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The True Jesus : Uncovering the Divinity of Christ in the Gospels (Hardcover)
by David Limbaugh | SKU: 10545412192019CB | UPC: 9781621576372 | LOC: F-62-12-19-19
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"Who do you say that I am?" Uttered by Jesus Christ, this profound question has presented an age-old challenge to believers, skeptics, scholars, and rulers. In attempting to answer this question, The True Jesus goes straight to the unimpeachable source: the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Only in the Gospels, says #1 New York Times bestselling author David Limbaugh, do we come face-to-face with the Son of God, Whose sublime teachings, miraculous actions, and divine essence leap off every page and into our hearts. In this book, Limbaugh combines the four Gospel stories into a unified account (though not, he humbly admits, a perfect harmony) and guides readers on a faith journey through the Four Evangelists’ testimonies of the life of Jesus Christ. Along the way, Limbaugh shares his insights on Jesus’ words and deeds as well as His unique nature as fully human and fully divine. In The True Jesus, you will learn: Why even the apostles failed to completely understand Jesus’ true identity and mission until after His crucifixion Why Jesus selectively revealed His divinity instead of consistently proclaiming it The real basis for the rejection of Jesus’ message by skeptics in His hometown and elsewhere The historical events preceding Jesus’ birth that providentially paved the way for Christianity How Jesus’ message utterly contradicted modern attempts to portray Him as being non-judgmental Limbaugh’s passion for the Gospels infuses the pages of The True Jesus, which is both a primer for new Bible readers and an outstanding guide to the Gospels for long-time believers. Who really is the true Jesus? Open this book and begin your odyssey toward the answer.
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| <urn:uuid:6b1e5131-6b2c-49e2-bda2-0b6a2d366ca9> | https://bigboxoutletstore.ca/products/the-true-jesus-uncovering-the-divinity-of-christ-in-the-gospels-hardcover-1 | en | 0.908136 | 0.026941 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
[11:09:59] halfak, Ironholds, et. al.: look what I found! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Statistics_Department [11:10:08] a really, really old wikiproject / precursor of WMF Analytics [11:10:47] (this is the value of surfacing ALL the information) [11:13:34] Also, you can set pi to 3 in python: [11:13:39] https://www.irccloud.com/pastebin/UyH9SQE8 [12:33:33] halfak: changed it to 5pm [12:40:56] YuviKTM where ae yoyu :) [12:41:00] I just lost you [12:41:18] *are you [12:43:13] White_Cat: hey [12:43:21] White_Cat: I'm two tables behind :) [12:43:25] I want to help you with ORES [12:43:35] White_Cat: yeah, give me the URL? [12:43:39] to the repo [12:43:46] sure [12:44:01] https://github.com/halfak/Objective-Revision-Evaluation-Service [12:44:12] so which table are you, I cant seem to see [16:37:50] morning [16:42:38] o/ [20:32:25] halfak: what project is ores running from now? revscoring? [20:35:38] yes [20:35:51] YuviKTM, ^ [20:43:00] halfak: cool. I got bored and decided to write the puppet modules [20:43:23] <3 [20:46:24] halfak: be careful or I might make you buy me beers :D [20:46:30] halfak: just had harej buy me two for quarry :D [20:46:40] I should rate projects based on how many beers I can get for them at wikimedia events [20:47:18] halfak when will article quality prediction work? [20:48:45] Buying YuviKTM beers! [20:48:52] As soon as I can get up. [20:48:58] harej, yes. Works well. [20:49:03] Oh. Via API? [20:49:07] We could do that tomorrow. [20:49:12] Terrific [20:49:12] Want to hack on it with me? [20:49:18] Uh, sure? [20:49:22] Python right? [20:51:50] halfak: +1 :D rounds of two please :) [20:53:07] halfak: bar closes at 11, fyi :) [20:53:20] I thought it was 11:30 [21:07:08] Bar closed [21:09:17] bum alcohol off people | <urn:uuid:83d6c65d-61ff-42a4-adee-dbe2966d95d0> | https://bots.wmflabs.org/logs/%23wikimedia-research/20150524.txt | en | 0.904324 | 0.032041 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Palter Much? Decoding the Secret Language of Sex Addicts
I found it! The word that explains why communicating with my ex was so maddening that it left me deeply confused, often to the point of questioning my own reality.
While Miriam Webster defines PALTER “to act insincerely or deceitfully”, it turns out to mean a whole lot more.
According to the Harvard Gazette:
“Paltering is when a communicator says truthful things and in the process knowingly leads the listener to a false conclusion. It has the same effect as lying, but it allows the communicator to say truthful things and, some of our studies suggest, feel like they’re not being as deceptive as liars,” said Todd Rogers, (bolding mine)
So let’s get this straight. My sex addicted ex lied using the truth so he didn’t have to feel bad about himself!
Let that soak in. While he protected himself from “feeling bad”, he was building the mother of all bombs that destroyed my family, my past, my present, and my future.
While protecting himself from “feeling bad”, he sacrificed my children and me to years of counseling to rebuild our own self images, trust, and reality. Not to mention a lifetime of whack-a-mole- forgiveness every time we run up against more of his shit.
I knew my ex was sick, but the deeper I dig, the more I learn just how sick. Every day that passes I gain more clarity and become more thankful I escaped when I did.
At the end, a sex addict’s entire house of cards is built on a twisted foundation: they will say and do just about anything so they don’t feel bad about themselves, while they are doing despicable and often illegal things!
Ladies and gentlemen, that’s delusional at best. And if you’ve lived this firsthand, you know that delusional is just the tip of a deep, dark, ugly iceberg our society lightly refers to as “sex addiction”.
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How to remap FlexRAM into a single data RAM area
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How to remap FlexRAM into a single data RAM area
Contributor III
I'd like to share my struggles and eventual success on putting the fragmented default FlexRAM layout of the i.MX RT1010 together on to a single block.
The reason for doing this is that there's large third party libraries which require large chunks of RAM, so we need to utilize all available amount as data RAM.
So I went about reading the FlexRAM application notes, and tried to set the registers based on that description. That didn't work, so I checked the FlexRAM driver, and there's actually the FLEXRAM_AllocateRam() function in fsl_flexram.c, which does exactly what I need. What needs to be determined is, when to call this function. Since the application data already extended beyond the default DTCM size, the RAM needs to be remapped before the RAM variables are initialized at startup (otherwise the initial values would be written to nonexistent addresses). Therefore this call should be added to the strong SystemInitHook() definition, which is called through SystemInit(), from ResetISR(), right before the RAM data is initialized.
So I've added the FLEXRAM_AllocateRam() call to remap all 4 RAM banks to DTCM, and I've modified the linker memory layout to have all of the 128K RAM at SRAM_DTCM. At this point the project builds, but I'm unable to even step into the ResetISR(). It took me a while to realize the only reason that could lead to this: the first thing the CPU does before executing the ResetISR() is that it uses the previous word in memory (the first word of the interrupt vector table) to set the stack pointer to. Well, as the stack is placed at the very end of the RAM, it doesn't exist at reset, since the FlexRAM isn't remapped yet. The best thing I could do is to introduce a separate stack for startup only, and then copy and relocate the stack after the FlexRAM is remapped:
These are my changes in startup_<chipname>.c :
// TODO: make sure this is sized properly (no overflow until __set_MSP() call)
__attribute__((used, section(".StartupStack")))
void* startupStack[64];
void* const startupStackEnd = &startupStack[(sizeof(startupStack)/sizeof(startupStack[0]))];
// Core Level - CM7
startupStackEnd, // The initial stack pointer
[inside ResetISR()]
// relocate stack to official position as it's now mapped
unsigned int msp;
unsigned int* currentStack = startupStackEnd, *newStack = &_vStackTop;
__asm volatile ("MRS %0, msp" : "=r" (msp) );
while (currentStack > (unsigned int*)msp)
*newStack = *currentStack;
__asm volatile ("MSR msp, %0" : : "r" (newStack) : );
// Copy the data sections from flash to SRAM.
By adding the ".StartupStack" section to .data in the managed linker script, the startup stack ends up at the very beginning of the DTCM (assuming there's no other custom sections preceding it), which exists at startup as DTCM has 1 bank allocated by default.
At this point, the project would run. Sometimes. It definitely didn't run if optimizations are disabled, and with maximum optimizations it would stop working if recompiled for some trivial reason. Otherwise it would end up in HardFault due to memory access exception(s). When I tried to debug through FLEXRAM_AllocateRam(), the strangest thing happened: the same image wouldn't throw fault when stepping through it. With no optimizations, it would always fault, so I stepped though the disassembly, and realized the error in this code:
The register is first cleared, then there's a function call, the result of which is then written to the register. The method of clearing these registers, and then writing them as a separate access, leaves an execution window open, where the RAM is in undefined state. By changing this and similar lines to perform the clear and write in a single register access, the faults no longer occur:
I've attached the entire fsl_flexram patch.
Edit: One more thing, the MPU configuration has to be adjusted to the new RAM space as well to allow unaligned accesses through the whole RAM region.
This is all it takes to achieve something that really should be made simpler: map all onboard RAM for data use.
I would have greatly appreciated it if such example was already available in the NXP SDK, as this was a long and painful process. We have also contacted NXP FAE but got no follow-up on my initial questions. So my conclusion is: don't expect more than what you pay for with this chip.
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3 Replies
Contributor III
But wait, there's more: if you're using FreeRTOS, you will need to adapt it as well. Specifically, when starting the scheduler, the stack discards the rest of the stack, and sets the MSP back to the initial value. In the remapped case this isn't good, so you'll need to change that to the desired top of the stack:
extern void _vStackTop(void);
static void prvPortStartFirstTask( void )
/* Start the first task. This also clears the bit that indicates the FPU is
in use in case the FPU was used before the scheduler was started - which
would otherwise result in the unnecessary leaving of space in the SVC stack
for lazy saving of FPU registers. */
#if !INCLUDE_vTaskEndScheduler
/* The start of the stack doesn't match the initial stack! */
unsigned int *stackTop = (unsigned int*)&_vStackTop;
__asm volatile("MSR msp, %0" : : "r" (stackTop) : ); /* Set the msp back to the start of the stack. */
__asm volatile(
" mov r0, #0 \n" /* Clear the bit that indicates the FPU is in use, see comment above. */
" msr control, r0 \n"
__asm volatile(
" cpsie f \n"
" dsb \n"
" isb \n"
" nop \n"
0 Kudos
NXP TechSupport
NXP TechSupport
Hi Benedek,
Thank you so much for sharing this! I will pass your feedback to the SDK team so they can consider adding something like this in future releases of the SDK.
Specialist V
Hi Benedek
The uTasker project covers such needs out-of.the box and is compatible with 1010..1064.
It retains stack content across memory partition swaps (as illustrated in the document attached to the other thread).
[uTasker project developer for Kinetis and i.MX RT]
0 Kudos | <urn:uuid:3bde3a25-b2ee-406a-9c86-d989ce5c48af> | https://community.nxp.com/t5/i-MX-RT/How-to-remap-FlexRAM-into-a-single-data-RAM-area/m-p/1086411/highlight/true | en | 0.873668 | 0.122537 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Why remembering matters
Leigh Picciano Moss, a history teacher at Leicester Grammar Junior, explains why her school has gone the extra mile to commemorate WWI
Do we want to commemorate with children as young as three and four a long, drawn out and bloody war which resulted in death and destruction on a scale hitherto unknown? That is the question faced by hundreds of schools in this, the one hundredth year since the start of the Great War.
For teachers at Leicester Grammar Junior School (LGJS), the answer was a resounding “yes”. Such a significant event in 20th century world history, which changed the lives of millions of people forever, cannot be ignored. Out of respect for those who lost their lives in a period which has now faded from living memory, we have a duty to pass on their stories to our children.
By engaging even their youngest children in a series of reflective activities of remembrance, LGJS have focused on the message that the suffering of war gives us the incentive to avoid it in the future. Key Stage 1 donned their wellies, went out in the mud and planted poppy seeds in the school grounds; they then made their own poppy wreaths to decorate their classroom. Year 2 were inspired by the poppy installation at the Tower of London, and made their own giant wall display with paper poppies representing the fallen and their thoughts about peace written on doves which fly high in the sky above.
Children in Key Stage 2 experienced what life would have been like on the battlefield during a World War I week held earlier this term when ‘soldiers’ and their life size trench visited the school. A cookery lesson enabled children to make hardtack biscuits, which would have sustained the men fighting in the trenches. They learned that those same men would have shared the trenches with lice and fleas and rats (as big as cats) and often suffered from trench foot. Dressing up in uniform hats and coats and practising drill with muskets and (bean bag) bombs was a highlight for some.
Each child in the school painted a model of a soldier to form part of a 3-D scene from the battlefield. It is hard to imagine that there were many families untouched by the Great War and so everyone was encouraged, with the help of their parents, to delve into the history of their own family with the purpose of learning about how the war affected them.
The enthusiasm and response of the children was amazing, and an informative and interesting display now sits proudly in the school’s foyer. The work submitted really does capture the global nature of the conflict with one great great grandfather fighting with the Canadian Army at Vimy Ridge; one photograph showing a soldier proudly seated on his camel in Egypt; and another of a Colonel in the Indian Army, his rank defined by the badge on his turban.
Several trips out of school have been arranged for children to further experience aspects of World War I. Years 5 and 6 went to see a production of ‘War Horse’ and afterwards produced their creative response to it in the form of art work, poetry, diary entries and models, many based on their reflections about the use of animals in war.
The opportunity to develop historical research skills was given to some of the older children who, on a visit to Leicestershire Record Office, used census returns, marriage registers and birth certificates to piece together the life of a local man who fought on the front line. They also went on a history walk into the local village of Great Glen and discovered the real life stories behind the names on the War Memorial. Many were surprised to learn that some of the soldiers who didn’t return were the same age as their older brothers and sisters.
Just ahead of 11th November Year 6 impressed with their choice of words to sum up Remembrance Day: respect, suffering, courage, sacrifice, paying with one’s life, gratitude, freedom, peace. They have clearly taken from these commemorations the message that was intended. The last two are particularly poignant as, in these troubled times, this is what we all wish for all children everywhere.
On 11th November we held a candlelit service to remember all of those who have lost their lives in war, and in particular those who died during the First World War, in this centenary year. We lit candles to remember those who had died, but also to show that where there is light there is hope.
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| <urn:uuid:c326ad40-27cb-4221-8cb3-d1f6b55a58f2> | https://ie-today.co.uk/teaching/why_remembering_matters/ | en | 0.978357 | 0.024974 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Since the technology of 3D printing get popular, there are so many 3D-printed things you can find on market. The price of the machine varies, and you can even have a simple one at home if you want, which costs only around $250 (check amazon). However, no matter how many 3D-printed things I’ve seen, I never thought there would be something called 3D-printed Sushi.
Personally, I love Sushi and I think the process of making Sushi is a kind of art. While the new type of Sushi offered by a Tokyo restaurant called Sushi Singularity, uses 3D printing technology and aim to offer “hyper-personalized” to each guest’s health and nutrient needs.
In addition to the restaurant’s alternative method to food preparation, guests are required to submit biological samples (via a health test kit) when making a reservation. Biometric and DNA data gathered from these custom kits will inform a personalized nutrient infusion. So the restaurant can prepare encoded sushi, customized to each guest’s nutrient needs, is then artfully produced by 3D printers and laser technology.
Sushi Singularity is an attempt to “break away from conventional concepts of food.” How do you like this idea? Honestly, it makes me a bit uncomfortable and I don’t want to give up my DNA information for the “Healthy” machine printed food. Most important, these “Sushi” just don’t look like food to me anymore. No matter how artistic they look like. To me, food is food. They need to look like food.
h/t: mymodernmet
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04.11.2014 Politics
Appoint Competent People To Serve In Government — Dr Alidu
By Daily Graphic
President John Mahama President John Mahama
Listen to article
That, he said, would eliminate the “winner takes all” system which had created major setbacks in the development of the country, and ease the acrimony in our body politic and the political polarisation in the country.
Dr Alidu was speaking at a forum on the topic: “Winner Takes All and Tolerance in Ghana: The Experience of the Northern Region” in Tamale, the Regional capital.
The forum was organised by the Northern Sector on Awareness Centre (NORSAAC) in partnership with IBIS, both non governmental organisations (NGOs). It was aimed at consolidating democratic and accountable governance in the country and also to ensure that people demanded their democratic rights to equitable economic redistribution.
Dr Alidu stated that it was time the country and political parties adopted the all-inclusive system of government where a sitting president gave equal opportunities to people who had the expertise to run the affairs of the country or occupy high seats of government.
“The winner takes all or majoritarian system can be stopped if we learn how to tolerate one another and look beyond our political lenses in the context of [having] the country at heart,” he said.
Mr Alhassan Mohammed Awal, the Executive Director of NORSAAC, bemoaned the discontinuation of laudable programmes and policies started by predecessor governments in the country, which has contributed greatly to the numerous development challenges faced by the nation.
He advised the youth to influence the decision making of the country by exercising their political rights and making the right choices.
Madam Safia Musah, who represented the country director of Ibis, said Ibis had the country at heart and was working closely to contribute to shaping its governance system since it had no mandate as an organisation to make rules.
State funding of political parties
Mr Mohammed Abdul Kudus and Mr Rashid Tanko Computer, communication directors of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) respectively, said it was time the state came out with a policy that funded political parties' campaigns so that when elected into office, they would be obliged to appoint competent people to serve the nation irrespective of their political backgrounds.
They called for constructive criticisms that would help build the nation instead of insults and unsubstantiated allegations.
Major Abubakari Sulemana (retd), the regent of Tolon, who chaired the occasion, commended the two NGOs for organising such an educative programme and urged political parties to send the message across to their supporters to be tolerant of each other's views so as to enhance political discourse and multiparty democracy in the country.
Among the invited guests were representatives of traditional rulers, religious bodies and members of the various political parties in the region.
Modern Ghana Links | <urn:uuid:4f9b8dc4-4eff-4f6a-bb0f-5de852c077da> | https://www.modernghana.com/news/578946/appoint-competent-people-to-serve-in-government.html | en | 0.953318 | 0.020883 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Design your home for wellness
Wednesday October 28 2020
By Joan Salmon
Many of us have mastered the art of carefully choosing what food we eat according to the nutrient content, and exercising regularly to ensure we lead a healthy life. However, we have left one thing out; ensuring that our homes also promote healthy living. Today, more than ever before, we spend much more time indoors than outdoors and it’s therefore important that we make our homes good for our physical and emotional health. All this is because nature allows for tranquility, boosts productivity, improves our moods, and helps to relieve stress. In hospital settings, incorporating nature in the environment, allows for faster recovery.
If you are wondering how to, here’s a few things too consider;
Biophilic design
It is only natural for us to gravitate towards nature. No wonder, almost everyone has at least one plant in their home. Aloysius Nangosha, an interior designer says this is what can be referred to as biophilic design; creating a natural environment to live, study and work in.
“Some of the aspects that fall under this design is living walls. This is when you pick a wall or two in your home as a place to grow plants. If you are fascinated by water, then consider incorporating water features such as a mini-water fall or fountain.
Having greenery in our homes such as snake plants also improves the air quality as plants take in carbondioxide while releasing oxygen.
“However, it must be noted that putting some of these plants in our bedrooms is not advisable as the cycle changes in the night, releasing carbondioxide. That said, you may keep orchids, and aloevera as they emit oxygen always,” Nangosha says.
He adds that in our bathrooms, ferns and bamboos have a great way of transforming them into a spectacular place.
It, therefore, goes without saying that bringing the outside inside is a necessity for healthier living.
Watch humidity levels
A humid house, not only makes breathing almost a problem, but also becomes a breeding ground for allergies or worsening them. That is why Adrian Wangwe, an architectural enthusiast, says it is important to ensure that a damp-proof course is used when constructing to avoid moisture from sipping into the walls from the outside.
“If that is beyond your control, ensure that you open the windows and doors so that there is proper air circulation. If it is a bathroom, you may need to re-grout the walls to seal the spaces between the tiles because humidity may mean that the water from your bathroom is seeping through the walls.”
In line with checking humidity, Martha Mukasa, a homeowner, says if the air within your house seems dry or musky, invest in an air humidifier.
“It will add moisture to the air while also reducing the risk of infections which is ideal for one with sinuses or allergies.”
Light sources
Light is a crucial element in interior design, think natural light. Imagine a room with very small windows compared to another with very big windows. While the former will be dark and depressing, the latter will have lots of light, creating a lively ambience.
Mukasa wanted enough natural light to flow into her home but faced a problem of limited space to open the windows.
“I opted to install fixed glass because natural light is definitely better than artificial light as it enhances alertness, productivity, and general psychological wellbeing as it is also a source of Vitamin D which helps our bodies absorb calcium from food,” she shares.
Another important aspect is blue light which is present in several light sources, such as the sun, artificial light.
Ambrose Kajubi, says while blue light is good during the day because it boosts energy and vitality, it is harmful in the night as it disrupts our sleep cycles and could suppress melatonin production which is needed for our activity clock to turn off, otherwise, we will not easily sleep.
“Therefore, blue light should never be in bedrooms, meaning electronic gadgets such as TVs, computers, and phones should not be here.”
Comfort Vs utility
Built environment and all that is within is meant to serve us. In this aspect, we look at bedding as one of the sections where comfort cannot be compromised. ”There is no reason for me to have, say a beautiful bed that is not comfortable or makes my back hurt. It should also be one that I can easily clean so that it does not become a dust collection point lest organisms such as dust mites collect, not to mention constant irritations owing to dust,” Helen Namuleme, a homeowner shares.
She adds that beddings, such as pillows also need to promote health rather than cause its deterioration. “For instance, a pillow ought to be tough enough to support your neck yet comfortable enough to allow you sleep well.”
With the era of Covid-19, working from home is the new normal. “As one that works on my laptop for more than six hours every day, my chair ought to be comfortable and support my back well. As such, care was key when I was choosing it to avoid back pain,” she shares.
Therefore, Nangosha says going with ergonomic design is ideal as it is user friendly in regards to anatomy, physiology and psychology, and none should be left out lest one part of our health suffers. “Simply put, our interior design should be efficient, pleasing to the eye, yet also comfortable.”
Pay attention to colour
Just like light, colour greatly affects the room’s mood and how it feels. While colour is really about one’s taste, some colours over stimulate while others calm our space. ”For example, lighter or active colours are said to be airy, make the room feel bigger and brighter. These include yellow, red, and pink and are also said to boost creativity and excite our minds. On the other hand, darker or passive colours make the space feel warmer and more intimate. These include blue, and green, and are also said to be cool, calming to our minds and helping with mental focus,” Kajubi explains.
In between these two, Kajubi says there are neutral colours such as brown, black, white, and gray, which strike a balance between the two former groups.
Nonetheless, we are all different so personal choices should play a big role in the selection.
No clutter
It starts with buying things you do not really need just because they are on discountThese then take up space, say at the dining table that would have been used for family meals which takes away the place of family communion. Clare Nabisibo, a counsellor, says clutter has a way of negatively impacting our mood, concentration, relationships, not forgetting sleep. “Many of us are excited about having extra stuff but it only takes up space we would have used for other things, such as the living room which would have worked as entertainment space for visitors.”
Nabisibo advises that people get into the habit of getting rid of what they do not really need or use. “For example, give away clothes and shoes you have not worn in the last six months, while not buying more if you are not ready to let go of the old stuff.”
Another thing to consider is to keep only that which adds joy and spark to the home and organize items in a way that makes access easy. “That way, we will avoid the discomfort, and anxiety that clutter brings,” she says.
Make use of scents
Apart from making the room smell different, they impact our brains in various ways, as some are calming while others are invigorating.
Immaculate Nantongo, the founder of Fabulous Homes, a home improvement Facebook group, is in love with all things scents. From lighting scented candles in her bathroom for a relaxed bath, to placing them in the rest of the house for a fresh smelling space. You too could invest in some scented candles depending on your tastes.
There are also essential oils in their varieties such as rosemary for an energy boost or lavender to lull you to sleep. ”Depending on the mood you desire to achieve, pick the right oil. However, it is important that you get genuine essential oils so that you get the desired results. Using an oil diffuser, you will ably spread these scents into the atmosphere,” Idah Kwikiriza, a homeowner shares. | <urn:uuid:cd38adca-6ff8-49e0-a6f0-cbdc06557994> | https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/magazines/homes-and-property/design-your-home-wellness-2724544 | en | 0.961905 | 0.030198 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Why don’t we do what is right
A new class of medications, called PCSK9 inhibitors, are a powerful reducer of cholesterol. These medications are ideal for people with certain hereditary high cholesterol that places them at great risk for deadly heart attacks. Yet, health insurers have raised numerous bureaucratic barriers, preventing patients from getting these potentially life-saving medicine. And the reason is very clear: money. The PCSK9 inhibitors have a list price of $14,600 per year and likely 10 million Americans would be medically eligible for these medications. So insurers have put in place every trick (prior authorizations, hoops of multiple tests and extensive documentation in order to delay and deny reimbursing for thee medications). Finally, now some insurers and manufacturers are coming together to make PCSK9 inhibitors available to some qualified patients.
Read: These Cholesterol-Reducers May Save Lives. So Why Aren’t Heart Patients Getting Them?
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Amazon health venture hires CTO
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Furnace Efficiency Ratings and What They Mean
January 21, 2017
There are a lot of things to consider when you invest in a new furnace:
• How much can you afford each month in heating bills?
The furnace efficiency rating helps determine how much energy will be needed to heat your home and, essentially, how much it will cost you. Simply put, the higher your furnace efficiency rating the less energy your heating equipment uses to heat your home.
The AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating is the number that shows how much heat the furnace will produce compared to the amount of energy used to produce the heat. An example, if your heating equipment has a AFUE rating of 80%, this means 20% of energy used is lost and 80% actually becomes heat for your home.
Note that this rating does not consider the potential heat lost through leaking or incorrectly installed duct work or attic insulation. The duct work in every home is different – some high quality, some lower, so the AFUE rating does not include this in their rating. If you are concerned that your furnace or duct system is not energy efficient, give Winnipeg Supply Service Experts a call today and we will give you a free in-home analysis and help you discover how much more energy and money you could be saving each month.
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The concept of cellular nutrition is a nutrition program that is designed so that our body cells, the smallest unit of life get the nutrients that were enough possible to grow and improve themselves implement the function as efficiently as possible, where nutrition is useful to keep the existing amount of muscle in the body, and not increase the number of body muscles.
The concept of cellular nutrition:
Cleaning (cleans) villous-intestinal villi
More absorbing (absorption) of many nutrients
regenerate the cells are damaged in a healthy body
We are thankful to God who created the cells – the cells of our body in a short life, it means always change. By providing “cell food” right, it will always happen in healthier cell regeneration. Herbal cellular nutrition provides the “cell food” (nutrients) macro-and micro-full at the cellular level, easily digested, absorbed and used in the cell – the cell body. This has been tried and true for more than 29 years in various countries (more than 74 countries, different races, and ethnicities)
Basically we are living creatures, composed of trillions of cells – cells. Each cell has a series of chemical reactions and specific tasks, so take the nutrients and energy. If you are low-nutrition food consumption, employment and the cells become sluggish autoimmune system weakens. For example, if cells lack nutrients your day, then they are not able to process toxins efficiently (as one task of the liver cells) and you will feel tired.
If your nerve cells lack nutrients, it will make you slow to react as the lights dimmed, or if your muscle cells lack nutrients, then you will feel sluggish.
In this condition, of course, our bodies are not able to fight against many diseases. So eat fairly complete nutrition for your body cells, hence increasing the body’s immune system.
Digestion MORE POWERFUL, really?
Stress, bad eating habits, long-term drug consumption, and certain illnesses can cause digestive system disorder. Such as irritable bowel symptoms, constipation, etc., which affect your ability to absorb and digest nutrients, and reduced ability to remove toxins is efficient.
By improving eating habits through a series of Herbalife nutritional products provider, your digestion will be accustomed to working more comfortably, more easily absorb nutrients due to cleaning villous-intestinal villi from dirt and toxins that enter the digestive tract. | <urn:uuid:f554e1bc-1bf0-4017-86c2-dab7a78de20a> | https://yourdocmedical.co.uk/category/diet-tips/feed/ | en | 0.92347 | 0.475306 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Online Football Betting Can Be Intriguing For Players
Online football betting are a blend of two of individual’s most extraordinary interests wielding practices and betting. It is surely no revelation that the two side interests fit well with each other. At whatever point a lot of online football betting disciples are set up, the interest realizes hollering and bets are made. In each wearing activity, there are usually a couple of games that are one of the most critical of the period and the enthusiasm develops as the date of the game obtains closer. Since no private finds ahead of time how the PC game will certainly play out, it ends up being an issue of taught conjecturing identifying with which gathering will completely wrap up successful and by how stacks of core interests. Online football betting may seem, by all accounts, to be addictive and, notwithstanding the way that, for a couple, it might be, for most of individuals it is basically for preoccupation and a ton of pleasant it is!
Given that the last score cannot be made up until the completion of a game, having a wagered gotten makes the rush last directly through the game. ts line you can wager on are equine running, pet hustling, ace hockey, ace baseball, and moreover ace and school football and besides b-ball. You can lay a wager on the last assessing of a PC game, the collection of centers whereby a social affair will totally win, who will without a doubt command an encasing game and moreover what round they will be pronounced the victor. The fundamental issue that is grasped early is the probabilities which are the authentic possibility of winning or shedding a particular wager. A bookie will educate you what the chances are at some irregular second to help you in choose a decision how to put your wager and for how much. A card shark may bet on a shedding get-together and still win given that the get-together loses by a particular variety of segments. It can show up truly tangled for a novice.
There are a wide scope of sorts of wagers involving over, presentations, parlays and straight wagers. The most regular and moreover for the most part invaluable to understand is the straight bet which is a wagered in a gathering you acknowledge will win or lose. You can put cash on the complete of the amount of centers scored by the two social affairs. These bets are assembled overs. Fused bank on a couple of games are called parlays. Those are the rudiments of online football betting, should you need to endeavor your great karma and moreover make some extraordinary memories. Make a point to keep your bets nearly nothing. This infers, it will completely reliably be engaging. If you shed a little aggregate, you can live with that and besides appeared of it smiling. If you get exorbitantly energetic and bet the homestead, it will be a catastrophe when you shed and that cannot be a great deal of fun. | <urn:uuid:6134e02f-edca-488a-912e-80d8911587c5> | http://dhowdinnercruisesdubai.com/betting/online-football-betting-can-be-intriguing-for-players/ | en | 0.950826 | 0.027072 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
2nd February
Taken at Barnes Pond, Barnes Village, South West London
'Mr Mandarin Duck'
The focal point of Barnes Village is thought to be the Pond. It is in the centre of the Common and is a very popular spot with small children who are fascinated by the birdlife. Recently, when I was walking past it, my eye was drawn to a water bird I had never seen. This is often an occurrence as birds fly from the local Wetlands Centre and find themselves on the pond with the species you would more likely see there such as mallard ducks and Canadian geese. This duck, which I later discovered was a Mandarin Duck, had very bright plumage, almost cartoon-like, and stood out from the rather dull, grey day. It was rather pompous as from the moment it saw we had it's attention, it kept showing off its magnificent multi-coloured feathers. I loved how many colours it contained and it rather cheered me up on a dreary cold day.
9th February
Blossom edit
Taken on the Towpath to Chiswick Brige, South West London
'Spring Awakening'
Finally after what has seemed a very long cold snap, we have started the journey towards Spring. What a relief! It's started getting warmer and with the change in weather comes, the change in nature. Stems of daffodils pop out of the ground, crocuses flower into starbursts of purple and yellow and birds sing more lustily as though feeling the beginning of something better. On a walk this week, I spotted this blossom in a garden alongside the towpath. The sky was azure blue so it stood out against it more vividly and although all the buds weren't in flower, it made me excited for spring. I loved the different shades of pink and white enclosed in the blossom and bright colours that make you optimistic for what's to come. Roll on Spring!
16th February
Monument through the trees
Taken at the Memorial to Magna Carta, Runnymede, Surrey
'Can't see the wood through the trees'
This year is the 800th anniversary of the signing of Magna Carta at Runnymede. This being the case, we thought it was important to visit the birthplace of Freedom as with English Cabaret we are celebrating our Big Year for Freedom of which the anniversary of Magna Carta is part. We rolled up to the subdued settlement of Runnymede on Wednesday which was a very cold and dank day. After a bacon sandwich in the tiny tearoom, we took a map and walked in the direction of the memorial erected by the American Bar Association to commemorate Magna Carta. The mud squelched under our feet as we walked to the monument as it was accessed through a field with no tarmack pathway and only coloured wooden signs to guide us. I took this photo just before we got to the memorial, through the trees. It rather embodies what I thought of the area and memorial. Although Magna Carta is a very important subject matter for our history, as a country, as it was the first signed document to protect our freedoms, the area isn't buzzing with lots of people discovering the history and it feels as if it is overlooked apart from a few hardened National Trust visitors. There are no school groups visiting as there wouldn't be the facilities to provide for them and although it may wake up for the anniversary later in the year, in mid February it feels deserted and dead. I have called this image 'Can't see the wood through the trees' as it feels, having visited the birthplace of Freedom, that nobody can see the importance of it.
23rd February
The View from the Bridge 1
Taken from the top of Tower Bridge,London
'The View from the Bridge'
On a sparkling Tuesday last week, we visited the permanent exhibition over the top of impressive structure Tower Bridge. It was the perfect day to visit as there were no clouds in the sky just a curtain of blue velvet stretching above and the sun shining brightly. We approached the bridge from Hays Galleria and were worried we might not be able to visit because of the volume of people visiting London. However it was comparatively less busy than on the pavement. We visited the exhibition backwards, seeing how the bridge was constructed and how it worked first. The machines that were used to provide power to lift the bridge were beautifully kept and painted in vivid greens and reds. After our visit to the Engine room, we climbed the two hundred plus stairs to get to the top and the view. Inside the staircase was a complete contrast to the outside as it was dim and wood panelled but it just made it more magical when you stepped out into the sunshine. There were two walkways - one looking east and the other west - so we walked down both. The first faced towards Canary Wharf and financial sector with the wharfs on one side and the muddy river in between. The second however was the most interesting as the skyline encompassed the Gherkin, Shard, Tower of London and St Pauls in one view. I loved the architecture of the bridge and this picture shows it as a frame for the fantastic view!
Colourful Duck Edit 2.2.15 | <urn:uuid:5c6deee0-4d18-4cfa-beb5-6caa12282019> | http://lcbphotography.co.uk/february/4594206637 | en | 0.979478 | 0.031763 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Quick Answer: Why Is Fish Important For Us?
Why you should not eat fish?
Mercury, arsenic, lead: Fish can have extremely high levels of chemical residues in their flesh and fat, thousands of times that of the water in which they live.
Leave fish off your plate for their health and your own!.
Why are fish important to humans?
Fish plays an important role in fighting hunger and malnutrition. Fish is not only a source of proteins and healthy fats, but also a unique source of essential nutrients, including long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, iodine, vitamin D, and calcium. … Fish can sometimes serve as a solution to existing health problems.
Is fish healthier than chicken?
What are the benefits of eating fish daily?
Eating fish is associated with the health benefits of lowering triglycerides, blood pressure, inflammation, macular degeneration and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It also provides a lean source of omega-3 fatty acids, proteins and minerals. Omega-3s are good fats your body can’t make itself.
Do humans need fish?
Is it OK to eat fish every day?
Is fish healthier than meat?
The nutritional profile and potential health benefits of fish are quite different from those of other types of meat. For example, red meat is high in saturated fat, vitamin B12, iron, niacin, and zinc ( 5 , 6 ). Meanwhile, fish is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, thiamine, selenium, and iodine ( 7 ).
Why are fish important to the ecosystem?
Fish play an important role in nutrient cycles because they store a large proportion of ecosystem nutrients in their tissues, transport nutrients farther than other aquatic animals and excrete nutrients in dissolved forms that are readily available to primary producers. … roles in nutrient recycling.
Is a fish diet healthy?
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Argument Writing Toolkit- Shortening Quotations
Teaching Point- Using Key Portion of Quote
Teaching Tool using Key Portion of Quote
I shared a teaching chart to help students visualize this strategy:
Let’s keep the conversation going-
Argument Writing Conferring Toolkit Series
Thinking ahead is SO important. As teachers, we are masters of keeping our feet firmly planted in the now, while our eyes look toward the future. Simultaneously, we plan, prepare, and perfect current and next units of study–always asking, “What do my students need to be successful in this work?”
Argument writing is on the horizon, and to prepare for the unit, I’ve been working on a conferring toolkit. In case you are unfamiliar with a conferring toolkit, it is a collection of tools to aid in the teaching of reading and/or writing strategies. The toolkits can be used both during individual conferences or in small groups. They might include marked up demonstration or anchor texts, annotated sample writings, teaching charts, rubrics, checklists, etc.
While thinking about the upcoming Argument unit, I recalled past student struggles as well as potential pitfalls . One major hang up for students is how to effectively add text evidence into their argument. In past years, this difficulty has popped up due to a myriad of common predictable problems all of which can be addressed with the following strategies:
Adding Evidence Strategies
But what tools do I have to teach these strategies??
Enter the conferring toolkit!!
Follow this Argument Writing Conferring Toolkit series as I share some of the teaching charts and tools I created to support students in this work!
Let’s keep the conversation going-
Fostering Student Independence and Accountability
After my last post, some questions came up about how to foster the sort of independence that made Mrs. G’s classroom work like a well oiled machine. A big part of the answer is teacher talking moves!
So much of our daily classroom life is spent engaged in talk. The importance of student talk is immeasurable, and in order to talk well students must be given many opportunities to converse and become immersed in an environment that values their voice. An entire blog post could be devoted to the importance of fostering student talk, but I want to focus on how teacher talk can cultivate student independence and accountability in the workshop classroom.
Teacher talk is what sets the classroom tone. The talking moves that we make day-to-day make a profound impact on students. How many of you have come to the end of a school year and noticed that your students sound just like you? The behaviors, attitudes, and habits we model will be emulated by our students, which is why it is so important that we use our talk effectively.
Talk to Foster Independence
As mentioned in my previous post, a main belief backing the workshop model is that we are working to create independent readers and writers who have a repertoire of effective reading and writing strategies they can apply as needed. Workshop teachers do this by using whole-class mini-lessons to add to students’ repertoire, teaching them how to use various strategies they can draw on over and over. This approach differs from traditional classrooms, where teachers use instruction at the start of the lesson to model and teach what everyone is expected to do during independent work time that day. Basically, in a workshop classroom, you should not assign a task for students to complete that day!
The language we use to dismiss students to work time will encourage the idea that students have options and choice about their day’s work. Some phrases you might say include:
• “So let’s review your options for what work you’ll do today.” *Refer students to unit anchor chart.
• “So when you’re ready to work on [insert the day’s mini-lesson topic] remember this tip… But you can also draw on all you’ve learned to do, prior to now.”
• “So we can now add [insert the day’s mini-lesson topic] to our Strategies of…. anchor chart. Look over the chart, and make a plan for today. What will you be working on?” *Students could turn and talk, telling a partner their plan for the day.
• “So far we’ve learned readers/writers use many different strategies to [name out skill]. Which one will you work on today?” *Students could raise their hand in a quick informal poll.
• “So when you reach that part of your text, remember that you can…” *This is good when you know that you have students who have not reached the particular point in a book for the strategy you’ve just modeled.
A sample unit anchor chart from a third grade mystery book club series.
All of these talking moves will allow students to reflect on their progress, set goals, and make an action plan. These actions are the exact behaviors we expect from independent, self-directed learners!
Talk to Foster Work Accountability
We can also use our talk to promote accountability in student work. Sometimes there are days when a student may not have approximated any of the strategies that you have modeled. You would like to give students an opportunity to turn and talk about that work, but you worry that that particular student will not have anything to contribute.
I saw this situation recently in a third-grade classroom. Students were working on tracking characters along a story mountain. Some students had drawn their mountain, but had not added any plot points. The teacher kept them accountable by saying,
“Even if you haven’t drawn any plot points, point and say what your points would have been.”
We can use talk as a means for students to practice strategies they have not exhibited “on paper”. No one gets an out because they didn’t get to it.
Talk to Foster Accountable Talk
We’ve all seen the Accountable Talk posters on Pinterest and have really taken to them. However, students cannot learn these talking moves from a poster on the wall. We as teachers need to model these talking moves regularly when conversing with students. Some common conversational moves and their purposes are:
• Marking: “That was an important point.”
• Challenging students: “What do you think?”
• Keeping everyone together: “Who can repeat what Johnny just said?”
• Keeping the channels open: “Did everyone hear that?”
• Linking contributions: “Who wants to add on to Mikala’s point?
• Verifying and clarifying: “So are you saying…”
• Pressing for accuracy: “Where can we find proof/text evidence of that?”
• Expanding reasoning: “Take your time, say more.”
• Pressing for reasoning: “Why do you think that?”
• Building on prior knowledge: “How does this connect?”
Nancy Frey, at a recent Rutgers University workshop, said that we need to immerse students into these talking patterns by using them as often as possible. When this language becomes a way of life for us, it will soon become a way of life for students.
The sooner we make our talk align with our goals for students, the sooner a positive outcome will ensue. We have to make sure that what we are saying to kids truly embodies our beliefs about teaching and learning. What we say in the workshop classroom is just as important as what we do.
What kind of talking moves do you make in your classroom to foster independence and accountability?
Let’s keep the conversation going-
If You Build It They Will Come
Look at this example from one student’s notebook:
Let’s keep the conversation going-
Making Time for Vocabulary Instruction that Matters
More thoughts on vocabulary instruction from Rebekah O’Dell of Moving Writers. Thanks Rebekah!
moving writers
The problem here was time. If I…
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The Burning Vocabulary Question Series: How do I teach vocabulary?
Happy New Year, to all! My apologies for the long delay! What’s my New Year resolution?? To not let so much time lapse between posts! (lol). Let’s get right to it!
If you forget where we left off, you can review the last two posts: The Burning Vocabulary Question Series: Where do vocabulary words come from? and The Burning Vocabulary Question Series: Which words do I teach?
So at this point, you’ve gathered a collection of words from authentic sources and you have chosen the best words for instruction. Now, there is only one more question left to answer:
How do I teach the chosen vocabulary words?
Past vocabulary practices have been very teacher driven, where students are passive recipients of word knowledge. This usually includes:
• vocabulary lessons confined solely to literacy time.
• instruction governed by a commercial program’s manual.
• approaches that are either definitional (looking up the meaning in a dictionary) or instructional contextual (briefly introducing words prior to assigned reading).
• approaches that assume that students have prior knowledge of the topic.
• words presented only once, with little time for deeper understanding.
As many of us implement reading and writing workshop within our classroom, we realize that the above mentioned practices are not the most conducive to how students learn best. For example, many of these practices conflict with known understandings of what 21st-century students need. Within the workshop classroom, students are now at the center, where they can actively engage with their own learning. This shift calls for some changes to our instructional practices when it comes to vocabulary. Research has recommended a few differing practices:
• a comprehensive approach, where vocabulary instruction is not an isolated event.
• instruction that is dispersed across the school day.
• active engagement by the student during vocabulary instruction.
• allowing multiple opportunities to work with the words in different contexts.
• placing emphasis on expanding student prior knowledge.
• fostering strategies for independent word learning.
I’ll take a moment to note that although I believe in the workshop model, I disagree with the notion that vocabulary is learned incidentally through exposure to words in reading materials. Practically, and through time spent in the classroom, I just don’t think “osmosis” is enough. Hardcore workshop proponents might argue with me, questioning whether explicit instruction is inauthentic. However, the word gathering means described in the first post of this series, The Burning Vocabulary Question: Where do vocabulary words come from?, create an authenticity for learners. Also students will come across many of the explicitly taught word in their independent reading and will use the words in their writing. By making vocabulary instruction a part of each day, students will begin to notice words, and make learning and using them a part of their daily lives. Which I believe, is in fact, very authentic!
I find it most helpful in the classroom, to start with an instructional framework and stick with it for a period of time. The consistency provided gives the opportunity to streamline implementation routines and create a habit. That being said, time should be spent creating a framework that works for you, within your daily schedule. The focus should be kept on creating a framework for fast-paced, yet varied experiences with words, where multiple review opportunities are available to develop deeper understanding of the word meanings.
Your framework should have three components.
1. Initial explicit instruction of each word using student-friendly explanations.
2. Meaningful activities, over a couple of days, to engage students in using the words in a variety of contexts.
3. Assessments that gauge students’ depth of knowledge about the words.
For example, my framework looks like this:
Weekly Vocabulary Instruction Framework
The idea is to spend 10-15 minutes per day to enhance vocabulary. You will see that you and your students learn the predictable routines of the week and work through activities efficiently. Again, sticking with a consistent framework will allow for quick delivery of instruction.
We can also not ignore the fact that teaching and learning vocabulary is a very complex process.
Effective vocabulary instruction requires a repertoire of teaching activities and instructional strategies coupled with the teacher’s ability to choose appropriately within this repertoire”
-Blachowicz, Fisher, and Ogle (2006)
There is not a “one size fits all” approach to teaching words. We should have a variety of different sources and strategies to pull from in order to meet our students’ needs. Much akin to the work done during reading and writing workshop, So to meet the needs of all learners, the follow-up activities mentioned in the above framework must be varied.
Possible Vocabulary Activities
1. Example/Non-Example
1. Present students with two situations. Ask them which one exemplifies a given vocabulary word.
1. For example: Which would be an example of trepidation?
1. Jumping into a swimming pool or hesitating before testing the water?
2. Feeling confident about signing up for a contest or having uncertain feelings about signing up?
2. Students need to explain their reasoning.
2. Word Association
1. Present students with situations that go with targeted words.
1. For example: restrictions, awe, endured
1. When I applied for a library card, I was surprised by all of the rules that I had to follow just to borrow a book.
2. Walking into the dinosaur exhibit at the museum for the first time, I was amazed by the huge skeletons.
3. When I read a biography of Ghandi, I marveled at all the trials that he had to face.
2. Students need to explain their reasoning.
3. Generating Situations, Contexts, and Examples
1. Students create situations and contexts for given words.
1. For example: dignity, prejudice, humiliation
1. How might a losing team maintain its dignity?
2. What is an example of someone acting with prejudice?
3. How id Marian Anderson face the humiliation of not being able to stay in certain hotels?
4. Word Relationships
1. Students place vocabulary words on a continuum and explain their choices.
1. For example:
1. Positive: awe, dignity
2. Negative: prejudice, humiliation
5. Writing
1. Students complete various sentence stems
1. For example:
1. There were many restrictions for using the gym because _____.
2. The decorations for the graduation ceremony were awe-inspiring _____.
3. He had an unwavering faith in his sister’s ability because _____.
6. Vocabulary Pictionary
1. Students choose a word from the word wall to illustrate.
2. Classmates must identify the word from the illustration.
7. Vocabulary Tic-Tac-Toe (or BINGO)
1. Fill a 3 x 3 grid with vocabulary words.
2. Students draw an X through the word when the definition is called out.
8. Choose a Side
1. Choose two words that have similar meanings.
2. Say aloud a sentence where only one word fits.
3. Students move to stand on one side of the room or the other to show which word they believe fits the sentence (or stand in the middle if they are unsure).
One last thought…
We need to make sure that our classrooms are energized, verbal environments. We want words to not only be noticed, but also celebrated. Make sure you room is print-rich and there is access to dictionaries and thesauruses. Do everything you can to make sure students are curious about words and putting in the effort to discover words and how they work.
Let me know how you do as you implement explicit vocabulary instruction into your workshop. What does your vocabulary instruction looks like already? Do you have other vocabulary activities to add to my list?
Let’s keep the conversation going-
The Burning Vocabulary Question Series: Which words do I teach?
During the first part of this series, I outlined specific places where authentic vocabulary words could come from. That list includes:
1. Your current mentor texts
2. Student’s independent reading novels
3. Student’s writing
So, now, you’ve put systems into place and you’ve acquired a bunch of individual words to choose from for explicit vocabulary instruction. You are most likely thrilled to have so many words at your fingertips! However, when confronted with a long list of “good” vocabulary words, we know that it would be impossible to teach them all in an already packed school day. We know that of all the possible words, we must select a small number of words for explicit instruction, but that can be frustrating. Deciding which words to teach is challenging! Similar to the lack of information regarding what words to teach discussed during the last post, the Common Core State Standards also do not say anything about how to identify the specific academic and domain-specific words to teach.
There are various types of words to consider for instruction:
• words that are essential for comprehension of a specific text
• words that are important for developing a broader reading and writing vocabulary (but are not directly linked to a specific text)
• common words that students with a limited vocabulary are unlikely to know
• words that represent themes in narratives or key concepts in informational texts (but are not included in the selection)
• words with important structural features
Teachers are left wondering,
“Which words do I teach?”
Since we are working with words that have been authentically gathered from individual classroom sources, Beck and McKeown’s tier system would work best for selecting words for vocabulary instruction. This system sorts words into three tiers or levels, as pictured below.
Created by Lindsay Barna
Created by Lindsay Barna
Beck and McKeown recommend teaching Tier 2 words. Unfortunately, there is not a magical list of Tier 2 words (sigh), nor do Tier 2 words have grade-level designations. However, Linda Kucan’s article “What is Most Important to Know About Vocabulary?” (The Reading Teacher, Vol 65, Issue 6, 2012) gives guidelines for evaluating if words fall into the Tier 2 category.
Evaluation Criteria for Tier 2 Words
• Students do not ordinarily use the word or hear the word in daily speech, but it is often encountered in books.
• Students have knowledge or experience that would help them understand the word.
• The word frequently appears in texts across a variety of content areas.
• The word is useful or important for comprehending and writing about important ideas in a selection
• The word can be worked with in a variety of ways (students can build rich representations of the word as well as connect it to other known words)
Here is a list of possible vocabulary words I pulled from Mrs. Mack by Patricia Polacco (guided reading level P). Which word would you select for explicit instruction using the criteria outlined above?
Mrs Mack Vocabulary
I chose shabby, contours, coaxed, lurched, plunge, mount, yearned, and summoned. But remember, there is no “correct” answer. Selecting one word over another is up to each teacher and which words s/he thinks will get the most bang for their buck within the individual classroom. I chose these words because they will help students when they are reading and writing about ideas from the text and are words that are seen often in other texts. Many of these words can also be used in multiple contexts, so students will be able to construct high-level mental representations of each word. Some of the remaining words, especially those pertaining to horseback riding, are potential Tier 3 words.
I outlined how to do this selection process with a class mentor text. We can use this same approach with words that have been spotlighted from student writing and suggested by students from their independent novels.
Now you have a clearer view of how to select vocabulary words, but you may still be plagued by one small nagging question,
“How many words should I choose?”
The total number of words to teach students weekly will depend on the actual students sitting in your classroom. Your judgement and instructional goals will play a large part in the amount of words chosen. Think about your students’ existing vocabularies and general language skills, as well as the complexity of the average text experienced (by students during independent reading and through class readings).
A good target would be for students to learn about 500-600 words per school year. Very roughly, that would translate to 12-15 words a week. But fret not- this does not have to happen solely within your literacy block! We can assume that students are learning words in other content areas besides literacy. When learning about Landforms in Social Studies, students will learn word such as plain and plateau, or in a math lesson, students might learn the word product or quotient. So, it might be reasonable to say that in literacy, students should be explicitly taught 10 words a week.
I might pull 3 words from those suggested by students from their independent novels, 3 words spotlighted in student writing, and 4 from the current mentor text each week.
Once you’ve narrowed down your word selections, you are ready for the final step of the process- the actual instruction. Best practices in vocabulary instruction will be the last installment in this series. You’ll finally be able to put this behind-the-scenes work into action!
How many vocabulary words do you teach a week? What words would you have chosen from my list from Mrs. Mack by Patricia Polacco? Leave me a comment!
Let’s keep the conversation going-
Possible vocabulary words are everywhere. We are bombarded with endless possibilities of words to teach our students. The words come from mentor texts, independent novels, word lists, district mandated words, academic words, reading programs, vocabulary programs…the list goes on and teachers feel the pressure.
As a Common Core state (per se), NJ teachers are working their hardest to meet the increased expectations of national standards. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) put heavy emphasis on vocabulary, by making it an anchor standard at all levels K-12.
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standard for Language
I do not disagree with the CCSS attention toward vocabulary. I understand that a greater vocabulary makes more complex texts accessible to students and, in turn, increases their reading levels. And we are all familiar with the correlation between reading, vocabulary, and test scores- made clear with this popular info-graphic.
But for all its gusto, what the CCSS does not do, is tell us what the appropriate academic and domain-specific words are for each grade level. It is left to the discretion of teachers and/or curriculum planners to determine words appropriate for individual classes or grades, and this is a daunting task when faced with the wide variety of sources out there. In all the hustle and bustle of daily classroom instruction, it is this sort of huge task that can easily get put to the wayside. So, this post offers suggestions to the first burning question about vocabulary instruction:
“Where do I get the vocabulary words to teach my students?”
A firm belief I have is that prescribed word lists or programs are not the answer.
Keeping the belief of the workshop model in mind, vocabulary words taught in the classroom should be as authentic as possible. Students need to see these words coming from themselves and their experiences. The relationship between ownership, motivation, and engagement is not a secret. When students are invested in the words they are learning, vocabulary instruction will be more meaningful and you will have a very clear answer to the “Why are we learning this?” question.
My suggestion is to pull words from the following three places.
1. Your current mentor text
These would be completely teacher-selected words chosen from the mentor text that you are currently using to support your teaching. These are the words that you would have the most control over.
2. Student’s independent reading novels
Since choice is a large part of the workshop model, it is important that students have the opportunity to provide input on the words they want to learn. By allowing students to choose the words they will learn, you are tapping into their sense of ownership.
Greg Feezell, in his article “Robust Vocabulary Instruction in a Readers’ Workshop” featured in The Reading Teacher (Vol.66, Issue 3, 2012) suggests encouraging (as opposed to requiring) students to submit words to a “Word Box”. These might be words students find interesting or words that they wish to understand better. They can be chosen from texts read during independent reading time, at home, or in other subjects. Using a submission process allows you, as the teacher, to have final veto power over which words are chosen for instruction- a valuable aspect of this system.
3. Student’s writing
Have you ever noticed how when you spotlight a single student, the level of the entire class is lifted? We do this for good behavior. “Johnny, I like how you are sitting up in your chair, ready to learn.” Suddenly, the whole class grows taller as they work to emulate Johnny and seek our approval and praise. Kids want to be their best selves, but sometimes they need to be reminded of just how great they can be. This method works to tap into that phenomena.
While working with Teachers College Reading and Writing staff developer, Emily Strang-Campbell, in some of our district’s 4th-8th grade classrooms, a technique that spotlighted student vocabulary use in their writing was introduced. During independent writing time, when students were writing fast and furious, Emily walked the room to note students that had used strong vocabulary in their writing. During the mid-workshop interruption she gave selected students a shout-out compliment and started a list of their words on the board. As the students went back to work, Emily suggested that everyone push themselves and try to use one of the strong words listed or any other strong word they know in their writing during the final stretch of independent writing time that day. You would have been amazed with what the students accomplished! The power of a compliment.
We can tap into this and choose vocabulary words for instruction from the words that were spotlighted from student writing. Imagine the power these words would have for students, coming from the pens of their own classmates!
These sources give you valuable, authentic vocabulary words that students will be invested in. The next step of the process is choosing which specific words to teach from these sources. My second post of this series will offer suggestions to do just that!
Are there are any other authentic places where you pull vocabulary words from for instruction? I would love to hear from you!
Let’s keep the conversation going-
Preview: The Burning Question About Vocabulary Instruction Blog Series
It’s been an extremely long time since I’ve posted! I’ve been reading, reading, reading all the good work of bloggers who’ve kept up with posting and I salute your perseverance. The low-key summertime vibe kept me lulled into a state of relaxation…and then there was that little event…my wedding! Yes, my wedding! And to be honest, who am I kidding? That was THE thing keeping my mind off all things literacy.
Indulge me for just a moment, please!
Indulge me for just a moment, please!
So, since I’ve lived happily in newlywed bliss for the past few months it’s time to get back to work!
The school year always starts with a flurry of activity. Getting to know new students, learning new district and curricula changes, pre-assessing to know where students are in their learning, and the list goes on-and-on. All these elements make that initial September rush something akin to jumping into a cold pool. The initial shock stuns you, but you fight as quickly as possible to get through it.
And we all do get through it. Inevitably, the craziness passes and we find ourselves functioning normally. Once the school year had settled into its normal day-in, day-out routine (just in time for the holidays to create their annual turmoil) I usually found myself beginning to think reflectively on what was happening in my classroom. Ready to continue the good work of making my students the best readers and writers they can be, I turned my attention to what was working in my classroom as well as what was not.
Our school district, like many others, implemented the reading and writing workshop structure. Last year, we adopted the Units of Study for Opinion/Argument, Information, and Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins and Colleagues in grades 1-8. Next year, we will officially begin using the Units of Study for Teaching Reading in grades 1-5 (sadly, there are not reading units available for middle school). Over and over, the question I get from the teachers I work with is,
“How do I incorporate vocabulary instruction into my reading and writing workshop?”
If you’ve taught the workshop approach, you know the answer that comes from The Greats. We are told vocabulary instruction should be embedded into our workshop naturally. We should expose students to various words through mentor texts and have them notice words during their independent read. Our job, as the teacher, is pop those words out and encourage their use.
But as a classroom teacher, this sort of response was frustrating. In the many readers and writers workshop resources I’ve read, there was never a clear-cut answer to the burning vocabulary question.
The principles behind embedded instruction are very clear to me. I understand the importance of creating vocabulary experiences that make meaningful vocabulary connections for students. I understand the importance of using authentic words found in classroom readings. I understand that “drill-and-kill” lists do not work (I only need to think back to the SAT class I took in high school to realize that the isolated learning of vocabulary words is ineffective). But I don’t understand where it all fits in. Within the workshop structure, where and how, exactly, does vocabulary instruction fit? (I know that word is a near impossibility in workshop teaching, since each classroom and teacher will be different, but I like schedules and frameworks. I need them to structure my thinking about my teaching.)
So, my quest began. I set out to research three big questions about vocabulary instruction.
• Which words do we teach?
• Where do we get those words?
• How do we teach vocabulary in the workshop model?
These three questions will be addressed in the following blog series, which will share findings and new understandings about vocabulary instruction. Stay tuned…
Let’s keep the conversation going- | <urn:uuid:10431cac-effa-4016-83de-907828a45143> | https://literacycoachmusings.com/author/lindsaybarna/page/2/ | en | 0.946026 | 0.024628 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Penny The Fire Dog
Winter hides the sun away so the dogs need other sources of heat to keep them at their ideal body temperature (which appears to be about five thousand degrees).
The most coveted heat is the roaring warmth of a winter fire
Eko and Penny will both happily bake in front of a flame, but we’ve discovered Penny is particularly obsessed with fire
Normally, nothing could extricate Penny from a comfy spot on Emily’s lap…
But nothing (and nobody!) gets between Penny and a front row seat at our fireplace
“Can you believe Will thought he could get away with stealing my spot?”
In the interest of breathing without a sixty pound weight on my chest, I acceded to Penny’s claim and retreated to the couch. Eko happily joined me. But Penny?
She cooked front and center right until the final ember died
Now, does Penny’s fire obsession have anything to do with her devilish ways? I certainly hope not…but there’s room for disagreement!
18 thoughts on “Penny The Fire Dog”
1. We don’t have a fireplace but we do have 100 degree days during the summer and it blows my mind that Kali will sleep for quite long stretches in the direct sun baking away and panting. Being the worry wart doting dog parent (it comes from many years of being a worry wart doting people parent) I make her move out of the sun and drink water.
2. Will, I don’t think Penny is obsessed with fire, but rather that she is cold. Very cold. Alex, my amazing girl, was skinny like your Penny and so I had to make sure that she wore a sweater inside the house, and on days that were very cold, I used to live in Maryland, I would put a heating pad in her bed and she would fall asleep for hours on end. Your Penny reminds me of my Alex, tall, gorgeous, skinny and with that beautiful face. Also neither one of them have much hair so that is why Penny adores your fire place.
Leave a Reply to Michael Morales Cancel reply
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In each scenario the OP has linked to an image and the Suggested Editor has used the URL to add the image to the post itself.
Screenshots of text
We don't want users posting screenshots of text whether it's code, error messages, or even the homework question they're working on.
I keep seeing suggested edits where users are adding these text images to the post. Assuming this is the only edit in the post, should this be rejected as no improvement? It seems silly to allow it only to tell the OP to take it back out but I couldn't shake the feeling that rejecting it would still be seen as wrong.
Note that none of these edits ever include alt-text.
Useful images without alt-text
I've only seen two suggested edits that even changed the "enter image description here" placeholder and only one of those actually described what was in the image.
Assuming again that adding the image is the only change, is this also reject worthy? In this case I'm talking about non-text images that actually add to the post.
Images that aren't useful
The first two situations are fairly common but every once in a while I see an image addition that just doesn't help the post at all. The OP, for whatever reason, linked to a screenshot that's either incomprehensible or simply doesn't support the post in any way.
An example of the latter would be a question about not being able to create a specific component in an app and the image would be a screenshot of the launch screen.
Should I be treating images like this as noise? If adding this image is the only change to a post, should I reject it?
Knowing how to handle these cases when there are no other problems with the post will allow me to figure out whether I should Improve & Edit or Reject & Edit when they aren't the only change and/or the post has other issue.
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• 1
Why is the alt-text a problem? That doens't show anywhere except the raw-text of the post right? i.e. one has to click "edit" to be able to read it. I never could be bothered to add a proper alt-text if I use a single image, not for my own posts, not when editing posts of others, since it doesn't show anyway. – Adriaan Jun 6 '17 at 7:36
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@Adriaan That is used to set the alt attribute of the image, which is used when the image cannot be loaded or is not loaded yet. It is also used by screen readers, so for people with a visual impairment. You add an alt text for those people and for people that try to read the post in a future where the image link died. – Just a student Jun 6 '17 at 8:30
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@Adriaan Pretty much what Just a student said. There are also people who can't see images because they're blocked. Basically, the assumption that everyone can see the image is false. Any question relying on an image to convey information without any text (alt-text or otherwise) to describe it is going to be unclear to anyone who cant' see it. – BSMP Jun 6 '17 at 13:16
• If it is a screenshot of text, reject the edit and ask op to post the code or vote to close. – Sagar V Jun 8 '17 at 4:44
Screenshots of text
If an edit proposes an image of code, then that edit should be rejected. Period.
The only acceptable edit in this case is one that transcribes the code into the question. This can come from the original poster, or it can come from some other benefactor, but that's the edit that needs to happen.
Editing in the screenshot just edits in pointlessness and contributes to the delinquency by rewarding the person who posted the broken question in the first place.
Useful images without alt-text
This is not, in itself, sufficient reason to reject. This is a good reason to "Improve" (Approve and Edit), so that you can add the alt text yourself. (Or, at the very least, remove the useless "enter image description here" if there is no reasonable alt text that could be provided.)
Otherwise, you might want to reject (maybe "Reject and Edit") if the post had many other glaring problems that the edit failed to fix, such as broken code formatting. I refuse to reward people for doing half-arsed work. You might not catch everything that's wrong, but you should catch the big obvious stuff, otherwise you're not really helping the situation and mostly wasting reviewers' time.
Images that aren't useful
Um yeah. Edits that edit in useless things should be rejected. Nothing surprising here.
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• I wholeheartedly agree with the first point. It, in my opinion, directly defeating one of the reasons we prevent low rep users from directly posting visible images instead of links. – zero298 Jun 5 '17 at 20:10
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"If an edit proposes an image of code, then that edit should be rejected. Period." I generally agree, but lets not forget that some images may only look like they are about problem with code, but in reality they are about problem with editor/IDE handling the code like: stackoverflow.com/questions/44335263/… (although to avoid such confusion reviewer could improve image with some freehand cycles highlighting the problem - not that I mentioned it maybe it is time to use that advice). – Pshemo Jun 5 '17 at 22:08
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Yes, it is also a good idea to at least skim the question before making a decision about the edit. :-) – Cody Gray Jun 6 '17 at 4:54
• How should one transcribe "G" dataflow diagrams in LabVIEW? Is one expected to manually turn it into a pile of ASCII art, which manual conversion itself is likely to produce errors? – Damian Yerrick Jun 6 '17 at 17:57
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@damian Are "'G' dataflow diagrams in LabVIEW" considered "code"? If not, then no. You don't need to transcribe them into ASCII. My answer doesn't suggest that. It simply says that edits proposing images of code should be rejected, not that all images are bad. – Cody Gray Jun 7 '17 at 9:07
• Yes, G in LabVIEW is considered its visual programming language. – Damian Yerrick Jun 7 '17 at 16:24
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@DamianYerrick There's an exception for programming languages. I would still expect to see alt text explaining what it is, even if it's just, "Screenshot of code for a visual programming language. The code's behavior is described above." – BSMP Jun 8 '17 at 5:22
• Despite this policy getting agreed on, I'm still seeing edits that embed screenshots of code getting approved, for instance stackoverflow.com/review/suggested-edits/19272220. Should I just drop a comment asking the editor not to do this, pointing back to this question? – dbc Apr 1 '18 at 17:39
• The only acceptable edit in this case is one that transcribes the code into the question. This can come from ... some other benefactor... - this statement conflicts somewhat with meta.stackoverflow.com/a/260246: Don't: Transcribe code from an image to text. It's just too easy to introduce new errors. Can we get some agreement on this? Should the answer there be updated to say that external images of code should not get embedded either? – dbc Aug 2 '19 at 9:06
The thought process for reviewing suggested edits shouldn't change just because there's an image being inserted.
It is still a matter of deciding if the post is improved by the edit.
So, to your specific points:
• Useful images without alt-text - Improve the edit by adding the text, that is the smallest courtesy for our visually impaired members.
• Useless images - Reject, at the very least it is "No improvement whatsoever".
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While I largely agree with Cody, the point that Pshemo makes is important: In rare cases, an image is more helpful for sighted visitors. On one of my questions, I started with plaintext, but ended up editing in a supplemental screenshot for clarity. If Markdown allowed line breaks in image alt-text, I might have gone image-only.
If the problem can be demonstrated without an image, even with a // <-- this line comment, I say Reject & Edit and transcribe the text. If, however, the problem relies on
• Non-syntax highlighting in code or ascii tables, or
• Text formatting that cannot be approximated in Markdown in non-code,
Then use a screenshot with a reasonably descriptive alt-text caption.
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Transcribe the text?? Disagree - that's not going to teach the OP to do it correctly. I mostly reject as 'No improvement', and also leave a comment to OP with a link to the meta post about screenshots of text. Also, (and perhaps most importantly), you may mask the problem by inadvertently correcting a typo or introduce another one. – SiHa Jun 6 '17 at 7:31
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Advertiser Disclosure
PTSD and Sleep
PTSD and Sleep
The connection between the struggle with insomnia and trauma. This guide explains why, and tips you can do about it.
Post-traumatic stress disorder goes by many names, but the fear, pain, and restlessness are typically present no matter what you call it. Approximately 3.5% of American adults are affected by PTSD in their lifetime, with one in eleven receiving a PTSD diagnosis in their lifetime.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in those who have gone through or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or who have been threatened with violence. The events that trigger PTSD can fall in a wide range, and are not limited to the list above; in fact, some may experience PTSD when a loved one experiences something traumatic.
PTSD can manifest itself in many forms, but these are some common symptoms of the disorder:
• Flashbacks or nightmares
• Feelings of sadness, fear, or anger
• Social detachment or estrangement
• Active avoidance of situations or people associated with the traumatic event
• Extreme sensitivity to loud noises, touch, or other upsetting stimuli reminiscent of the traumatic event
The recovery path for those with PTSD can be long and difficult, but emotionally processing the trauma in our lives is crucial to healing.
“Just as it takes time to reconstruct damaged buildings, it takes time to grieve and rebuild our lives,” says the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “No one who experiences a disaster is untouched by it. Profound sadness, grief, and anger are normal reactions to an abnormal event. Acknowledging our feelings helps us recover.”
For many, it can take a great deal of effort to recover from emotional trauma. What people may not realize is that insomnia is also a very common challenge in the recovery process. In fact, Brainline reports that 70% of people with PTSD also claim to be struggling with insomnia. Next, we’ll explore why PTSD can have such an impact on a person’s quality of sleep.
Sleep And PTSD
How PTSD Affects Sleep
Traumatic nightmares and dreams are commonly associated with PTSD, and Verywell Mind reminds us that “children may have frightening dreams without content related to the trauma.”
For adults, however, it can be different.
Adults with PTSD are more prone to insomnia, whether it is sleep latency (the amount of time it takes to fall asleep) or remaining asleep. Studies show that insomnia is a hyperarousal symptom of PTSD and one of the very most common among people with PTSD.
It can wreak havoc on intended bedtimes, keeping you up for hours on end while the clock hands continue to slowly tick by without relief. Others may find sleep, only to relive their traumas over again in vivid nightmares of the traumatic event.
No matter how it affects you, if you’re not sleeping, it’s a major problem that needs to be addressed.
How Does PTSD Affect Sleep?
There are many culprits that could be to blame for poor sleep quality.
Whether it is falling asleep, staying asleep, or simply sleeping at night, PTSD can prevent sleep through any of these causes.
• Nightmares. Whether you relive the actual event or not, many PTSD sufferers experience nightmares in their sleep. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that of those with PTSD, up to 96% may experience nightmares.
• Hyperarousal. Even in the quiet of the night, you feel tense, anxious, and on-edge. It’s hard for you to be able to relax enough to find sleep because you keep reliving feelings or events associated with the traumatic event.
• Poor sleep cycle. When you are unable to sleep at night, it can be easier to grab a nap. Some people may only be able to find sleep during the day, which can throw off your sleep cycles and make it much harder to sleep at night.
• Sleep apnea. New studies show that those who suffer from PTSD are also more likely to develop sleep apnea. This can be dangerous in some cases because it causes you to stop breathing temporarily in your sleep.
How Those With PTSD Can Get To Sleep
Medication-Free Ways To Get Sleep
When you have PTSD, it is especially important to find ways to fall asleep without the use of any potentially harmful substances.
There are many ways that you find sleep naturally without the use of any medications or drugs. These are some of our favorites.
1. Set a schedule. It may take some time to train your body to adapt to this new routine, but over time, you may find that your body will slowly adjust as the new schedule is reinforced night after night. Following a set schedule at night will help set your body’s circadian rhythm, and allow you to receive your daily recommended amount of sleep.
1. Use a meditation app. Calming and meditation apps have become wildly popular in recent years and are an easy way to relax before bed. Just build a few extra minutes into your bedtime routine each night so you can breathe away the stressors of the day and wind down for sleep.
1. Take magnesium. Magnesium is a natural element found in many of your foods like pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach, and soymilk, and it is also available as a supplement or vitamin. The mineral has a number of benefits for the human body, like reducing inflammation and lowering blood pressure, but it’s also widely recommended for its sleep-inducing properties
1. Add valerian root. Valerian root is a natural herb that has been shown to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep by 15-20 minutes. It’s found as a flavoring extract in many foods and beverages, or you can take it directly as an extract about two hours before bed.
1. Try progressive muscle relaxation. This has proven effective for many people with PTSD, combatting anxiety, and reducing overall stress. Focus on relaxing and tensing different parts of your body in succession, over and over again.
Coping Strategies for PTSD
For many people, PTSD is a daily part of life, but you can use positive coping strategies such as these to improve the overall quality of life and enjoy better sleep.
1. Keep a journal. This is a productive way of self-monitoring, allowing you to express your stress and anxiety. You can then later track these feelings to see its impact on your insomnia.
1. Spend time with loved ones. The importance of social support should never be underestimated when you are living with PTSD. It can be incredibly therapeutic to discuss and work through your feelings with someone who is close to you and whom you trust.
1. Indulge in hobbies. The purpose of a hobby is two-fold: it serves as both a stress reliever and a positive distraction technique. By removing the mental thought process from the equation, it gives you less time to focus on your stress, while giving you the opportunity to enjoy a fun activity, like painting or fishing.
1. Don’t forget about exercise. Exercise helps to calm the mind and infuse positive energy while giving your body the physical outlet it needs. It not only helps you get through the day easier but will also help tire the body out for rest at night.
1. Try yoga. Studies show that yoga can improve symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress disorder, such as anxiety and depression. It is a low impact exercise that also helps to improve mindfulness and prepare the body for sleep.
Making A Sleep-Friendly Environment
Sometimes, turning your room into a more sleep-friendly environment can be all the help you need. These are some tips to make your bedroom a more comfortable and relaxing space for a deep slumber.
1. Hang blackout curtains. They are a minor investment that will pay off big time, especially if you have a bedroom that gets a lot of light. By blocking out light with blackout curtains, you can avoid any unnecessary disruptions and enjoy deeper, less interrupted sleep.
1. Add some plants. There are some natural plants that are known not only to promote sleep but can actually improve it, too. Lavender is one of the most popular sleep aids, but jasmine, aloe vera, gardenia, and even spider plants can all help you sleep more soundly.
1. Lower the room temperature. Cooler temperatures can help you find longer and deeper sleep. You can drop the temperature a few degrees in your home by either adding a fan or lowering the air conditioner before bed, whatever makes the most sense for your space.
1. Turn off the TV. TV before bed can add extra stress that you don’t need on your mind when you are trying to find sleep. Also, be sure to turn the TV off before you go to sleep – the sound and glare of the television can easily cause interrupted sleep, leaving you still tired by morning.
1. Invest in a new mattress. The best mattresses do not have to cost a fortune to provide better sleep. Check out our votes for the best cheap mattresses, or take our Mattress Finder Quiz to find the best mattress for you.
Resources For PTSD Mental Health Assistance
OrganizationContact Information
American Psychiatric AssociationFind a Psychiatrist
Anxiety and Depression Association of AmericaFind a Therapist
The Department of Defense Safe Helpline (sexual assault)Call 877-995-5247 Online Chat Safe Helpline Mobile App Safe Help Room Responders Near Me
Disaster Distress Hotline 1(800)985-5990
Mental Health AmericaCall (800) 969-6642
Screening tools
National Alliance on Mental HealthCall 800-950-NAMI
Text in a crisis to 741741
Find a therapist
National Child Abuse Hotline1 (800) 422-4453
National Domestic Violence HotlineCall 1-800-799-SAFE
Online chat
PTSD Hotline(877)726-4727
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN)800-656-HOPE
Find a therapist
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD (military)Call 866-948-7880
National Center for PTSD and Veterans Crisis LineCall 1-800-273-8255
Text 838255
Online chat
“Now more than ever, there are effective treatments for PTSD,” says the National Center for PTSD. Furthermore, “53 out of 100 people who receive trauma-focused psychotherapy will no longer meet the criteria of PTSD.”
Family And Friends Do’s And Don’ts
How Family Can Help Someone With PTSD
Oftentimes, the trauma of someone’s experience affects more than just the individual living with PTSD. The shadow of trauma can cloak a marriage, a family, and even social circles, slowly but efficiently chipping away at important relationships.
As challenging as it is to experience PTSD, it can be difficult to live with someone who is affected by the condition. When a loved one experiences sudden mood swings or becomes irritable and withdrawn, it is hard not to take this kind of behavior personally. It can be both exhausting and confusing when living with someone who exists in a constant state of heightened alert. It may also leave you feeling helpless when you’re giving your best efforts to help with good intentions.
If you have someone in your life who is living with PTSD, these are some things you can do to help.
• Get educated. PTSD is a sneaky, complicated disease that can present itself in many ways. By becoming familiar with its many symptoms and treatment options, you can help counteract the effects and help your loved one become healthier sooner.
• Follow their lead. Your loved one may be empowered and emboldened by the ability to make decisions in treatment, so allow that person to guide the recovery process. Everyone has their own way of processing and resolving emotional stress, and PTSD is no exception.
• Reinforce normal. Many people with PTSD already feel like a burden to those in their lives, so when you walk on your eggshells around them or treat them differently, you could be emphasizing their disability instead of creating a warm, supportive environment of normalcy.
• Reduce your stress. As a loved one, you are a key support system for the person suffering from PTSD. That’s why it’s important to find healthy stress management methods so you can be a more reliable source of support for your loved one.
• Prepare for change. Many people with PTSD can experience volatility in their emotions, feeling a bit like an emotional seesaw. Understand that moods can change quickly, and try to keep calm to reinforce a sense of normalcy in your environment.
• Listen. It may take some time for it to feel safe to talk, but when communication does happen, be patient and supportive. Don’t force your loved one to discuss more than they are able to, and be understanding if the conversation tends to repeat itself. This is common when victims are processing and working through a traumatic event.
What To Avoid
Even though we mean well, there may be times when we simply cannot help. Despite our best intentions, we can unwittingly say or do the wrong thing that causes a flashback, and it can leave everyone feeling a little worse for wear.
These are some things to consider when supporting a loved one with PTSD.
• Don’t blame the disorder. PTSD can have many effects on other areas of your life, such as your finances or social life, but remember that your loved one is not experiencing these things on purpose. It is crucial to stay positive and focused on healthy treatment so your loved one can overcome the battle and establish a new normal life.
• Don’t minimize. PTSD can be expressed through a number of different behaviors and fears that may not make sense to the person’s family and friends. However, as a loved one, it’s your job to love and support that person through this difficult time, no matter whether you understand it or not.
• Respect boundaries. We all have our limits, and PTSD can significantly shorten the reins for your loved ones. Remember that you do not necessarily have to understand someone’s fear to respect it, so instead, find soothing ways to reinforce your support and care for your loved one.
• Don’t force communication. It’s all too easy for our curiosity to get the better of us, and before we know it, we’ve pried too far. Those with PTSD may not be ready or able to talk about their traumatic experience or even the symptoms that they are experiencing. If they are unable to talk to you about their issues, be understanding, and instead, reciprocate with love and support.
Most importantly, be patient.
PTSD can affect more people than just the one experiencing the condition, creating a difficult situation for everyone involved. However, try to exercise patience and remind yourself that everyone is hurting, but likely not more than the person living with post-traumatic stress disorder.
“There is no timestamp on trauma,” says Dawn Serra. “There isn’t a formula that you can insert yourself into to get from horror to healed. Be patient. Take up space. Let your journey be the balm.”
“PTSD doesn’t make you weak,” agrees Dr. DaShanne Stokes, Sociologist. “It makes you a survivor.” | <urn:uuid:b96e48c4-8dff-4a99-b15d-4372aa800aeb> | https://myslumberyard.com/blog/ptsd-and-sleep/ | en | 0.938098 | 0.019714 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
The word overselling refers to offering resources to clients without having the capacity to provide them. In simple words, a hosting provider may advertise a plan with limitless disk space when, in reality, the customer's account will be generated on a server with countless other accounts sharing the total space. To guarantee that all the customers have a share, companies often set hidden quotas for every single account and in essence deceive their clients about the resources they'll benefit from. The key reason to oversell is to find new customers although providers are aware that a server can have only so many hard drives. Resellers commonly buy plans with fixed system resources as well, which means that they are not able to provide the unlimited plans they offer.
No Overselling in Hosting
If you acquire one of our hosting plans, you'll get what you have paid for with no exceptions. We do not oversell and we will ensure that you get all of the system resources that you find on our site for each of the packages. Even the features that are listed as unlimited don't have hidden quotas and we are able to afford that since we use an exceptionally powerful custom hosting platform. Instead of setting up accounts on a single server like most companies do, we have clusters of servers handling every single part of the website hosting service - file storage, database access, e-mails, stats, etcetera. Consequently, the system resources are virtually infinite as we can continue adding disk drives or whole servers to the clusters. In contrast to almost all widespread Control Panels, our Hepsia tool was designed to work on such a platform. | <urn:uuid:866ef20a-cdeb-4c48-978a-fc665ae1c88b> | https://startnpoint.com/hosting-glossary/no-overselling/ | en | 0.961482 | 0.057655 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Best Expert Advisors of BTM - Selected
In stock
A selection of the best and most performing Expert Advisors we coded in 5 years time. We backtested, used in demo and selected after live trading.
The strenght: Thanks to a plenty of strategies used to compose this Expert Advisors portfolio, the overall risk is reduced to minimum and the equity line has got a stable direction over time.
The risk: Trades are decorrelated and each Expert Advisor has passed stress tests, demo and live trading.
The performance: Follow our official signal at mql4 signal
More Information
Max drawdown -18.48%
1st yr avg gain 97.90%
Avg gain of 1 trade 0.67%
Risk for 1 trade 1.50%
Avg loss trade -0.96%
Avg profit trade 1.67%
# of Years 45
% of success 60.86%
Profit Factor 1.6
# of Trades 8954
General Description
The Expert Advisors run in all Brokers using Metatrader 4 platform with any amount of money (minimum suggested 1000$) and any account currency.
Strategy Description
This portfolio is composed by 4 different strategies:
1. High Potential Days: trades in days that statistically are more likely to move towards a well statistically defined direction (Bull vs Bear days)
2. Trends Birth: trades in favour of trend thanks to a signal showing the birth of a new market direction
3. Gold Accumulator: trades buying Gold after a bullish signal and when Gold is in a bullish phase according to its historical seasonal cycle
4. S&P Accumulator: trades buying S&P500 after a bullish signal and when S&P500 is in a bullish phase according to its historical seasonal cycle
Position management
Selected Expert Advisors manage each trade by setting:
1. one stop loss for each trade opened
2. one take profit for each trade opened
3. one trailing stop for Trend Birth and Accumulators
4. each Expert Advisor is able to learn from mistakes. It's able to register profit/losses and trade/stop trading in case of good/bad performance expected
Packet Description
The product is composed by:
1. 53 Expert Advisors .ex4 format, that trade Forex, Commodities, Indices and Bonds
2. 1 extra Expert Advisor loading all the previous 53 inside charts, to start trading immediately without any effort
3. A readme.txt file containig the set of information to start trading with BTM Expert Advisors step by step
Write Your Own Review
You're reviewing:Best Expert Advisors of BTM - Selected
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Bus Rimini Biella: Cheap coach tickets
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Bus Biella Rimini Prices
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We Asked A Nudist Why Going Au Naturale is A Great Idea
By Carly Steif / access_time Last updated : 10 December 2019 / Beyond Anal
A nudist explains why going au naturale is a great idea
Do you remember the joy of running around naked when you were a child? Before you learned shamed about your naked body. The opulent feeling of freedom and pure fun that you felt then? The feel of the sun, wind, and water against our bare bodies is so natural and freeing. If you put in the work to rediscover your inner child, it is totally worth to recapture that innocence no matter what your age, your occupation, or your physical appearance. People who enjoy nude recreation distinguish between nudity and sex and keep the two in their proper perspectives. Nudity is not inherently sexual.
I believe that nudity has the ability to help facilitate better attitudes on body image and sex. Outlawing your natural form in public causes people to be ashamed of their bodies, and in turn, perpetuates the cycle of sexual confusion and shame. People ogling at the naked body does not spur from nudity, but from a puritanical school of thought that demonizes the very essence of what it means to be human.
Body shaming
There are a lot of people in our society who are routinely told by society that their bodies are ugly. In fact, it's probably a safe guess that most people are told that their bodies are ugly for one reason or another.
A lot of folks are shamed for their body for a variety of reasons. For example, not shaving, having stretch marks, or any number of naturally occurring parts of a human's body, but society has made it all too easy to forget that. This message is given to overweight people, scarred people, people with stretch marks, disabled people, transgender people, people with extra skin, people who are older or wrinkled. The list goes on and on and is rooted in white supremacy.
So when people are told that their bodies are ugly, they are also told that they should be covered. So the simple act of not doing that, of forcing people to look at your body when society has made it so easy for them to forget that it even exists, is a liberating one.
What are some benefits of nudity?
It can also aid you in getting a better night's sleep. For the optimum sleeping conditions, your body needs to reach an optimal temperature of around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Losing your pajamas is the easiest way to lower your body temp. When you wear restrictive clothing and underwear they often leave indentations and marks all over our bodies, leading to drying and wrinkling of the skin.
Going naked is great for healthy skin. It helps the elimination of sweat toxins that clothing can reintroduce to the body over and over again. It can also help overall blood circulation because you aren't wearing tight clothing or underwear. Clothing can cause excessive sweating which may lead to inflammation of the skin follicles, rashes, and breakouts. Going au naturale gives your skin a chance to breathe.
Spending time in the nude is also a great way to get in touch with your body. Most people in today's society are so disconnected from bodily sensations and this could help. Not having anything int he way of you touching and simply just being mindful in your body is something very powerful. Being in the nude can reduce shame by actively working to be comfortable in your skin without the barrier of clothing.
Additional benefits of being naked in the sun
Being naked in the sun not only boosts your Vitamin D intake and your mood, but it can also improve your circulation and detoxify your skin. Research shows that our bodies are better at absorbing Vitamin D from sunlight than supplements, and while exposing your skin to the sun for too long can have serious consequences, the dose of sunshine you get if you sneak outside for 10-15 minutes will be the best natural mood booster.
Tips for getting started with nudity
First, start in a place that you're more used to being naked in — the bedroom. Simply delay getting dressed by 5 minutes in the morning. The options are endless on how you choose to be naked, but you have to practice. This sounds obvious, but the more time that you spend being naked, the more natural it starts to feel.
Get naked when no one's around. And keep on doing it until you're totally comfortable with being naked. Try to find ways to take care of your body and send it the message that it deserves love and pampering. Maybe that's getting massages, manicures, or facials or something as simple as putting lotion on. Find a lotion you love and spending an extra few minutes naked really taking the time to put it on every inch of your skin. Appreciate your elbows, ankles, and every other body party you rarely spend time doting on.
Remember to pamper yourself when getting started with nudity
More importantly, don't put yourself down when you're naked. When people feel self-conscious they tend to criticize or make excuses for their bodies before even taking their clothes off. Please don't do this! Don't beat yourself up in front of yourself or others. You don't have to point out your perceived flaws or make self-deprecating jokes about your body. It's unnecessary, it's cruel, and it draws attention to things your partner probably wouldn't have noticed on their own!
If you catch yourself thinking critical thoughts in the moment, try to talk to yourself like you would to your best friend. You wouldn't let anyone say anything mean about them, so don't let yourself be mean to yourself.
Nudity and sex toys
Adding a discreet plug while you're lounging at home, doing some cleaning or sunbathing outside can add some excitement to being naked — particularly the Snug Plugs because the weighted balls inside can add a feeling of fullness and rumbly-ness!
If you're not sure which b-Vibe is the best size for you, the anal training kit is an amazing place to start because it has a regular plug, a weighted one, and a vibrating butt plug. So you can choose your own naughty adventure.
Doing some relaxing solo and naked warm-up can help you get in touch with your body and aid in anal play feeling amazing.
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Get 20% Off Your First Order | <urn:uuid:67bbd67f-62e3-4919-adde-e7df14c5ba8d> | https://www.bvibe.com/anal-play-101/going-au-naturale/ | en | 0.960216 | 0.147034 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Catholic League president William Donohue wrote a letter today to Ron Howard, the director of the film version of The Da Vinci Code. The text of the letter appears below.
Dear Mr. Howard:
The upcoming film version of The Da Vinci Code is being greeted with much anticipation. As president of the nation’s largest Catholic civil rights organization, I have a particular interest in how the movie might affect the public perception of Roman Catholicism. Moreover, radio and TV talk-show hosts have already asked me to comment on what the league plans to do upon release of the film. I have been cautious, saying it depends on how the movie is marketed.
To be specific, will it be sold as a work of fiction, or as an admixture of fact and fiction? If it’s the former, then that would relieve any concerns the Catholic League might have. If it is the latter, we may have a problem: in all likelihood, the film—if it is seen as an accurate account—would be used as fodder by anti-Catholics.
To this end, I am requesting that a disclaimer appear on the screen prior to the start of the movie indicating that the film is purely a work of fiction.
Thank you for your consideration.
William A. Donohue, Ph.D.
Print Friendly, PDF & Email | <urn:uuid:4f76786b-1f35-4af1-8cec-d232435b44da> | https://www.catholicleague.org/da-vinci-code-film-needs-disclaimer/ | en | 0.925832 | 0.115358 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Reading Time: 9 minutes
In true sense, mobile apps have become a crucial part of human life in this modern arena. Whether you’re hungry, want to purchase clothes, you just open the app and order online. The world is going mobile at a faster pace. That’s the reason, for businesses creating mobile apps, which have become inevitable as humans are seeking flexibility and comfort.
Android and iOS are the two dominant platforms in the market on which you need to deploy your mobile apps. This often becomes confusing for entrepreneurs to choose the right one. This is where the most popular hybrid cross-platform Flutter comes into the picture!
What is Flutter?
Flutter is an open-source mobile app development platform introduced by Google in 2015 with a beta version. This platform enables flutter app developers to create great mobile applications with its advanced widgets and tools and provide visually attractive fast mobile apps on both the platforms- Android and iOS separately. The list of advantages that Flutter offers is very long, some of which are as follows:
• It is absolutely free
• The platform is based on a dart- a fast, purpose-oriented programming language which is in itself easy to learn
• The platform provides its own widgets that are created with its own high-performance interpretation engine, which makes the widgets fast and customizable
• With the amazing widgets options, you can create very attractive mobile apps with absolutely stunning UIs
• The structure of Flutter is based on the very popular reactive programming language of today’s
• This platform has become a rival of reactive native and also native apps
How is Flutter mobile app development cost estimated?
The best formula to measure the cost of app development in Flutter lies in calculating the numbers of hours a flutter app development company takes and multiply it with billable hours.
UI/UX design hours + hours consumed to develop app on this platform + Backend server x Hourly rate of flutter app developers
Being a new platform in the app development market, Flutter comes with its unique list of benefits related to complete Native experience, supporting comprehensive documentation and app running time of 60FPS. Since this platform is new, the cost of Flutter mobile app development services is relatively high, ranging from $15,000 to $40,000 depending upon your developer or the flutter app development services you had hired.
Why choose Flutter platform over others?
Flutter platform
1. Time-saving: By using the same code for a myriad of mobile app platforms, a developer can easily save their time as they don’t have to write different codes for different platforms in different languages. This is where cross-platform excels as it enables you to become faster and deliver alluring apps in the given timeframe.
2. Consumes less testing time: As we all know the base code is the same for every platform, mobile app testers need to test the application on different devices. But with Flutter app development, the quality assurance team has to test the single version of the app, which ultimately reduces 50% time of testers.
3. Wide reach: Don’t forget that a cross-platform provide the mobile app with a wide reach as compared to native apps.
4. Increases productivity: With Flutter it is easy! This platform doesn’t require developers to recompile the code every time changes are made as the change is visible immediately after it is saved. This ultimately boosts the productivity of developers.
5. CD assistance: To alleviate the workload of developers, Google has further tied up with Codemagic- a CD solution- to automatically detect, test, develop and package the applications built using Flutter without any configuration. This eventually enhances the scalability of the platform and makes quick integration with larger applications.
How to estimate the cost of flutter app maintenance?
Unfortunately, the journey of Flutter app development or any other mobile app development doesn’t come to an end with its final development. Businesses have to continue their journey app by upgrading it with the changing trends and new device or versions in the operating systems that come with a cost.
1. App update: App updates are something that gives users something more intriguing. However, it depends on the business owner when an app update is required, which incurs a developing cost.
2. Bug-fixes: No app is bug-free at all. And once your app gets published it becomes tough to fix those bugs so it is important to detect such bugs before it’s online.
3. Design changes: App designs are something that fascinates users but becomes outdated after a while. So to engage customers with your app, it is important to change app design and make it more accessible to users.
Overall, the Flutter app maintenance cost is calculated at the annual estimation of 20% of the whole app development cost.
Flutter Mobile App Development
So if you are looking for a reliable and high-tech Flutter development company, then you can contact us. We have extensive years of experience in developing mobile apps on cross-platforms, delivering quality mobile applications in the given timeframe. To send your query, email us at | <urn:uuid:c9e78912-a9f2-414e-8aba-7e88918dbb12> | https://www.concettolabs.com/blog/cost-to-develop-and-maintain-flutter-mobile-app-development/ | en | 0.942532 | 0.159582 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
What is GDPR?
In May 2018 the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into effect. The GDPR is one set of data protection rules for all companies operating in the European Union (EU), wherever they are based. It is the latest in a series of EU parliamentary measures designed to put the highest levels of protection around personal data. Recognizing that data can travel well beyond the borders of the EU, GDPR provides protection to EU citizens no matter where their data travels. This means that any company, anywhere, that has a database that includes EU citizens is bound by its rules. Businesses of all sizes are affected — from micro to multinational. No one is exempt.
In order to comply, US based companies must have processes in place to ensure compliance. Companies must ensure that customers have control over their data by including safeguards to protect their rights.
• Breaches can cost companies up 20 million Euros or up to 4 percent of their annual global turnover. Some infractions are less expensive but still represent a significant penalty.
• Consent must be given in an easy-to-understand, accessible form, with a clear written purpose for the user to sign off on, and there must be an easy way for the user to reverse consent.
• Any data breach that is likely to “result in a risk for the rights and freedoms of individuals” must be reported within 72 hours of its discovery. Data processors will also be required to notify their customers “without undue delay” after first becoming aware of a data breach.
• This includes the data subject’s right to get copies of their data and information on how it’s being used and the right to be forgotten, also known as Data Erasure.
• It will also allow customers to move their data from one service provider to another.
Does this affect my business?
If you answer yes to any of the following questions, then Yes, it affects you.
1. Do you have a shopping cart on your website?
2. Do you use cookies? If your website was built using WordPress, then Yes, you use cookies. Many popular third party plugins also use cookies including YouTube, Facebook, and Yoast SEO.
3. Do you have a form on your website that collects personal data such as a contact form or a request for quote form?
4. Do you use Google Analytics?
Once you’ve determined that your organization needs to comply with the GDPR, where do you start with your compliance efforts? You must add a privacy policy to your website and if you already have one, make sure it is updated.
What Is a Privacy Policy?
According to the European Commission here are the guidelines:
1. Use plain language.
2. Tell them who you are when you request the data.
3. Say why you are processing their data, how long it will be stored and who receives it.
4. Get their clear consent to process the data.
5. Collecting from children for social media? Check age limit for parental consent.
6. Let people access their data and give it to another company.
7. Inform people of data breaches if there is a serious risk to them.
8. Give people the ‘right to be forgotten’. Erase their personal data if they ask, but only if it doesn’t compromise freedom of expression or the ability to research.
9. If you use profiling to process applications for legally-binding agreements like loans you must:
• Inform your customers;
• Make sure you have a person, not a machine, checking the process if the application ends in a refusal;
• Offer the applicant the right to contest the decision.
10. Give people the right to opt out of direct marketing that uses their data.
11. Use extra safeguards for information on health, race, sexual orientation, religion and political beliefs.
12. Make legal arrangements when you transfer data to countries that have not been approved by the EU authorities.
For help adding a privacy policy to your site, contact us at 815-459-0482. | <urn:uuid:b198b953-4482-4b17-8890-6631783fa4d2> | https://baldwinwebdesign.com/gdpr-compliance-what-is-it-and-does-it-affect-me/ | en | 0.930384 | 0.032866 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Statics/Method of Joints
From Wikibooks, open books for an open world
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The method of joints is a way to find unknown forces in a truss structure. The principle behind this method is that all forces acting on a joint must add to zero. If there were a net force, the joint would move.
Example 1[edit]
Find the force in member BC of the truss pictured to the right.
Using the method of joints, the force could be found by isolating the joint at either end of the member (joint B or C). Neither joint can be solved without further analysis; however, joint B can be solved if the force in member and is found.
To find force analyze joint A. This joint has an external vertical force of 300N which must be countered by the members attached to the joint. Member cannot possibly support any vertical load, otherwise it would not be loaded axially and the entire structure would no longer be a truss. If has no load then member is in 300N of tension.
When joint H is analyzed it is found that the force in members and must be zero. The reason why neither member can carry any load is that member can only take a vertical load and member can only take a horizontal load. In a real world application this structure might be useful if there was a load applied at joint . Now joint can be analyzed.
The picture to the left shows the forces affecting joint B.
From analysis of joint
From analysis of joint
Put values for and into the equilibrium equations for joint B.
Now can be inserted in place of in , which gives:
Finally, can be solved for as follows: | <urn:uuid:4f0819f2-4712-460b-9484-d7b2baef0526> | https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Statics/Method_of_Joints | en | 0.955142 | 0.237002 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
The Old Bryce Insane Hospital
We came to shoot the Old Bryce Insane Hospital.
Brood much?
To kick off 2019 Jay Farrell and ForgottenTennessee’s Jerry Winnett decided to take a trip down to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to photograph the Old Bryce Insane Hospital. An infamously haunted, and abandoned site. After many false leads we found ourselves in Northport, Alabama, traveling down the driveway to the Old Bryce Insane Hospital. The driveway was narrow, overgrown, and in a horrid state of disrepair. Halfway down the road we noticed we were not alone. A large SUV was approaching us and we wondered outloud if we were busted? Was this trip to end just as we’d found our destination? No. The 4X4 that appproached us was driven by two guys who were just out enjoying some off-roading.
Finally we hit the end of the drive and climbed out of our car where we found ourselves in a circular driveway. A battered matress and trash littered the entrance. Jay and I did a quick equipment check of our cameras then took a second to stare up at the structure we’d spent hours driving to explore. In the background we could hear the rumble of more off-road vehicles.
“We should have brought flashlights”.
Was my first thought to myself upon entering the building. The lobby was dark but we could see walls that had been tagged with grafiti while others were demolished. Decrotive red tile covered the floors along with cans, bottles and bricks. Slowly walking over the piles of ruble we made our way to the center of the loby where we took a second to look around. On the far right and left of the main building were wings for patients, in the middle another wing stretched off. Since the middle wing was slightly better lit than the other wings we went with it to explore first.
As we made our way down the center wing we peeked inside the open cells.
The Old Bryce Insane Hospital had been empty since 1977 and looking at the several inches of dirt on the floor I believed it. Little if any glass remained in the windows of the wing we found ourselves in. Water dripped constantly down upon our heads as we moved towards a back wall. It was here we found a stairwell who’s outer wall had been torn open. The stairwell looked like skeletal remains peeking out from a rotted body. With more than a little trepidition Jay and I decided to chance going up the stairwell to continue our exploration. Now, personally I’ve seen some sketchy looking stairwells. This stairwell however, were downright scary . Shattered bricks, tree limbs, tiles, and garbage made the going slow to say the least. The only thing making me happy was the fact that the old building was solidly made of reinforced concrete and steel. With a few more stairs put behind us we had made it to the second floor.
Throughout our exploration of the old asylum we could feel an oppresiveness pressing down upon us. On each floor we discovered bathrooms/showers and there were a lot of them. At least 4 per wing and in one we found a bathtub. This tub was a singularity, all the rest were gone. One thing we noticed that running down the center of some of the wings were wooden tracks. I’d love to know what their purpose was. Did these tracks come with the building? Were they added for deconstruction? It’d be great to learn their function.
We were wanting to go to the third floor but the interior stairwells were looking even worse than the first set we had climbed , so we went up the exterior stairs instead. Now, I’m not afraid of heights, but the view down through the stair’s grating made my mouth go dry and my toes cringe. Sure, the stairs felt pretty sturdy but so did a floor I once went through. But this is what Jay and I had signed up for.
Yes, that is a tree growing through the stair’s grating.
Luckily the third floor door was open but instead of entering it we decided to check out the fourth floor. At the top of the stairs stood a rusty door that looked as if it had suffered from a bomb blast. Twisted out of shape it allowed us room to enter but here we balked. The previous floors had been uneven and a little questionable but the fourth looked much worse. Hell, there were saplings and bushes growing on the floor’s surface. There was no telling if there were weak spots that might collpase beneath us.
Jay and I went back down to the third for a bit of exploration then we would check out the outer wings of the hospital.
We took the exterior stairs to the first floor and then entered through a window. On the way down we had considered exploring the basement by going through one of it’s window but nixed the idea since we hadn’t brought any means of lighting our way beyond our phones. On the first floor we did find a staircase leading into that basement but it was in even worse shape than the others we’d seen.
Having explored the main building Jay and I followed a path to the out buildings. Behind the Old Bryce stood three buildings, the First was made of brick it’s doors stood wide open. Inside was a larg airy room containing a few pieces of furniture. An old wheel chair leaned upon it’s side and an easy chair and the remains of some other pieces sat here and there as well as a few matresses.
The first thing we noticed about the second building was an iron smoke stack that had collapsed upon it caving in the roof. Inside stood something I’ve always wanted to photograph, giant furnaces. Two massive twelve foot furnaces dominated the interior. The two of us wandered the building and discovered it was every bit as dark and creepy as the main building itself. Here and there I could see where doors had been nailed shut from the inside, Why? On the back of the brick and iron furnaces were small tunnels that may have been for loading in coal or for digging out ashes. In another room were two equally giant boilers, and leaning over it all was the top of the iron smoke stack that had destroyed the tin roof.
In the back of the main building we discovered a way into the basement, however there was one problem. The basement was flooded. How deep was the water? It didn’t matter. We weren’t going swimming today.
We did find a small cottage that Jay shot, while on another road we found the S.D. Allen Intermediate Care Facility. However, I’ll have to write a separate blog about what we found there.
Over the next few days Jay and I looked further into the history of the site we’d shot and eventually discovered quite a bit. For starters the Old Bryce Insane Hospital we’d shot wasn’t the Old Bryce Insane Hospital. It was in fact the The Jemison Center, the Alabama State Farm Colony for Negroes. While it was 88 years newer than the original Bryce people had begun calling it the Old Bryce Hospital. The actual Old Bryce was in the downtown area of Tuscaloosa, AL.
The Jemison Center had been built upon the remains of a Southern Plantation manor house that had been purchased by the state of Alabama as well as the 4,000 acres surrounding it. Now this was fitting and cruel. Why? Because 1939 was a sad time for America. We were in the grips of the Great Depression, Jim Crow and Segregation were the law of the land. While the Jemison Center was a satellite made to ease the population demands put upon the Bryce Insane Hospital it had another purpose Its able bodied inmates were made to labor in the fields of the old plantation for free.
Slavery had found a new home and it went on from 1939 until 1977. In my opinion the oppressive creepiness that pemiated the Jemison was now explained.
While the continued existance of slavery was depressing to learn, it is nonetheless History. Exploration of places like the Jemison Center lead to questions. If you go deep enough you learn things you did not know before. You’re richer for it, and this is one of the reasons Jay and I do this.
Sources: Tom Kirsch &
| <urn:uuid:424bbbd4-0115-4ba6-8fb0-84df97829ac4> | https://forgottentennessee.com/the-old-bryce-insane-hospital/ | en | 0.981234 | 0.026959 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
The Agile Advocate | GovernmentCIO Media & Research
The Agile Advocate
Leading the agency's DevSecOps practice requires addressing communication and culture challenges.
VA is moving to DevSecOps as part of its overall Digital Transformation Strategy.
Using a user-centered focus to deliver value directly to the warfighter.
Understanding the importance of Agile and DevOps frameworks.
Mobility is one of the most important factors to consider in law enforcement technology.
The newly inducted software executive will lead service initiatives to develop software more quickly.
The agency's push toward an agile culture spans multiple efforts include tech modernization and a skilled workforce.
Government leaders touch on industry best practices in acquisition, such as agile methodology, data transparency and human-centered design.
Talking through metrics any DevOps organization should consider adopting.
DuPree discusses maturity in the DevOps entry point.
GovernmentCIO is ahead of the curve in transforming government IT.
Part three of a series that will identify key personnel for a transition to DevOps.
The second part of a series that highlights most effective first steps for shedding inefficient and ineffective information technology practices.
The first of a series that identifies the missing pieces in the development of information technology in the enterprise. | <urn:uuid:27852ac3-4a1b-470d-bc94-937d9f162097> | https://governmentciomedia.com/news/agile-advocate | en | 0.897978 | 0.018841 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Sellers financing deal strcture
6 Replies
How do I approach a seller with good sellers financing approach on 20 acre ranch? Has anyone done in a deal like that? 100k down 5% interest for 5 years and then refi?? I know the owner well so I just don't want to discourage him. Any thoughts? Property in Merced county not that it matters.
Thank you
If you know the seller well, you should have a discussion around the seller's needs. How much cash would he/she like to see right now? What tax impact would a 5 year deal? a 3 year deal? Keep in mind that, done correctly, seller financing has benefits for both parties. Find out what the seller wants and do the deal as close to that as you reasonably can.
@Narinder Gill
To tag on to what Darius said, consult a tax person (maybe together) to see what impact is has on the seller. If the ranch is owner occupied, then the 2 in 5 rule applies to them. You could then structure the seller's finance as a 30/3 loan. That gives you 30 year terms w/3 years in which to refi. It would allow the seller to claim sec 121 tax exemption 3 years later when the balance is paid.
Main point being consult a tax professional before proceeding.
I went to school in that area and remember well the fog. I would put together a business plan showing the expected almond yield, income and expenses, to assure him you know the business and will be able to pay him back and then some. Also state the equipment you have and how you plan to harvest them, etc. That would make me a lot more comfortable about lending... | <urn:uuid:ab126d45-419d-4fcc-a130-655ba905e0b7> | https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/840/topics/895367-sellers-financing-deal-strcture | en | 0.965413 | 0.190133 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Drop water on dry ice and a carbon dioxide layer will keep the water liquid and make it dance on (dry) ice
Scientists have managed to bounce a water drop on dry ice, showing a low temperature analogue of the well-known Leidenfrost effect. The process was captured in this rather pleasing video showing the drop rebounding. The vortex ring that can be seen is created by the droplet as it moves through water vapour which has condensed at the cold carbon dioxide surface.
In the Leidenfrost effect, a liquid collides with a surface much hotter than its boiling point, forming a protective cushion of gas that also becomes an insulating layer, slowing further evaporation. Scientists at the University of Bergano and ETH Zurich, found that liquid water bounced off dry ice at -79°C, just like it does off a hot plate at 300°C, because the gaseous CO2 layer between the droplet and the surface pushes the drop back without it freezing. | <urn:uuid:2f1d4660-052d-47ae-95e3-c1e25670c5b1> | https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/sublime-leidenfrost/6353.article | en | 0.952483 | 0.672229 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Saturday, April 05, 2014
Blind Items Revealed - Kindness
December 26, 2013
Back in September a dog rescue place took on 18 dogs out of a home. The dogs had been badly abused and were in seriously ill. The total bill to treat these dogs was over $30K.
The local press in the area covered the story but fundraising was slow. Two weeks ago, this A list married female country singer who has an a-hole for a husband quietly wrote a check for $20,000 which covered all the agency still owed.
Miranda Lambert
Bacon Ranch said...
That's good people, right there (her, not him).
Glad those pups got a second chance.
Leekalicious said...
Very generous and thoughtful ... I hope Blake wakes up and realizes what he has at home there, before it's too late.
biteme said...
Love Miranda! I knew she was an animal lover. Not surprised by this.
NaughtyNurse said...
Very nice. I hope all the dogs found good homes, too.
Sherry said...
Not to go all OT and shit but Leeky I just want to tell you I love you. Just saw your last post from yesterdays debacle and you seem like an amazing lady.
And I also reserve my love for people who go out of their way to help animals. First with the people who rescued them, next the vet who did the medical care without knowing whether they would be paid or not and for Miranda for paying them for their kindness.
PugsterMom said...
Bless her for this kindness.
Fiona said...
Animal rescue is my passion.
20 years ago I was on my way to work one day when I looked up the block and there was a cardboard cat carrier and a scratching post with a "FREE" sign on it. I went over to check inside the box and there was a live cat in it. I called in late and took the cat to a no-kill shelter..
That someone thought that was an acceptable way to get rid of a living being so disgusted me ... I decided on the spot that for the rest of my life, if any animal crossed my path who needed help, I would help it.
Because if not me, who? If not now, when?
I have kept that promise ever since! Dogs, cats, pigeons, they find me, and I help them!
Just last week I found two baby pigeons wedged in some netting. I cut them out and took them to WildCare, a facility in Marin County (California) that rehabs wildlife and then releases it.
My two little pidgies are being hand fed until they're old enough to eat on their own, then they'll be put in an aviary with other babies until they learn how to fly, then the whole flock will be released in one location to live out their lives as wild pigeons.
Pigeons are my guilty pleasure, they're amazing birds. They mate for life, can recognize a human face from blocks away, and both the male and female tend the babies. Did you know that a pigeon egg has to be kept at a constant temperature round the clock, and they take turns sitting on the nest 24/7? If you've ever touched a pigeon egg - they're actually hot to the touch!
And when the babies are born, it's amazing that a bird that size can fit into such a tiny egg - it's like bird origami!!
And yay for Miranda Lambert. Even though she's a least they eat what they hunt.
Sherry said...
Principessa, people like you are heroes to me. I am passionate about them as well although I have never done any rescue.
At Blanc Debris (our house in Calaveras County) we love bird watching and have a pair of Banded Pigeons. They are much larger and absolutely gorgeous. I'll be the first to say, however, that the city pigeons can be a nuisance at times. Pretty messy.
Sadly we've killed all the Passenger Pigeons but there are efforts to bring them back a la Jurrasic Park.
Lo Key says stop with the censorship already! said...
Blanc Debris...
I just got that.
I'm slow.
Fiona said...
@Sherry, Have you ever considered fostering an animal? neonate kittens, or an animal that needs to recover from an illlness or surgery before being offered for adoption... most shelters these days, especially in California, have foster programs. And certainly, any rescue group in your area would jump at the offer of a foster home.
Fiona said...
The great thing about fostering is you can do it when it's convenient, you're giving an individual animal a safety net (which sometimes is the difference between life and death - rescue groups can only pull as many animals as they have foster homes for) ... and you can stop doing it temporarily when you want to travel or you're busy...
headrot said...
love this!
if i could i would fund my own no kill animal sanctuary.
big love to anyone who cares for animals like this.
headrot said...
love this!
big love to anyone who cares for animals like this.
Sherry said...
Principessa..No I have not and the reason being is I have two cats that are 20. As you know, it's not a good idea to introduce a kitten to older cats and it's not like fostering a puppy when you have another dog. (I don't need to point out the reasons why to you as an animal lover and one familiar with cats.)
Now after Lucy and Ethel go over the rainbow that sounds like an excellent idea. We have a neighbor at the house who does that very thing. She's amazing.
LowKey, glad I could make you laugh over the name of our house, Blanc Debris Manor.
rocky619ca said...
That is awesome♥ Rescue a rescue
Fiona said...
@sherry - Lucy & Ethel - love it!
Yeah, at 20 years of age they have earned the right not to be pestered by kittens!
BeckyMae said...
I have no idea who this woman is but I love this reveal...I just watched Louis Theroux's doco on LA's dog problem, it was harrowing watching them walk through the pound with all the dogs howling. My sausage dog Gomez went into our bedroom and hid under the covers, he couldn't cope either, poor love :(
Jennmcn said...
Not much of a C & W fan but good on her. I have 4 rescue dogs and 3 rescue cats. I am at maximum capacity or I would adopt more. I have 3 that are turning 17 this year and the baby, moose dog will be two.
PJ said...
And THIS is why we love Lambert!
Unknown said...
I love Miranda! Her songs are amazing! Principessa that's noble that you do so much for animals. Our cat is a rescue and she is the sweetest kitty I've ever been around. She never shrinks back when any of us pick her up or love on her and she even grooms the dog like he's a cat. Animals are so funny!
Leekalicious said...
@Becky Mae
She's married to Blake Shelton, who's a modern country singer (as is she). He has been a judge on the Voice.
BeckyMae said...
Thanks Leeky!
Alita said...
Birds - some species - make their nests big enough for the eggoes but not the hatched (and growing) fledglings. Genius.
Yadda yadda yadda - we rescued some baby Kookaburras at Christmas. One came out of the nest per week, Riker (number one, named posthumously) died before we found it. Data (number two) and Troi (third) made it though. Birds are usually fairly terminal if they come out of a nest but these guys thrived. They were super cute (and as natives there were resources to help).
Zeeky_Boogy_Doog said...
"... female country singer who has an a-hole for a husband..."
It's too bad that's not a qualifier, meaning every female country singer with an a-hole husband is giving money to these shelters. They're ALL married to a-holes! If they all gave 20k, shelters would be swimming in cash! It'd be just like Scrooge McDuck, but with actual ducks!
headrot said...
@alita love the bird names!
Fiona said...
A few months ago I heard a baby pigeon squeaking - like ALL DAY. I know from a nesting pair that used to have babies outside my house that they don't usually squeak except while their parents are feeding them, a few times a day. The rest of the time they're super-quiet (=survival, don't attract predators).
So I set out to find the source, finally narrowed it down to a fire escape behind an apartment building. Couldn't really see too well, it was far off.
So I went over and rang the manager's bell, said I needed to get in, he hung up on me, I thought he was going to come down and let me in but newp. So I called him back on the intercom, said (naively) are you going to let me in? And he said "No I don't want you wandering around the building."
So I started ringing bells for apartments on the first floor where thought I had seen movement, and this guy answers and I say "I'm here about the pigeons" and he says "Oh are you from Animal Control?" and I say "No..." but he buzzes me in.
I go upstairs and it turns out that he had just called Animal Control about the baby pigeons - two of them - that were outside his studio window on his fire escape.
He was a drag queen named Aristotle. No I am not making this up!
He let me come in and go out onto the fire escape. There was one little pigeon squeaking and flapping his little wings and pecking at my hand and all "I'm ready for my closeup and would you freaking FEED ME already" and the other one was much smaller and skeletal and ... dying.
At that moment Animal Control rang the bell and I begged him to send them away, I said I would take them to WildCare and they'd have a chance there, but Animal Control would probably put them down. So he sent them away, gave me a box, and off I went with Felix (as I named him) and the little one. I had to separate them because Felix was walking all over the other one, so I transferred him to a second box. The little one died on the way up there but Felix lived, thrived, was raised with a flock of other babies that he bonded with, and is now living the high life in Marin County somewhere.
But you know, baby pigeons do not normally make noise when their parents aren't around, and if Felix had done what he was supposed to, he probably would have died. As it was, he made such a racket, both Aristotle and I took it on ourselves to help him. So Felix saved his own life, in a way.
There was something about him - he was so spunky and full of life, I really took a shine to the little guy.
I do not know how the two babies ended up out there but I do know that if you move baby pigeons the parents will not feed them. There was a terry cloth towel out there so I think maybe somebody in the building had found them on the ground, maybe they fell out of the nest, and had put them there thinking the parents would feed them, but they didn't.
Another time I saw a pigeon caught in some netting above a light well on the roof of a building, waaaayyy out - I snuck into the building and out onto the roof and I simply could not reach it, even by climbing down onto the edge of the fire escape and reaching up!
Failure was not an option, however. I knew I wasn't leaving without that bird. Somehow I managed to clip bits of the netting and stretch it and pull it to the point where I could reach out and unclip the netting around the pigeon (it was completely entwined) and then pull it toward me and get it to Wildcare. It probably cost the owner of that building about a thousand dollars to repair the damage I did to that netting but I did not care ... it was inhumane, and there was no way I was going to leave a bird to die up there, exhausted, starving and dehydrated. I couldn't have slept that night knowing that bird was up there.
Principessa, YOU ARE AWESOME.
That is all.
Kloie said...
Don't like Miranda, but good on her for this.
Sherry said...
Yay Princepssa. Great story and as I live in the Bay Area I can totally see the drag queen thing. Too sad that you lost one but at least the other survived.
Anonymous said...
I love her for this!
From one dog lover to another - thank you.
Fiona said...
@Sherry, seriously, huh? Only in San Francisco.
I forgot that you live in the area. Hello neighbor!
Anonymous said...
I love hearing about all the good people who rescue and foster animals in need. We have four cats, all rescues; and two Labradors, both rescued from incredibly abusive situations. It's wonderful being able to offer them a loving home where they'll never want for anything, but it's also difficult in some respects.
With the exception of two of our animals, all are happy, well-adjusted and very content.
But one of our tabby cats, who is 25 human years old, has been with us for 10 years and we still can't get close enough to pat her - she'll tear our hands off. She's done well in the time she's with us - graduating from living on top of the shed roof to coming inside, and resting on her favourite chair, but we don't think she'll ever trust us.
And our chocolate Lab, who only came to us about a year ago, and is nine human years old, thinks we're going to hit her every single time we go to pat her. It's so heart breaking. I don't think she'll ever fully trust us either, and she has a permanent upset look on her face. She wags her tail and loves to play, but those underlying insecurities will never leave her :-(
Fiona said...
@Stepforded, bless you for taking in six animals in need of a home!
You seriously have a 25 year old cat? That's the oldest cat I've ever heard of!
Three of my own cats used to be feral, so I know what it's like to bring an unsocialized cat into the home. Mine are all tame now, I can handle them easily, but they still do have that skittishness that I think all formerly feral cats have. Heaven forbid I should walk into a room rustling a plastic bag - they all dive under the bed!
WRT taming ferals ... each case is different but the woman I turn to for advice with All Things Feral is a strong advocate for taming cages. They're like kitty condos, you keep the cat confined, interact with it frequently, until it makes progress. It's easier to do that when the cat is confined because you have access to it, and you can reach in and not traumatize it, as opposed to chasing it around a room!
Otherwise, if you give a feral cat the run of the house from Day One, it's like living with an indoor feral - they just avoid you and don't tame down.
But with her being so old when she came to you, and ancient now, I'd say your cat can bloody well do what she wants at this point :-)
I'm so sorry about your chocolate Lab. Labs are my heart dogs, they are such a wonderful breed. I had one for 16 years. She died 8 years ago and I still dream about her.
I wish I had some words of advice on how to desensitize her but I don't. My own dog that I've had 7.5 years now, came from a very bad situation. She was found stray with a broken leg, in heat. She looks like an Aussie/Husky mix, red and white, absolutely gorgeous ... but she's terrified of people. Interestingly, she's not hand shy and she doesn't have a "type" of person that she's afraid of. I think that she was not beaten, just isolated and not socialized, and basically ignored for a few years. Which is a form of abuse, especially for a highly intelligent loyal breed.
Anyhoo, when I first got her she was in panic mode all the time except in the house. Pulling, jerking, trying to run. I had to walk her at night on side streets because she'd freak out if she saw a person a block away.
Fortunately she's not a fear biter, she has no aggression at all.
But even now, after 7.5 years, though I can walk her everywhere, even off-leash sometimes ... she WILL NOT approach people.
Anyhoo ... there are natural remedies that help with anxiety, Rescue Remedy is supposed to be good - a few drops in the drinking water ... and I know some veterinarians will also prescribe doggy Prozac, though I've never gone for that...
Does your lab like to be brushed? I'm thinking there might be a way to touch her that she finds pleasurable, and gradually reduce the negative reaction...does she like other people? other dogs?
One thing I did with my extremely skittish dog was to bring treats and give them to people to feed her. That really helps, she'll go from shying away from someone to walking up and grabbing food out of their hand. Then she'll go right back to shying away. It's like "Time out from panicking ... take treat ... OK back to panicking."
Unknown said...
I just fell in love with Miranda after reading this.
Bitca said...
@Principessa Marina:
& to top it off, you're also an excellent writer. The Never Give Up Rescuer of outcast-birds--& Miss Aristotle--could be protagonists of a short novel set in post-Armistead Maupin San Francisco :).
As for Real Life, I am truly curious: after joining forces to save Felix & his ill-fated sib from the untender care of Animal Control, did you stay in touch w/Aristotle?
Fiona said...
Aww, shucks, @K. Madelyn.
I did email Aristotle with updates about Felix but I think he is less of a pigeon fan than I am. I give him mad props for calling Animal Control and trying to do the right thing.
Contrast Aristotle with the woman who asked me, when I rescued a baby pigeon off her fire escape, why I didn't just throw it in the garbage rather than driving 30 miles round trip to a sanctuary. My reply: "Because he wasn't DEAD?" was met wit this response: "Well he would have died soon enough, what do you care?"
What a bitch.
I don't think Aristotle was really interested in Felix's life after he got him off his fire escape. Mostly he just wanted Felix to shut up already, I think!
Unknown said...
she doesnt seem that nice to me...
KittensRUs said...
Shark is an extremist group. I'm heavily involved in animal welfare and rescue and even I think they're off the deep end.
KittensRUs said...
headrot said...
i used to be involved in animal rescue too! @kittenrus
the extremists are kinda scary. even some of the nonextremists can be nutjobs and a little much.
Fiona said...
@Lena Lopez, I didn't know that about Miranda Lambert. I knew she and Blake Shelton hunted but I thought it was for food, and I don't think any meat eater has the right to criticize people who hunt for food.
However, killing an alligator on TV for its skin for a purse? Not cool.
Supporting a rodeo? I know rodeos are big in some areas of the country but I don't support using animals for sport like that. Thoroughbred horse racing is tough on the horses too.
Regardless of whether Shark is an extremist group (I had never heard of them), if what they reported is correct, the facts stand alone as an indictment of Miranda Lambert. For the alligator incident, if nothing else.
Nolesgirl said...
@Principessa I LOVE you, kindred spirit!! I've been 'saving' dogs, cats, turtles, birds since I can remember. I can't NOT help if I see an animal in distress - it haunts me because they rely on us for love and protection (at least domesticated animals). Miranda Lambert is also awesome for doing this. I'm known in my town as being the Rescue Girl because I'm always posting unattended animals I see on our streets onto my facebook page. Animals are unconditional love
Fiona said...
Rescue Girl, love you right back!
Keep doing it. It only takes one person to make a huge difference in an animal's life.
Popular Posts from the last 30 days | <urn:uuid:87fd1953-7346-48fe-8b6d-8f2294570c84> | https://www.crazydaysandnights.net/2014/04/blind-items-revealed-kindness_5.html | en | 0.981017 | 0.024109 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Image source: National Grid.
National Grid Transco, PLC (NYSE:NGG) is a UK utility with a base of assets in the United States. This is both a strength and a weakness, depending on your take of things. But in the end, getting your head around this diversification is the biggest problem investors will have with National Grid.
Really diversified?
France's Veolia Environnement SA (ADR) (OTC:VEOEY) is a utility with operations, quite literally, around the world. It runs water, waste, and power assets in some 44 countries located in South America, North America, Europe (its largest market at about half the business), Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, and Asia. Now that's a globally diversified business. And if you are looking for a single utility to buy to gain exposure to the world, Veolia should be on your short list.
National Grid operates in the United Kingdom and the in the northeastern United States. True, its businesses span across electricity and natural gas, but it's a very different level of diversification. In fact, the UK wouldn't even count among the top 10 states in the U.S., in terms of size. So it's hard to suggest that National Grid is really a globally diversified utility -- it's a UK utility growing in the U.S. market.
Diversification or unnecessary complexity
But, if you look at the UK as akin to a reasonably large U.S. state, you can pit National Grid against large U.S.-focused utilities, such as Southern Company (NYSE:SO) and Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK). In fact, it ranks well with this pair when you look at market cap and dividend yield. But for an investor, that's not a great fit, either.
Where National Grid makes its money. Image source: National Grid.
The United Kingdom isn't all that big, but it's still a foreign nation and accounts for a large piece of National Grid's business -- roughly two thirds of the company's operating profits! And while the company is planning on expanding its U.S. business to push the accelerator on growth, what happens in the UK is clearly important. You just can't look at National Grid without getting to know the electricity and gas markets in the United Kingdom pretty well.
That's why you need to ask yourself if National Grid's foreign exposure is worth the effort and risk. You can buy a diversified U.S. utility of roughly similar size offering a similar yield, such as Duke or Southern, and avoid the need to deal with, and understand, foreign markets. But if you want foreign diversification, National Grid only really offers up exposure to the United Kingdom. If foreign exposure is your real goal, Veolia is a much more diversified entity.
Is the big problem worth it?
When you invest in a company, you have to get your head around the big picture, both for the company and how it fits into your portfolio. For National Grid, the big picture is a U.K. foundation supporting U.S. growth. That's neither good nor bad, but it means that the utility probably won't be a clean fit for most portfolios. Indeed, it's not really domestic, and it offers only a little bit of foreign diversification.
If that's not an issue for you, then by all means get to know the U.K. utility space a little better and buy National Grid. If what you want is a sleep-well-at-night utility investment, then you'll probably be better off with a large U.S.-only utility such as Duke or Southern, avoiding the complexity that National Grid throws into the mix. And if what you really want is a globally diversified utility, then a company such as Veolia, with operations around the world, will be a better fit.
In the end, National Grid is a fine utility, but still something of an odd duck. And the "foreign" exposure it offers might not be worth the extra leg work for many investors. | <urn:uuid:d1af72b6-5666-4da5-abf6-b6634a991f40> | https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/07/the-biggest-problem-with-national-grid-transco-plc.aspx?source=eptfxblnk0000004 | en | 0.960438 | 0.224231 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Hacker Book Review
About the Book
My Review
Ted Dekker is a great author and I have read almost all of his books. This Outlaw series was new to me and since this is the third book I went back to read the previous book. While they don't have to be read in order, Austin is a main character in all of them.
This book twists your mind, just like every other Ted Dekker book. Nyah is a hacker and very smart. She lands herself in a bad situation and seeks help from Austin. There are about three story lines going on throughout the book that all join together at the end. I really liked this book because Dekker went deeper into salvation with Christ.
If you are a Ted Dekker fan you will enjoy this book! If you are new to Ted Dekker I highly recommend.
Interview Questions
1. Your main character in Hacker, Nyah, makes a living by cracking the firewalls of major corporations. What role does technology play in her development as a character?
TD: Nyah roots a great deal of her identity in technology. In doing so she defines who she is by what she does. She even says so at the beginning of the book. I am a hacker. We all do this. For her, technology is what she knows, it’s what defines her, and provides the comfort zone. But it’s also her prison, which she comes to discover later.
1. How does personal loss affect Nyah’s view of God?
TD: When we meet Nyah, we find her in a place of great suffering especially for someone her age. That colors everything, just as it does for everyone else. For Nyah, the inescapable question is, “Why is there such suffering in the world?” Or more to the point, “Why is all of this happening to me?” That offense, that feeling of injustice and unfairness, feeds her entire view of the world, including her view of God as a distant, uncaring creator.
1. Why do you consider Hacker a modern-day parable?
TD: Parables are meant to re-frame the world differently so we can experience it again for the first time. Hacker takes a simple concept that many people already believe, that there’s another reality so near to us that we’re unaware of its presence most of the time, and puts it center stage. The story doesn’t have a moral or try to make a point per se, because that’s not what parables are for, but it does ask you to look at the world through new eyes—Nyah’s.
1. The central question in each book in this series is, “Who am I?” What prompted you to explore that question?
TD: The question of identity is central to all of life and, in fact, most of my own striving and struggle can be traced back to it. We define ourselves, almost without thinking much of it, by what we do. I’m a mother, a father, a man, a woman, a writer, an accountant… The list is neverending. But strip that all away, as death will one day for all of us, and what remains? Are you, at your core, really a mother or a father or an accountant? Or are you something far more and we’ve only bought into the notion that this costume, which we call the body and our careers and talents, is really who we are?
1. The series so far includes a 17-year-old who claims she has been buried alive, a 13-year-old orphan with no memory, and a 17-year-old genius computer hacker. What are the similarities between these characters?
TD: [Laughs.] You’ll have to read the books to find out for yourself. Ultimately, they are all forced to take a journey that begins in the valley of the shadow of death and ends on the other side of it.
1. What role does the unseen play in your books?
TD: An enormous role, because that’s how it is in real life even in a literal way. Physicists tell us that the visible universe is a miniscule slice of what actually exists, we just can’t see the rest. But just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it’s non-existent.
1. What makes your characters in this series “outlaws”?
TD: It’s their journeys, which lead them “out of the law” of death and suffering into the light. It’s the same journey we all get to take, and which we’re called to.
1. You grew up as a missionary kid among cannibals in Indonesia. How do you think your unusual upbringing affects your writing and your faith today?
TD: My upbringing gives me a unique way of looking at the world. Understand, I grew up among people for whom spirituality was integral to life. It wasn’t tacked on or part of life… There was no separation. They believed in the unseen, they witnessed its powers, and lived as though the seen and the unseen were woven together in a beautiful, mysterious way.
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Auspicious Date Selection
Don’t worry if you have no idea how the Xuan Kong Da Gua Date Selection works, because our team of consultants – trained by Master Mimi Moorhouse – is here to help. Selecting favorable dates as we practice it, in a traditional way, goes far beyond the usual study of conflicts between different astrological signs (such as you can find them in women magazines or daily newspapers) or with the use of a Chinese almanac Tong Shu, because this is a completely personalized service! Requesting a selection of individual and personalized favorable dates will allow you to take your destiny in hand and to put the odds on your side in all your projects.
Selecting favorable dates not only creates a greater potential, but also makes sure that things go smoothly. Based on your personal BaZi (remember, this is a fully customizable Service: a favorable date for you could very well be unfavorable for another person!), especially with your year of birth, we can deduce suitable dates for events such as:
• a marriage (in this case, the date will be selected for the two of you)
• buying or selling a house or a flat
• moving house
• starting renovation works
• sending a newsletter to customer
• opening a new business or launching a product
• signing a new contract or doing important business transactions
• starting a business trip
• undergoing surgery
• placing feng shui elemental cures or activating with water
You are interested in a Date Selection for a specific event? Our team of consultants will be happy to help. Generally, it goes as follows:
1. Order your Date Selection on our website (please mind that they are 2 choices, choose the one that best fits your project!)
2. Send us an email with your date of birth and a period during which you would hold the event or launch the project. Please allocate us a period of 2 or 3 weeks.
3. Once we have received his information, we can start selecting favorable dates.
4. You will receive the list of favorable dates by email, selected specifically for YOU and YOUR project. Wherever possible, we will try to provide you several dates and several hours during this allocated period of 2 or 3 weeks that you have given us in advance.
5. Please note, it will take up to 3 working days before you receive the list of auspicious dates.
The selection of a good wedding date, for a happy marriage!
Why use a consultant for a wedding date selection?
Your wedding day is certainly one of the most important days of your life. We are convinced: who does not want to ensure that this day will be a day of joy and happiness, where everything goes well?
Planning your wedding on an auspicious date can help ensure that your big day runs smoothly, without you needing to face a lot of stress and last-minute difficulties. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, to marry during an auspicious day which matches with you and your partner will help you begin this new journey on a positive energy that will make the marriage happy.
How do we calculate an auspicious day for a wedding?
In addition to the study of potential conflicts between BaZi natal charts of the bride and groom and the recommended date, we also rely on the Qi of the 5 elements and the energy of the period to connect both the Heavenly Qi and the Earth Qi to find the most favorable date that best suits you and your partner. | <urn:uuid:001664b5-7716-4905-af56-14485b779118> | https://www.mametaphysique.com/consultation/auspicious-date-selection/ | en | 0.906802 | 0.046981 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Just Ask For Directions
Online media buying can be lot like the stereotype of men driving. Advertisers like to use a map, spreadsheets, analytics, just about any technology to get to their destination, but often they are loathe to stop and ask a real live human being for directions. Among the first sites to implement behavioral targeting technologies in the early 2000s, is as experienced in the BT field as any publisher. But while it leverages some of the most advanced technologies for advertisers, the site is by its very nature a people place, driven mainly by hundreds of human "Guides" who host precisely targeted verticals throughout the site. Senior Vice President of Sales Sheryl Goldstein recently deployed a new and very human way of monitoring user behavior online -- simply ask the Guides what their peeps are doing. Just put down the GPS for a second and ask for directions.
Behavioral Insider: How did you come to use your About Guides' expertise in the ad product mix?
Sheryl Goldstein: I got here six months ago after six years at AOL. I realized very quickly that we didn't have a very compelling go-to-market story..We were basically selling our reach. It was very much around, we reach more moms than iVillage., more men than ESPN. A buyer would be hard-pressed to be convinced that if I am trying to reach men that About is a better choice for me than ESPN.
What was really missing was what was unique to About that would have some meaning to advertisers. We have these guides and they create all this content and they are vetted experts. People love to come chat with them. These guides know which search terms they are using, what these people are seeking because they are on the digital front line. They are like a human component of the digital interface. These guys do nothing but focus on this one topic. They have keen insight into what these people are looking for and why they are coming to talk to a vetted expert in the first place.
BI: How do you convert that into an ad product, though?
Goldstein: I started thinking, why would P&G or Verizon care about this. My experience of working with advertisers for years is I know that what they really seek from their partners are insights around [their] audience. What they don't know is why people are coming here. Behavioral targeting can tell you what people are doing, but if you don't know why, then how do you market to that? If you don't know why, then you don't know how to do the right messaging or reshape your campaign to appeal to more people.
I found that our guides are filled with knowledge and insight about the people coming to our site. I can ask them by simple surveys or emails. I can say, Unilever really wants to understand why 40+ women spend so much time online engaging with games? So we tap into our 40 or 50 guides that talk to moms everyday [about] parenting, food, homes, and ask for their take. And boom, we got back a slew of quotes from our guides telling us what they hear and see. We can put a quick survey on a site and use the guide as a way to start a dialogue going. It is like an insight engine that we have innately built into About.
BI: But what shape does it take for the media buyer?
Goldstein: The programs we are developing for advertisers are inspired by the users coming to our site vetted through the guide. For a program reaching teens going back to school, we talk to guides who are talking to teens and also moms. What kind of twist could we put on a back-to-school program for this client?
The guide tells us what is most important for teens is feeling self-confident in what they are wearing and [that] they get their fashion sense from celebrities. If they can feel like they are getting the look of Hannah Montana or the Jonas Brothers then they look good and feel more confident about the first day at school. What mom cares about is making sure they can afford it and it's an acceptable look. So we came up with these ideas like a celebrity look-alike configurator. Which celebrity are you most like? Do a simple quiz that tells them they are most like Miley Cyrus. Now get the look at store X and then email it to Mom.
BI: How are media buyers responding to this idea thus far?
Goldstein: We are calling it User-Inspired Solutions and the Customer Dialogue Loop, which is the dialogue our guides have with your customers. We have sent quotes from our guides that have led to better media strategy. Some of our food guides have told us that traffic on their site peaks 12 to 2 Thursday and Fridays, when people are doing weekend meal planning. And they really want simple -- no more than three steps or five-ingredient recipes. We put it in a media plan as 100% site ownership for some of our food sites Thursday and Friday 12 to 2. If you want to do a custom thing, offer up simple weekend recipes. We have sent out proposals with that stuff in it, and we get back phone calls asking for a brainstorm session with guides to find out other things. We have had clients and agencies call us up for new business pitches to help them think about an effective media strategy for client X. We have just begun to figure out all the different ways we can leverage the knowledge of our guides.
BI: Have you layered any of these insights onto more familiar BT campaigns?
Goldstein: It is one of the things I am working on now and would love to explore in meetings with Revenue Science and Tacoda. BT tells us what people are doing, and our guides can help us understand why.
I want to start taking a closer look at the BT clusters and understand what sites are falling within what cluster. Then we can really tap into the guides who manage those sites and say this is a pattern we see here, that people who go here then go there, there, and there. Any insight on why that is? Is there a commonality of going from your site to this person's site? So I do want to try to marry the two.
I feel that is a super home run. I think the pros and cons of BT are that it tells me what activity people are engaging in, but it doesn't tell me why. That is a huge hole from a marketing perspective. People don't just want to reach an audience but reach them with the right message. BT is not perfect science.
My feeling is that a good media plan has three components. You start with your core endemic. I want to be in an environment that is most relevant to my brand where it is most top of mind to the people coming there. Next out is to extend that reach a little bit into more BT, so I can lower my cost. Now I am getting people who expressed an interest or been to those pages and they fit into my demo profile. It is a good shot that I am not wasting money by following those people around. And then lastly, how do I factor in some kind of lifestyle thing or just extend my reach so I am a bit more relevant demographically and have an even broader reach. And you package it together and you hopefully have an effective CPM that works and get a little bit of each of those rings.
Next story loading loading.. | <urn:uuid:333a991f-cfbb-4ba5-8d76-6a46529aa447> | https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/84199/just-ask-for-directions.html | en | 0.975319 | 0.044361 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
In the 1990s, digital learning or eLearning started to take off, leading the way into a digital realm of education. The word eLearning was first created in 1998. To put that in perspective, this was the same year that Google was launched.
Since 2000, there has been a 900% growth in the eLearning industry. This is significantly more than previously thought. But why did this form of education become so popular? It naturally evolved from the use of technology in everyday life. It was a way for everyone to have access to education and to make it fit in with your schedule, rather than the other way around. It offered a lot of potential and advantages that could not be ignored.
The Future Of Online Education | <urn:uuid:86646053-586d-45c3-8640-e5be44b5834c> | https://www.stpaulscollege.ie/the-future-of-online-learning/ | en | 0.980747 | 0.499382 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Monday, September 8, 2008
Are You There Hillary? Its Me, Allison
Are you there Hillary?
It's me, Allison.
I know you're probably angry and I know you're disapointed that I chose another over you.
But since your purpose was really to better this country and not just a personal quest for power, I know you'll let whatever bitter taste is still in your mouth go.
You'll rise up and take this woman by her hair and shake her down to size. You will send this smug attack dog running back to the wild with her tail between her legs.
Because I am scared of this woman who wants to legislate my personal decisions based on her religious beliefs.
I am frightened of this woman who thrust her own child into the harsh media glare to further her political campaign.
Because I have lost respect for a maverick politician who makes choices based on the best way to win the election and not the best way to govern once the election has been won.
So, Hillary...could you fix this please?
roadlittledawn said...
Why isn't she saying anything??!!
Jon said...
Sorry, but in all honesty, you are looking to the wrong person for help. Hillary, from the viewpoint of most non-socialists, *is* simply grabbing for power without much regard for the people she's exploiting. However - I will give you - Obama is much worse.
Thrust her child into the media spotlight? I believe it was the other way around - the media used to the child to make you fearful. They exploited the child's condition to attack Palin as a neglectful mother (with some wild conspiracies to boot), while at the same time making it seem as though she would impose her morality upon everyone else. While I'm not certain she wouldn't, you can't be quick to draw that judgment. And speaking of morality - Hillary's is much more scary (although, in the end, they aren't all that much different).
Why is it that feminists hated her almost immediately? She's well educated, articulate, independent, a caring mother, and has strong personality. Is it simply her religion? Or simply her political affiliation? What role did the liberal media have in this? | <urn:uuid:85590eeb-7456-4dc4-b8ce-8edcd93d6851> | http://accidentalhipster.blogspot.com/2008/09/are-you-there-hillary-its-me-allison.html | en | 0.98184 | 0.946875 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Program Information
Talk Radio Europe
As proven by UK TV journalist Roger Cook & in his book 'Dangerous Ground'
Daily Program
Dave Hodgson, Tony Gosling
Bristol Broadband Co-operative
For non-profit use only.
Attribution No Derivatives (by-nd)
No Advisories - program content screened and verified.
If 150 kiloton hydrogen bomb warheads from SS 20 were offered to UK investigative journalist Roger Cook on his popular Central TV show 'The Cook Report' then isn't it highly likely the Iranian secret service could get them too?
You may say these arms dealers were winding Cook up but he took back a sample of 'Weapons Grade Plutonium' to the UK for analysis and it checked out positive.
The SS 20 ballistic missiles had been formally removed from the Soviet arsenal under Regan's Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) but the actual missiles were being stored in various bases across the former Soviet Block. Roger Cook made contact with former Soviet soldiers in Ukraine whose chain of command had broken down & had not been paid but had plenty of weapons to trade.
Download Program Podcast
00:26:00 English
View Script
Roger Cook nuclear weapons 00:26:00 128Kbps mp3
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197 Download File... | <urn:uuid:acea00fe-87c1-4890-83ce-47a4bde53ca3> | http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/program/62725 | en | 0.945353 | 0.018395 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Super Street Network
| | Renault Alliance and Encore - On the Line
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Renault Alliance and Encore - On the Line
Why do anything else?
Feb 11, 2006
Epcp_0602_z+renault_alliance_and_encore+photo Photo 1/1 | Renault Alliance and Encore - On the Line
Gas prices have gone nuts, and suddenly it isn't just SUV drivers who are checking their credit limits before gassing up at the pumps. Consider at $3 a gallon for fuel, if you are driving a car that get 21 miles per gallon, you are only going seven miles for every dollar you put into the tank. Don't like those numbers? You could buy a hybrid, if you don't mind driving it for more than 16 years, the time it will take the typical hybrid's 7-8 mile per gallon improved gas mileage to pay for its $6,000 price premium. There is another solution: Find an older car from a simpler (slower) time that will deliver hybrid-like fuel economy at used-car prices. There are a variety of cars to choose from. One award-winning example is the Renault Alliance and sibling Renault Encore from the mid-1980s.
Distinguished lineage
Renault began building cars in 1898. The company was always well known for its reliable, if somewhat stolid automobiles. The French company entered the U.S. market in the 1950s, selling such rear-engine oddities as the Renault Dauphine sedan and Caravelle sports car. By the 1970s, Renault's major U.S. product offering was the cheeky Renault R5 Le Car. This front-wheel drive 1.4-liter four-cylinder sedan met the demand for high fuel economy. It was reasonably sporty and fun to drive, and Renault even created the "Renault Cup" racing series for the odd looking and somewhat tippy "Leakers." But Renault had designs on a bigger piece of the American pie and in 1982 Renault purchased American Motors, primarily to tap into its distribution system and AMC's Kenosha, Wis., manufacturing plant, on which Renault promptly spent $150 million to refurbish.
An Alliance
The money Renault spent in Wisconsin was to install an assembly line for its Renault 9 model. The four-door boxy Renault 9 had just been introduced in Europe where journalists had called it their car of the year, and it had become the best-selling car in Renault's history. Some changes were made for the U.S. market, the primary one being a change in its name. The Renault 9 became the Alliance, a reference to the joint Franco-American efforts on the car. The Alliance was well received, named as the 1982 Motor Trend Car of the Year and voted as one of Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best in 1983.
A big small car
The Renault Alliance was a nice package. It was slightly shorter than Ford's Escort on the outside, but had a three-inch longer wheelbase. Three abreast seating was possible in the rear seat, something that the Honda Civic, Ford Escort, Mazda GLC and VW Rabbit couldn't offer. The Alliance was also light, coming in just under 2,000 pounds in base trim. The transverse engine in the base car was the 1.4-liter four-cylinder from the Le Car (where it had mounted longitudinally) with the addition of throttle-body fuel injection (port injection for California cars). Zero to 60 mph took a leisurely 14.3 seconds, but the small engine delivered an outstanding 37 mpg city and 52 mpg highway in the EPA's fuel economy tests. Front MacPherson struts, rack-and-pinion steering and a trailing arm with torsion bar rear suspension made the thing handle pretty well, especially for those used to the roly-poly antics of most French cars. All this was available for around $5,500 for the base two-door and about $7,500 for the all-out four-door Limited.
The Encore
In 1984, the Encore hatchback was added, based upon the similar Renault 11 model from France. The Encore three-door became the basis for a rejuvenated Renault Cup racing series. A convertible was also added in 1984, notable for its power-driven top mechanism and low-cost open-air motoring. A 1.7-liter engine was made optional in 1985, and a both cars could be had with either a three-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual. The Encore was renamed Alliance Hatchback in 1987.
Best for Last
In 1987, Renault came very close to bringing its exotic V6-powered rear-engined Alpine A310 GTA sports car to the U.S. market. Instead, the French company decided a VW GTI-like small car would be more successful. The Renault GTA was based on the two-door Alliance sedan and was fitted with a 95-bhp 2.0-liter engine. The car was lowered and had significantly stiffer springs, shocks and anti-roll bars as well as a tacked-on body kit. Tires were 195/50VR15 Michelins on special GTA alloy wheels. The car was fun and nimble, if not particularly powerful. A convertible version of the GTA also was available. Unfortunately, the bigger engine dropped fuel economy to 26 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, by EPA estimates. The end was near by this point, as Renault sold AMC to Chrysler in 1987 and pulled the plug on its U.S. operations in 1988.
Which one to buy
The first thing you need to decide is whether you are going for ultimate fuel economy (take the 1.4-liter), a bit of performance (the 2.0-liter), or something in between (the 1.7-liter). In reality, none of these cars is very fast (figure around 10 seconds for zero-to-60 mph for a good running GTA). Two-doors, four-doors, hatchbacks and convertibles are all available in plentiful supply as Renault built more than 600,000 Alliance/Encore/GTA models in its Kenosha plant between 1983 and 1987. As with most cars made in the 1980s, rust is the big enemy and finding a rust-free body will be the biggest challenge. The cars are all fairly robust with no major engine or driveline problems, aside from a scarcity of parts. In fact, parts are becoming quite a problem and figure you'll spend a lot of time looking for bits and pieces online. Unfortunately, there aren't too many websites for Renaults in this country and even the Renault Club in the States ( has few links to offer. Prices range from free-if-you-take-it-away, to just a couple hundred dollars, to maybe $2,500-$3,000 to the nicest GTA convertible remaining on the planet
Why do you want one?
Maybe you don't. The Renault Le Car was at least quirky in its looks and Gaelic enough in its charms to give it some charisma. The Alliance and Encore tried really hard to become mainstream American cars, and their success at achieving that goal is their undoing today. They just don't seem weird enough to be French cars, yet they suffer in parts and servicing from their orphaned status. On the other hand, they are throwaway cheap, exceptionally economical (at least with the mouse motor), and different enough in a world filled with SUVs and pickup trucks. On the downside, they won't do much to protect you in an accident, but they do represent the last hurrah for Renault in the U.S. Glamorous they are not, but maybe a few of us ought to save a couple of them so we will remember the last time the French built an American car.
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Sponsored Links | <urn:uuid:3142b22c-cd0e-49fb-8d3f-7fae9a271e72> | http://www.superstreetonline.com/features/epcp-0602-renault-alliance-and-encore/ | en | 0.966634 | 0.04086 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Along with the recent development in unconventional resource extraction techniques, geomechanics has become an important discipline to help us understand and assess the risk created by reservoir stimulation and reservoir performance optimization. At the AGS, we use a finite element modelling technique to study the responses of subsurface structures to external stimulation in various geomechanical/geological situations.
Thermal recovery of highly viscous bitumen usually requires the injection of high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the reservoir. During the injection phase, significantly increasing temperatures and pore pressures cause volumetric dilation of the reservoir due to thermal and poro-elastic effects. This volumetric change stresses the overlying geological formations and results in surface heave. The containment of the reservoir fluids consequently depends on the geomechanical properties of the reservoir and surrounding rock. We analyze the response of the overburden to steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) operation in different hypothetical, but geologically reasonable, scenarios using the finite difference method (FDM) for reservoir heat and fluid flow simulation and finite element method (FEM) for geomechanical modelling.
Researchers hypothesize that fluid injected into the subsurface can flow into faults and, in certain situations, lead to fault slipping by reducing effective confining stress and shear friction. We build a fully coupled hydromechanical finite element model with a hypothetical fault to study fault slipping in response to the fluid flow in the fault. Shear friction stress, contact pressure, pore pressure propagation, and slipping distance are carefully investigated to provide an understanding of fault movement and in situ stress perturbation in response to subsurface fluid injection.
Animation 1: Temperature change in a reservoir during SAGD operation over a ten-year production period. In a SAGD pad with 10 pairs of injection and production wells, the injected high-temperature, high-pressure steam produces a steam chamber that grows over time, leading to subsurface structure deformation and surface heave. To better illustrate the process, the deformation is exaggerated 200 times in this animation. In this animation, red indicates higher temperatures.
Animation 2: Pore pressure change in a reservoir during SAGD operation. The injected steam can increase pore pressure in the reservoir. Combined with thermal expansion, high-pressure steam results in less confining stress and expansion of the reservoir due to poro-elastic effects. In this animation, red indicates higher pore pressure.
Animation 3: Fault sliding in response to fluid injection. The fluid injected into the subsurface occasionally finds its way to a critically stressed fault. The increasing pore pressure reduces the shear friction force and results in fault slipping. In this animation, red and blue indicate structure movement (along the fault) in opposite directions. | <urn:uuid:7efb07e2-994e-4e0a-b98b-317aec5d8224> | https://ags.aer.ca/activities/geomechanical-modelling | en | 0.895885 | 0.295077 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
How does the Blue Rewards program work?
Blue Rewards is a program offered to BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina members with an individual or family BlueEssentialsSM policy beginning in 2019. The program allows members to earn up to $150 per year for completing wellness activities. Rewards are paid to the BlueCross policy subscriber via a Visa® PrePaid card for each activity completed and verified for each member on the policy. Rewards can be used towards copays, coinsurance, out-of-pocket expenses based on covered medical services. Excludes pharmacy. | <urn:uuid:3e6cfee5-010a-4638-9bff-edc44397983d> | https://bluerewardsscsupport.payforward.com/hc/en-us/articles/360021510251-How-does-the-Blue-Rewards-program-work- | en | 0.950718 | 0.342585 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Interview with a Millionaire
You are about to read an interview involving two people. One is the questioner and one the answerer. Both of these men are very intelligent and both have great insight on life and what it means to be successful. During this interview, Build Grow Lead will take you into the mindset of a millionaire. Our goal is to help open the doors of some of the habits and traits that it takes to win with money. Be prepared to learn from one who has lived it and continues to live it.
To be a millionaire you need to develop the millionaire mindset.
Q: What has becoming a millionaire done for your life?
A: People chase money for various reasons. Some like grandiose houses, luxurious cars, and all the cool toys. For me, money gives me freedom. When I was child I saved my allowance and was eventually able to accumulate about $200 dollars. Where I grew up, and at that age, $200 bucks would allow you to do pretty much anything in town. If I wanted to go to the pizza place, see a movie, or take a gal out, the money afforded me the means to do those things. That great feeling really sat well with me. I felt like I had the ability to live my life on my own terms. Having money, even as a child, gave me a great sense of autonomy and control.
Now that it’s been many years later, everything is on a larger scale but these emotions and feelings remain. I don’t worry about bills anymore. If I want to take a vacation I can. If an emergency knocks at the door, I am prepared. There is always food on the table and a roof over my head. All my needs are met. I go to sleep at night without a financial worry in the world.
I know a lot of people that are always stressed out about finances and it’s very sad. Having money also gives me an unparalleled ability to help people in need. I have great satisfaction in being able to help others. I feel so thankful to be blessed and that my financial life is in order. My hope is that by sharing parts of my story here at Build Grow Lead (and through other avenues) I can help people as well.
Q: To become a millionaire, what would you say are some “best practices” to have?
A: That is probably the easiest question anyone can ever ask me about money. First and foremost, the greatest financial strategies a person can ever use are the ones spoken about in the Bible. The Biblical Principles of money discussed in the Bible show the wisdom of God and if followed will undoubtedly lead to financial success.
First and foremost, tithing on your income is the first priority. I attribute everything I have ever accomplished with money to tithing. Once God saw that I put him first and I trusted him with my money, that is when I really started to see my money grow.
After tithing, I would say that the next “best practice” is to pay yourself. I would advise everyone to establish a savings account. The freedom I spoke of a little bit ago really blossoms when you have money in the bank. Everywhere you go, you can say “I can afford that” or “I could buy that.” This doesn’t mean I go and buy everything, but knowing that I can make a purchase if I wanted to is enough for me.
The next “best practice” is to grow your money. If you want to win with money, you have to learn how to multiply it. Learn to invest, develop passive income streams, and make your money work for you.
Another “best practice” is to take care of your family, the people who are closest to you should be on your mind all the time. Being able to ensure their well-being is essential to happiness in life.
Paying taxes is another important aspect of becoming and staying wealthy. We live in a great country and we have great opportunities. Taxes keep a lot of things in order.
Living on less than you make will surely reap benefits; when you do this, you will never run out of money and all your expenses are well covered with plenty to spare.
Staying away from debt is another thing that I would highly advise. I can’t think of one example in the Bible where debt helped anyone. Giving generously is a must as well, it’s been my experience that those who give to those in need seem to be in a happier place in their life.
All these principles I have found in the Bible and I believe in them very strongly. The book of Proverbs taught me many of the lessons I have spoken on.
Saving, investing, tithing, avoiding debt, paying taxes, and helping others are all important “Best Practices” to becoming financially successful.
Q: You mentioned tithe, as in giving 10% of your income to the Church, isn’t that an old testament law that no longer applies today?
A: Yes, the tithe is 10% and the Bible describes it as giving your first fruits back to God. Tithe means a tenth and so I tithe no less than 10% of my pretax income to my local church without fail. As for old law, I will give a quick history lesson, Mosaic Law as in the Law of Moses is what most people think of as the Old Testament. Abraham practiced tithe and he predated Mosaic Law by centuries. Then, of course, Moses and his people practiced tithing. Following this, there was a period of 400 years where God was silent. That is the gap between the Old Testament and the New Testament. The final book in the Old Testament is Malachi. Malachi taught tithing. Before God went silent wanted to conclude the Old Testament with how to handle money and tithing was the way. In the New Testament, Jesus praised tithing and told the Pharisees that they should be doing it in conjunction with having God in their heart.
Now let’s fast forward about 1900 years to America’s first billionaire, John D. Rockefeller. Mr. Rockefeller attributed his money-making ability to tithing. In fact, Mr. Rockefeller tithed on his very first income and continued to do so throughout his life. In Robert Kiyosaki’s book, “Rich Dad Poor Dad,” it is mentioned that the author believes in and practices the tithe. Dave Ramsey is another wealthy person that attributes his financial success to tithing. Dave had a net worth of $1,000,000 when he was young but then he lost it all filing for bankruptcy. Dave became a believer and approached money with a new set of techniques, “Biblical Principles.” Now today Dave is very wealthy.
In my own life, I have seen nothing but good things come from tithing. I’ve witness money miracles and changes in people’s lives as a result of tithing. So yes, to answer your question, I believe the tithe is still very relevant in today’s world.
Q: If you lost it all today, how would handle something like that?
A: Someone once told me that becoming a millionaire isn’t really about the money. The money is what most people see and think, but that’s actually not correct. Money is the by-product of what really happens. To me, becoming a millionaire is a mindset, not a worldly status. The way you think, the things you know, the abilities you have, these things are what truly matter. This is the true treasure.
Money in the bank is nice but your very mind is worth so much more. Our minds yield so much power, they are so equipped, so capable, and so important. If you started with nothing but trained your mind to have the right perspective, then you can win with money. Focusing your energy and time on training your mind is far more important than earning money in my opinion. So if I lost it all, having a millionaire mindset would help me get it all back again.
Q: I want to touch on something I heard you say – can you explain more about training the mind?
A: Yes, if a person wanted to get in better physical shape, they would go to the gym, start to eat better and would stay away from health depleting habits. The same is true with spiritual growth, if you wanted to grow spiritually, you need to spend more time in prayer, fellowship, worship and studying the Bible.
Just like training your physical muscles and your spiritual muscles, our minds are like a muscle as well. The way to train the mind is by reading and practicing continual learning. Reading is the exercise for the mind. Reading stimulates your logical brain. If you practice regular reading, you will be filling your mind with ideas and thoughts that can improve your life. I tend to read non-fiction and focus most of my time in personal growth and self-help books. I try to read 3-4 books every month.
Another method that works really well is listening to audio books. I prefer audio books but I do both regularly. I have a co-worker who has a $2.4 million-dollar farm that he started with his wife. They built it from the ground up and he learned everything about his business from listening to audio books.
Q: Talking with you, it appears that you have spent a lot effort to earn money. How do you respond to the statement, “you can’t take it with you when you die”?
A: That’s a very good question. I agree with that statement. When my time comes, I will leave this world the same as I came in it, with nothing materialistic. However, I believe that there is a world after this one and I will live in the Eternal Kingdom. Money is a tool for me. A big bank account here on earth doesn’t amount to much in heaven, but if I use my money correctly, it will not be forgotten.
Q: Can you elaborate on that topic more?
A: Money is a tool that can be used to make a positive impact on the world.
Let’s say I start a project and use the money to build a Church for a local community. A man of God from the town decides to preach there. I fund a children’s ministry; I keep the lights on and pay the various bills. Then over the course of several years, many people get saved. People accept Jesus as their Savior. As the Church grows, Christians can come together and grow in love for the world and the people in it. Men and Women fall in love together and get married in that Church. They may have kids who are now raised in the faith. When elders pass, we do a funeral in that Church. We pay for the burial; we comfort the family members and offer prayers and condolences.
After many more years pass and all of us who were a part of that Church have died and those who were saved see me walking down a street of gold they can say, “Hey! I remember you! You were the one who built that Church up on the hill, right? Thank you so much for that, I got saved in that Church, I found God there, My son married the girl of his dreams there, my daughter finally found peace with Lord and her life was finally filled with the blessings of God.” We might not be able to take money with us when we die, but we very well could meet the people that we helped or helped us along the way. The lives that can be impacted are priceless.
Q: What would you recommend to the younger generation if they wanted to become financially successful?
A: I would tell them to embrace every stage of life. It is important to live righteously throughout all stages, but they should enjoy their youth. Kids should be playing outside; teenagers should be cruising the streets listening to music, hanging out with friends while also developing good habits. College kids should be setting up for their future. They should be making very smart decisions in those years.
When it comes to a career decision, you should always do what you love. There should never be a time where you dread your job. That is a miserable way to live and a horrible way to make money. I advise everyone that they should do what they love and make money doing it. I advise people to stay far away from debt and avoid establishing credit. Good credit might look good on paper but it destroys your future. We live in a society that says you need good credit to succeed. This is false. Borrowing money and paying interest is like having a tiny hole in a pipe supplying water to your house. It is a constant drain and you are losing a lot of precious contents. If you put the money you dish out to pay for interest into your own investment account, the results would be astronomical.
Debt is like a leaking pipe.
Q: What about purchasing a house? Shouldn’t a person have good credit so that that can get a lower mortgage interest rate?
A: I have my own opinions about things, but I personally don’t even believe in mortgages. I say that because I have seen many people who have successfully saved to purchase homes without a mortgage. They have purposely struggled a little bit on the front end of their life so that they could eventually purchase a house with cash. Mortgages, even with low-interest rates, usually result in a typical person spending a lot more on the house than if they would have just saved/invested their money first and then bought the house.
I also want to take this opportunity to quote Proverbs 24: 27 NIV (“Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.”) This to me means to get everything in order first. Have your steady flow of income already established before you make those life-changing decisions? Get your life in order and have all the bases covered. Once the foundation is strong, then buy a home and start a family.
Q: That’s kind of hard to do for most people. Some people say it’s impossible. What would you say to this?
A: When you get home today, do yourself a favor. Find an old dictionary in your house, grab a pair of scissors and cut out the word “impossible.” And why you are at it, cut out “mistake” “can’t” and “lazy” as well. Throw those words in the trash. “Impossible” is a limitation that destroys so many dreams and potential. “Mistakes” should be called learning experiences. We are AmeriCANs, not AmeriCAN’Ts! And substitute the word ACTION for “lazy.” Action is one of the most important words in any language. People have a choice in where they live and how they live. Living without taking on any debt is certainly possible and is only a decision away. Again, my personal opinion is to avoid all forms of debt. Making sacrifices and learning to delay gratification will pay dividends to your future.
Think about it this way, a $100,000 mortgage at 5% interest for 30 years results in a total payment of $193,256 and a monthly payment of $537. However, if you invested the $537 a month in smart, high-yield investments (say with around 8%), you would reach $100,000 in just over 10 years. For the 30 year period, you would reach over $760,000 and could afford several houses. With proper planning, many people could invest a modest amount of money during high school and college so that they could afford a house when they graduate.
Q: Interesting perspective. Let’s move on to another topic. What if our passion doesn’t make that much money? How does a person become wealthy if they have a low income?
A: The average millionaire today has five incomes. Listen very carefully to what I am about to say “You should never work for money; money should work for you.” If you really want to make ground and build your wealth, you must learn how to establish multiple streams of income into your life and you also need to learn how to make money do the work. Of course, you also have to save, invest, and live below your means as well.
Q: How does money “do the work?”
A: Let me illustrate. Imagine an apple tree that gets planted on good soil. Over the course of many years, it is watered and nurtured to grow fully. It produces apples every season. The apples can be consumed by the planter and also collected and sold to the public. The natural cycle of mother nature eventually sustains the tree. When this occurs, the planter doesn’t need to spend that much time and effort into caring for the tree. A little work here and there and the tree does the rest. The apples keep coming and coming year after year.
Now let’s translate that to money. You as a financial warrior, plant a tiny investment account. Over the course of years, you nurture it. Gradually it begins to grow. You put in incremental deposits of money into it and the account begins to grow even faster. Then after some time, the harvest season has come. Now the interest that it has gained is working in your favor. You are able to collect large sums of money just as you would collect apples. Remember the planter never cut down the tree. The planter only took the fruit and used it as a benefit.
Money may not grow on trees, however, it can grow and produce “fruit” like a tree.
Q: Can you explain multiple streams of income?
A: We all have gifts. We have talents and skills that we can do that no one else can. It could be making music, writing, entertaining, performing athletically, and so on. There are so many different abilities out there we would be here all day discussing them. The point is, that you have a skill that you can use to increase your income or create another income.
Perhaps you are skilled in lawn care, you could create a business in that area, train some workers, get contracts or even train a manager to operate it as a business. Then boom! You used your skill to help people who wanted to beautify their yard, while also creating jobs and building an income stream. That is win/win thinking.
Other examples are writing books or teaching classes online or in person. Learning a trade and doing projects on the side as well as training a team to do projects. The possibilities are endless. The most important one is the first one though. Dive in and get that first additional income going. That will be your learning experience. You will experience the ups and downs that come with handling an additional income. Then once you learn the ropes, you will be able to set up more and more and get better and better.
In addition to developing a side gig, investing also produces new income streams. I could talk at length about this.
Q: You mention reading earlier. Do you have some book recommendations that can help to improve someone’s financial life?
A: Absolutely. The first and foremost would be the Book of Proverbs in the Bible. Solomon, the richest man who ever lived wrote Proverbs. In that book, you will find the answers to financial success. Dave Ramsey and Robert Kiyosaki both have multiple books that I have really enjoyed and learned a lot from. “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill is a staple in the personal development community. Another great book is “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” by T. Harv Eker. These are some of the great books that really help shaped me.
Q: We have time for one more quick question. How important is money to you?
A: Money is very important to me. Money puts food on my plate, money keeps the heat on in the winter. Money is needed for so many things in this world. Money is a strange thing, if you have a healthy relationship with it, it will benefit your life. However, Money will never complete your life. On the other hand, if you have a poor relationship with money, it can destroy almost every part of your life. Marriages, happiness, quality of life, friendships, job satisfaction, and even your relationship with God can suffer. I think that is why God put so much emphasis on money in the Bible. He knew how important it would be for us here on earth and he wanted us to use it wisely.
Money is very important but not the most important thing in life. The most important thing is having a good relationship with God. Money is not eternal. This earth is not eternal. Our houses, our careers, even our families as we know them on earth are not eternal. Once we die there are many things that change. God and our Spirit, however, are eternal and that is what matters most.
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A Journal of the Plague Year
The city is falling to a disease without discrimination. People are dying. One man finds his brother and decides to get out of the danger zone. They travel the country, staying ahead of the trouble.
But the trouble follows them, leaves the dead in their wake.
No, 1665.
But it’s happened again since then, and it’s happening now. People fear the disease, run before it, but leave behind those they infect. Disease manifests in various ways, and carriers often have no symptoms.
One person broke quarantine in Victoria a few weeks ago, and now we have the same story as 1665 happening again.
Don’t be that person, don’t run the gauntlet, hoping for personal safely, when what you leave is death in your footsteps.
This is the book. If you think this is a new thing, think again. If you think people are behaving reasonably by wanting to run, think again. If you think this is a flash-in-the-pandemic, think again.
It’s back. And it’s more virulent. And it wants you.
The cover for the Standard Ebooks edition of A Journal of the Plague Year
9 thoughts on “A Journal of the Plague Year
1. We really need to remember that lesson from history and it feels weird that one day someone could look back on blogs as a record of the 2020 plague year.
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2. That was interesting. I’m in a regional area of Victoria where cases are going up every day. Hordes of Melbourne came here over the recent school holidays. I feel there has to be a connection between those holidaymakers and the current spike in Covid cases.
Liked by 2 people
3. I would kind of understand if it were the Black Death and people really were terrified, but they’re not. They just want their lives back. They want to go out, have fun, drink, go clubbing, drop their kids at grandma’s, do lunch, get their hair done, all those important things they can no longer do because a few old people might die.
There’s a word for that, but it isn’t fear.
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Tag Archives: what is link building
What Is Link Building & Why Is It Essential?
links in a dark background
Whether you’re new to link building or not, you’ll discover something valuable in this overview. The landscape of Search Engine Optimization and web link structure is always altering. Today, the value of constructing high-grade web links has never been more crucial. The need to recognize and apply high-quality campaigns is vital if you’re going to compete and thrive online. This isn’t likely to change at any time soon. This overview is designed to get you going promptly and in the ideal instructions. There is a lot to take in, yet we have broken every little thing up into easy-to-digest phases.
Interpretation of link structure
Link structure is the procedure of acquiring hyperlinks from other sites to your own. A link (usually called a weblink) is a means for customers to navigate between pages on the internet. Online search engines use links to creep the internet. They will crawl the web links between the private web pages on your internet site and drag the links between entire internet sites. There are many methods for constructing links. Many vary in difficulty. However, SEOs tend to concur that web link building is one of the most challenging components of their jobs. Lots of search engine optimizations invest most of their time attempting to do it well. Therefore, if you can understand the art of developing top quality links, it can genuinely put you ahead of various other SEOs and your competition.
Why is web link building important for SEO?
It is essential first to recognize the basics of just how a link is developed, how the internet search engine sees links, and what they can interpret from them.
Begin of weblink tag:
Called an anchor tag (hence the “a”), this opens the link tag and informs the internet search engine that a web link to another thing will adhere to.
Weblink reference location:
The “href” represents “link referral,” as well as the message inside the quotation marks indicates the link to which the link is directing. This is not necessarily a web page. It may also be the address of an image or document to download and install. Periodically, you’ll see something apart from a LINK, beginning with a # indicator. These are regional web links, which take you to various areas of the page you’re currently on.
Visible/anchor text of link:
Is the comprehensible text that users see on the web page. This is the text you need to click if you want to open the link. The message is typically formatted somehow to make it stand out from the book that borders it, often with blue shade and underlining, signifying to individuals that it is a clickable web link.
Closure of weblink tag:
This signifies the completion of the link tag to the internet search engine.
There are two essential manner ins which the search engines utilize web links:
• To find a new website.
• To help identify just how well a page should place in their outcomes.
When search engines have crept web pages on the internet, they can draw out those web content pages and include them to their indexes. This way, they can determine if they feel a page is of adequate top quality to be rated well for pertinent keywords. When Google decides this, the search engines do not merely take a look at the page; they likewise check out the variety of links indicating that web page from external web sites and the high quality of those outside sites. Usually talking, the extra high-grade websites that link to you, the more likely you are to place well in search results.
Google the Modifications of Ranking
Links as a ranking aspect enabled Google to dominate the search engine market back in the late 1990s. Among Google’s owners, Larry Web designed PageRank, which Google used to measure the top quality of a web page based on the number of links indicating it. This metric was then used as a component of the overall ranking formula and became a strong signal because it was an excellent means of determining the high quality.
However, search engine optimizations soon found how to control PageRank and search results for picked key phrases. Google began proactively trying to find methods to uncover web sites that were adjusting search results and started turning out regular updates that were mainly targeted at filtering out areas that didn’t be worthy of to rate.
This has likewise led to Google to discount various web link building methods that were previously deemed bad. For instance, sending your website to internet directories and getting a link in return. This was a strategy that Google recommended at one point. But it came to be misused by SEOs, so Google quit passing as much value from that sort of link.
Recent Changes
Just recently, Google has proactively punished the positions of websites which have tried such overuse of these methods–often referred to as over-optimization–in their web link structure. Google’s regular Penguin updates are one of these proactive attempts. Recognizing which connect structure techniques to stay clear of and remain within Google’s standards is a vital topic that we’ll discuss later in this overview.
We don’t understand the complete formula that Google utilizes to determine its search results. That’s the company’s “secret sauce.” Despite that, the consensus amongst the Search Engine Optimization neighborhood is that links still play a massive duty because of the algorithm.
It is generally accepted the quantity and quality of links indicating a web page are make or breaks. Current actions from Google suppose that the impact of web links is being decreased and replaced with social signals such as tweets.
There is no assurance that if you obtain top-notch web links to your website you rank far better. It also isn’t a guarantee to bring more traffic. However, the concentration on high-quality links are increasing. As we have said, Google has been extra innovative at removing low-grade links. This straight-up influences SEOs. They are now required to make sure the link structure methods they select focus primarily on that top quality. | <urn:uuid:54f8b01d-2295-4a6d-acae-339e209c971f> | https://smashreact.com/tag/what-is-link-building/ | en | 0.945327 | 0.025709 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering / 2012 / Article
Special Issue
Power-Line Communications: Smart Grid, Transmission, and Propagation
View this Special Issue
Research Article | Open Access
Volume 2012 |Article ID 452402 |
Mohamed Chaker Bali, Chiheb Rebai, "Improved Maximum Likelihood S-FSK Receiver for PLC Modem in AMR", Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering, vol. 2012, Article ID 452402, 9 pages, 2012.
Improved Maximum Likelihood S-FSK Receiver for PLC Modem in AMR
Academic Editor: Justinian Anatory
Received03 Aug 2012
Accepted26 Oct 2012
Published26 Nov 2012
This paper deals with an optimized software implementation of a narrowband power line modem. The modem is a node in automatic meter reading (AMR) system compliant to IEC 61334-5-1 profile and operates in the CENELEC-A band. Because of the hostile communication environments of power line channel, a new design approach is carried out for an S-FSK demodulator capable of providing lower bit error rate (BER) than standard specifications. The best compromise between efficiency and architecture complexity is investigated in this paper. Some implementation results are presented to show that a communication throughput of 9.6 kbps is reachable with the designed S-FSK modem.
1. Introduction
International concerns about natural environment preservation have been increasingly serious during the last decades. In fact, one of the most ecologically influencing factors is energy. Besides, energy consumption rise was unexpectedly important and quick, neglecting efficiency and ecological considerations. These facts have pushed several countries to try to change their energy consumption policies.
The widest idea behind operating energy efficiently is called SmartGrid. This concept, as its name suggests, involves integrating intelligence into the whole power grid; generation, transmission, distribution, and management are concerned. The goal is to increase power generation, transmission, distribution, and usage efficiency by reducing power waste, favoring renewable energies, and sensitizing consumers about their actual consumption [1].
This big concept was only expressed lately after arise of more specific and actually applicable ideas. The first is automatic meter reading (AMR), enabling automated remote meter reading. Later were introduced automatic meter infrastructure (AMI) and automatic meter Management (AMM), which are two expansions providing more consumer- and management-oriented services.
Despite its obvious advantages, AMR have not been yet rolled out significantly. Actually, a major broad deployment inconvenient of smart meters was the lack of reliability on hostile communication environments of power line channel. In fact, early implementations of PLC modems were basic on ordinary amplitude shift keying (ASK) or frequency shift keying (FSK) techniques.
In this paper, we investigate the importance of spread frequency shift keying (S-FSK) modulation scheme to make transmissions robust against narrowband noise and attenuation in such hostile channel. Hence, an intelligent power line communication (PLC) modem solution for automatic meter reading using International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) S-FSK profile is simulated and implemented using digital signal processor (DSP) [2].
The paper is organized as follows. In Section 2 we will start by presenting PLC-based automatic meter reading solution. The chosen S-FSK profile is briefly introduced. A description of the proposed S-FSK receiver is presented in Section 3. In Section 4 we focus on implementation of S-FSK modulation scheme using DSP architecture. The efficiency of the proposed design was illustrated by some implementation results that show the performances of the realized PLC Modem. Finally some conclusions are outlined in Section 5.
2. PLC Modems for AMR
The evolution of meter reading has been outstanding during the last decades. Several power suppliers, distributers jointly with their technological partners, have tried several novel approaches in order to automate meter reading.
The evolution from traditional manual meter reading to actual and future intelligent infrastructures passing through e-meters, semiautomatic meter reading, and fully automated meter reading gave these actors a great experience in this ever-evolving field.
Despite the abundance of the available technologies, power line communication has been agreed to be the best fit for last-mile meter reading and meter management communication. In fact, this technology has one of the lowest costs and is easily set up. Moreover, the technology is now considered as sufficiently ripe to be widely deployed.
PLC, as a technology, is very wide. A myriad of techniques are available using different modulation techniques and different protocols. From another side, the regulation is still under work. Nevertheless, some profiles have already been standardized and are being adopted by the market. The IEC S-FSK profile, for example, is actually one of the most used for AMR because it proved its simplicity and maturity.
In this section, we will briefly introduce automatic meter reading concepts, then present PLC from both technical and technological sides, and finally give a short survey on S-FSK PLC modems.
2.1. Automatic Meter Reading
Automatic meter reading is a technique used to collect data from electricity, gas, water, or other utility meters. Unlike manual meter reading, automatic meter reading relies on communication technologies to collect users’ consumption. Meters send data automatically through a communication network to the management system. Collected data can be then transferred to a central database to be analyzed and used for billing. This means that billing can be based on actual consumption rather than on an estimate based on previous consumption statistics, giving customers better control of their usage of electric energy, gas, or water. From the other side, predicting energy usage remains a key advantage for energy distributors. With AMR, distributors can get accurate information of consumption profile of each consumer and monitor the network in order to prevent or capture defects.
The advantages of AMR are several and obvious:(i)increasing meter reading and billing accuracy and security;(ii)permitting a flexible tariff changing;(iii)giving user the control over its consumption;(iv)enabling a better grid monitoring and load management;(v)remote power disconnection and reconnection.
Automatic meter reading system is summarized by Figure 1. Meters’ data are collected using one of the available ways of communication into a database. This database is then accessible for analysis and management purposes in the information system center. A subset of these data can also be accessed by customers using dedicated services.
Several automatic meter reading technologies can be used depending on grid topology. Most important ones are as follows(i)handheld, walk-by, and drive-by AMR;(ii)public switched telephone network-based AMR;(iii)wireless communication-based AMR;(iv)power line communication-based AMR.
2.2. Power Line Communication-Based AMR
Power line communication consists of the use of the power lines as a physical communication medium. PLC has been used for data transfer for both indoor and outdoor networks. Anyhow, the profile of these applications is different.
Concerning PLC use for AMR and outdoor communication, PLC is the most approved technology by electricity distributors. In fact, electric network is already well expanded and offers a great coverage. Thus, no additional wireless or wired communication medium needs to be used and deployment costs are then cut.
The main idea behind PLC is the use of the power line to carry radio frequency signals. Actually, a low power modulated signal containing information is added to the electric signal. Data then propagates over the electric network and is detected by remote stations.
Several modulation techniques can be used to transport data over power lines. But most of them are based on frequency modulation. Actually, data is converted to a higher frequency signal which is superimposed to the 50 Hz/60 Hz electrical signal. The signal is then repeatedly transmitted over the network until it reaches the destination node.
Several PLC communication profiles have been proposed and each profile is essentially based on the modulation scheme chosen.
Two different modulation scheme classes can be distinguished:(i)single-carrier modulations;(ii)multicarrier modulations.
The first technique is the simpler one. It uses a narrow frequency band for data transfer. Examples of these modulation schemes are FSK, S-FSK, and continuous phase frequency shift keying (CPFSK). These modulation schemes are often chosen for their maturity and implementation simplicity. Though, they do not offer great data transfer rates. Actually, data rates generally range from 300 bps to 2.4 kbps [3]. Narrowband PLC has been receiving widespread attention due to its applications in the SmartGrid.
The second uses multiple adjacent carriers in order to transfer data. Usually orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) or a derived modulation scheme is used. These modulation schemes are applied in order to increase raw data throughput and/or to cope with harsh channel conditions. Broadband PLC is seen as an exciting and effective technology for multimedia distribution within homes.
In either case, AMR PLC technique must handle poor channel quality. In fact, outdoor power lines are exposed to several noise sources. Furthermore, power lines present highly varying impedance due to topology changes and high attenuation. Hence, power line channel quality is considered as time, space, and frequency dependent [4].
In order to overcome these impairments, high performance processing is unavoidable. This includes channel estimation and equalization, strong forward error correction algorithms, and signal repetition.
In addition to noise and channel quality difficulties, PLC-based AMR has two other main challenges. The first is that unlike usual communication techniques where transfer speed is the most significant criteria, cost and reliability are the most important factors in AMR. The second is the existence of a lot and very different protocols and standards, their specific underlying problems, and interoperability issues.
2.3. PLC Modem Based on S-FSK Profile
The communication profile described by the IEC 61334-5-1 standard is based on the S-FSK modulation technique.
S-FSK is a modulation and demodulation technique which combines some of the advantages of a classical spread spectrum system (e.g., immunity against narrowband interferers) with the advantages of a classical FSK system (low-complexity, well-investigated implementations).
As the classical FSK, S-FSK uses two frequencies to transmit binary information at each bit time. By spreading the two used frequencies, S-FSK makes these two channels independent. This characteristic is then used by the demodulator and ensures a better reception quality than FSK. In fact, if signal qualities of the two channels are close, the demodulator makes the decision by comparing the signal on both channels. Otherwise, demodulation is based only on the channel having a better reception quality. Channel quality estimation is calculated using a predefined preamble preceding transmitted data.
Synchronization in this profile is based on zero crossing detection of electric signal. Therefore, the transmission and reception must start on the main zero cross. Due to the phase shift between 50 Hz and the carrier, the zero cross signal may provide incorrect timing of the bit-wise synchronization. To recover this delay the bit synchronization adjustment method is implemented in the modem software. This algorithm based on correlation method can move bit border during reception.
Time is divided into system wide synchronized time slots, and physical frames are only transmitted with the beginning of timeslots.
Timeslot synchronization is achieved using detection of any frame’s preamble and delimiter as described in Figure 2. After physical synchronization, each station must keep track of slot indicator using an internal clock.
As described earlier, communication between meters and management system is done through a special node called access node usually placed at the medium/low voltage (MV/LV) transformer stations. Access nodes are specific nodes that manage the communication on a specific meter network.
This profile uses a master/slave communication paradigm based on polling mechanism. In fact, meters can only respond to queries made by master station. This method combined with slotted time simplifies considerably medium access control.
The modem that we propose in this paper is an AMR PLC modem using IEC61334-5-1 compliant profile and operates in the CENELEC—A band [5]. It is based on three main stages as described in Figure 3; DSP processor, mixed front end, and a coupling interface:(i)digital stage including DSP processor and external memories. DSP processor provides flexible software implementation and easily upgrade to new software version or merging standards; (ii)mixed front end based on digital to analog converter (DAC) and line driver for transmitter section, analog to digital converter (ADC) and variable gain amplifier (VGA) for receiver section, and external band-pass filter (BPF);(iii)coupling interface makes connection between the mixed front end and the power lines. It provides protection from high voltage and peak voltage/current, attenuation of 50/60 Hz signal, impedance matching to the mains for both transmitter and receiver paths, and nonisolated power supply.
The use of a DSP permits a greater control over the signal processing stage and a greater flexibility of the implemented S-FSK modem.
3. S-FSK Modulation Technique
This section details S-FSK modulation principle and gives theory and simulations of suboptimum receiver.
3.1. The S-FSK Principle
S-FSK modulation consists of a binary FSK modulation in which the frequency deviation is large enough to generate a spectrum with two separate lobes. For this reason, the concept of dual channel is introduced: channel 0 refers to the signal placed around a frequency and channel 1 refers to the signal placed around a frequency , with [6, 7].
The symbols to be transmitted are generated with a rate , where is the symbol period, and belong to the alphabet . Therefore, binary hypotheses and can be associated with 0 and 1 being transmitted, respectively.
A digital signal waveform with binary signaling consists of two kinds of signals and for , is a positive integer: where is a real constant.
A frequency selective channel with an additive nonwhite Gaussian noise is considered; however, the channel gain and the noise power spectral density are assumed to be flat around the frequency . Therefore, at the receiver input, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the channel is The completely characterize the quality of the received signal. Moreover, another characterization of the quality of the received S-FSK signal may be made through the unbalancing factor and the average signal-to-noise ratio . This last term is defined as the ratio of the signal energy and the average noise power densities. These parameters are related to (2) as follows:
3.2. The Maximum Likelihood S-FSK Receiver
In practical channels, the received signal phase is very difficult or even impossible to track. Thus, the detection process may have to disregard the phase information to avoid complex circuits, at some expense of performance degradation. This is called noncoherent detection [8, 9].
Using the channel model early presented the received signal under hypotheses and is where is the signal with an unknown phase and is the white Gaussian noise with zero mean and a noise power spectral density , with .
The unknown phase is random with a power density function . We assume that is uniformly distributed on , that is,
The correlation receiver correlates the input signal with a stored replica of the signal . The outputs are necessary to discriminate whether +1 or −1 has been transmitted.
The modulus of the envelop detectors’ outputs may be modeled as follows for two orthogonal S-FSK signals: where is an additive circularly Gaussian noise with zero mean and variance , with .
Under the assumption that the noise is Gaussian, the sampled outputs of the envelope detectors and are Rician or Rayleigh distributed depending on which of the two signals and is transmitted.
Under hypothesis , the probability density function of the amplitude of the signal with is
Under hypothesis , the probability density function of the amplitude of the signal with is where and . is the modified Bessel function of the first kind of order 0.
Assuming the symbols to be transmitted with the same probability and to deal with independent noises and (typical in the S-FSK modulation), the maximum likelihood (ML) decision turns out to be the optimum decision rule [10].
In particular, the decision rule uses the following decision values:
The decision rule is to compare likelihood functions and choose the largest:
3.3. Improved ML S-FSK Receiver
Implementation of the ML receiver is difficult due to the complexity of formulae from (8) to (9). An improved method of estimating log-likelihood metric is proposed for a practical realization.
In order to describe the receiver, the log-likelihood ratio of the signal is introduced:
Using the distributions (8)–(9), (11) can be simplified into the following equation:
Logarithm and Bessel function are approached using approximating function. Let be a piecewise linear approximation of the composed function defined as
The approximation is defined over intervals . and are calculated by imposing to be equal to on the boundary of each interval that defines the piecewise approximation:
Using (14) in (12), an approximated estimation of the loglikelihood ratio is obtained with the equation:
The proposed receiver decides accordingly to (10) on the following decision values:
Assuming to have knowledge of the first symbols creating the Preamble (alternative 1 and 0 symbols), the channel and noise parameters may be estimated using the signals (6) as follows:
3.4. Simulations’ Results
The performance of different receiver is compared through communication schema implementation using Matlab. A packet-based transmission has been adopted, with preamble length equal to 32 and a payload of 304 random bits. The following curves are averaged over 1000 packets.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 show the bit error rate (BER) versus the average signal-to-noise ratio for three unbalancing factors .
From the previous figures, the FSK receiver loses in performance with the increasing of the unbalancing factor; however, the ML S-FSK receiver presents relevant improvement on balanced channels. For bit error rate equal to 10−4, more than 6 dB gain at .
For this approximation guarantees a mean square error lower than 10−3, which is adequate to obtain negligible loss of performance between the ideal ML S-FSK receiver and the improved ML S-FSK receiver.
4. DSP Implementation Methodology
Priority in design was given to modularity, simplicity, low cost, and reliability. A 32-bit-fixed point general purpose DSP architecture is considered to optimize the software implementation of the S-FSK receiver. The DSP-based digital part communicates, through serial port in full duplex, with the host device. At the other end, DSP communicates, in half-duplex, through power line via a mixed front end coupling interface.
The DSP programming structure was defined to handle in real-time transmitting or receiving S-FSK signal.
The S-FSK base-band modem is obtained by the implementation of an S-FSK modulator at the transmitter side and an improved ML receiver at the receiver one.
4.1. Modulator Implementation
The transmitter is composed by three stages:(i)a numeric stage involving a DSP that performs frequency synthesizing with a direct digital synthesizer (DDS);(ii)a digital to analog convertor (DAC) capable to generate a linear signal up to its full scale output;(iii)line driver delivering amplified signal.
As described in Figure 7, DDS is based on storing the samples of a sinusoidal signal in a look-up table (LUT) and to read it by a specified integer step index which determines the phase increment, in order to generate the desired frequency which is related to the step index , the sampling frequency and the LUT length by the following relation:
It is important to minimize the LUT size since the implementation will be done in an embedded processor where the resources especially the memory size are limited. The sampling frequency is chosen as multiple of the data rate , thus the number of samples in a bit period is an integer.
Once the appropriate sine samples are read they serve as input for the DAC. The generated signal by the DAC pin is amplified by the line driver.
The S-FSK modulator generates signal in the CENELEC band from 3 kHz to 95 kHz responding to the following specifications:(i)frequency bandwidth kHz and multiple of bit rate ;(ii)programmable bit rate ;(iii)frequencies and are multiple of .The sampling frequency is fixed at 3.125 MHz and the samples’ number is set to 320 samples to optimize the error performance at the demodulator side. Therefore, the data rate is equal to 9.6 kbps.
The step index is an integer; therefore, the resolution frequency is found by setting Resolution frequency is set to 4.8 kHz to respect orthogonality constraint between two frequencies and .
The minimum LUT lengths that satisfy the conditions already cited and the generation of the frequencies and with zero error are 656.
In Table 1, we present the possible choice of orthogonal frequency and in the case of S-FSK demodulator at baud rate 9.6 kbps.
CENELEC bandFrequency (kHz)Carrier frequency (kHz)
A band 91.2 72 81.6
86.4 67.2 76.8
81.6 62.4 72
76.8 57.6 67.2
72 52.8 62.4
4.2. Improved ML Receiver Implementation
Coherent FSK signals can be noncoherently demodulated to avoid the carrier recovery. The improved ML demodulator is a quadrature receiver capable of detecting signals with unknown phases.
It can be implemented with four correlators as shown in Figure 8, where the four reference signals are , , , and . We will use the same DDS module as the modulator one to generate those reference signals.
The signal consists of an in-phase component and a quadrature component. Thus, the signal is partially correlated with and partially correlated with . Therefore, we use two correlators to collect the signal energy in these two parts.
The first outputs are used to estimate channel parameters. Then, we apply probability function (15) to correlator output using estimated channel parameters and function. The function is a piecewise linear approximated and stored in data memory.
All samples of received bits are processed according to Figure 8. The main constraint in the receiver is to tune the sampling frequency of ADC so as to have
Different configurations are possible; we have to choose the one that maximizes . In this case is equal to 2 and the ADC sampling frequency becomes equal to 1.565 MHz.
Thus, samples’ count during bit time is 160 samples. The number of samples per symbol period must be multiple of 8 for direct memory access (DMA) use that offer transfer facility and rapidity.
4.3. Implementation Results
The DSP processor BF506F, sited to an evaluation board [11, 12], operates with frequency up to 400 MIPS with 32 Kbytes of L1 memory associated to instructions (L1_code), 32 Kbytes for data (L1_data) accessed at full processor speed, and 32 Mbytes of external flash memory.
To evaluate the complexity of the S-FSK modem software, it is important to determine the consumed cycles and the consumed data memory space [13].
We have used the data memory to store the LUT table that contains 656 samples encoded on 16 bits.
function is stored also on data memory space. function is defiened over 8 intervals and the affinity coefficients are encoded on 16 and 32 bits.
The cycles’ consumption is limited by the available number of cycles per sample that is governed by the DSP speed which is 400 MIPS.
The DDS algorithm consumes only 2 cycles per sample, one cycle for memory access to read the sample from the LUT, and one cycle for incrementing the reading index. The transfer of DDS samples to DAC convertor requires 10 cycles per sample.
At the receiving site, the demodulator invokes 4 correlators. At each correlator, one sample is treated on 4 cycles to read, multiply, accumulate, and update index.
Finally, we apply function on correlators’ output at the end of symbol reception.
The cycle’s consumptions per sample of these different modules are presented in Table 2. It is important to report that additional modules are implemented to ensure synchronization, build packets, and handling different events.
ModulePM space
(16-bit Word)
DM space
(16-bit Word)
Number of cycles
machine during
Modulator module16206563840
ADC reception module10661601280
Correlation module2466562560
S-FSK decision module 8732156
Initialization PHY module513102323
PHY layer FSM module38698225236
The cycle’s consumption of the S-FSK modem software composed of the modulator, demodulator, and PHY layer functionalities according to IEC 61334-5-1 is lower than the available cycles per symbol period .
By considering the DSP implementation, we measured an average cycles consumption of 9076 cycles during transmission (21.78% of available cycles) and 9232 cycles during reception (22.15% of available cycles).
Memory consumption is 10.25% for data memory and 45.17% for code memory.
The physical layer is designed and implemented. The remaining available cycles and memory will be used to build upper layers: MAC layer and Application layer.
5. Conclusions
In this paper, we have described the design and optimized DSP implementation of an S-FSK profile for a PLC node in an AMR system. To overcome power line channel condition, an improved ML S-FSK receiver is used. Improved receiver presents close error performance to the ideal ML S-FSK receiver but has simplifier architecture.
Analysis of new receiver reveals excellent results in terms of memory occupations, required cycles, and BER performances.
Data rate of 9.6 kbps is easily provided with flexibility and programmability to change receiver parameters.
This work was supported by the Embedded Systems Technology (EBSYS) SmartGrid Division and GRESCOM Research Laboratory of Higher School of Communication of Tunis.
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Copyright © 2012 Mohamed Chaker Bali and Chiheb Rebai. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Myocardial ischemia occurs when blood flow to your heart is reduced, preventing the heart muscle from receiving enough oxygen. The reduced blood flow is usually the result of a partial or complete blockage of your heart's arteries (coronary arteries).
Myocardial ischemia, also called cardiac ischemia, reduces the heart muscle's ability to pump blood. A sudden, severe blockage of one of the heart's artery can lead to a heart attack. Myocardial ischemia might also cause serious abnormal heart rhythms.
Treatment for myocardial ischemia involves improving blood flow to the heart muscle. Treatment may include medications, a procedure to open blocked arteries (angioplasty) or bypass surgery.
Making heart-healthy lifestyle choices is important in treating and preventing myocardial ischemia.
Some people who have myocardial ischemia don't have any signs or symptoms (silent ischemia).
When they do occur, the most common is chest pressure or pain, typically on the left side of the body (angina pectoris). Other signs and symptoms — which might be experienced more commonly by women, older people and people with diabetes — include:
• Neck or jaw pain
• Shoulder or arm pain
• A fast heartbeat
• Shortness of breath when you are physically active
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sweating
• Fatigue
When to see a doctor
Get emergency help if you have severe chest pain or chest pain that doesn't go away.
Myocardial ischemia occurs when the blood flow through one or more of your coronary arteries is decreased. The low blood flow decreases the amount of oxygen your heart muscle receives.
Myocardial ischemia can develop slowly as arteries become blocked over time. Or it can occur quickly when an artery becomes blocked suddenly.
Conditions that can cause myocardial ischemia include:
• Coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis). Plaques made up mostly of cholesterol build up on your artery walls and restrict blood flow. Atherosclerosis is the most common cause of myocardial ischemia.
Chest pain associated with myocardial ischemia can be triggered by:
• Physical exertion
• Emotional stress
• Cold temperatures
• Cocaine use
• Eating a heavy or large meal
• Sexual intercourse
Factors that can increase your risk of developing myocardial ischemia include:
• Tobacco. Smoking and long-term exposure to secondhand smoke can damage the inside walls of arteries. The damage can allow deposits of cholesterol and other substances to collect and slow blood flow in the coronary arteries. Smoking causes the coronary arteries to spasm and may also increase the risk of blood clots.
• Diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are linked to an increased risk of myocardial ischemia, heart attack and other heart problems.
• High blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure can accelerate atherosclerosis, resulting in damage to the coronary arteries.
• High blood cholesterol level. Cholesterol is a major part of the deposits that can narrow your coronary arteries. A high level of "bad" (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL) cholesterol in your blood may be due to an inherited condition or a diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol.
• High blood triglyceride level. Triglycerides, another type of blood fat, also may contribute to atherosclerosis.
• Obesity. Obesity is associated with diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels.
• Waist circumference. A waist measurement of more than 35 inches (89 centimeters) for women and 40 inches (102 cm) in men increases the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Lack of physical activity. Not getting enough exercise contributes to obesity and is linked to higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels. People who get regular aerobic exercise have better heart health, which is associated with a lower risk of myocardial ischemia and heart attack. Exercise also reduces blood pressure.
Myocardial ischemia can lead to serious complications, including:
• Heart attack. If a coronary artery becomes completely blocked, the lack of blood and oxygen can lead to a heart attack that destroys part of the heart muscle. The damage can be serious and sometimes fatal.
• Irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia). An abnormal heart rhythm can weaken your heart and may be life-threatening.
• Heart failure. Over time, repeated episodes of ischemia may lead to heart failure.
The same lifestyle habits that can help treat myocardial ischemia can also help prevent it from developing in the first place. Leading a heart-healthy lifestyle can help keep your arteries strong, elastic and smooth, and allow for maximum blood flow.
April 06, 2019
1. Mahler S, et al. Angina pectoris: Chest pain caused by myocardial ischemia. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Jan. 31, 2019.
2. Deedwania P, et al. Silent myocardial ischemia: Epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Jan. 31, 2019.
3. Jameson JL, et al., eds. Chest discomfort. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 20th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2018. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Jan. 31, 2019.
4. Hall J, et al., eds. Myocardial ischemia. In: Principles of Critical Care. 4th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education; 2015. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Jan. 31, 2019.
5. McKean SC, et al., eds. Chest pain. In: Principles and Practice of Hospital Medicine. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Education; 2017. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Jan. 31, 2019. | <urn:uuid:48d2387d-3a9a-4654-8dbf-eadc60b46a16> | https://www.mayoclinic.org/zh-hans/diseases-conditions/myocardial-ischemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20375417 | en | 0.830842 | 0.024785 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
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Subliminal Battle for our Free Agency
Stephen Wellington Mormon 63 Comments
Edward Bernays
This post begins with the nephew of Freud, a psychoanalyst named Edward Bernays. He is a man that should be known amongst every citizen of the corporate world we live in. Bernays is credited as being the father of modern propaganda. However, since the Germans used the term propaganda Bernays decided that the term “public relations” should be used instead to describe the “engineering of consent” that he and other very powerful people in the establishment would use to control the minds of the masses. In his book Propaganda it reads,
One of Bernays’ early clients was the tobacco industry where in 1929 he orchestrated a legendary publicity stunt aimed at persuading women to take up ciagrette smoking, because at the time it was unfashionable for women to smoke and was considered unfeminine. The tobacco industry wanted to open up a whole new market. Bernays organized a “women’s rights” march in the New York City Parade where young debutants would light up their “torches of freedom” (in reference to Lady Liberty)
His psychoanalyst colleague A.A. Brill gave him advice about this stunt:
Some women regard cigarettes as symbols of freedom…It is perfectly normal for women to want to smoke cigarettes. Further the first women who smoked probably had an excess of male components and adopted the habit as a masculine act. But today the emancipation of women has suppressed many feminine desires. More women now do the same work as men do…. Cigarettes, which are equated with men, become torches of freedom.
Woman SmokingHe was successful and it was this very campaign that broke the taboo of women smoking in society and Bernays was paid very well for his services. Not only did it introduce a new gender to the health hazards of smoking, a practice that was in opposition to God’s will and what God was advicing against according to the Doctrine and Covenants many years prior, but Bernays emblazoned into our psyche that a woman that smoked is more emancipated than one who doesn’t. Don’t get me wrong, women’s rights are essential…but by smoking, the women at the time were not emancipating themselves at all. In fact they were no longer subordinating themselves to their husbands and families but were on an imprisoning pathway to addiction and rampant consumerism.
Bernays is also coined as being the propagandist who developed the theory of “mass consumer persuasion”. He has linked our psyche with the idea of “shopping therapy”, that gaining material possessions not only makes us feel good about ourselves but make us feel more “free”. He even had a part in the development of the ladies magazine Cosmopolitan as a way of developing a consumerist culture amongst women in the United States which would entice these women to consume with careful advertising and celebrity endorsements.Cosmopolitan He helped to develop a consumerist culture that would reinforce the false democracy that he believed in, a democracy where people would be satiated with material wealth and thus take a subordinate role to those who gave them those goods… “their masters.”
Corporate AmericaPaul Mazer of Lehman Brothers,a man who employed Bernays said:
“We must shift America from a needs to a desires culture. People must be trained to desire. People must want new things before the old have been entirely consumed. We must shape a new mentality in America. Man’s desires must overshadow his needs.”
Our liberties and democracy have been warped into an iatrogenic palliative, a remedy that has ultimately made us sick.
Gordon B. Hinckley has said, “”It is the love of money and the love of those things which money can buy which destroys us. The love of [money] . . . warps our values . . . and fosters selfishness and greed.”
When looking at the logos of companies above I think it is fitting to ask yourself, “Where have their products come from and what are the conditions in which the people have worked to make the products I consume? What extrenalities are the corporations putting upon us and the environment?”
I think you will find, as I have, that I feel guilty every time I buy something I don’t need, but want, that comes from a corporation that I know has been involved with human rights abuses, sweatshop labour, destruction of the environment etc.
If Gordon B. Hinckley is right, then buying products from companies that abuse human rights shows that we love money and the things that money can buy more then we love our fellowmen.
Thomas S. Monson has adviced us… “We must learn to separate need from greed.”
Comments 63
1. Thomas S. Monson has commanded us… “We must learn to separate need from greed.”
Wow. The idea that Thomas Monson has the ability to “command” anything at all is simply frightening. Have Bernays’ ideas worked so well in LDS culture now, that prophet-olatry grants mere men the power to issue “commandments?”
2. Nick,
Are you now generalizing one person’s choice of words to describe the way a group of people see things? Come on; this is a blog post–“commanded” may or may not be a good choice of words, but I doubt it’s descriptive of how most of us view the prophet, and it certainly isn’t normative toward the body of Mormons (99.99% of whom have likely never read a Mormon blog).
3. Come on Nick…
You know me…you know my views…I think you are nitpicking with my word selection there and could comment on the content of the article rather then a word that you probably know even I was a bit hesitant about choosing.
I have changed it to adviced….lets move on.
4. Sam, I understand where you’re coming from, but this really wasn’t an isolated word choice (nor is it a complete threadjack). Think back to 2005, when Hinckley “invited” LDS members to read The Book of Mormon during the second half of that year. Almost instantly, it was being characterized as a “challenge,” and soon after, many were calling it a “commandment.” I was managing an LDS bookstore at the time, and I can tell you certain companies profited heavily from this characterization, as it transformed a desire into a “need,” just as Stephen speaks of. Heck, in my own ward, it was taken to such an extreme that the bishop literally required each home teacher to provide him with a full accounting of exactly who (by name) in their home teaching families had or had not followed this “commandment.”
So, Stephen’s observations worked here in a religious context. An invitation was transformed into a “commandment” (i.e. desire was transformed into need), to the advantage of a handful of marketers.
5. Nick, the focus of the post is on Bernays and his culture of consumerism, not another snarky threadjack round of prophet bashing.
Stephen, another great, unconfortable insight that challenges us Latter-day Saints to return to our roots and moralize our consumption. I gave up consumption as a happiness quotient in my life a few years ago and it is liberating. On one hand, you don’t have as much stuff to clutter your life–living minimally is quite liberating, and on the other hand, I have more money to make financial decisions with, also quite liberating. Consumerism is a quiet slavery. I suggest we avoid it like the plague. Oh, and for all of you in America that are getting you “check” from the government, don’t spend it on stuff, buy food storage or use it to get out of debt. Buying more Chinese goods from Walmart isn’t going to help the economy.
6. Amen,Peter! We’re putting most of our stimulus check into the food storage we should have started at least five years ago.
Oh, and I’m also going to pick up a copy of “It’s All Too Much” for hints on simplifying and de-cluttering my life.
7. Peter, exactly where did I bash a prophet? By all means, please do quote it to me. If you can’t (which we both know is the case), then feel free to retract your false witness. As for threadjacking, I’ll assume you didn’t read my #3 before you posted, since as I pointed out, the transformation of an invitation (desire) to a commandment (need), resulting in marketing advantage, is directly relevant to Stephen’s post.
8. Fwiw, Nick is right that the natural man response when “excellent advice” is received is to turn it into a command. That’s what we tend to do with Moroni’s invitation at the end of the BofM – make is a “challenge/command” rather than the invitation he wrote it as being. (“I would exhort you” is a fervent request – not a command.) I personally believe prophets can issue commands, so I wouldn’t have reacted exactly like Nick did, but the point he made definitely is relevant to the topic.
Amen, with regard to the stimulus payment. Buying a flat screen TV is popular, I hear – even before the check actually arrives. That appalls me.
Stephen, the basic concept of this post is incredibly important and should be understood by everyone – irrespective of religion or nationality. Thanks for writing it.
9. I must say that this post can definitely be applied to control by the church to the lay membership. However I didnt really want to go there as it is a very dangerous area to discuss with people I am not wholly familiar with.
I am glad that you did point it out Nick because it is real and the church uses the same techniques.
But Peter has pointed out, this post is meant to be about how societal elites use propaganda to get us to choose mammon over God/serving our fellow man.
And how our democracies,sovereignty and free agency has been warped/hijacked/manipulated.
10. Stephen! This is a great post–and a VERY important topic.
I scare myself sometimes buying stuff like DVDs or even books (if I don’t read them). As for the flat screen and the rebate check, I have to confess that I had that thought Ray, lol.
Thanks for bringing this up today. It is definitely an area I need to do a LOT more thinking and reflection on.
11. Stephen,
Great post. I find it ironic that most Americans and many Mormon leaders feared their destruction would come by militant Marxism, and yet that ghost has faded away. Monstrous materialism now appears to be our demise for its effects on the environment and our souls. When I hear shopping touted by government officials and economists as patriotic, I reach for my gun, metaphorically speaking.
12. C’mon, guys. Nick is just being Nick. Where would we be without him?. Just agreeing with each other….? 🙂
Speaking of agreeing, I still cannot understand how the majority (if its true) of LDS members in the US can be Republicans! Unless of course, they agree with the wealth grabbing, excessive consumerism, profit-making at all cost, damn the poor attitude which the GOP espouses.
Then it make sense. But it runs somewhat counter to the “counsel” we have been given. (command, for Nick 😉 )
13. This is a great post. I was studying last night about the NT church structure, and when reading particularly from Acts about the believers sharing all things in common, donating their surplus to the poor, etc., I thought how far we have come from that ideal. The Christian communities were very small at this time, so I know it is difficult to implement the communal ideal on a larger scale. And I’m definitely not saying it would be easy for me to live such an ideal. Still, American consumerism — cleverly called “affluenza” — is a sickness that has infected Christian churches along with society. In Utah I’ve seen it a reasonably common phenomena that those elevated to LDS leadership positions, especially in Stake Presidencies, are frequently from the more wealthy strata of the middle class. While some of this may be due to the executive nature of administration and flexibility that may afford for lay leadership demands, there is a touch of cultural unhealthfulness behind it too. That culture is that it is common for LDS members to associate material wealth as a correlative to righteous living. Therefore then some see those who are materially blessed they will assume, if they are active church goers, that they must be very righteous. Maybe this is more of a Utah thing I’ve seen because of the more homogenous LDS culture.
Still, even though in our church our pastors aren’t wealthy by any means, I still can see traces among the congregation of this “material wealth=spirituality or spiritual blessedness” consumerist byproduct. So it definitely isn’t an LDS problem at the root, even if the LDS manifestation of it has some uniqueness to it.
14. Post
#11-Yes John..I feel exactly the same way as you do about their hopes for us to keep consuming. I remember listening to an RFK speech about how our nations need to be valued in something other than GDP and GNP. Unfortunately he was most likely done away with by the same people that keep our consent “engineered”.
Communism and Bolshevism were reliant on US Banking interests and US techonology from 1917 to 1930 with big bankers from Wall Street being brough in to organize the first 5 year plan.
It seems that Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda are now our bogeyman…all having been in the pay of the CIA for a major part of their existence.
Sorry…I just get so angry with it all….I probably shouldnt be talking about that stuff here.
15. Post
Jeff…I agree 120%!! And even if all they want is cheap oil…surely they could see that we need to ween ourselves off of it ASAP!! But the GOP would never espouse that sort of logic.
#13 – Just for Quix… again I agree with you. Personally, I love the church and think it is a great organization but wish it would get back to its cooperativist roots. And though I love it and am committed to it, I think it has sold out to the rich and wealthy elites and a revolution that restores democracy and removes private corporate tyrannies is not going to come from our leaders…because they are essentially in a corporation.
16. Stephen (14) and John (11) —
I get overwhelmed at the thought of it all, too. The US GDP is largely fueled by consumer consumption — so it isn’t so inaccurate to say it is “patriotic” to spend. Like empires and civilizations of the past that were built upon human slavery or indentured servitude, so is the US economy built on the necessity to keep a large chunk of the population enslaved to materialism, interest and debt. The human cost is staggering. At the same time having had a career in entertainment and marketing, it is a necessary evil of the economy upon which so many depend for livelihood to try to create the perception of need from mere desire. It’s frustrating when one realizes the unrequited idealistic depression one will experience if one thinks about this too much. Very few careers are “pure” and not tainted by the ugly effects of materialist economy. (Perhaps materialism is the very essence of economy.)
I think the frugal culture and work ethic of my pioneer ancestors has provided insight on escaping this trend. “Use it up, wear it out, don’t waste, do your chores, do your homework, go to those service projects, participate in those youth activities, you’re not getting a home video game system”, were more or less commandments in my home. We have had no cable, satellite, or newspaper for the last 2 years and it seems weird to go to a hotel and see commercials. It’s easier to be free from material desires when you don’t get a flood of their messages day after day. The desire of parents to make things “easier” for the next generation can backfire. I find myself, due to God’s blessing and supportive parents in the “more wealthy strata of the middle class”, although I don’t really feel like I am there. Nor is it because of righteousness or spirituality, although I try. What I’m trying to say is that fighting materialism has to begin in the home as a parent, and it means more parenting work than a lot of people would like to put in. Callings in church are of the same grain. You do them, not because you necessarily want or have time to, but because a lesson was learned at one time that parting with your individual is part of helping turn the focus of others to what will be of most value.
18. JfQ – It certainly isn’t an LDS thing. When I lived in Alabama, one of the wealthiest individuals around was the preacher of the largest Baptist church in town. He leased a new Cadillac every year and took regular vacations in the Caribbean. He was very open about it, and it wasn’t seen as any big deal by most of the Protestants in town.
I look at many of the houses that are being built in UT and have to shake my head. I understand that when someone sells a 1500 sq/ft house in CA for almost $1 Million, they are able to build a McMansion in UT, but I cringe nonetheless. I wish the Saints were immune to that temptation, but they aren’t.
19. #17 – Rigel…Thanks so much for the comment. I am glad you have focused on the family and responsibilities of parents which has been underemphasized, if not completely missed, so far. I think that the work ethic and temperate approach of your parents is what is needed aswell as dedication to serving others in church and community.
#18. – Ray…as a missionary I found the same thing with preachers in South Africa. It made me feel bitter about religion even though I was a missionary at the time. Thank you for your comments and your hopes for our behaviour as Latter Day Saints.
20. Ray (18): Yeah, I definitely know there are rich preachers and churches to be found most anywhere you go. What I was trying to highlight is whether cultures outside Utah embrace a correlation between spirituality and material wealth. I would think this is true to some degree or another. In Utah, in particular, what with the whole lay leadership thing it makes me wonder if the spirito-material correlation is real, of if it is just a practical matter of promoting those with executive or business operation skills (who often also happen to be wealthy or more materially comfortable).
Definitely see a lot of 600K-800K McMansions in my area where it is so common for husband and wife to be working to the bone just to pay the mortgage. It’s not just an LDS thing. If people can afford it comfortably, fine, but I see that less common — at least in my region. Where it reflects on a Christian community who have embraced debt servitude it is unfortunate such have fallen for this level of “affluenza.” Unfortunately where wages are some people aren’t living in McMansions and are still debt slaves to keep their mortgages paid.
21. Strange that several people have suggested that this implies LDS members shouldn’t be Republicans.
This is actually the main reason I am a Republican, as I feel Democrat politicians are always running on a platform of: “Elect me and I will give you stuff.” The obsession with material possessions as opposed to cultivating good values frustrates me.
Granted, Republicans are infected with materialism too, but at least they still have some libertarian elements that occasionally rise to the surface.
22. Post
#21 – Neoconservatives have abandoned everything that Republicans stood for. Ron Paul was like a shining light at those debates. Democrats and Neocons appeal to the same power structures therefore they do not stand for significant change from my perspective…I know John Hamer will disagree with me though.
23. My 14 year old son wants us to buy a new car. We have a 1994 Ford Escort wagon with 150K miles on it and a 1991 Toyota Previa minivan with 230K miles. They run fine, and I keep them well maintained. We’re not buying something new anytime soon. The thought of that makes him grown with hopelessness and roll his eyes.
24. If LDS members were true to the ideals of the church and gospel, we’d be socialist. Joseph tried to institute the United Order to insure that all were cared for. No one should have more than anyone else, but no one should have less.
Republicans are all about money, getting it, keeping it and using it to buy more and more. I can understand why someone would not want to be a democrat given the wild ideas that some have. But we could use more compassion for the poor, the widows and the fatherless.
25. Jeff, broad stereotypes like that are not helpful in the slightest. I have known a LOT of very selfless Republicans and a LOT of very selfish Democrats – and vice versa. This post is about agency, not politics – and it applies to those of every or no party.
26. Jeff – “If LDS members were true to the ideals of the church and gospel, we’d be socialist.” I fundamentally disagree with this. I’m with Cicero. In fact, I will add that socialism adds too much distance between decisions and personal responsibility as it is currently employed in European countries. For example, France experienced a problem where the unemployment was skyrocketing among their young adults because no one wanted to have to work. They felt being paid unemployment was better.
“Joseph tried to institute the United Order to insure that all were cared for.” And it failed miserably.
“No one should have more than anyone else, but no one should have less.” I couldn’t disagree more on this front. People who create wealth and jobs should have more. People like Bono and Bill Gates make the whole world better when they have more. It’s like the parable of the talents. Take from the one who buries it in the earth and give to the one who increases it tenfold.
“Republicans are all about money, getting it, keeping it and using it to buy more and more.” Really? I think that’s human nature to some extent, but it’s also a sweeping generalization. I would say that there are also at least as many Republicans who believe in saving (vs. spending). The Clintons and Obamas are not exactly poor, nor in Al Gore. And populist John Edwards is wealthy. Neither party corners the market on virtue either in its representatives or its constituents.
I do, however, totally agree that everyone needs more compassion for the poor, the widows and the fatherless. Redistributing wealth just seems the least effective and least creative solution out there. To truly solve poverty and hunger, there is a lot of creativity that is applied to consumerism that should be applied to those problems. So, in that at least, we agree.
And to clarify, I’m not a gun nut (hate guns) and not radically GOP (just fiscally so). In the current election, I’m leaning Obama. But maybe that just means I’m an elitist.
27. Ok, Ok, so maybe I went a little overboard on the republican thing. Though I still find it interesting that they can socialize the mistakes of financial companies but not those of home buyers who have mortgage problems or people who need health care.
And Ray is right, there are many fine people who freely give of their substantial means to help others.
Any economic system, with the exception of communism, can work if left on its own to function properly and not be manipulated by the government. Ours is highly manipulated and tilted in favor of the corporations and big business. France, on the other hand, tilted theirs in favor of the worker to the extent that companies were no longer willing to invest and put their businesses there. thus, the high unemployment rate.
There has to be a balance. And because politics rules the roost, you know, at least in the US, how it is going to go.
We have to do a much better job of ” teaching people how to fish….” I think it starts by putting a lid on the greed cycle we are in.
28. hawkgrrrl:
It failed miserably because too many people like you, and too few people like Joseph, were involved.
29. Jeff Spector:
Quit fooling yourself, the Democrats are the same beast. I have an analogy of my own invention which I would like to use to illustrate a point:
The Democrats bake a nice big wedding cake with a thick layer of tasty frosting. Not only do they keep much of this cake for themselves, but they give you a nice big piece as well. You’re eating it and it tastes so good, but as you gobble it up and get down to the last few bites of your slice of Democratic wedding cake, you realize it’s all bloody and that you have been eating a Cake of Death(tm).
The Republicans don’t even bother to bake a cake or prepare mixes and frostings. Instead, they whip up a Creme Pie of Death(tm) and throw it in your face.
So both parties will give you Pastries of Death(tm). But in the Democratic case, you’ve eaten almost the entire cake before realizing how bad it really is, and now the problem is systemic, working its way through your digestion. In the Republican case, you’ve got death all over your face, but it’s topical, it’s immediate, and you know exactly what is going on; you can grab your Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy towel and wipe that creme pie of death from off your face and chest.
The Democrats are just better at brainwashing you and manufacturing your desires!
30. Great post, Steve.
“We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of.” Truer words were never spoken.
However, I’ve noticed this interesting phenomenon where people who rebel against corporations, the establishment, the system, the man, etc. think they are becoming truly free, as if they are finally breaking free of “the Matrix,” but in reality they have just become puppets of a different set of puppeteers.
It used to be corporations and politicians that molded their thinking. But now it’s Noam Chomsky, Che Guevarra, Ralph Nader, or a host of other romanticized revolutionaries they’ve never met. Again, all they’ve done is exchanged one set of puppeteers for another.
It seems if one is to truly break free of “the Matrix,” one needs to create his or her own original way of thinking. This is admittedly difficult if not impossible for most people to do. But unless we do create our own original ways of thinking, are we not all, to one extent or another, puppets dangling on the strings of puppeteers we’ve never met?
For a Mormon angle on all this, Joseph Smith was such a person in that he radically suggested that all the existing denominations were wrong, and created something new. When he ran for President of the U.S., he rejected both with Whig and Democrat parties and ran as an independent.
31. The “group mind” and “social conscience” are still something very intensely studied by the likes of the Tavistock Institute (organized as a charity, HA!) and our own Department of Defense. There are much more sophisticated techniques being employed these days (you can thank magicians for revealing these secrets to government)…
Recently, the DoD has been going to robots and insects to learn more about how the fewest number of conspiring actors can influence the largest possible segment of a colony. They have designed robotic bees and cockroaches which are programmed to do certain communicative dances and gestures. The DoD has found that they can control an entire roach colony or beehive with as few a 5 conspiring actors (i.e., robots).
Since most people in our society today are mind control slaves (i.e., robots), the level of saturation in our human colony is much greater than a mere 5 actors (though it could be argued that modern mind control slaves aren’t exactly “conspiring” actors, even if they respond robotically to their commands and suggestions).
32. Derek – “It failed miserably because too many people like you, and too few people like Joseph, were involved.” Sorry, who are the so-called “people like me” you are referring to as having been involved in the United Order? I’m not much like the original twelve, half of whom left the church. I’m not like the couple who held back the skimmings of the milk (whatever the heck that is). The real problem is that there was so little financial savvy in the country at the time, JS included. There was no national bank. People still stuffed money in their mattress and traded in goods. How can anyone think that a good heart is all it takes to make sound financial decisions? Human failing always creep into these endeavors: lazy, stupid, and dishonest. It’s pretty easy to pinpoint the failings of such a system that relies on (rather than encourages and rewards) goodness.
33. By “people like you” I mean “people that didn’t really want it”, just like you continue their heritage by denying consecration to this day.
Joseph Smith built his church upon a speculative economy, and his desire to establish the United Order was based upon his ability to see the inherent destructiveness of speculation. The speculative economy of Joseph Smith’s day is no different from the speculative economy of our day… But maybe you can still afford your mortgage…
If the United Order was such a failure, then why do original branches of it still survive in Missouri? (Interestingly, most of them operate under the cloak/guise of the Community of Christ.)
34. Regarding the Republican bashing going on, I’d like to make a few points:
1. Republicans are not heartless jerks who just care about more wealth for themselves at the expense of the poor. In fact, Republicans are more selfless, as measured by the percentage of their income that they give to help others. Several studies have shown that Republicans donate FAR MORE to charity than Democrats. They give more to both religious and non-religious charities (so the explanation for this is not just that Republicans are more religious and more likely to attend church and donate to their church). Democrats seem to think being “generous” and “concerned about the poor” means spending OTHER PEOPLE’S money (by raising taxes). I’d post a link to info about this, but every time I post a link my post disappears into moderation, never to return, just google it and you’ll find info.
2. Some people think that Republicans’ emphasis on free markets makes them greedy, or that they want big corporations to succeed at the expense of the poor. I have noticed that most people who say this (and most Democrats in general) are people who have not studied economics. The simple objective fact is that free markets are the best way that modern humans have found to maximize material welfare for the greatest number of people.
Some examples:
a. The failures of communism, the import substitution industrialization attempts in the third world in the 60s and 70s, and the economic malaise of the European welfare states (for at least the last 20 years Europe has consistently had lower productivity levels, lower economic growth levels, lower average incomes, and higher unemployment than the United States).
b. The developing countries with the freest, least regulated economies have the highest growth rates and the greatest reductions in poverty. The examples of countries like Taiwan, S. Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong all attest to this–40 years ago they were all among the poorest countries on Earth; China only experienced its boom in growth when it adopted more free market policies (which has resulted in 100s of millions of people coming out of extreme poverty in China).
c. Even arguments about how Republicans’ free market policies have led to greater income inequality are flawed because of social mobility: the VAST majority of people in the bottom 20% of income rise out of that bottom 20% to higher levels of income. So, even though the difference between the bottom 20%’s and highest 20%’s salaries is increasing (slightly), most people don’t stay in that bottom 20% forever anyway. A personal example of this: for the first 12 years after I graduated from high school (and moved out and became a separate household for economic reporting purposes), my income has been and will be in the bottom 20%, but after I finish graduate school, I will jump to the top 20%. Moreover, incomes in all quintiles have been increasing over the recent decades when inequality has gotten (slightly) worse, so any distributional problems don’t mean that the poor are getting poorer, just that they’re getting richer at a slower rate than the rich.
Republicans don’t hate people, they don’t want the poor to suffer, and they don’t want to breath dirty air or eat dangerous food. They just see using free markets that are minimally regulated as the best solution to these problems. And rightly so, as borne out by any look at the numbers and the results of policies.
In the end, Republicans believe that giving people freedom to act, within proper simple boundaries, does far more to ensure the happiness and welfare for the greatest number of people than having a nanny state dictate our actions to us.
The political propaganda that we see in society today (as evidenced by a media that is biased in favor of liberals–once again, I would post links, but don’t want my comment to get lost in moderation) is mostly geared toward obscuring and hiding these facts and convincing people that Republicans are evil pigs who want to steal from everyone.
35. Andrew,
Thanks for the complement. No man is an island and I do not condone or support violent and destructive rebellion. I do not support rebellion just for rebellion’s sake. Often young rebellious people choose to rebel and think that drugs and other destructive behaviours are the way to rebel.
I think that we need to…and this is what my next post is about…start a “love-olution” a revolution where we start loving and caring for eachother rather then seeking to bring down governments or corporations.
These lives and writings of romantic revolutionaries, Joseph Smith included, shouldnt be hagiograhies but should be taken for what they are..Martin Luther King Jr. indeed.
I wish people were committed to ideals and principles as they were to people and leaders.
If this were the case then I think great ideas such as cooperative economics, human rights and sustainable living would be more readily sought after.
36. Stephen, I really don’t want to call any individuals out, but there is at least one person who almost never contributes anything positive or substantive to these conversations – who comes here and throws flaming spitballs and non-sensical bombs. I honestly have no clue if it’s intentional or just a result of a complete lack of self-awareness, but suffice it to say that the actions are extremely trollish – and they only get worse when confronted.
To be clear, I am NOT talking about the political party slap-fest. That’s a bit annoying, perhaps, but not “trollish”. I guess my frustration just got the better of me for a moment, but some of this stuff is just . . . (can’t find a gentle word to describe it).
37. Ray, this is indeed a profound post… But the techniques of mind control have advanced greatly since the turn of the century when Harry Houdini began to work with government through his Masonic associates, revealing the mind control trade secrets of magic and mentalism to military councils and governmental think tanks. There is a long history since Houdini of highly-paid magicians serving as consultants along side psychologists and Tavistock Institute grads, etc.
We live in an age when faceless and sometimes non-existent organizations of “Laughing Men” can unleash sophisticated Stand Alone Complexes, or “second-order simulacra”, with minds of their own. (Thank you, The Intertubes, for this brave new world.)
The Representamen have more power than most people could ever understand.
38. Steve (36)
Couldn’t agree more and REALLY looking forward to your next post. Also glad you recognized my comment above as a compliment as applied to you; you know how I esteem you. I did want to point out that propaganda and manipulation of the public mind comes from all sides of the political spectrum.
39. Andrew…
Infact, the stuff I mention above developed initially from the left end of the political spectrum. It is used by liberals (i.e. the NAACP hired Bernays in the Civil Rights Movement), and every side now.
It is important to be aware of it in order to make an informed decision as to what the truth really is.
I conclude, with Stephen Colbert, that in the current political climate truth has a “liberal bias.” lol
And when I say liberal I also mean classically conservative. I believe in libertarian socialism…make us free so we can cooperate with eachother. No sane person wants war, poverty, starvation, human rights violations.
But yet we elect those nutters who do want it as our leaders and buy all our products from their mentors and friends.
I esteem you too Andrew.
40. Ray….
Thank you so much for the compliment about this post. I do think this stuff is hard hitting…as we realize the base we have built our society on is…in biblical terms…evil. That is not too say that it is all to be thrown out…not at all…
Thank you for adding your inspiring and informational comments here and for being patient.
41. Stephen – “Make us free so we can cooperate with eachother. No sane person wants war, poverty, starvation, human rights violations.” Well said!
42. “I do think this stuff is hard hitting…as we realize the base we have built our society on is…in biblical terms…evil.”
Remind me sometime, Stephen, to share with you my undiluted, frank perception of why the Restoration was necessary. The edited version is interesting enough, but the blunt version would get me stoned in some of the places I have lived in this country.
43. …when Harry Houdini began to work with government through his Masonic associates, revealing the mind control trade secrets…
Okay, I’m officially proposing a “Nutter Hall of Fame,” with poster #41 above the first nomination for inclusion.
I guess even after becoming a Master Mason, a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason, a Royal Arch Mason, a Cryptic Mason, and a Knight Templar, I still just haven’t gotten around to learning those uber-cool “mind control trade secrets.”
44. Nick :–
That’s because you’re not a magician. Masons don’t know these secrets, magicians do. Houdini just got involved in these governmental projects through his associate Masons.
45. Re #50:
You just THINK you came up with that statement on your own, Derek. The truth is, I’ve been controlling everything you’ve ever typed in Mormon Matters, through my secret Jedi mind tricks!
46. Nick Literski :–
As a “real McCoy”, I descend from the bloodline of the Royal Order of Scotland at Kilwinning (H.R.D.M.) and the hereditary Grand Master of all Masonry (the King of Scots). I know of a patrilineal descendant of this line in Pontiac, Illinois, and another in Manhattan, Kansas.
Let’s everyone list our Masonic qualifications!
47. Nick Literski :–
My uncle is the Venerable Prophet of his Grotto and, I believe, 33rd degree Scottish Rite. I was hanging out last night with another 33rd degree Mason, discussing Craft vs. Art. I live a few blocks away from the regional 32nd degree temple in Kansas City commissioned and built by Albert Pike himself.
I am not anti-Masonic. But magicians have as much to do with this topic as does Bernays. And Houdini’s connections into all this came through Masonry. So you can remain ignorant of history if you like… But I will continue in my Iradic intentions to inform the masses and expose those things that very few people know.
48. Nick Literski :–
FWIW, I am a sleight-of-hand artist and illusionist, and I have been studying the history of the magical arts for most of my life. So forgive me if I know a thing or two about Houdini, who his associates were, and what war-time projects “Harry Handcuff Houdini” worked on with government.
49. Nick Literski :–
I almost forgot: I possess, and have read, Albert Pike’s Morals and Dogma, and I know the difference between A.F.&A.M. and F.&A.M. (though I assume you believe the “accident of history” explanation of this discrepancy).
50. Ray :–
It can increase your lifespan by up to 100% or more (calorie restriction) and it will clean your DNA making your descendants much healthier (read the studies of descendants of famine survivors)!
51. Jeff Spector :–
I don’t think your comments were a threadjacking. Rather, the discussion you started has illustrated the false solution of the Democratic party as another example of free agency and free thought being manipulated through the manufacture of consent.
While there seem to be elements of an overarching conspiracy, especially when discussing characters like Bernays, most of today’s mindjacking comes through complex dynamical systems — that is, copycat memetics, if you will. Perhaps nobody here has studied the chaotic nature of cellular automata, but I believe that it is mostly cellular systems through which the propagation of the effects of modern social engineering takes place.
The Mormon invention of the television can be seen as the great enabler of this cellular paradigm of thought control, but the Internet has brought us to a new level of information interaction, and you can bet that our controllers are using these tubes to their fullest extent (then again, so are we; the Internet finally enables us to become controllers also). And you can be sure that they are using the latest and greatest theories in semiotics and sociology to affect our will.
(Raise your hand if you’ve ever implemented a 2- or 3-dimensional cellular automaton in an object-oriented programming language. UFO Skeptic?)
Joseph Smith, Jr., discussed relativity almost 100 years before Einstein, and he promoted chaos theory almost 150 years before its development. Joseph Smith, Jr., spoke that the agency of the gods was their ability to organize systems from the chaotic matter of element.
Today the social controllers are trying to play gods, organizing their own systems from the chaotic matter of populations. There is not enough cohesion and not enough organized conspiracy to propagate the changes from the top-down. Therefore, sophisticated techniques must be employed to get the desired changes to bubble from the bottom-up.
And so here we are running around the Intarwebs, passing messages, trying to make a difference and have some control of our own…
52. Derek – “And so here we are running around the Intarwebs, passing messages, trying to make a difference and have some control of our own…” Ah yes, but mostly using good old fashioned persuasion and opinionated ranting. Not so much mind control. Now, if you have some specific mind control suggestions for the web design, I’m all ears. OTOH, maybe there is some already there. The neutral beige/tan background, reminding us to be neutral and cool-headed. The colorful blocks at the top as a reminder of diversity of thought. The symbols in the blocks, reminding us that language is a front for underlying meanings that are often shared, but sometimes deeper and more hidden. That slight emphasis in the word “Matters” by italicizing it–as if to say, the matters are more important than whether they are Mormon. Or that Mormonism matters in some way to all people on this site. Let he that hath ears to hear hear.
53. Hawkgrrrl (re: speculation #34) :–
Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith
Views of the Prophet on Constitutional Powers
Section Five 1842-43, p.278
Situated as we are, with a flood of immigration constantly pouring in upon us, I consider that it is not only prudential, but absolutely necessary to protect the inhabitants of this city from being imposed upon by a spurious currency. Many of our eastern and old country fiends are altogether unacquainted with the situation of the banks in this region of country; and as they generally bring specie with them, they are perpetually in danger of being gulled by speculators. Besides there is so much uncertainty in the solvency of the best of banks, that I think it much safer to go upon the hard money system altogether. I have examined the Constitution upon this subject and find my doubts removed. The Constitution is not a law, but it empowers the people to make laws. For instance, the Constitution governs the land of Iowa, but it is not a law for the people. The Constitution tells us what shall not be a lawful tender. Art. I, Section 10 declares that nothing else except gold and silver shall be lawful tender, this not saying that gold and silver shall be lawful tender. It only provides that the state may make a law to make gold and silver lawful tender. I know of no state in the Union that has passed such a law; and I am sure that Illinois has not. The legislature has ceded up to us the privilege of enacting such laws as are not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States and the state of Illinois; and we stand in the same relation to the state as the state does to the Union. The clause referred to in the Constitution is for the legislature–it is not a law for the people. The different states, and even Congress itself, have passed many laws diametrically contrary to the Constitution of the United States.
The state of Illinois has passed a stay law making property a lawful tender for the payment of debts; and if we have no law on the subject we must be governed by it. Shall we be such fools as to be governed by its laws, which are unconstitutional? No! We will make a law for gold and silver; and then the state law ceases and we can collect our debts. Powers not delegated to the states or reserved from the states are constitutional. The Constitution acknowledges that the people have all power not reserved to itself. I am a lawyer; I am a big lawyer and comprehend heaven, earth and hell, to bring forth knowledge that shall cover up all lawyers, doctors and other big bodies. This is the doctrine of the Constitution, so help me God. The Constitution is not law to us, but it makes provision for us whereby we can make laws. Where it provides that no one shall be hindered from worshiping God according to his own conscience, is a law. No legislature can enact a law to prohibit it. The Constitution provides to regulate bodies of men and not individuals. (Feb. 25, 1843.) DHC 5:289-290.
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Headline July 20, 2019/ '' 'YOUTUBE A-CHANGIN' *VIDEOS' ''
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With the rise of ''vertical videos'' formatted for Instagram and Spotify -
and periodically it has contentious negotiations with record labels over the royalty rates it pays for each time a song is streamed, and whether that constitutes a ''value gap''.
So a project that burnished everyone's reputation was particularly appealing for YouTube. ''The entire industry can come together and do something great. There are lots of winners and no losers,'' said Lyor Cohen, YouTube's global head of music.
The music video for the 1983 hit single ''White Wedding'' featured a barbed-wire wedding ring, a motorcycle crashing through a stained-glass window and-
And the singer Billy Idol unveiling his telegenic sneer. Its director, David Mallet, said it was filmed in one day, like many of the clips he did then, and aimed for a display much different from those we're accustomed to today.
''We were making videos for a screen that the very largest was 32 inches,'' Mallet said in an interview, also lamenting that a lot of video work wasn't carefully archived.
As a result, YouTube - the place most consumers watch music videos today - still has plenty of videos represented by glitchy dubs off ancient VHS tapes. ''A lot of them just don't hold up when they get blown to 60 inch screens,'' Mallet added.
Now, YouTube and Universal Music Group have announced that they are upgrading more than 1,000 popular music videos to high definition, releasing them through 2020. Artists in the initial batch of 100 videos include Lady Gaga, Tom Petty, Boyz II Men, the killers, Lionel Riche, Kiss, George strait and the Spice Girls.
''Once the dirty coloring is removed, it's a lot more vital somehow,'' said Billy Idol, who has six videos in the first wave of upgrades, including ''White Wedding,'' ''Rebel Yell'' and ''Dancing With Myself''.
It gives videos a chance against the modern high-quality definition. And I'm forever that age in these videos - it's kind of fantastic.''
Upgrading the clips meant archival work with a dizzying array of formats. Barak Moffitt, the executive vice president of content strategy and operations at Universal, named a few :
''We have sources coming from everything from original film to Digibeta, HDCAM to one-inch Cs and Betacam SP to D2s - and the format it was shot in isn't necessarily the format it was edited in.''
Universal tried to remain true to artists' original intentions : 'The Beastie Boys' ''Sabotage'' looks so much crispier after its renovation, Universal contacted the group and the director Spike Jonze to make sure they weren't violating the video's aesthetic of cheap 1970s cop shows.
Moffin noted, ''The graininess of a tube television set, which is what they were going for, is not the dithery compression artifact that you can see on a highly compressed video, so cleaning it up went more to the retro intent.
Sometimes detective work was required, as when the team discovered that the audio for Soundgarden's ''Fell on Black Days'' video was a unique recording made just for the clip. And sometimes it was as straightforward as upgrading the audio to a better source.
Michael Nash, the executive vice president of digital strategy at Universal, that historicall, ''A lot of times, the first thing you were putting in front of consumers was the music video, even before the single went to radio. Very often a music video would be sent to MTV before the final stereo mix of the single was done.
When the Universal team showed Cohen a demo reel of their high-dimension efforts, they made sure it included ''Sabotage.''
'' I went into the studio and I saw the Beastie Boys, and I had a mind melt,'' he said.
The Honor and Serving of the latest Global Operational Research on Music, YouTube, Instagram and Spotify, continues. The World Students Society thanks author, Gavin Edwards.
With respectful dedication to the Students, Professors and Teachers of the World. See Ya all on Facebook, prepare and register for Great Global Elections on The World Students Society : wssciw.blogspot.com and Twitter - !E-WOW! - the Ecosystem 2011 :
''' Fuzzy & Famed '''
Good Night and God Bless
SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless
Post a Comment
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ACH Volume Grows to Nearly 22 Billion Payments in 2011
ACH payments are electronic payments made through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) Network. They are a popular alternative to paper checks and credit card payments because of the benefits to merchants and consumers: everybody involved gets to save a little money and automate payments (which means fewer errors and less hassle).
Basics of ACH
ACH payments are simply electronic transfers from one bank account to another. Common uses include:
• A customer pays a service provider
• An employer deposits money to an employee’s account
• A consumer moves funds from one bank to another
• A business pays a supplier for products
The Check below is and example of where to find the information needed to place your order. As long as you have a checking account and access to a check you will just need the information available to you when you fill out the order form on line. | <urn:uuid:9ee1239b-ca3e-400f-8739-7d3d5a715247> | https://www.truehealthyproducts.com/About-ACH-Payments_ep_44.html | en | 0.929847 | 0.039583 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Random Thoughts About Identities and Organizational Roles
I once read that identity is an intersection of how others see you and how you see yourself. As much as we want to define how we want others see us, I think that’s pretty much impossible. We can certainly try to influence others’ perception of us but ultimately, what matters is how others see us. I believe that’s called reputation. The concept of identity is a complex one. It’s even more complex when one considers the role of identity in the context of social setting. When we are associated with groups, such as the organization we work for, we assume the organization’s identity and the organization’s identity is shaped by its individual members. Actions by individual members reflect the organization and other members while the organization’s identity impacts how its members are perceived. Have you ever walked into a meeting where you’ve never met anyone before yet they’ve already formed an impression of you?
Those in leadership position must sometimes have to negotiate and reconcile their own identities and values they hold with that of their organization as they don’t always match. So, how do leaders authentically represent themselves when they’re representing their organization? What does it mean in this context to represent “themselves”? Are they representing their individual identities independent of the organization or are they representing identities defined by their role in the organization?
I think about the questions above when I hear from individuals who maintain they want to be authentic to themselves and to the values they represent. Considering the possibility that there probably isn’t an organization anywhere that completely aligns with the values of each and every single one of its members, how will those individuals deal with this reality? | <urn:uuid:12a6aebf-7bf4-480a-8908-a456181e66e1> | http://joesabado.com/2015/10/random-thoughts-about-identities-and-organizational-roles/ | en | 0.968432 | 0.051995 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Agoraphobia – Fear of Open Space or Much More?
/ published 2 months ago
Agoraphobia – Fear of Open Space or Much More?
When people with agoraphobia find themselves in a stressful situation, they experience rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, feeling of sickness, and feeling sweaty
Simply put, agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where it is not possible to escape. Or situations where help is not available if things go wrong. Many people assume that agoraphobia is fear of open spaces and being in public. But the condition is much more than that people suffering from agoraphobia are scared of traveling on public transport, visiting a shopping mall, leaving home, and generally avoid situations that cause anxiety. In some cases, they insist on leaving the home with a friend or partner. And they generally order online instead of going to the supermarket.
When people with agoraphobia find themselves in a stressful situation, they experience rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, feeling of sickness, and feeling sweaty. Those are the main symptoms, but there are many more.
What causes agoraphobia?
The condition develops as a complication of panic disorder. It is an anxiety disorder that involves panic attacks and moments of intense fear. Agoraphobia can arise by associating panic attacks with places and situations that happened. And then the patient avoids these situations.
Very few patients have no history of panic attacks. In these cases, the fear is related with fear of crime, terrorism, or accident.
But in most cases, agoraphobia develops after some trauma happening in a place or environment. As a result, the patient avoids these places and situations that can trigger a panic attack.
Complications caused by anxiety
As we said before, agoraphobia develops over time. Usually, the condition begins with a stressful event. For example, you might lose a job or a relationship with the partner ends. The feeling of stress at the time limits your contact with the outside world. Psychologists call it the avoidance behavior.
And as time passes, patients feel more and more public places as their “out of bounds” area. They are eventually confined to their home.
Or sometimes, a stressful life event triggers a panic attack. And because panic attacks are not pleasant, the person avoids the situation that thinks it may trigger another attack.
Agoraphobia is a treatable condition. But if left untreated, it can reduce the patient’s quality of life. The condition can prevent patients from enjoying activities outside of their home like work, school, hobbies, exercise, and more.
More importantly, isolation, loneliness, and boredom will result in a greater feeling of distress. The condition will increase the risk of depression even more.
Patients usually recognize that the fear is irrational. But they feel powerless to do something about it. All of these negative feelings hamper the self-esteem of a healthy person.
The Complexity of Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is a specific phobia. And it is not the only one. Here are some other phobias related or similar to agoraphobia. One might say they all fall into the same category.
Social phobia involves a combination of excessive self-consciousness and fear of public scrutiny or humiliation. The patient fears he might get rejected or negatively evaluated by others in the public.
Fear of open spaces is just one aspect of agoraphobia. It is a fear of an actual and anticipated situation, like using public transport. The patient fears that if a panic attacks occur, he will have to stand in a line, be in a crowd, and generally think he has no ways to escape the situation.
Fear of panic attacks is just another way to describe agoraphobia. Nobody enjoys panic attacks. And when you get them, you usually try to associate them with a specific event, situation, or place. As a result, you avoid these situations to prevent a panic attack.
The problem occurs when agoraphobia becomes a self-reinforcing cycle. What happens is the patient feels anxious about having a panic attack. And that anxiety can cause a panic attack. As the cycle progresses, the patient finds himself in a never-ending cycle of panic attacks.
Physical signs and symptoms include abdominal distress, excessive sweating, numbness, tingling, fear of losing control, shaking, being tremulous, shortness of breath, and rapid heart rate.
Famous people with agoraphobia
This might come as a surprise, but there are many celebrities suffering from agoraphobia now and in the history of mankind. Some of the greatest geniuses were afraid of going out.
For example, Charles Darwin was virtually incapacitated for most of his life. The constant trembling, nausea, crying, and visual hallucinations were caused by a severe agoraphobia. It left him virtually bedridden from his early 30s. Sometimes, he even avoided conservations with his own children. Much of his distress was caused by the publication of On the Origin of Species.
Howard Hughes is another genius suffering from agoraphobia. It is an irony, given that he tested most of the aircrafts he produced. And flying solo in a plane is not a situation you can just escape from. Hughes started suffering from panic attacks after a near-fatal plane crash in 1946. The incident increased his fear and he started isolating himself in hotel rooms, lying naked in his germ-free zone.
Most recently, Hollywood sex symbol Kim Basinger admitted to suffering from agoraphobia. She was shy and withdrawn as a child. And she suffered from panic attacks early in her childhood. In her 20s, she suffered a bad episode. As a result, she didn’t leave her home for six months. The irony here is that she looked amazing, but most of her fears came as people watched her.
In one interview, Basinger said “When I came to Hollywood, I could wear a bikini, but I was in misery because people were looking at me. So, I started wearing baggy clothes and other girls started getting big parts and awards. This led to my agoraphobia”.
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Nationwide Protests Out Trump as a Coward
by Brennan Bobbie
The Minneapolis protest over the senseless killing of George Floyd that escalated into becoming a nationwide and now a global movement, has outed Trump as a coward. In contrast to this U.S. president’s poor attempt to show leadership by pushing governors to dominate and prevail over protesters, Trump showed only cowardice when confronted with Washington protesters showing up in front of the White House.
He has approved, if not ordered the putting up of walls and concrete barricades to keep Black Lives Matter (BLM) protestors away. Since military leaders do not agree to the use of military force against fellow Americans, Trump is counting on AG Barr to install law enforcement officers, including prIson guards, to prevent the protesters from going near the White House.
What the Newly and Quickly Installed Walls and Barricades Mean
Putting up walls and barricades between himself and the BLM protestors only means he is afraid to face the issue. He demonstrated this last Friday, when he spoke at the Rose Garden to announce the withdrawal of the U.S. from the World Health Organization, but nary a word about George Floyd’s death, or of the growing number of demonstrations occurring throughout the country.
Yet, why is Trump showing signs of being afraid? Why did he refuse to talk to George Floyd’s brother? Why is he inciting his supporters and the police force to launch acts of violence that will only fuel the outrage that not only blacks, but people of all color are feeling right now?
Apparently Trump has no clear understanding of what the protesters aim to achieve; of the issue being brought forward, of the people’s call to redress and address the systemic racism that has taken the lives of numerous African-Ameircans. To this U.S. president, George Floyd’s death has no significance. After all he calls the more than 100,000 COVID-19 deaths as his badge of honor, unmindful that most of those who died were people of color.
Let the Walls Built Around the White House Serve as His Prison
Let the walls be Trump’s fortress and at the same time serve as his prison walls. In time, they will also be his undoing.
Let Trump be afraid for the remainder of his presidency. That way he will also be prevented from holding political rallies that will only drive the wedge of divisiveness among people. Let Trump’s walls drive him to madness, imagining that millions of people out there are out to get him.
At the end of each day, Trump is alone, all by himself and watching several TV news programs all at the same time. Is that how the leader of a powerful nation waging trade wars against China, shows strength against a formidable leader like President Xi Jinping? He must be cringing at the thought that other world leaders are once again laughing at him.
Actually, other world leaders are not laughing, they are denouncing Trump’s show of poor leadership over the handling of the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests spurred by the merciless killing of George Floyd. | <urn:uuid:6fb7e5e1-d55b-4975-bd97-52ab70bc275c> | http://www.warrentruss.com/tag/george-floyd | en | 0.966594 | 0.246413 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Puppy Farms
The Issues
Puppy Farms
Large-scale factory farming of dogs is happening in every state in Australia. Dogs are hidden away from the public, in large sheds within stalls or cages, with improper bedding, no veterinary care and are totally deprived of their basic needs. Dogs on puppy farms suffer psychological torment as they are kept in a continual state of pregnancy, are not socialised or free to exhibit natural behaviours. They languish in filthy conditions and suffer chronic illnesses due to complete disregard for their wellbeing.
The puppies are shipped to pet stores; or sold online. The puppies often suffer from health, mental and physical impairments as a result of their breeding. And thus, the cycle of potential abandonment, overpopulation of shelters and pounds, and ultimate euthanasia of countless animals continues.
More Australians now have dogs as pets than ever before. While this is great, sadly this demand also can stem to an increase in breeders, backyard breeders and puppy farms. Pet stores multiply, and shelters overflow. Eventually, the numbers of animals outweigh the number of suitable homes, and sadly, tens of thousands of healthy dogs are euthanised at pounds and shelters each year in Australia.
Pet Shops
Pet shops are highly stressful environments for young puppies. With a main motivation to make a high profit, pet shops treat puppies purely as a commodity. Animals sold are not required to be desexed and their origins are questionable. Potential owners are rarely screened, encouraging impulse buying and, often, unsuitable breed to home matching. Pet shops successfully dupe the public into thinking the fluffy puppies, cute kittens, baby rats, and other animals, come from “local breeders” or “reputable breeding facilities”. The reality is, most animals will come from intensive breeding facilities like puppy farms. Impulse buying in pet shops can also lead to abandonment when puppies get a little older and start having behavioral issues. The great news is, more and more pet shops are changing directions, and partnering with shelters to sell exclusively adoptable animals.
From Puppy Farm to Pet Shop from Animal Liberation Queensland on Vimeo.
ALQ is working to promote three ideals:
1) Entirely shut down puppy factory farming in QLD;
What can you do?
Shelter and rescue animals makes the BEST friends because:
3) Practise responsible pet ownership
• Ensure that your companion for life receives regular health checks
• Feed them a balanced diet
• Exercise them and play with them
• They are part of the family – let them in!
• Never chain an animal
5) Teach children the realities of puppy farming.
Find your new friend here:
Animal Welfare League of Qld
Find out more: Oscar's Law | <urn:uuid:efb6236c-191f-4a33-b626-7788334fe100> | https://alq.org.au/puppy-farms | en | 0.918327 | 0.020247 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
In California, most employment is considered "at will". This type of employment follows the principle that either the employer or the employee may terminate the relationship at any time, for any reason. The only basic exception in "at-will" employment arrangements is that the termination may not be done for reasons which violate the law.
What are the Illegal Grounds for Terminating At Will Employment in California?
In the state of California, employee discrimination is the most common illegal ground for termination in an at-will employment. Employers are prohibited from terminating their employees on the basis of race, gender, religion, or nationality. A Fort Bragg employer also is prohibited from terminating at-will employees as a method of retaliation if the worker has sought an investigation into discrimination or has filed a legal claim for discrimination against the employer.
Additionally, the Family and Medical Leave act makes it illegal for employers to terminate any of their employees who have taken leave based upon family or medical needs. Lastly, an employer may not fire an employee for refusing to do something illegal, for exercising a legal right, or performing a legal obligation.
Do I Need a California Attorney for My Wrongful Termination Case?
| <urn:uuid:7cd6339f-065d-41b3-815f-6ba06238e85a> | https://employment-law.legalmatch.com/CA/Fort-Bragg/wrongful-termination-law.html | en | 0.96073 | 0.065352 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Running a promotion on, but having a hard time managing all the extra reservations coming in?
Different deal types and comments from guests on will appear in the Reservation note in Formitable.
If guests make a reservation or cancel a reservation on it will be synced with Formitable.
About is a marketing tool for restaurants in the Netherlands. makes the art of restaurants accessible to everyone through various restaurant promotions.
With a promotion on, you’ll generate more guests, revenue, and brand awareness in a certain period. One of their best-known concepts is HEERLIJK Aanbieding.
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American History 1880-1917
History of a nation is very important as it reflects its past and makes it possible for a nation to know its earlier struggles and progress, its losses and gains. The main idea of this paper is to discuss how America changed politically, economically, and socially during the 1920’s. It further discusses the normalcy move in America and how it contributed to the Great Depression.
According to James et al. (2012), the 1920’s is a period of dramatic political, economical, and social changes in the history of America. Socially, they observe that the American rural population moved and settled in the cities so as to get access to the social amenities like schools. Another notable social change concerned traditional practices and customs. All this started by the young returning World War soldiers who had outside influence.
Politically, James et al. (2012) noted that the American immigration policy changed with the introduction of Quota Act of 1921 which set the annual maximum number of immigrants at 350000. The act was meant to reduce the number of the American immigrants. It is also noted that women independence increased with the 19th amendment of the Constitution since it gave them the right to vote and to be employed.
James et al. (2012) also observed that there was a great economic progress as many manufacturing companies came up in 1920’s. Such a progress led to the increase in America’s employment rate. Equally, the government lowered taxes since there was a great reduction of war related expenditures.
During this period Americans came up with the “return to normalcy move.” The move was meant to help the Americans recover from the wartime worries and settle a financial and political stability. It was a public wish of President Warren G. Harding elected to power in 1920, since he immensely supported the move. However, as the government continued reducing taxes during the war time, it had to lower its expenditure on the economy due to insufficient funds. Thus, it caused the fall in the economy which contributed to the Great Depression.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that there are always changes in the society that occur due to social influence and present needs. However, there should be a lot of care taken in the implementation of any kind of change within a society.
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Related essays | <urn:uuid:eae0ed7f-b197-4269-ad04-a587c3c108c5> | https://primeessays.com/samples/history/american-history-1880-1917.html | en | 0.978259 | 0.17219 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Support for Women Veterans
- 5:48
with Jacquelyn Hayes-Byrd of the VA Center for Women Veterans
Nov 10, 2020
Currently, there are more than 2 million American women veterans. Some report feeling their service is often less recognized than that of men, impacting their self-identity as vets. How is VA working to make sure women veterans receive full equity and access to services?
Jacquelyn Hayes-Byrd, Executive Director of the VA Center for Women Veterans, shares some of the unique challenges faced by women after they leave military service and services available to help.
Hosted by: Tetiana Anderson Produced by: National Newsmakers Team
Anderson: There are more than 2 million women veterans living in the United States today. However, their service to our nation is often less recognized than the service of men. Hello, and welcome to "Comcast Newsmakers." I'm Tetiana Anderson. A 2018 report by "Disabled American Veterans" states that women are the fastest-growing subpopulation of the military and veteran communities. Jacquie Hayes-Byrd is the Executive Director of the VA Center for Women Veterans, and she joins me now to talk about some of the unique challenges faced by women after they leave the military service. And, Jacquie, thank you so much for being here. Hayes-Byrd: Well, thank you for inviting me. I'm very happy to be here and to talk about what we do here at the Center for Women veterans. Thank you. Anderson: So, we know that the overall number of veterans is going down, but at the same time, the number of women veterans is going up. Explain why that is. What's going on? Hayes-Byrd: Well, it's a positive, actually, because women veterans have gained a lot of pluses while they were in the military, and oftentimes, many women want to do something different, and they take what they've learned in their careers and brought them back to their communities. So, we have women veterans who have been out for a very long time. Along with the women veterans who are leaving today, that increases to our 2 million veterans. So, when it comes to anybody who's transitioning out of the military, we know that there can be challenges, but there are some very specific challenges for women -- -- the group that you work with -- including the idea that some of them don't even see themselves as veterans. Why is that? What's going on?
Hayes-Byrd: Well, oftentimes, women veterans, when they're in the military, you know, they do their jobs, they get it done, and they keep moving, and when they come out of the military, the same thing applies -- they want to start new careers, raise a family, you know, just become a regular part of society. And so, they don't always see themselves as women veterans or veterans, period, because they don't always see as many women in the military as you see male veterans, and so, that association sometimes clicks for them. When they come out of the military, we want to make sure that when they do need those services from the VA, that they receive full equity and access, wait times, and usage and trust with the VA. Anderson: So, I want to go back to this idea that women don't necessarily see themselves as veterans, because I know that this is something that applies to you, personally. Can you share a little bit of your story? Hayes-Byrd: Sure. When I was in the military myself -- you know, I left in the early '90s, and back then, I rarely saw women in the military. It depended on where I was stationed where I saw women veterans. And so, when I left the military, I didn't see myself as a veteran. My dad was the veteran, or the males were the veterans. When I did leave, I was able to then just focus on getting out of the military and starting a career, and that even began as, you know, "Okay, how do I write a resume?" And so, I was really just starting from scratch, and there were many women that had to follow that same trail. Anderson: So, that brings us to what the VA Center actually does. So, when it comes to the VA Center for Women veterans, what sort of services are you offering these women to take what those challenges might be and turn them into solutions? Hayes-Byrd: So, the VA is not your grandfather's VA anymore. The services that are offered today include housing loans, small business programs, healthcare. Many times, women don't understand or don't know that maternity care is offered there. We talk to women veterans about business ownership, as well -- those that want to start their own business. This gives women veterans the opportunity, and we help women veterans navigate through the VA when they're finding that it's difficult to make those moves. We can help them navigate through the system to reach those particular functions. Anderson: Jacquie, if people want to know more about what you all do, what some of the services are, where can they go? What's your website? Hayes-Byrd: Oh, I'm happy to share that with you. They can go to Anderson: Jacquie Hayes-Byrd with the VA Center for Women Veterans. Thank you so much for being here. Hayes-Byrd: Thank you for having me, and we appreciate all the support that you give. We wouldn't be able to provide this service had it not been for the Veterans Canteen Service, which is one of the biggest advocates for women veterans. Thank you very much for having us. Anderson: And thank you to our viewers as well. For more great conversations with leaders in your own community and across the country, be sure to visit I'm Tetiana Anderson.
Other videos hosted by Tetiana Anderson
Unsung Heroes: Women in Military Service
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The Party
Was an awesome celebration with some of my favourite people in the world. There were incredibly mad hats at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in the afternoon.
There was an amazing spread of food:
Including cucumber sandwiches
And an incredible cake sculpted into the shape of a top hat:
That had three rainbow coloured layers inside!
That evening we had potatoes cooked on the fire
With homemade spiced hot chocolates
And when we were briefly rained on, I found my modest umbrella collection and we stuck it out until it fined up.
Our first year of a peer-led support group for people experiencing dissociation and/or multiplicity has not been without challenges. One of the biggest ones is that dissociation is a broad category and often new members are anxious and keen to feel they fit in. If they are the only guy there that week, or the oldest or youngest member there, or the only person struggling with a particular type of dissociation, or they feel they’re the most functioning member in a room full of mentally ill people, or the biggest wreck in a room full people who are miles ahead in recovery, it can be a challenge to help them feel comfortable enough to stay and engage. The mindset shift to that of being comfortable in a diverse group can take some time, and it’s not unless a newcomer is willing to attend and represent a minority of some kind that the next person with those characteristics who comes along will find somebody in the group like them. It takes a lot of courage to be the first!
It also takes a mental shift to embrace that a healthy group is supposed to be a safe place for you, where your needs count, but also a place you contribute to supporting other people’s needs and helping them feel safe too. Some people find that group approach isn’t helpful to them, not what they needed. Some find groups appealing but stressful for various reasons. Some people connect briefly, then drop off the radar, leaving us wondering if they’re okay, if there was something different they needed, if there was anything else we could do for them. Some come while its needed then go on to other things. Some stay on, become family, helping new members and building a strong group. The lack of pressure and open door policy mean members come and go as they need, can be as free or as close as is helpful for them and change their minds as often as they wish.
Some people opposed the idea of a peer led group for people who are considered to have ‘severe mental illness’. The idea that we may have something to offer each other, and that community is crucial to recovery, are fairly revolutionary even today. After a year of running Bridges, I feel very confident and excited that our trial has been a magnificent success. We have built on positive feedback, adapted to negative feedback and the group has grown and adapted organically with the members. We have learned a lot from each other, and perhaps most importantly, none of us are alone anymore. It was a lot to celebrate. 🙂
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Thermometertree: A magic tree selected out of a forest
The big magic tree con continues. Take millions of trees and select a few that sort of match the temperature records and claim trees are magic thermometers. Never publish the data of the rejected trees. Collect grant money.
“So instead of a validation of the robustness of the data, or the robustness of the field, what we have is is a paper demonstrating the robust willingness of climate scientists to sell trickery as science for both money and for the cause. These authors should be ashamed but even when caught truncating series, they simply push on producing ever more garbage for the small brained sheep in the media, politics and the public to use as propaganda for the government agenda.” | <urn:uuid:84f8f6a0-8c03-4e09-a687-9968bc1d06ef> | https://sunshinehours.net/category/magic-trees/ | en | 0.885162 | 0.507547 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
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Updated: November 10, 2020 3:47 PM EST | Originally published: November 5, 2020 8:00 AM EST
One of the more surprising symptoms of COVID-19 has been the blood clots that many patients, including younger ones, have experienced with the infection. The clots have in some cases led to dangerous blockages in the lungs, caused strokes and even death, even in people without a history of circulatory conditions.
In a paper published in Science earlier this week, researchers provide a glimpse into what may be driving the clots triggered by COVID-19 infection. The group found that a specific set of antibodies known as autoantibodies—which are rogue versions of proteins meant to defend the body from pathogens, but instead attack its own cells (in this case the body’s own blood vessel cells)—may be partly responsible for the clotting risk associated with the disease. Among 172 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, they found that half produced these autoantibodies. In addition, when the scientists injected the autoantibodies into lab mice, the animals developed blood clots.
In April, the same group of scientists reported that the inflammation associated with COVID-19 can lead to clots in small vessels in the lungs, and that these clots are mostly packed with an immune cell known as a neutrophil. In COVID-19 patients, these neutrophils can explode inside small blood vessels, creating sticky molecular traps that attract other clotting factors circulating in the blood. “Evolutionarily, we think these are meant to trap things like bacteria or viruses,” says Yogen Kanthi, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan, investigator at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and one of the study’s authors. “But if [neutrophils] are over stimulated, they can also grow and cause blockages in blood vessels and drive blood clotting.” In that earlier study, Kanthi and his colleagues found that COVID-19 patients who had more of these “traps” in their blood system were more likely to have severe disease or respiratory failure.
“Inflammation begets clotting, and the clotting leads to more inflammation,” he says. “It becomes a relentless self-amplifying loop of inflammation and clotting that results in patients getting sicker.”
In their latest Science paper, the researchers found that the autoantibodies drive this cycle of inflammation and clotting. The autoantibodies found in the COVID-19 patients are the same ones doctors find in patients with an autoimmune disease called antiphospholipid syndrome, in which antibodies seed clots by attracting clotting factors that eventually block blood flow. Understanding how these antibodies contribute to clotting risk among patients with that syndrome led experts like Jason Knight, who study antiphospholipid disease, to anticipate similar clotting among COVID-19 patients. “By May, clotting was all anyone was talking about with COVID-19 patients,” says Knight, an associate professor of rheumatology at the University of Michigan and one of the study authors. “When we started doing autopsies, we saw microvascular clotting in the lungs.”
Such clotting in small vessels—sometimes too small to even pick up by CT scans—is one of the hallmarks of the blood flow blockages linked to COVID-19. Not only do patients develop so-called macrovascular clots in the bigger vessels including veins and arteries, which can lead to deep vein thrombosis and strokes, but infections also seem to sometimes trigger clots in the tiny vessels in the lungs—which can cause respiratory issues—and the autoantibodies may be the reason for that, since they can bind to blood vessel cells everywhere.
In fact, says Kanthi, COVID-19 can be seen as “an extreme version of a number of diseases, one of them being antiphospholipid syndrome.” That means that studying these patients could lead to better understanding of COVID-19 and how the coronavirus is contributing to clotting. To start, Knight is already studying one drug, dipyridamole, which is approved to treat strokes and prevent blood clots in people who receive mechanical heart valves, to see if it can reduce the risk of clotting in COVID-19 patients. The drug is relatively inexpensive and directly tamps down neutrophil activation, which may in turn reduce the formation of the hyperactive neutrophil traps in the vessels. The test for the autoantibodies is already available for doctors to order, so ultimately, says Knight, COVID-19 patients might be tested for their antibody levels and then triaged to receive more aggressive blood thinners or other medications such as dipyridamole, if it proves effective, to protect them from clotting.
The team is currently enrolling COVID-19 patients for the anti-clotting drug study, and could have answers by the end of the year, says Knight. Those findings could open new understanding into how viruses affect the body’s clotting processes; the fact that the body’s autoantibodies can trigger such widespread clotting is new, says Kanthi. “We knew antibodies like this can exist [from our knowledge of antiphospholipid syndrome] but no one ever looked to see if they can cause clotting.”
It’s not clear yet at what point during the infection these autoantibodies start to form, and what makes people more likely to generate them. Genetics, a person’s history of previous viral and bacterial infections, as well as the revved-up immune response launched by COVID-19 likely all contribute to that risk. But the fact that half of patients may generate these potentially clot-promoting antibodies means that better understanding what these risk factors are, and possibly identifying people who harbor them, may help them from experiencing a more severe and potentially deadly COVID-19 infection.
Correction, Nov. 10:
The original version of this story misstated the definition of autoantibodies. They are proteins, not cells.
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Are Their Side Effects of Being in Ketosis?
I’m often asked if there any side effects of being in ketosis? A big part of the ketogenic diet is entering ketosis, where your body produces ketones. Or you can drink them, which has been shown to be super helpful to both make them and take them.
When ketosis happens, you begin burning fat for energy, helping you to lose body fat at a more rapid pace. It isn’t always easy to know when you have reached ketosis.
There are definitely some side effects you can avoid and others you can prepare for now that you’re aware of them.
Flu-Like Symptoms – Side Effects of Being in Ketosis
Keto-flu is often the first thing people notice when they start a keto diet and first get into ketosis. It won’t happen to everyone, but if you notice you have flu-like symptoms and have been on keto for about a week or so, it could be that you are now entering ketosis.
Some of these symptoms might include dizziness and lightheadedness, hot flashes or cold sweats, muscle cramps, increased temperature, and feeling queasy.
Often times the symptoms are subtle, other times you feel like you can barely get up.
This is most often from not getting enough electrolytes while on keto, so luckily there is an easy remedy. Make sure you start taking Mito//Plex electrolytes daily before you start and you’ll likely not experience the Keto-Flu.
Mito//Plex & The Importance Electrolytes
The three important electrolytes you need to make sure you get while on keto are sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
With a traditional diet, the combination of food, particularly though higher in carbohydrates, give you enough of these electrolytes.
However, when you start reducing your carbs dramatically, combined with keto being a natural diuretic, it can cause the levels to be extremely low.
You are going to aim for more sodium than you normally would, which you get from salt. Try to get at least 5000mg of sodium per day.
With potassium, you want 1000 to 3000mg a day and at least 300mg of magnesium a day.
Instead of trying to create your own electrolyte recipe, just use Mito//Plex and get the best electrolytes on the market. You can learn more about Mito//Plex technology here.
Mitoplex Info Video
Getting Enough Sodium
Sodium is the most important electrolyte to focus on when you are on the keto diet. If you feel faint and lightheaded, this is a side effect of being in ketosis. Your sodium levels are getting too low.
The best way to cure this is by having more salt on a daily basis. Not only should you be salting your food, but you should try making an electrolyte drink.
This will allow you to add more salt, while also getting your minimum water intake at the same time.
You can use regular table salt, but Redmonds salt is preferred since it has other benefits as well. You can also get more sodium from broth and pickle juice.
Adding More Potassium
The next electrolyte you need more of is potassium. Mostly because you are no longer eating foods that would otherwise have increased the potassium level, like bananas.
However, you can still get your potassium with low-carb foods while on the ketogenic diet.
As long as you are following a balanced diet of meat and veggies, you’re probably getting enough.
Some of the top foods with potassium are kale (extremely high in oxalates), mushrooms, meat like pork, and avocados.
Most Of Us Are Deficient In Magnesium
There aren’t many foods you can eat on keto with enough magnesium, so the best option is to take Jigsaw magnesium supplements. Get one that has at least 300mg per tablet, and you might need to take up to 4 a day.
The best way to know if you’re taking too much magnesium is that your stools will become loose….then back off a bit.
Read my blog to learn about magnesium deficiencies from the leading expert in the world, Morley Robbins, aka The Mag Man, it’s very fascinating information.
Thirst and Frequent Urination
Being in ketosis is a natural diuretic, which means food and water are going to move more quickly through your digestive system.
You may notice that you are urinating and using the restroom much more often than you used to.
Sometimes you’ll be getting up more than once in the middle of the night.
It does subside a little bit, but having to urinate frequently while in ketosis is a good thing. Since you are urinating more often, expect to have more thirst as well.
Reduced Hunger and Cravings
A major benefit to ketosis is that your hunger and cravings are reduced, another reason you should stick to keto even if it is hard in the beginning.
Once you reach the stage when you notice you aren’t as hungry as you used to be and your sugar cravings are gone, that is usually a good indication that you are in ketosis.
The hunger can vary, from feeling like you are only hungry once a day, to just having slightly fewer cravings than on a normal day.
Decreased Energy for Some
While some people have more energy while on keto, others experience less. This fatigue is often just at the beginning of entering ketosis before your body adjusts to the changes.
Above all, don’t stress about getting in a lot of exercise during this time. Just stick to your diet and make sure you are getting your electrolytes.
Drink Pure Therapeutic Ketones Daily
ketones challenge transformations
10 day drink ketones challenge
Drinking KETO//OS NAT is diet independent, which means the keto diet is not required to enjoy the benefits, which is why this product works so well.
I know you might be thinking, are there any side effects of being in ketosis when drinking ketones only? The answer is no, pure therapeutic ketones cannot cause keto-flu.
I hope this blog article, “are there any side effects of being in ketosis” was helpful to you. Feel free to comment below and tell me some tips and tricks you use to get the most out of ketosis.
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The Pences' prophylactic approach to infidelity
Megan McArdle
I’m not sure what lesson I’m supposed to take away from the Washington Post’s revelation that Mike Pence does not dine with women alone, nor attend events where alcohol is served unless his wife is present.
Option A: That more enlightened people, with sound liberal values about sex and gender, have achieved such perfect rational control of their sex drives that they never find themselves attracted to colleagues, or falling into torrid affairs that began over a working dinner? No, wait, I’m quite sure that can’t be it.
Option B: That nice liberal people are OK with the evolution of such affairs, because hey, infidelity’s not a big deal? Maybe that is what some of the scoffers are saying, but I’m pretty sure that many of them would not be OK if their spouse came home and said “Oh, honey, by the way, I took my car into the shop, and I called the man about cleaning the gutters, and also, I spent a wild 12 hours in bed with Chris from accounting.”
Option C: That it’s weird to create structural guards against a temptation? Are we supposed to treat infidelity the way free solo climbers treat falls -- a risk to be sure, but one worth taking because safety precautions would be too cumbersome and dull? If so, I wonder what these same folks would say if Pence declined to attend alcohol-soaked evens sans-spouse, not because he was worried about impropriety (or the appearance thereof), but because he was an alcoholic who wanted to be sure he never faced temptation without her stalwart support. I suspect they wouldn’t be complaining about his antediluvian views on Demon Rum.
Eventually Pence’s critics seemed to settle on two reasonable-sounding arguments: that his rule against one-on-one dining with females other than his wife would structurally disadvantage women in his office political network and that his rules for himself were actually sexist demands on his wife, requiring Karen Pence to give up her own career and act as a chaperone.
On that second point, I can say only that I remember when it was the height of bad taste to have any opinion at all about what went on in someone else’s marriage -- for example, whether Hillary Clinton or Huma Abedin should have divorced their husbands for their sexual indiscretions. Back then, women of Karen Pence’s age were presumed to be adults, fully competent to decide what they were willing to endure in the course of their marriage. They were even entitled to do so without the unsolicited advice of several million unlicensed freelance marriage counselors. Has that edict now been rescinded? Or did it only ever apply to the spouses of Democratic politicians?
The other objection is more serious. Having once worked at a place where a lot of client bonding went on at strip clubs -- outings at which I would have felt unwelcome, to say the least -- I am fully cognizant of how these sorts of structural barriers can hamper a career. “If Pence won't eat with a woman alone, how could a woman be Chief of Staff, or lawyer, campaign manager …” asked Mother Jones editor Clara Jeffery on Twitter. “Would Pence dine with Ivanka? Or KellyAnne? Or are they too relegated to second class citizens … I don't know/care if Pences have weird hangups. I do care if women are being denied jobs and opportunities, and that some normalize this. Has Pence in his career had a woman high up in any campaign, administration, private practice, radio show or think-tank?"
These are reasonable questions. The thing is, they have answers. And those answers seem to include a fair number of female staffers doing things other than fetching coffee. Who do not necessarily think that Pence’s rules are holding them back.
That’s not to say that rules like this couldn’t create structural sexism: They obviously can. But the threat of this particular instance was instantly inflated to dire imaginary proportions without stopping to check the reality. Meanwhile, Pence’s critics busily played down or ignored the actual threats posed when politicians have affairs with people they meet through work. These affairs seem sadly common, on both sides of the aisle. And of course workplace affairs are unfair to the majority of employees who do not sleep with the boss. If you're on the alert for threats to workplace equality, you might give the Pences' rule a second chance.
So if we really needed to have a “national discussion” about the Pences' marriage, then the right question to ask was not “Could this potentially cause some harm to some woman’s career?” Any number of choices made by anyone powerful, like what hobbies and interests to pursue, may impact the ability of others to connect and network with them. Should powerful people be required to enjoy only hobbies that are equally favored by men and women?
The right question is: “Are the potential harms to women employees large enough, and sufficiently resistant to amelioration, that they justify overruling the politician’s interest in avoiding impropriety, or even the appearance thereof?” And the discussion that results seems much more likely to be fruitful than “Ewwww, yuck, patriarchy!”
I think people felt that Pence's rule was sexist because it violated a taboo that has been around since Women’s Lib: the ban on acknowledging that sex does not always stay where we would like to neatly confine it. We are supposed to tacitly assume that once we’re finally all educated to the right sexual norms, ambiguity and confusions will magically wither away, inappropriate relationships will never happen, and we’ll all live happily ever after.
In the real world, if you throw men and women together unsupervised, ambiguity and confusions and inappropriate relationships will happen. That's OK; the benefits of having both men and women in the workforce outweigh the risks. But it is not sexist to notice that in an economy once dominated by men, these risks grow along with women's sexual and economic freedom. Nor is it sexist for a man or a woman to want to limit exposure to temptation.
Megan McArdle is a Bloomberg View columnist. | <urn:uuid:ffcb9164-ff4e-413f-929b-46e0b732ae40> | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/2017/04/03/pences-prophylactic-approach-infidelity/99992250/ | en | 0.974486 | 0.035534 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
14 August 2015 - Dave Jackson
Screen Resolution Explained
Updated July 2020
One of the most common things I get asked about by clients is why a website might not look the same on different screens. Its something that I have always found challenging to explain in a simple and concise way. I understand the subject in great detail but I often struggle to articulate it in a way that a non-technical person can understand. So I’m using this blog post to try and work out a way of explaining screen resolution without losing you in the second paragraph.
To understand resolution you need to understand how a screen works. Screens are made up of thousands of tiny dots all bunched together called pixels, each one has the ability to change colour and when you zoom out all the dots joined together make up an image.
Screen resolution is the measure of the number of pixels a screen can display. This would be measured by width and height. For example, a screen that has 1,024 pixels horizontally, and 768 vertically would have a resolution of 1,024 x 768.
These days we have many different screens sizes all with different resolutions – TV’s, desktop monitors, laptops, tablets, mobile phones and even smart watches. Its a mine field.
Forget the physical size of a screen
So the first thing you need to understand about resolution is that the physical size of a screen bares no relation to the screens resolution. You can have a 27” HD TV screen that has a resolution of 1,440 x 1,080 pixels or a 5.8” phone that has a higher resolution of 2436 x 1125. Whats important is the number of pixels the screen can display.
You may have a 27” Dell display and I have a 27” LG display, they can have different resolutions. The Dell display has a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 and the LG display has a 5k resolution of 5,120 x 2,880. While they both have the same physical size the LG display has more pixels so it can show more detail.
Your website
So this is where it becomes relevant to most people who ask about computer monitors. Most websites we design have a maximum width of about 1,900 pixels — if your screen has a larger pixel width than 1,900 you may see blank space to the left and right of our website depending how how the site was coded. If your screen has a width lower than 1,900 you won’t see any space on the left and right.
The screenshots below show our website on 2 different displays. The top one has a high resolution of 1,900 x 1,069 and below is a smaller 1,024 x 768 display. You can see the top screen shows about 45% more website real estate and the website has blank space on the left and right as the site was designed to work on maximum width of 1,500 pixels. The lower resolution monitor has less real estate to display information and the website adapts to the lower width of 1,024. (I don’t want to over complicate things by going into responsive websites but you can read more about that here in Jonno’s post from a while back)
There’s more?
Now, if the year was 2010 we could leave it there, simple right? Well things have changed, and I encourage you not to read on if you are already confused, the previous paragraph is probably all most people need to understand. I’m going to ramble on because I’m a bit geeky like that.
Pixel density has now been thrown into the mix. Until recently most screens would display 72 dots per inch or DPI but now we have screens with a much higher pixel density, for example the iPhone 6 has has a pixel density of over 400 DPI, this is what is known as a Hi-DPI or Retina screens, a marketing term coined by Apple because the human eye is not be able to discern the individual pixels at a normal viewing distance.
The goal of Retina or Hi-DPI displays is to allow a highly crisp display of text and images, allowing computer screens to rival the smooth curves and sharpness of printed text and photography. Hi-DPI monitors are stunning and a pleasure to work on.
They are not just available on smartphones but higher end Mac’s and PC’s now come with Hi-DPI monitors. Everything looks so smooth and clear but it also means as web designers we need to output higher resolution and vector graphics to take advantage of the extra pixels.
We could go into 4k & 8k TV’s but I think its best we don’t dig too deep or everyone will just get upset.
So did I explain screen resolution in a concise and easy to understand way? Maybe not, I’m starting to wonder if that is possible. | <urn:uuid:502ccf5e-907d-40b5-bad2-d0cdb36c1e34> | https://www.friday.ie/blog/screen-resolution-explained/ | en | 0.947702 | 0.294685 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Calm down Arsenal – Even Mourinho thinks we were unlucky!!
Why Arsenal fans should be proud not angry about Chelsea match! by Sam P
I really think that some Arsenal fans have lost their perspective a little bit. Losing faith with Arsene Wenger and the Arsenal players because we lost an away game at the strongest team in the Premier League? Really? Look Gooners, I know that a lot of you will disagree with me and call me all kinds of Wenger loving names, but this is my honest opinion.
Arsenal were a million miles better at Chelsea this time than we were last season, which was admittedly a humiliation. So can we not look at this as a big improvement rather than seeing it as just another failure? Because one man who does recognise that the Gunners were a different animal is Jose Mourinho and I think he is more relieved than triumphant about the result. Don’t believe me? Well listen to his comments to Sky Sports after the game.
The way things are between the managers, Mourinho is never going to give us any praise or say that we were unlucky, but his comments about the game say it for him. He said that we started better, had more of the ball, that we were a very good Arsenal and crucially, for me, was that Mourinho identified that the first goal was the turning point.
Let’s be realistic, Arsenal fans, and admit that bit of skill from Eden Hazard was top quality, but we have seen that from the likes of Jack Wilshere and Alexis Sanchez. And if we had scored first it would have been a very different affair, with Welbeck’s pace and our creative ability on the counter attack coming in to play rather than having to batter against the Chelsea bus.
It seems clear to me from Mourinho’s words that he knows that the game could easily have gone the other way and he knows that Arsenal were unlucky. But these tight games are often decided by very fine margins. It did not quite go for us on Sunday but on another day it would have. Can we not just be happy that Arsenal were much better than last season in that sort of clash and that Arsene Wenger did change his tactics and nearly surprised everyone who did not really give us a chance? No it is much easier to call the manager a stubborn fool and label our players not good enough. Nice one Arsenal fans.
Tags Chelsea Wenger
1. Matt says:
Our players are just so f*cking weak, no toughness about them at all, always injured or getting injured, either they’re just little delicate flowers or Wenger doesn’t train them properly, it’s one of the two.
1. ArnSam says:
2b honest i was impressed for our overall performance bar scoring/creating goals…but the truth was ivanovic’s double boot tackle on Sanchez was a straight red card, oscars fouls were too many to only get a yellow card not to mention fabregas’ hand ball in the penalty area…so as far as am concerned the referee decided this match.
1. muffdiver says:
zzzz yawn we were outclassed by a better team and a better manager- accept it and move on
2. mike says:
that was that jerk cahill with the double footed tackle at the 19th minute prior to the pk that was a clear red and the cause of wenger scuffling w mo bc he though mo put a bounty on alexis (and judging by the rest of the tackles on him all game, i bet he did). and the pk resulted bc alexis was momentarily caught sleeping, as he could’ve easily stepped in and one touched a pass away from ivanovic off the quick gibbs fk that would’ve avoided the next cause of the pk, which was chambers and cazorla watching rather than standing in front of hazard. kos was just the fall man. i think it was more a case of especially bad defensive play than it was great inspirational attacking play. that said, i won’t completely undermine hazard’s determination and drive to take the ball in the way he did.
2. Gunner T says:
Does anyone have a screwdriver I can borrow? I need to…..SCREW this article!!!!.
Yes, SCREW this article.
2. legend256 says:
Ozil out for 3 freakin months!! watch us struggle..
1. PaddyNPardy says:
He hasn’t been of much use lately if we are to be completely honest, massive shame though
1. th14 says:
Just like when walcott went down people are going to start realising how important he is in our team.
1. rd_gunner says:
the flank versus cam debate is now closed for 3 months. Feel sorry for him but i don’t see him sticking around beyond this season anyway! Lets give cazorla a decent run in the cam role.
2. he’s being played out of position! i know he should be able to play on the wings, but we’ve seen that he can’t! but Wenger still plays him there! whose fault is that? Wenger keeps playing him on the damn wings!
2. Budd says:
I think we struggled even with him in the ranks. Sorry to hear that but I’d rather have a fit Debuchy and Ramsey. if I could trade the injuries that is.
3. vijaygunner says:
will we ever get to see ozil creating through balls for theo ?!
3. Matt says:
And now that’s Ozil and Giroud and Debuchy long term injuries, absolutely abysmal, no other team in the world I think of has this many injury problems, at least their players train properly and have some strength about them, f*cking pathetic nonces.
1. Ks-Gunner says:
I feel srry for him, but the Cm poz is something we can cover with ease. Santi is there and Jack is also not playing bad. Actually he is playing fantastic. Walnut will be back aswell. 4th place trophy wont be a problem this year again.
1. NY_Gunner says:
Jack playin fantastic? What you smokin buttfuzz?
2. Budd says:
Are you by any chance assisting to Arsenal trainings? Because you look very confident regarding the manner they do it.
Personally I am fed up with all these being shoved on Wenger’s throat. Whatever goes wrong is his fault. Debuchy fell bad on his foot.Bang! Wenger at fault. Walcott slid up training to pick the ball, bang! Wenger fu cked it up. Giroud getting the knock bang! Wenger should have left already. Ozil getting a tough treatment at the bridge it is Wenger the villain. Ramsey getting the knock against Andorra bang goes Wenger. Should I go on?
1. rd_gunner says:
Ok let me rephrase the “problem statement” for you..which manager have u seen who when in charge has seen so many injuries season after season. Now if the manager like wenger controls everything in the club then who do u blame?
I have been following arsenal for the last 12 years and the injury curse hits us every season- every damn season! someone has to be responsible right? It is Arsene’s fu***ing job to figure it out ! That’s what people are saying! Makes sense?
1. Budd says:
We are not the only ones being hit by injuries. In the last 12 years (which is a blatant lie btw) we did not had the squad depth so that we go on with the injuries and the problem got exacerbated. Wenger could also just kick out the injured players and buy something else instead (like RvP) yet he kept them. Some of them confirmed after the injury, some didn’t.
But to make Wenger responsible of team injuries when we see in front of our eyes how that happens is like blaming the beheaded journalists in the Middle East for their death.
He is there because he’s doing his job, anyone else would have the same problem.
Wenger is not a medic/physician, what the fu ck is he to figure out?
No, you don’t make sense at all.
1. Jimbeam says:
Budd get your ass head out of Wenger’s ass buddy and smell the roses instead
2. rd_gunner says:
wy do u single out RVP? Yes he and diaby may be the poster boys of injury laden arsenal players- Fabregas almost always was out for a month or 2 when he was here- Rosicky almost for a year or 2 may be? Eduardo? Wilshere ramsey, and the list is on. It is not the length of thhe injuries but how frequently people keep getting injured!
And why people hold wenger responsible is because he literally owns everything that goes on in the club! how can he go on for a decade and not smell that smthing was wrong with the medical stuff. why does it take 10 years to make a change? No one is saying wenger is a physician but he is the one with him the buck stops!
4. Ks-Gunner says:
Relax. Moro thinks Wenger is a specialist in failuare. Hahaha. I am happy ( not rlly ) that Ozil is out. Now some deluded facks amongst us will get the chance to see that some certain players are not at faul for our latest poor games.
5. Tuhin says:
Very much upset with the last match result now ozil, sure something is wrong. Look at almost 2/3rd of the 1st team players are injured and at this rate we wont be able to put 11 players in the pitch. and we Need a personal Hospital for our players. When the transfer window comes hope we buy a CB and CDM.
6. REiGN says:
It’s official, we are definitely cursed. Won’t be surprised if we have no more players left.
1. th14 says:
With our luck imagine thinking we can make it january with 6 defenders looool we are f*cked.
7. 007 says:
Sad to hear about Ozil, come back stronger and better lad!!!
Carzola, Wilshere, and TR7 time for you guys to step up and prove your worth now that Ozil’s injury has opened up spot in the starting 11.
Injuries and Arsenal are tight and united together like a door and a door frame. Sad reality for our club, if this was a competition our trophy cabinet would be so full we would keep some trophies at Wenger’s home.
8. dboy says:
Nevermind us been better than Chelsea. I don’t agree with that anyway. I can’t remember the last time we beat Man utd. Damn! And Moyes was there last season. Couldn’t even take advantage of that. Really sucks.
9. dutti_S says:
With so many first team injuries the result wasn’t really in question. Apart from a few great individual plays from Chel$ki and two defensive mishaps from Koscielny it could have easily been a draw. We stood up to Matic and Cesc well but our transitional game was very poor. I saw more bad passes than interceptions and the ball always seemed to run away from us in final third of the pitch. We didn’t play very well, but that being said we did have spurts where we created legitimate chances. As usual my biggest gripe with this Arsenal side are their finishing and shots on goal. We just don’t pressure the opposing keeper enough, especially with one reflex shots and long distance attempts. If we were more clinical in front of the goal our midfield wouldn’t be feeling all the pressure.
And now that Ozil will be out for a few months Ox can finally get a consistant start and maybe Campbell can get into the fold. Theo will be back as well and I for one think that he and Giroud are the two most important attacking entities we have. It’s a fact that when Walcott plays we are a much better team.
10. PaddyNPardy says:
It’s a pain, We did play better than we did last year, though should we rejoice at Mourinho saying that it was a hard game? It should be a hard game! Arsenal is one of the top teams in the world, any team, even Madrid, Bayern or Barca should find some difficulty in playing us. To compete at the top we have to start winning such games, it’s always the small things that define such games, but we need make sure that those small things go in our favour.
11. Sumo says:
Just read the BBC report regarding Mesut. This was a perfect time to boost up his stats namely assists and goals.
So easy run of fixtures that surely he would have some nice confidence booster.
It’s really depressing.
1. muffdiver says:
agreed, an with theo coming back mesut could have really built something with him.
so many injuries- coincidental? i think not watson- the game is afoot!!
2. rd_gunner says:
The stars simply ain’t aligned for ozil and arsenal !
12. th14 says:
Only explanation for ozils injury is that the football gods are punishing wenger for not resigning Cesc.
Now we have no rambo and no ozil.
And its ligament damage, you dont get these injuries through poor fitness its just badluck.
How can ozil, giroud and walcott all do their ligaments in less than a year. Its a joke.
Theres alot of problems at our club but our consistent bad luck doesn’t help, i mean we had 3 leg breaks (sagna, ramsey and eduardo) in the space of 4 years. Where else does that happen other than arsenal…
1. Budd says:
Giroud is having a fracture and Ozil a knee joint rupture. Only Walcott had a ligament problem. But I assume it was Wenger at fault again.
1. NIKK says:
Yes all injuries start with players tripping over Mr Wengers wallet in the dressing. Wish he would have his back pocket enlarged to accommodate the fat wallet!
2. th14 says:
Did u read what i wrote or just saw the name wenger and got butthurt?
1. Budd says:
Actually the trigger was the word “ligaments”. I couldn’t care less if you are bashing Wenger as this is pretty common on this site. Flexx.
2. rd_gunner says:
We anyways don’t need cesc- we have enough players there to finish 4th!
13. HA559 says:
Stingy Arsenal owners and board members probably don’t even have machines to scan for injury, that is why we see this many injuries. Why couldn’t Arsenal medical team notice Ozil injury before or after the Chelsea game?
1. Budd says:
Yes because the clubs buy MRI machines instead going to the nearest lab. Can you be more pathetic?
1. HA559 says:
I’m not talking that, I’m talking about the medical centre and the machines in there. It’s like they don’t work. If they worked they would show you an abnormal result or pattern in the player fitness or what ever data they are caluclating or scanning for that would show them this. If Ozil said he wasn’t feeling right, they should;ve tested him there and then after the Chelsea game and then go and do whatever test is need wherever to confirm if there is anything more. Atleast with the German national team he gets that.
1. Budd says:
Game was on Sunday afternoon and Ozil left for Germany the same evening. What the hell are you talking about? How should the staff know if Ozil is not reporting any problem ? If there was ANY problem on Sunday. It is Wednesday and Ozil is with Germany since the beginning of the week. Do you hear yourself talking?
1. HA559 says:
It doesn’t matter if the Problem occurred Sunday, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday My first comment is a generalization of all injuries. I;m talking about the machines in my first comment and wether they are not able to detect fall in fitness level and all the other things they monitor. It could be something from earlier on gone unnoticed, that is why I’m relating the machines and Ozil in my first comment.
1. Budd says:
Your first comment is about how we should buy a MRI machine to be installed in the dressing room. Why not a metal detector? That one does not need specialized staff. Stop talking rubbish.
2. th14 says:
Because ozil didnt report the discomfort
14. HA559 says:
Back to this article.
I would’ve been happy if we had shots on goal. It’s been a common problem against Chelsea and Manu, where we don’t get shots on target in those games. Atleast against City and Liverpool we get goals. But against the former two, its always been about lack of scoring goals against them.
Chelsea will come to the Emirates later on in the season and play exactly like how they ended the game at the weekend. Wait for Arsenal to slowly push up and then score a goal like they did with their 2nd goal of that game on the counter attack. they couldn’t do coutner attack in the first 30 minutes of the game against Arsenal, we kept a good shape and midfielders defended well. It was only after we conceded they had one chance on counter. Then in the second half from 65minutes our defence pushed up, that was when they did counter attacks. If we still kept discipline and same defensive line we could’ve still been in that game in the 90minute mark into stoppage time, because they wouldn’t have scored a second goal.
1. rd_gunner says:
we would still have lost 1-0 and that would still be 3 points lost !
15. Mick The Gooner says:
Özil injured. Massive loss. But let’s not pretend Cazorla isn’t a fantastic CAM too. We can manage without Özil.
But we shouldn’t have to ‘manage without’ players. When’s the last time Arsenal played their best starting eleven, where every player on the pitch is first choice without injuries? Around last November? Strange that. Coincidentally, we were 7 points clear at the top of the league last November.
When’s the last time Man City played their best starting 11, with no injuries? Last weekend… And Chelsea? Last weekend…
We cannot progress much further as a club until our injury problems are addressed. Yes, ligament injuries are largely bad luck, however there are ways to train so that ligaments can be strengthened, or maybe weakened – perhaps we are training wrong. Or perhaps having Debuchy, Arteta, Giroud, Walcott and now Özil all out with ligament injuries is just coincidence and bad luck. Not to mention Diaby just coming back from a ligament injury also…
I’m no sport scientist, but we must be doing something wrong. Surely it can’t be all bad luck.
1. you’re right, but that’s the thing though – we thought we addressed this issue with the new medical staff! So why are our players still getting injured? We won’t progress with all these injuries like you said. By the end of the month we will prob hear about another new injury.
16. kaacha1 says:
Better is not good enough!
17. So without Ozil this is could be us upfront:
Ox —— Santi/Wilshere——Alexis
—— Danny Boy —–
Doesn’t look too bad to me.
18. Robin Vanpayslip says:
I miss Ozil already 🙁 🙁 🙁
1. Budd says:
Hehehehe, your wish to free Ozil was granted. I bet sooner than you expected.
1. Robin Vanpayslip says:
This just traps him
19. Trudeau says:
So to all those moaning we have no depth, here’s our possible line-up with 5-6 starters out. Szczesney, Gibbs, Chambers, PER, Kos, Flamini, Wilshire, Carloza, Sanchez, Ox and Welbeck. Reserves — Ospina, Monreal, Coquelin, Podolski, Campbell and TR7. Not bad for a team with no depth but clearly we are very, very fortunate that the injuries haven’t happened yet to our CBs.
20. ruelando says:
Really sorry to hear about the Ozil injury, he probably would have enjoyed a run of good form in these less pressured games coming up. I hope he does some strength training while on the recovery path, we should e well lace in all competitions by time he is back to give his outstanding contributions.
Imagine we have two outstanding midfielders out but we are still well equipped in that position, pity that can not be said for DM and CB
21. captinweestain says:
WTF is going on.
The only posisitve is that Man u have no defenders (another injury), how come Chelski never get injuries.
This club is becoming a joke, plahuged with long term injuries that cost us every FACKING season.
I’m beyond pi$$ed off.
Maureen can jog on as well fat C8nt, who gives a f’ what he thinks.
1. Budd says:
Because Chelski does not have to attack in order to win. The moment they have to do it Costa gets a hamstring injury.
22. captinweestain says:
And whats with sll the ads, it takes me half an hour to close them down, if i can.I
t’s hard enough being a Gooner without all these shite ads.
Not having a good day
1. Budd says:
Then go somewhere else. Easy fix. Or have a drink, a joint whatever floats your boat.
23. Ronny331 says:
Our injury situation is beyond a fookin joke now, wtf id going on? 7 games in and its not liked we’ve just battled stoke! #someones always injured at the Emirates.
24. LoCkAy says:
Personally I choose to believe the German Football Association.
Arsenal incompetence regarding players fitness and health is now legendary.
Apparently Ozil even played injured against Chelsea.
The German FA are now making inquiries on their own in order to ask Arsenal for compensations…!!
So Ozil out… Here is Wilshere as our main number 10 (Welcome back to earth…!!)
The season could have not been more f*cked up.
The lack of transparency and professionalism at Arsenal is just flagrant and pathetic to experience.
Koscielny is now undergoing “private” sessions with the physio of the French Federation in order to minimise the impact of his injury…!!
25. Ronny331 says:
We need to change the bloody grass on the training ground or something before our new signings become cursed! !
26. LoCkAy says:
I don’t call that being unlucky.
Over years and years, seasons after seasons, we cannot call that “bad luck”, but systematic and compulsory incompetence.
This club is run like a back of the office business when it comes to football/sports matters.
27. Ronny331 says:
@lockay. If true this is embarrassing and again smacks of amateur incompetence!
28. LoCkAy says:
Every signings we had for the last 5 years (not many, I know), none of them has shined… As a matter of fact, most of them are getting or becoming worse players as soon as they hit the Arsenal training ground under the watchful eyes of one of the most overrated manager in world football…!!!
29. LoCkAy says:
Wilshere has that “local boy” thing going for him (since Arsenal has not really been producing anything exceptional as players) and Wenger obviously rely on him a lot since he is one of his “findings” (youth disastrous policy)…
Another manager would not give a thought about playing Wilshere or making him first team… it would not just happen… Under Wenger so many overvalued and less than average players have grasses and worn the Arsenal shirt… It is disturbing!
30. mystic says:
So let me get this clear, we no longer assess ourselves on results, but on performances?
Arsenal lost because there was a distinct lack of tactics. The worst player on the pitch was still there after 3 substitutions, what the hell was that all about? Where was the ambition to get goals? Was there simply a fear of conceding too more – did the ‘white flag’ get hoisted?
31. CouchCoach says:
Dunno what Wilshere you looking at bud? I see a skilful lad who plays a direct game at pace. Always tripping over defenders because they HAVE to trip him or he will get past them. He had a good passing game too.
32. marc.overmars says:
i was thinking that shad forsythe was bought there to prevent this kind of injuries… its worst than ever… and wenger thank you for everything but zou must go… we need someone younger who have ideas…. between him and mourinho there is no competition mourinho is miles better coach than mr.wenger, how can you call it competition when mourinho always whoop his ass….
33. GabiAudrey says:
No, I think ozil is cursed. Perfect chance to build up a partnership with Theo racing Walcott. poor dear ozil.
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The Science of Gut Sensory Modulation (GSM)
The Science of Gut Sensory Modulation (GSM)
GSM is an emerging science, discovered by scientists who observed and studied hormonal changes that occur following gastric bypass surgery, specifically, higher levels of the hormones GLP-1 and PYY. These hormones, released by intestinal L-cells, act as satiety signals to the brain. GSM targets L-cells in the lower gut with natural ingredients to produce a wide range of beneficial effects.
Bariatric surgery which results in satiety, weight loss, and amelioration of type 2 diabetes, also dramatically enhances gut hormone secretion. This hormone enhancement is a result of delivering nutrients to the lower bowel a region of the gut where hormone secreting L-cells are most abundant. Gut hormones are known to mediate many of the beneficial effects of gastric bypass surgery.
Additionally, new evidence suggests that nutrient-driven gut hormone secretion can be augmented by non-nutritive agonists to nutrient chemosensory (taste) receptors located in the intestine. Taste receptors are chemosensory receptors that transmit and convey the perception of taste for bitter, sweet, umami, salt and sour. The same taste receptors located on the tongue also exist in other organs including the lung and gut epithelium. Targeting intestinal taste receptors on L cells with non-nutritive agonists to augment meal-driven gut hormone secretion is a novel approach to manage bodyweight. Taste receptor agonists can exert biological and pharmacologic actions without being absorbed into the bloodstream, thus reducing the potential for off-target side-effects. This more natural approach to the management of healthy bodyweight represents an attractive opportunity for continuing research.
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If You Want to Control Your Weight, Get Your Hormones Working FOR You!
Your weight is largely controlled by hormones. Here are some of the more important hormones that control weight, as well as some things you can do to get them working for you. This is a quick read to help you stop the “blood sugar overload” and start to lose weight!
Insulin/Glucagon Cycle – The Blood Sugar Balancers
Insulin and glucagon are two hormones produced in the pancreas that work together to balance blood sugar.
Insulin allows your cells to utilize blood sugar (glucose) to fuel your body. When the amount of sugar in your blood is more than your body needs, the excess is stored in the liver and muscle in the form of glycogen and in fat cells in the form of triglycerides.
When your blood sugar is low (due to fasting or simply eating fewer carbs), glucagon causes the liver and muscle to convert the stored glycogen into glucose. Glucagon also acts on fat tissue to stimulate the breakdown of fat stores.
Insulin and glucagon are critical for maintaining a healthy blood sugar level. Think of them almost as a see-saw – one rises and the other falls in order to balance your blood sugar.
Here’s how the see-saw can become unbalanced. Some individuals who have a condition called Metabolic Syndrome over time develop a resistance to insulin’s effects. With Metabolic Syndrome, insulin becomes less effective at doing its job. This leads to the blood sugar rising higher and higher. Over time, Metabolic Syndrome worsens, and the blood sugar becomes chronically high. This leads to the serious long-term health problem of Type II Diabetes. What is even worse is that the increased blood sugar “overflow” leads to excess sugar being stored as fat – so the cycle of worsening blood sugar and weight gain becomes very difficult to stop once it starts.
The good news is that changing a few eating habits can have a big effect. Avoiding sugar, refined carbohydrates and fast food helps reduce the blood sugar “overflow” and reduces insulin levels as well. When insulin is low, fat storage declines. And remember the see-saw of insulin and glucagon? Low insulin and low blood sugar are then associated with a rise in glucagon, causing your body to start mobilizing sugar from stored glycogen and fat – leading to weight loss!
This is the basis for our recommendation to reduce your overall consumption of carbohydrates to approximately 100 grams per day….and try to eat mostly healthy carbs, avoiding the unhealthy ones. Doing this gets the see-saw tilting in your favor in your efforts to lose weight.
GLP-1 and PYY – The “Stay-Full-Longer” Hormones
Anti-hunger hormones GLP-1 and PYY are produced by L-cells that line your intestines. Eating food naturally stimulates the release of these two important hormones. GLP-1 and PYY delay gastric emptying (the time it takes for food to leave your stomach, keeping you full longer) leading to a decreased desire to eat.
GLP-1 and PYY have other anti-hunger effects, too. GLP-1 helps reduce blood sugar, decreasing the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes. PYY activates areas of the brain that lessen hunger and increase feelings of fullness.
LOVIDIA’s unique blend of ingredients is designed to increase the body’s natural production of these hormones. The time-release formula delivers a proprietary blend of ingredients directly to the lower intestine where L-cells are most dense.
Ghrelin – The “I’m Hungry” Hormone
Ghrelin is another important “hunger hormone.” When your stomach is empty, it releases ghrelin, which sends a message to your brain telling you to eat. When the stomach is stretched full, ghrelin levels will drop, which signals us to stop eating. However, studies have shown that when people suffering from obesity eat, ghrelin doesn’t drop as much as it does in people of normal weight. When ghrelin levels remain high, the brain doesn’t receive a strong enough signal to stop eating, which is why weight gain and obesity can get much worse over time.
How can you reduce your ghrelin? Studies have shown that protein is probably the most effective nutrient at reducing ghrelin levels. Therefore, ensuring adequate protein with all meals and snacks can be highly effective.
Cortisol – The “Emotional-Eating” Hormone
Cortisol is a hormone released by the adrenal glands to help your body deal with stressful situations. Your brain triggers cortisol release in response to many kinds of stress and our levels naturally rise and fall. But when we are under high levels of stress on a constant basis, then cortisol hurts more than it helps. Over time, high cortisol levels raise blood pressure and blood sugar levels. High cortisol can also disrupt sleep, negatively impact mood, reduce your energy level, and increase appetite and fat storage – all negative effects when you’re trying to control your weight.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can reduce your cortisol levels. Here are some of the most important ones:
• Get the right amount of sleep
• Learn relaxation techniques (e.g., deep breathing, yoga, meditation)
• Avoid stressful situations
• Reduce sugar consumption
Cholecystokinin (CCK) – The Other “Stay-Full-Longer” Hormone
CCK is a hormone produced by I-cells in the upper small intestine. CCK reduces gastric acid secretion, increases bile acid production in the liver, delays gastric emptying and stimulates digestive enzyme production in the pancreas. When CCK is high, we slow down our eating – so high CCK levels may be a good thing from a weight-loss perspective. Eating fat has the most powerful effect on CCK, followed by protein and fiber.
As you have now learned, the proper functioning of hormones is critical to control your weight and avoid serious lifestyle diseases. Fortunately, you don’t have to become a hormone ‘expert’ to get them working for you. The LOVIDIA Way’s unique emphasis on helping your hormones work FOR you can help you lose weight, lower blood sugar, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure and even avoid lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
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Live the LOVIDIA Way!
Live the LOVIDIA Way!
Finally, a sustainable and simple way to manage eating that your body will love!
After years of research and human testing, the LOVIDIA Way has emerged as a clinically-proven way to lose weight. It’s not a fad diet, or a calorie counting diet. The LOVIDIA Way combines the use of LOVIDIA products with reduced-carb eating and intermittent fasting to help you lose weight and improve important indicators of metabolic and cardiovascular health.
LOVIDIA products are designed to enhance the release of beneficial anti-hunger hormones GLP-1 and PYY.
Understanding how your body reacts to food is a science in itself. Let’s break down how LOVIDIA works on a hormonal level. LOVIDIA is designed to increase the natural production of anti-hunger hormones GLP-1 and PYY.
These two hormones delay gastric emptying (the time it takes for food to leave your stomach, keeping you full longer) leading to a decreased desire to eat. Along with reducing your hunger, GLP-1 also helps reduce blood sugar, decreasing the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes. PYY, in addition to delaying gastric emptying, activates areas of the brain that lessen hunger and increase feelings of fullness.
Amplify your results with a reduced-carb diet to lower blood sugar and insulin levels which helps block fat storage.
In addition to a boost in GLP-1 from LOVIDIA, our bodies’ production of GLP-1 is increased when carbs are reduced. GLP-1 production is further enhanced by eating anti-inflammatory foods (such as nuts, olive oil, avocados) rather than foods that increase inflammation (such as sugars, processed foods, and white flour). Research has shown that chronic inflammation is at the root of most diseases so eating low-carb, anti-inflammatory foods can improve your overall health.
Additionally, by reducing daily carbs, you’ll naturally be eating more protein and fats which increase satiety. A reduced-carb diet in combination with the hunger control boost from LOVIDIA means you don’t need to worry about how much you’re eating…in other words, there’s no need to count calories. Our advice is simple: eat when you’re hungry (during your intermittent fasting eating window) and stop when you’re comfortably full. Sounds too good to be true, but with LOVIDIA your excessive hunger should no longer be an issue; the biggest potential obstacle to avoid is mindless eating due to emotional and/or social triggers.
Intermittent Fasting (IF) can also lower blood sugar and insulin levels and help you lose weight in an extremely flexible and sustainable way.
Our trifecta is being able to truly adopt intermittent fasting which adds to the beneficial effects of LOVIDIA and carb reduction. What we love about IF is that it is flexible and forgiving. During periods of fasting, levels of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) go up (as much as 5-fold) and insulin levels go down. HGH is produced by the pituitary gland and helps to regulate your body composition, muscle and bone growth, and fat metabolism. Additional IF health benefits include reducing insulin resistance, as well as chronic inflammation and many of the risk factors associated with heart disease. Lowering blood sugar, a healthier heart, weight loss, are you seeing a trend here? Well, clinical studies are underway to investigate the potential benefit of IF for cancer and Alzheimer’s prevention. Intermittent fasting may even help you live longer!
And it doesn’t stop there, intermittent fasting and reducing carbs both lower insulin and lower insulin drives the body towards fat-burning mode. Fat burning (i.e., fat reduction), takes place when your body takes fatty acids from your stored fat and converts them to ketones (a process known as ketosis). Ketones then fuel your cells instead of glucose from carbohydrates. Fasting also leads to an increase in the hormone norepinephrine in the bloodstream which is an important regulator of fat metabolism.
The proof is not in the pudding but rather in a simple process. In a 13-week LOVIDIA Way clinical study using LOVIDIA in combination with intermittent fasting, the results were outstanding. Participants lost an average of 14 pounds and lowered their blood sugar levels, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. And most importantly, LOVIDIA helped participants stay on their IF schedule by controlling hunger during their fasting periods.
If you are already taking LOVIDIA to manage your daily hunger, we hope we have convinced you to take the next step and try the LOVIDIA Way. LOVIDIA plus a reduced-carb diet, and intermittent fasting are the perfect combo to manage your weight and improve your health.
Live the LOVIDIA Way, and LOV a healthier you!
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It’s time to bury the world’s most misleading measure…the calorie!
The most common advice you receive when you want to lose weight is to cut calories. The problem with that simple advice is that all calories are not equal.
The calorie as a scientific measurement is not in dispute. A calorie of carbohydrate and a calorie of protein both have the same amount of stored energy, so they perform identically in an oven.
The calorie counts that you see printed on food labels are based on how much heat a foodstuff gives off when it burns in an oven. But the human body is far more complex than an oven. When food is burned in a laboratory it surrenders its calories within seconds. By contrast, the real-life journey from dinner plate to toilet bowl takes on average about 24 hours but can range from eight to 80 hours depending on the person.
Besides the differing speeds that calories journey through our bodies, each of us processes calories differently. Research studies have shown that when different people consume the same meal, the impact on a person’s blood sugar and fat formation will vary according to their genes, lifestyle, mix of gut bacteria and even the length of their intestines (shorter intestines absorb fewer calories). Even the time of day that you eat matters.
The amount of energy we absorb from food also depends on how we prepare it. Chopping and grinding food essentially does part of the work of digestion, making more calories available to your body by ripping apart the cell walls in the food before you eat it. That effect is magnified when you add heat: cooking increases the proportion of food digested in the stomach and small intestine, from 50% to 95%. The digestible calories in beef rises by 15% when cooked, and in sweet potato up to 40% depending on whether it is boiled, roasted or microwaved.
In addition, the calories in some foods are much more likely to add weight than calories in other foods. A lollipop and an apple may contain a similar number of calories but is there any doubt which is better for us? While the apple is healthier, both apples and lollipops are types of carbohydrates – as are all sugars and starches. Carbohydrates break down into sugars, which are the body’s main fuel source. But the speed at which your body gets its fuel from food can be as important as the amount of fuel. The body absorbs the sugar from a soda drink at a rate of 30 calories a minute, compared with two calories a minute from complex carbohydrates such as potatoes or rice. That matters, because a sudden hit of sugar prompts the rapid release of insulin, a hormone that carries the sugar out of the bloodstream and into the body’s cells. When there is more sugar than the body needs, the liver and muscle can store some of the excess, but any that remains is stashed as fat. So consuming large quantities of sugar and even excess “healthy” carbohydrates is the fastest way to create body fat. And, once the insulin has done its work, blood-sugar levels slump, which tends to leave you hungry…as well as plumper.
The other two macronutrients (protein and fat) have different functions. Protein, the dominant component of meat, fish and dairy products, acts as the main building block for bone, skin, hair and other body tissues. In the absence of enough carbohydrates, it can also serve as fuel for the body. But, since it is broken down more slowly than carbohydrates, protein is less likely to be converted to body fat.
Fat is a different matter again. It should leave you feeling fuller for longer, because your body splits it into fatty acids more slowly than it processes carbohydrates or protein. We all need fat to make hormones and to protect our nerves (a bit like plastic coating protects an electric wire). Over millennia, fat has also been a crucial way for humans to store energy, allowing us to survive periods of famine. Today, even without the risk of starvation, our bodies are still programmed to store excess fuel in case we run out of food. No wonder a single measure – the calorie – can’t capture that complexity.
If these issues with the ‘calorie’ are not troubling enough, the number of calories listed on food packets and menus are routinely wrong. Government regulations allow food labels to understate calories by up to 20% to ensure that consumers are not short-changed in terms of how much nutrition they receive. Susan Roberts, a nutritionist at Tufts University in Boston, has found that labels on American packaged foods miss their true calorie counts by an average of 8% and some processed frozen foods misstate their caloric content by as much as 70%.
The calorie system lets food producers off the hook: “They can say, ‘We’re not responsible for the unhealthy products we sell, we just have to list the calories and leave it to you to manage your own weight’.” Large food companies are obviously driven to maximize their profits and not to optimize your health. Your answer should be to take charge of your own health!
The more we learn, the more we realize that counting calories will do little to help us control our weight.
The LOVIDIA Way doesn’t focus on calories or calorie restriction. Instead, our focus is on what foods to eat and when to eat them and making your hormones work for you, not against you. We believe the quality of your food is much more important than the quantity (calories). The combination of LOVIDIA, intermittent fasting and a reduced-carb diet will not only keep your weight in check but will help you avoid chronic lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
REFERENCE: The Economist
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Why Does LOVIDIA Contain Certain Ingredients?
Why Does LOVIDIA Contain Certain Ingredients?
One of the first questions many of our customers ask is “what’s in LOVIDIA?” People want to know about the ingredients and rightfully so.
That’s why the ingredients in LOVIDIA were carefully selected. Each ingredient is all-natural, gluten-free, non-GMO, and GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe).
The next question we often get is “why do you use X ingredient in LOVIDIA?” You can replace that X with stevia, pomegranate, or amino acids. To answer this question, you first need to understand how LOVIDIA works to control hunger.
How does LOVIDIA control hunger?
LOVIDIA is based on the science of Gut Sensory Modulation (GSM). Here’s the nutshell version of how it works:
When you take a LOVIDIA or LOVIDIA XR tablet, the special coating allows it to pass through the stomach without breaking down. Once it reaches the lower gut, the tablet releases its blend of ingredients to stimulate L-cell sweet, bitter and umami taste receptors to release the hormones GLP-1 and PYY into the blood stream. GLP-1 and PYY tell your brain “I’m full” helping you feel more satisfied sooner and eat less.
The ingredients in LOVIDIA are designed to cause the L-cell taste receptors to release more GLP-1 and PYY than would be released by food alone.
Why does LOVIDIA contain stevia?
LOVIDIA contains a stevia leaf extract called rebaudioside A (Reb A for short). Reb A is the sweetest component of the stevia leaf. In fact, on a gram-for-gram basis, Reb A is 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar. Its purpose in the LOVIDIA proprietary blend is to stimulate L-cell sweet taste receptors to release GLP-1 and PYY.
Why does LOVIDIA contain pomegranate fruit extract?
Just as Reb A targets the sweet receptor, Pomegranate targets the bitter receptor. Pomegranate fruit extract is very bitter compound, and its purpose is to stimulate the L-cell bitter receptors to release more GLP-1 and PYY.
Why does LOVIDIA contain amino acids?
The LOVIDIA proprietary blend includes three amino acids: glutamine, lysine and leucine. Glutamine stimulates greater release of GLP-1 than any other amino acid. It can help keep weight off by reducing food cravings and giving your body more energy.
Leucine and lysine stimulate the production of ketone bodies. They are the only two amino acids that are exclusively ketogenic.
The Bottom Line
Each of the key ingredients in LOVIDIA was carefully selected based on its beneficial effects. The proprietary blend of those ingredients was clinically tested vs. placebo to prove the hunger-lowering effect. By reducing hunger, LOVIDIA helps you to resist overeating and overcome cravings. Together with other healthy habits, LOVIDIA, can help you lose weight and improve your health.
Does LOVIDIA XR contain the same ingredients as regular LOVIDIA?
LOVIDIA XR contains the same ingredients as regular LOVIDIA but it also contains one additional ingredient, the herb berberine. Berberine has been used in Chinese medicine for centuries; it has been shown in 3rd-party clinical studies to increase the release of GLP-1 and PYY.
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Here’s Why Reduced-Carb Diets are So Effective (and Popular)
It seems like there’s a new fad diet every few years that people are eager to hop on the bandwagon for. But just as quickly as they come, they disappear—most of them anyway. There are a few that stick around, and they all have something very important in common. Atkins, the South Beach Diet, Paleo, Whole30 and Keto are all reduced-carb diets.
There’s a reason reduced-carb diets tend to become popular and stay popular: Because they work! The merits of reduced-carb dieting are widely proven. And, they’re extremely easy to follow. Instead of counting calories and starving yourself, the name of the game is avoiding carbohydrates.
Let’s take a look at how reduced-carb diets work, why they work, why they’re so popular and what the benefits of being on one are.
How reduced-carb eating works
Every reduced-carb diet has the same principle: Stay away from carbohydrates. Instead, the major makeup of these diets are proteins and healthy fats. This sets the stage for metabolic change.
Generally, our bodies burn carbohydrates for energy. But, when we eat fewer carbs, our bodies need to adapt. We enter a metabolic state called ketosis, where the body begins to burn fats for energy. This usually happens when we consume less than 50g of carbohydrates in a 24-hour period. It can be a bit of a shock to the system at first, but the body is resilient and quick to adapt.
Why reduced-carb dieting works
The longer you stay on a reduced-carb diet, the more adept your body becomes at sustaining ketosis. Eventually, your body will not only burn the fats in your diet, it’ll also begin burning fat stores, leading to weight loss. At the same time, your body is also going to burn off excess glycogen, which is primarily responsible for holding water weight. It’s a weight loss double-whammy!
Despite burning fat for energy, protein is actually the secret weapon in the reduced-carb diet. Protein plays an important role in satiation. Eating protein leads to a feeling of fullness with fewer total calories, which helps tip the “fewer calories in, more calories out” equation in your favor. Plus, protein keeps you feeling satisfied for longer.
Protein also has a higher thermogenesis than fats or carbs—meaning the body works harder to digest protein, thus burning more energy and expediting weight loss.
The metabolic switch to ketosis your body makes will have immediate effects (loss of water weight) and continuous long-term benefits (weight loss, energy). Whether you’re on Atkins, Paleo, Keto or one of the other low-carb diets, chances are you’re seeing results. And, people stick to diets when they see results!
Benefits beyond weight loss
People love reduced-carb diets because they show proven weight loss. But there’s so much more to love about the effects they have on your body:
• Reduced-carb diets are actually great for heart health. Intaking fewer carbs will push your triglyceride levels way down and raise your High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels.
• Entering ketosis helps the body control its glycemic index, which is great for people living with Type 2 diabetes. Avoiding high-carb foods also means avoiding complex sugars that can drive up insulin levels.
• Reduced-carb diets have been widely studied for their relation to lower blood pressure. Not only does cutting carbs help lower blood pressure, it can lower a person’s risk for heart disease, stroke and heart attack.
• People report generally feeling better when eating reduced-carb. More energy, improved mental focus and clarity, and better mood are all associated with a reduced-carb diet. This is consistent with findings that reduced-carb eating can lower the risk of metabolic syndrome.
All of these benefits add up to one big idea that resonates with reduced-carb dieters: They’re healthier. The scale shows them a number that’s getting lower every day. They’re focused and have more energy. Their annual checkups go better. All around, they look, feel and are healthier!
While some fad diets come and go, diets rooted in the reduced-carb philosophy have stayed because they’re proven. More importantly, they’re easy to follow and deliver measurable results. They’re effective and popular, and that makes them a viable option for anyone who not only wants to lose weight, but live a generally healthier life.
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Unlock the Many Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Unlock the Many Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Fasting—the practice of abstaining from food for extended periods of time—dates back centuries. In fact, fasting is still common in many situations today. Patients fast before undergoing surgery to avoid complications from general anesthesia. Muslims fast during Ramadan as part of their religious observance. Now, people are beginning to fast as part of a healthier lifestyle.
Intermittent fasting (IF) is restricting the time you eat, either on a daily or weekly schedule. Time restricted eating can be a powerful weight loss tool due to hormonal hunger control, a lessening of blood sugar spikes and a propensity to eat fewer calories overall. In addition, Intermittent Fasting is simple, leading to sustainability. As more people turn to fasting for health, they’re also beginning to realize benefits beyond weight loss.
Sticking to an intermittent fasting regimen could have you experiencing improved focus and mental clarity, lower blood sugar and insulin levels, reduced inflammation, better cholesterol levels and much more.
The science behind IF
On the surface, intermittent fasting is easy enough to understand. Not eating for long periods of time means not taking in calories while your body is expending them. Part of weight loss is a simple equation: fewer calories in and more calories spent means a calorie deficit, which can lead to weight loss.
But under the surface, intermittent fasting is much more complex. If done right, a person fasting intermittently will change their body’s metabolic processes.
When faced with fewer calories and a more controlled eating schedule, the body gets smarter about how it uses the calories it’s given. This means burning those calories for energy with as little waste as possible and, when necessary, dipping into fat stores to burn those calories. Over time, you’ll see weight loss, more energy, less lethargy and lower inflammation. Your body will start converting fat into energy!
You may have heard the term “ketosis,” popularized by the Keto Diet. The goal of intermittent fasting (and the Keto Diet) is to induce ketosis, optimizing the body’s metabolism of fat. When your body reaches ketosis, the true benefits of fasting start to kick in—improved focus, memory, mood and mental clarity.
What’s the schedule for IF?
Intermittent fasting only works if you stick to a consistent fasting schedule. To achieve ketosis and experience the full benefits of intermittent fasting, you’ll need a fasting schedule that works for your lifestyle longterm. Here are some of the most common:
• 16/8: Fasting for 16 hours and eating 2-3 healthy meals in an 8-hour window
• 5/2: Fasting for 24 full hours (eating less than 500 calories) 2 days per week
• 1/7: Fasting for 24 full hours (eating zero calories) once per week
These are the simplest intermittent fasting schedules, but by no means the only ones. Typically, ketosis sets in about 8-12 hours after your last meal. To develop your own IF schedule, plan to fast for more than 8 hours at a time and space fasts far enough apart to resume normal eating habits in-between them. For example, other common fasting schedules include alternate-day-fasting ,with fasts every other day, and feast-and-fast, which involves eating one big meal at night and fasting throughout the day.
What can you expect while fasting?
The idea of abstaining from food for long periods of time can be a little scary. Will I get light-headed or pass out? Will I feel disoriented or sick? Can I still walk my dog or go to the gym?
These concerns and more are valid. Intermittent fasting takes a little getting used-to. The good news is, skipping meals a couple days a week won’t impact you as much as you’d think. As you adjust to the schedule, you’re likely to be a little cranky and at first, your energy levels might take a dip. It takes your body about two weeks to get used to fasting habits. After that, you should feel more energetic, happy and healthy!
A few fasting tips to keep in mind
Intermittent fasting sounds easy enough, but a surprising number of people cheat and prevent their body from entering ketosis. For the first few fasts, you’re going to crave food. Resist these cravings! Instead, give these tips a try:
• Drink more water to satiate your body. Plus, the hydration is good for your skin, hair, nails and general wellness.
• When you break your fast, eat lots of protein. Protein is a slow-burning source of energy that’ll leave you feeling full for longer into your next fast.
• Try to keep yourself busy. You’ll be less likely to notice your rumbling stomach if you’re occupied by something else.
Give intermittent fasting a try!
If you’re trying to lose weight or want to explore some new opportunities for personal wellness, intermittent fasting is a great option. Most people can do it, so long as you stick to your fasting schedule. That said, everyone should consult a physician before fasting. Some groups of people may need to take special precautions, like those with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes or anyone taking prescription medications.
Intermittent fasting is more than a weight loss trend, it’s a lifestyle shift with so many benefits beyond weight loss!
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What’s the Difference Between LOVIDIA and LOVIDIA XR?
What’s the Difference Between LOVIDIA Regular and LOVIDIA XR?
So you know that we make two natural hunger control tablets to help you reach your weight loss goals: LOVIDIA and LOVIDIA XR. But what’s the difference between these two products and how do you know which one you should buy?
Here are some quick answers to our most common customer questions…
Do LOVIDIA Regular and LOVIDIA XR contain the same ingredients?
Both LOVIDIA and LOVIDIA XR work using the scientific process of Gut Sensory Modulation (GSM). Here’s how it works: our patented Hunger Control Formula delivers natural food ingredients past the stomach to stimulate L-cells in the lower gut to release more GLP-1 and PYY than would be released by food alone. GLP-1 and PYY are the hormones that tell your brain “I’m full”, helping you to feel satisfied sooner and eat less.
LOVIDIA XR contains all the same ingredients as regular LOVIDIA with the addition of an herb called berberine. Used in Chinese medicine for centuries, berberine has been shown to increase the release of GLP-1 and PYY, those helpful hormones that make you feel full.
The active ingredients in both LOVIDIA and LOVIDIA XR are all-natural, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe).
Wait… how does this help me lose weight?
The best way to drop unwanted pounds is to eat less and move more. But eating less makes you feel hungry, which isn’t any fun, so most diets fail. LOVIDIA and LOVIDIA XR help you feel full faster (so you eat less) and also feel less hungry (so you’re a happy camper).
Eating less without feeling miserable makes you far more likely to stick to your diet and succeed at your weight loss goals.
How long does it take each tablet to start working?
The original LOVIDIA tablet releases its ingredients over a time period of 1-4 hours for a more short-term effect. Taking LOVIDIA about 1-2 hours before your largest meals of the day (typically lunch and dinner) gives you the hunger control benefits of LOVIDIA by the time you sit down for your meal so you’re less likely to overeat.
LOVIDIA XR has a much slower release time of 3-12 hours for all-day hunger control. This means that a LOVIDIA XR tablet taken with breakfast starts working around mid to late morning and a tablet taken at lunch will start to take effect by dinnertime.
Do I take LOVIDIA Regular and LOVIDIA XR the same way?
Yes and no. Both LOVIDIA and LOVIDIA XR should be swallowed whole with a full glass of water. Don’t break, crush, or chew the tablet because it can affect the release timing of the ingredients.
Take one LOVIDIA tablet 1-2 hours before each of your two biggest meals of the day. This depends on your personal habits, but for a lot of people, it would be lunch and dinner.
LOVIDIA XR can be taken with meals since its effect is delayed and most people find it easier to remember to take a tablet at mealtime. The most common dosing schedule for XR is to take one with breakfast and one with lunch for all-day hunger control.
You can also take one LOVIDIA tablet and one LOVIDIA XR each day, which works really well if you’re following an intermittent fasting plan where you don’t eat first thing in the morning.
Which formula is right for me?
If your biggest struggle is overeating at mealtimes or snacking between breakfast and lunch, original LOVIDIA Regular is a good option. If you tend to be an all-day grazer or if you have a tough time with late night snacking, LOVIDIA XR is often a better bet because of its extended release formula.
But as you can see from what some of our actual customers have to say, the main goal is to figure out what works best for you and then stick with it.
Rebecca M. says, “Lovidia has been a wonderful tool for me. I take it after breakfast. In my high stress workplace I used food/snacks as a way to stay awake or keep focused in front of the computer. Ever since I started Lovidia my cravings have greatly reduced and I find myself drinking more water instead. Lovidia also decreases my appetite when I get caught in long meetings. I feel better at the end of my day. Thank you so much!”
Lori C. says, “LOVIDIA XR really helps me feel less “snacky” and decreases my hunger in the afternoon when I feel cravings the most.”
Linda F. says, “I wanted to try something all natural that worked for me and my lifestyle. I’m a mom, work from home and can be pretty busy. I know I need to make time to exercise and eat better for overall health. I’ll do pretty well with my meals, but I’ll give into my snacking and cravings. I heard Lovidia could help with that. I gave it a try and noticed my cravings went away when I took it before my afternoon and late-night craving times. I feel better having this to keep me on track. Thanks!“
Suzan S. says, “No matter what diet I was trying I could never get past the late-night cravings. I was good at sticking to my plan for breakfast, lunch and dinner…but after about 8pm, I could not control myself. Chips, crackers, cheese, ice-cream, leftovers just seemed to get in my way. I started taking LOVIDIA XR about 3 months ago. I began to notice that after dinner, I was full! After about 3 weeks, I noticed that the late-night snacking was gone! Since then I have lost 20 pounds and I am in control of my diet!”
If you’re still not sure, try out our 3 Product Sample Pack! You’ll get to try both LOVIDIA Regular and LOVIDIA XR, as well as our small, but mighty LOVIDIA Bar.
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How to Maximize Your Results with LOVIDIA
How to Maximize Your Results with LOVIDIA
You started taking LOVIDIA, and you see positive changes in your hunger level, as well as your ability to ignore cravings. You want the benefits to continue and you’re wondering how to maximize your results.
We’ve got some helpful tips you can use to get the most bang for your buck from LOVIDIA. But before we start, if you’re not seeing the effects that you hoped for from LOVIDIA, you should check out our post “What to Do If It Feels Like LOVIDIA Isn’t Working.”
1 | Take LOVIDIA consistently
Our number one recommendation to help you maximize your results with LOVIDIA is to take the tablets consistently. What does this mean?
Once you’ve established the best times for you to take LOVIDIA, take it close to the same times every day. Not only does this help LOVIDIA work with your natural digestive process, but it makes you less likely to forget to take it.
April told us, “I didn’t get serious about taking LOVIDIA until about a month ago; prior to that I was taking it occasionally. Since taking it more regularly along with a low calorie diet, I can definitely say that it helps to control physical hunger.”
2 | Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated is important for making sure your body functions properly, including your digestive system. Water helps cleanse your system and break down food effectively.
Because LOVIDIA works with your natural digestion, it’s important to drink enough water to ensure that this process is running efficiently.
3 | LOVIDIA is clinically-proven to work well with intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) is very popular in the health and wellness community. Instead of focusing on what you eat, the focus is on when you eat.
There are several types of IF schedules, which makes it easier to adapt to your lifestyle. Here’s a great article on the basics of IF:
In clinical trials, participants took LOVIDIA twice each day while following an alternate day low caloric fasting plan. Over a 13 week period, the clinical trial participants taking LOVIDIA lost an average of 14lbs and reported significantly less hunger, which let’s face it, is one of the worst parts of cutting calories.
Whether you’re restricting your calorie intake or decreasing the number of hours you eat during the day, LOVIDIA can help control your hunger and cravings. Intermittent fasting can help you get the most mileage from LOVIDIA.
Just listen to what Craig had to say about LOVIDIA, “My belly was bulging, and I seemed to have no energy to play with my kids. I recorded my weight once every week and ate regular, healthy meals 4 days a week and 3 days a week, I had “Eat-Less days” where I ate 500-800 calories. I took LOVIDIA every day and ate the LOVIDIA bars and Crispy hearts when I was feeling especially hungry. I lost 29 pounds and am feeling great!”
4 | Pay attention to your hunger level & stop eating when you’re comfortably full
There’s physical hunger that happens when your body needs food to replenish its energy. Then there’s emotional/psychological hunger that can be caused by stress, boredom, etc. Learning to tell the difference will help you maximize your results with LOVIDIA.
To get a better understanding of how to assess your hunger, take a look at this short video with Dr. Mark Tager, a medical advisor to LOVIDIA.
As Dr. Tager explains, it’s important to learn to interpret your hunger level so you can eat at the right time. You shouldn’t be eating when you’re barely hungry, but you don’t want to wait until your starving either.
5 | Get moderate exercise on a regular basis
The fact is that not only does regular exercise help your weight loss goals, it’s essential for long term overall health. The good news for those who don’t love exercise it that a moderate amount is sufficient.
LOVIDIA will help you with your health and weight loss goals, but it’s just one tool in your wellness tool box. If you want to get the most benefit from your daily LOVIDIA tablets, you also need to make smart lifestyle choices. Eating healthy foods and getting regular exercise are two other powerful and important tools.
6 | Use the LOVIDIA bar to give your hunger control an extra edge
In addition to taking two LOVIDIA or LOVIDIA XR tablets each day, you can use the LOVIDIA bar for an added hunger control boost. This small, but powerful bar can be eaten at a time when your hunger level is most intense or in place of a meal to accelerate your weight loss goals.
Using the same Gut Sensory Modulation (GSM) process as LOVIDIA tablets, the LOVIDIA bar’s natural ingredients stimulate the L-cells in your lower gut to produce more GLP-1 and PYY hormones that tell your brain, “I’m full. It’s time to stop eating.”
Lynn T said, “I always cleaned my plate… no matter what. I knew that I needed to control my portions to lose the weight, but I never felt I had the control I needed. I tried LOVIDIA and I could feel a difference in my hunger levels right away. When it was time for dinner, I was able to take smaller portions and feel satisfied with less food. I use the LOVIDIA bars as an added hunger control boost when I’m going out for a work lunch. This keeps me on track!”
Made up of a tasty blend of nuts, dates, and our proprietary hunger control blend, the LOVIDIA bar should be eaten with a full glass of water to help you conquer cravings when you need it the most.
The Takeaway
If you want to maximize your results when taking LOVIDIA, you should:
● take LOVIDIA consistently
● drink plenty of water
● try intermittent fasting
● pay attention to your hunger level
● get moderate exercise
● use the LOVIDIA bar for an extra boost of hunger control
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The LOVIDIA Troubleshooting Guide
What to Do If It Feels Like LOVIDIA Isn’t Working
You made the decision to try LOVIDIA or LOVIDIA XR, you placed your order, and you eagerly started taking the tablets as soon as the package arrived.
And now you feel… nothing.
This is definitely not what you expected so what’s going on?
First of all, we understand how frustrating it is to not see an immediate impact. But the good news is that we have some possible explanations and a bunch of helpful tips to get you moving in the right direction!
Gut Sensory Modulation takes time to have an effect.
LOVIDIA helps control hunger through the process of Gut Sensory Modulation (GSM). Here’s the nutshell version of how it works:
When you take a LOVIDIA or LOVIDIA XR tablet, the special coating allows it to pass through the early phases of digestion into the gut. Once it reaches the lower gut, the all-natural hunger control blend stimulates the sweet and bitter L-cell taste receptors. This causes the release of the PYY and GLP-1 hormones that tell your brain “I’m full” helping you to feel more satisfied sooner and eat less.
Unlike the typical weight loss pill that relies on stimulants like caffeine, LOVIDIA is working with your body’s own digestive process. This means that it often takes longer to experience the positive effects of LOVIDIA as your body adjusts its normal hunger response.
Jackie told us, “I’ve been taking the pills for about three weeks now. After a week I was ready to give up on them. They didn’t seem to be doing a thing, especially in the afternoon when I’m typically starving about 2:00. All of a sudden one day I looked at the clock and it was 4:00. Huh. How about that?! Surprisingly, this continued. In the morning I could now make it to lunch without snacking. So this whole past week I’ve eaten 3 meals a day without suffering in the least.”
If you’ve only been taking LOVIDIA for a few days, give it time to take effect. Consistency is key so try to take LOVIDIA around the same time each day when you know you’ll need it most. This brings us to the next point.
Different people experience hunger at different times.
We suggest that you start by taking LOVIDIA 1-2 hours prior to your two largest meals OR you can take LOVIDIA XR with meals twice a day. Keep in mind that this isn’t the only option. It’s simply a starting point based on results from clinical trials and customer feedback.
Sheri called us after she’d been taking LOVIDIA for a few days and had only noticed a small effect. She explained that her most intense cravings came at night, and that was when she often gave into her craving for a dessert. A LOVIDIA customer care member suggested that she take one tablet with lunch and one with dinner to better fit her time of peak hunger. After making the changes, Sheri experienced a noticeable effect and no longer craved her usual dessert.
If you notice that your most intense cravings come at night, try adjusting the times you take LOVIDIA.
LOVIDIA and LOVIDIA XR work differently so be sure to use them appropriately.
The original LOVIDIA formulation is designed to have more of a short term effect. You’ll probably begin noticing the hunger control benefits 1-4 hours after taking the tablet.
If you take a LOVIDIA tablet 1-2 hours prior to lunch or dinner, you should notice that you feel full faster during your meal and feel less temptation to overeat. Stop eating when you feel comfortably full.
LOVIDIA XR is an extended release formula that lasts longer, but also takes more time to start working. You can expect to feel the hunger-lowering effect 3-12+ hours from the time you take a tablet.
Taking one LOVIDIA XR tablet with breakfast will typically help reduce hunger and increase fullness at your next meal. For people who have trouble with snacking in the evening or late night, it’s often more helpful to take one LOVIDIA XR tablet with lunch and one with dinner.
You can read more about the differences between LOVIDIA and LOVIDIA XR here.
Monitor your hunger level to pick up on subtle changes.
Because LOVIDIA’s effect can vary day-to-day depending on your diet and activity level, it can be hard to be sure it’s working. One way to help make the effects of LOVIDIA more obvious is to monitor your hunger level throughout the day. It only takes a few seconds, but it can make a big difference.
A few times during the day, stop what you’re doing and ask yourself, “how hungry am I right now?” Notice if you’re not feeling any hunger, your hunger is mild but manageable, or you’re so hungry you could eat your own arm. Note the time and when you last ate.
By identifying the times you’re most hungry, you’ll have a better idea of when you need LOVIDIA to help you conquer your cravings and keep hunger at bay. You’ll also be able to tell whether LOVIDIA or LOVIDIA XR is the right formula for you.
Katie reviewed LOVIDIA XR and said, “I haven’t noticed dramatic results, however, I am starting to notice subtle changes in appetite! I’m the type of person who can’t go very long without being hungry, but I am noticing that I can go for longer periods of time feeling full since taking Lovidia XR.”
The Bottom Line
If you feel like LOVIDIA isn’t working, the most likely reason is that the hunger control formula hasn’t had enough time to take effect. To get things moving in the right direction, you can:
● Try taking LOVIDIA at different times of day to fit your peak times of hunger
● Monitor your hunger level to observe subtle changes
● Take LOVIDIA close to the time you need it to be effective, and take LOVIDIA XR on a regular schedule (Tip: Use the LOVIDIA App to remind you when to take XR.)
If you still don’t feel a noticeable effect after following these suggestions, it may be that you don’t respond to LOVIDIA due to GLP-1 insensitivity, the make-up of your gut flora, or for genetic difference that make us all unique.
Our clinical studies have shown that LOVIDIA works for most people but not for everyone. That’s why we provide our 30-day money back guarantee.
Please contact our Customer Care team at for support and questions. | <urn:uuid:a3c8b5b9-df8b-437b-9a3c-e373cae8c68c> | https://www.lovidia.com/category/lovidia-way/ | en | 0.934363 | 0.066755 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Sunday, December 30, 2012
On a Tax Scandal in Greece, and How to Get a Diverse and Free Press
Along with its bond payment troubles, austerity measures, unemployment, and protests, Greece is experiencing a scandal over possibly undeclared income and unpaid taxes among its elite. The story is interesting and confusing, and it involves the press as a key actor.
Some facts (omitting lots of details) are: In 2010 France handed over to Greece’s finance ministry a list of Swiss accounts held by Greek citizens. Italy and Spain also received similar lists. Because the money could be undeclared income hidden from tax authorities, France, Italy, and Spain started investigating whether the owners of the accounts could show that they had paid tax on it. Greece’s list held 2,062 names. The head of the Greece’s tax police testified that he received 10 names to investigate. The rest of the names were not acted on, but the successor of the finance minister allegedly received a list of 2,059 names. No further action was taken, until the press started applying pressure. The existence of the list was published. Then, and this is important, the small magazine Hot Doc published the names of the individuals on the list.
What happened? First, the journalist behind Hot Doc, Kostas Vaxevanis, was arrested for violating privacy laws. He was found not guilty and released. Second, many members of the business and political elite of Greece have been shown or alleged to be on the list. The most recent revelation involves the difference between the 2,062 names held by the first finance minister and the 2,059 (allegedly) passed on to the second: the three missing names are relatives of the first finance minister. So the scandal rolls on, and is likely to strengthen the anti-austerity protestors, as well as the tax police’s ability to pursue tax cheats with political connections.
We have come to think of the press in many different ways: idealist journalists pursued by the government, big corporations who restructure everything from newsroom to printing operations, and paparazzi photographers who ambush celebrities’ private occasions and parts. But what is the origin of all this diversity? To answer that question, it is necessary to go back to the beginning of publishing, as Heather Haveman, Jacob Habinek, and Leo Goodman have done in a recent article in Administrative Science Quarterly. They looked at the background of the people starting magazines in the US in the 18th and 19th century (magazines are a good site to investigate because they are easier to start than newspapers, and are still - like Hot Doc - an influential part of the press).
What did they find? As in many industries, many early founders of magazines were from a related industry, in this case printers or other publishing professionals. But the origin of the press as an outlet for opinion as much as a profit-making enterprise was clear from the background of other early founders. They were intellectuals and professionals, a social background that also matched many of the writers, who were hobbyist writers expressing opinion in essays or writing poetry and prose. They used professional writers for getting content, but very few magazine founders were professional writers.
Did the magazine industry become more professional? In content and presentation it no doubt did. But in ownership the opposite happened. The proportion of industry professionals among founders declined dramatically, and the proportion of individuals in other professions (priests and doctors) as well as writers increased. But more remarkably, they came from much more modest means. Whereas the typical early magazine founder was highly educated and often wealthy and well-known before starting the magazine, the later founders were more likely to be common people – and this is even though access to education improved between the 18th and 19th century. Haveman and coauthors conclude that the elite background of the early magazine founders helped making magazine founding easier, paving the way for the later ones with fewer resources. It likely also helped usher in some of the protections that the US press currently enjoys, but did not have when the magazine industry started. As a result, the press became a place with broad diversity in founder background and magazine mission.
In the US, as in many other places, the press isn’t just seen as being a complex mixture of idealists, profit makers, and celebrity hunters – it really is all of those things. And the current state of the press is a direct result of its origins.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Post of Posts: One Year of Organizational Musings
I was planning to write a blog entry today, but I lost the spark. I have seen too much news about the tragic school shooting in Newtown, CT, and it is hard to write about the latest news and research in management with that fresh in the mind. Instead, let me just give a list of the top blog posts of last year. The end of the year is a time for reruns anyway, and this happens to be the 50th blog post for me, so I have some reason for looking back.
The all time hit is my little note in honor of Judea Pearl's book on causality, and its link to how organizations learn, but not always correctly.
Also popular was the post on how the black turtlenecks of Steve Jobs became dark shirts in his successor Tim Cook; a nice case of symbolic management.
People were interested in some posts on careers, including the post on the cost differences between transferring, promoting and hiring people and the post on how leader networks are shaped by their employment histories.
Posts on organizational misbehavior also drew reader attention, including the posts on insider trading and on avoiding responsibility for the Costa Cruises accident.
The most-commented post was on how network theory could inform policy makers about the effects of drone attacks in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
The post with the most recommendations was on risk-taking effects of deadlines in American Football.
Of course, rankings like these will always be unfair for the newer posts that have not had as much time to accumulate hits. I am guessing the ranking will be different a year from now, but this is what it looks like now.
There will of course be more posts on this blog later!
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Your CEO’s Child: How it Affects your Wages
We can all recall or imagine the scene seen in many firms, large or small: Somebody has a child, and the employees are gathering to celebrate the happy occasion. Let's make the scene more concrete by saying that the person celebrating the birth of a child is the CEO (chief executive officer), who happens to be a man. Now, if workers are celebrating a CEO becoming a father, there might be some tensions in the room. Some are especially eager to congratulate, thinking of it as good career management. Or maybe they are just especially happy for him, but their coworkers suspect them of doing career management. Things are never completely easy around CEOs.
If they had known about the research by Michael Dahl, Cristian L. Dezso, and David Gaddis Ross in Administrative Science Quarterly, there would have been even more tensions in the room. Chances are that these employees are about to get robbed. Dahl and coauthors looked at the effects of the CEO fathering a child on employee pay, because it would be a way to explore an interesting tension. On one hand, becoming a father might change his values to be more helpful to others. Some CEOs are thought to be short on those values, so a child might help. On the other hand, becoming a father might instead make the CEO think more of providing for his family, and so use more company resources on own rewards rather than employee pay. Either effect would be stronger for the first child. Either effect could happen unconsciously, but given CEO power over pay could be really consequential for the employee.
But now I have teased you long enough with the remark that the employees were about to get robbed, followed by a story of fatherhood and values. What were the findings? Employee pay changed following fatherhood – it fell. That’s right, the finding was not that the growth in employee pay was reduced. It was a drop in employee pay. The effect was larger for a first child. But, there is more. For employee pay, it is especially bad if the CEO has a first-born son, and it is especially bad if the employee is also male. It is less bad if the CEO has a first-born daughter, and it actually good for pay if the employee is female.
Got that? So the first child does change CEO values. Later ones do too, but not as much. The CEO becomes more helpful if that child is a daughter, and seems to especially appreciate female employees more. But at the same time, the conservation of resources for the family happens too. The CEO conservation of resources hits male employees especially hard, and especially if the child is also male. If you described these findings to me, but replaced CEO with “dominant gorilla,” employee with “gorilla tribe member,” and pay with "food" I would totally believe them, but these are humans working in formal organizations. This is pretty amazing.
Europeans might note that this is just an indication of how US CEOs can do anything they like to their employees, unlike in Europe where rules and unionization prevents such mischief. Sorry, but Dahl and coauthors used Danish data, so all this happened under a set of labor rules made to prevent pay cuts for no good reason.
So what should you do if you are attending a party celebrating the birth of your CEO's child? Have some extra cake; you might be paying for it later.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Liquidating Twinkies: When Pension Benefits Fail to Go Quietly
Monday, November 19, 2012
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Sony Mobile: Dialing for Innovation?
| <urn:uuid:24a3d109-f989-402a-9fde-3b0dc3952d53> | https://www.organizationalmusings.com/2012/ | en | 0.976871 | 0.031583 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Your favorite food, delivered with Uber
1. United States
2. North Carolina
3. Gastonia
4. Sandwich
Sandwich delivery in Gastonia
Enjoy Sandwich delivery with Uber Eats in Gastonia. Browse Gastonia restaurants serving Sandwich nearby, place your order, and enjoy! Your order will be delivered in minutes and you can track its ETA while you wait.
71 Restaurants | <urn:uuid:eac9935c-e58f-4a64-a929-664aeb4d3f30> | https://www.ubereats.com/category/gastonia-nc/sandwich | en | 0.896625 | 0.154753 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Monday, October 12, 2020
The Dreaded ACL Injury - Part IV
Over the course of the last couple of weeks, we have talked about the dreaded ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury. One of the keys in preventing these devastating injuries is education about how they occur and how we as clinicians, coaches, parents and athletes can identify what puts an athlete at risk. Over the last 2 weeks, I talked about two ways we can identify those that are at risk. One is having an athlete perform a single leg squat and what we should look for when they are performing that motion. Secondly, we talked about core testing. Not only what types of core testing to do but what things we should look for when the athlete is performing the core testing.
Identifying these flaws in these movements not only help to identify those that are at risk but also give us a clear indication of what to do to prevent. In a single leg squat for example, if the athlete’s knee is going in toward midline during the performance of the test, when we train them, don’t let them do that! Is it really that simple? Yes, it is. If your athlete cannot do 10 reps of a single leg squat without letting the knee go in towards midline, have them do as many as they can with proper form. When they can no longer control the motion and do with proper form, simply stop or better yet, regress the exercise.
What do I mean by regression of the exercise? Simply using the same exercise but just an easier form. This allows building up of strength and endurance while pushing proper form. In a single leg squat, instead of having the opposite leg up off the ground, have them rest the opposite foot on the ground in a split squat or reverse lunge position like depicted here. This provides much more stability and is a much easier form of the exercise. Have them do this until they can no longer prevent their knee from going in toward midline. At that point stop. The goal is always to have them do as many as they can in the single leg squat position (with opposite foot off the ground). Using this technique however will not only train the proper movement pattern but also build their strength and endurance. You can take this exact same approach with the core movements well. Focus on technique and constantly progress to push strength and endurance with.
The last movement we will discuss on evaluating is the squat. Why the squat? One of the number one reasons is that we know that athletes who improve their performance on the squatting motion will increase their vertical jump and sprint speed. Squatting motion is an excellent movement to improve explosive power. In most athletic situations, this is also a movement that most athletes will be doing as a part of their training throughout their athletic career.
To evaluate the squat, I will demonstrate a proper squat for the athlete. Verbal instruction in the motion will result in the athlete doing what you describe and NOT their natural motion. I will demonstrate with my feet shoulder width apart and squat to a 90 degrees knee flexion. My knees will be slightly over my toes and my chest in an upright position with my arms crossed in front. I will ask the athlete to perform 20 reps in a slow and controlled fashion.
Looking at the athlete from behind, visualize (or better yet have stand in front of) a plumb line that runs through the center of the skull, cervical spine all the way down the sacrum. As the athlete performs the squatting motion, their hips should remain relatively equal distance from the plumb line. If not, then the athlete is shifting his/her weight to one side.
This shifting is a common motion that we first identified back in early 2000s and we call this a lateral shift. In 2012, was the first research paper to describe this was published and the authors termed this a lateral displacement of the pelvis during a squatting motion. As we initially suspected, this lateral shift results in several things:
Increase in weight distribution to the side you are shifting to
Increase in EMG (muscle activation) to the side you are shifting to
Increase in GRF on the side you are shifting to
There is a whole slew of additional things that occur with this shifting motion but the key is the loading is abnormal and you don’t load the way the system was designed to be loaded. With increase force on one side versus the other, this adds to a wearing and tearing on that side which can add to injury. Same time, if the muscles are more active on one side versus the other, then strength will never ever be symmetrical unless this is addressed. In addition, what we see is that if you can see this under body weight conditions, when the athlete goes into the weight room and starts doing this under a weighted bar, this motion gets even worse. This means when squatting #225, the load on the spine, hips and lower limb is greater on one side than it is on the other. For optimal performance AND injury reduction, we must balance this out.
Looking at the athlete from the side view, the other motion that we look for in the squatting motion is how much flexion does the athlete get during the motion. Does their chest go down toward their knees or do they stop moving at the hips and flex forward in the spine. This motion puts a tremendous amount of load on the lumbar spine and can lead to low back injuries but also can perpetuate weakness. If an athlete has a lot of lumbar flexion during the course of the squatting motion, we know from force plate data that this brings your center of gravity forward. This can result in an increase in quadriceps activation and decreased activation of the posterior chain. What we are looking for is more of an equal distribution of the force through the foot which means there is more natural activation of anterior chain activation to posterior chain activation. This is easily corrected with a good strength coach educating them in proper squatting technique or a sports medicine physical therapist.
Next week, we conclude this discussion by talking about fatigue state training. What is it and how do we do. I hope you found this information useful and looking forward to sharing more with you.
*Dr. Nessler is a practicing physical therapist with over 23 years sports medicine clinical experience. He is a nationally recognized expert in the area of athletic movement assessment and injury prevention. He is the founder | developer of the ViPerform AMI, ViPerform AMI RTPlay, the ACL Play It Safe Program, Run Safe Program, author of a college textbook on this subject and published researcher. Trent has performed >5000 athletic movement assessments in the US and abroad. He is the President of Rebound Vitality providing injury prevention services for the tactical athlete and movement consultant for numerous colleges and professional teams. Trent also a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu purple belt and complete BJJ/MMA junkie. Follow Dr. Nessler on Instagram @ BJJPT_ACL_GUY or Twitter @ ACL_prevention.*
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Post a Comment | <urn:uuid:b1f7614f-f973-46c0-9f7e-df5e7432c196> | http://aclprevention.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-dreaded-acl-injury-part-iv.html | en | 0.934745 | 0.02923 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
About Bandanna
Rich Harris running in college
It’s a GREAT story that has absolutely nothing to do with dinosaurs (which is another question we get asked a lot . . .). Our Owner/Founder, Rich Harris, named the store Bandanna because he used to run with a bandanna tied around his head to keep his long hair out of his eyes! Rich was a competitive runner in the 70’s & 80’s when long hair was in, and the bandanna (an original Cub Scout neckerchief) worked great. Rich wore a bandanna for most of his competitive running career (1972-1988). He even became known internationally as the “guy that wears the yellow bandanna.”
Rich’s Recollection:
Ken Caldwell, a high school teammate, had taken to wearing a bandanna around his neck when running and I realized that was my solution. At first, we used the traditional red paisley bandanna, but were not allowed to wear them during races because they did not match the Lake Forest colors of blue and gold. But mom came to the rescue. Digging an old Cub Scout neckerchief out of the attic, she realized the golden yellow color was an excellent match, and my future as “the guy who wore the yellow bandanna” was born.
Throughout high school, I wore the bandanna in the classic style, folded into a band about two inches wide and wrapped around my head. But college required a change. The folded band could not contain the increasingly long hair. Of course, a haircut was not an option. I went to a Catholic grade school, so I knew what happened to Samson. I needed to evolve and adapt to overcome this adversity I had foisted upon myself. The answer lay in the bandanna itself. Why not wear it “pirate” style instead? It was a sublime moment. Now the hair was neatly constrained and I discovered an additional benefit to this look; by soaking the bandanna in water and then putting it on, I received an enormous cooling effect! Another sublime moment.
As a post collegiate runner representing Nike and their elite club, Athletics West, I continued to wear the bandanna as I raced throughout Europe. Occasionally the bandanna was forgotten or lost and replacements were needed. Most notably this occurred at a meet in New Zealand when I borrowed a scarf from a woman in the crowd and raced in it. The scarf trailed down my back almost to my waist and no doubt was a distraction to the other athletes, both from its flying around and the questions it raised about my masculinity.
Over the years, bandannas went missing in three foreign countries. The scarf was needed in New Zealand because I had lost the bandanna while on a boat trip off the coast (I had taken it off to revel in the wind and spray). After a race in Mexico City, my luggage never made it back to Colorado; I think it disappeared during a stopover in Mazatlan. The third disappearance occurred as I traveled from Frankfurt, Germany to Budapest, Hungary. My luggage never made it to Budapest and I had neglected to carry on any running gear. Now, I was not only missing the bandanna but all my clothing and I still had three weeks of racing left in Europe. What to do? Buy some clothes in Budapest, Hungary, I guess. Changing dollars for forint, (I would attempt to purchase clothing later), I went to the stadium where, lo and behold, one of my bags was sitting on the track. How or why it was there, I never found out. Of course it was not the one containing my running gear or bandanna, but I was spared the ordeal of purchasing east European clothing.
You’re probably wondering, didn’t it ever occur to him to bring more than one bandanna and carry on his running gear? It took a while, but eventually I figured it out. The bandanna and I had many more adventures over the course of my “professional” running career, but, as with many relationships, there came a time to part ways. It went into the sock drawer and I cut my hair and retired from serious running. It would emerge for nostalgic appearances periodically, but then it was back to the sock drawer. Six years would go by before the bandanna and I resumed our partnership. Tracy, Gary and I were getting ready to open our running store and we needed a name. While driving across the Camas prairie, it came to me, “Bandanna Running & Walking.” A unique and deeply personal name, it just seemed right. Many times over the years we’ve been asked, why “Bandanna” Running & Walking? Now you know it’s because, “you’re the guy that wore the yellow bandanna”.
It’s another GREAT story . . . Rich Harris came up with the idea for Bandanna Running & Walking after being encouraged by a good friend and former college teammate who owned several running stores in Colorado. Bandanna Running & Walking opened its doors in October, 1994. Fast forward to the present . . . some 18 years later. Rich and his wife Shannon own Bandanna and can be found on most days either managing the store, and/or managing their blended family which includes six kids. Rich and Shannon were introduced by a mutual friend in May of 2008, and were married on October 31, 2008 in NYC . . . one day prior to running the 2008 NYC Marathon. They try to return to NYC every year to run the Marathon and celebrate their Anniversary with or without some number of kids. | <urn:uuid:573b3382-15ef-40b7-8b4b-5ee2633f039d> | http://bandannarunning.com/about/ | en | 0.982181 | 0.042064 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Liam started babbling Thursday, babababa and stuff. He’s been making a few noises like that all week, but Thursday he really took off. He’ll carry on a whole conversation and loves it when we babble back to him. He’ll do it while he’s eating, too. He doesn’t eat his food, he talks to it until it runs down the back of his throat in frustration.
%d bloggers like this: | <urn:uuid:5daefe37-9017-42e3-a6da-0b7e0d2bb689> | http://solinoxenterprises.com/2003/04/06/ | en | 0.985945 | 0.355231 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Topic Last Modified: 2005-11-18
The Microsoft® Exchange Server Analyzer Tool queries two Microsoft Windows® Management Instrumentation (WMI) classes to determine the amount of physical memory in the Exchange Server computer, and the amount of virtual address space allocated to user mode processes. The following table describes the classes and keys being evaluated by the Exchange Server Analyzer.
Class Key Description
Maximum number of kilobytes of memory that can be allocated to a process.
Installed and licensed system product additions to the operating system.
Number of bytes of random access memory (RAM) installed in the computer.
If the Exchange Server Analyzer determines that the value for the MaxProcessMemorySize key is not equal to 2097024 and that the OSProductSuite key value resolves to Windows 2000 Server, an error is displayed.
This warning indicates that the directory server is not properly configured for optimal memory usage because the /3GB startup switch has been set in the Boot.ini file. This switch should only be used on Exchange servers with 1 gigabyte (GB) or more of memory that are running any of the following operating systems:
The /3GB switch should not be used on Windows 2000 Server because it is unsupported and can cause application or operating system crashes. Furthermore, the /3GB switch is only supported on the operating systems listed previously when 1 GB or more of physical memory is installed.
To correct this error on Windows Server 2003
1. Right-click My Computer and select Properties. The System Properties dialog will appear.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. In the Startup and Recovery area, click the Settings button. The Startup and Recovery dialog box will appear.
4. In the System startup area, click the Edit button. This will open the Windows Boot.ini file in Notepad.
5. In the [Operating Systems] section, delete the following switches from all startup lines: /3GB.
6. Save the changes and close Notepad.
7. Click OK twice to close the open dialog boxes and then restart the directory server for the change to take effect.
To correct this error on Windows 2000 Server
1. In Windows Explorer, navigate to the system partition.
2. If you are unable to see the Boot.ini file, it could be because the Folder Options are set to Hide protected operating system files. If this is the case, in the Windows Explorer window, click Tools, click Folder Options, and then click the View tab. Clear the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) check box. When prompted with the warning box, click Yes.
3. When the Boot.ini file is visible in Windows Explorer, right-click the file, click Open With, and choose Notepad to open the file.
4. Remove /3GB and save the file.
5. Restart the directory server for the change to take effect.
For further details regarding the use of the /3GB and /USERVA startup switches, see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base articles: | <urn:uuid:5030acb5-f44d-4f03-a807-4a23e42fec17> | http://unifiedpeople.ru/extra.en/html/c636542c-47f2-4f3e-80e8-554d6140b87b.htm | en | 0.764595 | 0.060827 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
6 Dystopian Fantasies That Will Never Be The Same Again After 2020
When The Walking Dead premiered in 2010 on AMC, it made regular people wonder how they would handle such an apocalypse. It's a question that genre fans have been asking for decades, and everyone has a different answer. After the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, it's clear that most of the media about the end of the world has it all wrong. There are no samurai swords, the government hasn't declared martial law, and humans haven't devolved into roving gangs of leather-clad psychos. So far, we've just stayed home.
Leaving Cities For The Country
Zombies will never die, both metaphorically and literally. Of course, zombies never existed in the first place, but people are drawn to fiction about zombies because it feels real. The zombie myth is eerily comparable to more mundane horrors, like pandemics and authoritarianism, so it gives audiences a safe place to play out those scenarios in their heads.
And in movies like Dawn of the Dead and TV shows like The Walking Dead, people tend to react to their terrifying new reality a specific way: They run. People leave their homes and band together in abandoned prisons, farms, and malls to stave off hordes of the undead as well as the living who have shed the last vestiges of polite society. In both stories, it takes less than a month for the living to flee the cities.
Recent events, however, prove this is a bad move. Rural areas are actually more likely to be at risk during a pandemic. The best way to stay safe is to stay put, not go running off into the wilderness to play cowboy.
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
People Tend To Work Together
28 Days Later, Danny Boyle's gripping dystopian tale about the total decline of society less than a month after a deadly rage virus spreads across England, didn't just reignite the slow vs. fast zombies debate. It fueled the idea that when crisis hits, everyone is on their own.
As strangely beautiful as Boyle's shots of the empty metropolitan streets and uncluttered highways of a post-apocalyptic world may be, humanity has proven time and time again that they're not going to turn on each other the instant the infected blood hits the fan. Not because we're inherently generous; it just makes sense. Outcomes are better for everyone when we work together, whether it's by organizing Zoom dance parties, multi-home movie nights, or testing the ill on the front lines. We don't tend to do well in isolation on a personal level, either.
This isn’t to say that no one is being a jerk, but on the whole, we're not killing each other for supplies. Maybe if the English soldiers in 28 Days Later were able to log onto Zoom, they could have danced out all that aggression.
(Warner Bros.)
We Won't Have Mad Max Shortages
Even the dumbest depiction of a post-apocalyptic wasteland has a kernel of truth hidden somewhere. George Miller's Mad Mad series, about society fracturing into tribes driven by their need for oil, seems the most realistic on its face, but sadly for the fashion world, nobody has taken to the road in their finest spikes. In fact, people are actually driving less thanks to the coronavirus.
Of course, shortages did happen during the first few days of the crisis, and it wasn’t humanity's best look. No one is going to point to March 2020 and say that Costco members purchasing bulk toilet paper handled themselves with dignity, and that's just something we have to live with, but since then, we've more or less leveled out. Most people are only buying what they need, and they're generally being polite about it.
(Warner Bros.)
Shaking Hands Won't Be Outlawed
Have you watched Demolition Man recently? Or ever? Aside from featuring Sandra Bullock at her most charming and Wesley Snipes at his most unhinged, it attempts to tackle a post-disaster dystopia with a comedic flare that's missing from most of these films. Demolition Man imagines futuristic city of San Angeles being rebuilt following multiple disasters as a vigilantly clean, P.C. world that ignores the lower class and people who are forced to live underground. The residents of this universe live in a highly controlled police state where touching and even foul language are prohibited by law.
Don't worry: It's unlikely our society will become such a police state. Not because our leaders are saintly vessels of integrity and constitutional fervor—mostly, we just don't have the infrastructure. However, the no-touching thing is likely here to stay, not by force of law but plain, ol' common sense. Screenwriter Daniel Waters told Vulture:
The mini-monologue she gives, about the different pandemics that led to this point—that speech, it seems so reasonable now. Slowly but surely, we're getting them all. I loved seeing the quote-unquote handshake Rob Schneider and Benjamin Bratt give each other in this. I can totally see it. Once you get into, 'We don't want anything icky in the future,' then it's funny how it just happens.
(Cambist Films)
Where Are All The Guys In Plastic Suits?
The CraziesOutbreak, and other quarantine favorites offer a horrific vision of a pandemic or a small-scale dystopia in which government agents clad in plastic suits quarantine an entire town to keep a disease from spreading. The horror of these films isn't just that a disease can spread, wiping out significant chunks of the population, but that a group of anonymous people can keep us locked down with no information other than the fact that we're at their mercy. Plastic-wearing government workers and martial law will always make viewers feel uneasy, but our own politicians have been slow to make any overarching decisions, leaving us to quarantine ourselves.
(Rogue Pictures)
A More Civilized Dystopia
This isn't to say that our world isn't dystopian in its own way or that filmmakers, writers, and artists haven't predicted a realistic global crisis response. Aside from all the blood and guts, the one film that eerily parallels our current world is Shaun of the Dead, a film in which most people are content to ride out the zombie apocalypse by bolting the doors and sitting down with a Cornetto or a cup of tea for a round of TimeSplitters 2.
It's probably for the best that the post-apocalyptic fantasies that we're drawn to have remained fantasies. If anything, we can enjoy them more than ever now that it's clear what is and isn't reality. At least for now.
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Monday, April 4, 2011
Does the South Loop Need a Master Plan?
A couple of weeks ago we read about a recent master plan that was created for Lakeview. Although it wasn't the most revolutionary or enlightening document we've ever seen, we're sure it's valuable for their neighborhood. After all, long term planning and vision is critical for any business, country, state, city, etc to be viable in the future.
Although the build-up in and around the South Loop was a major emphasis of the city, the question remains what else can be done at the local level to improve the neighborhood?
Back in 2009 we did a couple posts about the Central Area Action Plan which was a large scale city planning document. Although this was a great vision, it seems broad and didn't really discuss specifics. With that in mind we're unaware of any other local documents that have been created to guide the future of the neighborhood (if there are please post a comment). Regardless, we're curious to hear people's thoughts on the subject.
• What ideas do you have that could make our neighborhood better?
• How can we encourage businesses to open up shop in the neighborhood?
• How do we get residents to spend more in the neighborhood?
• How do we get residents from other neighborhoods to come to the South Loop?
• What does the South Loop need (types of stores, restaurants, etc)?
• How can we create events that differentiates our neighborhood from others?
These are just some broad questions to think about. There are definitely more and feel free to post your questions/solutions/ideas in the comments section.
These questions came to mind after we recently spoke to a business owner on South Michigan avenue. He was concerned about the retail/business scene of South Michigan (i.e. - all of recent businesses closing and all of the vacant retail spaces). Although our discussion was brief, it got us thinking of ideas specifically for Michigan Avenue south of Roosevelt.
Our "higher-profile" sibling on the north side is much more glamorous. It's one of the more famous shopping districts in the world (rightfully so). They have world rennowned stores, large scale parades, amazing landscaping, beautiful flowers, and those famous holiday lights. Is there anything that could happen down on our side of Michigan Avenue that would be a consistent big draw or a way to "brand" the neighborhood?
Personally I'm a huge fan of dramatic lighting (see our posts on the beautiful lighting at the Scout and where Trader Joe's is coming in). Could we get all businesses to invest in dramatic, unique lighting on South Michigan (or all around the neighborhood)? Could our neighborhood be the neighborhood of light (think of Paris as inspiration)? Although this seems like it could be hard to pull off, the South Loop needs some radical, unique thinking. We need our neighborhood to rally around a concept and be the "neighborhood of _____".
Anyway, that's just one idea and who knows if it's feasible. Regardless sound off and let us know your ideas. Maybe the lighting idea is crazy, but we want to hear your ideas.
Anonymous said...
I'd love to see more restaurants, especially those with well-done patio dining- I am always dranw to neighborhoods and areas that utilize the outdoor space. I also think the S.Loop is sorely lacking a great coffee joint with seating (although perhaps the new coffee shop that recently opened can help fill that void). I find myself wishing we had a great bakery for the weekend breakfast/paper run. I love the South Loop and won't be leaving anytime soon, but those are thing I find myself wishing for. Finally, where there are empty lots (ahem, the huge hole just South of the former Ole' Hardwood) - I desperately wish the owners would keep them up, or at least mend the fabric barriers that were attached to the fencing.
Anonymous said...
Absolutely the South Loop needs a master plan... it's a shame that this didn't happen in the 80's before the development boom.
Here’s some ideas:
1. Close Dearborn from Polk to Harrison and make it pedestrian-only. Utilize Federal and Plymouth to provide access.
2. Create a real bicycle-friendly neighborhood. Construct raised and protected bicycle lanes on the main thoroughfares (Clark, State, Wabash, Michigan, Indiana, 9th, Roosevelt, 16th, 18th, Cermak. The overall goal is to de-empathize vehicle use in the south loop all together.
3. Replace the dying ash trees throughout the south loop with sustainable shade-creating trees and add more landscaping on the sidewalks.
4. Install emergency call stations throughout the neighborhood, similar to what you see on college campuses.
5. Prevent the open land west of Clark Street to be developed and create a sprawling nature-themed parkland for the city.
Anonymous said...
NO! The grid is there, use it, and in the case of the former rail yard land, run the grid back into it. Master Plans lead to sterilization and suburbanization, just look at the blemish that is Dearborn Park. It effectively walls off the South Loop like a medevil fortress.
Anonymous said...
Check your history! Dearborn Park is the catylist of the South Loop... without this development, the South Loop would be much less residential today!
Additionally, Clark Street has always been a dividing wall and an expressway because of the Rock island train tracks.
Anonymous said...
I would love to see SOMETHING happen here. Dearborn between Polk and Harrison could be such a great little area, but there are so many empty stores. Why? I've only lived here for about 1.5 years, and there doesn't seem to be much growth.
Granted, Trader Joe's will be nice.
I love the lighting idea! Although, that's partially because I think the crime around Polk and State is getting out of control (especially in the Polk auxiliary exit).
Anonymous said...
The South Loop suffers from its creation after the dawn of the automobile. What makes most great Chicago neighborhoods great are active sidewalk/retail scenes and narrow streets. South Loop is for a major part, simply a thoroughfare for outsiders to get to the loop.
Not only should Dearborn be closed and sidewalks enlarged, but Clark should be 2-way traffic all the way to Congress. Master planning can make arterials where they should go, and leave slow car traffic and pedestrian friendliness where it should go. All of the streets in the South loop are wide and car focused. Until we want that shift toward pedestrian traffic, it will always be a half-baked urban residential neighborhood.
Sloopy said...
Personally our favorite "big" idea for the South Loop is to pave over dearborn between polk and harrison.
Here is a post we did on the subject:
How dow we make this happen?
Anonymous said...
I think that Dearborn Park, while delightfully quiet for its residents, is a physical and mental wall. The development makes Printer's Row feel isolated from the rest of the South Loop. There needs to be a way to better incorporate the park into the surrounding areas.
Anonymous said...
Dearborn Park is a terrific pedestrian and bicycle neighborhood thanks to the "vehicle wall" that was created around it. Don't forget what the south loop looked like in the 70's & 80's, a haven for crime and littered with abandoned buildings. Dearborn Park I & II were the first residential developments in the area which had to be designed amongst difficult surroundings. At the time the best solution was to encapsulate itself from the "drive-thru" traffic that makes a neighborhood more dangerous. Today, this little portion of the south loop is a literal baby farm filled with growing families, a top notch public school, and wonderful accessible parks for everyone.
This is the neighborhood design we should be following: Design around people not vehicles!
Anonymous said...
Yea sure, but today it is an outdated design and it's not easily accessible for outside pedestrians. Would be great if that changes.
SouthLoopScot said...
My only complaint about Dearborn Park I, is that it should be open for pedestrian traffic between Clark and State at 9th. I'd prefer Printer's Row to be a pedestrian only area as well. As it stands now, it's mainly a means for taxi's to get from Michigan or State to go north. Not to mention the fact they have very little regard for pedestrians at the intersection of Polk and Dearborn.
Anonymous said...
I have lived in Printers Row for 11 years, and the last few have been the toughest retail wise, and I don't understand why. Once Gourmand/Mediterra closed it left a HUGE whole. And that place has always been packed. The space next to it, in the my 11 years has been a pet shop/movie rental place, interior design showroom, dog groomer, then ANOTHER dog groomer (You would think someone would open the same kinda store in the same space that failed). ENOUGH WITH THE DOG GROOMING! Open an Ice Cream shop, or another Coffee shop! How about a gift shop?? I have heard from various sources that the spaces are just too expensive to rent. Guess the owners make more writing it off as a loss, than actually trying to FILL the space.
Also, Why hasn't more been down with the actual Dearborn Station? That space should be filled with great stuff! I think a daycare center would be awesome!
Anonymous said...
Right now the neighborhood seems disjointed; you have the Polk/Dearborn area, Dearborn Park and the rest of the area to the East and South.
Changes, I'd love to see more pedestrian friendly streets, sidewalks and businesses in the neighborhood.
Would it help the neighborhood? I hope so. I've been living here 5 years and keep trying to like the 'hood but long to be in active, vibrant neighborhood where I see crowded sidewalks and fewer empty storefronts. We need more restaurants and bars with sidewalk cafes, more retail stores (gifts, books, clothing, toys, hair salons, accessories, flower shops, a bakery, etc.) It would be great to see second locations of already popular businesses from other neighborhoods that have an established following. Take South Coast for example, people who've lived or have friends in Bucktown know the name and what you're getting.
Right now I completely agree that the Sloop is "a half-baked urban residential neighborhood". Just like in the 'burbs it is easier to jump in my car to go to another neighborhood to shop or eat than find somewhere to go in our 'hood. The addition of some of the big box stores keep me closer to home but not spending money with local businesses.
Cherise said...
1. Please don't put more doomed, half-assed concept buildings on the parcels immediately south of River City. Green space would be much nicer, from both the Wells/Roosevelt perspectives and from the river. A plot for community-supported agriculture, perhaps?
2. I'd love to see an art gallery fill some of the empty retail.
3. The nicer lighting idea is great, as is the bicycle-friendly idea.
4. Cleaning up the Harrison/Polk Red Line stop would make a more pleasant welcome to the neighborhood. I actually like the Columbia College art/poetry concept, but it could use a refresher.
5. Get the area colleges to take some responsibility for their students littering the sidewalks outside the buildings with cigarette butts (here's lookin' at you, Columbia/Dwight Lofts). These messes drag down the entire neighborhood.
6. Find a way to develop and implement some neighborhood branding. Other neighborhoods in Chicago have welcoming signage and banners -- can anyone think of any thriving South Loop businesses that might be willing to sponsor some?
Anonymous said...
Creative lighting concepts on buildings are a great way to highligh a structure's exterior details and enliven the surrounding area. Just make sure that the lights are not shining up towards the sky as we need to reduce light pollution in this bright city.
stargazers & birds will thank you
Anonymous said...
Love the ideas everyone has.
I definitely second the wish for more shops, coffee shops, and restaurants. But that means more money spent to support the shops.
As more people move to fill in the empty housing units, we'll get more critical mass for supporting the local shops.
When development resumes in a couple of years, hopefully the city, developers, and the community recognize the need for density near transit hubs (i.e. taller buildings near the El stops for people who don't want to have cars and can walk to the EL/neighborhood shops. And lower buildings further away for people who are more car-focused.)
And locate retail near that residential density/transit. (I love that we have a whole foods just across the river, but I still need to drive. Really excited about having a Trader Joe's within walking distance!)
I think we have something special with the South Loop: variety of housing options (high rises, row houses, industrial lofts), proximity to park/lake, transit (el, buslines,and highways), supermarkets, gyms, etc.
Anonymous said...
I also like the idea of having Printer's Row as pedestrian-only. It would make a better location for the Sloop's summer neighboorhood festival.
I think starting with finishing the south of end of Michigan from approx 8th St to 16th should be done first. It is the most visible thoroughfare and, if full of retail/restaurants/residences, it would draw more pedestrian traffic southward past Roosevelt.
There needs to be something done w/ the high visiblity SE corner of Roosevelt & Mich. Unfortunately, since it is owned by Museum Park it will likely remain vacant until housing market rebounds and they can build their 2 proposed remaining high-rises. I fear this will be an uninviting eyesore for yrs to come.
Finally, the empty retail spots and the abandoned bldgs south of Roosevelt on Michigan need to be occupied. Not to mention the "restaurant row" we had going on 13th and Wabash is looking pretty anemic & uninviting nowadays. I would almost rather have seen an empty high rise instead of the abandoned lots south of Zapatista's.
Anonymous said...
I would love to see the traffic slowed or limited on Wabash. Its just too crazy around roosevelt and that stop sign at 13th for people to really enjoy walking and that's where the restaurants are right now. The creation of more bike lanes.
We definitely need more retail, restaurants, and night life. I think the problem is our prices have remained too high and businesses can't move in. I cannot understand why a developer would prefer an empty storefronts to lower prices.
I would love to see a bookstore further south. We need real shopping, which I was happy to see Marshalls move in but I'm still waiting for the Roosevelt collection to materialize. I would love to see a few more night spots materialize.
As far as festivals or other events, i think we should build on our strengths and have them focus on art/music and other creative pursuits.
Anonymous said...
oh and as for why people don't stay and spend more is because there is nothing to increase foot traffic. When I go out to dinner in Wicker Park or Bucktown, I can stroll right down to an interesting bar/night spot and peek into windows of interesting shops. In South loop there are interesting places, but everything is spread out such that on foot each place is a destination in itself and you aren't likely to go from south coast sushi up to wabash tap. You have to wade through blocks of emptiness.
I do like the light idea. Well lit areas are more pedestrian friendly and generally safer for walking at night. We would just want to make sure that there was something unique during the day too. so that there is something for everyone
Anonymous said...
Agree with Anon 11:15am. I live in the South end of the South Loop, and we'll walk 8-10 blocks or more to go out to eat, and then after we're always like what now because there really aren't many options between there and home.
I really want a beer garden South of Roosevelt. I would ask whatever happened with Flo and Santos taking over the lot next to them, but I don't really want a beer garden next to an eL track.
Anonymous said...
Marinauser said...
It is nice to have "want" lists and to dream. However, everyone forgets that Lincoln Park, Bucktown and Wicker Park have been residential areas for far longer than the South Loop which was still mostly commercial and vacant commercial buildings until about 7 years ago. I have lived in the South Loop since 1990. Sometimes I miss the quiet, the easy parking and the fewer dogs of 1995. But that won't come back just like restaurants and retail won't come just because someone wishes for it. If you want a coffee shop, ice cream, or a gift shop, then take the risk and open one. Otherwise, it just comes across as whining. I expect that should you do such a study, what you would learn is that there just is not enough of a day time population in the south loop yet to support most such businesses. Even Target is not enough of a draw to pull other retail into Roosevelt Collection. Let's face it, we all work including many of the spouses. That is why there are several day care / pre-school businesses that seem to be thriving.
Dennis McClendon said...
The Near South Community Plan was adopted by the Plan Commission in May 2004 after five years of work by South Loop Neighbors and Greater South Loop Association. It's online.
Anonymous said...
Hey Sloopin - maybe you could sponsor a South Loop Design Contest, gather local architects to submit their ideas for the empty rail yard land west of Clark. It could be a good buzz generator and unleash some idle architectural talent thats wasting away riding out the recession / depression.
SouthLoopScot said...
"Otherwise, it just comes across as whining."
Did you ever consider that prospective business investors/owners might look at this and other blogs like it to get a feel for what might work here in the Sloop?
There's plenty of people that don't work in the daytime. But you probably wouldn't know that since you are at work. I don't work the traditional 9-5 and I see plenty of people out and about. It's just a matter of time, before we see more investment. In my opinion Trader Joe's is a great sign of things to come.
Anonymous said...
I've lived in the South Loop since 2007 and I've walked through most of the South Loop except Dearborn Park. Every time I walk to Target and endure the dreaded narrow Roosevelt sidewalk, I see a nice lush open green space below. I rather walk through that green space instead of walking amongst automobiles on Roosevelt. They need to open that place up. Yeah, I know, they walled themselves up to keep out the nasties of the 80's. Newsflash, it’s 2011 and even Central Station lets anyone walk on their sidewalks!
Butler Bulldogs said...
Mr. McClendon, while the Near South Community Plan is good if it were followed and put into an action plan, part of the problem is that organizations that you indicate like the Greater South Loop Association and Near South Planning Board have NOT adopted the plan as your posts indicates.
Residents time and time again know that these organizations are fighting tooth an nail to do most things counter to the recommendations of the Near South Community Plan for personal gain and conflicts of interests when it is expedient.
You won't find the Lincoln park plan telling residents that High Rises are the only way to density as these dolts continously harp on down here.
At the same time the TIF money is available for many of the planned projects but responsible parties are dragging their feet to implement, and soon that money will be gone.
Anonymous said...
A plan adopted in 2004. It seems nice but who is in charge of ensuring its implementation. Perhaps its time to revisit and revise.
Anonymous said...
A lot of these comments are petty and dont address the issues. I really enjoy the south loop and have lived here for 4 years. But it is getting harder and harder to see the sustained growth.
One of the big issues is that the south loop is new development. With the new development came making enough room for parking. Everyone is driving out of our neighborhood to shop/eat, etc. If I want to go to and Office Supplies store I have to drive to it. If I want to go to Target I drive there. Shopping... Best Buy, Marshals, World
Roosevelt Collection has planned for enough parking, so when/if retail ever moves in people will just drive there.
These shopping complex's are not healthy for our neighborhood. By not creating foot traffic the coffee shops, ice cream parlors will not open and shouldn't open if they do their market analysis. Foot traffic is everything.
Even Trader Joe's is investing millions into a parking structure, they know nobody walks in this neighborhood.
Roosevelt Road needs to become more pedestrian friendly. Maybe elevated cross walks at Michigan and State.
Lets get behind something and rally for it to happen. Lets become more active in the community.
Anonymous said...
I would also suggest revisiting the green line el stop at 18th street. There is a serious lack of transportation in that part of the south loop which discourages folks from moving into those high rises further south.
Anonymous said...
Outside of the second comment there are no real "master plan" ideas here. Sloopin should get a student competition going for a master plan at UIC and/or SAIC. Actual architects would charge for something like that.
Anonymous said...
Anon 9:46 AM, YOU are making the decision to drive. I have a parking spot. I have a car. The places I go have places to park, but I make the decision not to drive. You can do the same. Just because the infrastructure supports it, doesn't mean you have to use it.
Anonymous said...
I agree that developments need to be more pedestrian-friendly-- look at the Target on Roosevelt. The sidewalk on the Clark side is so narrow it's ridiculous.
But I disagree that "nobody" walks in the South Loop. I've lived just west of Printer's Row for about 7 years without a car, and it's not only possible, it's preferable not to have a car. With car-sharing services like iGo I can use a car when I need it, and not have the hassles of maintenance, etc. And when I do walk to shop, there are always lots of other people on the sidewalk with me, carrying shopping bags or with carts.
For those south of Roosevelt, this is more of an issue, especially if you get south of 14th Street or so. I originally lived at 21st and Wabash, from 2000-03, but moved further north when I realized development wasn't going to happen as fast as I wanted down there, and I definitely wanted to lose the car.
What I don't understand is all the people I meet who say they hardly ever use their car-- then why own one?? Seems like a big waste of money to me.
Anonymous said...
Absolutely, I make the decision to drive. Along with most others. Someone mentioned that people do walk...really?
True the South Loop is a very large neighborhood. Three times the size of the Loop. But I am more focused on the South Loop south of Roosevelt(sorry for my prejudice)but this is where I live. I would consider the area north of Roosevelt in good shape... pedestrians, shops, nightlife, etc.
South of Roosevelt is the newer developments and where we are lacking in transportation, nightlife, restaurants, shopping. One person walking by every five minutes is not foot traffic. I look out my window and see all these new high rises. Most of them well occupied and yet I see no-one walking around. If you go to the west loop or west town you will see what foot traffic for a newer area looks like.
Like I said lets pick a project/topic and all rally around it. Im all for fundraising and etc.
Yes, we should move the bash on wabash to printers row and call is something else.
BColeKid said...
There are too many dreary walks around the Sloop towards the new developments on Roosevelt. I think there was a second phase to the RC Plan, so I don't know the reasoning of building a mammoth structure that is closed off to Printer's Row, except for a two story staircase that will be opened someday (and the secret elevator off of Wells). Elevated Roosevelt is a problem. A bridge connecting Polk across the river at street level would be nice. Better incorporating Dearborn Park along Roosevelt and Clark would be nice too. Some forward-thinking for once. Is that too much to ask?
Anonymous said...
The South Loop needs more branding. We have really nice light posts down S Michigan Ave with rods sticking out of them for banners, and there has never been any installed. I think local businesses should sponsor a banner and then get they're name printed on it along with some type of South Loop logo, much like other neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, etc. I know this is something very small in contrast to larger issues at hand, but it can add some color to the streets and support local businesses.
Sloopin should sponsor a South Loop logo contest, where everyone can contribute ideas to what would be the perfect logo to represent and symbolize the South Loop.
Allen said...
Sloopin Ticker -- Art Gallery opening next to Tapas Valencia soon....Last day to sign-up for Monkey Bar Gym April 23rd Party is today and go to Whole Foods and buy 2nd Annual South Loop Movie Festival ($10) tix for Apr 28th.
BColeKid said...
I like the logo idea. Anyone for a little momentum?
Anonymous said...
In my dream world a developer would buy the empty lots just south of ole-hardwood all the way from the wabash side to the michagan side and build a walk-through plaza with shops and restaurants. It was provide a central meeting place for people in the area to go for food/entertainment and socializing. A few years ago, the Sundance group was going to build a Sundance theater in the West Loop but the deal went sour, but as the South Loop has a richer history in film, it would be better placed down in these parts. It makes me sad to think that this is all just a dream....
Kyle said...
Great blog post and conversation starter.
1) Everyone needs to read The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs.
2) A master plan needs to provide guiding principles not rigid edicts on aesthetics (thats for the suburbs). Bike Friendly would be a great first step. And integrating Dearborn Park would also be high on the list. Growth will come for south of Roosevelt, its a matter of how it comes.
3) Unfortunately right now the South Loop functions a bit like a suburb because it is mostly residential and people leave the area to go to work.
3) To combat number 2, we need a healthy mix of business types. If we just import restaurants and high-end retail, we won't become a neighborhood, just a destination.
4) Leverage what we have. The Museum Campus and Soldier Field are right next door. How can we add businesses to capitalize on these tremendous assets.
5) Neighborhood identity needs to come residents. We don't want some outsiders coming in with some corporate scheme and telling us what our neighborhood should be.
Anonymous said...
Please, no more street banners until the unsightly ones hung by the Central Station developer are removed. Torn, tattered, and ripped lightpost banners claiming 'welcome to central station' have been hanging (by a thread!) along 16th and Prairie for YEARS. Their condition worsens every year, and nobody does anything about it. These banners are an immense eyesore when not properly maintained.
Anonymous said...
The south loop need a marquee festival with music, food, etc. Something like a block party or taste of the south loop, maybe a wine festival. A marquee festival would bring hype to the south loop from outside neighborhoods and could possible bring more business to the south loop from other neighborhoods. Every other neighborhood that I hear mentioned on sloopin has something like this for example Lincoln Parks art and music festival. | <urn:uuid:fd624425-5c34-43ac-84b1-8837d6b2ae3d> | http://www.sloopin.com/2011/04/does-south-loop-need-master-plan.html | en | 0.969375 | 0.035572 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
08 April 2011
10 Random Things for Friday
1. Great news - Applebee's lunch special that I love is good Monday - Saturday. (I thought it was just weekdays...). You get unlimited soup and salad. You can pick if you want the salads with meat or without, for a couple dollars difference. And then get comfortable - you can choose a different soup and salad from the list for each go 'round! I just stay and keep eating til Maggie gets too bored :D
2. I got a great big Laffy Taffy while I was grocery shopping yesterday because it just looked good. It is very good.
3. For the first day this week, we have nothing to do until this evening. Well, nothing outside the house anyway. It'll be a very good day to just chill out while getting laundry done and making a new recipe for dinner.
4. Why do they play Sprout commercials on regular PBS? Believe or not, my child does not make our cable decisions. For realz.
5. Hahahaha.....not having anywhere I have to be during the day has me sort of disoriented - I feel like I'm forgetting something!
6. Hey - if you need any Partylite, leave me a comment or message me TODAY - I need a couple more orders on my party to get what I want for free from my party last night :D (More on this in a later post...)
7. I kind of can't believe it's raining AGAIN...
8. I'm so excited about the leftover chicken dip for last night, that I might have lunch very soon ;)
9. I finally turned our grandfather clock's chimes back on. I like em.
10. Hmm....this Laffy Taffy is a really yummy appetizer before my deliciously unhealthy chicken dip :D
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Tag Archives: plants
iStock-969591698 – Cropped
Houseplants in Autumn
Houseplants in Autumn
As we travel into the cooler days of fall, we all notice that the days are getting shorter and the sun is setting earlier. Our indoor houseplants are also feeling the need to adjust to these changes. As days shorten, they will slow their growth and water requirements, and it’s up to us to adjust the frequency of our watering schedules. We can also give some varieties a trim to further help with their adjustment.
Shorter days mean that the sun is now less intense, meaning that it’s giving off less energy than during the hot summer. This change in energy levels directly affects our indoor houseplants, which will begin to slow their growth in response to this change. Make sure that you are checking the moisture content of the soil and watering deeply and only when the plant needs it. Some plants may use significantly less water in the fall and winter months, so it’s important to change your watering habits to match your plants’ current needs and not what they needed back in that summer heat wave.
Autumn is also a great time to consider trimming plants back. Some plants like Ficus, Schefflera, and Ivies that grow multiple leafy stems may have grown a lot over the long, high light days in summer. Trimming them back and pruning to shape will help the plants adjust to lower light levels. If left untrimmed, a lot of these plants will drop off their older interior foliage in order to make their own adjustments; trimming your plants helps you control the plants’ shape and fullness. Some plants don’t need to be cut back at all, such as Snake plants, ferns, dracaenas, and palms.
Tropical plants that have been outdoors for the summer months benefit from being moved indoors in early September, before the temperature starts to go below 10 degrees Celsius. Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Mandevillea, Passion Flower and Jasmine, are just a few of the flowering high light plants that are often placed outdoors for the summer and indoors for the rest of the year. These plants have been out in the heat, humidity, and intense sun for months and will greatly benefit from being pruned when they come indoors. Over the winter months you can do some light pruning to keep them bushy and full. These sun loving plants will also show a big difference in their water consumption – they can go from needing daily watering in high summer to going every 5, 7 or even sometimes every 10 days between waterings. It’s very important to check the soil moisture and only water according to the plant’s requirements, not according to a calendar schedule. Misting the leaves on these humidity loving plants during this transition period is also beneficial to their adjustment to indoor life.
A common problem in the later fall early winter is rotting roots due to overwatering (watering too frequently or allowing plant to sit in water). This can be avoided by having pots with drainage, emptying saucers after watering, and making sure the plant is drying out between deep waterings.
Repotting can be done at this time of year if necessary, but only a small increase in pot size is recommended. As the days shorten so does the plant’s growth rate; it will take your plant much longer to grow roots in the later fall and winter than it does in the spring and summer. Many people prefer to repot more in the spring or early summer, using the longer days to give their newly potted plants plenty of time to grow their roots and absorb that gorgeous sunlight.
Clean Air Plants
It’s no secret that there are lots of benefits to having plants in your home. Not only do they look great, but many houseplants can make your home a healthier place to live! In 1989, a NASA study found that common indoor plants naturally purify the air in your home by removing harmful toxins such as formaldehyde (which are found in carpets, upholstery, glues, paint and more), benzene (plastics, synthetic fibers, rubber), and trichloroethylene (in paint removers, rug cleaning solution, adhesives, etc.). Read More
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ISA Interchange
All Posts
Leveraging Digital Technology in Manufacturing
The influence of digital technology on automation began with the introduction of distributed control systemsin place of panel-based instruments and controllersinto process plants in the early 1960s. This was followed by the introduction of programmable logic controllers in late 1960s, replacing relay-based systems in plants. Since then, automation and digital technology have almost become inseparable. Intense competition, the need to more efficiently use all resources to create shareholder value, and so on are driving manufacturing companies to seize opportunities to continually improve their operational excellence. When they realize that digital technology offers them immense possibilities to better their performance, it propels them to invest in digitization and digitalization.
Since there is a general agreement that digitalization starts with digitization, let us begin by defining digitization. Digitization is the conversion or the process of converting information in the form of an image, sound, document, etc. into a digital format that can be processed by a computer. One example of this is the conversion of input signals to the DCS from analogue to digital for processing; another example is the conversion of paper documents or pictures into PDF documents.
Let us switch over from digitization to digitalization. In the absence of a formal definition, there is confusion about these two words; often they are used synonymously. Both Oxford dictionary and Wikipedia see digitalization and digitization to mean the same thing, but for most of the players in this domain, these words have different meanings.
Let us, for example, take the case of Gartner and Siemens. According to Gartner, digitalization is "the use of digital technologies to change a business model and provide new revenue and value-producing opportunities; it is the process of moving to a digital business." But for Siemens, digitalization is "the process of connecting digitized information via digital twins and the digital thread to gain detailed insights that can be used to transform business processes and create new opportunities for product innovation." Their definitions of digitalization differ because of their respective business orientations. While Gartner is more into business process reengineering, Siemens is largely a product/system supplier. Depending on who you ask, the meaning of digitalization changes.
From a manufacturing company’s perspective, however, digital technology empowers through information gathering, sharing data among all the stakeholders in real time, processing data to obtain actionable insights, and acting autonomously on them. Therefore, in an industrial context, digitalization is the process of leveraging digital technology to connect and process digitized information and gain actionable insights that can be acted upon to improve efficiencies and productivity in the manufacturing enterprise’s operations.
It may be relevant to point out that all the necessary digital building blockssuch as industrial automation, enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, customer and supplier relationship management, manufacturing execution systems, and similar solutionsalready exist. The ANSI/ISA95 standard and Reference Architectural Model Industrie 4.0 provide frameworks and approaches to integrate these building blocks and reap the benefits of digitalization.
Many manufacturing companies have already embarked upon digitization, digitalization, Industry 4.0, smart manufacturing, connected enterprises, or the Industrial Internet of Things. The ultimate goal of these technologies is the sameto become information-driven and autonomously operated to achieve operational excellence. Even though digitalization is an endless process, each step has a specific objective. Each manufacturing entity has to follow its own roadmap, dictated by its own priorities.
This article is a product of the International Society of Automation (ISA) Smart Manufacturing & IIoT Division. If you are an ISA member and are interested in joining this division, please email
About the Author
Rajabahadur V. Arcot is a life member of ISA, a member of ISA's Smart Manufacturing & IIoT Division, and an ISA-accredited mentor and trainer. He authors industry and technology trend articles, market research reports, case studies, and white papers, providing insights into automation and manufacturing IT.
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Greg McMillan Nov 10, 2020 5:00:00 AM | <urn:uuid:ef6e4068-3d30-43b0-b48d-8c91a84d7efc> | https://blog.isa.org/leveraging-digital-technology-in-manufacturing | en | 0.911923 | 0.023123 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
@albin over and above AGPL?
It's all very code-focused on the GNU side. What people seem to get interested in with cloud services is the fact that commercial exploitation of the code gets monopolised by those cloud services. So we get copyfarleft and weird stuff like the "commons clause" showing up.
Might actually be impossible to fix though.
@lupine For me the code is a means, not an end. The most interesting parts of the free software movement to me were always the slightly utopian visions (and I think they are very clearly widely different) about the societies around and through the code. I can imagine both communal centralised computing and individualised libertarian computing springing from the same roots, just to name two.
Do you have a good source on copy far left?
@Shamar @albin self-hosting is niche, and kept that way by overbearing cloud services with huge advantages. That keeps hacking niche too, of course. Quite how to challenge that without excluding those services from using our code, I don't really know.
Some ideological communities will pick self-hosting as long as it's possible, of course. For email, it's still marginally possible, but I wouldn't bet on it long-term. Usenet, IRC, XMPP demonstrate its fate
@Shamar @albin self-hosting seems analogous to grown-your-own food to me. Niche, and as long as these companies can grow/host anything you can, only cheaper and faster and more conveniently, what could a non-ideological hook be to get people doing it themselves?
One could imagine a crop variety that is insanely delicious, but if you put it in the existing commons, you'll find it in the supermarket the very next day. What other options are available?
@Shamar @lupine I tried reading it before, and the Debian thread you linked previously, but I didn't really understand neither your motivations nor what sets your license apart from previous FLOSS licenses. Do you have a "for dummies" resource available somewhere?
@albin @lupine
I planned to build a FAQ page for it in these days but
1. wife and daughters forbidden me computers while they are awake (we are on vacation)
2. the Russian Government interjected to steal my remaining free time: bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.
A gist of my motivations are outlined at
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Capitalism and the Commodification of Salmon
From Wild Fish to a Genetically Modified Species
Stefano B. Longo is an assistant professor of sociology at North Carolina State University. Rebecca Clausen is an associate professor of sociology at Fort Lewis College. Brett Clark is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Utah. This article is in part based on their book, The Tragedy of the Commodity: Oceans, Fisheries, and Aquaculture (Rutgers University Press, forthcoming).
On February 25, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) closed the public comment period for the environmental assessment of the AquAdvantage Salmon. Their review of the first genetically modified animal for human consumption concluded with a “finding of no significant impact.”1 Numerous fishermen, consumer safety advocates, public health officials, ecologists, and risk assessment experts submitted comments that directly challenged this finding. Despite the opposition, it is very likely that the FDA’s approval of this genetically engineered salmon and precedent-setting regulatory process is imminent.
AquAdvantage Salmon is a patented fish created and owned by a leading aquaculture technology corporation. The species has been genetically altered so that the fundamental traits and characteristics of an Atlantic salmon are now blended with the ocean pout, an eel-like species, and the Chinook, a salmon native to the Pacific Ocean. The result is a genetically modified salmon that grows at twice the rate of an Atlantic salmon, enabling it to reach a harvestable size in eighteen months instead of three years. Time magazine heralded it as one of “the best inventions of 2010.”2
The aquaculture industry and corporate investors are championing this recent development in food biotechnology. They propose that this “invention” will yield ecological benefits, such as preserving wild salmon, while enhancing efficiency. The biotechnology sector is excited, as the unprecedented approval of genetically modified animal species for human consumption opens the door for the food industry into this realm of production. While genetically engineered plants have been readily produced and consumed in the United States, animals represent the next great market leap.
The story of genetically modified salmon is bound to the commodification of food, the intensification of seafood production, the overexploitation of fish stocks, and so-called technological solutions to address environmental problems. Unfortunately, the discussion of fisheries and oceans is constrained by ideological justifications that prevent a comprehensive assessment. For example, the depletion of fisheries is often referred to as a tragedy of the commons, where too many selfish fishers are chasing too few fish. Private property and technology are generally presented as solutions that will save fisheries and feed the world’s growing population. This argument has been used to justify subsequent conservation and management policies in fisheries. We contend that it is an inadequate explanation for the decline in fish populations and that its solutions are misdirected and problematic. As a counter, we propose that the tragedy of the commodity serves as a more appropriate explanation for the sweeping changes in oceans, fisheries, and recent efforts to introduce genetically modified salmon. This alternative approach presents how the logic of capital has shaped production and commodification processes. It also highlights how the most recent case of biotechnology in relation to salmon serves the needs of capital by increasing control of biological and ecological systems in order to better conform to economic dictates. The genetic modification of salmon is part of a biological speedup, whereby natural processes are transformed to achieve faster rates of return in the food marketplace.
Fisheries and Tragedies
Like terrestrial ecosystems, marine ecosystems have come under increasing anthropogenic pressure. Recently, a team of scientists concluded that no area of the world ocean “is unaffected by human influence.”3 The majority of the world’s fisheries are either fully exploited, overexploited, or depleted. It is estimated “that the global ocean has lost more than 90% of large predatory fishes” since the pre-industrial level.4 Scientists have concluded that fisheries and their associated ecosystems are being threatened on a scale unparalleled in human history.
Oceans and other aquatic ecosystems have provided essential ecological services and have been a source of food for humans for millennia. Archeological evidence suggests that coastal human societies, including prehistoric civilizations, affected the size and makeup of marine populations, yet did not generally exploit them to the degree that could threaten fish populations with collapse.5 This situation changed with the rise of the capitalist system. The scale and pace of human impacts on marine species increased during the sixteenth century with colonial expansion. It greatly accelerated following the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century, with the development of new systems of mass transportation, such as railways, as well as other technologies, in particular the steam engine and refrigeration, which allowed for considerable expansion of fish production and consumption. Steam engines in boats permitted fishers to enlarge the range of their harvest at sea. Refrigeration allowed for larger quantities of fish to be captured, while boats could stay at sea longer without loss due to spoilage. Railways extended the seafood market, as inland populations gained access to fisheries products.6
While modern industrialized fishing efforts first emerged in the nineteenth century, the post-Second World War period marked a dramatic rise in marine catches that threatened the biodiversity and well-being of ocean systems on a global scale.7 Following the war, the amount of capital and energy invested in fishing operations continued to swell. Advanced fishing technologies and techniques rapidly increased the intensity and capacity of fishing operations. Global captures increased more than four-fold between 1950 and 2000, from almost 20 million tons to about 90 million tons. In the 1950s and ‘60s, the global fishing effort expanded at a rate faster than that of human population growth.8
Massive ships, employing state-of-the-art location technology, typify modern fishing operations. Industrial fishing operations use three main types of fishing technologies: trawlers, longlines, and purse seines. Factory trawlers deploy massive nets that are either pulled through the open sea like a large parachute or dragged across the ocean floor, sometimes thousands of feet below the surface. This practice stirs up ground fish and crustaceans, which are valuable target species, while causing much habitat destruction. Longlines make use of a string of baited hooks that hang from a main line, which can stretch for miles. The largest industrial longlines can contain thousands of baited hooks. This practice is often used in commercial fishing operations targeting pelagic species such as tuna, halibut, and swordfish. Purse seines make use of massive nets that are used to encircle schools of aggregating species like tuna. These nets can have a circumference of over a mile and can harvest many tons of fish in a single haul. In addition to target species, bycatch (unintentionally harvested fish that are unwanted, illegal to catch, or lack a market) are inevitably captured, particularly by the large-scale fishing techniques described above. These unintentionally captured species not only include other fish, but marine mammals, such as dolphins, and birds. Approximately one-third of all species captured in fishing operations in the United States are killed and discarded as bycatch.9 The use of advanced location technologies—such as sonar—has made these capture systems even more lethal.
Throughout the twentieth century, overfishing practices prompted international efforts to manage fisheries to mitigate the consequent impacts on marine and social systems. Management strategies, such as maximum sustainable yield, which became firmly established in the 1950s, and maximum economic yield, sought to determine specific levels of harvesting that would not undermine long-term fish production. In other words, calculations were made to estimate what was the maximum amount of fish that could be captured, without harming the reproductive capacity of a specific fish stock. Given the dominance of the logic of capital, these management approaches prioritized economic interests, emphasizing the use of market incentives and private property, such as rights to fish, as mechanisms to achieve desired goals. These management methods have come under extensive criticism, particularly when stocks—such as the cod in the Newfoundland fishery—collapse even after they have been closely managed.10 Nevertheless, they continue to serve as the basis for contemporary management strategies.
Despite these management strategies, the increasing fishing capacity and technology associated with capturing marine species has devastated many marine stocks and ecosystems, particularly species higher in the food web, such as salmon and tuna. Thus, there have been efforts to better understand and explain why this is occurring, and what can and should be done about it. The most pervasive explanation for fisheries depletion or collapse is the “tragedy of the commons” thesis developed by ecologist Garrett Hardin in the late 1960s. In brief, Hardin asserts that the combination of overpopulation and greedy individuals will eventually destroy all resources that are held in common, such as fisheries. That is, the individual propensity toward self-interest will exploit common-pool resources without regard of the potential social or ecological impacts. According to Hardin, “freedom in common brings ruin to all.”11
He contended that there are two ways to prevent these tragedies from occurring. Either top-down state control of common property resources—in fisheries, for example, instituting and enforcing fishing seasons and management programs such as quotas—or the commons must be enclosed through private ownership, which would limit access and promote protection of the resources. Hardin generally endorsed the latter approach, especially privatization. In his famous treatise, “Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping the Poor,” Hardin extended his discussion of the commons and what he saw as associated concerns, overpopulation, hunger, and poverty. He explained, “under a system of private property, the men who own property recognize their responsibility to care for it, for if they don’t they will eventually suffer.”12
Hardin’s thesis has generated much debate over the last several decades. It is hailed by many, and criticized by some. We contend that Hardin and those associated with his argument focus on the wrong aspect of social organization—the commons—as the locus of the problem. Furthermore, his argument lacks necessary historical insight and social context. We argue that capitalist commodity production is an essential institutional force that has contributed to the massive depletion of ecological resources—such as fish stock—on a global scale. Rather than a tragedy of the commons, it is the tragedy of the commodity that needs to be assessed. It is necessary to scrutinize the system of production and its underlying logic in order to better understand the roots of the oceanic crisis.
Global marine fisheries, once thought to be infinite, clearly indicate the onset of a crisis. Many fisheries scientists, including Daniel Pauly, contend that several fish populations are being harvested at a faster rate than they can reproduce.13 While overall fishing effort has been steadily increasing, the cumulative yields of all species in large marine ecosystems have been in decline since the 1980s.14 Marine species are stressed primarily due to anthropogenic activities such as overexploitation of stocks and habitat loss due to environmental degradation. Fisheries scientist Boris Worm and his colleagues predict that if trends of increasing pressure and loss of biodiversity in marine ecosystems continue unchanged, the collapse of all taxa that are currently fished could occur by the middle of the twenty-first century.15 Such changes have not been frequent occurrences in human history until very recently. The collapse of marine fisheries points to systematic changes in the ways that social systems interact with marine ecosystems.16
In the development of our analysis, we use Marx’s famous aphorism on tragedy and farce as a guiding thread. In The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte, Marx states, “Hegel remarks somewhere that all facts and personages of great importance in world history occur, as it were, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second as farce.”17 Thus, we suggest that the initial “tragedy” of resource depletion associated with capitalist commodity production can often return as the “farce” of market or technological solutions in an attempt to address the various problems that have emerged. Indeed, environmental organizations and the policy establishment are quick to promote privatization of resources—i.e., market solutions—and technological fixes for addressing environmental problems or tragedies. In contrast, the tragedy of the commodity approach requires that we “lift the veil” that conceals the social relations of capitalist commodity production that contribute to environmental degradation. In doing so, we illuminate the elementary logic and social dynamics that have largely shaped human interactions with ecosystems in the era of modern capitalism. This approach highlights the social context and developments that contribute to overfishing, the shift to aquaculture, and eventually the introduction of the first genetically engineered animal for human consumption, the AquAdvantage Salmon.
A Brief History of Salmon Decline: From Open Waters to Aquaculture Pens
Populations of Pacific wild salmon are a small fraction of their historic size in every region except Alaska. Salmon decline began in the late 1800s and continued throughout the 1900s. At the end of the twentieth century, Pacific salmon were listed as endangered or threatened in thirty-four areas along the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. Their population levels are considered to be stable in only 16 percent of this region of the Pacific Northwest.18 The historic decline of salmon is linked to the rise of the fish as a prized global commodity, new fishing techniques, the open access market, and the construction of dams to supply cheap hydroelectric power for industrial growth and irrigation-intensive agriculture.19 This tragic loss of biodiversity contributed to various technological solutions, such as hatcheries and eventually aquaculture, in order to try to maintain production of salmon for market.
Prior to capitalist fishing operations, salmon were primarily captured to meet local and regional needs. This situation within the Pacific Northwest dramatically changed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as canneries established operations to harvest salmon simply for profit. While initially using similar technologies to those employed by indigenous peoples, such as fish traps that consisted of channels constructed in rivers, streams, and tidal zones in order to direct salmon to holding pens, capitalist operations extended the location of traps to maximize the catch. For hundreds of years, prior to the establishment of canneries, indigenous communities of the Pacific Northwest employed sociocultural restrictions that helped sustain the salmon population. In contrast, capitalist operations recognized no constraints. Production was organized to facilitate the accumulation of capital as quickly as possible, resulting in added pressures on fish stocks. The use of steel cans within the cannery became widespread, vastly expanding the global trade of this commodity. To demonstrate the tremendous growth in the Pacific Northwest’s first great industry, consider that the number of canneries on the Columbia River grew from eight to thirty-nine in the latter part of the nineteenth century.20 Correspondingly, the export of salmon out of the Columbia River region increased significantly, from around 200,000 cans of salmon in 1866 to almost 30 million cans of salmon by 1883. Most of these were exported to England, Australia, and Central America.21
Around the turn of the twentieth century, canneries began to rely on the fish wheel, a device that scooped migrating salmon out of the river current and into a wire net. Brutally efficient, the fish wheel could catch an average of 20,000 pounds of salmon a day.22 The salmon industry also used boats to set extensive gillnets in the ocean and near the mouths of migratory rivers. When salmon swim into these vertical nets, only part of their bodies pass through the mesh. The nylon mesh slips behind the gills and entangles the salmon. Both fish wheels and gillnets can be used in an ecologically sensible manner as they are effective in harvesting only target species, particularly in the salmon fishery. However, the expansion of fishing technology proceeded with minimal regulation or oversight, and was driven by the necessity to expand. Given the context of an open-access fishery under an economic system predicated on constant growth, these fishing techniques were employed to maximize harvests and served to continue the decline of wild salmon. Reflecting on these intensive fishing practices, Robert Lackey, who worked for the Environmental Protection Agency, explains, “by 1900 many stocks were reduced below levels required to ensure reproductive success, let alone support fishing; some probably were extirpated.”23
Habitat loss and degradation due to the construction of dams further exacerbated the decline in the salmon population. In the late 1930s, hydropower became the primary instrument of economic development in the West. Construction of dams continued through the 1970s, resulting in 274 hydropower dams, as well as an additional 200 dams that are used for other purposes, such as flood control, in the Columbia River Basin.24 These dams prevented the passage of both returning adult spawners and outmigrating juveniles, blocking an estimated one-third of salmon habitat.25
To allow for industrial growth and commercial salmon fishing, hatcheries were developed so salmon would no longer need to spawn in the wild. Fish managers stripped the eggs and milt (sperm) from salmon broodstock, mixed the genetic material, and raised the fertilized eggs in controlled containers. The goal of hatchery enhancement was to supplement wild populations to increase the number of salmon that could be captured for sale on the market. The rationalized hatchery policies focused on increasing production of a single species, independent of its habitat and evolutionary requirements, which masked the decline in the population of wild salmon. Today, there are more than 100 hatcheries releasing salmon into the Columbia River, and over 500 salmon hatcheries exist in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia.26 As a consequence, salmon of hatchery origin are now dominant in most watersheds of the Northwest. There are a host of unintended consequences, including narrowing the biodiversity of salmon in the Northwest and weakening the genetic pool of wild salmon.
Commercial fisheries continued to prosper throughout the twentieth century, even in the midst of the tragic decline of the wild salmon population. Hatcheries helped maintain high harvest rates, which unwittingly caused a further decline in the population, as exploitation rates reached 88 percent of the fishery stock—too high to sustain wild salmon.27 Although much of their life cycle is controlled, hatchery-raised salmon still rely on migratory rivers that lead to the ocean and thus are still dependent on ecological cycles. As such, they cannot be entirely folded into year-round, highly controlled, global food markets. In an effort to overcome this “obstacle,” intensive salmon aquaculture operations were introduced.
The problems associated with marine fisheries contributed to the development of new techniques to produce seafood for mass consumption. A major effort was made to create controlled-rearing operations for fish, which are similar to land-based agricultural systems. Fish farms, or aquaculture, have increased production over the last several decades at an enormous rate. Aquaculture is the fastest-growing form of food production in the world. Only 5 percent of the fish consumed by humans came from aquaculture in 1960. By 2012, about half of all fish consumed was raised on farms.28 Salmon farming, in particular, is one of the most profitable forms of aquaculture. From 1985 to 2010, the amount of farmed salmon produced increased from approximately 500,000 tons to 2.5 million tons, valued at almost $9 billion.29
Modern industrial salmon aquaculture expanded as a system of production during the early 1980s. Its emergence marks a significant change from historic, wild capture fisheries, which were characterized by independent boat owners and operators harvesting fish from the oceans. In contrast to wild salmon, farmed salmon—which are raised in aquaculture pens—are not dependent on natural cycles of migration, reproduction, and development. In industry terms, they are owned “from egg to plate,” and their entire life cycle is managed in captive environments. Under these conditions, capitalist enterprises obtain control, conformity, and predictability, eliminating many of the vagaries of inconsistency, variety, and seasonality that are associated with fishing wild salmon. They are able to increase the scale and speed of salmon production. The net pens range from approximately thirty to one hundred feet across and are about thirty feet deep. Together the pens are approximately the size of four football fields and can hold from 500,000 to 750,000 salmon on average. The salmon are fed manufactured pellets—via mechanized feed machines on regular intervals—that contain fishmeal, fish oil, and other supplements such as wheat by-products, soybean, and feather meal. Raising fish in captive pens resulted in a production speedup. The salmon industry no longer had to wait to harvest the fish during their annual migration; rather, aquaculture investors could now grow fish year round in contained pens and harvest at will throughout the year.
The social and ecological contradictions of the aquaculture production process were apparent from the very beginning. Penned salmon create concentrated waste that pollutes marine ecosystems surrounding these sites, require protein-intensive diets at the expense of other marine fisheries, involve the use of antibiotics to try to reduce the spread of disease associated with the conditions of production, and frequently escape as invasive species. In regard to feed, almost five kilograms of wild fish are required to produce one kilogram of farmed salmon. Rather than lessening demands on ocean resources, intensive salmon aquaculture increased pressure on wild fish stocks.30 Aquaculture production processes also displace traditional labor practices, lead to deskilling as mechanization takes priority, and diminish traditional subsistence users’ access to the fishery. Mergers and acquisitions now characterize this global industry. Ownership is often under the control of a handful of aqua-business corporations.31 In North America, the five largest firms produce about 95 percent of the volume.32
The accomplishments of farmed salmon practices allow for greater rates of production and return on investments based on the sale of salmon as commodities in year-round, global markets. Aquaculture still relies, however, on the basic metabolic growth functions of natural species, which is often seen as “inefficient” for increasing the rate of return on profit. To overcome this constraint, firms have turned to biotechnology to alter the growth rates of salmon.
The Political Economy of Genetically Modified Salmon
AquAdvantage Salmon, a fish with transgenic characteristics, is a faster growing salmon. As with all technological developments, this genetic invention did not develop in a social vacuum. Before offering a critique, it is important to understand the political-economic context in which the genetically modified salmon arose and its relationship to the commodification process.
Initial research and development of genetically modified salmon began in 1989 at Memorial University of Newfoundland, outside of the private sector and under the guise of public research. Canadian researchers at this university derived the founder animal from which the AquAdvantage line was created by injecting the transgene (Chinook plus ocean pout) into fertilized eggs of wild Atlantic salmon. By 1992, AquAdvantage Salmon was established from the offspring of the first generation of engineered salmon. This invention quickly moved from a public institution to a private firm, which conforms to the pattern of commodification of university research products. Biologists Richard Levins and Richard Lewontin explain that “the commoditization of university science results from the financial needs of the universities.”33 They point out that university scientists are considered investments in multiple ways, one of which is “for sharing in the patents of inventions made by university faculty.”34
In the 1990s, Canadian policies directed towards university research and biotechnology resulted in “substantive federal investments made to enhance capacity building at universities and develop networks to integrate academic research with industry priorities to commercialize new inventions.”35 In the case of genetically modified salmon, in 1996 a U.S. company then known as A/F Protein acquired the license to the genetic technology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. The firm, headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, was subsequently reorganized in 2000 into AquaBounty Farms, which maintained the AquAdvantage technology. Three years later, the company submitted to the FDA its first regulatory study. In 2004, AquaBounty Farms changed its name to AquaBounty Technologies.
The application to the FDA is a significant step because it points to the lack of a coherent regulatory plan for managing the unique circumstances and potential risks posed by producing transgenic fish. In place of comprehensive policy development, in the United States transgenic animals are regulated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act known as NADA—New Animal Drug Application.36 As a result, the first transgenic animal intended for human consumption is being evaluated, not as a new food product, but as a veterinary drug. Critics argue that the FDA and Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee do not have the expertise, authority, or institutional will to assess the potential environmental and social concerns associated with transgenic fish.
In anticipation of growth upon regulatory approval, AquaBounty Technologies was listed in 2006 on the London Stock Exchange’s Alternative Investment Market, raising $30 million in an initial public offering of stock. With this inflow of capital, the firm began expanding operations. While waiting for the completion of the approval process, AquaBounty Technologies began construction of a land-based aquaculture grow-out facility in the highlands of Panama for the purpose of conducting trials of AquAdvantage Salmon.
In 1980, in the United States, the Supreme Court decision in Diamond vs. Chakrabarty paved the way for the ownership of living organisms altered by human technology when it ruled that a bacterium produced to break down crude oil could be patented. In the same year, the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act permitted universities to patent innovations produced with federal funding. As a result of these legal dictates and ongoing efforts to commercialize public-sector research and inventions, there has been “a proliferation of patenting by both private- and public-sector institutions” in plant biotechnology.37 Between 1980 and 1991, in the United States, the number of patents granted in plant biotechnology went from zero per year to surpassing 100 per year. The patents continued to increase each year. In 2000, over 700 patents were granted.38
Increasingly, public-sector inventions are licensed to private companies, which then control exclusive rights to commercial production.39 Through consolidation and concentration of ownership, a few major companies own and control a disproportionately large amount of plant biotechnology. Geneticist Pam Ronald and organic farming activist Raoul Adamchak explain that:
The private sector is becoming greatly centralized through mergers and acquisitions into a global oligopoly dominated by five firms that are also major marketers of pesticides (Monsanto, Dupont-Pioneer, Syngenta, Bayer, BASF). These mergers were made in part to accumulate the intellectual property (patented technologies and genes) portfolios necessary to produce GE [genetically engineered] crops and in part to gain control over a new technology. What this means is that the private companies now have even more control over who uses the technology of genetic engineering.40
At the policy level, the FDA application for AquAdvantage Salmon continued to move through the regulatory process unhindered, even if under a growing critique from environmental activists, scientists, and fishing people. By 2010, the Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee, which reviews all NADA applications, concluded that the genetically engineered fish was safe to eat and posed no threat to the environment. In 2012, the FDA released its draft Environmental Assessment with a preliminary “finding of no significant impact.” Critics suggested that this finding was premature and did not allow for consideration of the full range of ecological and social risks. Anne Kapuscinski, a professor of sustainability science at Dartmouth, conducted an independent ecological risk assessment of AquAdvantage Salmon. She sent her evaluation to the FDA, indicating that the Environmental Assessment of the agency did not adequately consider the growing body of research on genetic and ecological risks of transgenic fish.41 She recommends a broader definition for “safety” analysis, such as applying the precautionary principle, in which salmon are not simply treated as a commodity, but rather an integral link in human and natural communities.
The public was allowed 120 days to comment on the Environmental Assessment. Over 1.8 million people vehemently opposed the FDA’s favorable review of AquAdvantage Salmon, with comments coming from a variety of individuals concerned about the potential impacts to marine ecology, commercial fishing communities, public health, indigenous rights, and intellectual property rights. In addition, twelve Senators and twenty-one Representatives of the U.S. Congress sent letters to the FDA urging them to halt its approval until regulatory, economic, and environmental concerns are addressed. Despite this harsh outcry from the public, it is expected that AquAdvantage Salmon will soon be approved. The company has already begun producing eggs at AquaBounty Canada’s hatchery for commercial sale.
AquaBounty Technologies has actively attempted to frame the discussion of their genetically modified salmon for the general public. According to industry materials, AquAdvantage Salmon technology “will permit the use of alternative production systems which have substantial environmental and fish health benefits which are not economical for conventional Atlantic salmon.”42 A main criticism of conventional salmon aquaculture is that it takes a significant amount of fishmeal and fish oil to grow the carnivorous species. Thus, AquaBounty presents their captive production of genetically modified salmon as a solution to the problems associated with existing aquaculture. With faster growing transgenic salmon, the assumption is that less fishmeal and fish oil will be required, which will therefore reduce the impact on ocean fisheries and the environmental footprint in general.43 Additionally, AquaBounty claims that all salmon will be raised in inland, closed containment tanks, reducing the risk of escape and preventing waste from entering the marine system.44 The company also indicates that the new invention will yield social benefits. For instance, they propose that their genetically modified salmon “can be produced in the U.S. in an environmentally sustainable manner, creating American jobs and reducing imports while ensuring traceability, food safety and security.”45
Each of these claims requires further reflection. It is important to consider the general tendencies of the capitalist system, especially in regard to how increased efficiency relates to an overall increase in material throughput. Capitalist commodity production has created a historically unique set of social and institutional relationships. The production of commodities in a capitalist system is organized according to a particular logic that, unlike systems of production that preceded it, has at its basis the production and realization of surplus value—profits. In what follows, we briefly discuss the dynamics that this operational principle unleashes, and its importance for further understanding the social and technological processes that have been central to the efforts to produce and bring to market the first genetically engineered animal for human consumption.
Tragedy of the Commodity
Marx’s point of departure in the first volume of Capital was an analysis of the commodity. It was in the production of commodities that the logic and aim of capitalist production could be appropriately and effectively understood. A similar approach is necessary to understand the historical development of salmon production, including recent developments associated with AquAdvantage Salmon. Therefore, Marx’s framework regarding the fundamentals of capitalist commodity production will be briefly outlined. In particular, the general formula for capital, the production of relative surplus value, and the circuit of capital will be addressed. The larger political-economic context reveals the motive and logic of salmon production and the development of genetically modified salmon in a manner that challenges much of the conventional wisdom regarding its social and ecological benefits and costs.
The capitalist system is a grow-or-die system, directed toward amassing ever-more capital. Capitalist commodity production transforms value, as it operates to expand exchange value—a purely quantitative element, which derives its meaning only from its exponential increase. Qualitative social relationships, including those associated with the larger biophysical world, are not part of the capitalist system of accounting. Marx explained this situation in his general formula for capital—M-C-M. Money capital, M, is transformed into C, a commodity (via production), which then has to be sold for more money, realizing the original value plus an added or surplus value, distinguishing M (or M + Δm, which is surplus value). In the next period of production M is reinvested with the aim of obtaining M′′, and so on. Economist Robert Heilbroner explained that capital is understood as the “continuous transformation of capital-as-money into capital-as-commodities, followed by a retransformation of capital-as-commodities into capital-as-more-money.”46 This quantitative increase of exchange value is “the absolute law of this mode of production.”47 This endless cycle provides capitalist production with the formidable growth dynamic that is often celebrated by mainstream economists and policy makers. Yet, this same dynamic, or capitalist growth imperative, where “the movement of capital is therefore limitless,” produces an array of social and ecological contradictions, which we will address later.48
The ability of capital to extract surplus value through commodity production is made possible through the exploitation of human labor and the free appropriation of nature. In other words, capital does not pay the true costs of production. Marx explained, “the purchase of labour-power is a contract of sale which determines that a greater quantity of labour is provided than is necessary to replace the price of the labour-power, the wage.”49 The veil of commodity production hides the fact that labor and nature provide the basis of value, preventing a systemic assessment of the social relations driving environmental degradation.
The growth imperative of capital, and the generalized system of commodity production, has generated a series of tragedies. The system’s exploitative character contributes to environmental degradation, depletion of resources, and community disruption. Capitalist development and the production of salmon as a commodity to realize surplus value transformed the social relationships and the conditions that supported salmon populations. Intensive-fishing operations tried to maximize the salmon harvest that could be sold on the global market, contributing to the decline in the fish population. The construction of dams to supply electricity to expanding industries and water to large-scale agricultural operations blocked access to spawning grounds and destroyed salmon habitat. Together these changes resulted in the initial tragedy of the commodity, as fish were harvested at a faster rate than they could reproduce, the conditions necessary to support the salmon population were being destroyed, and the subsistence fishing communities were undermined. The tragedy of the commodity does not end here. It was followed by the farce of technological solutions, with the promise of conservation and environmentally sustainable practices that were profitable.
As salmon become a valuable global commodity, the depletion of wild salmon could not stand in the way of expanding capital. Hatcheries were employed to increase the number of salmon that could be harvested. Nevertheless, overfishing continued to threaten the salmon population. Industrial aquaculture provided capital with even greater possibilities for growth, as the species came completely under the control of the producer “from egg to plate.” Salmon production followed the lead of industrial capitalist agriculture, which produced large-scale, single-crop, input-intensive commodities for the global market. The capitalist system is geared to the production of items and services, commodities in general, that will realize exchange value and expand capital in the most efficient and lucrative manner.
As a result, within the system of generalized commodity production, there is a drive toward transforming production to extract greater and greater surplus value. Marx argued that there are essentially two mechanisms to accomplish this during production, which he called absolute and relative surplus value. Both of these mechanisms alter production systems in order to increase the efficiency and productivity of labor. In an absolute sense, the working day can be prolonged, while keeping wages constant. In a relative sense, which is more common in the modern industrial capitalist system, increased value is extracted by the “surplus-value which arises from the curtailment of the necessary labour-time, and from the corresponding alteration in the respective lengths ofthe working day.”50 To accomplish this increase in relative surplus value, “the labour process itself, must be revolutionized. By an increase in the productivity of labour, we mean an alteration in the labour process of such a kind as to shorten the labour-time socially necessary for the production of a commodity.”51 Technological innovations are employed in production to further the extraction of surplus value and therefore the exploitation of nature and labor.
The controlled rearing of marine species, that have been developed in order to expand the production of high-value commodities for global markets, particularly in the global North, has focused on developing more “efficient” systems of production. In other words, the relative ratio of inputs—including raw materials, energy, and human labor—is reduced in relation to output. Generally, this is the trend that is occurring in salmon aquaculture. Often, this trend is uncritically considered as an indication of the dematerialization of production, as well as the advancement of a more ecologically sustainable system of production within capitalism.
The farce is evident in recent events associated with salmon aquaculture. New methods of production are pursued to further the growth of capital. Part of these efforts involves gearing the life cycle of salmon to economic cycles of exchange. Marx explained that the “the production time of the capital advanced consists of two periods: a period in which the capital exists in the labour process, and second period in which its form of existence—that of an unfinished product—is handed over to the sway of natural processes, without being involved in the labour process.”52 Capital attempts to shorten the time associated with natural processes through the use of technologies, such as “the introduction of chemical in place of open-air bleaching, and more effective drying apparatus in the drying process.”53 During Marx’s time, selective breeding was used to increase the productivity of capital in agriculture and food production. Marx understood that, “It is impossible, of course, to deliver a five-year-old animal before the end of five years. But what is possible within certain limits is to prepare animals for their fate more quickly by new modes of treatment.”54 Thus, technological innovations are influential in transforming the production of plants and animals, so as to decrease production time. Capitalist production is directed toward speeding up production, in order to increase relative surplus value and decrease the turnover time of capital. So long as money is tied up in production or in its commodity form, money capital (along with the newly infused surplus value) is not accessible for further deployment to expand production and growth. Therefore, when turnover time is increased, there are higher capital investments—even if the periodic outlays are the same—since it takes longer to be renewed. In this situation capital is less efficient at realizing surplus value, which slows the rate of capital accumulation. Thus, there is a tendency towards speeding up production—even when the processes require necessary interactions with natural systems—and realization of investment capital.
The biological speedup is nothing new; however, the method by which this is pursued takes new forms, given changes in technological capability. Therefore it is not surprising that capital has sought to use genetic engineering to speedup the production process of salmon. The ultimate aim is to increase the productivity of capital, both through increases in relative surplus value and decreases in turnover time. Salmon aquaculture allowed capital to control the whole process, from “egg to plate.” The circulation of capital is still interrupted, however, while waiting for salmon to grow. The AquaAdvantage Salmon is another step to decrease production time, given that the genetic modifications produce a fish that grows twice as quickly, and can be ready for the market in eighteen months, instead of three years. Here lies the true pursuit of developing genetically modified salmon for human consumption. The proposed environmental benefits are questionable, given the general operation of the capitalist system.
While it is too early to identify specifically the full range of environmental relationships, it is worthwhile to consider the larger ecological complex. The energy-intensive nature of producing genetically modified fish in captivity presents an under-recognized ecological concern. According to AquaBounty’s application to the FDA, the genetically modified salmon will be bred and hatched at an enclosed facility on Prince Edward Island on the east coast of Canada.55 The juvenile fish will then be transported to an inland facility in Panama to mature. Once the transgenic salmon have reached market size, they will be harvested and shipped to the United States for sale on the market. The transportation from Canada to Panama and then to the United States clearly involves fossil-fuel intensive transportation within the overall production scheme.56 Additionally, the inland containment pools that will be used to raise these salmon will require constant water circulation, climate control, and routine cleaning, all increasing the energy requirements associated with each step in these operations. Industry’s claim of a smaller ecological footprint seems less likely when the full ecological costs of the production process are included.
Another proposed ecological benefit is that AquaAdvantage Salmon will require fewer inputs, compared to contemporary salmon aquaculture. It is then suggested that the more efficient metabolic rate of transgenic salmon means fewer natural resources will be needed for growth, reducing the overall demands on the world’s oceans. The problem with this assumption is that it fails to consider, as the Jevons Paradox suggests, that gains made in efficiency do not necessarily lead to lower environmental pressures or resource demands, given the growth imperative of capitalism.57 In a competitive market economy organized by capitalist social relations, efficiency gains are often used to expand the scale of the system—such as increasing the quantity of commodities produced within a particular operation or through investment in other sectors of the productive economy—and tend to lead to an overall increase in resource demands. While aquaculture may become more economically efficient at producing individual commodities, expansion in total production—which involves decreasing the production time, so more fish can be grown within a specific amount of time—may actually increase the overall resource demands of the operation.
For example, fish consumption has increased around the world. From 1980 to 2010, farmed salmon consumption grew over two hundred fold.58 This dramatic rise in consumption is, in part, due to competitive pricing owed to the overall expansion of salmon farming and the amount of salmon produced. A more efficient method of salmon production is aimed at pushing consumption of this fish even higher. The same is true in the case of developing genetically modified salmon. Thus, the claims of decreasing ecological demands are certainly suspect. In fact, it seems that such claims represent a new round of greenwashing by the industry. A more forthright analysis of the motivation to produce a faster growing salmon is actually offered in a fact sheet released by the industry: “faster growth and greater efficiency mean a more efficient use of capital, reduced feed costs, and less time to market.”59 A more efficient use of capital is an obvious boon to aqua-business, which expands relative surplus value and fuels further economic growth. In actual circumstances, it does nothing to challenge the underlying forces that are driving the decline in fish stock.
Levins and Lewontin provide an important insight in regard to the relationship between commodities, profit, and human needs:
Commodities will be produced, for example, only for those who can afford them, and priority will be given to the production of those commodities with the highest profit margins. Productive innovations which make commodities easier and cheaper to make may create unemployment or ill health for workers and consumers. Thus the process of supplying human needs by the creation of commodities whose exchange value is paramount actually creates new hardship.60
Expanding profit is the primary goal of capitalist enterprise. The speedup of biological processes, in this case the growth rate of AquaAdvantage Salmon, is pursued chiefly to increase profit margins. Environmental and social sustainability are a farce, in this grand tragedy of the commodity.
The development of genetically engineered salmon represents how science itself is commoditized, distorting the possible benefits that could arise from scientific knowledge. Levins and Lewontin explain that “as working scientists, we see the commoditization of science as the prime cause of the alienation of most scientists from the products of their labor. It stands between the powerful insights of science and corresponding advances in human welfare, often producing results that contradict stated purposes.”61 The proposed social and ecological benefits of genetically modified salmon need a critical evaluation, rooted in a systematic analysis of the capitalist system. Science and technology certainly have much to offer for enhancing the well-being of humans and improving planetary conditions, especially when situated in a context that allows for scientists to thrive. It is important to recognize “that the way science is is not how it has to be, that its present structure is not imposed by nature but by capitalism, and that it is not necessary to emulate this system of doing science.”62
The modern history of salmon is intricately tied to capitalist development. The logic of capital has influenced the commodification of this species and shaped the conditions of its existence. In contrast to the tragedy of the commons, which is widely used to explain the collapse of global fisheries, we propose that the tragedy of the commodity framework provides a more adequate approach to understand the historical decline of wild salmon populations and the subsequent technological solutions to maintain fish production, including the development of the first genetically modified animal for human consumption. The constant is the commodification of salmon in order to further the accumulation of capital. This long process has resulted in the privatization of commons, concentration of ownership, loss of subsistence livelihoods, exploitation of natural resources, and disintegration of local knowledge. The application of biotechnology to fish production is simply part of an ongoing attempt to speedup the growth process to get salmon to market faster in order to enhance capital accumulation. Thus, claims that this latest technological fix will address the many tragedies associated with capitalist commodification are dubious. In truth, overcoming the tragedy of the commodity requires a new social-economic order that fundamentally transforms human relations with the larger biophysical world.
1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Genetically Engineered Salmon,” updated June 10, 2014,
2. Bryan Walsh, “Faster Growing Salmon,” Time, November 11, 2011,
3. Benjamin S. Halpern, et al., “A Global Map of Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems,” Science 319 (2008): 948–52.
4. Ransom A. Meyers and Boris Worm, “Rapid Worldwide Depletion of Predatory Fish Communities,” Nature 423 (2003): 280–83; Jennie M. Harrington, Ransom A. Myers, and Andrew A. Rosenberg, “Wasted Fishery Resources,” Fish & Fisheries 6, no. 4 (2005): 350–61.
5. Jon M. Erlandson, et. al., “Human Impacts on Ancient Shellfish: A 10,000 Year Record from San Miguel Island, California,” Journal of Archaeological Science 35, no. 8 (2008): 2144–52; Jon M. Erlandson, Torben C. Rick, and Todd J. Braje, “Fishing up the Food Web?: 12,000 Years of Maritime Subsistence and Adaptive Adjustments on California’s Channel Islands 1,” Pacific Science 63, no. 4 (2009): 711–24; Ann Gibbons, “Coastal Artifacts Suggest Early Beginnings for Modern Behavior,” Science 318, no. 5849 (2007): 377; Jeremy B. C. Jackson, et. al., “Historical Overfishing and the Recent Collapse of Coastal Ecosystems,” Science 293, no. 5530 (2001): 629–38; Sue O’Connor, Rintaro Ono, and Chris Clarkson, “Pelagic Fishing at 42,000 Years before the Present and the Maritime Skills of Modern Humans,” Science 334, no. 6059 (2011): 1117–21.
6. Rebecca Clausen and Brett Clark, “The Metabolic Rift and Marine Ecology: An Analysis of the Oceanic Crisis within Capitalist Production,” Organization & Environment 18, no. 4 (2005): 422–44; Stefano B. Longo and Brett Clark, “The Commodification of Bluefin Tuna: The Historical Transformation of the Mediterranean Fishery,” Journal of Agrarian Change 12, no. 2–3 (2012): 204–26.
7. Todd J. Braje, Torben C. Rick, and Jon M. Erlandson, “A Trans-Holocene Historical Ecological Record of Shellfish Harvesting on California’s Northern Channel Islands,” Quaternary International 264 (2012): 109–20; Callum Roberts, The Unnatural History of the Sea (Washington, DC: Island Press, 2007).
8. UNFAO, State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2012 (Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2012),
9. Harrington, Myers, and Rosenberg, “Wasted Fishery Resources.”
10. Dean Bavington, Managed Annihilation: An Unnatural History of the Newfoundland Cod Collapse (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2010).
11. Garrett Hardin, “The Tragedy of the Commons,” Science 162, no. 3859 (1968): 1243–48.
12. Garret Hardin, “Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping the Poor,” Psychology Today 8 (1974): 38–43.
13. Daniel Pauly, “Beyond Duplicity and Ignorance in Global Fisheries,” Scientia Marina 73, no. 2 (2009): 217.
14. Daniel Pauly, et. al., “The Future for Fisheries,” Science 302, no. 5649 (2003): 1359–61; Boris Worm, et. al., “Impacts of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services,” Science 314, no. 5800 (2006): 787–90.
15. Worm et al., “Impacts of Biodiversity Loss on Ocean Ecosystem Services”; The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines fishing effort as the following: “The fishing effort is a measure of the amount of fishing. Frequently some surrogate is used relating to a given combination of inputs into the fishing activity, such as the number of hours or days spent fishing, numbers of hooks used (in long-line fishing), kilometres of nets used, etc.” See Review of Fisheries in OECD Countries: Glossary, February 1998,
16. Pauly, “Beyond Duplicity.”
17. Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (New York: International Publishers, 1963), 15.
18. National Research Council, Upstream: Salmon and Society in the Pacific Northwest (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1996).
19. Jim Lichatowich, Salmon Without Rivers: A History of the Pacific Salmon Crisis (Washington, DC: Island Press, 1999).
20. David Arnold, The Fisherman’s Frontier: People and Salmon in Southeast Alaska (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2008), 55–56.
21. Ibid, 56.
22. Richard White, The Organic Machine: The Remaking of the Columbia River (New York: Hill and Wang, 1997), 43.
23. Robert T. Lackey, “Restoring Wild Salmon to the Pacific Northwest: Chasing an Illusion?” in Patricia Koss and Mike Katz, eds., What We Don’t Know about Pacific Northwest Fish Runs—An Inquiry into Decision-Making (Portland: Portland State University, 2000), 91–143,
24. John Harrison, “Dams: History and Purpose,” October 31, 2008,
25. Lackey, “Restoring Wild Salmon to the Pacific Northwest.”
26. Lackey, “Restoring Wild Salmon to the Pacific Northwest.”
27. Lichatowich, Salmon Without Rivers.
28. Ibid.
29. FishstatJ—Software for Fishery Statistical Time Series, FAO Fishery and Aquaculture Global Statistics (Rome, 2014).
30. Albert G. J. Tacon and Marc Metian, “Global Overview on the Use of Fish Meal and Fish Oil in Industrially Compounded Aquafeeds: Trends and Future Prospects,” Aquaculture 285 (2008): 146–58. See also Rosamond L. Naylor, et. al., “Nature’s Subsidies to Shrimp and Salmon Farming,” Science 282 (1998): 883–84.
31. Sarah K. Cox, Diminishing Returns: An Investigation into the Five Multinational Corporations that Control British Columbia’s Salmon Farming Industry, produced for the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform (Victoria, BC: Raincoast Conversation Society, December 2004),; John Phyne and Jorge Mansilla, “Forging Linkages in the Commodity Chain: The Case of the Chilean Salmon Farming Industry, 1987–2001,” Sociologia Ruralis 43 (2003): 108–126; John Phyne, Gestur Hovgaard, and Gard Hansen, “Norwegian Salmon Goes to Market: The Case of the Austevoll Seafood Cluster,” Journal of Rural Studies 22 (2006): 190–204.
32. Salmon Farming Industry Handbook 2013,
33. Richard Levins and Richard Lewontin, The Dialectical Biologist (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1985), 205.
34. Ibid, 205.
35. Richard Carew, “Science Policy and Agricultural Biotechnology in Canada,” Review of Agricultural Economics, 27, no. 3 (2005): 300–316.
36. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “New Animal Drug Applications,”
37. Gregory D. Graff, et. al., “The Public-Private Structure of Intellectual Property Ownership in Agricultural Biotechnology,” Nature Biotechnology 21, no. 9 (2003): 989.
38. Ibid, 990.
39. Richard Atkinson, et. al., “Public Sector Collaboration for Agricultural IP Management,” Science 301, no. 5630 (2003): 174–75.
40. Pamela C. Ronald and Raoul W. Adamchak, Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food (New York: Oxford University Press, 2008): 147.
41. Ari LeVaux, “A Risk Scientist Comments on AquaBounty Salmon,” March 11, 2013,
42. See AquaBounty Technologies, “Our Technology,”
43. See AquaBounty Technologies, “Frequently Asked Questions,”
44. See AquaBounty Technologies, “Myths and Facts,”
45. Ibid.
46. Robert Heilbroner, The Nature and Logic of Capital (New York: W.W. Norton, 1985), 36.
47. Karl Marx, Capital, vol. 1 (New York: Vintage, 1976), 769.
48. Ibid, 253.
49. Karl Marx, Capital, vol. 2 (London: Penguin, 1978), 113.
50. Marx, Capital, vol. 1, 432.
51. Ibid, 431.
52. Marx, Capital, vol. 2, 317.
53. Ibid, 317.
54. Ibid, 314.
55. Jeffery Fox, “Transgenic Salmon Inches Toward Finish Line,” Nature Biotechnology 28 (2010): 1141–42.
56. There are two rationales offered to explain the transport to Panama for grow-out phase. AquaBounty Technologies claims that raising the transgenic fish in a country with warmer waters will serve as part of their biological containment. If fish were to escape into waters off the coast of Panama, they would most likely not survive. A biotechnology analyst, who wished to remain anonymous, explains that moving operations to Panama is a strategy to skirt environmental laws in the United States regarding water pollution and animal husbandry. In addition, it is surmised that the salmon imports will be protected under international agreements that prevent barriers to trade.
57. John Bellamy Foster, Brett Clark, and Richard York, “Capitalism and the Curse of Efficiency: The Return of the Jevons Paradox,” Monthly Review 62, no. 6 (2010): 1–12.
58. According to the UNFAO, in 1980 aquaculture produced an estimated 7,848 tons of salmon. In 2010, this increased to 1,577,019 tons.
59. AquaBounty Technologies, “AquaBounty AquAdvantage Salmon,”
60. Levins and Lewontin, The Dialectical Biologist, 285–86.
61. Ibid, 208.
62. Ibid.
2014, Volume 66, Issue 07 (December)
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Question one:How did the authors develop the list of 20 primary studies summarized in Table 1? How did they end up reviewing, significantly, only 18 of these?
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Notably, the authors developed the list of 20 primary studies through systematic reviews that were supplemented with descriptions of primary studies. More precisely, the list was developed based on the systemic literature review conducted by Just (2012).The previously mentioned evaluation reviewed articles that were retrieved from PubMed and that evaluated the effectiveness of literature search training among medical residents and students. As such, Goodman et al. (2014) points out that the study narrowed on 15 articles. Among the 15 articles, 14 were published in the period between 1998 and 2011, while one was an unpublished dissertation by Judith. According to Goodman et al. (2014), the inclusion criteria used by Just in selecting the 15 articles was whether a study employed objective assessments of search skills and subsequently reported on the statistical significance of the research findings. Further, studies that only relied solely on or that only incorporated knowledge tests or self-assessed skills among trainees, were excluded.
Additionally, five more articles were found through different approaches. First, Goodman et al. (2014) indicates that one more article was found after replicating Just’s research strategy that sought to identify studies that were published between January 2012 and September 2013.Second, a reference search of the previously concluded reviews led to the identification of one more article (Goodman et al. (2014).Thirdly, three more articles were identified through the reference search for relevant articles for the current review. Cumulatively, the articles totaled to 20 articles that were summarized in table one.
However, two studies were excluded since they conducted test-retest assessments after training without incorporating pre-tests. Precisely, one test indicated poor test-retest reliability in the period between t the end of training and three months after training on assessment of search skills (Goodman et al., 2014). The other article only indicated that there were high consistency levels in the quality of searchers three years after training; however, there was a considerable decrease in the number of relevant articles that were retrieved from the searches (Goodman et al., 2014).
Question two:
Why do the authors move to review (Debowski et al., 2001) and (Wood, Katkebeeke, Debowski, & Frese, 2000) after their primary review?
Markedly, the studies Debowski et al. (2001) and Wood, et al. (2000) were reviewed after the primary review since they were the only studies that manipulated teaching characteristics for bibliographic search. Given that studies that manipulated training characteristics for bibliographic search are vital in the development of actionable and specific recommendations for instructional methods in teaching search skills, it was vital to review them separately to identify the importance of their content to the study (Goodman et al., 2014).
Question three:
One of the additional studies, (Wood et al., 2002), used a “2 by 2 mixed experimental design with enactive exploration as the between-subjects factor and search task as the within-subjects factor” (Goodman, Gary, & Wood, 2014, p. 337). What were the significant results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA)?
According to Goodman et al. (2014), the ANOVA test indicated that there were significant within-subject effects for activities and for feedback interventions by activity on search strategy quality. Notably, the findings indicated that the quality of search strategies over time and across search results differed considerably among feedback interventions. Further, ANOVA test results indicated that there were considerably significant within-subject effects on the performances. To elaborate, Goodman et al. (2014), points out that performance levels changed significantly as participants progressed considerably through the four activities. Moreover, the rate of change was influenced by feedback interventions; since, the findings indicate the existence of significant interaction of feedback by task.
Question four:
Take a moment to reflect on your process in completing this exercise. What was more difficult or less difficult than you expected, given how you construed your abilities in this area prior to the directed analysis? How did the challenges you faced, or lack thereof, affect how you feel about continuing with your doctoral studies? Finally, list three concrete steps you will take to raise your skills in research methodology to an expert level.
Following the exercise above, it is notable that the process of determining how primary reviews were selected, and the reason for excluding some studies was relatively easier than what was expected ,prior to the directional analysis. Given that the minor challenges experienced were easily overcome, the researcher was considerably motivated to continue with the doctoral studies. Further, the researcher will follow three steps to improve skills in research methodology. These steps include; reviewing various case-studies on bibliographic search training to learn new approaches: undertaking varied practice to promote discriminant learning and advancement of adaptive skills; and reviewing literature on interacting elements to enhance skills in bibliographic search and Evidence-based management (EBMgt) steps (Goodman and O’Brien, 2012).
• Debowski, S., Wood, R. E., & Bandura, A. 2001. Impact of guided exploration and enactive exploration on self-regulatory mechanisms and information acquisition through electronic search. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86: 1129 –1141.
• Goodman, J. S., & O’Brien, J. 2012. Teaching and learning using evidence-based principals. In D. M. Rousseau (Ed.), The handbook of evidence-based management: Companies, classrooms, and research: 309 –336. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Goodman, J. S., Gary, M. S., & Wood, R. E. (2014). Bibliographic search training for evidence-based management education: A review of relevant literatures. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 13(3), 322-353. | <urn:uuid:42878835-a0cb-424b-a0e3-c14caf476085> | https://mypaperwriter.com/samples/directed-analysis-on-bibliographic-search-training-for-evidence-based-management-a-review-of-relevant-literatures/ | en | 0.955308 | 0.019128 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
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Shibasaki and Riki named in Junior Kangaroos and Kiwis
Norths young guns Gehamat Shibasaki and Jordan Riki have continued their successful years after being selected for the Junior Kangaroos and Junior Kiwis respectively.
Shibasaki has also been named at 18th man in the Prime Minister’s XIII to face Papua New Guinea.
These selections top off an exceptional year of footy for Gehamat after fantastic form in the ISC earned him his NRL debut with the Broncos and a place in both the QLD Residents team and the Origin winning QLD Maroons under 20’s. Other selections in the Prime Minister’s XIII team include QLD halfbacks Daly Chery-Evans and Ben Hunt, and a number of other NRL stars.
Riki will also continue a strong year of football after making a grand final appearance in the Mal Meninga Cup, winning a premiership in the Hastings Deering Colts, and making his Intrust Super Cup debut for the Devils.
The Devils team mates will line up against each other on October 13 at 1PM at Mt Smart Stadium in Aukland.
2018 Junior Kangaroos
1. Corey Allan Brisbane Broncos
2. Enari Tuala North Queensland Cowboys
3. Gehamat Shibasaki Brisbane Broncos/Norths Devils
4. Zac Lomax St George Illawarra Dragons
5. Nick Cotric Canberra Raiders
6. Sean O’Sullivan Sydney Roosters
7. Jake Clifford North Queensland Cowboys
8. Pat Carrigan Brisbane Broncos
9. Reece Robson St George Illawarra Dragons
10. Emre Guler Canberra Raiders
11. Shawn Blore Penrith Panther
12. Kotoni Staggs Brisbane Broncos
13. Victor Radley Sydney Roosters
14..Blayke Brailey Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
15. Louis Geraghty Melbourne Storm
16. Thomas Flegler Brisbane Broncos
17. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui Melbourne Storm
18. Kyle Flanagan Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Coach: Neil Henry
2018 Junior Kiwis
Emry Pere, Peter Hola, Sean Mullany (all Cowboys), Joe Vuna, Isaiah Papali’i, Chanel Harris-Tavita, Hayze Perham, Tom Ale, Paul Turner (all Warriors), Lucky Ta’avale, Mawene Hiroti (both Rabbitohs), Steven Marsters (Dragons); Morgan Harper (Bulldogs); Kelma Tuilagi, Kayleb Milne (both Storm), Dean Blore (Panthers); Paul Roache (Raiders) ; Jordan Riki (Broncos/Norths Devils); Jackson Ferris (Sharks)
Australian PM’s XIII Men’s Squad
1. Corey Allan (Broncos)
2. Zac Lomax (Dragons)
3. Jesse Ramien (Sharks)
4. Brian Kelly (Sea Eagles)
5. Nick Cotric (Raiders)
6. Jake Clifford (Cowboys)
7. Daly Cherry-Evans (c) (Sea Eagles)
8. David Klemmer (Bulldogs)
9. Ben Hunt (Dragons)
10. Jordan McLean (Cowboys)
11. Tyson Frizell (Dragons)
12. Tyrone Peachey (Panthers)
13. Jake Trbojevic (Sea Eagles)
14. Aaron Woods (Sharks)
15. Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Panthers)
16. Matt Prior (Sharks)
17. Chad Townsend (Sharks)
18. Gehamat Shibasaki (Broncos)
19. Reece Robson (Dragons)
20. Enari Tuala (Cowboys)
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The Mother and Father Energies
Dear friends,
I am Mary. I am the mother of Jeshua and I represent the mother archetype in your tradition. In that tradition, the energy of the mother has become distorted and debased, and this wound affects both men and women, boys and girls. Motherhood is creative in a receptive way. As a mother, you will receive a child into your womb, and you become a channel for a new soul onto Earth. You become physically attached to the child who comes through you; however, detachment begins at birth where you let the new child be its own unique self when you sever the umbilical cord.
The creativity of a mother includes letting go, even though the deepest fusion has taken place when the child is budding in the mother’s womb where it is physically surrounded and nourished. Although this deep fusion has taken place, inevitably, there is also a letting go by allowing the child to complete its way in life in its own unique manner. In this way, motherhood carries two extremes within it: on the one hand, bonding and fusion, and on the other hand, letting go and nurturing the unique qualities of another person.
In your tradition, women were usually limited to their role as mother. They could hardly develop in other areas, since there was too little opportunity for that to happen. They could rarely show their passion and inspiration, their male energy. They were pushed one-sidedly into the role of mother and, therefore, they became excessively attached to their children. They identified so strongly with their motherhood that it was almost impossible for them to let go of their child and, thus, to let the child follow its own unique path. In short, this led to a stifling maternal role that smothered the child.
Traditionally, the father was absent. He was not allowed to play a nurturing, responsible role within the family. His role was outside the family: he was supposed to work and perform in the world. He needed to be a “man”, which meant he had to suppress his sensitive nature. In this way, the absent father was born, and this again had an impact on the child. The family circumstances did not allow the child to free itself and, with the help of the father, to move away from the tight family structure in order to go its own way.
The whole family structure has become distorted in your tradition, with the result that children – such as you and the generations before you: your parents – have inherited an unbalanced picture of the father and mother energies, of the male and female energies. And sooner or later, when in relationships with others, this distortion has its effect.
If you are very strongly identified with the father energy – especially with the absent father – you will have trouble connecting deeply and emotionally with another; you do not have a good example of how that relationship works. In those who fear bonding and merging, there also lives the fear of the stifling mother energy, the reverse side of the absent father. This combined effect can lead to a repeated pattern where you fear bonding with someone for fear of being swallowed up by that relationship and also of being unable to travel your own path within that relationship; in short, a fear of bonding deeply with another.
If, on the other hand, you strongly identify with the mother energy – if you have a strong bonding with the mother energy of the past – then you throw yourself into a relationship and you are afraid of losing the other person. You are afraid of being abandoned, and so the other becomes the beacon to which you cling. In women and men with separation anxiety there is often a father who was absent, someone they look for their entire lives. They are seeking a haven of safety and independence they are missing in themselves. If they meet someone who seems to represent this beacon, they will easily lose themselves in their feelings for that person. This need creates a pattern of excessive needing to merge with another; it lays claim to the relationship, a destructive claim that will eventually lead to conflict and betrayal.
So, you can see how you stand in a tradition of distortions relating to both the father and the mother energies. Although these patterns may seem to be something abstract, they play out quite concretely in your personal life.
I ask you to now connect inwardly with the primal energy of the father, with the cosmic father energy. That primal energy of the father is an energy of protection, strength, wisdom, and overview. Call up that energy, it is available to you. No matter how your biological father acted in life, that father energy is now available to you. What is required of you is to develop that energy in your earthly life. Become aware of the father energy, which you need to walk your path in life in a calm, effective way. You might see a picture of a father figure before you. Ask for an image or a feeling or an energy with which you can identify; whatever image comes to you will work for you.
The father relates to boundaries. He makes distinctions wherever things should be differentiated. He defends you against excessive fusion, against connecting with others where you may overly lose yourself and give yourself away. The father energy helps you to embrace your individuality. You are, as yourself, a unique person; you are not like anyone else, and that individuality is necessary. It belongs to you and wants to be addressed by you, so that you respect your individuality, and, in that way, make your own decisions and your own choices, choices that reflect you. The father inside you knows this and will guide you in this; he cares for you.
I ask you to now connect with the mother energy. Not so much with the energy of your biological mother, but with the cosmic mother energy, which is present in the universe and with which you are connected because you are part of Creation. You are born from both mother and father energies. The true mother energy is loving and supportive with great gentleness, but it lets you go. It does not want to bind you or restrain you, but lets you be free, while she always accompanies and supports you in everything you do.
Experience, if you can, this gentle love in your heart. It is as if you are being held by a hand of love that is always open; an open hand from which you are allowed to fly away, but a hand that is always there for you, simply to love you without coercion, without excessive binding. Try, if you can, to feel this mother energy in you, maybe in the form of a picture of a woman or a female guide, or else through a color or a feeling. Allow yourself to receive this energy so you have what you need to feel safe, secure, accepted; to feel nourished by the love of the universe.
Feel surrounded by the original father and mother energies and realize that you are in a tradition in which these energies have become distorted and debased. However, you are not only a victim, you are also a creator. You come to bring something new onto Earth, which means, among other things, that you will help to restore the balance between father and mother energies, because you are a soul that includes both energies. In the consciousness process that is now taking place on Earth, it is the intention that you, as a soul, awaken the original energies of the father and the mother, and the force of love, all of which are within you.
This process supports you and helps you to fulfill and manifest your potential. It connects your soul with the Earth and, at the same time, it helps others. The more you bring into balance and harmony the old, distorted energies within you, the more light you radiate to others. It is this inner process that is the most essential; it is where real magic takes place. What derives from it outwardly, what your role is in this world, how you live, with whom and how, all that is secondary. The real issue in this life, which is this inner process, is an alchemical process in which your old, distorted energies transform into a new reality.
You all desire to take a step forward, which is in the spirit of the times, and which was also your intention as a soul when you started on this journey, this incarnation. Feel how you possess powers to bring about a new consciousness in this world. Feel how you yourself are the seed for this renewal. Yes, you carry old energies in you: fears, scars, and pain from this life, and also from previous lives. But realize there is now so much power present in you that the new can be victorious. In a sense, you are being born anew.
What happens in life is that you are first the receiver of a tradition. You absorb it as a child in your youth and even still later. In that sense, you are a victim of the past, because you are not immediately in a position to process that tradition completely, to see through it, and to bring it to the light of your consciousness. In almost every human life there will be a crisis that confronts you with choices where you are challenged and when life becomes painful. But this can be a constructive process, because your soul guides you through it. Your soul wants you to be creative; it wants to work with you so you are more in balance and harmony, so you connect Heaven with Earth, and in this way you help to give form to a new Earth.
I thank you for your presence here, and on Earth at this time. You are making a difference. I salute you.
Pamela Kribbe
Translation by Maria Baes and Frank Tehan
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The Devil in Silver
Victor LaValle. Spiegel & Grau, $27 (406p) ISBN 978-1-4000-6986-6
Reviewed by Benjamin Percy.
New Hyde hospital—a cash-strapped mental institution in Queens—is the setting of Victor LaValle’s excellent third novel. Think One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest meets Dante’s Inferno. LaValle anticipates the inevitable comparison to Kesey and tips his hat early on, when a patient says that though Kesey’s novel takes place in a mental hospital, “it isn’t about mentally ill people.” In the same manner, LaValle makes it unclear who is crazy and who isn’t; the overlapping realities of the doctors, nurses, and patients really aren’t so different.
The omniscient narrator chases many perspectives through the fluorescent-lit corridors of New Hyde—even a rat’s—but the central character is Pepper, a big-shouldered, working-class troublemaker who ends up institutionalized simply because it means less paperwork for the police. Pepper is led to believe he will face a judge after 72 hours, but bad luck and bad decisions keep him at New Hyde—always medicated, sometimes restrained to his bed so long the small of his back “stopped feeling like a curled fist a day ago and now was just a pocket of cold fire burning through his waist.”
And you never want to end up restrained at New Hyde. Because the Devil is on the prowl. He is housed—or so the patients believe—behind a silver door at the end of an empty hallway. At night he visits his neighbors. His heels clop “like horseshoes on cobblestones.” He has the body of a frail old man, but the head of a bison, with a “deep, wet pit” of a mouth and “dead white eyes.” Pepper’s roommate—a malt ball-headed man named Coffee who spends most of his time trying to phone the president—believes, “The food makes us fat. The drugs make us slow. We’re cattle. Food. For it.”
The novel is genuinely unsettling—as the devil lowers himself from the ceiling, as the doctors and nurses abuse the patients, as a woman commits suicide by swallowing a bed sheet so deeply that its tip is stained yellow with bile—but it is also very funny. LaValle has a wicked sense of humor, and the gags often come as a relief, such as when an institutionalized teenage girl in baby-blue Nikes takes down a big man with her “crazy strength” or a monstrous rat crashes through a ceiling tile, snatches a box of Cocoa Puffs, and scampers through a gauntlet of nurses stomping their feet and swinging brooms. In a novel suffused with the tragic and sinister, humor is necessary, modulating emotion, keeping us off guard. But on occasion, LaValle gets too silly and cute. The hospital administration, always cutting corners, repurposes the building “like a motherfucker.” And as Pepper sneaks his lover into his room, the narrator says, “ladies and gentlemen, despite the perceived differences between them and you, the mentally ill like jooking, too!” Moments like these make the tone feel unstable, and the moments of genuine terror harder to take seriously.
But these are small gripes. The novel, expertly written, will leave you wondering about its many memorable characters and lingering over questions about fear, horror, madness, suffering, friendship, and love.
Benjamin Percy is the author of the novels Red Moon (forthcoming from Grand Central) and The Wilding, as well as two books of short stories. His honors include the Whiting Writers’ Award, and inclusion in Best American Short Stories and Best American Comics.
Reviewed on: 07/02/2012
Release date: 08/21/2012
Genre: Fiction
MP3 CD - 978-1-61120-856-6
Compact Disc - 978-1-61120-852-8
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Fort Harrison
Officially known as Fort William Henry Harrison, this fort was first named after President Benjamin Harrison who was in office at the fort’s May 1892 establishment. However, fort officials soon realized that Indiana housed a post by the same name.
In 1906, the Montana fort’s name was changed to its present-day title in honor of William Henry Harrison, an Army man who served in Congress, acted as Governor of the Northwest Indian Territory in 1800, and was named US President just one month before his death. While Fort Harrison was eventually closed as an Army post, Montana National Guardsmen continue to utilize the fort and a VA hospital is located on-site.
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Trackmania Turbo – Video Game New Releases
Trackmania Turbo Screen 3
Platforms Playstation 4/Xbox One/PC
Developer Nadeo Publisher Ubisoft
Genre Racing Platform Played Xbox One
With a visual style that screams “arcade racer,” Trackmania Turbo will shock everyone as they discover the gameplay does not match this first impression whatsoever. Demanding precise, subtle movements, the game is unforgiving and forces countless race restarts if a player is looking to do anything more than merely complete the track.
Due to the large disconnect between appearance and actual gameplay style, the early minutes playing Trackmania Turbo are likely to be incredibly frustrating. Beyond these initial moments, it becomes more apparent what the game expects of you, although knowing how picky the game’s physics are will not necessarily help you as there are many times when you will find yourself scratching your head wondering why something just happened the way it did. Taking the exact same jump in the same way ten times will generally result in your car turning or twisting in ten different ways. Things such as last minute adjustments to your steering will inevitably change how your car behaves, but even without modifying my trajectory, I witnessed my car rolling to the side, rotating horizontally, and even starting to flip on occasion. The game has a feature called “air control” which requires you to press the brake button while soaring through the sky in order to stop your vehicle from spinning midair, but for a game that claims “you can’t cheat physics,” (yes, that is an actual quote found frequently in the game), physics are cheated around every corner. The best comparison to be made is Trackmania Turbo handling similarly to the Trials titles. They both require very specific, precise movements, both get to be relentlessly difficult if you want gold medals on all the courses, and yet both have very unique definitions of physics at times. Unfortunately, Trackmania Turbo does not fare nearly as well as the Trials games do simply because the physics found in frequent occurrences such as jumps or grazing a wall are so ludicrous.
Trackmania Turbo Screen 1
Delving beyond the finicky physics of the game, there are several different game modes offered to players. The solo campaign is precisely what the name suggests, letting players race for the best time possible against ghosts representing the various times needed for gold, silver, or bronze medals, but without the distraction of other actual players. Double driver campaign is identical to its solo counterpart except the car is controlled simultaneously by two players, each using a different controller. This is one of the most unique modes ever seen in a racing title, but has little more purpose than causing some laughs. That is perfectly fine, except that the game gives you specific time targets to hit for various medals in this mode as well. Given how infuriating it is trying to obtain gold medals on many solo tracks, why on Earth would you wish to have two people attempt to overcome the fickle physics at the same time while trying to beat a certain time? The mode still holds a great deal of merit for amusement’s sake, though, so its inclusion cannot be written off, as at the very least, it provides some laughs or true challenge for anyone not demoralized enough from the single player venture.
To the game’s credit, there are several features built into the tracks which help offset the cruel difficulty. If the player fails to best the time required to earn a gold medal, they can earn a “joker” allowing them to earn the gold medal simply by meeting the silver standard enough times. This is also possible for the other two medals, although including a feature like this makes it feel as if the developers knew they were making an unnecessarily fickle game and wanted to include a workaround to ensure nobody would be unable to progress past the first 40 races in the campaign (at which point you need to have a certain number of bronze medals to unlock the next 10 races). Throughout the courses, there are also signs which help you assess how to proceed such as “Drift Here,” or “Chicane.” The game could simply expect you to memorize each course in your bid to earn the best time possible, but by providing the occasional hint, it becomes slightly less frustrating.
Trackmania Turbo Screen 14
Online multiplayer is also included in Trackmania Turbo, allowing players to create their own playlists using any of the tracks within the game, or their own custom tracks, and opening up rooms for anyone to join. You are not always guaranteed to play directly against others, as I had several games with absolutely nobody else on the track despite Trackmania telling me there was someone else there. If you do play against others, the course becomes absolute mayhem simply due to the perfection in steering the game demands of you combined with the number of individuals looking to speed past each other. The final mode found in the game is the Trackbuilder, which grants players the ability to construct their own levels using any of the four environments found in the game and any number of obstacles, roads, turns, or general scenery. To ensure no incomplete levels are published, each created track must be test driven by the creator before it can be completed and shared. This safeguard is a small but appreciated inclusion as the number of impossible or incomplete levels which may have been published otherwise could outnumber complete tracks. As is increasingly popular, this also places a large amount of responsibility on the community to extend the game’s life cycle long beyond the 200 tracks found in the campaign. The tools and props available in the track creator have a phenomenal amount of variety and navigating the system is relatively intuitive and streamlined. For these reasons, the Trackbuilder mode is easily the strongest feature found in Trackmania Turbo. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a streamlined way to try out other peoples’ creations other than going to the website in a browser, logging in to your Uplay account, and tagging it as a favourite for you to later find in an in-game menu.
Coming in as a close second for strongest feature of the title, local competitive multiplayer is present. With a plethora of different game modes to choose from, the game can even provide you with options if you only have one controller to share. Hot Seat is a fantastic example of a creative multiplayer mode, as it pits several players against one another to get the best time possible on a single track. Everyone makes their initial run, and the individual with the highest time is forced to run the track again until they beat someone else’s time. As you are racing to beat other times, your gas gauge is constantly decreasing and once you run out of gas, you are eliminated from the game. This is one of the modes which can be played with multiple controllers or just one, making it not only immensely enjoyable, but also versatile.
The Trackmania series has an incredibly devoted fanbase, and fans of the franchise will undoubtedly love the familiar formula found in Trackmania Turbo. However, those who have not played the series before should be warned that it feels like an awkward cross between Forza Motorsport and Trials, with the physics being notably picky and seemingly random a large portion of the times. The game seems to adhere to certain laws of physics but completely ignore them at other more convenient times, resulting in a confusing experience. This does not stop the title from demanding near perfection from you, although the definition of “perfection” in this instance is whatever Nadeo considers its definition to be. There is still enjoyment to be had, particularly in the variety of multiplayer game modes and creating custom tracks. Between these two modes, there are hours upon hours of amusement, although finding created tracks to play needs to be made more accessible to individuals playing on consoles by including some sort of search tool in a menu. Trackmania Turbo presents an awkward combination of simulation and arcade racing while challenging players to “perfect” their driving. The title will continuously push you to improve and chasing ghosts along tracks certainly helps motivate, but many will find their desire to keep playing wanes long before they finish the 200 campaign tracks.
The Good
• Incredible track creation mode
• Both local and multiplayer mode, with local supporting single-controller play
• Campaign tracks have creative designs
The Bad
• Physics are incredibly punishing but not realistic as the title claims
• Any mistake generally results in failure and restarting a race
• No in-game method to search for and play tracks created by other players
The Score: 6.3 | <urn:uuid:6f6832fd-edb3-4d32-96a3-6835b9fa9364> | http://analogaddiction.org/2014/07/29/witcher-3-interview-sea-monsters-ranged-weapons-more/ | en | 0.960967 | 0.043704 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
HomeLegal: Hallucinogens That Are Legal
Hallucinogens: The Search for a Legal Escape
As long as people feel the need to escape from the pressures of the world and the daily rat race, the search for drugs like legal hallucinogens will continue. Many people long to experience that out-of-body feeling but still do not want to enter the world of illegal drug use. As they search for legal drugs, legal hallucinogens seem to be some of the most sought-out and popular.
There are many reasons why some hallucinogens are legal while others remain illegal. Sometimes it is because legal hallucinogens have been recently discovered and popularized and so they have not yet acquired the distinction of being dangerous, illegal drugs. Other times it could be because legal hallucinogens are natural products, while illegal ones tend to be synthetic. Whatever the story, there are a few main legal hallucinogens that people are talking about.
Popular Legal Hallucinogens
One of the more popular and newer legal hallucinogens is Salvia Divinorum, also known as Diviner’s Sage. It looks basically like oregano and is most often smoked, although it can also be chewed or brewed as tea for a more moderate, longer sustained hallucinogenic effect. Opinions on this legal hallucinogen vary widely. It originally came from Oaxaca, Mexico and was used by shamans for meditation and spiritual purposes, but some first-time users of the drug say they will not use it again because it packs the intensity of a large amount of acid into a very short, extremely intense, fifteen to thirty-minute high, leaving users with a serious let-down feeling afterwards. This hallucinogen is currently being sold on the Internet for as little as $40, but prices can climb as high as $150 for better quality.
Another legal hallucinogen is psilocybin. Psilocybin is the active ingredient in shrooms that produces the hallucinogenic high and sellers of this legal hallucinogen offer the synthetic, legal equivalent. It, too, can be bought on the Internet in the form of pills for varying costs.
Legal Articles
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The Alphabet Game
Andrew O'Connor
Objective Productions and BBC North for BBC1, 5 August 1996 to 27 March 1997 (74 episodes in 2 series)
Amiable, if unoriginal, celebrity word game which filled the BBC1 lunchtime pre-news slot. Alphabets being something of an international requirement, it has subsequently sold to bucketloads of countries - most notably in Spain where Pasapalabra ran as a big money game show. Why Andrew O'Connor hasn't bought Trinidad and Tobago from the proceeds, we don't know.
Created by Rebecca Thornhill, Mark Maxwell-Smith and Andrew O'Connor.
Theme music
A version of "A, You're Adorable"
In October 2019, the aforementioned Pasapalabra was wrenched off the air in Spain after it emerged that the local TV production company hadn't been paying their format fees for the original Alphabet Game. Mediaset refused to pay the 15 million euros compensation due from an earlier court case, and even counter-sued for the previous monies they'd paid for the rights, insisting that the game was something they had created themselves. The courts disagreed and instructed the show to come off the air that day.
Web links
Wikipedia entry
A bevvy of guests. Top row: Allan Stewart, Sian Lloyd, Andrew O'Connor, Heather Couper. Bottom row: Michaela Strachan, Bill Tidy, Steve Punt, Sarah Vandenburgh.
Rick Wakeman buzzes in to claim he can think of something to do at night beginning with "A".
Part 1 of a 1997 episode.
Name: E-mail:
A Labyrinth Games site.
Design by Thomas.
Printable version
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By Adam Cook
Precisely a decade after his last film shot and produced in South Korea, Bong Joon Ho returns to a place that feels both familiar and unfamiliar with his Palme d’Or-crowned Parasite. Moving beyond the ambitious, overly conceptual, and uneven international co-productions Snowpiercer (2013) and Okja (2017), Parasite feels like a movie that only could have been made after such an awkward foray into globalized filmmaking. Slipping comfortably back into his domain with effortless mastery and a palpable sense of urgency that makes for less of a homecoming than a home-reckoning, Bong builds on his thematic obsessions of class division, societal dysfunction, and the family unit, yet does so in a perpetual state of surprise. Twists and turns aside, this surprise comes more from Parasite’s very make-up: the formal strategies, tonal malleability, and sheer density of the film’s intricate construction. Needless to say, Parasite is the most deserving Palme winner in quite a while, and its arrival at this year’s edition was explosive, leaving nearly everything else in its dust.
The premise is simple, though the execution far from it: a poor family of four—Ki-taek (Bong regular Song Kang-ho), his wife Chung-sook (Chang Hyae-jin), daughter Ki-jung (Park So-dam), and son Ki-woo (Choi Woo-sik)—live in a dank basement where they have to raise their cellphones to the ceiling to steal nearby Wi-Fi signals, routinely see a drunkard pissing outside their window, and fold pizza boxes for a local delivery joint to scrape together enough under-the-table money to make it through another day. (When fumigators on the street are spraying for bugs, Ki-taek leaves the windows open to take advantage of some “free extermination.”) So when Ki-woo hears about a rich family seeking an English tutor for their teenaged daughter, he cons his way through an interview to secure the gig.
This is when we’re introduced to their counterparts, the Parks, an affluent family of four who live in a gorgeous modern home, which we’re often reminded is the work of a revered architect. Fortunately, Mrs. Park is, to put it lightly, rather gullible, and in a comical domino effect, the members of the lower-class family infiltrate her home by convincing her to offer them one ill-suited job at a time: art therapist, driver, and maid (the latter requires some particularly dastardly methods that will not go unpunished). Astonishingly, they thrive in their respective occupations and quickly earn the rich family’s trust. As they settle into their new home away from home, it’s clear their goal is not to indulge in luxury but to escape an overwhelmingly anxiety-ridden daily life.
Their impossibly clever scheming is detailed with great humour; it’s hard not to fervently root for their Teorema-esque takeover. However, while the clan in The Host (2006) comes together to fight the titular monster, the trajectory here is a tad murkier. Parasite complicates and upends the dynamics every step of the way, moving from gig-economy satire to class-rage-fuelled tragicomedy that manages to frame each character, rich or poor, in a morally ambiguous light, laying bare the fissures created by a system that depends on ignorance and division to perpetuate itself. The seemingly banal setup is a put-on peeled away bit by bit that eventually places us somewhere between devastation and discomfort. That it’s so much fun to get there is a testament to Bong’s dexterity as a storyteller, preferring to entertain viewers and lull them into a simple relational position only to pull the rug out from under them.
Parasite finds Bong reunited with cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, who shot both Mother (2009) and Snowpiercer (and, notably, Lee Chang-dong’s Burning [2018]), but the look they develop is here entirely distinct from their previous work. They have a field day in constructing, revealing, and expressively playing with space: the already contrastive domiciles are especially pointed, with wide compositions emphasizing the cramped nature of the basement apartment and its intruding walls and obstructions versus the wide-open space of the modernist house. The Park residence is like a world unto itself, defined best by its living room with its wall of windows looking onto an idyllic, sheltered backyard, an illusory viewpoint we observe from both sides: from the outside, the immaculate home appears as the receptacle for an idealized, commodified dream life, while from the inside it’s an insular bubble completely divorced from the surrounding real world. However, a hidden bunker and its contents puncture through said bubble…with a vengeance. Indeed, Bong’s films are markedly filled with subterranean spaces, sewers, basements, and hovels—even the horizontally oriented Snowpiercer’s most pivotal reveal lies underneath the floorboards.
The key touch here is that amidst all the struggles Ki-taek’s family undergo, their rich counterparts never have to check their privilege or even display a hint of class consciousness. No matter how they figure into the goings-on of the plot, the Parks remain oblivious to the circumstances of the underclass, whose servitude and poverty enable their lifestyle (though they seem keenly aware of their smell). And yet Parasite is a film without villains: there are no shortcuts to make us side against the rich family, and the glimpses of their own internal dramas are shaded with empathy. No hands are clean, and we’re reminded that when you’re climbing the social ladder, you need to step on someone else on a lower rung.
Bong majored in sociology before he pursued filmmaking, and his movies are organically built on a foundation of social reality, beginning with the characters, their relationships, and how they are impacted by and react to external forces—usually embodied in monsters, murders, and governmental or corporate corruption—that hyperbolize societal ills. Remarkably, it feels as though every shot and sequence is always directly relating Bong’s characters to the world and the larger implications of their surroundings. In other words, every gesture feels thematically expressive, even as the narrative mechanisms take centre stage. In spite of the specificity of the urban South Korean milieu being explored here, this tale of economic disparity, social polarization, and human desperation is all too universal.
The title seems simple enough at first glance, describing the dynamic between the underclass protagonists and the targeted family (i.e., “The Host”) they live off, but, by the end, everyone is shown to be equally parasitic: the rich live off the labour and suffering of the poor, and the poor and the even poorer viciously feed off each other to survive. With furious anger wrapped in delirious formal and narrative pleasure—call it service with a smile—Bong has delivered a clear-eyed capitalist critique that, in spite of its oft-tread upstairs-downstairs territory, articulates the toxic nature of an invisible system’s manifestation in human behaviour. Most impressively, Parasite does so without the slightest bit of moralizing, and in allowing its characters to be so messily human, shatters barriers separating genre and allegory, giving us a tragedy for our time.
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From the Magazine
• Issue 84 Table of Contents
• The Act of Living: Gianfranco Rosi on Notturno
• Reconstructing Violence: Nicolás Pereda on Fauna
• Open Ticket: The Long, Strange Trip of Ulrike Ottinger
| <urn:uuid:a6400d3d-e714-4af1-82f7-ccfb2cfb24c0> | https://cinema-scope.com/spotlight/parasite-bong-joon-ho-south-korea/ | en | 0.94671 | 0.030539 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Quick Answer: What Is A Typical Day For An Astronaut?
What is life like for an astronaut?
In space, astronauts live in a very small space.
In space, the astronauts wipe the walls, floors, and windows to keep them clean.
They use a soap that kills germs..
What astronauts do in their free time?
Like most people who work full time, astronauts get weekends off. On any given day, crew members can watch movies, play music, read books, play cards and talk to their families. They have an exercise bike, a treadmill and various other equipment to help keep their bodies in shape.
Do astronauts drink pee?
Can you fart in space?
Would a body decay in space?
How do astronauts poop?
How much do astronauts get paid?
How many hours a day do astronauts work?
eight hoursVolker Schmid: An astronaut’s working day is not so different from that on Earth. Of course, it is a unique environment, but they work eight hours, sometimes nine or ten hours if a job requires overtime, just like in normal life. Then there are eight hours of sleep and two hours of sports every day.
What are the duties of astronauts?
What does space smell like?
Can you breathe in space?
Can astronauts listen to music in space?
As there is air on a spacecraft, musical instruments should still work. However, it might not work if you try to play outside of a shuttle or space station. On a violin or guitar, the strings would vibrate without producing a sound. | <urn:uuid:0a65eb4f-2cd3-432a-95ba-44b78591b583> | https://deepoceanpowerphilippines.com/qa/quick-answer-what-is-a-typical-day-for-an-astronaut.html | en | 0.94266 | 1.000003 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Comparing the Churn for Dish’s Sling TV and Its Pay-TV Business
Difference between churn for pay-TV and Sling TV
Subscriber losses have been a concern for pay-TV companies like Dish Network (DISH). During the company’s earnings call for the most recent quarter, Dish was asked how its pay-TV churn differed from the churn for its Sling TV service.
Dish stated that considering that its pay-TV subscribers sign a contract for two years, the subscriber churn tends to be greater at the end of those two years. Dish’s pay-TV subscriber churn rate was 1.6% in fiscal 1Q16.
In contrast, Dish Network stated that for Sling TV, the churn is highest after the end of a customer’s trial period and continues to decline for a paid customer after the first paid month of membership for Sling TV.
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Dish added that when it considered the low cost for sampling Sling TV, it was likely for a viewer to churn to another OTT (over-the-top) service after the trial period. As a result, Dish expected that when compared to its Sling TV service, this churn tends to affect premium OTT services like Time Warner’s (TWX) HBO Now and CBS (CBS) Showtime more than Sling TV.
Subscriber acquisition costs and churn
As the chart above shows, Dish Network (DISH) lost 23,000 subscribers in fiscal 1Q16 and ended the quarter with 13.8 million pay-TV subscribers. In contrast, Dish gained 35,000 subscribers in fiscal 1Q15. Dish includes its Sling TV subscribers as a part of its pay-TV subscriber base.
When asked whether the company’s subscriber losses resulted from price-sensitive customers opting away from the pay-TV company after its price increase early this year, Dish referred to its subscriber acquisition costs (or SAC).
The company stated that its SAC factored in free programming, the cost of programming, and the cost of acquiring that customer. Dish had an average SAC per subscriber of $648 in fiscal 1Q16.
Dish makes up 0.2% of the PowerShares QQQ Trust Series 1 ETF (QQQ). QQQ also has 5.1% exposure to the television and radio sector. QQQ also holds 0.73% of Netflix (NFLX).
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LWVLA is governed by its PDF iconbylaws and policies. Bylaws were last updated on June 24, 2020.
The most central of policies is nonpartisanship:
The League of Women Voters of the Lewisburg Area is non-partisan, meaning it neither endorses nor opposes a political party or candidate for political office.
The choice made in 1920 by the National League to neither support nor oppose any political party or candidate for public office continues today to ensure that the League’s voice is heard above the tumult of party politics. Nonpartisanship toward candidates and political parties is critical to the effectiveness of the League's unique voter service/citizen information work.
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Global Change and Human Mobility
• Josefina Domínguez-Mujica
Table of contents
1. Front Matter
Pages i-x
2. Armando Montanari, Barbara Staniscia
Pages 1-23
3. Sinehlanhla Memela, Brij Maharaj
Pages 53-72
4. Yann Richard, Mathilde Maurel, William Berthomière
Pages 115-140
5. Josefina Domínguez-Mujica, Ramón Díaz-Hernández, Juan Parreño-Castellano
Pages 203-223
6. Birte Nienaber, Ursula Roos
Pages 285-302
7. Judite Medina do Nascimento, Claudio Moreno-Medina, Alexandre N. Rodrigues, Herculano Dinis
Pages 323-347
About this book
This book demonstrates the benefits of applying a new interdisciplinary approach that combines global change and human mobility. The term "globility" was coined in the year 2000 when the commission with the same name was created by the International Geographical Union with the purpose of theorizing about and asserting the concept of human mobility.
First the book offers theoretical reviews of human mobility. Then it proceeds to study patterns of mobility in today's world as it faces new challenges in migration policies (including border controls, management of refugee movements, social initiatives to empower unauthorized immigrants), the integration issue, environmental hazards, and so on. The response to these diverse challenges reveals an increasing fluidity of human mobility and new forms of engagement of people on the move.
Readers will obtain a better understanding of current human mobility from a large number of regions and from different thematic perspectives.
Human mobility Global phenomena Migrations Public policies Cultural turn
Editors and affiliations
• Josefina Domínguez-Mujica
• 1
1. 1.University of Las Palmas de Gran CanariaSpain
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Amazon Prime claims 17K movies and TV shows for streaming, but it may have less than 2k
It has been widely reported that Amazon Prime has a vast catalog of movies and TV series available, with the company claiming 17,000 titles. But after some digging, new reports show that Amazon Prime may only have as few as 1,745 movies and 150 TV series.
How then, you might be asking, did Amazon come up with such a different number for the press? It’s simple: Amazon counts every single episode for every TV show. For example, “Amazon does not count 24 as one TV show; rather, it counts every episode in all eight seasons toward its library of 17,000 movies and television shows. So, according to Amazon’s logic, Kiefer Sutherland stars in 192 TV shows.”
Amazon also reportedly counts The X-Files over 200 times and Grey’s Anatomy as much as 170 times. With this process repeated for every box set, customers are left with nearly 10 times fewer titles than they’d expect. The reality is, Amazon prime likely has fewer than 2,000 selections available. Sure, this number isn’t so bad and of course is likely to grow, but for a retailer the size of Amazon, 2k is rather measly.
Amazon confirmed that the “17,000 titles count is inclusive of both TV episodes and movies.” More, from Fast Company:
Ultimately, this is simply disappointing. And while Netflix isn’t willing to disclose the absolute number of shows available, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to find them messing with numbers as well.
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loader image
Æ 4.05 Recap and Glossary
Please sign up for the course before starting the lesson.
• The permeability of the coffee bed determines how fast water flows through the puck. Baristas can control this by adjusting the grind, but also by controlling the way the particles of coffee are packed together.
• How tightly coffee particles are packed together has a strong effect on flow rate, which is why small variations in density lead to uneven flow and channeling.
• The ‘jamming transition’ is the point at which particles being pressed together (e.g. by a tamper) can no longer move.
• Once the bed of coffee is jammed, then tamping harder will have no further effect
• How tightly the coffee can be packed before it jams depends on the size and shape of the particles
• Longer, narrower particles are more likely to be touching other particles and therefore become jammed more easily. Conversely, more spherical coffee grounds can pack together more tightly before they jam.
• Jamming can be overcome by changing the direction of force. This is what happens during nutation, which is why nutation allows the coffee bed to become more tightly packed.
• Water can also reduce the friction between coffee particles, so adding water might allow coffee to pack more tightly together.
• Manipulating particle size distribution, for example by sieving out boulders, could also allow tighter packing and more uniform, easier tamping
Pore Pores, in fluid dynamics and hydrogeology, refer to the gaps between soil or rock particles (filled with air or water). In coffee, the same principles apply to the gaps between coffee particles.
Jamming transition When increasing the density of a powder (for example by packing it into a container) the jamming transition is the point at which the particles are so tightly packed that no further movement is possible. In coffee, the jamming transition is the point at which tamping harder stops significantly compressing the coffee bed.
Aspect ratio The ratio between the longest and the shortest dimensions of an object,
Back to: Advanced Espresso > Æ Compaction and Permeability
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DailyOh! How NDA crossed the 122 mark, to Bihar chief minister who found his fish poisoned
The BJP has made it clear that Nitish Kumar will be the next chief minister of Bihar.
| 5-minute read | 11-11-2020
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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reportedly told Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi at 4 am over a phone call, “Hum log aa gaye hain.” Hum in the Hindi belt of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is a confusing word. It is used to identify a group and at the same time can be used by an individual to identify himself. Hum aa gaye hain can mean "we have arrived" and can also mean “I have arrived”. But Nitish also used log, which gives a sense that by hum he meant the NDA or maybe just Nitish and Sushil as chief minister and deputy chief minister dobara.
1_111120041431.jpgBJP workers celebrate the Bihar win in Delhi. (Photo: ANI)
Sushil Modi and Nitish Kumar have a good working equation but they are not 3 am friends. The call at 4 am was an hour past what very close friends are allowed. The call came in the morning because the counting was an all-nighter. Sushil Modi isn’t reported to have cribbed about the ‘unfriendly hour call’ because that is the call he might have been waiting for, for all day.
The chief minister would be from JD(U), but it is BJP which is celebrating in style at its headquarters in Delhi today. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are all in to participate in the revelry after toppling the party's rivals.
But today we want to tell you the story of a chief minister from Bihar who once cribbed about fish. Actually the cribbing was about an alleged plot to bump off the chief minister. Fish cooked in the choicest of spices was the murder weapon, or so it was alleged.
The chief minister happened to be Binodanand Jha; the year, 1963. Jha was fond of his food. Keeping his fondness in mind, fish all dabbed in the choicest spices at a Patna hotel named Raj Hotel, was brought to the CM.
Before Jha could have tasted the fish, the state’s intelligence department was in action. It was said that an attempt was being made to poison Jha through the fish. The fish couldn’t have poisoned itself and tried to kill Jha even if it opposed its own killing and eating. The blame was on the head of the then Bihar minister KB Sahay and his aide Ramlakhan Singh Yadav. Jha sent a file with intelligence department documents to the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
To understand the ‘murder plot’, let us step back a year. So now we are in 1962. In the 1962 assembly elections, Jha had locked horns with KB Sahay when it came to ticket distribution. A central panel sent by Nehru to Bihar, which had Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi as its members, ruled in favour of Jha. Winning 185 of the 318 assembly seats in the then Bihar assembly, Jha now wanted to end opposition against himself. The intelligence report thus put the onus of the murder plot on KB Sahay’s top aide Ramlakhan Singh Yadav.
jha_111120042357.jpgBinodanand Jha became a victim of his own Machli Kand.
By then the event which had become infamous as the Machhli Kand, had begun to trouble the Congress high command. It was time to punish Jha. But Jha was an elected CM who had won an absolute majority for the party. So Nehru used the K Kamraj plan to get rid of Jha. What was the Kamraj plan?
Congress leader Kamraj had proposed leaders who had been in government for over 10 years be made to return to serve the organisation. So Jha had to leave office. At the level of the organisation, he was given no role. Adding salt to his injuries, KB Sahay became the next CM of Bihar.
In 2020, the Congress has won just 19 of the 70 seats it contested on. The grand alliance managed 110 constituencies with RJD bagging 75 and Left winning in 16 constituencies.
The NDA is back in power with the BJP winning 74 seats and the JD(U) garnering 43. The Hindustani Awam Morcha bagged four and so did Vikassheel Insaan Party. The NDA thus totals up to 125 constituencies.
Constituency, the Word Of The Day, comes from the word constituent. A constituency is a body of constituents entitled to elect a representative. It is thus an electoral district. A member registered under one constituency cannot vote in another constituency. Just because one cannot, doesn’t mean one does not. Some people will proudly tell you how they have managed to hoodwink the system by registering as voters in multiple places.
You should not vote from more than one place but can you vote after voting is over? If Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump is to be believed, you should. Only both Donald and son Eric are not to be believed.
In a tweet that has since been deleted, Eric Trump urged people in Minnesota to “get out and vote” – about 168 hours after voting in the US had stopped and about 100 hours after Joe Biden was elected President. It is possible Eric, Donald’s eldest son, thinks if his father doesn’t concede, people can keep voting till Joe concedes. It is also possible he is not thinking at all.
Enough of elections. Let’s talk entertainment. If Covid hit the world hard, it hit the entertainment world harder. We are not getting into the business aspect of it. We mean the controversies that refuse to die down. To be fair to controversies, they may actually be tired and wishing for death, but are being kept forcibly alive.
In the latest, actor Arjun Rampal's girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades has been questioned by the Narcotics Control Bureau, which is investigating allegations of drug abuse linked to the film industry. Rampal will face the questions tomorrow.
If controversies divided people, actor Akshay Kumar took it upon himself to unite the Right and the Left. Just how did he manage to do the unthinkable? Read this to know.
Akshay Kumar’s movie Laxmii released on Disney+Hotstar on November 9. The same day the Centre issued a notification saying what we watch online will now be under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This would apply to online films and audio-visual programmes made available by online content providers, and online news and current affairs content.
To a large extent, books remain beyond the ambit of control. Hope this doesn’t give anyone unnecessary ideas because all that we are trying to do is give you a necessary recommendation for Diwali reads: Krishna and Narakasura by Amar Chitra Katha. In North India, the most popular reason for why Diwali is celebrated is the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after killing Ravan. But another tale is that of Krishna and Narakasura.
Read this book to know that tale.
In some relief before Diwali, Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami has been granted bail in the 2018 abetment to suicide case of 53-year-old architect Anvay Naik, and his mother Kumud. The interim relief came from Supreme Court. Now, Supreme Court is on Diwali vacation but the matter was heard by a vacation bench of the court.
On that note, we will take your leave for today.
See you tomorrow.
Also Read: Modi takes Nitish to CM's chair in Bihar, Congress comes in Tejashwi's way
Vandana Vandana @vsinghhere
Author is Assistant Editor, DailyO.
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Beed Tourism
Beed, also known as Bir across India, is a city in central Maharashtra. This city is known for its historic value, the war with Britishers and the city is mentioned in two major Sanskrit and India’s greatest epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana. This city was founded by the Yadav ruler between the years 1173-1317 but the city became a part of Nizam during British India era. Beed or Bir became a part of Maharashtra in 1960, after independence. Beed is also known for being a home to many religions like Hinduism, Islamic, Christianity and many more.
According to one of the epic scriptures Mahabharata, Beed was a part of Chalukya under the name Balni during the period of Pandavas and Kurus. It was an inhabited city. According to Ramayan, Jatayu (Eagle) in the process of rescuing Sita from Ravan during the abduction fell on the ground and told Lord Ram the whole story before it passed away. Jatashankar Temple was built in the city to worship Jatayu. Kanakaleshwar Temple, Khandoba Temple, Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque), Shahinshah Wali tomb and Mansur Shah tomb are other historical and spiritual places in the city. Various exhibitions and fair are organized every year. And this city is also known for holding the city's oldest cinema halls 'Asha' and 'Santoshimata'.
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Travel Guide Parli Vaijnath
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Parli Vaijnath Temple
Parli Vaijnath temple is situated in the very ancient village Parli in the state of Maharashtra in India. This temple is devoted to Lord Shiva. Devotees celebrate festivals in the temple everywhere. It is one of tourist attraction for those who love ancient cultures and sculpture....
Travel Guide Yogeshwari Devi Temple Beed
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Yogeshwari Devi Temple
Yogeshwari Temple is situated in the Beed District of Maharashtra. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga, as Yogeshwari means Durga in Sanskrit. The town of Beed is itself quite small. The temple gives off a strong spiritual vibe, which compliments the town’s and temple’s .... | <urn:uuid:66169143-c158-4706-bfc0-d109d1947f4e> | https://www.gosahin.com/tourist-places/beed-district/ | en | 0.963842 | 0.084782 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Ilocos Norte
Burgos Festival
Burgos is home of numerous landscapes which are very popular in Ilocos Norte, particularly the Kapurpurawan (White) Rock Formation and Avis Falls. Moreover, the historical lighthouse, Cape Bojeador, which serves as the beacon for ships sailing across the sea, resides here.
Aside from being known for its popular landscapes, the town is rich with organic delicacies. Dragonfruits are carefully grown and harvested each year, while the sea offers plentiful amounts of seaweeds that serve as a favorite dish of the town.
The cool winds of the monsoon, or the Amian as the locals call it, often reside here, giving the town the cooling breeze that they can enjoy and indulge. For this, Burgos has utilized this opportunity to provide a safer, greener and livable energy source.
Hence, the Windmills of Burgos provides that ideal in order for them to continue on with growth and development while remaining true to their roots.
Pamulinawen Festival
As the capital of the province and the home of commerce and industry in Ilocos Norte, the City of Laoag celebrates the Pamulinawen Festival every February to honor St. William the Hermit, the patron Saint of Laoag City. The festival’s name originated from an Ilokano courtship song titled “Pamulinawen,” which narrates the never-ending pursuit of a lover.
The month-long festival will showcase the colorful culture and heritage of the city through activities such as a civic-military parade, socio-civic activities, street dance competition, pageants, and street bazaars, among others.
Tadek Festival
The town of Nueva Era is one of the four municipalities of Ilocos Norte with tribal communities, along with Adams, Carasi and Dumalneg. The Tingguian hometown celebrates the essence of unity through song and dance, or “tadek.”
Overwhelmed with joy and happiness, the people herald their traditional songs of "oggayam" and "salidummay." Drums and gongs accompany their tadek performances.
Culturally, the tadek is an expression of thanksgiving for a new couple who are believed will bring forth blessings and greater perseverance within the whole Tinguian community.
Nueva Era is also sometimes called the “Little Baguio” of Ilocos Norte, due to its cool, mountainous climate.
With its rich culture, fresh ambience, and unadulterated environment, the town has been able to establish an eco-cultural park promoting the Tingguian community and their way of life.
Guling Guling Festival
Guling-Guling, a traditional festival implemented by Spanish monks at the turn of the 16th century, is celebrated in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, the day before the Ash Wednesday—the last day of merrymaking before the Lenten season.
The celebration starts with a ritual called “Guling,” which can be translated as “mark” or “sign.” In the old days, the mayor of the town would smear people’s foreheads with a white cross using wet rice flour, signifying purity and cleansing from sins. Nowadays, the celebration starts with a colorful dance parade. Both men and women wear traditional clothes, jewelry, and other accessories.
San Nicolas
Ilocos Norte
Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte
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Trump tweets "All is well!" after Iranian missiles target U.S. soldiers. Is it?
Late Tuesday night, news broke that Iran had fired missiles at military bases in Iraq that house thousands of both American and Iraqi soldiers, claiming retaliation for the American assassination of General Qassem Soleimani. “The fierce revenge by the Revolutionary Guards has begun,” wrote the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in a statement.
Iraqi and American officials declared that neither military force suffered any losses. Most of the 22 missiles were aimed at the Al-Asad air base in the Anbar region, while others struck a base in Iraqi Kurdistan.
Shortly after the strikes finished, President Trump posted a message on Twitter. “All is well!” he declared, continuing, “Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good!” He did not make an address to the public Tuesday night, however, despite some initial reports that he would do so.
Iran said the strike “concluded proportionate measures” in response to Soleimani’s death. Still, there’s no reason to assume that this will be Iran’s last show of force in the matter. In a speech this morning, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani declared, “You cut off the hand of Qassem Soleimani from his body, and we will cut off your feet from the region,” according to The New York Times. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei similarly asserted that the U.S. presence must be eliminated from the region.
On Wednesday morning, more than 12 hours after news of the attacks broke, Trump addressed the country in a speech at the White House. It was his first official communication beyond Twitter posts and brief statements to reporters about the aftermath of Soleimani’s assassination. “He should have been terminated long ago,” Trump said, by way of explanation for why the general was killed. He additionally suggested the attack was somewhat of a terrorism countermeasure, calling Soleimani the “world’s top terrorist” and saying his death was a message to would-be attackers that “if they value their life,” they won’t target Americans.
Trump did not provide new details of the attacks that the White House has claimed Soleimani was planning against Americans in the Middle East, but he indicated that the United States would not respond to Iran’s strikes with further attacks. “Iran appears to be standing down, which is a very good thing for America and for the world,” Trump said, before announcing new economic sanctions against the country. On the whole, he struck a pacifist note, saying that war is not a priority. “We do not want to use it,” he said, referring to the U.S. military arsenal. ”American strength both military and economic is the best deterrent."
Of course, being Trump, he couldn’t avoid the opportunity to attack President Barack Obama, saying that the missiles Iran fired at American troops were paid for by “the last administration.”
It’s far from clear at this stage whether all out war will break out between America and Iran. At the moment, Trump’s decision not to retaliate seems to offer a potential off-ramp from conflict, but the idea he presented in his speech that the assassination was meant to prevent a war seems hard to swallow. How exactly does killing another country’s leader stop a war? And how is it that a retaliatory bombing can de-escalate a tense situation?
The entire affair echoes a pattern we’ve seen throughout Trump’s term in office, where he creates crises out of thin air and then manufactures so-called solutions in a haphazard fashion. At this point, the best we can hope for is a fragile peace. | <urn:uuid:e9a8a7bc-31e3-414a-a0d9-0f6520980eb5> | https://www.mic.com/p/trump-tweets-all-is-well-after-iranian-missiles-target-us-soldiers-is-it-19776995 | en | 0.964848 | 0.072516 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Monthly Book Recommendation: April 2019
Getting it Right, by William Buckley, Jr., 2003
President Reagan meeting with William Buckley, Jr. in the Oval Office
William Buckley Jr. is a notable figure for modern conservatives, having helped spark the 20th-century conservative movement and shape contemporary conservative thought. Buckley, an avid writer, helped create the National Review and various other publications focusing on stimulating conservative thought in the mid-20th Century.
Buckley’s 2003 novel Getting it Right defines what many political thinkers would consider the modern conservative. Through it, Buckley described the ideals that the Republican Party ought to adopt in order to achieve a mature movement that will in time make a positive impact on society.
Getting it Right, like much of his work, doesn’t follow one narrative; instead, it’s constructed around individuals reacting to events happening in the world. Through the storyline, Buckley gives a compelling political argument about the importance of differentiating fake conservatism from what he calls traditional conservatism. The title, Getting it Right, refers to Republicans aligning their beliefs with what is now considered traditional conservativism — which for the 1950s and 1960s was a move away from an extremist conservative viewpoint. The views Buckley opposes throughout his book as fake and extremist conservatives are the positions of Ayn Rand and the John Birch Society.
Throughout the book, Buckley argued that the John Birch Society indulged itself so heavily in anti-communism witch hunts that it forgot the roots of conservative thought. Although anti-communism is an aspect of conservative thought, it shouldn’t overshadow perspectives on economics, traditions, and values. Buckley claimed that the John Birch Society became popular within the conservative movement because of the fear-mongering tactics they deployed in support of their extreme stance on communism. Although traditional conservatives believe communism itself is one of the worst creations of mankind, they don’t feel compelled to accuse everyone from congressmen to their next-door neighbor of being communists without a reasonable doubt.
Buckley also opposed the radical viewpoints and philosophy of Ayn Rand, objectivism, which he considered excessive selfishness. As one of Buckley’s characters put it, “The Objectivists pose a special challenge. Because if they succeed in implanting their creed on the Republican Party, it becomes a vessel for…a kind of misanthropic anarchy. The GOP has to beat a path to a wholesome conservatism, and that isn’t helped by anything I’ve read in Ayn Rand.”[1] Buckley’s position, along with many modern conservatives, was that Rand’s belief of objectivism is more libertarian than conservative. This, Buckley believed, would prove unsuccessful in the United States as it promoted a sense of greed that leads to anarchy.
In contrast, Buckley advocated for candidates that represented the conservative movement’s roots and philosophical ideals. Buckley famously staked his conservative ground when he made “the Buckley rule” for National Review: they would support “the rightwardmost viable candidate,” intentionally choosing “viable” over “electable.” Buckley’s philosophy was based around historical conservatism and is opposed to other so-called conservative movements founded upon brittle concepts like extremism and populism. He set up what many might call the boundaries of conservatism by disapproving of the radicals of the conservative movement. Throughout the book, Buckley advocated for the teachings found within the philosophies of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. He called these the basic foundation of modern conservatism and classical liberalism. In the end, the conservatives of the time “got it right” by backing ideas of traditional conservatism and classical liberalism. Candidates including Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan were major side effects of the explosion of the conservative movement led by William Buckley in the later 20th century. The ideas of Buckley prove the importance of sticking to true conservative roots rather than the elitist selfishness of Ayn Rand and fearful populism of the John Birch Society. Modern-day conservative thought wouldn’t be the same without the writings of William Buckley Jr, especially without his book Getting it Right – a novel that exemplifies what it means to be a conservative.
[1] Buckley, William F., Jr. Getting It Right, a Novel. Washington, D.C.: Regnery, 2004. Pg 101 | <urn:uuid:08c8c60b-f166-43f2-a5f9-30d34872b66b> | https://www.paxamerica.org/2019/04/02/monthly-book-recommendation-april-2019/ | en | 0.951118 | 0.10536 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |