they are both concerned about safety, financial security, and having nice things. Venus in Capricorn values the status quo and social status. She is attracted to authority figures and loves to be with the family (or with someone who makes her feel safe). For the next thirty days, we will be especially driven to get ahead at work.
On January 8, Mercury moves into Aquarius, signaling a shift in the way we are thinking and what we are thinking about. For the next three weeks, our thoughts will fly in new directions, we’ll be more open to trying new things, and we will be connecting online more with people (and groups of people) who share our values and interests. We will be thinking about the future and how we can participate in shaping a more progressive world. *
The characteristics of these shifts are mitigated by the placement of these signs in your natal chart. If you’d like to see where these movements are happening in your chart, just send me your birthdata, and I will send you your chart with a few words about how these shifts may affect you personally.
This has been an exceptional year for retrogrades. It doesn’t happen every year, but in 2020, every single planet went retrograde. When planets are retrograde, things don’t slow down, they speed up. The reason why details go missing, devices act strange, and travel gets disturbed during a Mercury retrograde isn’t because the flow of information is going slower – it’s because information is moving faster than normal.
While Mars has been retrograde (September 9 – November 14, 2020) it has been much easier to get angry and frustrated, especially about things not moving forward as fast as we would like or about things not going our way. This has been especially true because Mars is in his home sign of Aries. During this time, you probably had to ask yourself if the thing you’re pushing along is worth it. You probably also looked at different ways to go about getting what you want.
When Mars stations direct late this week and begins to move forward, our projects will finally get off the ground or get back on track, obstacles that seemed impossible to deal with will shift or dissolve, and new solutions will be easier to see. In about a week, life will return to its normal speed. Hang in there. 2020 is almost over.
Wednesday, September 9, 2020, Mars will station retrograde at 28º of Aries. For two months he will appear to travel backwards (from our perspective on Earth) until he stations direct, November 13, 2020 at 15º Aries.
Like with every other planet, when Mars goes retrograde, it’s energy is felt especially strongly. Mars will be nearer to us than usual and on the same side of the Sun as we are, and so it’s unmitigated influence will be especially loud for us here on Earth.
Mars is happy in it’s home sign of Aries. It gets things done, it moves in total freedom according to it’s own desires, it is passionate and subjective, and it does start fights – but only when it feels bound or restricted. The placement of Mars in your chart shows how you go about getting what you want, what makes you angry, what makes you fearful, and where you are especially courageous. Where Aries is in your chart shows where you need to let go of the past and where you are needing to gather up your courage to face your fears.
While Mars is retrograde, you can expect that things will not move forward very easily in the area of life ruled by Aries in your chart. (You are welcome to share your chart on the Quality Astrology FB page and ask a question about Mars retrograde in your chart; I’d be happy to answer it). Even if you don’t know where Mars is traveling in your chart, you can expect that excitement and enthusiasm for the projects in your life will wane in September and October. You may feel tired or burned-out. Don’t push. And don’t lean on yourself, on others, nor on the project. Down-shift. And, if it’s possible, don’t launch anything new in those two months. It’s better to continue plugging away on your current projects instead.
Adding to the intensity of this particular Mars retrograde are the three hard angles (squares) Mars will make to Saturn in the late degrees of Capricorn. Frustration will most certainly boil over (especially around September 28-30) as the forces of change engage in potentially bloody conflict with the forces that be. Think of this time as a battle (not a war) in which retreating to reorganize is the smartest move. Mars doesn’t have the weight to win a fight with Saturn in Capricorn (forces which are represented in our lives by authority figures, parents, governments, police, world leaders, etc.), so it’s best to make sure you have a way of letting off steam during this time (exercise and laughter are excellent).
The take-home message of Mars Retrograde in 2020 is: slow down, slow way down. Sometimes the way forward is by taking a step back. This is one of those times.
Because Venus and Mercury orbit between the Earth and the Sun, they are never more than a certain number of degrees away from the Sun from our perspective. For example, Mercury will never be more than 16º in front of the Sun before it stations retrograde. Then it moves backwards (again, from our perspective) until it is 16º behind the Sun at which time it stations direct and begins running ahead again past the Sun, repeating the pattern ad infinitum. Venus never gets more than 42º away from the Sun. She makes a similar pattern to that which Mercury makes, although in true Venusian style, her retrograde pattern makes a lovely, 5-pointed star.
Mercury and Venus (and Mars) are called the ‘personal planets’ because those archetypes make up the overtly personal parts of a person, the parts of the psyche that others see and deal with on a daily basis. When two or three of the personal planets are in the same sign as the Sun they set a strong, unified archetypal tone. This month of February, however, it won’t be at all like that. The planets are all over the place.
For several weeks Mars and Venus have been traveling together in the last degrees of Pisces. On January 28, Mars left Pisces and entered Aries. Meanwhile, the Sun is in Aquarius and Mercury is in Capricorn: all the personal planets are in different signs! And Mars is in his home sign, Aries, which gives us all a fiery push toward getting our needs met.
In addition to the aforementioned combination of energies, Venus and Jupiter will both go retrograde this month, too. The various conflicting energies and Mars in Aries gives us an underlying sensation that things are in flux. Indeed, they are, specifically in the area of relationships and/or money. But before we change things, we must first pull back the curtain and see things as they are.
Today, Friday, February 3, Venus will enter Aries. She’ll cruise along in Aries for a month initiating new projects, relationships and sources of income. Then, on March 4th, Venus will slow down and stop (from our perspective) at 13º of Aries. For the next month, she will go backwards over those first 13º of Aries again, getting a better look at the relationships or streams of income that we began in early February. The issue is whether or not things are in balance. Fear and anger is to be expected. Consider matters introspectively for the month of March, using, as much as possible, the objectivity made available by Mercury in Aquarius. The first half of April is the best time to let go of resentment, anger, delusions, and the relationships that are not in balance. (∞)
The dance of Venus passing back and forth over the ASC point asks us to take a second look at our values, the fundamental dynamics of our relationships, and our relationship with money. It’s a time of resetting self-esteem and up-leveling our relationship with our self and to our own talents.
Supporting the work of Venus in the re-calibrating of our relationships is Jupiter who will turn retrograde February 6 at 23º of Libra. As he moves backwards a full 10º in Libra, the sign of balance-seeking, we will be encouraged to look at our values and beliefs, at how we spend our money, and whether or not our relationships are in balance. Jupiter and Venus (and Mars and Mercury!) are working together this spring to force us to reconsider the recent new beginnings and help us see where we are being excessive and delusional in relationships. (@)
Mercury is between retrograde cycles these days so he’s going full-speed-ahead. He will take only two weeks to race through Aquarius (February 7 to February 25), during which time our minds will literally be racing. Our thoughts will be focused on the groups we are part of (or want to be part of) and our dreams for the future. In February, we will be more open to information and ideas from all corners. And because the mind will be superficially skipping along the surface, it will be easier to be objective. This objectivity will come in super handy as we uncover imbalances in our relationship dynamics with the retrogrades of Venus and Jupiter.
To take advantage of these energetic shifts in February, be willing to examine the balance points in your relationships: Is there as much listening as talking? As much receiving as giving? Is the attention usually centered on one person? Does each person in the relationship have the freedom to follow their desires? Also be willing to examine how your values are connected to your self-esteem. If your values, money situation or relationships need to be adjusted, you will know what you need to do by April. If by then you aren’t sure or haven’t made the changes, circumstances may change on your behalf when Jupiter stations direct in June. When Venus enters Aries (February 3), we will begin all manner of new relationships. A month later when Venus goes retrograde, she will show us where our impulsiveness, selfishness, need to be needed, and our instinctual desires pull us into delusional situations. Use the information uncovered in the retrograde period to make adjustments in relationship dynamics and personal values.
More specific information can be gleaned from your chart by penciling Venus in outside the wheel at 0º Aries and considering the information that the house placement provides.
If you don’t have a copy of your chart, but want one, grab your birthdata and contact me.
(∞) April 2, the still retrograding Venus backs out of Aries and into Pisces. On April 15, at 26º of Pisces, Venus stops (from our perspective) and begins moving forward again (stations direct).
(@) Jupiter will be retrograde until June 9.
Woman, believer in Truth in all of its forms, singer, animal-lover, yogini, avid reader, life-long vegetarian/vegan, lover of art, dance, theater and music, originally from the Bay Area of California, now residing in Torino, Italy. | <urn:uuid:162aea4c-9916-4f7f-a182-d3c3bf1f662f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://qualityastrology.net/tag/mars/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572089.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814234405-20220815024405-00074.warc.gz | en | 0.95545 | 3,302 | 1.734375 | 2 |
A suburb in Queensland with some of the “most densely concentrated public housing” is set to be changed dramatically, according to minister for housing and public works Bruce Flegg.
A Logan Renewal Board is the first step in building more public housing in Logan City.
"Logan has some of the most densely concentrated public housing in the state and over the years has had to deal with the effects of that,” said Mr Flegg.
The board, comprised of representatives for the council, state government, community groups and other housing organizations, is currently looking for a large piece of land for building 200 units.
"One of the biggest challenges facing the public housing system is that the properties we own are no longer suitable for the kind of high-needs people we house," he said.
Tenants currently living in public housing in Logan would be invited to voluntarily relocate.
Older properties in the housing portfolio will then be redeveloped or sold, with proceeds to be funneled into newer property. | <urn:uuid:113acb0e-07ce-4a11-b10c-754144c2f8dd> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.smartpropertyinvestment.com.au/news/10965-potential-gentrification-for-qld-suburb | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280872.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00310-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976803 | 206 | 1.773438 | 2 |
This article describes how fortuitous mathematical moments should be noticed, encouraged, embraced, and capitalized upon.
This article presents an example of discovering an idea through creative play. After some trial and error, I drew a wonderful image, which I later learned was a two-dimensional view of a four-dimensional shape called tesseract.
Jill P. Brown
Mathematics can be used to show why babies should never be left alone in a hot car.
This article includes an original artwork using geometry. Art such as this can foster understanding and appreciation of fundamental concepts across fields. | <urn:uuid:4f421cc6-e339-48ce-8ef0-03bc20eb74f3> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://staging-pubs.nctm.org/browse?access=all&pageSize=10&sort=datedescending&t_0=grade-audience&t_2=geometry_11&t_3=mathematical-practices_3 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572870.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817062258-20220817092258-00678.warc.gz | en | 0.88837 | 138 | 2.96875 | 3 |
The 2014 Astrobiology Strategic Plan is now under construction. It has involved the community in online and face-to-face discussions.
Twenty-one working documents have been generated that encompassed research themes as diverse as:
How did bio-relevant elements evolve into molecules? How can we best overcome our ignorance about microbial life on Earth? How would we find and identify an inhabited planet? How can we enhance the utility of biosignatures as a tool to search for life in the Solar System & beyond?
Starting in September, the working documents will be published on the astrobiologyfuture.org website and you will be invited to review and comment on them. One webinar will be held for each document.
In January-to-February 2014, the authors of the working documents will incorporate the community's comments. A face-to-face integration workshop will be held in late February to create a first draft of the Strategic Plan. A final draft will be published in April 2014.
For a detailed summary of the face-to-face workshop: https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/roadmap/2014-astrobiology-strategic-plan/
In conclusion, this is your community and NASA wants your input. Be part of this exciting process and make your voice heard!
Michael New, Astrobiology Discipline Scientist email@example.com
Please follow Astrobiology on Twitter. | <urn:uuid:42e129e8-a0c7-4668-9abe-3a42fb4e40aa> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://astrobiology.com/2013/08/nasa-astrobiology-strategic-plan-update.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279650.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00429-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.893397 | 292 | 2.5 | 2 |
The Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) of the Department of Health and Human Services, generally, would have concerns about a potential or existing referral source receiving free goods or services, since these free goods and services could be used to provide unlawful payments for the referral of Federal health care program business. However, under Advisory Opinion 16-09, the OIG decided not to pursue sanctions against a company that provides computerized point-of-care storage and dispensing systems for vaccines (the “Dispensing System”) to physicians free of charge due to the specific circumstances in this arrangement.
The Arrangement: A manufacturer of a refrigerated vaccine storage and dispensing system (the “Dispensing System”) would retain title to their Dispensing System and the internal data, but would provide the system free of charge to certain physicians. The manufacturer would enter into two types of agreements:
1) Sole-Source Vaccine Agreement – The Dispensing System manufacturer would enter into an agreement with manufacturers who are the sole suppliers of a vaccine (“Sole-Source Vaccine”). The Sole-Source Vaccine manufacturer would pay the Dispensing System manufacturer a fee for each unit of vaccine that a participating physician dispenses out of the Dispensing System (the “Dispense Fee”).
2) Physician Agreement – Dispensing System manufacturer would enter into agreements with only those Physicians who had not previously stocked adult vaccines previously, or only stocked vaccines sporadically or in low volumes. The Dispensing System would be free of charge to physicians, provided the physician agrees to stock at least one Sole-Source Vaccine that has an Agreement with the Sole-Source Vaccine manufacturer. The physician would be responsible for the internet connectivity and utilities for the system. The physician could use the Dispensing System to store other vaccines. However, the physician may only store Sole-Source Vaccines if the vaccine manufacturer has an agreement with the Dispensing System manufacturer.
OIG’s Analysis: Due to the following “unique factors” the OIG concluded that the following arrangement would be permissible.
- No Dispense Fee is shared with the physicians.
- The Dispense Fee is paid directly to the Dispensing System manufacturer, who does not generate Federal healthcare program business.
- The risk of unfair competition is reduced because (1) only Sole-Source Vaccine manufacturers can enter into an agreement with the Dispensing System manufacturer; (2) More than one Sole-Source Vaccine manufacturer can have their vaccines in any machine and each would be paying the Dispense Fee; and (4) Since a physician needs the Sole-Source Vaccine for patient, the physician has inherently chosen the manufacturer, since they cannot get the vaccine from anywhere else.
- Physicians may store any non-sole-source vaccines in the Dispensing System that they wish.
- The manufacturer will not advertise, market or promote any specific vaccine.
- Adult vaccines are administered in limited manner and serve to prevent diseases, which if not prevented could lead to costlier services to federal payors.
- The Arrangement helps achieve the CDC’s goal to improve adult vaccination rates which is a benefit from a public policy perspective.
- The Dispensing System helps mitigate one of the key challenges – proper vaccine storage and management
While it appears the opinion is likely limited to the discrete issue of vaccine storage, it does demonstate that the OIG may be willing to entertain proposals that align with public health concerns or other government agency goals, even in situations where there could be a risk of fraud or abuse to federal payor programs.
If your practice is interested in guidance regarding free vaccine dispensing systems or similar arrangements, be sure to consult experienced counsel. | <urn:uuid:c650f682-b70f-4479-a98f-31e609c575ba> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://physicianlaw.foxrothschild.com/tags/physician/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281353.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00064-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.951647 | 771 | 1.757813 | 2 |
How to Build Faith in God through Scripture10444_000_030
The scriptures enlarge our memory by helping us always to remember the Lord and our relationship to Him and the Father. They remind us of what we knew in our premortal life. And as these things penetrate our minds and hearts, our faith in God and His Beloved Son takes root.
The central purpose of all scripture is to fill our souls with faith in God the Father and in His Son, Jesus Christ—faith that They exist; faith in the Father’s plan for our immortality and eternal life; faith in the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, which animates this plan of happiness; faith to make the gospel of Jesus Christ our way of life; and faith to come to know “the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He has] sent” (John 17:3).
The word of God, as Alma said, is like a seed planted in our hearts that produces faith as it begins to grow within us (see Alma 32:27–43; see also Romans 10:13–17). Faith will not come from the study of ancient texts as a purely academic pursuit. It will not come from archaeological digs and discoveries. Faith comes by the witness of the Holy Spirit to our souls, Spirit to spirit, as we hear or read the word of God. And faith matures as we continue to feast upon the word.
Scriptural accounts of the faith of others serve to strengthen our own. We recall the faith of a centurion that enabled Christ to heal his servant without so much as seeing him (see Matthew 8:5–13). We hear and take courage from the determination of a tender boy prophet, hated and bitterly persecuted by so many adults: “I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it” (Joseph Smith—History 1:25).
Because they expound the doctrine of Christ, the scriptures are accompanied by the Holy Spirit, whose role it is to bear witness of the Father and the Son (see 3 Nephi 11:32). Therefore, being in the scriptures is one way we receive the Holy Ghost. Of course, scripture is given through the Holy Ghost in the first place (see 2 Peter 1:21; D&C 20:26–27; 68:4), and that same Spirit can attest its truth to you and me. Study the scriptures carefully, deliberately. Ponder and pray over them. Scriptures are revelation, and they will bring added revelation.
May we feast continuously on the words of Christ that will tell us all things we should do (see 2 Nephi 32:3).
How Have You Applied This?
Every morning, I try to read a scripture passage that gives me guidance for the day. I then pray that I might incorporate that scripture in my life. It has been a testimony builder to start off my day remembering Christ.
Every day I strengthen my testimony by reading my scriptures. Instead of just quickly finishing a chapter so I can get it done, I actually study it and think about what I am reading. It helps me study in depth if I have a scripture marker in hand.
Share Your Experiences
Share your experiences in applying this principle and read the experiences of other youth by going to lds.org/go/428. | <urn:uuid:fcee6abc-bc6e-4bdc-bd73-104140353c04> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.lds.org/new-era/2012/04/how-to-build-faith-in-god-through-scripture?lang=eng&country=afe | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281450.93/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00172-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.946567 | 700 | 2.046875 | 2 |
Yoga is really a practice which enables you then become extra aware of on your own, the body, as well as your area. It is sometimes called a type of meditation. A yoga course should really make you feel tranquil and invigorated. The instruction normally very last 60 to 90 minutes and therefore are kept in a tranquil bedroom. You shouldn’t practice meditation upon an clear use and belly a neo-ease yoga exercise mat. Is always that you switch off your cellphone ahead of school to avoid stuttering.
Yoga is considered the supreme scientific disciplines of life and is particularly asked are actually exposed for the sages asia while in the Indus Valley culture. Many experts have learned for centuries and is an essential part of many societies throughout the world. So that you can realize yoga, you must first realize that it is verb, not just a noun. Nouns are objects we use to describe factors spanish verbs aresteps and types of conditions, and suffers from.
Yoga developed once the technological tradition of Indian school of thought blossomed while in the middle-200 BCE. The Indian convention of yoga exercises incorporated Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain. It’s also regarded an are already useful for the treatment of arthritis, osteopenia, stability troubles, oncology, ladies health, and continual suffering. Persons can suffer improved intellectual health.
The original Indian impressive poetry, the Mahabharata, details yoga, by centering on the entire process of regulating the stream of Kundalini Shakti. The written text describes the apply because skillful using actions plus the splitting up of having difficulties. Behind closed doors, this skillful actions in to a favorite method of healing and home-advancement. The Bhagavad Gita microbes the historical past of yoga and fitness and reveals it has been 1st applied hundreds of years before. The standard Hindus thought to be it as a technique of religious progress.
The first meditation text messaging had been written in Hindi and ended up being changed into English, with lots of the yogic texts through the beyond and share getting written in that words. And it’s vital to comprehend the reputation each one in advance of deciding to training a meditation class, many of the historic theories of yoga exercises are dropped currently. The ancient techniques of yoga exercise have been described and turned by scholars, and are generally the important thing to practicing yoga.
Yoga is often a scientific discipline of life that stimulates enhancing a persons soul. It really is consideration to happen to be unveiled to the old sages of India for a entire process of growth. It is employed in several kinds ever since the Indus Valley world in South Asia. This historical culture has become attributed with the breakthrough discovery of yoga exercises. The philosophy of yoga exercises was first written about 200 BC within the Yogasutra of Patanjali.
The school of thought of yoga exercise is founded on the fact that the human beings heart consists of hidden electricity soars throughout the backbone. This strength then journeys through the body’s chakras and locations, comparable to the hormonal glands. It’s thought the effectiveness of yoga and fitness adjusts hormonal release along with the features of your distinct the endcrine system glands. This is exactly what is meant using a “yogic head.” During the entire duration of somebody, as their pharmicudical counterpart is actually a complex system, and the ability to exhibit mental performance would be the grounds for a practice of kundalini.
The essential rule of meditation is to command the brain and the entire body. You are able to handle the secretion of testosterone, with your total becoming. Throughout a yoga and fitness course, you will expertise the potency of yoga and fitness in a very unique way. The method of yoga exercises is recognised as a sort of meditating. Mental performance may be the quintessential concept of recognition as such. It may be a effective resource for restorative healing. You’ll come to feel energized and energized.
The main advantages of yoga and fitness are varied. The subject matter on the Mahabharata is big. It may help you become far more conscious of your body as well as the earth around you, while the main advantages of meditation doesn’t just help you treat from soreness. A powerful yoga exercise process could be the footing for a joyful lifestyle. This train will give you extra energy than ever. It is going to have you feeling more relaxed and even more good. You may be more happy, and will also be in a position to concentrate on your work.
If you’re ready to check out more on online yoga teacher training https://courses.onlineyoga.school/Courses/ryt-200-online have a look at our page.
Keep on your quest for further similar content articles: | <urn:uuid:dbbf887f-6f97-448e-8918-b36975dfc28c> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://abctravelcia.com/yoga-the-science-of-life/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571284.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811103305-20220811133305-00466.warc.gz | en | 0.960311 | 995 | 2.296875 | 2 |
This study surveyed plastic surgeons for the purpose of identifying gender-related differences within the specialty.
A confidential 108-item questionnaire was mailed to all female members and candidates of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS) and to an equal number of male colleagues.
The survey was conducted between September of 1992 and October of 1993 using a modified Dillman five-step computerized method.
The response rate was 73 percent for women (157 of 216) and 57 percent for men (124 of 216).
Of those who responded, 65 percent of women and 89 percent of men were married (p<0.01).
Fifty-two percent of women and 86 percent of men had biologic children (p<0.001).
The majority of surgeons surveyed (97 percent) were in full-time surgical practice.
Many women reported delaying childbearing until they had begun full-time practice of plastic surgery (p<0.001).
No significant gender-related differences were noted with respect to medical school rank, training history, advanced degrees, subspecialty practiced, hospital affiliation, or hours worked.
Women surgeons in academic practice held lower rank than men and were less likely to be tenured (p<0.04).
Gross annual income was lower for women (p<0.001).
In contrast to men (27 percent), most women (89 percent) perceived sexual discrimination and harassment (p<0.001). (...)
Mots-clés Pascal : Chirurgien, Chirurgie plastique, Spécialité médicale, Sexe, Statut conjugal, Enfant, Homme, Conjoint, Profession, Carrière professionnelle, Démographie, Discrimination, Etats Unis, Amérique du Nord, Amérique
Mots-clés Pascal anglais : Surgeon, Plastic surgery, Medical specialty, Sex, Marital status, Child, Human, Spouse, Profession, Career, Demography, Discrimination, United States, North America, America
Notice produite par :
Inist-CNRS - Institut de l'Information Scientifique et Technique
Cote : 97-0169955
Code Inist : 002B30A05. Création : 21/05/1997. | <urn:uuid:3df930af-b214-4d8b-9da5-441ee5053548> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.bdsp.ehesp.fr/Base/138456/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280730.27/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00251-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.882991 | 488 | 1.804688 | 2 |
Since an IT system becomes an important part of the running of a company, an IT technician has an important role there. Through an IT technician job description, we may see that an individual in this position has responsibilities to diagnose, repair, and maintain both hardware and software. On another hand, an IT technician also provides support to handle the system for a company.
IT Technician Job Description Template
Since an IT technician has an important role inside a company, especially providing an IT system, recruiting a talented and expert IT technician is very essential to be done. Through an integrated IT technician, the running of a company’s IT system could be stable and free from the problem.
In recruiting a new staff of an IT technician, it is nice when a manager uses a template of it. By using a template, of course, making a job detail will be easier. A template also could be a reference in making detailed recruitment, so you could get a high-quality IT technician, as you want.
Then, for a candidate, to be a good and successful IT technician, a candidate should have interesting interpersonal skills. It is very essential because they will have to interact with others. Besides, in-depth knowledge about IT also should be the basic technique to be mastered.
IT Technician Responsibilities
Controlling the IT system becomes the most important task of an IT technician. However, substantively, these are some responsibilities of the IT technician that should be handled.
The responsibilities are:
- Managing the technical documentation for the system
- Conducting the backup operations
- Installing and configuring both hardware and software components to make sure that the system runs well
- Making sure that the system uses the safety standard, especially for the electricity
- Repairing and replacing the broken hardware
- Upgrading the whole IT system of the company
- Performing tests and evaluations for both hardware and software
- Providing support to the users
- Establishing a good relationship with the departments
IT Technician Job Description Requirements
To handle all responsibilities, a candidate for an IT technician should fit some requirements. The common requirements for the IT technician to be fulfilled are:
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related fields
- Proven experiences in the network of computer and the maintenance of systems
- Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
- High attention to detail
- Good skills in problem-solving
- Proficient in database programming and installation software
IT Technician FAQ:
What doesan IT technician do?
Fixing the IT system of a company becomes the main task of an IT technician. However, this agent also should do some innovations to renew the IT system and to provide a more efficient system.
Can I customize the available IT technician job description?
Of course, the posted document here is editable. You are free to download the document and then renew the whole information based on the needs of your company using Microsoft Word.
What to include in making an IT technician job description?
In making an IT technician job description, mentioning the requirements of an IT technician is very essential. Then, you also need to mention the facilities of a company for the selected candidate.
Description: An IT technician job description becomes an important document to be considered, especially when you want to recruit a new employee for the company.
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- Nurse Technician Job Description and Its FAQ | <urn:uuid:f4d82943-41da-4e01-b1f6-3e8440b66a9b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://shopfreshboutique.com/it-technician-job-description/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570767.11/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808061828-20220808091828-00475.warc.gz | en | 0.895354 | 991 | 2.28125 | 2 |
If ever there was a person equal to Barack Obama when it comes to the damage done to this nation, it’s his wife. Proving that most recently was the nasty message that Michelle Obama slipped into a Christmas story she was reading to a few children – and parents are downright outraged over the subtle brainwashing.
There’s no arguing that the Obamas don’t ask permission when it comes to advancing their legacy — they just do it. Despite public opinion, if the current First Family thinks they can weasel their way into the history books, then they’ll cram whatever they must down the throats of the American people in order to get it.
We saw it with Michelle’s abysmal lunch program that left kids unsatisfied and hungry – but it looks like she’s far from done using children to get what she wants. Proving just that, Michelle decided to dictate her message to children and used a Christmas story to do it.
According to CNS News, “First Lady Michelle Obama and TV/radio host Ryan Seacrest read ‘The Night Before Christmas’ to a group of children at a Washington, D.C. hospital.” Sadly, like so many other times, she used what should have been a moment for the kids into a political scheme by slipping in a secret message.
“‘The stump of a pipe’ — I think St. Nick gave up smoking,” she interjected. (Laughter.) “This was a long time back,” she explained to the kids.
“This was written way back in the day,” Seacrest echoed.
“But way back in the day,” Mrs. Obama agreed. She continued: “The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath.” [Source: CNS News]
Of course, no one wants their children smoking in this day and age with the information available on the potentially devastating effects of the habit, but that’s not really the point. In all, a few parents were left shocked to see the message involuntarily injected into what should have been a fun Christmas story.
“There is no evidence that Santa Claus is currently or has ever been a smoker,” Political Insider reports. “’The Night Before Christmas’ is not considered a historically accurate document, even by the most ardent of Santa fans. This is simply a story. That’s it.”
Barack Obama also gave up smoking, which leads some to believe that Michelle was subtly suggesting that her husband was St. Nick. Just like Santa, Obama also has his own elves — the American taxpayers, who he uses to provide for everyone on his “Nice” list.
ather than try to change the minds of stubborn adults, they took to ensuring a more leftist leaning future by brainwashing the children of today. At the end of the day, this was just a Christmas story and didn’t need to be anything other than that. You’d think for once the Obama family could leave their grubby little hands off a political opportunity and, oh, I don’t know, just be there for the kids. What an embarrassment. January 20th can’t come soon enough. | <urn:uuid:08094bb9-ede1-4a73-992d-ce60d6cd39a1> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://lifeeventweb.com/index.php/2016/12/14/michelle-sickens-with-secret-message-she-snuck-in-christmas-story-for-kids/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280410.21/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00456-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.976128 | 699 | 1.648438 | 2 |
A fitness expert hopes people who resolve to lose weight in the New Year stick to their plans. It’s not unusual for gyms to fill up in January, and slowly empty out as the year progresses. Anthony Nizzio, a personal trainer at One on One Fitness in Springfield, hopes that changes – as the country’s population has gotten progressively larger over the past 30 years.
Click here for summary
“We didn’t have anywhere close to the level of overweight and obesity that we have now, especially with our children,” he says. “This will be the first generation, and this is a fact, this will be the first generation to where, unfortunately, a lot of parents are going to outlive their children.” Nizzio suggests sticking with an exercise plan. For those older, he recommends getting a doctor’s approval. But he says you’re never too old or too large to start exercising. | <urn:uuid:45ba879b-753a-40c1-b0d5-8768bc2dba17> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/exercise-advice-for-the-new-year-17359.cfm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279650.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00440-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953437 | 199 | 1.640625 | 2 |
President’s Letter – Carol Van Dam Falk
This area of Montgomery County is unlike any other in the County in terms of its green space, wooded stream valleys – and, yes – the slow roads that wind through wooded areas and cross stream valleys. The Rustic Road Program reflects the unique environmental character of our region. Unfortunately, the program is facing increasing pressure from both inside and outside our communities to change.
The 2001 Potomac Subregion Master Plan states that the Rustic Roads Program was developed, in part to protect the sylvan nature of the Subregion’s roads, particularly in Watts Branch Glen where Glen Road intersects with Glen Mill and South Glen Roads. The Master Plan notes that the traffic volume and accident history of these roads would typically exclude them from rustic road designation. The traffic volume is not caused by increased development in the immediate vicinity, but by traffic congestion during morning and evening rush hour along I-270, prompting commuters to look for alternate routes. Through the years, these commuters, many of whom come from Germantown and further points North, have switched to using our country roads and rustic roads as their main routes for getting to and from work. This is a disturbing trend, and one that needs to be addressed.
There are a number of roads listed as Rustic with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Unfortunately, many of these roads in our area are used as cut-throughs by commuters who have little or no regard for the speed limit, much less the status of the road. Bsecause of their status, these roads are protected from being widened, straightened, or otherwise streamlined to carry more traffic.
We also need to reconsider the criteria that must be met before a neighborhood can receive speed-calming devices. Even if a particular road generates the kind of traffic volume that meets or exceeds the criteria, and virtually all of the neighbors support the installation of round-abouts, stop signs, speed bumps, or other speed-calming devices, there are certain criteria the County has established that preclude a neighborhood from getting on the County’s waiting list for such devices. We hope to address these and other issues when Mr. Holmes speaks at the December WMCCA general meeting, and we invite you to bring your transportation and public works concerns to Mr. Holme’s attention as well.
These roads have become terribly unsafe for children who want to bike to their friend’s house, for moms and kids who want to walk the dog, for anyone wanting to take a short stroll down the road. It has even become treacherous for many of us who live along these cut-throughs to retrieve the mail. The answer, of course, is not to decrease the number of roads designated Rustic, but to give the Rustic Road classification some teeth.
Special Exception, Falls Road – The hearing on the application for a special exception on Falls Road next to the Bank of America has been rescheduled for mid February. The postponement was requested by the applicant to allow time to comply with the requirements of the Park and Planning Commission staff. The application will have a hearing before the Planning Board prior to the Special Exception hearing.
WMCCA.org – Look on WMCCA’s website for the text of recent WMCCA testimonies before the County Council and Planning Board on proposed changes in county policies related to Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDU’s) and Accessory Apartments.
WMCCA Special Project
WMCCA invites students who have done an outdoor science activity at a local site to show us their report, poster, collection, scout project, or science fair project. A WMCCA representative will be at the Potomac Library to review projects for an hour before the General Meeting each month (7:00 to 8:00 p.m.). Call Lois Williams, 301 299-7236
West Montgomery County Citizens Association Newsletter
P. O. Box 59335
Potomac, MD 20854-9335
President, Carol Van Dam Falk
The Newsletter is published monthly, and the Board of Directors meets each month. We welcome any suggestions for upcoming meeting topics and ways to further utilize our web site (www.wmcca.org).
Check the web site for information on issues we are working on. | <urn:uuid:13e8965a-9607-4a98-a287-7663b93225b4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://wmcca.org/2004/12/01/newsletter-december-2004/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572221.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816060335-20220816090335-00074.warc.gz | en | 0.943172 | 899 | 1.867188 | 2 |
Maxillary soft tissue lesions (An analysis of 348 cases)
Background: oral cavity soft tissue lesions represent a wide range of entities with the majority of them being reactive in nature. This study aims to describe the clinicopathological features and prevalence of different soft tissue lesions that affect the upper jaw. Materials and methods: data for this study was collected from the histopathology files for patients with a diagnosis of soft tissue lesions affecting the maxilla from 2010 to 2020. Data were collected with respect to gender, age, origin, and site. Result: 348 cases were identified. 260 cases were non neoplastic, of which reactive conditions were the most common disease subcategory 216 (83%) and pyogenic granuloma (110, 42.3%) followed by peripheral giant cell granuloma (45, 17.3%) were the most common diagnose. 88 cases were neoplasms, most cases were malignant in nature 48 (54.5%) and the most common diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma (38, 43.2%) while the most common benign tumors were giant cell fibroma (9, 10.2%) and neurofibroma (9, 10.2%). Conclusion: the demographic characteristics of soft tissue lesions in maxilla are similar to that seen in other parts of oral cavity; reactive conditions are the most common lesions and squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignancy. True mesenchymal tumors are generally rare in oral cavity however they showed equal frequency to epithelial tumors in maxilla which pose a challenge and require careful assessment when approaching the diagnosis in this location. | <urn:uuid:e2d23e10-a874-4e2d-b69a-e5b2c20f9aea> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.jrmds.in/abstract/maxillary-soft-tissue-lesions-an-analysis-of-348-cases-87944.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572221.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816060335-20220816090335-00073.warc.gz | en | 0.96558 | 327 | 1.992188 | 2 |
Editor's note: For more information about the findings of this study, read “A Workout Without Working (Much): Fibromyalgia Study Suggests Muscles Are ‘Wired and Tired’.”
INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disorder of widespread muscular pain. We investigated possible differences in surface electromyography (sEMG) in clinically unaffected muscle between patients with FM and controls.
METHODS: sEMG was performed on the biceps brachii muscle of 13 women with FM and 14 matched healthy controls during prolonged dynamic exercises, unloaded, and loaded up to 20% of maximum voluntary contraction. The sEMG parameters were: muscle fiber conduction velocity (CV); skewness of motor unit potential (peak) velocities; peak frequency (PF) (number of peaks per second); and average rectified voltage (ARV).
RESULTS: There was significantly higher CV in the FM group. Although the FM group performed the tests equally well, their electromyographic fatigue was significantly less expressed compared with controls (in CV, PF, and ARV).
CONCLUSION: In the patients with FM, we clearly showed functional abnormalities of the muscle membrane, which led to high conduction velocity and resistance to fatigue in electromyography.
Source: Muscle & Nerve, November 2012. By Ewa G. Klaver-KrÓl MD, Johannes J. Rasker MD, PhD, Nizare R. Henriquez BA, Wilma G. Verheijen BA and Machiel J. Zwarts MD, PhD. Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Ziekenhuis Groep Twente, Morshoekweg 3, 7552 PE Hengelo, The Netherlands. email@example.com. | <urn:uuid:8fc9f8e1-d0f9-4e27-9fed-dd3300aa6adb> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.prohealth.com/me-cfs/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=18038 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721355.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00013-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.892663 | 380 | 2.09375 | 2 |
More than a year and a half have passed since we published an article devoted to performance analysis of dual-core processors in 3D games. Since that time quad-core processors have become widespread. Besides AMD has launched triple-core processors as well (although they physically have four cores, one is disabled). It has increased the share of 3D games supporting multi-core processors and the share of multiplatform games and corresponding tools. This has been happening because Microsoft Xbox 360 is based on a triple-core CPU, and Sony PlayStation 3 uses a Cell processor consisting of a single universal core and several computing units.
Multiprocessor systems used to have weak support in games, because they were rarely used in computers for games. Now it's absolutely impossible to find a good single-core processor in stores. A minimal requirement for modern gaming PCs is a dual-core processor, or triple- or quad-core even. Besides, they are not very expensive nowadays, quite affordable for ordinary users. So users wonder how they benefit from the second, third, or fourth CPU core in a 3D game. In this article we'll go into this topic and show performance gains provided by each additional core (up to four) in a few games.
Note that performance gains in multi-core systems are possible even for single-threaded applications, or when secondary threads cannot use the full capacity of processor cores. 3D applications that can use resources of only a single core may sometimes work faster on multi-core processors, because Direct3D API and graphics drivers can distribute a part of load between several cores. An operating system may also contribute by distributing threads between physical CPU cores, except for cases when an application handles this on its own. So, proceeding from theory to practice, we've tested several 3D games with a quad-core processor and analyzed the results.
Testbeds and settings
We've chosen one of the popular quad-core processors from Intel. It would have been better to disable cores in AMD Phenom processors because of their peculiarities of interaction between processor cores and cache memory. Besides, Core 2 Quad consists of two halves. And it has shared L3 Cache. So, if we run across strange relative performance results of triple- and quad-core Core 2 processors, we'll verify them with AMD Phenom.
When we were preparing for the tests, we found out that using "Set affinity" in Windows Task Manager for a selected application does not give correct test results. Many games detect the number of physical processor cores available to an operating system, and when the operating system forbids using some of the cores, the remaining core has to execute several hard-driving application threads simultaneously. As a result, performance may drop even below the level of a real single-core CPU.
So we used bcdedit to disable processor cores (it's a counterpart of boot.ini in Windows XP that Windows Vista doesn't have). So, in order to use two processors in Vista, type the following line in command prompt:
After a reboot, the system and applications will detect only the specified number of cores, which gets us as close to the physical presence as possible, except for some differences, including specifics of Intel Core 2 quad-core processors described above.
We used default video driver settings, texture filtering was set to High quality. We used three test resolutions, all of them wide: 1280x720(800), 1680x1050, and 1920x1200 are standard modes for wide-spread LCD monitors.
Tests were run with anisotropic filtering 16x and MSAA 4x selected in game options, if supported by a given application. The effect of CPU power would have been more noticeable, if anisotropic filtering and antialiasing had been disabled. But it goes against the idea of tests in real conditions, because all users play games with high graphics quality settings, if they have a powerful computer.
Our game tests include both standard built-in benchmarks, often used in articles, as well as games that do not offer standard tools to measure performance. So we have to use FRAPS to measure performance in some games, even though this method has several drawbacks described in our articles: Problems of Testing 3D Performance with FRAPS and Problems of Testing 3D Performance with FRAPS, Part 2. It will do for one-time-only tests, although its measurement error is bigger.
Along with the average frame rate in three resolutions with different numbers of enabled CPU cores, we measured the average and maximum usage of each core in our quad-core processor. These values can be used to determine how effectively an application, graphics API, video driver, and operating system use their resources. To cut down on the volume of data displayed in the table, we used only one resolution -- 1280x720(800) -- where the CPU usage must be the highest. Anisotropic filtering and multisampling remain enabled.
We used PIX for Windows from DirectX SDK in these tests. What concerns applications that don't work with PIX (Crysis, ETQW, Lost Planet, DMC4, GRID), we used monitoring features of RivaTuner.
This game is the sum of technical progress in many fields, including multiprocessing. Unfortunately, rendering performance in Crysis is limited mostly by a graphics card here. And even in the open scene with lots of geometry and active physics computations, performance is still limited by the power of a graphics card, not by a CPU.
Let's see what out multi-CPU systems can offer in such conditions. We set game options to High instead of the maximum level, to keep performance within decent limits. Multisampling was disabled for the same reason.
As we can see, Crysis runs fine on two cores, even though its CPU load is rather high. The difference between two, three, and four CPU cores does not exceed a measurement error. And two cores give a good performance boost in all modes, there is a performance difference even in 1920x1200.
The two lower resolutions show that performance is apparently limited by the speed of a single processor core. Perhaps, this boost appears, when physics computations as well as D3D API call processing are moved to the second CPU core. Let's see the load on CPU cores in the process of our tests:
At once we get interesting results: even considering significant usage of the second core, and some of the load for the third and fourth cores, overall performance is still limited by performance of a separate core. Look, the average Core 4 usage was 100%, and it means that it was operating at its full capacity almost all the time. That is, the overall speed of the game was most likely limited by a processor.
However, performance in games is often limited by a processor core that processes Direct3D API draw calls. Up to Direct3D 10 inclusive, there is just no way of distributing these computations between several cores. We can only wait for DirectX 11 and corresponding optimizations in future games. As for now, we confirm that the best choice for Crysis is a fast dual-core processor.
If we take the power of a single core in Core 2 Quad Q6600 for 100%, the average processor usage in this test was about 145%. That is, it's another indirect proof that a single-core processor won't be enough, and a dual-core CPU will be up to the handle.
Write a comment below. No registration needed! | <urn:uuid:82e99201-17ae-4187-8fe2-c6e3a94c9a75> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://ixbtlabs.com/articles3/video/quadcore-p1.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279410.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00168-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.952124 | 1,532 | 2.640625 | 3 |
Introduction to Mindswap
I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK. I recommend it in particular to those who are suffering from influenza or who have a high temperature. During such feverish interludes, normal thought processes take a bracing vacation, much like cart-horses freed from their carts. The liberated quadrupeds canter about the heath, taking a bite from whatever plant they come across, without indulging in further reflection upon the inertial problems of pulling carts.
Indeed, if you accosted one of the beasts in mid-canter, and accidentally mentioned carts, they would probably rear up in startlement, asking, “Cart? What cart?”
This is what we mean by delirium.
My impression is that if one asked Robert Sheckley about reality, he would most likely rear up like a startled cart-horse and ask, “Reality? What reality?”
It has been his endeavour in this book to get as far from reality as it is possible to go without emerging through a complete circle and entering ones own private ward. As far as one can see, Sheckley is the major exponent of the Extremely Unlikely. He has pursued to the polar limit Philip K. Dick’s dictum that science fiction should be about, not “What if…?”, but “My God, what if…?’, three dots and all.
Whereas most writers of this kind of futuristic fairy tale will go to great lengths, by deploying ordinary language, and by methods of realism adapted from the mundane or everyday novel, to reassure us that their feet are on the ground, even if their heads are in galactic space, Sheckley’s heart is with the Unbelievable. His main target is the Incredible. With one swing of his computer he hacks through the string which suspends our disbelief. It would crash down, were it not for the fact that there is no gravity in Sheckley’s space. Mindswap is the Realm of the Absurd. Or, in Mindswap’s own parlance, Beyond the Humoristic Philologicality Threshold. It’s what he does.
Robert Sheckley came to prominence in the 1950’s. His hay day was possibly in the 1960’s where he was one of the stars of “Galaxy Science Fiction”, together with other satirists of similar ilk, the expert exponents of the “wacky”, such as Cyril Kornbluth, Damon Knight and the brilliant William Tenn. Sheckley’s impossible plots, his leaky spaceships, were then one of the delights to which one turned first.
However, it is noticeable that these satirists were most successful in short takes. Their novels are few and far between and lack the bite of their shorter material. This reservation applies in particular to Sheckley, whose ‘novels’ are generally episodic, much as if a few short stories have been tacked together.
While this also applies to Mindswap, the premise of the story almost demands episodic treatment, thus evading to some extent criticism of what can be seen as a weakness. The story-premise is that mind can be separated from body, and therefore exchanged, to fit into other bodies: not only other human bodies but bodies of the weird life forms with which Sheckley’s paper galaxies are habitually populated.
The explanation of this non-scientific achievement is given to a chatty encyclopaedia, which has this to say:
“So let’s just consider Mind as a sorta electroform or maybe even a subelectroform entity. You pro’lly remember from our previous talk that Mind is thought to have begun as a projection of our bodily processes, and to have evolved into a quasi-independent entity. You know what that means, fellas. It means it’s like you got a little Man in your head – but not quite. Isn’t that quazi?”
We are talking impossibilities here. And impossibilities are often delivered in some form of weird vernacular, such as the semi-gadzookery we confront in Chapter 24: “Me likes not the sound oft; for braggarts steel is ever pliable tin, shiny to the eye yet damnably maleable to the touch.”
Fractured idiolects suit the dreadful run-down planets to which the central character, Marvin Flynn, is driven, after renting – or trying to rent – the body of a Martian called Ze Kraggash. When his mind gets to Mars, it is only to find his designated body has already been rented to Aigeler Thrus, a being from Achelses V. From then on, Flynn is driven by circumstance, and forced to search for ganzer eggs. Flynn is a figment to whom events happen, like many another Sheckley ‘hero’. Even the ganzer eggs are against him.
Fortunately, the events are amusing, and from them many aphorisms fly. “It is strange how the human mind is forever unwilling to accept the unacceptable”; of a prostitute, “Those who sell pleasure must portray enjoyment”; “When you accept help, you must be prepared to take what one is capable of giving, not what you would like to receive”, and so forth.
We meet the strange prince who was unpopular. “Nor did he win favour among the burgers of Gint-Loseine, whose proud city he ordered buried under twenty feet of earth, “as a gift to future archaeologists.” The story is packed with cod histories and strange personages who often propound strange theories, the most intriguing of which is possibly the Theory of Searches. This is explained and acted upon by Valdez when Flynn falls in love with Cathy. The conversation takes on an Alice in Wonderland complexion.
“Marvin searches for Cathy”. That seems fairly to describe our situation, does it not?”
“I think it does.”
“Well then, what does the statement imply?”
“It implies – it implies that I search for Cathy.”
Valdez shook his nut-brown head in annoyance. “Look deeper, my impatient young friend! Identity is not inference! The statement expresses the activity of your quest, and therefore implies the passivity of Cathy’s state-of-being-lost. But this cannot be true. Her passivity is unacceptable, since ultimately one searches for oneself, and no one is exempt from that search. We must accept Cathy’s search for you (herself), just as we accept your search for her (yourself). Thus we achieve our primary permutation: “Marvin searches for Cathy who searches for Marvin….
“I never thought of that,” Marvin said….
“Now, to ensure our success, we must decide upon the optimum form of Search. Obviously, if both of you are actively questing, your chances of finding each other are considerably lessened… The mathematics are a little intricate, so you will just have to take my word for it… Therefore, you must fight down your instincts and wait, thereby allowing her to find you.”
And indeed, after this sophistry, many people do find Flynn, including his Uncle Max and his Mother.
Thus, the Confusion Principle of Alternative Logic brings us to a conclusion. It is only just and right that this conclusion should rest upon misapplication miscegenating with paradox, so that Marvin Flynn is at once unutterably lost and perfectly at home. We are always pleased when endings fell us with a fairy master-stoke of genius.
Mindswap remains the most satisfying (and highest) of Sheckley’s tall stories. Although it hardly qualifies for the label of novel, it has about it a charm of innocent mischief which takes us a long way into that inaccessible land claimed by the likes of Jorge Luis Borges and Lewis Carroll.
Soft as Steel, the Art of Julie Bell
SOME WHILE AGO, I WAS LUNCHING IN A LEBANESE RESTAURANT IN OXFORD, ENGLAND, where writers meet. I fell into conversation with a young woman sitting across the table from me. We were talking about our interest in Pluto, the remotest planet of the solar system, and its large moon, Charon. The lady was so pretty that it took me a while to realise she was also clever, witty, well-educated – and skilled in the European game of flirtation.
Appearances count for much. They may not be of primary importance (or then again they may be) but they remain the first elements of anything or anyone which meets the eye. Long before we smell, hear, touch, kiss, a woman, we see her. The interior computer has immediately started on its complex calculations.
A memory of that Lebanese lunch returned as I gazed at the feast Julie Bell sets before us. Her paintings are often fearsome and generally highly attractive. Mainly they have a strength beyond mere prettiness. They exist in regions beyond our ken, regions inhabited by giant snakes, immense suns, mountains, violent winds, lowering planets, arrogant banners. They delight with frank sensuousness in the human body – human or near-human. These are the sort of active anatomies Michelangelo would have painted it he had not been such a wimp!
We’re plunged into a world of action. Would an ordinary human spine survive such poses? How many of these half-naked heroes have feet that never touch the ground? Man, this is the cubic root of vitality! Julie presents a pure world of violence, of threat and triumph – of swords, sexual symbols, butts, and breasts. Near-naked the women may be but, as Julie says, they may be exposed but they are totally untouchable. They emerge from somewhere amid the burning permafrosts of her mind and brush. They burst out upon us. Certainly they are no stay-at-homes.
These slay-at-homes are the vital ladies Julie admires. Many of them resemble her. And why not! Julie, on her own admission, has recreated herself: so why not recreate her image on canvas – that vibrant body, that sensitive face? So she comes clad as Lilandra, in gleaming body armour, or as a near-naked lady bearing a banner with a strange device, or with streaming dark hair she calls a robotic bird to her presence. As she says, she thinks in sensual terms. I have been particularly struck by an earlier portrait Julie painted of one of her sisters posing as a centaur. From the great carcass of the horse wells a luscious female body with ripe breasts. Above the body is perched a visionary head – a beautiful long-haired woman looks upwards into the distance, tenderly and intelligently.
To my prejudiced mind, this painting ranks with some of the works of the great symbolist and decadent painters of last century:
Gustave Moreau, Odilon Redon, Franz von Stuck, and especially the Belgian master, Fernand Khnopff, who also liked to paint his sister. Julie’s female centaur seems to rejoice in her own beauty and freedom, in silence.
But Julie works in a commercial field where action is the order of the day. Her personages throw themselves from the page at life. Monsters may attack them – they are beyond harm. Some come armed to the teeth, some leap from explosions, some use great wings, while others dance above lakes of tomato-pure-and gold. Many tote amazing armour, amazing hairdos. The thongs between their thighs vibrate with their energy. Some indeed have liquid metal (one of Julie’s trademarks) instead of flesh. What flows in their veins is some superfluid, maybe argon 38. They are transformed.
And here we have something of the story of Julie herself. She and I knew each other only slightly, in days when we were both different people. She was then beautiful and energetic, immensely friendly, and getting into body-building. But there was a nervous quality about her which puzzled some of her friends. Then she met and married the celebrated fantasy artist, Boris Vallejo. She transformed herself.
It seems, for what she has said, that she suffered from diffidence. However that may be, she was inspired by Boris to work hard and master the techniques which dazzle us in Soft as Steel. Unusually, she is very frank and clear about the way she works. It’s a wonderful life-story. It’s a life-story which holds captive two seeming opposites; body-building and oil paints.
We all thrive on opposites. Seems that those great opposites, fantasy and reality, are two of Julie Bell’s chief talents! Anyone gazing at these paintings can enjoy those talents in vivid display – and feel their batteries recharged.
Greetings – Carbon Based Bipeds
THE SUN NO LONGER REVOLVES AROUND THE EARTH. The Earth revolves round Arthur C. Clarke. Or at least such, one suspects, is the thought in the great man’s mind, as the reader travels though this immense bureau of essays, articles, bulletins, addresses, and self-puffs – stopping on the way to gaze at those photographs of Clarke ignoring famous guests standing by his side to grin into the camera as if at his own reflection.
So I don’t like the book? No, no, on the contrary I think it is fabulously entertaining and amusing. I merely state a minor flaw before hurrying on to praise its brilliance.
Clarke’s cleverness, in which both we and he rejoice, comes in small things as well as large. For instance in describing nations as “transient tribal groupings”. Or in speaking of developing communications, the inexhaustible future, the death of capitalism, or God. All these things discussed in Clarke’s easy colloquial manner.
This omnium-gatherum has a sort of subtitle or explanation, A vision of the 20th century as it happened. This is in part true, although it also, slyly, constitutes A Life of Arthur C. Clarke. But a reader does receive an impression of the extraordinary developments we have lived through – not least in the increased ease of travel and talk, and the sound of new voices, new aspirations. Among the brilliance certain homely but profound truths confront us, as for instance on IT: “It is vital to remember that information – in the sense of raw data – is not knowledge; that knowledge is not wisdom; and that wisdom is not foresight. But information is the first essential step to all of these”.
It is now not “Will we reach the stars?”, but “When will we reach the stars?”
Behind such questions lies Clarke’s rather sunny belief in the powers of science fiction to encourage bold thinking – the thinking Britain seems to lack at present. He points out, for instance, that for the cost of one dollar per person per year, engineering alone could bring immeasurable benefits in hearth and happiness to all. Not just in Africa and India, either. Certainly engineering could lift the whole vast area of Central Asia from its present frugal-style existence. But it would have to be the right kind of engineering – and that is a political question, as the draining of the Aral Sea has demonstrated. Clarke’s text encourages such speculations.
Not all is theoretical. When Clarke speaks of poverty, he knows it, lives among it in Sri Lanka. There is authority behind his perception that “illiteracy, ignorance, and superstition are not merely the results of poverty; they are part of its cause
The theoretical is at its most enjoyable in a brief piece on “God and Einstein. Granted that the velocity of light is the speed limit, strictly enforced, of our material universe. How does God travel? Hell might be breaking out ten light years away; news of it would take ten years to reach Him. It would then take another ten for Him to rush to the spot. But if God is already everywhere, then this means that his thoughts and influence travel at infinite velocities; so the Einstein speed limit is not unbreakable…
It is the sort of mind-stretching fun argument Clarke enjoys. He might care to consider another possibility: that what we term the Universe is in fact God’s Brain. We are all figments of this terrible organ, with its insane contradictions, its bizarre thoughts.
Frankenstein’s Footsteps- Science, Genetics & Popular Culture
AS I WAS READING THIS VOLUME, news that the giant US pharmaceutical company, Monsanto, was going on an oxymoronic “charm offensive” to convince its customers of the goodness of its genetically modified foods. Since it has fifty million acres of the new crops, a charm offensive is probably advisable.
Should we be alarmed? Should we be delighted? Or is there a third course, with better ways to articulate natural fears and hopes?
One suggestion seems to be that, since molecular biology is here to stay, we should reconceptualise our attitudes to life – which in one sense is a matter of information.
Reconceptualising means re-educating, and is no easy process. Collaboration is required: a home match between scientists on one team and consumers on the other, with – it seems, journalists and science fiction writers as unreliable referees.
Or such is the message I glean from Jon Turneys interesting but ultimately rather tiring book. His conscientious researches demonstrate how a few images on the subject of bioengineering have acquired a life of their own and still tend to dominate discussions of developments. This mythic life originates, first and foremost, from Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein Or, The Modern Prometheus, published in 1818. In her introduction to the 1831 edition, Mary Shelley declares that she wished to devise a story that “would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature. She was remarkably successful.
The birth of Louise Brown, child of in vitro fertilisation, in 1978, and more recently the cloning of Dolly the sheep, roused up those mysterious fears all over again.
What Turney calls the cultural cacophony of the last years of the twentieth century sees a diffuse public debate about what research is desirable – a debate conducted in the media (and in such films as Jurassic Park) as well as the sober chambers of legislative assemblies. Turney’s argument is that popular media are as important as official deliberations.
Of course, scaremongering has a long association with science. However beneficial the advance may prove, fears attend its birth. Edward Jenner’s seminal discovery of a vaccination against the small pox provoked a caricature from James Gillray in 1802, in which everyone inoculated with the new antidote bursts forth with miniature cows, from nose and throat and buttocks.
The seminal point about Frankenstein is that Victor Frankenstein abandons old alchemical procedures, which are useless, and deliberately turns to science to create life. Neither religion nor superstition is involved. He is the primal scientist, before the noun was invented. This is what makes Frankenstein the first real science fiction novel.
It is true that things go wrong. Things are always going wrong in novels. But nowadays both Victor and his creature would be counselled for post-operational stress, rehabilitated, given one-parent family support, and live together happily in Wandsworth. Society has become more complex than it was almost two centuries ago. As Turney says, “Every new discovery of a vitamin, hormone or gene made the [living] organism seem more complicated, more delicately balanced, more difficult to describe as the product of any single organising principle”.
Yet the paradigms of this fiction, and of Wells’s Island of Doctor Moreau, and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, and other science fictions, still linger. Turney sifts through the story of how these images are resurrected with each new advance in biological and genetic science. They prove an impediment to rational discussion.
Particularly creepy is the case of nuclear radiation. It was undetectable by unaided human senses, yet could increase risks of cancer even in future generations yet unborn. As Turney says, science fiction magazines overflowed with stories about such perils. Sometimes nuclear warfare ended civilization; but after The End, new and better civilizations might arise.
Many half-forgotten crises and triumphs appear in Turney’s pages. Haldane’s brilliant little book, Daedalus, for instance. Julian Huxley’s story, The Tissue Culture King, published in Amazing Stories. Christian Barnard’s first heart transplant operation. And Grey Walter’s ‘thinking tortoises’, which wandered about and sought food (electric current) when hungry.
The truth is that nebulous fears of progress accumulate round biological advances. A nightmare world is our proud inheritance. So debates are not always reasonable, for or against. Nor are they conclusive. “Civilization” is a creature with – we hope – unstoppable momentum. Despite all reservations, Monsanto’s fifty million acres continue to yield their mutated crops.
My Sort of Fairy Tale – Mara & Dan
DORIS LESSING’S NEW NOVEL TELLS, she informs us in a prefatory note, ‘the oldest story in Europe’. This is the story of brother and sister who, as orphans, endure a hundred hardships, only to survive to a happy ending and be revealed as princess and prince.
With her usual cunning, Lessing sets her story in Africa, within three time zones. The story itself is ancient; the dreadful drought which afflicts the two orphans is of the present, or almost – a drought such as Lessing herself witnessed – while the scene is set thousands of years in the future, when Africa has become Ifrik, the known world. There comes a point where the time-serpent swallows its own tale and the future becomes much like the past. As here. The footprints in one lot of dust resemble the footsteps in another.
Mara is a good sister. Throughout the long trudge of the narrative, her chief characteristic is her care for her younger brother, Dann, whether as child or adult. Dann is more unsettled, more traumatised by his early abandonment. He becomes a general; he gambles away his sister, who is then claimed by a brothel-owner; he suggests that he and Mara sleep together, and reforms only just in time for the long-promised happy ending. Mara is tolerant and forgiving – always slightly vexing in a fictional character.
When she marries, to escape whoredom, the marriage remains unconsummated. Nevertheless, there is much discussion of sex in the central section of the book, ‘the middle parts of fortune’, as it were. There is also much talk of pregnancy, of amenorrhoea, and of babies dying. One becomes imprisoned in the book, its sorrowing tone is hard to bear. In Rock Village, where the story opens, everyone is dying of thirst. Mara and Dann have a bad time of it, with starvation and drought and heat enclosing them. Desperate are their many journeys. Some journeys entail decrepit and ingenious forms of transport, relics of a better organised world. Dust almost chokes a reader’s throat.
People die slowly, including Daima, protector of Mara and Dann. The Mahondi tribe, to which the young couple belong, are failing to reproduce.
Late in the book, they discover they are of royal blood. An effete ‘cultivated’ couple explain that Mara and Dann are ‘really’ Princess Shahana and Prince Shahmand. Their true names bring no revelation. They have become their assumed names, Mara and Dann. Moreover, they are expected to mate with each other to continue the royal line. They reject the idea of royalty, and flee to claim happiness with their true loves. Thus the outlines of the old story are fulfilled.
Lessing also fulfils the formulaic nature of stories set in the distant future, long paragraphs being one of them. Which is to say that we solve the mystery of what sort of nemesis has visited our civilisation – our ‘Yerrup’- and learn some hard lessons thereby.
The pair visit an old museum where elements of the past are preserved, much as in the Palace of Green Porcelain in H G Wells’s The Time Machine. ‘These were not rooms, but halls, of machines once used for travelling between the stars.’ (Where Wells has ‘huge bulks of big machines’.) So what brought Ifrik to its present state?
There is mention of an asteroid strike in the Mediterranean. This is not stressed; our present has become a fairy tale, buried ‘thousands of years’ – the running joke – under the calamitous past.
The Ice Age returned. ‘Yerrup’ was buried under ice once more. Our civilisation grew and flourished within a 15,000 year interregnum between ice ages. But now the ice is again in retreat. The drought, too, is almost over; everything is transient.
Ultimately, the novel carries a Biblical message: ‘Vanity of vanities, said the preacher. All is vanity.’ Transience rules all. Of course, everyone in their seventies or older chews on this bitter herb. This must be a book for the young.
One assumes that books about the future must be designed for the young, and for the improvement of their perspectives. Why else write about periods of time long past the deadline of our deaths?
Is a book about the future necessarily classifiable as science fiction? Lessing has a well-known habit of slipping into future time as, proverbially, one slips clothes-wise into ‘something more comfortable’. This she did in her final Martha Quest novel, The Four-Gated City, in 1969. Her Canopus in Argos: Archives 1979-1983, so challenging to the higher criticism, won her many new friends; indeed, she almost single-handedly made science fiction respectable.
We may suspect her of SF here. However, it becomes difficult to see Mara and Dann as falling within this category, particularly if one compares it with Salman Rushdie’s new novel, The Ground Beneath Her Feet. From Grimus, his first novel, onwards, Rushdie has been a SF writer manque – or rather, s’acquitte. Only by having the cold compress of ‘magic realist’ applied has he escaped the inferior label.
In the ludic nature of Rushdie’s novel, where President Kennedy lives because Oswald’s gun jammed, where Britain is fighting in Vietnam, and where the living can communicate with the dead, we see the true impulse of science fiction, to cross many bridges before the chick is half-way hatched. In a sense, we arrive at Lessing’s novel already knowing its profound truths, whereas Rushdie takes up the Pontius Pilate position: What is truth? – and does not hang around for the answer.
Lessing’s novel has the quality of a fairy tale. Her orphaned pair, having parted at one stage, are together again. Dann says, ‘There were people once – they knew everything. They knew about the stars. They knew… they could talk to each other through the air, miles away… His mood was changing: he seemed to be wanting to laugh, but properly, then giggle… ‘
For Dann, our present is not worth taking seriously. It’s over. For the story-teller, it is different. Lessing knows we live in the midst of catastrophe, and can but take it seriously; Rushdie, himself the epicentre of a personal catastrophe, is inclined to laugh it off.
What the ‘true’ philosophical position is remains unclear. We must be grateful that, in our transitory world, we have two such excellent fabulists to entertain and instruct us. Whether SF or not. | <urn:uuid:7c655ff4-0b14-42fb-80d4-e6ead8f24dff> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://brianaldiss.co.uk/about/journalism/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280221.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00227-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958787 | 5,988 | 1.554688 | 2 |
DANVILLE, Calif. (KGO) --Wildlife officials say a sick coyote spotted in Contra Costa County needs some critical care and as soon as possible.
Many people want to help the coyote but wildlife officials warn if you see it, don't touch it and don't feed it. The coyote is sick with mange, a skin disease, that could spread.
READ MORE: Sick coyote in Danville fatally struck by car
It's venturing into areas where there's a lot more people, looking for food.
It's been recently spotted in Downtown Danville near San Ramon Valley High School.
Ray Pan saw the animal Saturday.
"It was right along El Capitan in the middle of the day. And it was crossing the street," said Pan. "It was a very sad looking."
Rebecca Dmytryck with Wildlife Emergency Services says they want to catch the coyote then take it to a Bay Area animal hospital.
"This coyote needs helps. He's suffering from a severe case of mange which is caused by mites and causes hair loss," said Dmytryck.
The coyote was last spotted on Del Amigo Road and Danville Boulevard near the Iron Horse Trail. It was also seen near Charlotte Wood Middle School. Some people are nervous knowing this coyote is living nearby.
"It frightens me because it does look very sick and very emaciated and I have this little dog and she would be just a morsel for a coyote," said Connie Kochis, a Danville resident.
Dmytryck says mange can be transmitted to pets and people but only if you get very close.
Anyone who sees the coyote is urged to report sightings to police. | <urn:uuid:f8d688ae-cb02-41c2-8b38-c668a377d401> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://abc7news.com/news/1480749/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280718.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00409-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.981343 | 364 | 1.9375 | 2 |
I have more writing to do right now than I have time, so it has of course become vitally important to write this blog post that has been buzzing at the back of my brain RIGHT NOW.
My life as a parent isn’t a big topic of conversation on this blog, but a little background is needed here. One of the reasons I don’t talk much about my family in this space is because one of the complexities of adoption is learning how to talk about your experiences while respecting the fact that your child has her own story and her own experiences and only she gets to decide when and where and how to share that story. Part of this journey is her story alone, part of it is ours. And some of it is mine and Shaun’s – and this post is coming from that part.
So one of the things that happens when you navigate the adoption process is that you take way more classes and trainings about parenting than you probably otherwise would. Some of these are to really learn things and some are to show how interested and committed you are to being a good parent.
This wasn’t an awful thing – if you’re like me (and like Shaun) you can find something to chew on in almost any class and these classes were full of enough brain development data and learning theory and interesting personalities that even when the classes didn’t totally work, the after-class conversations were pretty awesome.
Still, two almost identical Love and Logic classes was a lot, even for us. Like many self-help-y or how-to-y type things that develop huge and devoted followings – L&L is based on some fairly simple ideas which are then applied in many ways. In parenting-class world that means many, many sessions reinforcing the same basic concepts. In taking-the-same-class-twice parenting class world, well…. this is a long intro to explain why my brain has had many hours to connect those simple concepts to many things.
In other words, the idea is that kids learn best when they have to face the authentic, real, organic consequences of their choices. Artificial consequences that aren’t connected to the choice the kid made (most routine punishments fit in this category — taking away TV privileges for breaking a window = consequences that are probably unrelated to the bad choice) just seem arbitrary and capricious and the kid ends up blaming you (or whoever imposed the consequence) instead of their own bad choices — which does nothing to teach them not to make bad choices in the first place.
Here’s the basic L&L mantra:
- Give your child a task you know they can handle.
- Hope they mess up.*
- Let empathy + natural consequences do the teaching.
- When the opportunity arises let them try again.
*Note: the debater in me never came to terms with the “hope they mess up” part. There were parents in my classes who really hated this line and who also hadn’t quite grasped the “learning comes from mistakes” piece. I did grasp that part – that’s the part of this I like — but that doesn’t mean you have to actively hope they mess up. I mean, take it to its logical conclusion. If my kid never, ever, ever messes up — there’s no bad outcome. Yes, they may not have learned from mistakes, but those mistakes also never happened so she either learned some other way or didn’t need that learning. So I debate-proved to myself that I don’t have to actively hope she makes mistakes, I just have to be sure I see the value when she does.**
**Second Note: Seriously, we spent NINETY minutes on this concept in one class session. It is not my fault I thought about it this much.
Like many of the simple ideas that turn into Something Big, this is a fairly compelling argument. This was one of the pieces of Love and Logic that worked for me pretty well, which isn’t to say it all did – I have some real problems with some of the other concepts connected to this that I can go on about at length, but won’t here.
And while natural consequences is a L&L cornerstone, it’s by no means limited to that set of books and workshops — this is a concept with legs, that comes up over and over, generally as part of a larger idea that lecturing doesn’t work.
And I’ve been thinking about it in terms of library instruction. And not just because we have an knee-jerk anti-lecture response at this point too.
I’ve been thinking about it because I think it highlights that we spend a LOT of our time “lecturing” – even if we do it with clickers. Because lecturing in this context doesn’t mean just “talking,” “broadcasting” or other words that essentially mean “one-way communication” — which is generally what we mean by “lecturing” in the classroom context.
No, in this context, “lecturing” means explaining the consequences of bad choices instead of demonstrating them. And I think we do that a lot.
Not in the steps — we do a good job of letting our students discover the consequences of choosing the wrong database, or choosing the wrong search terms — within the parameters we set up and the assumptions we’re making about what they need to know we have developed lots of ways to help them discover and learn for themselves.
No, I’m talking about in the big picture — in the WHY should they do these things at all part — that’s where we’re lecturing. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen someone raise this type of question on ILI-L —
“how can I convince my students that they really need to be using these sources?”
“how can I convince my students that there will be consequences if they don’t cite properly?”
And what’s the subtext here? It’s — how can I convince my students not to make mistakes?
Because here’s the thing — our teaching in libraries is more similar to the type of teaching parents do than I ever thought it was. Yes, parents can impose plenty of consequences themselves on the day to day level — “no tv until you finish your homework” but the ultimate goal for most parents goes beyond finishing the homework tonight – they’re looking to raise up kids who can learn stuff, and who are organized to get stuff done and who can go off to college or out into the world and meet deadlines and achieve goals, and am I right?
And library instructors can impose some consequences when the students are actually in the library class – that’s basic classroom management stuff. Yes, some are better at it than others and we never have the power that the grade book or the parental relationship gives – but we are in a position of some power in that context. But that in-class power, that’s not the real goal. We’re looking to teach skills and concepts that students can take with them out in to the “real world” and use to be successful and get stuff done — just like parents.
And this is also a reason why it’s not like regular classroom teaching. The regular classroom has a more immediate set of primary goals than lifelong learning. Yes, I suspect that many, many teachers have life long learning as a goal — I certainly did when I taught history. But the fact that that was a primary goal for me was also a big reason why I stopped teaching history and went into libraries.
I expect that most teachers would prefer that their students cite sources properly in all of their classes. They have a commitment to producing good students in the major, and good graduates of the institution, but that doesn’t have to be their primary goal in a classroom interaction. In my own class, I can say “two points off your grade for every MLA formatting mistake” and then I can MAKE THAT BE TRUE.* I might hope that the impact of that is that they use MLA perfectly in their next class, but mainly, I don’t want to struggle through improperly formatted citations in the papers I have to grade.
*Note: I do not ever do this.
So what are we doing when we say “how can I convince my students…. “? We’re talking about consequences that we have no control over — we’re talking about those life consequences. We’re talking about all of those things that we know because we have more life experience (and more college experience) and if they would just LISTEN to us they could avoid those mistakes. But here’s the thing – I think maybe we should be letting those happen.
And I think this not just because I think it would be good for the learning — I also think this because of what it would mean for us.
Take First Year Student X – coming into OSU with a gaudy 4.0 GPA from a decent high school, has never had any trouble at all getting A’s on her research papers using her favorite library sources — books and the online Encyclopedia Britannica. She’s never read an academic journal and she thinks of “peer review” as trading papers with a classmate and making comments.
How much energy do I have to spend to “convince” her that she needs to use peer-reviewed sources in her college research papers?
Alternatively, what happens if this highly motivated, intelligent student turns in a paper sourced from the encyclopedia, her textbook, and some 15 year old monographs from the library’s stacks? Probably two options — she gets negative feedback on her sources by her instructor or she doesn’t.
if she does? She’s going to learn from her mistakes. And I can help her get where she needs to be much more effectively. If she doesn’t – then no amount of energy spent by a librarian to convince her that she REALLY needs to use different sources will make a difference.
Now see my first extra note above and don’t get me wrong – I don’t actually want my students to make mistakes. I would prefer they make the choices I would prefer they make. I think using a variety of interesting sources, including those that represent more than opinion or anecdote, is important and I want students to do that. I’m all for giving those students who are ready to learn to do things in a new way the information they need to do so. What I am saying is that I think we’re spending a lot of energy in library instruction trying to ensure that all of our students won’t make mistakes when they do research — and that that’s counterproductive.
See, the thing that is the same about parenting is this – it makes a lot of sense to choose those places where your energy is best spent – and it’s just rarely best spent trying to convince your kid that consequences exist when he has never experienced them for himself. To do this, you have to do a lot of thinking for him and spend a lot of time imposing rules and consequences he’s going to think are arbitrary. And if you’re going to do that, shouldn’t you wait for a real life-or-death health and safety issue? Especially when it is so much easier and so much more authentic to convince him that consequences exist after he has experienced them.
And the thing that is different than parenting is this – with the slight exception of natural adult-related authority and good classroom management skills, for us the whole ballgame is what our students do with our teaching after they leave us – whether we’re talking about transcendent information literacy teaching that leads to powerful reflective thinkers and lifelong learners — or just about skills that they can apply to do well on that paper that’s due next week — success or failure for us is hardly ever about what happens when they are in a room with us. Some of the teaching parents do really is about making life at home, life in the family, better – in library instruction it’s always about making something, somewhere else better.
So I think we need to re-think our relationship to that somewhere else – connect our focus as teachers to what they’re learning, naturally and authentically out there — and not try and teach in advance in the classroom those things that life will teach them better. And if they’re not learning what they need to from natural consequences, from authentic feedback and meaningful responses to their work — then we need to be working on that level, with their teachers and employers and mentors. | <urn:uuid:316941db-d3df-4eab-b1f1-d29d59846302> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | https://info-fetishist.org/2012/08/06/1375/?like=1&source=post_flair&_wpnonce=20ee2ea151 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988718423.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183838-00271-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968754 | 2,685 | 1.632813 | 2 |
Target: Chen Jining, Minister of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China
Goal: Applaud massive new wind turbine installations pushing China to the forefront of global wind power production.
New wind turbines installed recently have turned China into the world’s single largest producer of wind-based power. A report recently released by the Global Wind Energy Council suggests that over half of all wind turbines constructed last year were built in China. The country’s wind energy capabilities now make up over a quarter of global capacity at over 145,000 megawatts, compared to the world’s 432,000 megawatts. These turbines will generate enough energy to power 30,000 homes year round.
China’s sudden interest in clean energy is a direct result of its air pollution crisis. A thick, toxic smog hangs over many of the country’s major cities, causing respiratory diseases and lung cancer in citizens. The smog is caused mainly by emissions related to industrial production and the use of coal-burning ovens for residential heat. The pollution recently got so bad that schools were closed and all residents were advised to stay inside their homes.
The wind turbine installations are only one part of China’s comprehensive plan to improve its air quality. The country has built enough solar farms to generate 35 gigawatts of energy each year, and will continue to strive toward meeting aggressive solar energy goals. Beijing has moved to eliminate coal as a heat source, close down factories responsible for the most pollution, and take gas-guzzling cars off the road.
China’s efforts will not only benefit the health of its citizens, but the entire global environment. By improving air quality, millions of Chinese citizens will face a lower risk of the severe health issues related to pollution. Sign the petition below to praise China’s efforts to move to clean, sustainable energy.
Dear Minister Jining,
A recent report has placed China at the top of wind power production globally. Thanks to several new wind turbine installations, the country is now producing over a quarter of the world’s wind power. Massive solar farms have also been installed with the capability to generate 35 gigawatts of energy a year.
These moves toward clean energy will positively benefit the millions of Chinese citizens affected by excessive pollution. We, the undersigned, applaud your wind power milestone and urge you to keep working as a world leader in the journey toward clean, sustainable energy.
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Steve Wilson | <urn:uuid:f9ec3c73-0f39-4f8d-b905-9dab6f67aa9e> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://forcechange.com/152547/praise-chinas-new-status-as-world-leader-in-wind-power/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280718.7/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00405-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.938936 | 511 | 2.921875 | 3 |
In school, I was always taught that it would be "My Boss' Daughter" as opposed to "My Boss's Daughter". However, it's entirely possible that this was simplified for elementary students, and I never learned any modifying clauses that may apply.
I have a feeling that it may have been an intentional mistake.
"My Boss' Daughter" may not capture your attention as much as you are glancing at titles in a video store. It could look like "My Boss Daughter" which would not make sense.
"My Boss's Daughter" while not gramatically correct is more likely to capture attention of people who are quickly looking at titles in a video store. It is quicker to decipher what the movie is about using this, incorrect, grammer.
Does this make sense...probably not :)
it should be "My Boss' Daughter"
No you are correct. When iterating a possessive noun you would use an apostrophe followed by an "s", except in the case when the word ends with the letter "s" as in boss, Chris or Les, where you would then only use an apostrophe at the end of the word...ie...boss', Chris' and Les'.
I can't believe how many grammatical errors I've found in places where you never expect because you assume that these people are college educated and would be aware of simple english language grammar rules. I'm not college educated and have always considered myself to be ignorant when it comes to grammar so when I can spot the errors in a news article via print, web and tv it disgusts me.
You're right on all counts! The movie was terrible and the grammatical error even worse. Maybe it was a portent as to what the movie was going to be like. ;)
My Boss' Daughter, indeed.
Just like you, I was taught that it is grammatically correct to spell it "My Boss's Daughter" but during the beginning of my senior year, one of my friends/classmates came up to me asking for my help in editing his paper before turning it in. I came across something like "My Boss's Daughter" and I immediately corrected him but he argued he was right. So after much debate, I decided to prove him wrong. I got up and asked our teacher for his input, and to my surprise, he said both ways were correct! Two years later, and I still refuse to believe that.
This is just a question of style.
In the UK, "My boss's daughter" would be considered correct, just like "Mrs Jones's daughter".
I, too, was taught the "Mrs Jones' daughter" rule at school, but that was a long time ago, and fashion has moved on.
I prefer the modern form ("My boss's daughter") because it better reflects that actual sound when you say the phrase.
My Boss' Daughter is gramatically correct
Nothing wrong with the original title 'My Boss's Daughter'
Either Boss' or Boss's is acceptable. I know. I teach English.
Actually, "Boss's" is the more correct gramatically, but you can use both. Boss' is acceptable, but my english teacher tells us that we should do it Boss's in our GCSE in case we get an evil examiner, although that is extremely unlikely. Boss' is a colloquialism.
They're both grammatically correct actually it just looks better to leave the 's' out.
The added s is the preferred form.
single syllabled nouns in the possessive form ALWAYS has an apostrophe-s added to them... ok? i.e. Jess's, Boss's, Tess's... and those with two or more syllables you just add an apostrophe....i.e. Carlos'...
i hope i helped you
That's totally wrong...It should be " Boss' " just like you said.
I think it may be correct. "Boss" isn't a plural noun, so "Boss's" is okay. But "Boss' " looks better, and more people use that instead of "Boss's."
As we taught , (Boss') is grammatically correct.
Both are correct. They teach the no S method in school because it's neater, and to the societal standards. Much the same way Americans teach "or" and the British teach "our". It's stylistic, and neither is grammatically incorrect.
I believe the choice to use "Boss's" was more a choice of marketting, than anything. "My Boss' Daughter" in certain typefaces or contexts could appear as "My Boss Daughter" to the casual glancer, which is not the intended result.
Yes. "My Boss's Daughter" is gramatically correct. Though adding only an apostrophe to show possession in noun's ending in "s" is usually taught in earlier school life. It is taught in highschool and college that apostrophe + s is used to show possession even for words ending in "s, x, or z" IF AND ONLY IF the world that follows it DOES NOT BEGIN WITH AN "S" ... thus, the title is grammatically correct. ^_^
I'm no english professor, but the title "is" in fact incorrect. The more proper form of the word is "Bosses". While it is true in some contexts to place an apostrophe after an "S", by adding an "e" to the word, you can turn this into a proper noun (as the example applies above).
This article contents is post by this website user, EduQnA.com doesn't promise its accuracy.
More Questions & Answers... | <urn:uuid:e58a4f4f-d3a7-449a-9cb7-f4128e9d6c7d> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.eduqna.com/Words-Wordplay/496-1-words-wordplay-5.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560284405.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095124-00044-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.972965 | 1,169 | 1.96875 | 2 |
AAV is a single stranded DNA virus which has shown great promise as a gene therapy vector. Recombinant AAV vectors delivering RPE65 gene have been demonstrated to cure Leber's congenital amaurosis (LCA) disease and patients are able to regain normal vision after receiving the vectors. In hemophilia B clinical trial, patient receiving AAV vectors were able to express therapeutic level of factor IX gene expression. Systemic delivery of rAAV into human subjects would require a lot more vectors. We anticipate the demand for high quality rAAV vector for human clinical trials will exceed the current capability in our field. To face this challenge, we propose to improve rAAV vector production utilizing a new concept to eliminate wild type replication rcAAV particles and engineer scalable manufacturing processes. We would also investigate the complimentary helper function of adenovirus over cytoplasmic carrier helper in facilitating rAAV replication and packaging. In order to further improve the quality of recombinant AAV production for human gene therapy, we hypothesize that unwanted replication competent AAV particle formation could be eliminated by sequestering the helper function and vector sequences into different cellular compartments. The production and process system will eliminate plasmid transfection and other procedures which are not feasible for large scale production. Hence, our three specific aims are: 1. To study enhancement of AAV encapsidation by adenovirus in a cytoplasmic helper packaging system; 2. To develop a rAAV production system utilizing a cytoplasmic rep/cap carrier; 3. To engineer a protocol for scalable production of rAAV vectors free of contaminants. Completion of these specific aims will greatly enhance the way of rAAV vectors to be used in the field of human gene therapy.
The completion of this project will improve AAV production technology and allow a high quality rAAV vector to be produced economically in large scale. It has an immediate impact on human gene therapy and has the potential to improve the quality of life of patients with genetic diseases, especially for hemophilia which requires systemic delivery of vectors.
|Wang, Qizhao; Dong, Biao; Firrman, Jenni et al. (2014) Efficient production of dual recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors for factor VIII delivery. Hum Gene Ther Methods 25:261-8|
|St Laurent, Georges; Shtokalo, Dmitry; Dong, Biao et al. (2013) VlincRNAs controlled by retroviral elements are a hallmark of pluripotency and cancer. Genome Biol 14:R73| | <urn:uuid:7f85f8d6-1b2c-4d43-b2fb-17341efc797d> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R01-HL114152-03 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280835.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00465-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.891538 | 539 | 1.960938 | 2 |
What are the side effects of Neoteric Diabetic skin care?
The side effects of topical Neoteric Diabetic skin care include mild itching, burning and stinging. More serious adverse effects are allergic reactions (rash, hives, itching, breathing difficulty, chest tightness, mouth, face, lip, or tongue swelling), persistent itching, burning or stinging, skin irritation, and worsening dryness. Neoteric Diabetic skin care is a topical product which may come in several different presentations, such as gel, cream, shampoo, and lotion. This product is meant to treat dermatological conditions that can affect the majority of people but which are more pronounced in diabetic individuals.
Such conditions may include, but are not limited to dry, cracked, itchy and slow-healing skin. Other common skin complications that are more likely to arise in people with diabetes are bacterial and fungal infections. Neoteric Diabetic increases skin's circulation, helping severely dry and damaged skin heal and repair itself. From all this we can surmise that even though diabetics stand to gain more from the use of such a product, people who aren’t diabetics but do have skin problems can enjoy the benefits as well. In either case though, potential users need to be aware of the side effects we mentioned above.
While deter a person who wants to use this product should not necessarily be deterred by those negative effects, they should nonetheless take preventative measures, the first and foremost of which should be to talk to a doctor about the advantages and disadvantages of using Neoteric Diabetic skin care. Consumers should also keep in mind that this isn’t by any means whatsoever the only skin care diabetic product available in the market today. For instance, Discount Medical Supplies offers many skin care lotions, soaps, shampoos, and ointments especially designed for individuals with diabetes.
Among those products are Ameriderm Laboratories DermaSoft Hand and Body Lotion with Aloe, Ameriderm Laboratories Soapreme All-Purpose Lotion Soap, Ameriderm Laboratories GentleWash Body Wash/Shampoo, 3M Healthcare Cavilon No-sting Barrier Film, Dynarex Corporation A & D Ointment, Medline Shampoo & Body Wash, Medline Hydrocortisone Cream, Convatec Aloe Vesta 2-n-1 Body Wash and Shampoo, Anti-Itch Cream by Geiss Destin & Dunn Inc., Ameriderm Laboratories Body Wash Rinse Free Shampoo and Body Cleanser, 3M Healthcare 3M Cavilon Moisturizing Lotion, Ameriderm Laboratories AmeriWash Antimicrobial Lotion Soap with Triclosan, Good Sense Athlete's Foot Cream Antifungal by Invacare Supply Group, Skin Lotion Special Care Vitamins & Aloe, Medline Medseptic Skin Protectant Cream, and more.
Related Read: Assortment of Discount Diabetic Supplies | <urn:uuid:7d390e51-8726-4400-a630-451ca391b2ad> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.discountmedicalsupplies.com/doctors/health-news/what-side-effects-neoteric-diabetic-skin-care | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988721558.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183841-00045-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.918692 | 611 | 1.75 | 2 |
Using Quantitative Research Methods To Improve UX
There are times when the solution to a design problem may “instinctively” pop into your head. Yet, in some scenarios, your instinct might be a valid method in solving design problems.
But, one subjective decision on whether the CTA must be bigger or not, can cost you drop in conversion on the line and ultimately, millions.
Moreover, it’s pretty hard to convince people or your stakeholders when your designs are solely based on intuition. Because they always go in trusting your work with the blindfold half-on and are prepared to point to quantitative data backing-up your hypothesis.
Quantitative user research gives you numbers that you can rely on. Take an example of an online supermarket platform where a lot of decisions are taken w.r.t. the color scheme, UI elements, categorization of products, place of variants option, etc. Quantitative research helps you measure the success and failure of such design aesthetics; you just have to do the leg work.
Take a look at some of the quantitative user research methods and how they can be implemented in your research process.
A/B and Multivariate testing
There is always some disagreement among the designers over the placement of small UI elements. Let your user’s choice be the deciding factor here. Build different variations or versions of your web components or page and present the same to your users. This method will assist you in determining which CTA button is being preferred by your users, or which typography is more appealing to them, and alike.
Their engagement with each experience can be measured and collected in an analytics dashboard and analyzed through a statistical engine with the prior versions. Through comparative testing you can learn which version attracts more clicks or to demonstrate the positive/negative impact of new features or changes to a user experience.
A word of caution: there should only be one difference in all the variants. It will be easy to draw consensus this way and give you definite reasons for selecting one design over the other.
Card sorting is used for structuring your information architecture. It is a cost-effective method as you can provide users with labelled index cards or online card-sorting platforms when conducting remotely. Let them arrange it according to their understanding of topic and ask for debrief later on. Such sessions help participants to do the labelling and categorization as they like.
In an e-commerce website, you can see if under “Packed food items” users are searching for both instant and frozen food items or expecting them in separate categories. Even when you ask them to come up with their own categorization, you can always know how your users group information — are they thinking of nomenclature like “Gourmet Cravings” or looking for simple names like “Food and Beverages”.
Once you have all the data, look for common items, category names or themes, and for groups that were frequently paired together. It helps you organize content so that it suits your users’ mental models, rather than the point of view of your company.
It is a task based analysis wherein you ask users to look for individual elements from the navigation structure that you have built. Tree tests help in improving your navigation by observing how real users navigate your site rather than just going on assumption.
Continuing the e-commerce example, let’s assume you ask the participants to locate “instant noodles”. Your users may go in searching for it under “packed food” category instead of scrolling down to find the “instant food” category. This is how it is often conducted to design page layouts and navigation menus.
It’s the reverse of card sorting. Instead of creating own categories, tree testing asks users to work with an existing set of categories, and highlight where they believe an item is most likely to be located.
Post release, you can use Google Analytics (GA) to see the type of daily users visiting your website. You can compare it with the persona(s) that you have built. You can see where your users are dropping off and what activities they are performing. You can leverage insights on user trends, page with the highest interaction, and how are they navigating.
For instance, in the e-commerce venture, analytics will help you understand your user demographics, type of device they are using, product preferences, how far are they scrolling, et al.
GA makes data visualization easier. There are multiple options to represent your data like line graphs, pie charts and bar graphs, thus making it easy to explain it to all the stakeholders involved. Thus, with the information in capable hands, GA can do wonders for your business.
Back To You..
To achieve your ultimate goal of intuitive and easy-to-use interface, backing your design decisions with data from quantitative research will help you build experiences that are fit and relevant for your target audience in the long run.
Hence, instead of depending solely on subjectivity or qualitative research, design must be validated with quantitative research, and proven design practices, as design exists to solve real problems, which inherently makes it objective.
Your product’s success ultimately boils down to how well you have done the user research. As a UX studio our team is equipped to tackle any UX challenge thrown their way. For any assistance related to user research and analysis, feel free to talk to us.
Originally published at https://blog.galaxyweblinks.com on January 14, 2020. | <urn:uuid:968f47f0-ccc1-4957-a8ab-ffde49d2cdf9> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://jamesjor639.medium.com/using-quantitative-research-methods-to-improve-ux-e1bfd3395671 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571472.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811133823-20220811163823-00671.warc.gz | en | 0.928377 | 1,146 | 2.28125 | 2 |
Can we use multi-modal analysis of medical health records to inter-link the textual and image information and present the data in an intuitively clear manner?
Today, patients access their medical information using the mijnRadboud portal. Medical records are however not written with the patient in mind - the vocabulary gap between language that the patient would understand and the actual contents of their electronic health records is huge. Online health records will also include medical images, where even experts with extensive medical training rely on the support of radiologists to interpret that information.
The proposed project explores (semi-)automatic methods to transform electronic health records (EHRs) into an interactive online version that is easily explored and understood by the patient. To reduce the vocabulary gap, we will transform the textual information in the health record and/or link it to medical knowledge graphs. The scientific question is whether textual and image information reinforce each other to improve effectiveness of these methods. A specific problem to overcome is limited availability of resources for processing Dutch medical health records. Developing word embeddings, entity tagging and knowledge graph extraction from Dutch medical records will have sustainable impact on health innovation at RadboudUMC.
Initially, we are working on linking EHR text to medical knowledge bases. These links can then be used to provide additional information to patients on certain medical terms like diseases, body locations and other findings.
In the paper First Steps Towards Patient-Friendly Presentation of Dutch Radiology Reports (ECIR2020), we present preliminary work on preparing Dutch radiology reports for entity linking to provide additional information to patients. It provides an overview of existing resources and touches on subjects like data anonymisation and annotation, as well as potential word embedding techniques and models.
Alongside these ongoing efforts, we are also closely involved in the development of Radboud Entity Linker (REL), a state-of-the-art open source entity linking package that we are now enhancing for medical entity linking. A paper on REL was published at SIGIR2020, demonstrating state-of-the-art performance on classical entity linking datasets. We hope to eventually use REL (amongst other systems) for linking entities in Dutch EHRs. | <urn:uuid:3d587c8e-ee93-4e35-a4c1-0ea6b5b29297> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.ai-for-health.nl/projects/mihracle/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570692.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20220807181008-20220807211008-00666.warc.gz | en | 0.911675 | 453 | 1.929688 | 2 |
The net has actually come to be more of a demand for today’s people as they can situate various details rapidly listed below. And also because of this need, there are over one billion existing sites and this is expanding significantly each year. CMS or Product Checking System is a vital part of internet innovation and also over a 3rd of all sites are powered by 4 significant CMS platforms that are: WordPress, Magento, Drupal along with Joomla. The allure of these CMS systems is that all of them provide attractive components and also concentrate on specific experience, access as well as success out there. However one substantial trouble that goes ideal together with these CMS systems is the danger to cyber security.
CMS platforms are added susceptible naturally due to the fact that they are based upon the open resource structures as well as such common innovation setups offer plenty of benefits, however on the other side it similarly has some problems which arise from the lack of responsibility. Given that there is no certificate expense, no person takes the obligation for potential troubles like protection worries. Currently these safety and security as well as safety and security vulnerabilities are functioned upon by both safety and protection scientists and also the cyberpunk’s area. And additionally with monitoring availability, cyberpunks can do any kind of kind of type of damages resulting from defacing the website to utilizing it for the blood circulation of malware and also this obtains the website blacklisted in Google as well as numerous other significant internet search engine.
Though the strategies and likewise capacities of the hackers are continuously establishing, yet there are essential ideas that can help you to protect your CMS web website from safety assault
The CIA version is used as a review to make sure the guarding of info within the organization. The set of guidelines restricts the access to information, assurance that the information is specific and reputable. In order to keep in line with the CIA design, it is essential for the firms to think about the spread of the details. CMS stands for both inner as well as outside details for that reason it is essential to take the defense of the system seriously as well as protect versus any kind of loss of details as well as its control.
CMSs have a range of plug-ins easily available along with the benefits that they originate from the diverse expansions offer the individuals the opportunity to tailor as well as also make use of the functions that are lacking in the original bundle.
This makes it a lot more susceptible and cyberpunks situate even more extent to entry. So, it is extremely necessary to discover your specific requirements and likewise make use of only those plug-ins that are needed as well as additionally prevent using unneeded outside plug-ins. Paying terrific focus to the reviews and likewise the tips from the CMS neighborhood as well as not downloading and install and set up all brand-new plugins can save your CMS website from safety and security strikes.
When it is all about the safety and security of your web site, it is a game. Cyberpunks will certainly look for out the technicalities in the software application and also developers will certainly attempt to repair the spot asap. Risk assessment aids the security as well as protection experts recognize the events that could occur as well as also damage the business’s buildings.
The thorough reports aid the programmers to secure the CMS website versus possible strikes. Utilizing devices like susceptability scanners allows the admins agility software to uncover the weakest elements and afterwards boost the security system. This decreases the problems done by any type of sort of violation and it should certainly be executed as a part of the disaster healing plan. Normal back-up of the website along with its information source is also an important task to carry out. | <urn:uuid:d567fdfd-8b2e-4c60-a2ff-a360454fa980> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://bioblazefireplaces.com/what-does-a-cms-website-do-for-you/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571758.42/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812200804-20220812230804-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.972334 | 749 | 1.9375 | 2 |
India, PH hold bilateral talks at Asean
PHNOM PENH– While Manila and Beijing appear to be drifting apart due to territorial spats in the West Philippine Sea, another Asian giant is pursuing deeper economic and political ties with Manila.
The Philippines and India engaged in bilateral talks on Sunday evening to explore avenues for further cooperation on the sidelines of the 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and related Summits at the Peace Palace here.
The bilateral talks came upon the request of the Indian delegation, which appeared “quite persistent” in seeking a dialogue with President Benigno Aquino III, Filipino officials said in a briefing for Manila-based reporters.
During the talks, Aquino and India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh explored opportunities for boosting economic ties, agreeing that both countries can learn from each other, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said.
In 2011, bilateral trade between the Philippines and India amounted to $1 billion, rising by 10.8-percent from the previous year, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.
Singh told the Philippine president that India shared Asean’s concern for ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), as well as for removing barriers to trade.
Asean members Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia, along with China and Taiwan, have overlapping claims to the sea that is believed to hold vast amounts of oil and gas, and is home to vital sea lanes through which half the world’s trade passes.
Aquino informed Singh that he would not be able to make it to the Asean-India Commemorative Summit to be held on Dec. 20-21 in New Delhi to mark the 20th anniversary of the Asean-India dialogue, Coloma said.
Aquino said he has asked Vice President Binay to represent him at the event, with the theme “Asean-India Partnership for Peace and Shared Prosperity.” Singh said the summit signified the full fruition of India’s integration with Asean, a 10-nation bloc.
Singh also congratulated Aquino on the signing of the Bangsamoro framework agreement and said both countries can benefit from sharing experiences in post-conflict rebuilding, Coloma said.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the evolving global financial architecture in light of the economic crisis in Europe, continuing high unemployment in the US, and the slowdown in growth in Asia, Coloma said.
Singh suggested that both countries can contribute to a “pool of wisdom, knowledge and experience” for coping with economic challenges, he added.
Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras said the meeting was held at past 7 p.m. Sunday. “It’s quite late but India has been quite persistent in requesting for that bilateral,” he said.
The only other bilateral meeting with Aquino for the day was with Vietnam, scheduled at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Almendras said the flu-stricken Philippine President had 10 opportunities to speak, which was why he opted to attend the Asean summit in spite of his condition.
At Sunday’s plenary, he spoke up about the need for Asean centrality in resolving disputes with China over territories in the West Philippine Sea. He was also supposed to address the meeting with the Asean Business Advisory Council, but time ran out and only a handful of leaders were able to deliver their speeches. | <urn:uuid:828e57b4-d65f-429b-8413-bda6a72491d1> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://globalnation.inquirer.net/56966/india-ph-hold-bilateral-talks-at-asean | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279933.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00118-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.956693 | 742 | 1.625 | 2 |
The Department of Theatre Arts curriculum provides learning opportunities in all major aspects of theatre. Academic theory is interwoven with practical application through student participation in theatrical productions and in-class projects. Six to ten annual departmental, senior project and student theatre company productions provide opportunities to perform, design, stage-manage, direct, produce and take on other leadership roles throughout the year.
Special Learning Opportunities
We also provide individualized training with a focus on the collaborative, analytical and expressive skills essential in all working environments. Play selection and workshop programming is customized to student needs and interests. Guest artists interact with students in production, workshop, coaching and mentoring situations.
Students who take full advantage of the opportunities offered will emerge as theatre artists who impact society through the kinds of theatre they create, the way they work, the stories they bring to light, and the audiences they choose to serve.
As our student artists gain practical experience in the wide range of theatre arts disciplines, they also gain confidence in how to create new work and interpret existing scripts in service of the communities in which they live and work.
Many theatre majors participate in off-campus programs including the New York Arts Program and Earlham’s London program.
Our alumni have pursued graduate degrees at such top institutions as Yale University and New York University.
Others have joined professional internship programs at the Actors Theatre of Louisville and Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago or joined theatre companies in Minneapolis, Seattle, St. Louis and San Francisco.
Still others use their creative, collaborative, critical and presentation skills in a variety of other fields, from business to law to teaching.
Dan McCoy '00 finds himself at the top of his profession as a staff writer for “The Daily Show,” hosted by Jon Stewart. It is the first time he has held a full-time job in comedy. But this is not as improbable as it sounds. More
Performing Arts & the Liberal Arts
Bria Robinson '17 mixes music, acting, singing, dancing and volleyball as part of her liberal arts education. Her aspirations include graduate school and Broadway.More | <urn:uuid:bbe16cbe-f968-4b92-9268-2f1cfdd5b8aa> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://earlham.edu/theatre-arts/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281353.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00071-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958278 | 431 | 1.53125 | 2 |
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Is the pause in NFC hurting adoption?By
A number of near field communication-enabled devices are constantly hitting the market and many marketers are experimenting with their own mobile payment technology. However, consumer education about NFC is still rather low and although the technology is somewhat new, 2013 may not be the year of contactless payments.
Yes, companies such as ISIS and Google Wallet are constantly looking at ways to drive adoption and make paying with a mobile device easier. However, more marketers need to come on board and educate consumers about the advantages of NFC.
“The more NFC-enabled consumer devices on the market, the more likely NFC will be successful when marketers choose to embrace the technology,” said Spencer Burke, mobile strategist at appboy, New York. “In 2012, global sales of NFC-enabled devices tripled to 140 million, and that number will rise to one billion units by 2017 – all without Apple’s participation.
“But there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done to educate consumers,” he said. “I don’t think you can stick an NFC-enabled label on something and expect people to know how to interact with it yet.
“We need a more intuitive approach and there’s certainly an opportunity for marketers to lead the way here.”
Into the future
According to Mr. Burke, the mobile space is not at a point where marketers can say NFC has taken too long to adopt.
The technology is still relatively new and has an opportunity to dramatically increase the ease of mobile payments and ticketing.
However, the biggest barrier marketers face right now to increased NFC adoption is most likely Apple’s decision to not include it in the iPhone.
“Mobile marketing, and digital more generally, have been taking an iOS-first approach in much of their strategy,” Mr. Burke said. “This also puts a lot of pressure on Apple, who is very careful about decisions like these.
“Apple will essentially choose a winner here when they adopt NFC or a similar technology,” he said.
The executive believes that marketers will consistently see adoption of NFC in Android devices.
NFC is already being used to facilitate connections with bluetooth devices. Therefore, the technology can take a lot of the pain out of pairing devices by doing a simple tap to pair that creates the bluetooth connection.
As Android increasingly gains the attention of mobile marketers, there will be more adoption in marketing materials, particularly where the call- to-action is an app download.
And an Apple announcement of an NFC-enabled iPhone would almost certainly cause a flurry of digital wallet initiatives and digital ticketing systems focused on NFC.
“Marketers should be most interested in NFC as an enabling technology,” Mr. Burke said. “NFC takes the place of QR codes or URLs to connect users from physical media to digital content.
“Retail stores can include NFC tags on shelves or near products to provide more information or ways to purchase out of stock items online. Venues and events can have tags that link to download their app,” he said. “Really any call-to-action that’s asking a customer to pick up their phone can be facilitated with NFC.
“NFC tags can be sold as a consumer product to attach custom actions to tags, but I expect we won’t see a huge uptick in adoption there.”
Is there a pause?
According to Christopher Barnard, president of Points, Toronto, the mobile payment landscape in the United States already had nearly eight million consumers using NFC as of the end of last year.
And in-store mobile payment revenue was up to $640 million in transaction value in 2012.
“It’s true that NFC came with a lot of hype back in 2006 and 2007 – and there’s very much a chicken and egg adoption issue here,” Mr. Barnard said. “Merchants have to install new hardware to read NFC chips and phones have to have NFC chips.
“Both developments require the other before critical mass can be achieved. But someone has to start,” he said. “European merchants seem to have taken the plunge.
“Regardless of the region, there’s no denying that NFC was the pioneer in mobile payments processing. Now, half a decade later, there are numerous ways mobile payments can be processed and mobile engagement accomplished. NFC is just one part of the mobile landscape.”
Nowadays, it seems that NFC is taking longer to be accepted in the U.S. as opposed to internationally.
In places such as Africa and China, mobile cellular networks trump traditional landlines and smartphones are a primary Internet access point.
For example, in Kenya, a mobile phone company saw its subscriber base increase more than 500-fold between 2000 and 2010.
Rwanda saw its number of mobile phone users increase by 50 percent.
With fewer payment options available and other nations’ penchant for embracing new technologies faster, NFC has filled an important payment and transaction niche.
Moreover, tech-savvy Asia-Pacific nations such as Japan and South Korea have also long embraced cutting edge technology as well as new usage trends.
“The U.S. NFC adoption lag is partly due to a multitude of payment options and a plethora of mobile wallet payment platforms,” Mr. Barnard said. “In essence, too much of a good thing – this is a common shortcoming when dealing with new industries.
“There’s no question that NFC remains a technology that continues to mature and find new converts,” he said. “NFC has still been instrumental in beginning the world’s transition to a truly all-digital mobile wallet.
“Eventually, pioneering mobile wallets like Google Wallet, PayPal and Square Wallet, among others, will be appreciated for those efforts. While technology advances at the speed of light, just because NFC hasn’t fully matured doesn’t mean it won’t eventually be indirectly responsible for ushering in future mobile wallet growth.”
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York
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leave a response, or trackback from your own site. | <urn:uuid:85b1a43d-71e8-4fe2-af84-481f5c16bdeb> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/is-the-pause-in-nfc-hurting-adoption | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282202.61/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00558-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948206 | 1,348 | 1.578125 | 2 |
Prague, 21 March 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Bismillah Bismil, chairman of the Afghan-UN Joint Electoral Management Body, announced on 20 March that a firm date has been set for the country's first post-Taliban legislative elections.
He says the voting will include ballots for Afghanistan's 34 provincial assemblies as well as the "Wolesi Jirga," or People's Assembly -- the lower house of Afghanistan's bicameral parliament.
"The Joint Electoral Management Body, after careful consideration, has decided that the elections for the Wolesi Jirga and provincial assemblies will be held on Sunday, 18 September 2005," Bismil said.
"That's one reason why this election [for district councils] has been delayed: No one knows what the population is. And then, the districts are divided on the basis of the population. So unless you have reliable statistics, you don't know how many [local district] councils you are going to have, how many representatives [in the upper chamber or parliament] you are going to have, or how many representatives are going to come from a certain province."
But Bismil says it will not be possible this year to conduct more complicated local elections for district councils within each province. "Due to some technical and logistical problems, we cannot hold the district-council elections this year," Bismil said. "It is up to the Wolesi Jirga [to resolve outstanding issues related to] the borders of the districts. And then we shall be able to finalize the dates for the district council elections."
Under the Afghan Constitution, the Afghan president appoints one-third of the members of parliament's upper house -- known as the Mushrano Jirga, or Assembly of Elders. The provincial assemblies and local district councils within each province also elect delegates from among their members.
But the lack of district councils has forced the Joint Electoral Management Board to improvise. It says a temporary upper house will be created so the parliament can function until district elections are held.
Under that system, there will be 51 representatives in the temporary upper house. Each of the 34 provincial assemblies elected in September will send one representative. The remaining 17 seats -- one-third of the total -- will be appointed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Musa Maroofi is a professor of political science and law at Kabul University who helped draft Afghanistan's constitution. He tells RFE/RL that the system for creating a temporary upper house appears to follow the spirit of the constitution:
"The language of the constitution is very clear about this," Maroofi said. "And it says that the president will elect the remaining one-third [of the upper house of parliament] from experienced and knowledgeable people. Now if that one-third comes to 17, then that is the figure. So I think the commission will be very mindful to abide by the letter and spirit of this article."
Meanwhile, UN officials working on a census project to determine the population of Afghanistan have told RFE/RL that their work could take another four to five years.
Maroofi says that until the information is available, nobody knows how many district councils will be in each Afghan province.
"That's one reason why this election [for district councils] has been delayed: No one knows what the population is," Maroofi said. "And then, the districts are divided on the basis of the population. So unless you have reliable statistics, you don't know how many [local district] councils you are going to have, how many representatives [in the upper chamber or parliament] you are going to have, or how many representatives are going to come from a certain province."
One thing is clear, however. The most populous areas of Afghanistan will have relatively fewer representatives in the temporary assembly than the constitution envisages.
For example, as the most populous province in Afghanistan, Kabul should have the greatest number of seats in the Assembly of Elders.
Instead, it will have only one provincial assembly representative -- the same as less populous provinces.
Maroofi suggests that such a system, if made permanent, would violate the constitution. "What is important is that each province and each [district] council is given equal opportunity to have fair elections and send as many representatives as they have a right to send," Maroofi said.
Still, Maroofi says, the need to get a parliamentary system working justifies the creation of a temporary upper house:
"They are trying to first of all get the right statistics for those [electoral] borders, at the district level, to be certain," Maroofi said. "Otherwise, they're going to make a big problem. It can make a crisis. And we're talking about ethnic boundaries as well. Many can complain. In order to prevent the emergence of such complaints and crises, they have to first of all make sure that they have the right [population] statistics and that the inhabitants of each district trust those figures."
More than 10.5 million people will be eligible to vote in the elections for the 249-seat lower house in September. About 50 political parties have registered. | <urn:uuid:8a99ae59-713b-48d8-b760-f1883ba8b555> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.rferl.org/a/1058063.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280587.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00560-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.96327 | 1,066 | 2 | 2 |
"A bear on Paddington Station?" said Mrs Brown in amazement. "Don't be silly - there can't be."The original story of Paddington, the classic bear from Darkest Peru.The Browns first meet Paddington on a railway station - Paddington station, in fact. He has travelled all the way from Darkest Peru with only a jar of marmalade, a suitcase and his hat.The Browns soon find that Paddington is a very unusual bear. Ordinary things - like having a bath, travelling underground or going to the seaside become quite extraordinary, if a bear called Paddington is involved. | <urn:uuid:44e8bfaa-a65e-4a02-b418-463613eed8b7> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/a-bear-called-paddington/9780007174164-item.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719286.6/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00498-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.958987 | 133 | 2.4375 | 2 |
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Students listen to a read aloud, Dinofours My Seeds Won't Grow. They talk about what plants need to grow and study the parts of plants. They discuss what types of plants we eat after which they plant a seed in order to observe the growth process.
3 Views 5 Downloads | <urn:uuid:cc4ee7a8-c7c9-4bd0-9739-bc4994e889c3> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | https://www.lessonplanet.com/teachers/dinofours-my-seeds-wont-grow-k-2nd | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280835.60/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00466-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.916063 | 117 | 2.484375 | 2 |
- slide 1 of 5
Medicare is the U.S. government provided health insurance program for retired Americans. The program is funded through payroll taxes and premiums paid by those enrolled in Medicare. Medicare consumes a large amount of money, and here we will explore the cost per citizen of Medicare.
Medicare money flows through two trust funds set up by the government. The trust funds ensure the taxes and premiums collected to fund Medicare are used to pay for Medicare benefits. The trust funds are the Hospital Insurance trust fund, which pays for what is known as Part A of Medicare, and the Supplemental Medical Insurance trust fund, paying the costs of Part B.
- slide 2 of 5
Each year the trustees of Medicare send a report to the U.S. Congress providing the status of the Medicare and Social Security trust funds. The 2010 Trustees Report provides the inflows and outflows of the Medicare trust funds for 2009.
In 2009 the Hospital Insurance trust fund had out flow of $242.5 billion. The Supplemental Medical Insurance trust fund spent $266.5 billion. Total Medicare expenditures for 2009 were $509 billion, half a trillion dollars. During the year 46.3 million people were covered under Medicare. A little division shows that Medicare spending was $11,000 per medicare beneficiary.
Note: The Medicare Part B premium paid by each Medicare beneficiary was about $100 per month in 2009, or about 10 percent of the cost of Medicare for each recipient.
- slide 3 of 5
Medicare per Citizen
The next step is to divide the Medicare spending by the total population and also by the number of working people. The U.S. Census Bureau website has the population of the United States at 311 million in January 2011. The Bureau of Labor Statistics - BLS - has lots of good data, and the number of employed people at the end of 2009 was 138 million.
- Dividing the $509 billion spent on Medicare in 2009 by the 311 men, women and children in the U.S. gives a per citizen Medicare spending amount of $1,640 per citizen for the year 2009.
- The same math dividing by the 138 million working people gives a Medicare spending amount of $3,690 for each person in the U.S. who has a job.
- slide 4 of 5
Medicare is primarily funded through payroll taxes. Everyone who is employed has a tax of 1.45% withheld from salary or wages. Employers pay a matching 1.45% for a total Medicare tax rate of 2.90%. The self-employed get to pay the whole 2.90% load on self-employment earnings.
Using our math skills once again, here is the amount paid for in Medicare taxes for a working person at several income levels:
- Salary: $25,000, total Medicare taxes: $725.
- Salary: $50,000, Medicare taxes paid: $1,450.
- Salary: $100,000, Medicare taxes: $2,900.
Note that someone earning $100,000 per year does not pay in, plus the employer contribution, enough money to cover one Medicare recipient.
- slide 5 of 5
SSA.gov: Trustees Report Summary http://www.ssa.gov/oact/trsum/index.html
SSA.gov: FICA and SECA Tax Rates http://www.ssa.gov/oact/progdata/taxRates.html
BLS.gov: Labor Force Statistics http://www.bls.gov/cps/tables.htm#empstat_m
Census.gov: Population Clocks http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html | <urn:uuid:03edfca8-b2f3-4f6b-b22a-d55e5e3879e8> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.brighthub.com/money/personal-finance/articles/103816.aspx | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988718957.31/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183838-00436-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.93233 | 770 | 2.71875 | 3 |
About The Home advocate. (Farmerville, La.) 1885-1???
Farmerville, La. (1885-1???)
- The Home advocate. : (Farmerville, La.) 1885-1???
- Place of publication:
- Farmerville, La.
- Geographic coverage:
- T.C. Lewis
- Dates of publication:
- Began with Feb. 11, 1885 issue.
- Farmerville (La.)--Newspapers.
- Archived issues are available in digital format from the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection.
- Description based on: Vol. 1, no. 3 (Feb. 27, 1885).
- sn 88064297
- Related Links:
- View complete holdings information
- First Issue Last Issue
The Home Advocate
Farmerville is the seat of Union Parish, Louisiana, a rural, agricultural parish that forms part of the state's northern border with Arkansas. Founded in 1839, the parish had grown in population to about 15,000 by 1885, when the Home Advocate was founded by Thomas Charles Lewis (1838-1900). A well-known lawyer and judge, Lewis had formerly edited the Union Record. Around 1879, a political dispute with a rival editor, the northern-born judge James Etherington Trimble of the Farmerville Gazette, became so heated that Lewis feared for his life. He left the parish, not returning until 1884, when he purchased the printing equipment of the North Louisiana Appeal and began publishing a new paper, the Home Advocate. The feud with Trimble was soon reignited and only ended when Trimble and Lewis's friend James Ramsey, an attorney, killed each other in a duel in 1887.
In addition to expressing Lewis's Democratic political views and promoting the development of Union Parish, the Home Advocate, a four-page weekly,typically carried domestic and agricultural advice, fiction, essays, news of fraternal organizations, school notices, and advertisements for local businessmen, many of whom were Jewish. Letters to the editor range in topic from state politics to prohibition of alcohol.
The last extant issue of the Home Advocate dates from June 1887, but publication is thought to have continued until 1890, when Lewis moved to Ruston to assist his son Savory Lewis with the publication of a newspaper there.
Provided by: Louisiana State University; Baton Rouge, LA | <urn:uuid:71ddfeee-843f-4b3e-8823-c34629754ee6> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88064297/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560285315.77/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095125-00573-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.926031 | 499 | 2 | 2 |
Farm Policy Facts is pleased to publish a guest editorial on why the farm bill is critical for growing our food and fiber supply while also protecting our natural resources.
As farmers, we have no control over weather. We have no control over markets. We have no control over our foreign competitors. We cannot just turn our operations on or off. We have to take care of the land 365 days a year. We need a safety net when commodity prices fall. We need affordable and reliable crop insurance to protect our yearly investments.
Earlier this month, Heritage Action CEO, Michael Needham, wrote an op-ed playing their old song that trashes farmers and farm policy that was published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. This time, in an incredible act of duplicity, Needham tried to portray the Arkansas Farm Bureau, a grassroots organization if there ever was one, of being part of “the establishment” in Washington, D.C. Friend of Farm Policy Facts and Former Congressman Larry Combest wrote a response in kind to set the record straight as to who is the real Washington insider.
Our View: With a Depressed Farm Economy, America’s Agricultural Producers Should Be Able to Count on the Farm Safety Net
Farmers like to call themselves the eternal optimists, but these real world conditions that Chairman Conaway and others have described have provided plenty of reasons to keep them up at night. The ability to count on farm policy to get them through a tough year or more shouldn’t be one of them.
In an election year that has seen sharp divides among candidates and voters on the major issues of the day, there is one policy area that is receiving widespread, bipartisan support: farm policy and crop insurance.
Farm Policy Facts is pleased to publish a guest editorial from Rep. Jim Costa on the importance of maintaining a strong safety net for farmers.
Last week, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) sent out a report with this headline: “The Rich Get Richer: 50 Billionaires Got Federal Farm Subsidies.” The piece was meant to draw attention to the “problem” of well-known billionaires and celebrities pocketing farm subsidies. The only problem is, there isn’t a problem.
On this Earth Day, we are pleased to publish an editorial from the chairmen of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees celebrating the efforts of America’s farmers and ranchers in protecting our natural resources.
Circulating half-truths and misinformation is how agriculture’s opponents have operated for decades, and they’re not about to let pesky things like facts and expert analysis get in the way.
Farm Policy Facts is proud to publish a guest editorial from Krysta Harden, the former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
It is not every day that there is widespread agreement in our nation’s Capitol, especially when it comes to budget matters. So, it is significant to highlight when such accord is demonstrably on display.
“As Congress and the White House wrestle with their respective budgets in the coming weeks, I hope good sense will prevail and they’ll leave crop insurance and farm policy alone.”
Congressman Frank Lucas discusses how Future Farmers of America is growing the next generation of leaders, and how his membership in the local chapter as a young person helped shape and inspire a life of public service.
A new survey demonstrates a strong level of support for crop insurance among farmers growing a diverse set of crops across the country, and opposition to any legislative proposals that weaken this important risk management tool.
“Where are the women?” was not an existential question Marji Guyler-Alaniz asked herself one day after leaving her corporate job of 11 years. Rather it was a realization that the imagery – and perhaps even the perception – of the American farmer needed an update.
On this President’s Day, Farm Policy Facts combed through a bit of presidential history to find the words and views of some of our past leaders on the importance of American agriculture.
It is easier to sell fear than facts. This is a concept that the Environmental Working Group (EWG) knows all too well and has built a brand and an empire based on that business model. But, people are catching on to that game.
To dismantle U.S. sugar policy without concessions from foreign governments only puts America at a distinct disadvantage. Farm Policy Facts agrees wholeheartedly with Rep. Yoho: we stand with American workers over foreign cheaters.
If cotton production leaves our state and local communities, the infrastructure of cotton gins, warehouses and associated businesses will go with it, and history tells us it will not return.
Narobi is a good first step that publicized some of the schemes America’s competitors use to manipulate markets, and it proved that global reforms are possible.
From continued attacks on the farm safety net in Washington to a sour farm economy, Farm Policy Facts takes a look at the top agriculture stories of 2015.
The National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) recently released a new educational video to illustrate how Americans benefit from crop insurance and to push back on the tactics of farm policy opponents who try to misrepresent the facts surrounding crop insurance and other important facets of U.S. farm policy.
In the midst of dire economic conditions, U.S. cotton farmers can find encouragement from a growing chorus of support for a proposal to help mitigate their current financial struggles.
To be clear, farmers aren’t asking for a headline or a pat on the back. They’re asking for a fair shake when disasters strike and the ability to compete on a global stage. Honestly, it’s the least we can do for the folks who provide the nation with food and fiber.
Now is the time to protect the one thing beginning farmers and their bankers can count on.
It is a fact that strong farm policy and support for crop insurance goes beyond the farmer, not only benefitting rural America but consumers as well.
As President George W. Bush once said, “A nation that can feed its people is a nation more secure.” But, the reality is, the more we chip away at the investment in our national food and fiber supply, the more vulnerable we become.
If my family had kept the farm, I would have been a fourth-generation farmer of a grain operation. But they couldn’t.
Rural America Reminds Lawmakers to Keep Their Promise to Protect Crop Insurance from Cuts in Spending Bill
“It ain’t over till it’s over,” said the great Yogi Berra. He was referring to the New York Mets’ season in 1973, but the sentiment could easily describe the fight to stave off cuts to federal crop insurance this year.
Rather than stack the deck against agriculture, let’s ensure farmers and ranchers have the tools they need to feed the world.
The United States should stop trying to balance its budget on the backs of farmers. It is bad policy, and there’s no room for further reductions.
The Farm Bill is needed now more than ever, and no thinly veiled plot by anti-farmer forces to pry open the Farm Bill is acceptable. An attack on one farmer’s policy is an attack upon all as far as we are concerned.
“Agriculture, as a whole, rose up and said enough is enough,” said Steve Verett, the Executive Vice President of the Plains Cotton Growers.
As Congress prepares to vote on a budget agreement that includes cuts to a key component of the farm safety net, Larry Combest, the former chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture and the Select Committee on Intelligence, makes clear to lawmakers what is at stake if it comes to pass.
Without any consultation with America’s farmers, or apparently even elected leaders from rural America, a handful of lawmakers fast-tracked a new budget proposal that would decimate crop insurance.
The full-scale reality of what American farmers are up against when it comes to competing with foreign treasuries rather than foreign farmers was the topic of a hearing at the House Committee on Agriculture this week.
“2011 was a game changer. It altered the lives of all of us in production agriculture,” explained Rick Kellison, the project director of the Texas Alliance for Water Conservation (TAWC), during a farm tour near Lubbock, Texas where the Southwest Council of Agribusiness (SWCA) convened its annual meeting last week.
The next few years very well may be defining for the future outlook of agriculture. And the whole world has a lot riding on the outcome.
Protecting our farms is good economic policy and it is critical to the health and safety of our nation. As the proud representative of the First District of Michigan, I will do everything I can to ensure that my farmers have a voice in the decisions made in Washington.
The importance of crop insurance to meet the needs of a growing world population took center stage this week in Kansas City as agricultural leaders from more than 30 countries gathered for the International Association of Agricultural Production Insurers (AIAG) to learn more about the American system. | <urn:uuid:8bb86091-6226-4301-adaa-ae1ca8bb949a> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.farmpolicyfacts.org/author/farm-policy-facts/page/4/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572221.38/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816060335-20220816090335-00076.warc.gz | en | 0.94925 | 1,908 | 2 | 2 |
Cancer is a frightening disease. From its seemingly unpredictable appearance in some people to its terrifying prevalence in some families, it is diagnosis no patient wants to receive. Yet it is better to be diagnosed early when the disease may be limited and removal of the tissue, with additional treatment, holds the greatest likelihood of success.
Misdiagnosis is the fear of every woman. That a doctor or radiologist will miss the lump or shadow on the X-ray and that they will lose more than their breast, but could lose their life. At the early stages of diagnosis, research shows that a lumpectomy is as effective as a mastectomy. But many women are opting for this more radical approach.
And because of the complexity and size of the operation, a mastectomy or even a double mastectomy carries additional risks. Perhaps not as scary as the risk of cancer, but the complications are not insignificant, and include bleeding, infection from the skin graft, bruising and fluid accumulation.
Some women even opt for removal of a healthy breast when cancer has only been detected in one. The recent study found that whether they have a mastectomy and breast reconstruction or just a lumpectomy combined with radiation, the chances of cancer reoccurring were about the same.
Given that removal and reconstruction averages more than five times the cost of the lumpectomy, it seems likely doctors and insurers may have conflicting views on which procedure a woman should choose.
For any woman facing this daunting decision, a careful and thoughtful discussion with their doctor seems essential.
Source: npr.com, “Mastectomy No Better Than Lumpectomy For Early Breast Cancer,” Patti Neighmond, December 11, 2015 | <urn:uuid:c025d63b-91df-458e-9088-0dbfe1080a1b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.indianapolis-medical-malpractice-lawyer.com/blog/2015/12/breast-cancer-survival-rates-for-two-treatments-similar/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572833.95/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817032054-20220817062054-00474.warc.gz | en | 0.971517 | 347 | 2.390625 | 2 |
GP numbers rise in England, mainly owing to more traineesBMJ 2019; 365 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l2393 (Published 30 May 2019) Cite this as: BMJ 2019;365:l2393
- Nigel Hawkes
The number of GPs working in England has crept up in the past year, a rise almost entirely accounted for by an increase in GP trainees.
In March 2019 England’s GPs totalled 44 847, a rise of 350 (0.8%) on the same month in 2018. The full time equivalent count, which allows for some GPs working only part time, showed a similar increase, rising from 34 424 to 34 736 (0.9%).1
But closer examination of the data released by NHS Digital shows that the headcount of fully qualified GPs fell by 494 year on year, while the number of trainees increased by 760. The great majority of these new recruits to the GP workforce were trained in the UK, lending credence to NHS England’s claim that plans to increase recruitment are working.
Less time available
“Today’s figures highlight the good work being done locally to support GPs through retention … | <urn:uuid:ce999c65-2992-4991-9f2b-89efb317e185> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.bmj.com/content/365/bmj.l2393 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572089.53/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814234405-20220815024405-00065.warc.gz | en | 0.933161 | 263 | 2.203125 | 2 |
|From The Parlement of Fowlys by Geoffrey Chaucer - image via Plantagenet|
A familiar line, penned by Geoffrey Chaucer as the opening lines of The Parliament of Fowls, written in 1382. Life is short - so much to learn, especially about love. Although Saint Valentine, the Christian martyr dates back to the fifth century, it is generally believed that Chaucer's work was the first to link St. Valentine with love, lovers and all things smoochy.
The poem states:
For this was on seynt Volantynys day (For this was on Saint Valentine's Day)
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make. (When every bird came there to choose his mate).
Unlikely, then that this was originally celebrated on 14th February - not usually the bird-mating season - but the poem clearly links the saint with love. And it stuck. Whilst to many now, it may seem like nothing more than commercial hype, specifically designed to get us to buy some over-priced card, box of chocolates, piece of jewellery or more to demonstrate our love to our chosen one, it would seem that this tradition - and our desire to learn the craft of love - has seen excesses of sentimental expressions for many centuries.
From the Middle Ages on, through Shakespeare's drama, the poetry of John Donne (love him!) to the overwhelmingly sugary Victorian Age - St. Valentine's Day has been the day to think of our loved ones with more than usual attention. My own FR - resistant to advertising - swears he loves me with passion every day and I believe him.We rarely do more than apologise for not capitulating to marketing pressures, have a big hug and continue as normal.
This year, looking for themes on which to base my English teaching classes, I have combined two things - one being St. Valentine's Day - it's a good one for learning new vocabulary about emotions and feelings.
Last week, in my most
And yesterday, Romy and I set to and made both men and hearts (plus a butterfly and a couple of unidentified things.) So today, as a token of how very special everyone is, the children have set off to school with a gingerbread heart in their 'tuckbox'. And for FR, some of my gingerbread men have little hearts - just for today. He knows he has mine always.
Happy Valentine's Day - how do you spent it? With lots of love, I hope. | <urn:uuid:230b83f9-8515-438d-9802-df44c11654b8> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://chocolateannie.blogspot.com/2012/02/lyfe-so-short-craft-so-long-to-lerne.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282140.72/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00128-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.968013 | 524 | 2.65625 | 3 |
As an author, one of the most gratifying experiences you can have is for people to tell you that your book saved their life, or was extremely useful and relevant to them. But when you write a book like “Justice While Black: Helping African-American Families Navigate and Survive the Criminal Justice System,” your feelings are a lot more complicated. I was hoping it would prove useful to the Black community, but it’s turned out to be waaay more relevant than I’d ever want.
When Atlanta attorney Robbin Shipp and I sat down more than a year ago to start writing “Justice While Black,” it was the specter of Trayvon Martin that hung over the room. The Black community had just suffered through the numbing shock of George Zimmerman’s acquittal. For nearly two decades, Robbin had been witnessing the parade of Black males carted through the criminal justice system in Georgia. For just as long, I had been writing about the stultifying list of African Americans who had been summarily executed by American law enforcement, often for no apparent reason other than their skin color. We both felt compelled to do something, to use our respective talents to make a difference.
But in the months leading up to the book’s release and in the two weeks since “Justice While Black” has been out, the nation has witnessed an outrageous number of African Americans dying or suffering at the hands of law enforcement. As the book’s publication date approached, I was even asked to pen an essay in the October issue of Ebony, looking at the issue from a dad’s perspective, because the topic of the book was so incredibly relevant.
Of course, these kinds of cases have always been with us, popping up every few months to send shivers down our spines—particularly if we have young Black males of our own in the house. But over the summer and early fall, the incidents have been coming with stunning regularity—often brought to us by the wonder of cellphone videotaping.
Just a few days ago, St. Louis exploded again when the police shot and killed another Black boy, 18-year-old Vonderrick Myers Jr. The St. Louis police claim the teen was carrying a 9mm Ruger and fired it at the off-duty cop, who was moonlighting as some type of security officer for a private company, though he was wearing his uniform. The cop then fired his gun 17 times. Neighborhood residents claim Myers was hit 16 times.
So once again St. Louis broils as the rest of us shake our stunned heads. How do we make it stop? Can we make it stop?
“Justice While Black” is our attempt to arm teenagers with something even more dangerous than a firearm: Knowledge.
Robbin (who is running for state labor commissioner in Georgia) and I believe that if more African Americans are fully aware of their rights and understand more about the thinking of law enforcement, they will be better able to navigate the streets (and suburbs) of our cities and increase their chances of arriving home alive. In the book, Robbin talks convincingly about the fact that she seldom if ever saw members of the Nation of Islam caught up in the system in her years of practicing law. She believes this is because the Nation spends considerable time educating its young men about law enforcement and the Constitution—and also because the police know members of the Nation are armed with that knowledge.
Our goal is to get every young Black boy and Black girl to the point where the police in their community hesitate to harass them because they fear these young people are powerfully equipped with knowledge.
“Justice While Black” delves into racial profiling, the traps of the traffic stop, the motivations of the police, the proper mindset when in the back of a police car, the tricks of the plea bargain system, the systemic racism and brutality of the prison industrial complex. It is a crucial book for anybody raising a Black child in America or anybody who cares how our nation locks up Black men and women to feed a multi-billion-dollar business and employment system.
A rave review in the November issue of Essence magazine said, “After reading Justice, you will let go of anything you’ve ever seen on “Law & Order.” It’s all here: what to say (and not say) and what to do (and not do) when dealing with cops and the byzantine court system.”
One of the most devastating findings for me, as I conducted research for the book, was the manner in which modern policing essentially grew out of the slave patrols created to capture and control slaves—and keep them from bringing harm to white people. As we note in the book, “to a large extent, law enforcement in the US, particularly in the American South, was created as a means to monitor, control, and punish black people.”
“Ever since Africans were dragged to these shores, black bodies have been treated by white society as a demonstrable threat, a simmering mass of anger and affront—close by and yearning for retribution,” we write in the book. “With this history, should it be a surprise that the relationship between the police and African Americans, even 150 years after Emancipation, is characterized by fear and loathing, abuse and death?
Maya Angelou once said, ‘The more you know of your history, the more liberated you are.’ By tracing the straight line from slave patrols to post-Emancipation policing to the KKK to modern police forces, African Americans can better understand the nature of the relationship we currently suffer through with regard to law enforcement in the US. This understanding allows us to properly prepare our children, our Black boys and girls, for the animosity they are likely to face from police when they step out from under their parents’ watchful eye.”
“History can help save our lives,” we write.
When you sift through American history, it is clear that fear has been the thread weaving its way through the centuries that Africans have been here on the shores of the New World. Throughout the South, African Americans often outnumbered whites on plantations and the planters and their families were constantly terrified that the slaves would decide to overpower them. There were frequent reports in the newspapers of slaves poisoning their masters and even burning down plantations. So the wealthy planters hired poor whites to form slave patrols that would not only track down runaways but also serve notice to the slave population that these armed and dangerous white men were roaming the countryside, itching to pounce on every Black person they stumbled upon.
Two hundred years later, not much has changed.
This is a book that should be required reading for every Black family in America, particularly if you have a Black male in your midst. It might help each one of you arrive alive.
Nick Chiles is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and a New York Times bestselling author of 12 books, including the upcoming "The Rejected Stone: Al Sharpton and the Path To American Leadership," which he co-authored with Al Sharpton. | <urn:uuid:acd5c97c-bd2e-4d77-9d50-432329f1b4bd> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://mybrownbaby.com/2014/10/justice-while-black-book/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280065.57/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00545-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.969092 | 1,482 | 1.6875 | 2 |
It’s time for tennis! Grab your racket and head outdoors. With the weather warming and outdoor courts open in public parks and recreation areas, what could not be better for those who love tennis. While the increase in the number of indoor courts in the past decades has allowed for year-round play, during the early twentieth century most people played outside, weather permitting.
This tennis racket was the property of Margaret Steffes (1901-1986) of Little Falls, who taught girls physical education at the Little Falls High School from 1926 to 1932. Manufactured by Lowe & Campbell Athletic Goods Company of Kansas City, Missouri, the racket was well-used by Margaret during her teaching career. A manufacturer of sports equipment, Lowe & Campbell had a branch in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as in Cincinnati, Ohio, and St. Louis, Missouri. The company was acquired by Wilson Sporting Goods in 1931, the year before Margaret quit teaching.
Like so many women during the first half of the twentieth century, Margaret stopped teaching after she married in 1932. Margaret also quit playing tennis. Wishing to remain involved in education, she was active in the Little Falls Lindbergh Elementary School P.T.A (Parent Teacher Association) and served as both president and secretary of the association.
Margaret and her husband, Charles A. Fortier, married on August 8, 1932, and had two daughters, Natalie and Jeanne.
~Ann Marie Johnson, Preservationist | <urn:uuid:6467fb4e-0f28-45e4-89cc-661b7515830f> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://morrisoncountyhistory.org/?p=9208 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570868.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808152744-20220808182744-00067.warc.gz | en | 0.972107 | 298 | 2.515625 | 3 |
Publicado relatório sobre as festas em Downing Street
May 25, 2022 - O Primeiro ministro britânico Boris Johnson enfrenta maior escrutínio após a publicação de um muito aguardado relatório sobre os encontros ilegais em Downing Street durante os confinamentos Covid-19.
Government employees partied in Downing Street while the English population was locked down at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Sue Gray’s damning report.
Senior leadership at Number 10 is heavily criticised, with Gray saying many events “should not have been allowed to happen” and senior leadership “must bear responsibility for this culture”.
The report highlights excessive drinking, vomiting staff and abuse of cleaning and security workers, whose warnings about parties breaking Covid rules were ignored.
- Partygate: A timeline of the lockdown gatherings (BBC)
- Coronavirus: A history of English lockdown laws (Commons Library)
- Timeline of UK government coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions (Institute for Government)
- No.10 staff were stunned Boris Johnson denied he knew about rule-breaking parties (Daily Mirror)
- Sue Gray “Partygate” report (Cabinet office) | <urn:uuid:5c58c0ed-22c0-494d-8147-130762fe7b5b> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.graphicnews.com/pt/pages/42748/politica-festas-partygate-em-confinamento | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571056.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809155137-20220809185137-00677.warc.gz | en | 0.844927 | 287 | 1.796875 | 2 |
Key Minister Narendra Modi devoted to the nation the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Ability project, to the nation via movie convention on Friday. It is Asia’s premier electric power challenge.
Talking on the event the Primary Minister said the Rewa challenge will make the complete location a important hub for pure and clean strength in this ten years. He mentioned very shortly Madhya Pradesh would be the key centre of photo voltaic energy in India, as this sort of big projects are in progress in Neemuch, Shajapur, Chattarpur and Omkareshwar.
The most significant beneficiaries of this would be the lousy, the middle class, the tribals, and the farmers of Madhya Pradesh, he said. Modi mentioned solar power would be a important medium for giving the electricity demands of an aspirational India in the 21st century.
He explained photo voltaic electrical power as a person which is ‘Sure, Pure & Secure’. Absolutely sure mainly because of the continual provide of electricity from the Solar, pure as it is ecosystem welcoming and secure mainly because it is a protected resource for our power wants.
The Key Minister termed this kind of photo voltaic strength initiatives are a accurate illustration of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India). He claimed the financial system is an vital factor of self-reliance and development.
Referring to the standard predicament no matter whether to concentration on economy or ecology, Modi stated India fixed this kind of dilemmas by focussing on photo voltaic strength tasks and other environmentally welcoming steps.
Modi mentioned Economic system & Ecology are not contradictory but complementary
He claimed in all the programmes of the govt, precedence is currently being provided to environmental safety as effectively as Ease of Living. He referred to programmes like Swachch Bharat, the source of LPG cylinders to the lousy households, the progress of CNG networks as types which centered on Simplicity of Residing and enhancing the life of the weak and the middle course.
The Prime Minister reported that the federal government is generating guaranteed that the befits of clear vitality reaches every corner of the country, every single area of society, every citizen. He elaborated this with an example of how the introduction of LED bulbs has decreased the energy invoice. Almost 40 million tons of carbon dioxide is prevented from heading into the surroundings, owing to the LED bulbs. He stated this also reduced the energy utilization by 6 billion models and accrued a preserving of Rs 24,000 crore to the exchequer.
Modi said India’s exemplary development in the discipline of photo voltaic vitality would be a key source of desire to the environment. He explained owing to this sort of main methods, India is remaining thought of as the most attractive industry of cleanse vitality.
The Prime Minister stated that the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was introduced with the motive to unite the whole globe in terms of photo voltaic electricity. He mentioned the spirit powering it was “1 Environment, A single Sunshine, A single Grid”.
PM Modi expressed self confidence MP farmers will also make use of KUSUM scheme
The Prime Minister expressed self-assurance that Madhya Pradesh’s farmers will also make use of the government’s KUSUM scheme and will install solar strength vegetation in their lands as an supplemental source of income.
He expressed the hope that pretty quickly India will be a significant exporter of electricity. Prime Minister said India is also focusing on reducing its dependence on imports of different hardware desired for solar vegetation, like photovoltaic cells, battery and storage.
He claimed operate is progressing promptly in this route and the authorities is encouraging the marketplace, youth, MSMEs and start-ups to not overlook this option and function for output and betterment of all the inputs required for photo voltaic energy.
Referring to the ongoing disaster owing to COVID-19 pandemic, the Key Minister reported for both the federal government or the society, compassion and vigilance are the best motivators to deal with this hard obstacle. He reported right from the commencing of the lockdown the governing administration ensured that the very poor and needy are assured of a source of foods and fuel. He explained with the identical spirit, the government made a decision to continue on the totally free provide of food and LPG till November this calendar year, even for the duration of the period of Unlock.
Not only this, but the govt is also offering a full contribution to the EPF accounts of hundreds of thousands of non-public-sector staff members. Similarly, via the PM-Swanidhi scheme, individuals who have the least obtain to the method are benefitted.
Musicaholic. Twitter guru. Total bacon fanatic. Zombie ninja. Freelance student. Coffee fan. Gamer. | <urn:uuid:e3de2e02-1cfd-42d4-9e42-20829b6fadbf> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://swordstoday.ie/pm-dedicates-rewa-ultra-mega-solar-power-undertaking-to-nation-2nd-ld/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573908.30/warc/CC-MAIN-20220820043108-20220820073108-00272.warc.gz | en | 0.938381 | 991 | 1.9375 | 2 |
More stable weather?
Obviously, this year’s growing season has had big swings—from a cool, wet spring, to a hot, dry late summer in large parts of the country. Given the weather volatility so far you have to wonder what's a head for the rest of the season.
“There are some long-term signs in the upper levels that ridging in the Eastern Pacific will maintain a trough across the central U.S.,” said Freese-Notis Weather in its morning report Tuesday.
One key indicator, the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), is showing signs of producing normal temperatures for the central U.S., Freese-Notis said. “Thus, it does appear a more stable climate regime is on its way for much of the central U.S, with below normal temperatures to finish October and start November.”
Happy harvest everyone... | <urn:uuid:d7ea5706-e9ee-409b-a72f-0496cd6d5471> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://community.agriculture.com/t5/Crops/More-stable-weather/m-p/398203/highlight/true | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571150.88/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810070501-20220810100501-00679.warc.gz | en | 0.948634 | 191 | 1.828125 | 2 |
- Catnip is a natural and non-toxic herb. Most cats are truly interested in the flavour of catnip, and they would be in temporary excitement after licking, touching or eating catnip.
- For most cats, catnip provides fun, focused energy and enthusiasm that mellows into pure pleasure.
- Pidan Catnip is natural, organic, safe and harmless, and can help lift its spirit, regulate its stomach, sooth its nerves and promote its relationship with you.
- Use catnip to attract cats to toys, scratchers and bedding – attracts cats like a magnet!
- Pidan Catnip is packed in a solid and durable acrylic bottle with high transmittance. Block the air by cork to maintain freshness. | <urn:uuid:a76a66e3-1608-43c4-9080-050162a8f4d6> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://pawsland.com.au/product/pidan-catnip-2-5g/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571719.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220812140019-20220812170019-00273.warc.gz | en | 0.931239 | 165 | 1.609375 | 2 |
The history of the lottery can be traced back to Ancient China between 205 BC and 187 BC. These early lotteries were held to help finance major government projects such as the Great Wall of China. The Roman Empire also saw the birth of the lottery as an entertainment game for dinner parties. Emperor Augustus organized the first commercial lottery in 146 BC to raise funds for the repair of the City of Rome. But how does the lottery work? Is there a way to predict the winner’s numbers?
Online lottery sales can be an effective way for lottery operators to raise revenue and attract more players. Many lottery fans enjoy the convenience of online lottery sales, while anti-gambling groups are opposed to expansion. While online lottery sales have a higher likelihood of attracting consumers, the legal landscape is still favourable to additional states. While online gambling is gaining popularity, it has not displaced traditional retail lottery sales. In fact, a number of states are moving toward legalizing lottery websites.
Playing the lottery online is not as easy as playing in a physical location. For one thing, you need to download the lottery app. This app will receive periodic updates and will take up space on your phone. Another downside of lottery apps is that you cannot use them on your desktop. It’s better to play the lottery on your smartphone instead. There’s a chance you could win a fortune without even entering the lottery! This can be a great way to make extra money without going broke.
Taking a lottery subscription online has several advantages. It’s safe and guaranteed, and it’s legal. Plus, you won’t pay any more than what you would in the real world. Most official lottery sites charge the same amount for subscriptions. Plus, you’ll receive your tickets via courier. That way, you’ll have the same odds of winning as if you’d purchased the tickets yourself. And it’s easier than ever to find the best lottery subscription online!
You can also play the lottery through apps. Lottery apps are available for Windows devices and offer the same experience as regular lottery sites. If you don’t own a Windows device, you can download an app and play your favorite lottery games from anywhere. These apps also allow you to play the lottery in other countries. A few lottery apps even offer real money payouts. So, what are you waiting for? Get a lottery app for your smartphone today and start winning big.
During the Middle Ages, governments often used lottery tickets to improve their fortifications, prepare for wars, and help the poor. A lot of governments recognized the value of a lottery and monopolized the market to prevent private lottery enterprises from competing with the state. The history of the lottery stretches far back and has made it a global industry. Its popularity has grown to the point where many countries offer lottery games in their national languages. | <urn:uuid:25705ee1-955a-4cac-b8b1-78636854f621> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://prettygoodsoftware.org/playing-the-lottery-online-4/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570913.16/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809064307-20220809094307-00071.warc.gz | en | 0.955933 | 588 | 2.375 | 2 |
The latest news from academia, regulators
research labs and other things of interest
Posted: October 8, 2009
NanoInk Announces the Controlled Deposition of Hydrogels for Applied Bioscience and Biotechnology
(Nanowerk News) Using surface topography and chemistry to manipulate cells and tissue in a predictable manner is long term goal of biomaterials researchers. Unfortunately, biological systems are inherently complex and making surfaces with the necessary micro and nanoscale features can be expensive and time consuming. Being able to perform rapid prototyping experiments on length scales of less than two microns opens new opportunities for researchers. The deposition of biocompatible polymers onto a range of substrates offers the ability to understand the binding between cells and surfaces as well as exploring how arbitrary patterns affect cell morphology and behavior. While this is in the early stages of development, the potential for applications in tissue engineering, scaffolds, protein arrays, and neuroscience make this a significant breakthrough.
Schematic of the transformation of the deposited polymer into a nanoscale three dimensional hydrogel network.
Using NanoInk’s unique patented process of Dip Pen Nanolithography® (DPN®), biocompatible polymers function as simple DPN “inks” enabling one to directly deposit nanoscale features of the polymer, either pure or mixed with some molecule, dye, protein, or peptide. Then, after deposition and depending on the specific polymer, there is a crosslinking step that can be induced by UV, pH or simply heating, transforming the deposited polymer into a nanoscale three dimensional hydrogel network.
There are unique applications in cell motility studies as it is now possible to pattern multiple hydrogels, each with a different cell binding protein or peptide, all in a single parallel experiment. The process can be controlled such that the chemical binding of the hydrogel is altered while retaining its size. This alone will help cut down on the unknowns in biomaterials engineering experiments and finally give researchers the ability to answer many long standing questions about scaffold/substrate and scaffold/cell binding. This opens the way to rapid prototyping of different hydrogel combinations without changing the overall DPN deposition characteristics.
This is a ready-to-use application since no extensive ink development is required. The researcher just has to add the appropriate biomolecule to the hydrogel precursor and commence deposition. As the deposition characteristics are determined by the gel, not the encapsulated biomolecules, the possibilities for this new application of DPN are huge.
About NanoInk Inc.
NanoInk, Inc. is an emerging growth technology company specializing in nanometer-scale manufacturing and applications development for the life science and semiconductor industries. Using Dip Pen Nanolithography® (DPN®), a patented and proprietary nanofabrication technology, scientists are enabled to rapidly and easily create nanoscale structures from a wide variety of materials. This low cost, easy to use and scalable technique brings sophisticated nanofabrication to the laboratory desktop.
Located in the new Illinois Science + Technology Park, north of Chicago, NanoInk currently has over 140 patents and applications filed worldwide and has licensing agreements with Northwestern University, Stanford University, University of Strathclyde, University of Liverpool, California Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. | <urn:uuid:618c7f81-13b8-430f-82eb-8f9535b6d8a1> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=12992.php | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281226.52/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00373-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.903053 | 700 | 2.625 | 3 |
This summer we spent two weeks hiking the John Muir Trail from Yosemite Valley to Mt. Whitney along the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. It was part of a film shoot for an ongoing story line in the movie “Origins” which we look to release in Feb 2013. Backpacking is an amazing way of seeing the world as you carry your home on your back and each night is a new abode. Averaging about 16 miles per day, it was a bitter-sweet adventure as we constantly encountered some of the most beautiful landscapes we’d ever seen but we didn’t have enough time to stop, chill out, and enjoy it. Altogether, it was challenging and amazing. Hiking that hard at high altitude really cranks the body on and makes for good clean, healthy living. Carrying all of your food in your backpack teaches you to ration and really get to understand your “needs” vs. your “wants”.
We met a number of Pacific Crest Trail “through” hikers along the way. What an amazing bunch. The Pacific Crest Trail is a 2650 mile trail from Mexico to Canada through the Western United States. It usually takes over 5 months to hike it and many people fail. It is absolutely amazing and some of the best-kept natural heritage we have.
We had a chance to circle in with Liz Bergeron who is the Executive Director of the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) before the hike and discussed what it is they do. Last year, they had over 1400 volunteers put in 115,000 hours of work out there in the back country keeping the trail maintained. We had a chance to witness this throughout our hike as a storm last year had blown over thousands of trees which we had to navigate around. Boy were we happy to see those crews. The amazing part is that in many parts of the forest there is a no “wheels” and no “engines” policy so much of the work they were doing was with hand tools.
Enjoy this webisode and we highly recommend you get involved with the PCTA. Whether you are hiking the John Muir Trail or the full Pacific Crest Trail, these guys are in your corner and are helping to preserve, protect, and promote that wilderness every year.
You can check them out here. | <urn:uuid:3d6ea0c0-32ec-4178-b6aa-e5b783b4fcb9> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://well.org/fitness/hiking-the-john-muir-trail-with-the-pacific-crest-trail-association-2/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988722459.85/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183842-00345-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.980265 | 483 | 1.789063 | 2 |
1970s and after his capture in 1997
“There is a discipline in the Venezuelan Communist Youth to which I belonged at the time. I don’t have the right to speak in its name. And you should ask the Venezuelan Communist Party which still exists whether I went to Cuba at that time. And the Cuban authorities too.” - Carlos the Jackal
Bill Cosford Cinema at the University of Miami will be showing CARLOS a 2010 French/German production directed by Lixin Fan, screenplay by Olivier Assayas and starring Edgar Ramirez in the title role of Carlos the Jackal between December 17-23, 2010. It was screened at Sundance and on the Sundance channel. The film demonstrates the evolution of international terrorism in the 1970s, but leaves out its origins in the 1960s.
According to Major David E. Smith USMC in his 1995 paper "The Training of Terrorist Organizations":
Although terrorism originated centuries ago, modern international terrorism orchestrated by the Soviet Union arguably began at the Tricontinental Conference conceived by Moscow and conducted in Havana, Cuba during January l966. The purpose of the conference was to devise a "global revolutionary strategy to counter the global strategy of American imperialism." It resulted in the creation of an African, Asian, and Latin American Solidarity Organization based in Havana. The Conference also passed resolutions advocating outside aid for groups fighting for "liberation". During late l966, the Cubans opened a number of training camps for guerrilla fighters in Cuba that were under Soviet supervision. Palestinian groups began sending students to these facilities on the "Isle of Pines" during l966, and upon graduation, those students spawned the terrorist groups that exploded in the Middle East during the l97O's. Castro's terrorism schools were under the supervision of the Dirección General de Inteligencia (DGI). Students were flown into the country from connecting airports, or arrived in Cuban harbors by boat. Upon debarkation in Havana, they were segregated by nationality and moved to their individual training locations. The guerrilla courses lasted from three to six months. Subject material included "tactics, weapons training, bomb making- particularly how to blow up oil pipelines, map reading, cryptography, photography, falsification of documents, and disguise."There is much more on Cuban involvement in international terrorism and there are numerous sources alleging that a 17-year old Illich Ramirez Sanchez who would later become known as Carlos the Jackal attended the 1966 Tricontinental Meeting and received training in Cuba.
It matters little whether he did or not because he was the ideological offspring of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara. Ramírez Sánchez, Venezuelan by birth, described by Venezuelan "president" Hugo Chavez as a "revolutionary fighter" in November of 2009 is an ideological soul mate of Chavez, the heir apparent to Castroism-Guevarism ideology. According to French intelligence services Ramírez Sánchez is responsible for more than 80 murders.
On December 24, 1997 he was convicted of murder by a French Court and sentenced to life in prison stated at his sentencing: "I am satisfied and I am proud I chose my cause when I was 14 and I have never strayed." According to the New York Times, "His real cause was anti-Americanism, adopted when he was a student in the 1960s looking for a way of defying U.S. domination and capitalist values the way Fidel Castro and Che Guevara had done for Cuba before him."
Regime apologists downplay the significance of the Tricontinental meeting and its relationship to the upsurge of terrorism in the late 1960s and 1970s but there are artifiacts from that time that still remain in circulation: in 1970 the Cuban government published the "Mini Manual for Revolutionaries" in the official Latin American Solidarity Organization (LASO) publication Tricontinental, written by Brazilian urban terrorist Carlos Marighella, which gives precise instructions in terror tactics, kidnappings, etc. and translated into numerous languages which were distributed worldwide by the Cuban regime. There is a chapter advocating terrorism:
Terrorism is an action, usually involving the placement of an explosive or firebomb of great destructive power, which is capable of effecting irreparable loss against the enemy. Terrorism requires that the urban guerrilla should have adequate theoretical and practical knowledge of how to make explosives. The terrorist act, apart from the apparent ease with which it can be carried out, is no different from other guerrilla acts and actions whose success depends on planning and determination. It is an action which the urban guerrilla must execute with the greatest calmness and determination. Although terrorism generally involves an explosion, there are cases in which it may be carried out through executions or the systematic burning of installations, properties, plantations, etc. It is essential to point out the importance of fires and the construction of incendiary devices such as gasoline bombs in the technique of guerrilla terrorism. Another thing is the importance of the material the urban guerrilla can persuade the people to expropriate in the moments of hunger and scarcity brought about by the greed of the big commercial interests. Terrorism is a weapon the revolutionary can never relinquish.Incidentally an online copy of the above mentioned text is displayed on the website of fugitive Assata Shakur who fled to Cuba in 1984 for the murder of a police officer.
While serving a life sentence in France Ramirez Sanchez has written a book praising Osama Bin Laden's "shining" example arguing that "revolutionary Islam" - which is the title of his book - is the post-Communist answer to what he calls US "totalitarianism". A sentiment shared by Hugo Chavez in his embrace of the Islamic Republic of Iran and close working relationship with its president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The film Carlos is recommended viewing for those who do not see the connection between revolutionary Marxist ideals and terrorism. It should open their eyes. | <urn:uuid:3724c2fc-6904-4801-887e-b52bffe0cf1f> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://cubanexilequarter.blogspot.com/2010/12/carlos-jackal.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560282935.68/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095122-00245-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.964082 | 1,211 | 2 | 2 |
Vietnam is a captivating destination for visitors who are seeking interest to see the wonderful culture and amazing destinations all around the world. At the crossroads of tradition and modernity, this country is an inclusive mix of old and new and it reveals astonishing finds to every type of traveler.
The old Vietnam charm is still retained the French influenced architectures, beautiful cities and former imperial capitals. History lovers can learn about Vietnam’s recent hard fought wars in the museums. Culture seekers will delight in the discovery of the diverse landscapes and each day sight, from rushing floating markets, lush paddy fields to colorful hill tribes in the highlands. For beach lovers, Vietnam’s long coastline is framed with sandy beaches and clear seas with many opportunities for water-based adventures.
In Vietnam national history, certain features become a distinct signifier of cultural authenticity within the country’s traditions. In current academic, a woman emerges as the embodiment of Vietnamese traditions and as a key signifier of the country’s readiness for modernity.
Another thing is a tradition. The Vietnamese believe in Shamanism and have a specific set of rituals surrounding all aspects of life and this includes childbirth. In a person’s life, a wedding is one of the most important ceremonies in this country. Just as Vietnam continues to change every day, Vietnamese wedding customs have continued to change dynamically from the engagement process to the wedding day, and even ceremonies celebrating the fantastic day.
Vietnam represents a happy medium between modernity and tradition. One can only hope that Vietnam will continue these types of forward-thinking policies in other areas relating to its ethnic minorities. This country is booming and with the boom has come a massive improvement in health care.
After all, modern-day Vietnam, where the police and privileged classes are still figuring of fun, gives rise to the same tension between tradition and modernity.
If you want to really discover this country, you should set aside a couple of weeks to travel to Vietnam, meet the people and get many kinds of understanding of this beautiful and fascinating country. Visitors will have better and amazing experience with our Vietnam tours with suitable Vietnam tour packages. We pride ourselves on being able to fill everybody’s travel plans with just the right mix. It will be our pleasure to make the suggestion and arrangements to allow you to make the most of your precious leisure time. After all, our team of Vietnamese and western travel enthusiasts work, live and travel all over the country and we would be happy to share our new discoveries with you. | <urn:uuid:ed42cbd6-49d2-4f23-b61f-cf62306b3797> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.vivutravel.com/vietnam-travel-blog/11098-charming-vietnam | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571536.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811224716-20220812014716-00268.warc.gz | en | 0.930292 | 516 | 1.96875 | 2 |
There is some very sad news coming from western Michigan this morning. Wes Leonard, a 16-year-old basketball player for Fennville High School, collapsed on the court after making the winning lay-up to secure his team's undefeated season. Paramedics performed CPR on Leonard before he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In overtime, Leonard scored the game-winning basket with only seconds left to cinch a 57-55 victory for his 20-0 team. The celebration quickly turned to a scene of panic and worry when Leonard suddenly dropped to the floor.
The strange part is this isn't the first time a student-athlete at Fennville has suddenly died after competition.
Just 14 months ago, in January 2010, 14-year-old wrestler Nathaniel Hernandez suffered a seizure after a match and died at home that night.
While there is absolutely no evidence linking the deaths, it is very bizarre and extraordinarily sad that two young boys from the same high school, two athletes, died so abruptly. Hernandez had a seizure but there is no cause of death yet announced for Leonard.
I learned about SADS, Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, aka Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, after a teenage girl died unexpectedly after experiencing her first kiss. She kissed her boyfriend on the stoop, went inside, lay down on the couch, and died. Perhaps we'll find that Leonard's life was taken by this same rare heart condition.
Just this week, two days before Leonard's death, varsity basketball coach Ryan Klingler gave an interview to the Sentinel in which he described Leonard's impressive skill and drive.
That's what makes him a little different. He takes care of his body better than probably anybody I've ever coached. Spends a lot of time on his own in the weight room. He's a special kid.
It is a beyond tragic story and my heart breaks for Leonard's family, friends, classmates, and teammates. Leonard was also the high school quarterback, and led the football team to the second round in the state playoffs. The basketball team is scheduled to start on their road to the state championship with the district playoffs on Monday. May Wes Leonard rest in peace.
Photo via Andersedin/Flickr | <urn:uuid:acd60c13-e939-49a0-847e-1b596caa778e> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://thestir.cafemom.com/sports/117078/Teen_Hoops_Player_Wes_Leonard | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279933.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00117-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.98292 | 464 | 1.554688 | 2 |
Background: The Week of Action Against Domestic Violence officially kicked off on Monday 13th October, 2014 in Lagos State with a Media Forum.
CHO started off her awareness raising campaign on Saturday 11th October, 2014 with the consent of the Head Priest to have this form part of the Homily in nine (9) Parishes within the Deanery viv-a-viz Surviving Mother-in-Laws Domestic Violence Issues – (Flash Brief information material was used to support the program). One beautiful thing about weddings is that people of all faith and denominations present were reached. Approximately, nine thousand to ten thousand (9000 – 10000) people were reached from the Pulpit.
On the 12th October, Domestic Violence is a Crime was again preached from the Pulpit (Flash Brief was used to support), booklets/stickers were distributed as well. At the Church level we gave out 3600 stickers (that is 400 per Church); 450 Flash Briefs on Surviving Mother-in-Law Issues (that is 50 per Church), and 450 Flash Briefs on Domestic Violence (50 each per Church). 100 copies of the Domestic Violence Directory given out too. Each of the nine (9) Parishes boasts of more than 5,650 members at all Masses bringing it to a total of 50,850 reached from the Pulpit on Sunday 12th Oct., 2014..
Campaign Objective: a) To raise awareness about domestic violence, b) To distribute information, education and communication (IEC) materials on Domestic Violence to groups, institutions, schools, organizations, markets and shops in Agege and other surrounding LGAs/LCDAs through the Church. Activities undertaken: CHO organized a school briefing for three schools with pupils relieving experience and answering questions posed with close to 130 pupils in attendance. | <urn:uuid:098b9b4d-9c0b-44c3-b0ca-c5517473e74e> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.worldpulse.com/en/community/users/vickie-onyekuuru/posts/34890 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560281353.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095121-00072-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.953256 | 367 | 1.5 | 2 |
Facebook Could Have Shared Your Personal Info Without Your Knowledge.
If you are a Facebooker, you may have heard about the issues and revelations with Cambridge Analytica. Anyway, that is not the news – the news now is the facts that your Facebook personal information may have likely been shared albeit secretly without your knowledge.
Also, it is likely that some of your public profile information you would have wanted to keep private with your friends may have been exposed to unwanted quarters and for some reasons you may not have approved.
How Do You Know Whether Facebook Shared Your Info
It is reported that the issues surrounding the Cambridge Analytica and Facebook affected billions of people all over the world. Therefore it is most likely that your account Facebook was affected.
Thank goodness, Facebook has provided a link for you so that you can know if your data has been shared without your knowledge. As soon as you click the link, it will navigate you to a page. From there, Facebook will let you know if your data was shared via the app “This Is Your Digital Life.” Even if your personal data was shared, you cannot do anything about it now, but at least, you know.
Well, if you were fortunate and never logged in to that app, then, happy are you for avoiding that issue. But, you’re not entirely safe if you have randy friends who carelessly logged into that app. If you do have such friends, the company (collecting your information secretly) must have been privy to some personal information on your profile. This is because such friends have access to your personal information.
But fear not!
The information that may have been compromised was limited to your public profile, page like, birthday and current city. This may not cause damage to you but they were used by the company to do some businesses including – using the information to compile profiles on voters in order to swing the elections. This is not too good.
Are you wondering if your data has been shared without your knowledge? Then, you can find out by clicking this link.
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- 8 Reasons to Quit Twitter Without Thinking Twice
- 5 Steps to Earning Income From Affiliate Marketing Programs – Start Affiliate Marketing Program That Pays. | <urn:uuid:fff37de1-e685-4cf4-8743-3aa0b86f8bc4> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | http://www.techmatas.com/alarm-did-facebook-share-your-personal-info-find-out-now-and-learn-to-play-safe-online/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571090.80/warc/CC-MAIN-20220809215803-20220810005803-00067.warc.gz | en | 0.952192 | 522 | 1.882813 | 2 |
More proof that watching television is bad for kids.
A study in the August 31 issue of the journal Pediatrics found that 98 percent of all food advertised to kids ages 2 to 17 was high in fat, sugar and sodium.
The study, which was conducted at the University of Illinois Chicago, looked at the calorie and nutritional content of foods advertised during 170 of the highest-rated children’s television shows. No surprise here, the drinks, snacks, sweets, cereal and other foods were of overwhelmingly poor nutritional quailty.
But there is some movement to limit advertising that pushes sugary cereals, soft drinks and candy.
In July, a number of food and beverage manufacturers like Campbell, Coca-Cola, General Mills and Kellogg, pledged to pitch healthier products to kids under 12. But don’t believe that this action was altogether altruistic — in 2005 the FTC said that if industry didn’t start implementing voluntary measures to restrict food ads aimed at kids they’d be looking at government regulations.
Of course there is a sure-fire method to ending children being bombarded with junk food on television: just turn the damn thing off. | <urn:uuid:6d8dd07c-56d5-411e-b0c8-e03f475b3ae0> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://blog.mysanantonio.com/getfit/2007/09/attacking-ads-aimed-at-kids/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280891.90/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00164-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.960395 | 238 | 2.421875 | 2 |
1. Mario Lemieux won the tournament in 1998 and has two top ten finishes.
|FactSnippet No. 433,814 - en.wikipedia.org|
5. Mario Lemieux was selected by team Canada for the 2006 Winter Olympics, but declined due to health.
|FactSnippet No. 433,807 - en.wikipedia.org|
6. Mario Lemieux showcased his amazing hockey intelligence during the gold medal game against the United States.
|FactSnippet No. 433,805 - en.wikipedia.org|
9. Mario Lemieux was instrumental in negotiating this deal, despite outside efforts to move the team to Kansas City.
|FactSnippet No. 433,802 - en.wikipedia.org|
22. In that game, Mario Lemieux scored eight points and became the only player in NHL history to score a goal in all five possible game situations in the same game: even-strength, power-play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and empty-net.
|FactSnippet No. 433,780 - en.wikipedia.org|
25. Mario Lemieux was born in Montreal, to Pierrette, a stay-at-home mom, and Jean-Guy Lemieux, an engineer.
|FactSnippet No. 433,773 - en.wikipedia.org|
26. Mario Lemieux is the only player to score one goal in each of the five possible situations in a single NHL game, a feat he accomplished in 1988.
|FactSnippet No. 433,772 - en.wikipedia.org|
29. Mario Lemieux led Pittsburgh to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992.
|FactSnippet No. 433,768 - en.wikipedia.org| | <urn:uuid:7f9bc37b-93a3-43bc-8c18-70c21d17e645> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.factsnippet.com/site/facts-about-mario-lemieux.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00075.warc.gz | en | 0.911609 | 379 | 1.515625 | 2 |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent, , at sacred-texts.com
2 Corinthians 7:1
Rev., defilement. Only here in the New Testament. For the kindred verb μολύνω to defile, see on Rev 14:4. Compare Co1 8:7.
2 Corinthians 7:2
From χῶρος place or space. Primarily, to leave a space, make room for. See on containing, Joh 2:6; see on Joh 8:37. The meaning here is make room for us. Rev., open your hearts to us, which is felicitous in view of the reference to Co2 6:12. It is equivalent to saying enlarge your hearts to take us in, as our heart is enlarged (Co2 6:11).
Used by Paul only. It adds the idea of wrong for the sake of gain, which is not necessarily implied in either of the other verbs.
2 Corinthians 7:4
Note the change for the first time to the first person singular.
The Greek has the comfort, the article apparently pointing to the special comfort he had received through the coming of Titus (Co2 7:6).
I am exceeding joyful (ὑπερπερισσεύμαι τῇ χαρᾷ)
Lit., I superabound with the joy. Rev., I overflow with joy. Note the article again, the joy.
2 Corinthians 7:5
Rev., relief. See on liberty, Act 24:23.
2 Corinthians 7:6
The Rev. improves on the A.V. by putting God in its emphatic place at the end of the clause. "He that comforteth," etc. - "even God."
Those that are cast down (τοὺς ταπεινοὺς)
Rev., the lowly. See on Mat 11:29. Here the A.V. is more nearly true to the idea, which is that of depression through circumstances, rather than of lowliness of character. The neater rendering would be the downcast.
2 Corinthians 7:7
The manner in which Paul, so to speak, fondles this word, is most beautiful. Compare Co2 1:4-6.
Only here and Mat 2:18. It implies a verbal expression of grief. Cebes, a disciple of Socrates, in his Pinax represents Λύπη Lupe, Sorrow, as a woman, with her head bowed upon her breast; Ὁδύνη Odune, consuming Grief, follows, tearing her hair. By her side is Ὁδυρμός Odurmos, Lamentation, a revolting, emaciated figure, whose sister is Ἁθυμία Athumia, Despondency.
2 Corinthians 7:8
See on Mat 21:29. Rev., regret it.
Though I did repent
Punctuate as Am. Rev., I do not regret it: though (even if) I did regret it (for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season) I now rejoice.
2 Corinthians 7:9
See on the kindred verb repent, Mat 3:2, and compare note on Mat 21:29. Repentance is different from regret of Co2 7:8, indicating a moral change, as is shown by the next clause.
Ye might receive damage (ζημιωθῆτε)
Rev., might suffer loss. See on Mat 16:26; see on Luk 9:25. This somewhat obscure sentence means that the salutary moral results of the apostle's letter compensated for the sorrow which it caused. The epistle which won them to repentance was no damage to them.
2 Corinthians 7:10
Sorrow - repentance (λύπη - μετάνοιαν)
Paul's words strike effectively at the popular identification of sorrow with repentance.
Not to be repented of (ἀμεταμέλητον)
Construe with repentance. The Rev., in order to bring out this connection, amplifies the translation: a repentance which bringeth no regret. The oxymoron (see on Rom 1:20; Rom 4:18) is in the A.V. rather than in the Greek. It should be carefully observed that the two words, repentance, not to be repented of, represent different roots and different ideas: repentance (μετάνοιαν) denoting the moral change, and to be repented of denoting the sentiment of misgiving or regret (see on Mat 21:29), and so answering to λύπη sorrow. The Rev. brings out the distinction by substituting regret for repentance.
Sorrow of the world
Antithesis with the sorrow which is according to God (A.V., godly sorrow). Sorrow which is characteristic of the world; grief for the consequences rather than for the sin as sin.
Brings to pass. Notice that the simple verb ἐργάζετι is used in the previous clause, the distinction from this verb being obliterated by rendering both worketh. The difference is between contributing to a result and achieving it.
2 Corinthians 7:11
Rev., correctly, were made sorry. The verb is in the passive voice, and is so rendered by the A.V. in Co2 7:9, but, inconsistently, sorrowed in the next clause.
See on diligence, Rom 12:8. Rev., earnest care.
Clearing of yourselves (ἀπολογίαν)
See on Pe1 3:15. Exculpation or self-defense from complicity with the incestuous person by their neglect and refusal to humble themselves.
Only here in the New Testament. Compare the kindred verb ἀγανακτέω to be indignant, Mat 20:24; Mar 10:14, etc.
An unfortunate rendering, because of the personal feeling of vindictiveness which attaches to the popular usage. Rev. avenging is little, if any, better. It is rather meting out of justice; doing justice to all parties. See on Luk 18:3; see on Luk 21:22. The word has, however, the sense of requital (see on Rom 12:19; compare Th2 1:8), and carries with it, etymologically, the sense of vindication, as Luk 18:7, Luk 18:8. Bengel remarks that the six results of godly sorrow fall into pairs: clearing and indignation relating to the disgrace of the Church; fear and longing (vehement desire) to the apostle; zeal and avenging to the offender.
2 Corinthians 7:12
Our care for you (τὴν σπουδὴν ἡμῶν τὴν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν)
The correct text reverses the pronouns and reads your care for us. This difficult passage means that while Paul did desire the punishment and reformation of the offender, and the vindication of the wronged party, his main object was that the fidelity and zeal of the Church toward God should be manifested, as it was (Co2 7:11). This would appear in the manifestation of their zealous interest for him as God's minister. He states this as if it were his only object. Manifest unto you is rather among you (πρός), as in Co2 1:12; Co1 16:7.
2 Corinthians 7:13
Were comforted in your comfort (παρακεκλήμεθα ἐπὶ τῇ παρακλήσει ὑμῶν)
The best texts place a period after were comforted, transfer the δὲ and (yea) from after ἐπί exceedingly the more to directly after ἐπί in (your comfort), and instead of your read our. The whole, as Rev., therefore we have been comforted. And in our comfort we joyed the more exceedingly, etc.
In our comfort (ἐπί)
In addition to. Stanley, with this comfort before me, I was still more rejoiced, etc.
2 Corinthians 7:16
I have confidence in you (θαῤῥῶ ἐν ὑμῖν)
Wrong. Rev., correctly, I am of good courage. In you expresses the ground of his encouragement as lying in them. | <urn:uuid:e2482c12-b0e7-44a4-8f39-db15fc9143ac> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://sacred-texts.com/bib/cmt/vws/co2007.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280791.35/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00362-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.907646 | 1,909 | 2.15625 | 2 |
Czech towns employ land consolidation to make rural areas greener and less flood-prone, for the benefit of farmers and the public alike.
“Do something about it, or we won’t extend your policy,” the insurance agent told Hana Blechova after her house flooded for the sixth time, when a downpour sent water and mud from the fields into her garden and then the ground floor of her home.
“But what could we have done about it?” she recalls.
Runoff flooding had plagued Cervene Pecky, a small town 60 kilometers east of Prague, since the 1960s. During heavy rains, water and topsoil from the fields above the village flowed into houses, gardens, and streets.
Cut to 2020. Flash floods triggered by rainstorms hit many Czech villages that July, but not Cervene Pecky and neighboring Dolany, also once prone to flooding. They stayed dry, thanks to the 2013-2018 transformation of the surrounding agricultural land.
Today, the field that used to channel water into Dolany is divided by a wide grass strip of grass. “It’s planted with trees and there are also ditches to capture some of the water and divert it,” says Cervene Pecky Mayor Lubomir Jirku.
“Water that manages to flow through the green belt runs into a polder lying just above the village as the last defense,” the mayor adds.
Grass belts and tree alleys now soak up water from storms on fields in the Cervene Pecky area. Even during the rain this past May, the water flowed into the polder and grass belts, “and it did no damage. It soaked in nicely, just as planned,” Jirku says.
A Powerful Land Use Tool
Cervene Pecky made its farmlands greener thanks to land consolidation, an administrative tool that allows officials to work with landowners to resolve longstanding problems resulting from the patchwork of land use patterns. Officials and landowners redraw property lines and add improvements such as water-management features and roads, with the aim of making the land more useful to farmers and the public alike.
What is land consolidation?
In land consolidation, local landowners and public authorities work together to make improvements on rural land and introduce more sustainable practices. In the Czech Republic, the beginnings of land consolidation can be traced to the abolition of feudal labor duties in the 19th century and the subsequent possibility for landowners to increase their holdings. The current program was established in 1991, after four decades of Communist land planning that had turned small fields into huge collective farms. For Central and Eastern Europe, the objective of modern land consolidation “should be to improve rural livelihoods rather than to improve only the primary production of agricultural products” and further to support “community renewal through sustainable economic and political development of the whole community, and the protection and sustainable management of natural resources,” according to the UN Food and Agriculture Program.
“Land consolidation is a ‘win-win,’ ” says Roman Smid of the Prague geodetic services company Gepard, who designed the consolidation projects for Cervene Pecky. “If you know what you want, then basically you can have it.
“Those who want to consolidate their properties can do it. Those who want to move their properties, those who want to divide up land in joint ownership – it works for them.”
Smid says rural landowners now have a good idea of what problems land consolidation can resolve. “It settles disagreements about land registration, quarrels between neighbors that ran on for years. This is an immediate plus.”
Project designer Zuzana Skrivanova has worked on several land consolidation projects. She calls the method “the most powerful and complete tool for landscape planning there is in the Czech Republic today.”
Land consolidation is managed by the State Land Office. There is one big caveat, however. The owners of the majority of land in one cadastral area must agree before the Land Office can start work. Majority agreement is essential, because land consolidation can affect all landowners in the area.
“The biggest landowner here at that time was baron Hruby. The first step was to persuade him,” Jan Dvorak, a former mayor and now a town councilor, recalls the start of the process.
Cervene Pecky filed its application for land consolidation with the local State Land Office branch in 2003-2004.
“And then there was the waiting phase, until the Land Office had the money. Then came the project design, and that dragged on, because it’s a complicated thing,” Dvorak says. With Smid moderating, negotiations on land swaps and deciding what physical changes to implement took years.
Above all, landowners in Cervene Pecky wanted to stop rainwater from sweeping topsoil from the fields into their homes. They also wanted to build roads through the fields for better access.
“I have a framework for suggested changes,” Smid says of the talks. “Then I have to fit all the people into it. Their interests often collide. People are jealous of one another; family members don’t speak to one another; and they can’t agree on anything. We sit with them for two to three days in the town hall and talk about their fences.”
To make the plan work, private owners of land designated for improvements such as roads, polders, and grass strips had to transfer ownership to the town, in return for replacement land elsewhere.
The project team also held individual meetings to solve special problems with about 30 landowners, sometimes meeting with them up to 10 times, Smid says. He made some 50 visits to Cervene Pecky and Dolany during the long negotiations.
Land consolidation is considered successful if at least 60 percent of landowners agree to abide by the negotiated solution. In Cervene Pecky, this point was reached in November 2011. The building work began in Cervene Pecky and Dolany in 2013, after yet another flood that April.
“The time period is long because relatively extensive measures are required, and they must be implemented gradually,” says Lenka Ruzkova, a spokeswoman for the State Land Office.
From Drawing Board to Transformation
Even after all the necessary changes are approved, from roads to dikes, work can’t begin until the State Land Office finds the money. In the great majority of land consolidation projects, that does not happen immediately upon final approval.
Lack of funds brings another limitation: it is usually not possible to make all the changes proposed in the original plan. This is almost a rule of thumb for complex land consolidation projects: You have to prioritize. In Cervene Pecky and Dolany, the priorities were flood control and new roads. This involved an unusually large investment in grass strips and tree planting, compared to other land consolidation jobs.
The plan included running asphalt roads through the fields. “Sometimes roads are criticized from the environmental point of view,” says Smid. “But roads are a priority, because in the end the local people are responsible for caring for the land. If there are to be beehives, they need to reach them. Because of roads, land consolidation makes it possible to use the land.” In some cases, the promise of new roads is the major factor in convincing landowners to sign up.
Cervene Pecky Mayor Jirku says asphalt was favored because it provides a firm surface for farm machinery and for recreational use by cyclists and skaters and requires little maintenance – a key point because the town is responsible for maintaining the roads.
Road building may be the most desired outcome by most landowners, but it is also by far the most expensive part of land consolidation. In 2019 – the most recent year for which figures are available – expenses for building roads in such projects amounted to 1 billion crowns ($45 million) nationwide. Spending for water management came in at 203 million crowns; other measures, such as erosion control and ecological improvements, totaled about 150 million crowns.
Czech land consolidation by the numbers
- 5,501: Number of completed land consolidation projects in the Czech Republic, as of 2019
- 35.3%: Amount of arable land on which land consolidation has taken place
- 12.6%: Amount of arable land on which land consolidation projects are under way
- 3,464 kilometers: Total length of roads built within land consolidation projects
- 34.1 billion crowns ($1.6 billion): Total costs of land consolidation, 1991–2019
Paved farm roads are not universally popular, however. It’s unclear whether asphalt is more economical than gravel in the long run, according to Radim Jarosek of the Czech Nature Conservation Agency, who through his affiliation with the regional landscape protection authority helps assess land consolidation projects in northeastern Moravia.
One big supporter of the paved roads is the biggest local farmer, Robert Hofman of the agribusiness Poline. But the new roads bring more people into the fields, and with them problems such as litter and, for a while, illegal waste dumps.
“Many roads were built, and they now get a lot of use. “Hofman says. “Cyclists and people on skates think that now that there’s an asphalt surface, it’s for them and not us. So when we use the roads in the fall when it’s wet and leave mud there, they complain they can’t ride there.”
Asphalt roads also come in for criticism from environmentalists, who say they worsen the water situation by increasing the speed of runoff, raise the temperature, increase evaporation, and have a negative influence on organisms such as invertebrates and amphibians.
Communities do tend to prefer asphalt, says Smid. There is also rising demand for copses – preferred by hunters as they provide hiding places for game animals. And, of course, water. “Every village wants its pond,” Smid says.
The new green belts are a hit with the residents of Cervene Pecky.
“It’s great, we take walks there with the dog and our granddaughter,” says Marie Belzova, whose house is near a grass strip. Other residents say they enjoy bike rides with the kids on safe, paved roads.
And the village no longer gets flooded.
“It works,” says Blechova. Her house on the town square has been free of flood damage for seven years.
The State Land Office also is satisfied. The evidence shows that the project was correctly carried out, with adequate anti-erosion protection and sufficient protection against heavy rain in built-up areas, says spokeswoman Ruzkova.
Compromises had to be made, however, and the project’s designer is somewhat critical of the result.
“I don’t like the flood control system,” Smid says. “It’s a technical measure.” The main water-absorbing grass strip runs in a straight line, 7 meters wide. Grass belts in the landscape don’t have to have regular shapes, but farmers prefer straight lines for easier maintenance.
Mayor Jirku notes the benefits of land consolidation but also the expenses, mainly for maintenance. The town bought two large mowers to maintain the grass strips. “We paid 2 million crowns [$92,000] for the two machines alone.”
Some critics argue that land consolidation projects don’t always deliver the promised returns.
“The experience gained by many offices of the Nature Conservation Agency shows that in many cases, some expected results aren’t fully realized,” says Jarosek. He mentions soil protection and reclamation, runoff control to limit the effects of floods, and improved ecological stability as areas where results have failed to match expectations.
Still Waiting for the Promised Landscape
The country around Cervene Pecky and Dolany still falls short of the designers’ original vision. Seventeen years after the two communities applied for land consolidation, just 40 percent of the recommended changes have been implemented. The rest awaits the day when the State Land Office finds the money.
This is not an exception. With most land consolidation projects, the larger part of the proposed measures remains on paper only. As the Agriculture Ministry admits in its most recent report on the state of farming, published in 2019, even taking into account the duration and costs of land consolidation projects, “they still do not meet the needs of municipalities, owners, land users, and the relevant organs of the state administration.”
Another challenge for land use in the Czech Republic is adapting to climate change. While the country remains prone to summer flooding, drought could become just as serious a challenge. Years of low precipitation have left the soils parched in many areas. In 2020, the Agriculture Ministry introduced a drought-fighting strategy for the next decade, stressing the role of land consolidation and especially the need to implement follow-up projects.
Jarosek says the strategy has until now not delivered any significantly innovative proposals.
Lack of funds is the main barrier to “greener” land consolidation, says Smid. Pressure to select the lowest bidder in public tenders forces design offices to slim down their projects. “It could be done better if there was more money,” he says.
In the past few years, the state budget has allocated 700 million crowns ($32 million) annually to land consolidation. Other sources, mainly EU funds, substantially increased that figure to 1.6 billion crowns in 2020, according to the State Land Office. The budgeted amount for 2021 is about 3 billion crowns.
The demand for land consolidation projects is much bigger, however. The Land Office estimates that 2.6 billion crowns would be needed to meet the annual need, Ruzkova says. Lack of qualified staff is also holding back approval of new projects, she says.
Land consolidation makes the countryside at once more productive and answers many of the needs of those who work the land and live nearby. Sometimes it can also add greenery to the fields – mainly where flood-control measures are built. The potential is far from being fulfilled, however. Of the hundreds of projects awaiting approval, many are designed to retain water and plant trees and shrubs.
Cervene Pecky and Dolany can be counted as successful projects, at least as far as the 40 percent of the original plans that have been implemented is concerned. This year work began on another field road, and work to seed a biocorridor of trees and bushes across the fields will start in the fall.
Over the 17 years of planning and building, Cervene Pecky has held three local elections. Lubomir Jirku, who took over as mayor from Jan Dvorak after one election, has a message for other mayors who eye his town’s success: “You can count on the fruit of a land consolidation project being enjoyed by your successor.”
Zdenka Kovarikova is deputy editor in chief of the Czech environmental news magazine Ekolist.cz. Translated by Ky Krauthamer.
Photos by Zdenka Kovarikova/Ekolist.cz. Reproduced under a Creative Commons license. | <urn:uuid:d5ca9377-7fa5-4048-a56d-9795f7d20aee> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://tol.org/client/article/giving-mother-nature-a-hand.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570871.10/warc/CC-MAIN-20220808183040-20220808213040-00264.warc.gz | en | 0.959436 | 3,232 | 3.1875 | 3 |
We can probably all agree that talking politics can be tricky in any social situation, especially in the workplace.
And while some people think that open dialogue surrounding our nation’s tense political landscape can foster understanding and promote unity, others disagree. They believe doing so, may lead to toxic divisions between team members. So, enter the realm of political discussions at work at your own risk.
A recent survey asked 5,000 U.S. workers how comfortable they felt sharing their political views in front of their colleagues. While their attitudes varied depending on their gender, party affiliation, and geographical area, an estimated 34 percent admitted feeling too nervous to talk politics at work.
The truth is: a moderate amount of political “water cooler” talk is par for the course in most office settings, especially if it happens to be an election year.
So is it really okay to engage if you are approached by a colleague about a politically charged topic? Sure it is; however, it’s crucial that you respond appropriately.
The key to handling any political conversation in the office is to realize that conflict — or any difference in opinion for that matter — is quite normal and healthy as long as you strive to communicate in a sensitive manner and always keep your cool and remain calm.
The Political Landscape Is Not Changing Anytime Soon; Consider These Tactics
By keeping an open mind and being genuinely interested in a team member’s political views, you might learn something new about an issue or hot topic.
Here are several suggestions and tips from workplace experts to more effectively communicate your ideas to any listener, from your supervisor to your team members:
- State of mind is key. It has to genuinely be okay for someone to have a different opinion than you and even disagree with yours. Otherwise, tempers will flare and emotions will take over. Rule of thumb “Be curious, not self-righteous”.
- Acknowledge the other person’s opinion and repeat it back, so they know you are genuinely listening. Be an active listener, so colleagues feel comfortable sharing their views. Ask open ended questions for clarification like “Can you say a little more about that?”.
- Avoid group discussions because conversations can ramp up quickly and sides may be taken. Try to keep conversations more one-on-one, it’s easier to manage.
- Do not become emotional about your perspective, keep it logical and express it in a way that is respectful of other people’s opinions.
- Avoid telling people what they “should” think, always share your ideas using “I” statements.
- Make sure you are informed about whatever you are sharing. Don’t just spout out an opinion you saw on twitter or heard on a news sound bit. Know the issues well and have an “informed” opinion.
- Know when to walk away. Be respectful and keep things civil. If you notice someone looks uncomfortable with the discussion, respect their wishes and move on.
The Bottom Line
Talking politics in the office is not always an easy thing to tackle. And while many controversial issues are unfolding around us that we should acknowledge and discuss, it is important to talk about them with our colleagues in a calm, respectful and professional manner.
At the end of the day, communication becomes easier when we practice acceptance. As Franklin Covey says, “First to understand, then to be understood”. If people feel heard and understood they are more likely to hear and understand as well.
Finally, try not to take anything too personally. Political debates in the workplace are unlike other office-related conflicts as they are more about philosophy versus the result of something someone has done. So, if a political conversation is triggering an unnecessary conflict that might be preventing you from doing your work, find other common ground and focus on that instead. | <urn:uuid:453b16cc-5f98-456a-86a9-69f455885569> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.commskillsgroup.com/communicating-opinions-effectively-in-a-tense-political-environment/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571210.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810191850-20220810221850-00472.warc.gz | en | 0.956133 | 798 | 2.5 | 2 |
Defending America’s Borders and Advancing Our Workforce
We are a nation of immigrants and we are a nation of laws, which is why I believe Congress must address the current immigration crisis as both a security and a workforce issue. We must protect our borders, enhancing the security of our country, while allowing for the legal entry of immigrants who want to come to America and help address our workforce needs.
As it relates to Immigration and Border Security, I support:
- Building a border wall in targeted areas and empowering U.S. border agents to combat crime and illegal entries through increased investments in surveillance technology;
- Upholding the law and defunding sanctuary cities; and
- Developing a long-term workforce plan that considers the skills and experience our country needs now and in the future.
Border Security and Crime
The first step in ensuring the security of the United States is protecting our borders, yet the Biden Administration continues to roll back border control policies that were shown to limit illegal entries under the Trump Administration. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, approximately 220,000 illegal immigrants1 evaded Border Patrol from October 2021 to February 2022 – and this is only the number of immigrants which the Border Patrol saw and got away. The actual number of evasions is unknown and higher. We must protect our southern border with a physical barrier in targeted areas, while also increasing investments in technology and surveillance that help federal agents along the border.
Currently, U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) uses a system of nearly 200 surveillance towers in high-traffic border areas2 to monitor activity, identify traffic of interest and alert Border Agents to potential threats. This type of border surveillance is effective when paired with the appropriate manpower to ensure agents are readily available to respond to identified threats. We must continue to incentivize the use of this innovative technology and ensure CBP is fully staffed to respond to the threats as they are identified.
According to former Border Patrol Chief, Rodney Scott, this new technology has given “agents in the field a significant leg up against criminal networks” including intercepting drugs and weapons from smugglers3.
However, these surveillance efforts alone are not enough to secure our border, as drugs and weapons continue to easily cross into America at commercial land points of entry. Currently, typically fewer than 5 percent of vehicles at the border are screened by CBP4. The screening process is slow and cumbersome, forcing drivers to leave their cab, slowing the supply chain.
Last year, Congress passed a law requiring the Department of Homeland Security to create a plan that will allow for 100% of scanning of commercial and passenger vehicles, freight and rail entering the United States at land ports of entry. I fully support this requirement but also insist the solution be efficient and not negatively impact U.S. trade.
This is critically important for KS-03 and the Kansas City area given I-35 runs straight through our community. We must deter smugglers from illicit activity at the border as trafficking organizations hide drugs and head straight up I-35 and then further into the country. Law enforcement in our district has told me repeatedly that crime, including property crime, usually has drugs as an underlying reason for nefarious activity.
Enforcing Current Law
In tandem with securing the border, we also need to enforce existing immigration laws. Unfortunately, today we have communities that choose not to enforce certain immigration laws. By choosing not to enforce immigration laws, these “sanctuary cities” undermine the safety and security of the United States. These cities, counties and in some cases, states, must not be incentivized to promote illegal activity and should be held accountable for their actions that ultimately protect criminals.
US leaders should be cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), not blocking them from protecting America. Local law enforcement must share information and work directly with federal immigration authorities to protect American communities. I commend states who help law enforcement by removing criminals to keep their communities safe and protecting those who enter the country lawfully.
I support legislation that bars sanctuary cities from receiving certain federal funding. We must protect American citizens as well as the law enforcement agencies charged with keeping our communities safe. We must enforce the rule of law in our country and hold accountable those who choose not to comply.
Long-Term Workforce Plan and Economic Growth
The U.S. has not seen true immigration reform since the Reagan Administration. Our approach is outdated and needs to consider the potential for economic growth. We know that mass migration is caused by many conditions including political collapse and natural disasters, but it is also encouraged by the desire of many to pursue opportunity in America.
Legal immigrants play an important role in filling gaps in our workforce and the number of people allowed in the United States legally is the highest it has been in decades. According to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, from 2006 to 2016 immigrants were responsible for nearly half of U.S. labor force growth, a key component of economic growth5. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics, in 2022 there are more than 11 million job openings6. Demand for workers has been “highest among employers in business and professional services, retail trade and hospitality – food service and accommodations – businesses.”7
As we consider who is allowed to lawfully enter the United States, we need to ask a few simple questions: What jobs are we trying to fill, and what skills are needed for immigrants to be successful in that work?
We need to complete an analysis of community level programs that:
- Assess current interests and skills immigrants bring with them, matching them to appropriate job opportunities early;
- Support development of basic skills to be successful including training, mentorship (by industry and community) and other needs such as learning English to ensure success; and
- Consider how and where we encourage new members of our workforce to go so that a community is prepared to meet their needs.
When elected, I will be committed to immigration policies that take into consideration the needs of immigrants, the requirements of industries with a growing workforce and/or unmet workforce needs, and the readiness of communities across the United States to support those immigrants. We also need to ensure that the agencies entrusted with enforcing the immigration laws and processing immigration benefits have a clear mission and the support necessary to do the job in a fair, timely and efficient way. I am committed to an improved, legal immigration process and will continue to support a strong immigration and security plan led through strong governance.
We are a nation of immigrants. We are also a nation of laws and one that values the safety, security and health of our people. When implemented properly, immigration can and should be used as a tool for economic growth. The prosperity of America depends on lawful, legal immigrants and the protection of our borders. | <urn:uuid:08550749-57e1-4999-8df7-9c7b21a4733e> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.amandaadkins.com/defending-security-advancing-workforce/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571097.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20220810010059-20220810040059-00278.warc.gz | en | 0.951158 | 1,649 | 1.78125 | 2 |
Our domestic abuse response team provides legal advice to victims of domestic abuse to help them find the right method of protection for themselves and their children whilst providing the guidance to move forward following the breakdown of a relationship.
The term ‘domestic abuse’ includes emotional, psychological, physical, financial and sexual abuse of an intimate partner, child, former partner, family member or associated person.
We believe that domestic abuse ‒ in whatever form ‒ should never be tolerated. We have many years of experience helping victims to change their circumstances, providing them and their families with a safer future.
Legal Aid is available to victims of domestic abuse. This enables us to advise you on action that can be taken ‒ including emergency applications ‒ to ensure you get the appropriate level of advice and protection, based on your individual circumstances.
Our experienced team of family lawyers will help and advise you in complete confidence, with compassion and respect, supporting you through all the relevant procedures quickly and efficiently.
The Family Law Company’s entire client team has received Domestic Abuse, stalking and Honour Based Violence (Dash 2009) risk identification, assessment and management training to ensure that we can provide guidance to you or your family member in complete confidence.
Whether it is someone you may know, or someone who is suffering Domestic Abuse should never be ignored or tolerated. If you would like to find out more, click here to watch our video. | <urn:uuid:0311b737-0dfb-499b-8e84-199bedd2ef46> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.thefamilylawco.co.uk/service/domestic-abuse/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882570692.22/warc/CC-MAIN-20220807181008-20220807211008-00665.warc.gz | en | 0.957405 | 287 | 1.5625 | 2 |
Specific cellular pathways, along which genetic mutations occur, appear to play a key role in the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), according to new research from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
The findings, published online in the April 24, 2014, issue of The American Journal of Human Genetics, provide scientists with a better understanding of the complex genetic architecture involved in ASD, which has its roots in early brain development.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) describes a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with a wide range of severity and symptoms affecting 1 out of 68 children in the United States. While there is currently no medicine for this complex condition, discovering genetic causes of ASD will help accurate diagnosis and prediction of additional likely symptoms, thereby improving medical treatment. Genetic findings can also provide families with critical information about the clinical course of the disease and provide opportunities for family counseling. New genetic findings allow scientists to conduct more specific research into the mechanisms that cause ASD as well as the many subtypes and symptoms of the condition. Finally, genetic findings also allow for detailed study of the way these genes function, which can help scientists design new treatments and develop more tailored medical support in the form of personalized medicine. | <urn:uuid:9eff2a2f-895b-4c2e-a3d8-b8051f10fc5a> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://blog.mountsinai.org/blog/tag/asd/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988719646.50/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183839-00127-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.948818 | 243 | 3.46875 | 3 |
In some ways, Dave Houghton fits the profile of an IT professional depicted in this year's Windows IT Pro industry survey. He's a network analyst, his main experience is with managing Windows OSs and applications, and he's been in IT for nine years. But Dave is also a former pilot and a self-taught scripter—the only member of the York (Ontario) Region District School Board's IT administrative staff with an interest in scripting, he says. Dave's penchant for scripting led him to temporarily trade his network-analyst job for a contract position with the school board's IT staff: developing an application to automate a lengthy, manual process of updating Active Directory (AD) and Exchange Server 2003 distribution list (DL) information for approximately 15,000 school employees. I spoke with Dave about how he solved the problem programmatically and some of the other IT challenges he's faced.
How did this project come about?
Teachers' and administrators' demographics change frequently. With this frequent change, the school board required a process that updated users' AD metadata. The updated metadata would then be used to add or remove users from more than 300 DLs. Additionally, the board was in the process of migrating from Exchange Server 5.5 to Exchange 2003 and needed a way to update the DLs. The original process was to update the Exchange 5.5 DLs with data that was generated from a process that read AD, then delete all users from all the DLs and rebuild them.
The board had looked at different programs to try and meet their diverse needs of DL memberships but found nothing that suited these complex needs. So the board hired me to develop a system that automated the process of updating user AD metadata and DLs. I wanted my new program to do three things: update the user data nightly, during the update process detect demographic changes in a user account, and update DLs accordingly.
How does the automated system work?
IT receives two HR files nightly: one for custodians and one for administrators and teachers. Each user record contains a field that indicates whether the record status is add (new hires), change (changes to the user's demographics), or disabled (users who have retired or left the board). The program I wrote, using VBScript and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), extracts data from the two HR files to populate a Microsoft SQL Server database and update the metadata in AD. After the user's metadata is updated, that user is then added to or deleted from the DLs that the user should or shouldn't belong to.
I've also developed a single-user program that queries the Global Catalog (GC) for a specified user. The program updates the user's demographic information instantly by referencing the data populated in the SQL Server database. Then the program uses the updated metadata in AD to update the DLs accordingly.
Basically, my program functions more like an account management program as opposed to a DL manager because it updates everything in AD associated with a user account.
What role do the operators play in the automated DL-updating process?
Operators still enter and maintain user-account information, but they don't have to manually configure accounts any more. Instead, they enter employee IDs, then press Start to run a single-user process, and the user account is configured with the data from the HR files. Now, updates to user information and DLs take only a day instead of a week. The operators are happy with the solution because it's freed some of their time to perform other tasks. Now, when the board wants to have a task automated, they always come to me, and I'm able to create a script within a day or two.
You'll be moving back into your network-analyst position soon. What's the next IT challenge on your plate?
The foremost problem I deal with is our ever-changing IT environment. Right now, we're looking at moving our high schools to a Citrix Systems -based platform. Learning and keeping up with my skills and making sure that I'm on top of my game is the biggest adjustment that I have to make right now.
What got you hooked on scripting?
I became interested in scripting a few years ago after reading a Windows IT Pro article and signing up for a two-month trial for Windows Scripting Solutions newsletter. I began writing scripts to automate mundane tasks that I was responsible for performing as a network analyst and progressed to automating more difficult processes.
Programming can be frustrating for some people, but if you enjoy solving problems every day and manipulating and automating processes, programming is the way to go. If you want to see how fast you can make data go from its source to a destination, I guess networking is the career path to follow. It depends on what you like. With programming, there's always a need to automate tasks to free up time to learn and do other things. Programming keeps me thinking all the time—it's one of the things that keep me up at night. | <urn:uuid:605260f3-3db9-420f-933e-d43727431206> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://windowsitpro.com/print/systems-management/two-careers-one | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280761.39/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00094-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.954352 | 1,026 | 1.726563 | 2 |
Free Self-Directed Education
The ARUP Scientific Resource for Research and Education provides video lectures and case reports for physicians and laboratory professionals free of charge. Topics reflect current issues and developments in the field of pathology and laboratory medicine. Content is developed by the ARUP Institute for Learning and ARUP’s medical directors, who are faculty in the Department of Pathology at the University of Utah School of Medicine, along with other highly qualified expert contributors. New content is added monthly.
Continuing Medical Education (CME) Courses and Continuing Education Credits
ARUP’s online education currently offers CME courses for physicians, P.A.C.E.® and Florida continuing education credits to laboratory professionals, all free of charge. Course topics reflect current issues and recent developments in the fields of pathology and laboratory medicine.
Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
The University of Utah School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. | <urn:uuid:2a47b04c-794f-42e8-9e8c-180220a50592> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.aruplab.com/education/self-education | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560279410.32/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095119-00173-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.931903 | 207 | 1.617188 | 2 |
However, GUI design is very geared towards surface values. The last week has been a not-so-dear reminder of the age-old adage that the GUI takes at least twice the time of the rest of the applications - regardless of its complexity.
I started out using Walter Zorns DHTML library, which works well even if it's a little low-level. I really wanted to constrain element placement to specific areas of the screen (The main canvas, for instance), and so I experimented with using dojo's DnD, which turned out to be much easier - at least to begin with.
Unfortunately, one major drawback with the current implementation of drag-n-drop in dojo 4.2 is that dragging also triggers moving, so you end up hauling your resizing element halfway across screen, when it should have stayed put.
Also, I have completely failed to understand how to use hierarchical and multiple drop targets simultaneously, so that you can nest elements, drag nested elements out on to the canvas again, or onto another element, properly.
So at the moment, I'm trying to shoehorn my ambition inside open jacobs draw2d library, which is built on top of WZDHTML, but with a lot of added functionality, especially the nice "green corner resizing blobs" and selection logic, as well as fairly simple drag and droppability, events, cross-browser brains, et.c.
But.... there is no explicit logic in draw2d for handling nested figures. So when doing the "obvious", i.e. adding one "Figure" objects html element as a child of one other, the highlighting, resizing blobs and stuff gets misplaced, but follows the movements symmetrically. Not good.
I'll probably hack around in draw2d to see if I can understand why it doesn't work, but if all else fails, I'll ironically move back to plain vanilla walter again, just to get things moving. | <urn:uuid:1e2714c3-7a51-49a2-83b5-ab3dadf9b03c> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://unclescript.blogspot.com/2007/04/good-looks-isnt-everything.html | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988720000.45/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183840-00023-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.949318 | 412 | 1.585938 | 2 |
When you’re storing fragile items in your mobibox or container it is important to pack and store them properly. Inadequate wrapping and storage can lead to breakages and other forms of damage. Here are some tips on how to prepare your fragile items for self-storage.
1. Don’t skimp on packing materials!
Buy the best packing materials such as strong double-walled cardboard boxes or plastic moving boxes, packing peanuts, butcher paper, and/or bubble wrap. Bubble wrap may seem expensive compared to old newspapers or magazines, but it is far more protective and won’t leave imprints. To protect your fragile items, you need the best packing materials.
You can also buy subdivided boxes for special items such as glassware and wine bottles where you can put each glass or bottle in its own cardboard compartment. You can also use cut up cardboard to divide your box yourself.
2. Pack boxes properly
Put a layer of crumpled up butcher paper, packing peanuts or a layer of bubble wrap at the base of your box. This will act as a cushion for all your boxed items. Pack the heaviest items at the bottom of the box, put a crumple zone made up of crumpled up butcher paper or bubble wrap on top. Then place the lighter fragile items on top such as glasses, bowls, and mugs.
Do not overpack the box and leave a layer at the top of bubble wrap and scrunched up paper. Fill any empty spaces and gaps in the corners or between the items in the box with packing peanuts, paper, and/or towels.
3. Wrapping the items
Wrap the items individually and in bubble wrap. For extra protection you can do one layer of paper and one layer of bubble wrap. We highly recommend this “double-wrap” method for delicate items such as artwork, mirrors, and vases.
Put bubble wrap or crumpled butcher paper inside glasses and other items that are hollow such as vases.
4. Label your boxes and pack them on top
Label the boxes that have fragile items with the word “fragile” so your removalists and you can remember which boxes need extra care. If you’re packing your truck or storage container/module yourself, make sure you put fragile boxes in the topmost level with nothing heavy on top that could squash the box and cause breakages.
5. Packing instructions for specific items:
Mirrors – Put tape across the mirror connecting every corner in an X or star shape. The tape will protect the mirror from vibrations and other small shocks.
Glassware – Glasses should be placed mouth down between crumple zones made up of paper or bubble wrap. Add rolls of bubble wrap or butcher paper to the delicate parts such as around the stems.
Plates and bowls – Stack plates and bowls vertically, wrap each one in bubble wrap or butcher paper. Use subdivided boxes or put cardboard walls in yourself to separate and protect the plates from the items in the other sections of the box.
Vases – Use the double wrap method and put in packing peanuts, paper or bubble wrap inside the vase. Place a roll of paper or bubble wrap around the neck of the vase or on any parts that need padding such as embossed decorations, ceramic spouts, handles.
Lamps – remove the bulb and bubble wrap it. Fill the lamp shade with soft padding such as tea towels, paper towels and wrap the entire lamp shade in bubble wrap. Ensure you wrap the stand and store the lamp upright in the box.
Small items – Put small items such as jewelry, crystals, glass ornaments and other similar fragile items in plastic containers. Pad the containers with packing peanuts, scrunched up paper or bubble wrap. | <urn:uuid:97eea811-e693-45a5-a074-77f1388b6f3d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://mobibox.com.au/blog/how-to-pack-and-store-fragile-items-in-self-storage/ | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572043.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20220814143522-20220814173522-00467.warc.gz | en | 0.871659 | 785 | 1.945313 | 2 |
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Wednesday that it plans to raise cigarette prices, which have been fixed at 2,300-2,500 won a pack depending on the brand for the past 10 years, as a means of health safety measures.
The announcement came about two weeks after the country received a notice from the World Health Organization that it should raise cigarette prices by 50 percent.
Along with China and Thailand, Korea has the cheapest prices for cigarettes among OCED countries. Meanwhile, it has one of the highest smoking rates. The smoking rate for Korean adult males is 49 percent.
The WHO also advises countries who have signed its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control that their tobacco tax should represent at least 70 percent of the retail price. Korea, which has signed the treaty, set its tax for only about 62 percent of retail prices of cigarettes.
“The Finance Ministry also understands why this should happen,” said Im Jong-gyu from the Welfare Ministry.
The ministry said they plan to pass a revised bill by early next year.
WHO predicts that if all countries raise their cigarette prices by 50 percent, some 11 million people could save their lives from smoking-related diseases in the next three years.
By Claire Lee (firstname.lastname@example.org) | <urn:uuid:5d32700b-c452-4bc5-a9fb-92f12e1ee0fb> | CC-MAIN-2017-04 | http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20140611001568 | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-04/segments/1484560280221.47/warc/CC-MAIN-20170116095120-00229-ip-10-171-10-70.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.971674 | 261 | 1.695313 | 2 |
Find some quiet time to read when there is ample time to indulge and pick something engaging but not too challenging.
Try to read from a physical book but if you have to read from a smartphone or tablet, disable notifications and turn on the soothing reading mode.
As you progress in the book, notice the color, ink and the smell of the pages, your slowing down or getting sleepy is a good sign, it means your brain is responding to this new, refreshing cycle of activity.
Notice the language, the rhythm of the sentences, the vibrant details that build a visual image inside your mind.
Do not be frustrated if you wander, it is part of reading to get lost in something beautiful.
Gently glide back in the book and enjoy whatever you get out of it. | <urn:uuid:d436d055-6a92-4547-a547-eddfe0c58881> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://deepstash.com/idea/49478/mindfulness-through-reading | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882572581.94/warc/CC-MAIN-20220816211628-20220817001628-00069.warc.gz | en | 0.933343 | 159 | 1.546875 | 2 |
|Traditions of the Sun|
This Web site explores the desire shared by past civilizations and today's society to observe and study the sun. It features two interactive modules, which include satellite images, aerial photographs, panoramic pictures, time-lapse videos and other multimedia. Each module is focused on a different ancient culture: Maya in the Yucatan and Native Americans in Chaco Canyon. The site is a collaboration among NASA; the National Park Service at Chaco Canyon; the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Mexico; and Space Imaging and Ideum, a media design company.
Intended for grade levels:
Type of resource:
No specific technical requirements, just a browser required
Cost / Copyright:
Cost information is not known
Copyright and other restrictions information is unknown.
DLESE Catalog ID: NASA-ESERevSProd202
Resource contact / Creator / Publisher:
Contact: Troy Cline | <urn:uuid:ab9e474a-90c2-46b2-bf19-843d8f52366e> | CC-MAIN-2016-44 | http://www.dlese.org/library/catalog_NASA-ESERevSProd202.htm | s3://commoncrawl/crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2016-44/segments/1476988717954.1/warc/CC-MAIN-20161020183837-00509-ip-10-171-6-4.ec2.internal.warc.gz | en | 0.78092 | 212 | 3.453125 | 3 |
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