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The J.M. Capriola favorite Double Weave Saddle Blanket. Perfect to pad up or to use under the fancier pads for protection from sweat and hair. Double weaves have been around for decades as a go to substitution for more expensive pads.
Double weaves also make excellent throw rug!
Independently recommended as the best ”working” saddle blanket for the money, made with a blended acrylic fiber, tightly woven and very durable. Available in twelve colors. | 2019-04-19T06:15:37 | https://capriolas.com/product/double-weave-saddle-blanket/ |
The landslide victory of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, in the 2006 parliamentary elections in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the movement’s military takeover of the Gaza Strip in the following year revealed that Hamas cannot be ignored as a key player in Palestinian politics.
Hamas is well-known for its anti-Israeli charter from 1988 and its violent attacks against Israel. Less known is that Hamas has its own recipe for solving the conflict with Israel peacefully. The core principle of this recipe is the Islamic concept of hudna, the extended ceasefire. To learn more about Hamas’s hudna proposals, PRIO research staff interviewed Hamas leaders in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon. This policy brief provides an analysis of those interviews, showing that where the Oslo process failed to achieve its intended aim – the resolution of all final-status issues – Hamas seeks to reach agreement on issues where agreement is possible and to postpone the obstacles to progress for the next generation to solve. | 2019-04-22T06:09:39 | https://www.prio.org/Publications/Publication/?x=7356 |
Indian-American designers based in New York held a fashion show April 14, at the Royal Albert’s Palace in Fords, New Jersey.
The show ‘Spring Soiree, 2019’ showcased the versatility of Indian designers whose wide-ranging styles were not restricted to any culture or ethnicity, but also included the ethnic and traditional, according to a press release from organizers House of Chic by Heena Surani, a New York-based pop-up retail company, in collaboration with Vandana Malhotra Puri.
The ‘Spring Soiree, 2019’ has been held in New York City, and Westchester before being taken to New Jersey. Many well-known designers (with their collection) such as Jayanthi Reddy, Adhya, Myoho, Lotus Sutr, Priya Chahabria, Inaarabypriya, Harshi, Dolly Saraf Jain, Dhashi, Roma Bhalla, Aneehka, ReeMat, BG Jewels, Tinted Teal, Allure Jewels and many more participated in the event.
In the New Jersey show, exquisite Indian embroideries with Western cuts made it on the ramp, the collections holding an international appeal, organizers said. It included festive couture, handcrafted luxury pret, which derives inspiration from the fusion of modern trends, fall styles to summer spring looks – including kurtas, salwaar suits, tunics, semiformal Indian wear and many more silhouettes were highlighted.
“A holistic cocktail of the antique artistry mixed with modern wizardry of silhouettes, cuts and jaw dropping designs,” organizers said in the press release. “The response was outstanding and crowds are now waiting for the next Exhibition with the next stunning Collection,” they added. | 2019-04-20T07:12:08 | http://www.desitweets.com/fashion-extravaganza-in-new-jersey/ |
West Mitten, Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
Merrick Butte in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
This page was last edited on 18 April 2016, at 10:37. | 2019-04-20T09:35:23 | https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Monument_Valley |
Are you remodeling or renovating a dwelling? If so, you should have a Builder’s Risk Insurance policy in place for your property. A normal homeowner’s insurance policy generally will not cover your structure while it is being renovated. The Builder’s Risk policy will generally cover the structure for fire, wind, theft and vandalism. It will typically not cover perils such as earthquake or flood unless specifically endorsed to do so. It will also cover you for premises liability at the location of the property. Once the renovation or remodeling is complete a permanent property insurance policy should be taken out on the building such as a homeowner’s policy or a commercial property policy.
If you buy a property, but, don’t plan on starting the renovation work until a later date then you need to have a Vacant Property Policy in place for the location. If the home is uninhabited then you generally can not have a homeowner’s policy in place. You would need to have a vacant property policy in place, then a builder’s risk policy while you are renovating, and then a homeowner’s policy once you have finished the renovations and are living in the home. Ask us for a no obligation quote for any of these. | 2019-04-26T07:42:58 | https://guarinoinsurancema.com/builders-risk-insurance-policy/ |
Are you ready for the most exhilarating private parties in Columbia, Maryland? Then come race our safe and fast electric Italian pro-karts at speeds up to 50 mph! Our premier venue is the best venue in Maryland for events families, adults and kids. Visit us for birthday parties, Sweet 16 parties, Bachelor & Bachelorette parties, Quinceaneras, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, school field trips and family reunions. While your group enjoys private racing on both of our pristine tracks, your dedicated Event Planners and Event Captains will make sure everything from catering to prizes are organized to your liking.
Learn more about hosting parties and events at Autobahn Indoor Speedway Baltimore (BWI). | 2019-04-23T01:06:56 | https://autobahnspeed.com/groups-parties/baltimore-bwi-social-events/ |
CELEBRITY mums Billie Faiers and Abbey Clancy are loving this affordable toy.
Celebrity mums Tamara Ecclestone, Billie Faiers and Abbey Clancy like to treat their children to the best toys on the high street.
And it appears there is now a new must-have toy in town, the Magical Unicorn Carriage.
These celebrity mums have been sharing a first look at the magical carriage by Little Tikes, as Billie’s Nelly, Tamara’s Sophia and Abbey’s Sophia enjoy the fun unicorn.
The Magical Unicorn Carriage comes with a rotating glow-up unicorn horn and even chopping noises from the unicorn.
A similar shape as the classic Cozy Coupe, the carriage is perfect for your kids this summer.
Little Tikes explain on their site: “Parents will love the handle to push the unicorn ride on!
“Featuring a removable floor board for younger children and as they grow, converts to a foot-to-floor ride on toy.
The only thing that can top this off is the affordable price, at only £119.99.
The must-have toy of the summer will be out in the UK soon – so be quick!
Vintage toys value: How much money are your old and rare childhood toys worth? | 2019-04-25T10:54:12 | https://www.ok.co.uk/lifestyle/mum-and-baby/1374102/magical-unicorn-carriage-billie-faiers-little-tikes |
Brattan Gelder is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Wake Forest University School of Law. After graduating from Wake Forest, he earned his first experience in estate planning as an associate in a boutique estate planning firm with offices in Asheville and Hendersonville, NC, where he focused his practice on asset protection planning and estate and gift tax planning for high net worth individuals. After joining Wachovia Securities (later Wells Fargo Advisors) in 2005, Mr. Gelder traveled extensively throughout the mid-Atlantic region as a Regional Wealth Consultant for Wachovia Securities, where he advised financial advisors and high net worth individuals on the formation and implementation of estate and tax planning strategies.
Mr. Gelder lives in Asheville where he enjoys spending time with his family, following UNC athletics and exploring the North Carolina mountains. | 2019-04-24T13:00:57 | https://hemphillgelderlaw.com/brattan-gelder |
Exelon has a very competitive benefits package with some of the best insurance in the industry. Vision, dental and even hearing exams are included. The HSA account is also extremely useful and beneficial to anyone who opts into it.
I feel that the benefits package is very reasonable. Matching 401K up to 5%, standard dental and health insurance.
Great 401k matching, inexpensive insurance and healthcare, with plenty of perks and discounts to go along with it. They cover dental, vision, health, life, all of it! Vacation and time off is also generous, allowing roll over of unused vacation days into the next year.
5% 401k match with recently increased fund options at a good expense ratio. Easy to make changes to contributions or reallocate funds. Cheap health insurance is offered through BCBS and also cheap dental and vision insurance. Short term disability is covered with option for long term and life insurance can be up to 8x salary. with your badge in the Chicago area you can get into the Shedd aquarium, field museum and several other Chicago attractions. Stock purchase plan is offered with 10% discount and no look back period, quarterly option to participate.
Have pension plan. Have generous maternity leave and paternity leave. | 2019-04-24T20:35:00 | https://www.glassdoor.com/Benefits/Exelon-US-Benefits-EI_IE526.0,6_IL.7,9_IN1_IP4.htm |
For the first time this season we are going to have more than just the rankings here on the JBB. For the rest of the season i hope to have one of these (Teams of the Week/Players of the Week) as well as a quick look at some of the Top Series across the Country.
Even though Salt Lake was 3-1 this past week it might be as impressive as a 3-1 that you can get. They Hosted then #2 Southern Nevada in a 4 game series. The total series was separated by just 12 runs with the only loss coming by 2 in game 2. On the mound Jake Wilson in game 3 of the series threw a complete game only allowing 2 runs. Offensively for them both INF Jaxson Otis (San Francisco) had big impacts for them. Otis was 5-12, with a home run, 2 RBI, 3 R, and a stolen base. Otis was also tagged as the SWAC Player of the week.
Itawamba 3-1 week is just as impressive as Salt Lakes. They swept then #3 Jones County, while splitting with #19 Holmes. In their first game with Holmes, Justin Medlin (Middle Tennessee State) threw a complete game shutout going 7 innings striking out 9 while only allowing 5 total base runners. UTIL Kyle Crigger (LA Tech) was a one man wrecking crew for them all week. He only had 4 hits but those 4 hits were huge. He had 2 doubles, and 2 homers driving in 11 runs and scoring 5 him self.
Cumberland had the most successful week across all three divisions. They went 5-0 against some of the top teams at the Division 3 level. They had wins over then #25 Atlantic Cape, #2 Rowan Gloucester, #14 Middlesex County twice, and 2018 Div 1 Juco World Series participant Monroe. Michael Miles had one of the most impressive start out of anyone across the country in their game against Rowan Gloucester. He threw a complete game shutout, striking out 12 along the way with only 1 walk and 1 hit. Both Ryan McIsaac and Vincent Napolitano had huge offensive weeks for them. McIsaac was 9-21 with 2 homers, 6 RBI, and 6 runs. Napolitano was 7-23 with a double, 2 homers, 6 RBI, and 8 runs scored.
This is a quick look at some of the top 4-5 weeks of both Hitters and Pitchers across the country. | 2019-04-19T16:18:11 | https://thejbb.net/2019/04/03/week-10-players-and-teams-of-the-week/ |
Ewing High School’s Athletic Trainer, David Csillan, has been awarded the 2019 Gatorade Secondary School Athletic Trainer Award. Each year, Gatorade, in partnership with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, recognizes 10 secondary school athletic trainers from across the country who provide outstanding athlete care and have had a profound impact on their students, colleagues and community.
Csillan was presented the award at the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association Annual Meeting in King of Prussia, PA, earlier this month.
Athletic trainers are highly qualified, multi-skilled healthcare professionals who collaborate with physicians to provide preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. ATs provide medical services to all types of patients, not just athletes, participating in sports, and can work in a variety of job settings.
Csillan is in his 25th year as an athletic trainer at Ewing High School. Aside from his duties at Ewing, he has worked with state legislators to pass the state’s Athletic Training Practice Act, as well as served on the National Federation of State High Schools Association Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, developing and implementing health and safety protocols for the nation's secondary school athletes.
As part of the award, Csillan receives a $1,000 grant toward his school’s athletic program, a Gatorade Sideline Cart and Gatorade product for his athletes, and complimentary registration to the 2019 NATA Clinical Symposia & AT Expo this June in Las Vegas.
Nominees for the Gatorade Secondary School Athletic Trainer Award must be active certified athletic trainers, current NATA members, and work as a full-time or part-time employee in secondary schools. Each winner is selected by the NATA Secondary School Athletic Trainers’ Committee and must be nominated by a colleague, school administrator or parent. For all the details on how to apply and deadlines, visit the NATA website at http://nata.org/Gatorade-Secondary-School-AT-Award. | 2019-04-22T18:40:36 | https://www.atsnj.org/articles/ewing-high-school-athletic-trainer-receives-gatorades-national-secondary-school-athletic |
At the end of the 20th century, the Japanese automobile industry is suffering from the long depression of Japanese economy to such an extent that sorne of Japanese carmakers were not able to survive without cooperating with foreign powerful carmakers. Nissan has been in restructuring under the French managers dispatched by Renault. Suzuki and Isuzu began to reinforce their cooperation with GM, whereas Fuji Heavy Industry (Subaru) and Mitsubishi are searching for their Western partners. It is only Toyota and Honda that seem to be able to compete by themselves on globalized automobile markets. Irony of the history, because until the end of the 1980s all Japanese carmakers were regarded as the most competitive companies of the world by incarnating the 'Lean Production' model whose basic model is the Toyota Production System. This stereotype has to be dismissed, because they have been having neither the same management nor the same strategy. This paper then tries to show the history of Japanese automobile industry from its very beginning to mid-1990 when the majority of carmakers are facing a crisis. In doing so, it presents the specifie characteristics of Toyota by placing it in the historical perspective. | 2019-04-26T04:05:25 | http://ousar.lib.okayama-u.ac.jp/ja/journal/oer/31/4/article/41516 |
Khadisha Bukeevna Bukeeva (February 21, 1917 - January 31, 2011) - Soviet and Kazakh actress of theater and movie. People's Artist of the USSR (1964).
Khadisha Bukeeva was born in the village Kaztalovka (now the center of Kaztalovsk district, West Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan) on February 21, 1917 (according to other sources - January 1).
In 1938 she graduated from the Leningrad Theatrical Institute (now - St. Petersburg State Academy of Theatrical Arts), and then entered the company of Shymkent theater.
Since 1942, she worked in the Kazakh State Academic Drama Theatre named after M.O. Auezov (Alma-Ata).
Since 1965, she was involved in the pedagogical activities (Associate Professor (since 1968) of the Institute of Theatrical Arts named after Kurmangazy (since 2000 the Kazakh National Academy of Arts named after T. K. Zhurgenov).
She died on January 31, 2011 in Alma-Ata. She was buried at the Kensaysk cemetery.
The General Conference of UNESCO proclaimed International Mother Language Day, on November 17, 1999. It is celebrated every year since February 21, 2000 in order to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. In turn, the UN General Assembly in its resolution declared 2008 the International Year of Languages . The year of 2010 was proclaimed the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures.
Languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing of our tangible and intangible heritage. UNESCO estimates that half of the approximately 6000 languages in the world may soon lose their last native speakers. All moves to promote the dissemination of mother languages will serve not only to encourage the linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop fuller awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.
On February 21, 2003 on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura said: "Why we focused so much on the mother language? Because languages are a unique expression of human creativity in all its diversity. As a tool of communication, perception and reflection, the language also describes how we see the world and reflects the relationship between the past, present and future.
The Languages bear the traces of random encounters, a variety of sources from which they are filled, each according to its own individual history. Native languages are unique in the sense of what they applied to each person from the moment of birth, giving it a distinctive vision of things that never really disappear, despite the fact that later the human can master many other languages. Learning a foreign language is a way to get acquainted with another vision of the world, with other approaches". | 2019-04-21T20:18:11 | https://e-history.kz/en/calendar/event/02/21 |
The LUMIstar® Omega is BMG LABTECH's powerful dedicated luminescence microplate reader, providing highly sensitive flash and glow assay readings. This DLReady-certified microplate reader can also come equipped with Simultaneous Dual Emission for BRET applications, and can be further upgraded to a multi-mode reader.
The high performance, dedicated luminescence microplate reader.
The LUMIstar Omega is a dedicated reader for luminescence measurements, including BRET. The LUMIstar Omega provides highly sensitive readings of all luminescence applications in end-point and kinetic assays. Moreover, a built-in filter wheel and the optional Simultaneous Dual Emission detection make multiple wavelength detection and BRET applications possible. | 2019-04-26T15:52:55 | https://www.sciquip.co.uk/lumistar-omega.html |
The dialogue will take place over two days. Initially among the invited scholars, then with graduate students, and then with the wider public. We hope this will serve as an exemplar of how to address these problems democratically and non-violently. ‘Democracies’ include state-based representative government, Indigenous democracy, community- based democracy, democratic contestation, global democracy, and earth or Gaia democracy of all living beings. | 2019-04-20T00:18:13 | https://www.eucanet.org/index.php/events/63-events/600-public-discussion-democracy-and-its-futures-2 |
Skydance Interactive is building a best in class game studio focused on developing genre defining titles, managing projects we license to other developers, and pioneering first-to-market game mechanics and software for VR and emerging platforms. The division of Skydance Media was launched in 2016. In 2017, we launched our first VR game, Archangel. This critically acclaimed game recently expanded into an online multiplayer upgrade, Archangel: Hellfire. Skydance Interactive in 2017 partnered with Skybound Entertainment to develop a number of original virtual reality video games based on the expansive world of The Walking Dead universe. The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners game will be the inaugural co-developed title from both companies. The studio is located in Marina del Rey, CA.
PWND Now Available at Great New Price!
Skydance Interactive's Award-Winning VR Game Archangel is Now Available on PSVR! | 2019-04-21T17:01:41 | http://skydance.com/interactive/ |
No species in the database contian data from the requested reference: Muralha, V.S.F.; dos Santos, R.M.B.; Simoes, J.A.M., Energetics of alkylbenzyl radicals: A time-resolved photoacoustic calorimetry study, J. Phys. Chem. A, 2004, 108, 6, 936-942, https://doi.org/10.1021/jp036293a . | 2019-04-21T08:56:12 | https://webbook.nist.gov/cgi/cbook.cgi?Source=2004MUR936-942&Units=SI&Mask=2 |
In this week’s Alt 18 Countdown Modest Mouse takes the number one spot yet again with Lampshades On Fire. Modest Mouse are followed up by Night Riots with Contagious at number two, & Vance Joy lands at number three with Mess Is Mine. Death Cab For Cutie is at number four with Black Sun, and Matt & Kim wrap it up number five with Get It. | 2019-04-18T11:02:02 | https://blog.siriusxm.com/modest-modest-continue-their-reign-on-the-alt-18/ |
Michael is very special to me...he is my son. Michael blew out his knee his senior year playing football. And he and I made many trips to Vail for his knee. During one of his follow up appointments, I took his senior picture while we were there. He's a little boy to me always, but is growing into a fabulous young man by the minute and has taken the bull by the horns in college. It goes without saying, but I'm gonna say it anyways...I'm so very proud of him and God has blessed me. | 2019-04-25T18:05:31 | http://blog.michaelpyoung.com/2012/12/on-4th-day-of-fabulous-of-2012.html |
"Initially, I will admit that I had concerns as to whether my band members would elect the best student leaders. I found that all of the students' selections were the same ones I would have selected, except for one. And, after observing that student leader in action, I now know that the students had, in fact, made the best decision."
Band & Orchestra, Vol. 3, No. 12, December 2000, pp. 14-15.
to implement a school wide program specifically designed to unify the entire student body.
Band programs can be more successful when members select their own student leaders. You may ask, "Why risk letting students pick their leaders, when they could, potentially, make bad choices based primarily on popularity?" This concern is definitely valid.
However, with the proper training, band members can be trusted to choose the best leaders. As a result, your goals will be achieved more easily, and students' ownership of the music program will be maximized—all because students were trained, and then trusted, to make the right decisions.
Student leaders who are selected by their peers are much more comfortable knowing they have their peers' confidence and support up front. Later in life, students will have to select their government leaders; why not train them to do it properly now?
Band directors can begin by telling band members that they are now entrusted to select the student leaders. Remind the students that in a few years, they will be running our country. Discuss the tremendous power and responsibility they will have in creating both successful personal lives and a more successful country. All this will require effective decision-making.
Explain to them that the band is a mini-society. This is their opportunity to select student leaders who will form the foundation of a music program that will make the director and the members proud.
required duties and responsibilities for successful student leadership.
Encourage discussion. Make sure there is consensus on every item in each list.
These exercises give members criteria by which to choose their leaders. It will also help potential student leaders understand what is expected of them and decide if they are up for the challenge.
Now, have your members nominate students from within each section based on the criteria the students have listed.
how they will fulfill the needs of their section.
Give the nominees only a day to prepare their presentations. In addition, give the nominees an important, real life band problem to solve and only give them five minutes preparation time. This will demonstrate each candidate's ability to make quick and effective decisions under pressure.
If you really want to challenge the nominees, have them teach a mini-drill and a short piece of music to their sections.
A good rule of thumb is to have your students choose one student leader for every eight to 10 members in a section. If there are five nominees for three positions, students should give each nominee a score—three points for a student's first choice, two points for the second, and one point for the third. Votes will be tallied and nominees will be ranked in order of finish.
There should always be a chain of command among leaders within a section for increased order, manageability, and accountability. For instance, if there are three trumpet section leaders, they should be ranked head section leader, first assistant, and second assistant, based on their scores.
Remind the band just before elections that selecting student leaders is a tremendous responsibility and privilege; their selections will make a great contribution toward the band's ultimate success.
Your students need to know that every section must perform its best for the band to be successful. Therefore, it is critical for each section to select the most capable student leaders.
If, for any reason, one of the band's selections does not work out, students should vote again to pick another leader for that section. (To my knowledge, this has never happened!) If the director merely overrides the students' selections, then he will lose the confidence of the entire band.
The process of having students select their own student leaders will take some time. However, as the adage goes, "Well begun is half done." The system will work if you acknowledge that your band members, with the proper training, can make the right decisions. Also, have the patience to see the process through to completion.
Directors who are in their first year at a school might want to wait a few years before implementing this selection process. This will allow new directors the time to get to know their students, insuring a successful election of student leaders.
Steve Lyons, the head band director at Champlin Park High School in Minnesota, has used this student leader selection system. He said, "Initially, I will admit that I had concerns as to whether my band members would elect the best student leaders. I found that all of the students' selections were the same ones I would have selected, except for one. And, after observing that student leader in action, I now know that the students had, in fact, made the best decision." | 2019-04-25T16:25:38 | https://www.teens2teams.com/articles/selectingStudentLeaders.html |
16 - Deck Boards - Decking - The Home Depot,Shop our selection of 16, Deck Boards in the Lumber & Composites Department at The Home Depot.
12 - Veranda - Composite Decking Boards - Deck - The Home Depot,Shop our selection of Veranda, 12, Composite Decking Boards in the Lumber & Composites Department at The Home Depot. Set custom price range: to. Go. $300; $1000 Gray Square Edge Capped Composite Decking Board (10-Pack). | 2019-04-26T02:01:46 | https://www.myfarmacia.it/pvc-fence/17248-home-depot-decking-prices.html |
Throughout the years Bonus Electric has been diligent in developing relationships with every professional organization in the industry. These relationships have been forged from our honesty, integrity, professionalism and quality of workmanship. Our great relationships with IBEW, NECA, City of Chicago and the surrounding municipalities have given us an additional unique company asset. We have the ability to gather our many unique assets on each and every project at the benefit of the owner. Bonus Electric is a full service electrical engineering and construction company.
Bonus Electric proudly boasts a full service engineering division with Illinois state licensed engineers on staff, and the ability to stamp our own drawings. Our clients have the assurance and comfort that is provided by the fact that we aren't just paying a licensed engineer from another company who is completely unfamiliar to the project to stamp our drawings.
Whether the desired end result is code analysis, budget pricing, guaranteed maximum pricing, permit documents, design-bid-build documents or design-build documents, we can supply all of your design needs. We are continuously adapting our services and capabilities to meet the needs and requirements of our clients.
Bonus Electric always carries its own E&O and Professional Liability insurances to provide our clients with the highest levels of protection in the industry.
This is currently the fastest developing project delivery method in the industry. With the right team (MEP/FP & Architect) on board from the beginning, design-build offers the fastest, most efficient, most change order prohibitive and least problematic method available to an owner. It offers a single source of responsibility. No other delivery method can compare to this fast-track, turnkey approach in relation to speed, efficiency and cost control.
We are extremely versatile and are available for involvement at many levels of a project. Early in a project’s development we can assist ownership in determining a budget and then producing an extremely detailed scope that shall meet that budget. We provide value engineering services to evaluate design concepts and specifications for possible cost reductions. Our years of experience and project histories have enabled us with the knowledge and expertise to provide the owner with a list of possible options which can reduce cost without sacrificing function.
Whether the project is determined to proceed on a design-build basis or a design-bid-build basis, Bonus Electric shall complete the drawing documents and specifications within the budget and scope parameters. Similarly, if the project proceeds on a design-bid-build basis, Bonus Electric can be there to assist the engineer of record in maintaining the original scope.
Bonus Electric is an IBEW Local 134 union contractor. Our highly trained, skilled, experienced and professional labor force is able to provide the highest quality integration, installation, startup, testing and maintenance for every aspect of your electrical distribution and power systems.
We will assist each client in determining their level of need for a system. Once it is determined that a system is required/desired, Bonus Electric shall provide the resources for a full system design, installation and UL certification.
We can structure an ongoing maintenance program for any project we are involved in. Whether it is scheduled site inspections/evaluations of electrical equipment and their connections or simply replacing the lamps in your 30' high site lighting fixtures, Bonus Electric will provide you with the level of service you desire.
We never turn our back on previous clients. We understand that it can be difficult for building owners to locate a contractor for additional work years after the project has been completed, and too many contractors can’t take care of your miscellaneous needs. Bonus Electric always leaves a nameplate on site when completing a project so that we may be contacted easily for years to come. | 2019-04-22T16:47:05 | https://www.bonuselectric.com/services/ |
PowerDNS is a MySQL-based DNS server, written in C++ and licensed under the GPL. PowerDNS can be managed through a web interface (PowerAdmin). This guide shows how to install it on CentOS 5.
Now you can choose the options from the menu.
You have four years to be irresponsible here. Relax. Work is for people with jobs. You'll never remember class time, but you'll remember time you wasted hanging out with your friends. So, stay out late. Go out on a Tuesday with your friends when you have a paper due Wednesday. Spend money you don't have. Drink 'til sunrise. The work never ends, but college does. | 2019-04-25T02:19:01 | http://blog.up-link.ro/tag/mysql-server/ |
born on that day in 1759. Wilberforce was closely associated with the East Riding of Yorkshire having being born in Hull, baptised in Seaton Ross and having attended Pocklington School.
From 1789, Wilberforce regularly introduced bills in Parliament to ban the Slave Trade. He was fiercely opposed by those making fortunes from the trade, who used all kinds of delaying tactics. The first time a bill was introduced, Wilberforce lost the debate by 163 votes to 88 but he never gave up. A bill to cease the trade was passed by the House of Commons in 1792 – but with the amendment that the ban should be ‘gradual’, which those with an interest in the trade interpreted as ‘never’. Finally on 25th March, 1807, the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act abolished the Slave Trade in the British colonies. It was carried by 267 votes. The house rose to its feet and cheered wildly.
However, this was not a vote to abolish slavery as a whole throughout the Empire, just the trade in enslaved people. William Wilberforce continued to work for the abolition of all slavery within the British Colonies. He joined the ‘Society for Gradual Abolition’ and, when the campaign intensified again in the 1820’s and 30′, he did as much as his failing health would allow. In 1821 he requested that Thomas Fowell Buxton take over the leadership of the campaign in the Commons and resigned his parliamentary seat in 1824, after a serious illness. By May, 1830, when two thousand people met in London at Freemasons’ Hall, Wilberforce was stooped with age and wearing a metal girdle to prevent him slumping.
Despite the groundswell of public opinion, Parliament still refused to ban slavery, until parliamentary reform removed many of its supporters but it was still not clear that Parliament would act. Wilberforce wrote a last petition. The Parliamentary debate lasted three months. On the 26th July, 1833, the Abolition of Slavery bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons. A messenger rushed to Wilberforce’s house. They told him that slavery in British colonies would finally be abolished. Just three days later, on 29th July, William Wilberforce died. | 2019-04-25T22:16:47 | https://britishcountyflags.com/2013/06/30/yorkshire-east-riding-day/ |
Brian is a stage manager, having lead teams on two of The House’s most successful runs: The Sparrow (Viaduct, Steppenwolf, Apollo 2007, Arsht 2011) and Death and Harry Houdini (Chicago and Arsht 2012, 2013), as well as Hope Springs Infernal (2007), All the Fame of Lofty Deeds (2009), Wilson Wants It All (2010), and Season on the Line (2014). He has also stage managed for Redmoon’s Winter Pageant and The Hypocrites’ Threepenny Opera. He's currently leading the charge as the Stage Manager for The Hammer Trinity. | 2019-04-22T12:21:35 | https://www.thehousetheatre.com/aboutus/briandesgranges |
The Papua New Guinea Government stands committed to it’s tuition fee free policy for elementary through to secondary school but parents need to use this time to save for tertiary education says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Treasury Charles Abel.
Abel who was in Alotau at the weekend to launch his district’s K250,000 student assistance scholarship program for 2018, made the call adding the leeway by government to early learning should be time enough for parents to save for college and university education for your children.
"No matter what people say, no matter the doubters and all that, our government has managed to stick to that policy since we came in 2011 to today, invitational TFF payments coming out just last week. Our intention is to maintain this commitment…..I wanna say that parents need to take responsibility as well. You cannot sit back and expect everything on a plate. For example, once we brought in TFF, nobody had to pay schools fees from primary through to secondary anymore but soon as the child finishes Gr 10 or Gr12 and there's a fee, parents say, Oh no money!. Question is what have parents been doing to save for tertiary education, you know your child has intentions and hopes to go to tertiary institutions and you should use these years to save for this".
He says mindsets have to change, and parents must be seen to play that pivotal role to realizing their children’s dreams and aspirations. | 2019-04-24T19:44:55 | https://news.pngfacts.com/2018/02/parents-must-save-for-tertiary.html |
The primary responsibility and obligation of the Oklahoma Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners as specified in Title 59 Sec. 698.1 et seq and Title 774 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code is to protect the public from the unprofessional, improper, incompetent and unlawful practice of veterinary medicine. Laws, rules and regulations governing the granting and subsequent use of the privilege to practice veterinary medicine are conferred on the Board by the citizens of the State of Oklahoma, acting through their elected representatives. Additionally, the duties of proceeding against the unprofessional and unlawful practice of veterinary medicine and enforcing the Veterinary Practice Act is also delegated to the Board as specified in the above referenced statutes and administrative codes.
The Oklahoma Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners is comprised of five licensed Veterinarian members and one lay person representing the general public, who set licensing and continued competency standards, administer entry level tests, act on complaints and discipline those found guilty of misconduct.
Regulation of Veterinarians, Registered Veterinary Technicians and Certified Euthanasia Technicians includes educational requirements, entry level standards, examination for licensure and certification, continued competency, advertising standards, quality of care, adherence to civil and criminal laws and professional regulations.
Everyone is entitled to safe and competent health care for their pets and livestock. To assure that the public interest is rotected, Oklahoma requires that the providers of veterinary services obtain licenses or certificates to practice their profession. The vast majority of Oklahoma's 1900+ Veterinarians are ethical and competent professionals. Those who violate laws may be disciplined and face possible loss of their licenses or certificates. | 2019-04-22T05:07:39 | https://www.okvetboard.com/board-purpose |
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Inside: How to stop relational aggression is one of the biggest challenges facing schools and parents. What is it? Why does it happen? How can we stop it?
In schools, we talk constantly about protecting girls from harm. We teach them about paedophiles, online grooming, sexting, and the harm caused by drug and alcohol use. In reality, the more likely destructive influence on an adolescent girl’s day to day life is the damage they do to one another in their friendship groups…Relational aggression.
Relational aggression is about power and exclusion and it can be very destructive. It has nothing to do with friendship, yet many people see it as a normal aspect of young girls’ relationships. It has become normalised and it shouldn’t be. The terminology around it is often softened. It is referred to in schools as ‘friendship issues’, and in society, we say things like, “That’s just girls”.
Girls learn from a very young age that when you create exclusion you create inclusion. And if you can knock someone else off balance emotionally, it defines you as balanced. It is an interesting, if not disturbing, phenomena to watch in a schoolyard. From the cliques of socially elite ‘it’ girls to the mixed mob of outsiders, there is a power dynamic constantly at play. None of this has anything to do with friendship. Hence the creation of the term ‘frenemies’.
This is not to say that girls don’t have genuine friendships, they do. Some kids are lucky enough and emotionally literate enough to enjoy relationships with genuine understanding, and empathy. They support one another and spend time sharing common interests. In my experience, these kids are usually involved in a lot of sport, have varied interests and are exposed to a lot of different people of varying ages. The focus is on participating and being involved. However, even these kids come face to face with relational aggression from time to time.
Make friendship cool. Modelling by adults is the most powerful way of doing that. Talk about the great qualities of your friends to your kids. Too often we niggle at our friends’ weaknesses instead of verbally celebrating their greatness.
Explicitly teach kindness, compassion and empathy. We know kids have the capacity for these qualities. They are often evident at home or with people of different ages, but they are not being engaged in their relationships with peers.
Explicitly teach emotional intelligence. Help kids recognise who is loyal and who is safe. Talk to them about relational aggression. They should be able to recognise it and name it.
Upstanders –These are people who stand up for victims. It’s been proven that if you can stand up to a bully for 8 seconds, they are likely to back down. Some kids are stronger than others. We need to make it cool to be strong and able to defend others.
Distracters – It is important that kids be able to recognise when a mean moment is coming and distract participants away from it. It’s a skill that adults eventually learn themselves, but if kids are given instruction on how to do this it can be learnt more quickly.
Supporters – Kids can be encouraged to do something as small as making eye contact with a victim while aggression is happening. That shows the victim that the behaviour is seen and acknowledged. It makes the victim seen and acknowledged. They aren’t alone.
Carefully manage online activity. A lot of relational aggression happens out of school hours, in cyberspace. Kids need a break from their friendship groups.
Create opportunities for children to meet lots of new people outside of school and get to know them well. I love sport for this reason and many more. Teammates are people you have to understand and communicate with. Assumptions about people get tested.
Please…. Never say, “That’s just girls”, or “boys will be boys” for that matter. We can be better than that. Or at least we can try.
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Really enjoyed reading this article. While we’ve seen that sports help insulate girls from social issues, we’ve also found that many girls are turning away from sports at a younger age than boys. It would be interesting to learn how labeling young girls “A,” “B,” or “C” influences their self esteem and/or confidence. My sense is that early bloomers are rewarded by being placed on the better teams and as a result, reap the benefits – bragging rights. In contrast, those placed on lower level teams are put in an inferior position. Too often we see that girls would rather leave a sport than move down a level, begging the question — why do we continue to label girls’ teams at the younger ages? Physically, kids change rapidly and who’s worst on a team can quickly become who’s best within a matter of months. So we are left with a conundrum — “cut” a kid and have her quit or keep her and don’t let the [now] more talented child join. The easiest solution is to mix teams and avoid/break up cliques so that team members benefit from playing up to the best player’s ability and girls are able to establish more relationships.
Girls that play certain “cool” sports are actually some of the meanest girls, as they think their social group is superior to others in the school.
Unfortunately, in my experience, this applies as much to boys as girls. My eldest son has experienced being invited into different social groups and then totally rejected by those groups on several occasions. In the latest case this got to the point of being called over jovially then immediately told that no one in the group likes him and that he should go away. This group included a boy who he considered a close friend and who later apologised, suggesting they could still be friends . . . but not when he was with the group. I’ve spoken at length to my son who was deeply upset by this however the resilience and maturity he’s shown through this period has totally amazed me. This is a really excellent article which I’m going to show him – just to let him know he’s not alone. Thank you so much.
I hope it helps him Derek. Tell him it gets better. Most people grow out of this rubbish and get smarter and nicer. Those are the ones worth being friends with. They will be his friends.
Yes I agree with you I have heard of boys being just as bad as girls and even delight causing trouble between girls – I think it is not a girls only issue at all.
I am Bethany’s 93 year old great grandfather. I see her only a few times a year but I am always impressed by her maturity and self confidence. It came as a considerable surprise to learn that she is having social problems and hope that her schoolmates will soon appreciate that she would be an acceptable member of their group. I assure them that she is a lovely girl. Give her a chance.
Do they know how much they hurt me?
Do they know just what they do?
and wait until they’re done.
are clearly out of sight.
Like some cruel discipline to make me obey.
what their words wouldn’t say?
See how their silent indifference Hits me in the face.
I wouldn’t need their hand.
Puts their cruelty to shame.
I was fine before they came.
I’d rather it just be me.
When it obviously could never be.
They just don’t have a clue.
Thank you Ali! She’s had her share of heartache but has remained strong and empathetic.
I will show this to my daughter to let her know she is not the only one going through this.Fantastic poem.
One of the reasons that I wanted to post this and asked my daughter’s permission, Mummy Lou, was to help others going through this during their school years. My daughter moved on from this group and did find friends to see her through the rest of H.S. Like anything in life, you have to be brave enough to move on to find where you belong.
It breaks my heart that things like this are happening in our schools today. I grew up in an era where kids all got along and the teachers were strict but fair. Now it is so different. Fear is everywhere and our kids are absorbing it like a sponge. Dysfunctional parents are raising their kids to hate instead of love. Bullies are becoming widespread. We need educators like Linda in our schools to help these kids become who they were created to be . To encourage and help the bullies out of the dark world they exist in. You do what you know and that has to change These kids need help and it’s our responsibility as citizens to see that they get it. More infuses on mental health at a younger age so it doesn’t get out of hand and that bullie has a chance to turn their life around and become something they can be proud of. Kids cannot learn or grow in a functional way when fear and hate is all they see and hear. I appreciate this post.
Lovely emotional yet strong poem. My daughter is 10 and goes through this. She is in the group, but is told that their ‘parents’ dont want her to join them socially..
My daughter is in year 8 now and has been through this the whole of year 7 and it is still happening.We went to the bullying mediator on a few occasions and she said to my daughter “this behaviour you are experiencing shouldnt be a problem now, maybe you could call it a problem if you were in infants,but you are not!”I was so cross at her reaction to what had happened to my daughter that i complained!She should read this article and maybe then she might understand that this behaviour is damaging at any age but particularly for girls of secondary age!My daughter has been so brave about the whole situation, and my Husband and i do our best to instill in her what a lovely person she is.She is constantly making new friends only to have them taken away ftom her again by the so called “cool” gang.She has no faith in the bullying mediator and so handles things by herself.These girls are so sly the way they try and upset her that if you tried to explain it to the teachers it would sound like you are being petty or trying to make trouble for the perpetrators!!My daughters troubles started just because she went out with another girl other than her regular friend!Her regular friend decided to tell everyone in their group about it and since that fateful day they have all gone out of their way to treat my daughter like this.I hope you can get your article into schools as i think teachers need to stop trivializing this sort of behaviour and face upto the fact that is a very common thing and perhaps come up with a way to deal with it.
Maybe you should consider a weekly therapist that is able to help your daughter through this. The support of a good therapist is so helpful for a child. They are able to build your child’s strength and belief in themselves which you can see is very evident in my daughter’s poem. One of the best decisions we ever made was getting her in therapy. Sometimes, the emotional connection between Mother and Child is just too intense. Having a 3rd Party can make a huge difference. The child absorbs and hears better some of the solutions for dealing with these problems. Just a suggestion! Don’t be afraid to discontinue with anyone that is not making this happen for your child. It takes time to find the person they will connect with to make it through.
It hurts more to see your child go through this than it would for any parent to go through this. No one deserves to be treated badly by friends. We all need to learn this through our early years so we don’t think twice about it in our later years. Critical judgment of others seems to be the way so many make it through these days. It’s the wrong way!!
This is great! Have passed it onto to my sister to help her and her tween daughters. Sadly, while reading it, have also recognised this behviour in some members of a local volunteer organisation, and they are adults who should know better!
This article has been useful to me. My daughter has been picked on by the same girl in her new school ( we relocated) since Year 1. Today, she’s in Year 4 and a recent ordeal occurred when she sarbotaged her school work. The school has been informed but has done very little about it. The child denied, again, like the previous years, for any wrongdoing.
Unfortunately, this child’s mother, whom I consider a friend does not take it well- gossip, silent treatment etc as per your points.
I’ve advised my daughter to avoid this child and walk away . Am I doing the right thing?
If only this behaviour stopped at childhood/teen years.
I am a victim of this at the age of 40!
They even sent a card to my home to mock me.
it hurts – and it never goes away.
I wish I had had therapy. | 2019-04-23T16:29:12 | https://lindastade.com/girls-and-their-frenemies-2/ |
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Grinding Mills FAQ ... One of world's least energy-efficient coal-fired power plants is the Hazelwood Power ... coal fired power plant process flow diagram . | 2019-04-25T02:39:36 | http://www.talenfestival.be/voorbeeld-lt/4983/energy-flow-diagram-of-coal-power-plant-ndash-grinding-mill-china.html |
A BLUEPRINT that Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin is due to present to the college of commissioners on Wednesday (2 July) – on funding strategies for embryonic stem cell research in the EU – has irked MEPs from Germany, where research on human embryos is banned.
“I am surprised by this paper, because it makes clear that Busquin and his colleagues do not want any strict ethical borders,” said German Christian Democrat Peter Liese, rapporteur of a report on human cells and tissues that also addresses stem cell research.
And Hiltrud Breyer slammed the initiative in the German daily Frankfurter Rundschau. “The Commission’s proposal is an assault to the fundamental values of the EU,” said the German Green deputy.
Under German law, an embryo is defined as a living organism that therefore cannot be used in research.
Although the Commission’s report would not force any member state to engage in such research, it foresees releasing funds from the EU’s research budget, meaning that taxpayers’ money from all member states would be funnelled into stem cell research, the Germans warned.
Ireland, Austria and Poland also ban the production of embryonic stem cells, and Italy, Portugal and Slovakia are in the process of adopting legislation similar to Germany’s embryo protection law, Liese said.
The UK, by contrast, backs the view of many scientists that the use of stem cells offers enormous opportunity for yielding new treatments on degenerative diseases.
“Nobody has the right to veto such important research that will bring enormous benefits to so many people on the basis of their own moral views,” said UK Labour deputy David Bowe. | 2019-04-22T00:46:16 | https://www.politico.eu/article/german-no-to-embryo-plans/ |
Colombia’s civil war had the perverse effect of protecting the forests in and around the Tolo River, but peace brought loggers and cattlemen, while poverty drove desperate forest people to begin chopping trees. Here’s how they used REDD to fight deforestation and build the foundation for a more sustainable future.
1 June 2015 | Five young men are cutting their way through dense rainforest in the northernmost part of Colombia, each wearing a sweat-drenched t-shirt colorfully emblazoned with the word “COCOMASUR” – an acronym distilled from “Consejo Comunitario de Comunidades Negras de la Cuenca del Río Tolo y Zona Costera Sur, which means “Council of the Black Communities of the Tolo River and Southern Coast” in Spanish.
At the head of the line is Frazier Guisao, a young Afro-Colombian whose ancestors settled along the Tolo River after the abolition of slavery in 1851. His brother Eusebio follows a few steps behind, along with three other community members – all of whom spent their youths in exile after fleeing in the late 1990s, when mercenaries hired by rich land owners ruled the region through torture and murder.
Today, police and army soldiers patrol both the streets and the countryside, but former mercenaries still live in town. Yet the Tolo River crew is not afraid to perform the forest patrols. They go for their daily perimeter checks, armed only with cameras and GPS-enabled cell phones, looking for evidence of illegal logging. When they find what they’re looking for – a recently-cleared patch of forest, or logging tracks – Ferney Caicedo photographs it and records the coordinates. The slender 21-year-old recently completed a professional forestry course, and aims to make this his life’s work.
Frazier Guisao, member of the Tolo River forest patrol sitting at the edge of the community forest.
“This wood is worth around three million pesos ($1,500 USD),” says Frazier, gesturing toward a smaller tree in front of him and applying the knowledge he learned when he first came home – when he was forced to earn his living chopping the forest he now protects.
All of these men could easily make more money as loggers, but they’ve chosen to protect the forest instead – a choice made possible by the Chocí³-Darién Forest Conservation Project, a trailblazing REDD project that began coalescing in 2005, when community leader Aureliano Cí³rdoba took advantage of a critical provision in the 1991 Constitution that allowed indigenous and Afro-Colombian forest communities to claim their ancestral lands. By securing collective title to the land for his people, Cí³rdoba was able to begin rekindling the attachment to the forest that many of his people lost while in exile.
“Our only defense is that we are organized and determined enough to seek our rights,” says Eusebio.
With civil war hostilities waning and his people in clear possession of title to their land, Cí³rdoba began to look for ways to create jobs as his community recovered. He initially explored logging, but soon found that his people weren’t the only ones flooding into the territory after the danger subsided – outside loggers were coming for trees, and cattlemen along the perimeter were quietly expanding their ranches illegally.
Instead of just harvesting the forest, Cí³rdoba realized, he should be saving it if his people were going to maintain their quality of life – but how? His own people needed to make a living, and many were either logging or working on cattle ranches, which were owned by wealthy and well-connected businessmen.
To address the challenge, he developed – and won support for – a long-term sustainability strategy that would help his own people meet their needs by harvesting non-timber forest products and working at peripheral ranchers, but he also needed to keep the outside ranchers and loggers at bay.
In 2008, Cí³rdoba met an anthropologist from Stanford University named Brodie Ferguson, who was studying the civil war’s impact on indigenous people and Afro-Colombian communities. Both Cí³rdoba and Ferguson had heard about REDD, which at the time functioned only in voluntary carbon markets but was gaining traction in global climate talks as something to be used on a wider scale. Ferguson had asked members of the indigenous Arhuaco for their opinion, and got a surprising answer.
It was a question that went to the heart of Ferguson’s PhD research, which showed that forest people, whether indigenous or immigrant, don’t want to chop the forest beyond what they needed to survive – but in the face of displacement and armed struggle, they often find themselves losing their connection to the forest. At the same time, for many of them, paying people to conserve is akin to buying a child’s affection: it turns a profoundly spiritual experience into a financial transaction.
But Ferguson had looked into the economics of REDD, and he knew that income from selling carbon offsets couldn’t compare to any of the alternative ways to use their land: cattle ranching, cacao plantations, and gold mines. A recent study estimated that only a price above around $30 USD per ton of carbon dioxide could make a forest more valuable standing than cleared, and even then, only in some circumstances. From Ferguson’s perspective, REDD wasn’t an incentive to save forests; it was an enabling mechanism that, when done right, could bring in enough money to jump-start new activities that could take the pressure off the forest for the long term.
Cí³rdoba realized that, in Ferguson, he had a kindred spirit.
Both men had heard horror stories of ruthless “carbon cowboys” scouring the planet in search of forests to commandeer, but most of those stories revolved around one man: a serial swindler named David Nilsson, who tried to con indigenous people in Peru by masquerading as a project developer. Most of the indigenous people he targeted, however, wouldn’t sign with him; and the contracts he did sign were declared invalid. He was roundly ignored by everyone who knew anything about conservation-based climate solutions, and he’s been rightly barred from ever entering Peru again, according to media reports.
But the mythic hordes of speculators decending on the region to gobble up forest for their carbon content turned out to be just that: myths, and for a variety of reasons.
Men from a nearby town transporting locally logged timber for construction. (Photograph: Tanya Dimitrova).
To begin with, there were the lessons of early pilot programs, which underlined the importance of involving indigenous people in a successful REDD program. Then there were the emerging carbon standards, which required the “Free, Prior, and Informed Consent” (pronounced “F-Pic”) of indigenous people before a program could proceed. And, finally, there were the economics: anyone ruthless enough to commandeer a forest wouldn’t settle for the little bit of money he could earn by saving it; he’d chop it up – as, in fact, loggers and cattlemen were already doing across the Amazon – in part because it was so cheap and easy to do so.
In countries where land is expensive and property rights are enforced, ranchers keep cows in relatively small spaces and feed them “silage” – fermented fodder produced from grass and maize – which lets them raise up to three animals per hectare, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
But in Colombia, ranchers average just one cow per hectare of land. That means the cows always have waist-high grass on which to graze, but only because ranchers illegally clear and fence off small plots near the edge of the forest. Global demand for commodities like palm oil, soybeans, and cattle is driving deforestation all around the world – and nearly half of that deforestation is illegal, according to a 2014 Forest Trends report called Consumer Goods and Deforestation: An Analysis of the Extent and Nature of Illegality in Forest Conversion for Agriculture and Timber Plantations.
Cí³rdoba was leery of antagonizing the cattlemen who provided jobs for so many of his people, but he also knew the ranchers could easily double their production without gobbling up more forest. He ultimately concluded that the ranchers needed workers as much as the workers needed ranchers.
REDD, he concluded, could provide a bulwark against illegal deforestation by providing money for forest patrols, with any profit going into a general fund for education and health care.
The two men then agreed to build a REDD project together.
First, they had to decide which carbon standard they wanted to use. Standards dictate everything from how you measure the carbon captured in trees to how you determine which parts of the forest are truly in danger to how you treat the people living there.
They chose the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), which was then called the Voluntary Carbon Standard, and the CCB Standard, intended for carbon projects with exceptional benefits for wildlife and communities.
To get the ball rolling, Ferguson sold his condo and created a company called Anthrotect to act as project developer.
FPIC requires disclosure, discussion and agreement – a process involving far more than just a few meetings between community leaders and a project developer.
Although new research from the World Resources Institute and the Rights and Resources Initiative indicates that REDD programs tend to strengthen the rights of forest people, that is not a foregone conclusion, and many forest peoples lack the legal protection that the Tolo River community enjoys. In many other countries, forest dwellers do not own the land or the forest they have lived in for centuries.
Jorge Vergara milking a cow with the help of a local boy. (Photograph: Tanya Dimitrova).
From the beginning, Cí³rdoba aimed to exceed even the stringent requirements of FPIC and to involve the whole community in the design of the project — an approach that he believed would ultimately strengthen the project by making it more attuned to the needs and desires of his people, and therefore more likely to succeed. In that spirit, he put his neice, Everildys Cí³rdoba, in charge of explaining the process to the community.
“I had to take a complex subject and try to make it simple,” she says. With the remainder of the community now on board, the Tolo River people turned their attention to measuring the carbon stored in their forests.
Ferguson sold his condo and borrowed money to bring in outside consultants like biometrician Kyle Holland of Ecopartners LLC and ílvaro Cogollo from the Medellin Botanical Garden, whose team spent three months in the Tolo River community forest studying the biodiversity and carbon it contains. They selected random plots, identified the tree species within them, and then measured their height and circumference. Using allometric equations, they calculated that one acre of the communal rainforest could contain up to 300 tons of carbon – multiples of the average carbon content in one acre of an Amazonian forest.
Since much of a forest’s carbon is found in the leaf litter and soil, the team also took soil samples and analyzed their carbon content. The samples had to be shipped to the United States, because there were no laboratories in Colombia equipped to carry out the analysis. The team then repeated the process for trees and soil in cattle pastures in order to know how exactly much carbon is left in the landscape after ranchers clear forests for pasture.
After estimating the carbon stocks in the forest, the team had to ascertain how much carbon would be released if business continued as it was going. First, they looked at the trend in historical rates of deforestation to see how much of their forest would likely be chopped down for pasture if business continued as usual. Then, using satellite imagery, they compared the forest with other unguarded forested areas nearby and concluded about 170 hectares per year (5,000 hectares total) would be lost to cattle ranching, agriculture, and selective logging if defensive actions weren’t taken immediately.
Referring back to the species composition of the forest and the trees’ average height and width, they team pegged the total greenhouse gas emissions from encroachment by ranchers at 2,800,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the next 30 years. This is equal to about 90,000 tons of carbon emissions per year.
The data collection and the analysis took the better part of 2011, and then they wrote up their analysis in a Project Description (PD) and submitted it to the VCS for a rigorous process of peer-review known as “validation” – the phase in which the VCS determines if a project’s design is, in fact, valid.
If they passed that, they’d have to then go through a process of verification – meaning they had to show they were actually taking the steps outlined in their project’s plan.
In July 2012, Pablo Reed, an independent third-party auditor, came to the Tolo River community forest to verify the carbon offsets. Reed was working for the international certification firm Det Norske Veritas (DNV), and had special experience in land-use carbon projects such as REDD+.
Reed recalls that just getting to the GPS-marked forest plots in the Tolo River community was an adventure, involving a charter flight, a boat ride, a motorcycle, a horseback ride — and then finally a trek on foot into the forest following the patrol. Reed observed Caicedo and other trained community members perform the tree measurements and then compared the numbers to what they had measured in the initial inventory.
After a reviewing the project’s documents and visiting the site, Reed and his team concluded that the forest patrols and other project actions had saved more than 500 hectares of at-risk forest. Had the forest been cleared for pasture, it would have released more than 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, or the equivalent of 20,000 cars.
Finally, in December 2012, the Verified Carbon Standard authorized the issuance of 104,000 verified emissions reductions (VERs) for listing in the Markit Environmental Registry, which is a global database of carbon projects created to ensure that offsets aren’t counted twice.
Revenue from the first tranche of credits was used to cover the cost of setting up the project as well as administrative and operating expenses like the forest patrols.
As in most community projects, the Tolo River People do not receive individual cash payments from the sale of carbon credits. “Giving out money to not cut the forest makes people lazy,” says Frazier Guisao.
Instead, they plan to use future revenue to improve the community healthcare services, send young people to universities, and strengthen the community organization, with some kept in reserve for emergencies. Beyond that, the proposals are endless.
One recent day after a morning patrol through the forest, the crew relaxed under the shade of a sun shelter that Guisao built from palm trees, waiting for the afternoon heat to pass.
“We should fix up the village school and offer professional courses for adults,” suggested one member.
“We should build an aqueduct to pipe down clean water from the hills to the village,” another offered.
Some want to use the money to subsidize struggling farmers, while others want to improve the dirt road to the village, and still others want a cell phone tower to enhance phone service in this remote region. One person mentions start-up funds for a food-delivery service by a women’s collective. Another dreams about building a community center.
In any case, as has been true throughout this particular project’s journey, the entire community is involved in how any profits will be spent.
Isolated REDD projects have been used to rescue endangered patches of forest around the world, but often the loggers and cattlemen who are denied access in one location simply move down the road – an activity that carbon accountants call “leakage.” Project developers do account for it, and in theory they subtract the leakage from their total offsets, but the only way to eliminate leakage is to spread carbon accounting and control across entire states or countries.
Many indigenous REDD programs are, in fact, built on a jurisdictional model – but more importantly, they are also built on an indigenous model. Like the people of Tolo River, indigenous people across the Amazon have been developing formal plans for their forest. Just as REDD was a means to an end – rather than an end in itself – for the Tolo River people, so is it for indigenous people across the Amazon. Most have spent decades developing long-term development plans called “Life Plans”, and most are finding them difficult to get off the ground. Is REDD the answer?
Tanya Dimitrova holds a masters degree in energy and resources from University of California, Berkeley. She lives in Texas and works as a freelance science and environmental journalist. | 2019-04-21T22:16:30 | http://www.ecosystemmarketplace.com/articles/choco-darien-what-projects-can-and-cannot-achieve/ |
The time for staid, polite adherence to the norm is long past.
The children’s ditty that only “sticks and stones can break your bones but words or names can never harm you” has been upended or, in Trumpian terms, disrupted, by the petulant responses The Donald has to any negative commentary on his physique or reign of terror.
Which leads me to the statement, I can’t do it anymore. I can’t call him president. Or 45, as some scribes have used when pointing out his rank in presidential succession. Nor is he entitled to be called commander-in-chief. He has failed to earn the respect that traditionally accrues to the occupant of the White House.
Truth Squad: It is not enough for the media to point out, after the fact, the fabricator-in-chief’s misrepresentations. Corrections must be done in real time as Peter Alexander of NBC News did during the 77-minute press tirade a little more than a week ago when the dissembler-in-chief falsely stated his Electoral College victory was the biggest since Ronald Reagan.
So the question is, will Democrats arraigned before the huckster-in-chief during a joint session of Congress Tuesday night sit idly as he misleads the American public or will they shout out “Not true” when the Trumpster tramples on the truth?
You may recall Republican Congressman Joe Wilson shouted “You lie” when President Barack Obama addressed Congress on his then-proposed health care plan. Wilson later apologized for the breach of decorum and was widely criticized by members of both parties.
Will Democratic senators and representatives rise to the status of the vocal opposition even at the risk of being censured by their respective houses of Congress?
Democrats especially said they never treated George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan with such disrespect. But these are extraordinary times. We have a president who not only flirts with untruths but does so repeatedly even after the truth has been pointed out. We have a president who demeans other elected officials, war heroes, allies, immigrants, other nations and their citizens, indeed anyone who does not see the world through his gold-tinted glasses. He has diminished the office of the presidency and the reputation of the United States. Perhaps a taste of how the British prime minister must stand before the House of Commons each week for 30 minutes and respond to the vocal challenges of the opposition party would bring some humility and context to the cyberbully-in-chief.
Absent that quaint parliamentary custom the American alternative of an after-presidential-address-address is insufficient to convey and correct the damage to the truth a big con man like Trump can foist on a naive and uninformed public.
Will they do it? Will Democratic senators and representatives rise to the status of the vocal opposition even at the risk of being censured by their respective houses of Congress?
Probably not. Pity. They would have forgotten how Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell muzzled Senator Elizabeth Warren a few weeks ago as she read a letter by civil rights icon Coretta Scott King. They would have forgotten how McConnell would not allow the Senate to consider Merrick Garland’s nomination to the Supreme Court. They would have forgotten how House Republicans over and over again investigated Hillary Clinton’s role in the Benghazi tragedy and her email server, yet have shown no inclination to probe Putin-puppet-in chief’s ties to Russia, his conflicts of interest and Russian interference with our elections. They have forgotten how the Tea Party disrupted their town hall meetings six and seven years ago but now that the GOP is in the majority Republicans are avoiding standing before their constituents at town hall meetings.
Politics is a blood sport; it is time for Democrats to inflict some pain, even if it means interrupting a speech to set the record straight. The truth demands it.
The time for staid, polite adherence to the norm is long past. Politics is a blood sport; it is time for Democrats to inflict some pain, even if it means interrupting a speech to set the record straight. The truth demands it.
Republicans at the Barricades? Given the minority status of Democrats in Congress, at least for the next two years, conventional wisdom is that any hope to limit the excesses of the Trump administration rests on the precarious shoulders and patriotism of Republican members of the House and Senate.
Early indications are we are witnessing a hunchbacked GOP that is more than willing to ditch its patriotic duty in exchange for electoral dominance.
There are exceptions, at least in verbal stances, though the real test in voting one’s conscience has been lacking. Only Republican senators Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska broke ranks and rejected Betsy DeVos as secretary of education despite her obvious lack of qualifications for the position.
DeVos, in turn, argued against Attorney General Jeff Sessions who wanted to rescind the Obama rule allowing transgender students to use the school bathroom of their choice. But when confronted with the reneger-in-chief’s backing of Sessions despite his campaign pledge to support the LGBTQ community, DeVos knuckled under rather than take the admirable path and resign. So much for standing up for principle.
Senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsay Graham of South Carolina have been caustic in their evaluation of Trump actions. But they have yet to cast decisive votes against him.
The bottom line is the public should not count on Republicans to counter any Trump initiative no matter how shameful it is, how obvious a conflict of interest it may be or how any nominee might lack the experience or credentials to effectively manage the people’s interests.
Can We Talk? Some people criticize Trump for his inarticulate, incomprehensible English, as if that should automatically disqualify him from office.
Yes, all my educated friends, listening to Trump is an assault on our ears and brains. But let’s not forget we live in a bubble of intelligence. I’ve met many real estate developers during my publishing career. Some of the most successful could barely string a proper sentence together.
And let’s also not forget that George W. Bush was equally challenged compared to Bill Clinton’s verbal facility, yet he sat in the Oval Office for eight years. So buckle up. The ride will be bumpy. | 2019-04-20T09:06:47 | https://www.huffpost.com/entry/picking-a-title-for-trump-truth-be-told_b_58b4baa9e4b0658fc20f9946 |
2019 is almost here and as we wave goodbye to 2018, with 365 new days comes 365 more chances to celebrate a gorgeous you at Teramasu. Located in The Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina, we are here to help you keep your glamorous-self fashionable and chic. Teramasu has been bringing the latest in classy, trendy fashion and accessories to our customers since 1999. Our store features a selection of unique, handmade jewelry while also showcasing an assortment of fashionable clothing, purses, and one-of-a-kind scarves that will add the latest trends right to your wardrobe. With hearts full of gratitude, we thank you for shopping with us this year and for being such fabulous Teramasu customers. We are popping the champagne and cannot wait to continue celebrating a gorgeous you at Teramasu as we ring in 2019!
At Teramasu, our ambition is to encourage and continue timeless beauty, and as we celebrate 2019 we are thrilled to introduce our gorgeous, new handmade designer Gratitude Bracelet Collection by Teramasu! The Gratitude Collection was created to inspire you with an positive message that a heart full of gratitude will invite abundance into your life. By wearing these one of a kind bracelets, you are reminded of that message each day with beauty composed of handmade jewelry design by Teramasu in our studio in the Village of Pinehurst North Carolina. These stunning, one of a kind bracelets come in jade, black onyx, agate, and pearl and will make the perfect meaningful gift for any event, whether its Christmas, engagement, thank-you gifts, wedding gifts, bridesmaids gifts, or just to say "I Love You" to those special people in your life. Each bracelet comes wrapped and displayed in a classic black and white box, Teramasu Gratitude Bracelet description booklet, and black and white bow.
What about 2018 are you grateful for? | 2019-04-26T00:25:27 | https://www.teramasu.com/blogs/news/new-year-same-fabulous-you-celebrate-the-new-year-in-style-with-one-of-a-kind-handmade-jewelry-and-fashion-from-teramasu |
Computer & mobile phone services in Sleaford, Lincolnshire. PC repair, mobile phones repair. I buy your working or faulty item. | 2019-04-19T14:27:53 | http://www.polishfirms.info/katalog/Dir/sk/47/idFirma/3075 |
Tight fit cotton T-Shirt in rose. Features “HELMUT” upside down print at front chest “L’APOCALYPSE JOYEUSE 1986” print at rear referencing Jean Baptiste's. Finished off with rib knit collar. | 2019-04-18T12:54:52 | https://017shop.ca/collections/mens-helmut-lang/products/helmut-logo-hack-little-tee |
The Nokia Lumia 900 is the top of the Finns' range of Windows Phone handsets with a huge screen and 8-megapixel camera -- but can it offer enough to beat the best of Android?
At first glance, the Lumia 900 looks very similar to the slightly smaller Lumia 800, with similar colourful plastic shell. Come a little closer though and you'll notice the 4.3-inch screen, making it a much more substantial handful than the 800's 3.7-incher.
Behind its protective Gorilla Glass the AMOLED touchscreen offers 800x480-pixel resolution, which is perfectly respectable but it's not among the sharpest, scraping in behind the iPhone, HTC One S and Samsung Galaxy S3. Even the 800 is a little sharper, since it squeezes the same pixel count into its smaller screen. It's beautifully sensitive though, and Nokia's ClearBlack technology offers rich contrast with exceptionally deep, dark blacks offsetting the slightly oversaturated colours.
Considering the price and the 900's place at the top of the Windows Phone tree, it's disappointing that it only offer a single-core 1.4GHz processor, especially since its rivals are now routinely offering dual-core or even quad-core handsets. Still, it ain't slow, and the relative simplicity of the Windows OS certainly seems to be in its favour, since it whips through the apps with ease, even when you have a bunch of them open and running.
The latest Windows Phone 7.5 Mango is the operating system, which is beautiful to look at, and easy to find your way around, even if you're a Windows Phone newbie. Facebook and Twitter are incorporated into the OS, so once you've set up your accounts, Facebook pictures and the latest tweets will start appearing on the dynamic tiles on your homepage. Disappointingly though, as with other Mango handsets, the 900 won't be making the jump to Windows Phone 8 Apollo when it comes along later this year.
Nokia Music, with its selections of playlisted music that you can stream for free; Local Scout also GPS to help you find some even rather obscure local stuff and there's a full version of the Microsoft Office suite on board too.
The browser looks good, but still lacks Flash support, so you won't be able to play all the video that's available, and the YouTube app is still only a link to the website, which is a shame.
The 8-megapixel camera comes with a Carl Zeiss lens, as we expect from the higher quality Nokia handsets. It opens quickly with a long push on the shutter button on the side and offers a range of settings to play with. Probably too many settings actually, unless you know what you're after when you're playing around with contrast, saturation, exposure, ISO, metering and white balance.
Detail isn't quite as good as it should be and less than perfect light conditions were quick to throw up issues with noise. It will record video at 720p HD, which comes out pretty well even when played back on a much bigger screen. There's also a 1-megapixel camera on the front for self-portraits and video calls -- besides the larger screen, this is the main difference between the 900 and the 800.
As with other Windows Phone handsets, there's no opportunity to expand the memory via microSD card, so you're stuck with the 16GB of onboard memory plus the 25GB of free cloud storage that comes with Microsoft's SkyDrive service.
There's no option to replace the battery with a spare since it's sealed-in, iPhone-style, but it's a big 'un, and gave us a good one and a half days' worth of use.
It's bigger, but despite its really rather lovely screen, the Lumia 900 is really no more powerful than its little brother, the Lumia 800, which offers a similar spec for a more modest price. | 2019-04-25T12:56:32 | https://www.wired.co.uk/article/nokia-lumia-900-review |
AABIP Fellows in Denver, 2018 (photo H. Colt).
This summer I had the honor of lecturing at the inaugural American Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology International conference in Denver, Colorado. Watching newly certified Interventional Fellows don their robes to stand among their colleagues made my heart swell with pride. I recalled the moment when almost thirty years ago, I sat with a dozen or so others around a conference table creating The American Association for Bronchology under the leadership of Professor Udaya BS Prakash.
Only a few years later, while finishing my term as President of the Association, I wrote an editorial for the Journal of Bronchology, stating “we must continue encouraging the next generation of bronchoscopists and interventional pulmonologists to move in new directions…to explore the world of virtual reality and computer simulation; to participate in and develop dedicated training and competency programs; to devote energies to end-of-life issues, ethics, and palliative care; to enhance early lung cancer detection studies and techniques; to discover applications of molecular biology and endobronchial or intrapleural gene therapies; to design collaborative bronchoscopic and radiographic imaging protocols; and to commit their genius to developing novel and unique instruments and techniques for the benefit of our patients (Journal of Bronchology: October 2001 – Volume 8 – Issue 4 – p 253)”.
Needless to say, the AABIP has come a long way toward accomplishing those goals. It’s proactive board of directors, a growing membership, training and certification process, and an excellent peer-reviewed Index Medicus journal provide examples of leadership, scientific endeavor, education, and medical excellence that can be emulated by other medical societies around the world. Furthermore, the AABIP’s participation in the World Association for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology (most recently, the World Congress was held for the second time at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, USA) was crucial to the growth and acceptance of a WABIP world vision that promotes uniformity of knowledge, transparency, and contribution regardless of one’s place of practice.
What impressed me most during the AABIP conference in Denver, in addition to the professionalism and “let’s get it done” optimism of the association’s board of directors (led by President Ali Musani and President-elect George Eapen), was the enthusiasm of the organization’s more junior members. Their desires to enhance their skills as educators by participating in future train-the-trainer programs, to assist members of foreign bronchology organizations improve services to patients abroad, and to achieve and maintain excellence for managing a wide range of lung, airway and pleural disorders are inspiring.
I left the conference with a warm sense of belonging, grateful that the AABIP had fulfilled many of its promises to patients and to a previous generation of bronchologists and interventional pulmonologists. The future is obviously full of new challenges, and patient expectations are higher perhaps than ever before, but from what I experienced in Denver, I know the younger generation of AABIP members will address these with knowledge, skill, enthusiasm and their own sense of destiny.
This entry was posted in Colt's Corner and tagged bronchoscopy, Education, Medical education, medicine on November 12, 2018 by hcolt. | 2019-04-18T23:13:54 | https://bronchoscopy.org/a-new-generation-of-aabip-fellows-cast-an-aura-of-confidence-and-enthusiasm |
It’s been roughly seven years since Florence Welch first teamed up with her friend Isabella “Machine” Summers to form the beginnings of what would become one of the biggest rock groups of the last ten years. That’s long enough for people to forget that Florence and the Machine started as, and has always been, a group effort–despite the overwhelming charisma and vocal prowess of its English frontwoman. It’s never been a one woman show.
But between songs, Welch’s ordinarily powerful voice dropped to a quiet whisper, her heavy British accent shining through an almost gleeful formality–as when she politely asked the crowd to fill-in as her choir on the thundering chorus of “Shake It Out.” They happily obliged, and as Welch bellowed out the song’s impassioned lines, she held out her hands to gracefully conduct her newfound choir–while her five back-up singers emptied their lungs into the night.
One of the things that has always given Florence and the Machine’s music that definitive sucker-punch of emotion has been the age of its members–specifically Welch as its songwriter. There is something comforting and ultimately moving in witnessing her growth as a human being through her lyricisms, and its that maturity that reveals a wisdom that extends beyond her humble twenty-nine years. Live, Welch is the epitome of self-confidence and power, her vocal control is jaw-dropping and drips with a passion that saturates everything in its wake; but what is even more astounding is the way she brings to life the grace and elegance of the band’s music.
An acoustic performance of “Cosmic Love,” (arguably one of the most beautiful songs created, and revealed by Welch to have been written under the cloud of a brutal hangover) emphasized this, as the young singer poured out her soprano voice onto the crowd. Between the lush twinkling sound of Tom Monger’s fingers dancing across the strings of his harp, and Robert Ackroyd’s quieted strums, it was impossible to not have goosebumps by the end of it.
After dedicating “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” to the American sky that inspired it, Welch recited the song’s poetic murmurings as silver trumpets blasted in reply, which elicited screams of approval from the crowd. Those same trumpets (and trombone) returned on “Queen of Peace” as they shrieked their grandiose melody against the lush vibration of drums and Welch’s croons.
The band returned for a two song encore at the end of the night, which included stellar performances of “What Kind of Man” and “Drumming Song,” but their execution of “Dog Days Are Over” just a few minutes previous was the true finale of the night. As Welch danced onstage tambourine in hand, purple backlights pulsed to the roar of percussion and the sound of hundreds of people clapping along.
Then Florence and the Machine leveled the amphitheatre with one last rapturous scream of the song’s chorus, and like her dog days, it was over.
There has always been a brash expectation of greatness from Florence and the Machine, and consistently they’ve exceeded those expectations with every album. Welch’s lyrics are more akin to poetry than songwriting, with a voice that can jump from a soulful tenor to a celestial soprano in a flicker, and a backing band that soundtracks her verses with the most epic baroque anthems. Welch has quickly grown to fill the shoes that she’s placed alongside her idols–idols she has long been compared to.
But it is on this tour, with this last album, that this 29-year-old from Camberwell, England has finally elevated herself to the plane that artists like Kate Bush, Bjork and Stevie Nicks exist on. Hell, had she been born a decade or so earlier, she would’ve given them a definite run for their money. But thankfully for us, she wasn’t–because this is the moment people will be talking about decades from now as they attempt to describe the ecstasy and magnificence of the days in which Florence and the Machine reigned.
And each of us will feel a shiver of longing and thanksgiving, that we were there to witness it–and if you haven’t yet, now’s the time.
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger opened the night, offering the early crowds a healthy dose of avant-garde funk and psychedelic pop. Taking cues from a more coherent version of Tame Impala, infused with an almost bluesy undertone, the trio dazzled with lo-fi guitar rumblings and colossal wall-of-sound melodies.
This entry was posted in Live Concerts and tagged florence and the machine, santa barbara bowl, women that rock on October 23, 2015 by Sandra Burciaga Olinger. | 2019-04-20T23:04:42 | https://www.grimygoods.com/2015/10/23/florence-and-the-machine-santa-barbara-bowl-live-photos-review/ |
Welcome to LilacsNDreams! Treasures Await! Old, Vintage, Repurposed, DIY, Restyled Plate Stand, Dish Stand, Glass Stand, Vintage Inspired. In this posting I am sharing a few pieces that I had made from vintage plates, decorative plates, candle holders, and a compote candy dish. As you can see I used different sized plates for these stands shown. Most of them were glass while one I did use a dinner plate for the stand.
Generally when you think of these stands you thought of them standing upright which is the normal shown way for them. Time to be a little more creative with these pieces, and believe me I had fun when I was displaying these pieces for pictures. I enjoyed showing, and giving ideas of how to use these plate stands I made for your homes. I tried to show how the pieces could be versatile for different uses. They could be used for serving, used as decor in the home, maybe used for a little organizing of things, and etc. Use them in the living room, in the kitchen, in your bathroom, or in your bedrooms too.
Not only were these a plate stand, but they could be used with candles and some embellishments. Use them in the kitchen with some dish soap, dish rag, scrubbing pad, etc. Use in the bathroom with some rolled cloths, jewelry holder, bathroom accessories, and so forth.
Common use was to have them standing as a serving plate stand, but since I used different items for the bases I liked to show how they could be flipped over for different uses too. With some of the plates I had used some goblets. One plate had a blue glass goblet I used. When it stood straight up I liked to put a flicker candle under the goblet, and added some flowers. If it was a holiday season I would decorate with that theme too.
I sold a few of these pieces over at Etsy which is where I am working on getting some things listed there. Remember, I am in the process of buying a home and moving. So, I have to watch how much I am doing until we get fully moved. Earlier tonight I was working with all my policies, introductions, etc. Doing a lot of updating with things. Anyway, once we get fully settled I have thought about making up some of the plate stands again too. Would be great to have some for the upcoming holidays, given as gifts, and so on.
Some pictures combined that show a few different uses for this particular plate stand that was made.
This avocado green relish dish stand looked like new when put together. I am selective with the pieces that I partner to make these stands. Many times they look pretty much new, and bought from the store. Something I took pride in doing.
It took a little while before this plate stand came together. This happen to be an extra plate that came from a dish set. When I found the blue glass candy compote...it might have been the base of a fairy light that was missing the top to it too...I just knew before I got it home what I wanted to do with it. My biggest issue was to confirm that the colors in the blue glass would work with the blues in the rim of the dish. They were a match, and I got this together as soon as I could too.
When I put these pieces together I took my time matching them. I make sure the pieces are clean, and dry. Then, I spend the time marking/noting where the pieces will connect. Once they are connected I use the right things for pressure to make sure they stay connected. Check on them periodically to make sure the glue did not shift pieces, and off center them. Once I was comfortable with the pieces settling the right way then they would sit to dry. This part I never rushed, and I was content when I placed them for sale knowing they had bonded properly, and would make the new owner of them happy.
Yes, I get excited with some things. There is so much out there that we can use to be creative with. Many things that can be made/created. Part of a piece to a set, a lonely vintage piece that needs a new life, sometimes painting can help a piece along too. I like how there are no rules to do this. What you create can work for you, or maybe someone else too. It might be a copy, or mimic something else made. But, it is still a unique piece because of how you made it, what was all used to make it, etc. | 2019-04-25T08:04:10 | https://www.lilacsndreams.com/2018/06/treasures-await-old-vintage-repurposed.html |
When it comes to corruption and Congress, the line the law polices is the wrong line, writes Lawrence Lessig.
Seven years after moving from the federal capital to a federal prison, former congressman (and top gun Navy pilot) Randy “Duke” Cunningham (R-CA) is going home. Convicted of bribery for trying to sell defense contracts for $2.4 million in cash and yachts, Cunningham was sentenced to what was then the harshest punishment ever meted out to a bribe-taking congressman.
The United States Congress needs the likes of Cunningham. Because the rare conviction of a member doing something plainly wrong reaffirms the claim of the others on Capitol Hill that they are not like him. Cunningham was a crook. He engaged in classic quid-pro-quo bribery. But no one credible believes that there are many more that stupid or perfidious. Congress is filled neither with top guns nor with craven criminals. And therefore, its leaders would have us believe, Congress is not corrupt.
But what the conviction of Cunningham should teach us is not that other members Congress should be trusted, but that the line the law polices is the wrong line. Sure, Cunningham was an exception, along with the man who broke his record for harshest sentence, William Jefferson (D-LA), who began a 13-year sentence last year, after federal agents found $90,000 in his freezer and tied that money to a $400,000 bribe. But corruption on Capitol Hill, in the plain meaning of the term that the Framers of our Constitution would have recognized, is endemic.
Cunningham reduced his deal to a very explicit transaction—literally, he wrote it down. In a bizarre note scribbled on his office stationery, Cunningham gave his co-conspirators a simple (if confused) schedule of how much it would cost to get the defense contracts they were seeking. What made his behavior a crime was this quid pro quo—not just that he would benefit personally; Cunningham would have been just as guilty if the payment was to be a campaign contribution rather than a yacht.
Such blatant exchanges don’t happen much—either for personal or for political benefit. But a more complicated dance certainly does. As lobbyists make their clients' cases to members of Congress, those members certainly know just how much those lobbyists have helped. That help isn’t a crime. Indeed, lobbyists are meticulous in keeping their behavior within formal ethical lines. But even within those lines, influence is peddled. And for members starved for campaign funds, even a very little bit can go a long way.
The economy of that dance plainly corrupts Congress. Because rather than staying focused—as Madison promised they would be—“upon the People alone,” Congress is increasingly focused upon it funders.
Yet those funders are not America. They are the tiniest slice of America. No more than 1/20th of 1 percent of us give enough to count as a relevant funder of a congressional campaign. And as members spend hours every day frantically trying to find some of that 0.05 percent who might help, they learn the words their funders want to hear. Remember the Skinner Box—a rat in a cage frantically trying to figure out which buttons it must push to get its pellets of food—and you have a good sense of the life of a congressman.
That dance does more harm to the Republic than an aircraft carrier full of Randy “Duke” Cunninghams ever could. For it is that sort of influence that steered Congress to deregulate Wall Street, that drives Congress to ignore climate change, and that says Congress can pass health-care reform only by including a $250 billion subsidy to insurance companies and Big Pharma.
Yet there’s nothing in the law to police this sort of corruption. Indeed, if Justice Kennedy really believes his own rhetoric in Citizens United, it may well be that the First Amendment would even ban an effort to limit this sort of corruption. And thus are we protected against the harmless sins, but are constitutionally required to remain vulnerable to radically more harmful ones.
Cunningham is a reminder of what’s not wrong with Congress. Congress is not a bunch of crooks. What Congress is is a democratic institution that, according to the latest Rasmussen Poll, can’t even garner more than 6 percent of the public’s approval. And that’s not because we don’t like what Congress does. It is instead because, as John R. Hibbing and Elizabeth Theiss-Morse have powerfully demonstrated, we “believe special interests have hijacked the political process.” They—meaning almost all of Congress, not just the Cunninghams—are not in it for us, most of us believe. They’re in it for the funders and the funder’s agents, the lobbyists.
There are many contexts in which the law is obsessed with the relatively harmless sins while oblivious to undeniably harmful ones. But there is none as significant as this. America’s government doesn’t work because it refuses to grok this most obvious of corruptions. And until it does, it’s not just defense contracts that will get lost. It is practically every important decision that our government must make. | 2019-04-26T11:40:00 | https://www.thedailybeast.com/congressmen-come-and-go-but-corruption-is-here-to-stay |
JBG Smith’s mixed-use development, RTC West, welcomed a new restaurant this week. Mezeh Mediterranean Grill is now open at 12130 Sunset Hills Road.
The 44-seat restaurant offers a mix of build-it-yourself bowls, pita pockets and wraps. Other establishments are also on the way in the development, including Punjabi by Nature, The Black Squirrel, and The Burger Joint. In recent months, Honeygrow, Starbucks and Nando’s were added to the mix of retail on the largely office-dominated site.
Although a soft launch was held on Tuesday, the restaurant’s grand opening day has not yet been finalized, according to Patrick Mika, Mezeh’s director of marketing and catering. On Wednesday (July 25), Mezeh will offer free chicken shawarma bowls – it’s inaugural opening promotion.
Beginning next week, Mezeh will also free promotions for different client bases in order to reduce overcrowding in the area, especially since immediate surface lot parking is limited.
The Reston location includes traditional elements of Mezeh’s nine other locations like a community bar and wrap-around seating. No paint is used anywhere on its mixed-media walls — except on the restaurant’s bathroom doors. | 2019-04-19T06:53:57 | https://www.restonnow.com/2018/07/20/photos-mezeh-mediterranean-grill-now-open-in-rtc-west/ |
Peace Flag will be raised in the square of the Ministry o National Defence to mark the 55th anniversary of the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, April 15.
Peace Flag – three red circles girded with a red ring against a white background – is the symbol of the international Roerich Pact signed in Washington on 15 April 1935 on protection of artistic and scientific institutions and historic monuments in peace and wartime. Principles of Roerich (Washington) Pact were later transferred into the convention signed in the on 14 May 1954 regarding protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict.
Minister of National Defence is expected to attend the flag raising ceremony.
Globally April 15 is celebrated as the Day of Culture. | 2019-04-24T16:49:45 | http://kam.lt/en/news_1098/news_archives/news_archive_2009/news_archive_2009_-_04/peace_flag_raised_in_front_of_the_ministry_of_national_defence.html?pbck=10 |
As managers prepare their budgets for 2019, here's the most recent look at the budgeting accuracy of U.S. hotel operators.
In 2017, the actual achieved levels of occupancy, average daily rate (ADR), total revenue, and profits for U.S. hotels were less than their respective budgeted amounts. After a five-year period (2011 through 2015) of extremely accurate budget projections, this marks the second consecutive year that owners and operators failed to meet their operating goals.
As general managers, controllers, and directors of sales begin the process of preparing their budgets and marketing plans for 2019, we present the results of our most recent look at the budgeting accuracy of U.S. hotel operators. From CBRE Hotel’s Americas Research’s Trends in the Hotel Industry database, we identified 722 operating statements that contained both actual and budgeted data for 2017. Using these statements, we compared the revenues, expenses, and profits projected for 2017 with what was actually earned and spent during the year. For the purpose of this analysis, profits are defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA).
For 2017, the hotels in our sample budgeted for a 3.2 percent gain in total operating revenue. Unfortunately, total revenue growth amounted to just 1.7 percent for the year. Since rooms revenue made up 63.8 percent of total revenue for the year, budget deficiencies in occupancy and ADR were the primary causes of the revenue shortfall.
Given the continued growth in lodging demand since the 2009 recession, it is not surprising that the hotels in our sample budgeted for another 0.8 percent increase in occupancy from 2016 to 2017. Unfortunately, these same hoteliers did not enjoy the occupancy gain they had hoped for. In 2017, the hotels in our study sample suffered a 0.1 percent decline in occupancy.
Another indication of weaker-than-expected market conditions was sluggish growth in ADR. The properties in our study sample were able to achieve a 1.8 percent gain in ADR during 2017; however, this was less than the forecast growth rate of 2.5 percent. Combined, the decline in occupancy and slow ADR growth rate resulted in a rooms revenue gain (1.7 percent) that was nearly half the budgeted growth rate of 3.3 percent.
Additionally, by accommodating fewer rooms than budgeted, the hotels in our sample incurred less expense growth than planned. Throughout 2017, expenses at the properties in the study sample increased by 2.3 percent. This was 0.3 percentage points less than the budgeted expense growth rate of 2.6 percent.
The cost of servicing guests also increased. Expenses on a dollar-per-occupied room (POR) basis grew by 2.4 percent. This compares unfavorably to the budgeted increase in expenses POR of 1.8 percent. The 0.6 percent overage in budgeted expenses POR indicates that the costs and prices for labor, supplies, goods sold, and services were greater than expected.
Unfortunately for hoteliers, controlling expense growth was not enough to overcome the revenue shortfall. With total revenue growing at 1.7 percent and expenses rising 2.3 percent, profits at the hotels in the sample remained the same from 2016 to 2017. This is well short of the budgeted 5 percent growth rate for EBITDA.
Both the limited- and full-service properties in our sample fell short of their respective budgeted revenue and profit goals. However, the deficiencies were greater for the limited-service hotels.
With fewer employees, services, and amenities, limited-service hotel managers struggled to reduce expenses at their operations. With the limited-service aggregate occupancy level rising from 77.2 percent in 2016 to 77.6 percent in 2017, there was not a lot of room for expense reductions. Accordingly, operating expenses for the limited-service properties increased by 3.1 percent, despite an increase in revenue of just 1.1 percent. Considering limited-service hotels budgeted for a healthy 7.4 percent rise in profits during the year, the 2.3 percent decline in EBITDA from 2016 to 2017 was a big disappointment.
Full-service properties also fell short of their budgeted profit growth in 2017. These hotels projected an EBITDA gain of 4.8 percent for the year. Unfortunately, the actual achieved gain was just a slight 0.2 percent.
According to the June 2018 edition of Hotel Horizons, CBRE Hotels’ Americas Research is projecting that a 2.6 percent increase in RevPAR will lead to a 2.5 percent gain in total hotel revenues during 2019. Concurrently, operating expenses are forecast to rise by 1.9 percent, leading to an improvement in profits of roughly 3.5 percent.
After two years of budget shortfalls, it will be natural for operators to be more conservative when preparing their estimates for 2019. Conversely, owners see record occupancy levels and wonder why their operations are not capable of generating greater cash flows, thus putting upward pressure on expectations. It is hoped that these two opposing perspectives will settle on a budget that is close to reality. | 2019-04-25T02:06:46 | https://lodgingmagazine.com/budgeting-accuracy-why-u-s-lodging-performance-fell-short-of-2017-expectations/ |
All other colors are Special Order and ship within 2-3 business days.
Unsure of the color? Color swatches are available upon request.
Our new Stiff Arm Lap Belt works well in any application were you don't have enough room for a retractable belt. The rigid arm keeps the seat belt from falling out the door and chipping you rocker panel or running board. | 2019-04-24T12:53:14 | http://www.seatbeltstore.com/Starburst-Stiff-Arm-Lap-Belt-p/justifflap.htm |
What Kind Of Job Can A Felon Get?
Are you a felony? Are you searching for the job? If yes, then you may know that many offenses find it challenging to get a job and this happens as they apply for the wrong type of jobs and companies. Some companies do not consider felon for a career or job for a particular position. Thus, if you are a felon and you are getting difficult in finding a job than in this article we will discuss what job a felon can get.
There are lots of trucks driving companies that hire the felons for the truck driving job. They hire after determining the type of felony you are as well as the length of time from the time when convicted. This is a very high paying career and holds a serious benefit. Truck drivers earn 800 dollars/ week and this very secure job. Only the limitation of this job is that you will have to stay away from your home for a long time and then you can’t give much time to your family. You can find those companies here.
An ex-offender can work in construction companies. Small construction companies have different positions under which you can work. You can talk to the owner as well as show your skills and how worthy you are and apply for this job. When you work in construction field you also learn to trade then you have chances to open your own business afterward.
Felons can work in this field as many small landscape companies can hire the ex-convict to work if you directly talk the owner. This is a perfect career path as you can do it with no training. Even if they deny hiring you, then you can work to cut grasses. Or you can print flyers and distribute them looking at it some people may hire you. If you mow 5 yards per day then in a week you can make $500 if they pay you $15 or $20 for a single yard.
This job is best for felons which can pay you good money. You can easily find fast food restaurants that hire felons. You can also make advancement in this job however it will take some time. Restaurants that may employ felons are subway, burger king, taco bell, etc.
Small drilling companies keep felons, and if you work here, then you can make good career path as they pay high. The downside is only that it includes hard work and for getting a right job, you will need to live in right area.
So, these are some of the jobs for which a person with a criminal record can apply and make a good career. There are other jobs which an ex-convict can do like newspaper contractor, temp agencies, online career, etc. All these fields are worthy of the felon. If you want to know or search more jobs for the felon, then you can get it easily online. | 2019-04-25T23:54:54 | http://www.rennatatropeano.com/kind-job-can-felon-get/ |
Earlier this year Linkdex released an eBook called SEO Now 2015. Think of it as almost like a set of state of the nation articles by various SEO experts who are looking at where SEO can go in 2015.
At the time I downloaded it I gave it a quick skim but always wanted to come back to it and read over it to see what I as a developer could glean from it.
You could stop reading my article here, but if you want to see the context of these take aways I would suggest reading on!
Technical SEO still as a massive role to play in a brands overall SEO presence, we can see this in the executive summary.
technical aspects of SEO remain critical, according to many of our experts.
Technical SEO is about laying the foundation for successful long term SEO activities, so if you get it wrong you’ll be fighting with a handicap from the start. It pays to prepare well, and that means putting all the elements in place for you to build your long term SEO on.
This was further echoed by Eric Enge when he stated.
If your technical SEO isn’t right, then you can’t even compete in search. So doing technical SEO isn’t optional. However, once you get the basic framework right, maintenance of that should be a lower level of effort. However, for many brands, the effort to get the framework right, based on where they are now, may be massive.
You don’t build a house or business by hanging the artwork and moving in the desks before you have even studded out the walls. Why would you build a site that way?
One thing I preach is pragmatism and I always like looking for the smallest thing I can do now in order to make a difference down the line.
Christopher Hart believes in taking an incremental approach to technical SEO.
it doesn’t make sense anymore to refresh your site a year from now. Instead, why not make smart changes incrementally through the year? For example, make sure pages that are most apt to appear as a mobile search result are mobile-friendly. Do web design analysis, and make updates as your audience changes and grows.
Victoria Edwards talks about taking time not just for adding new things to the website, but to spend some time maintaining what is already there.
Health care brands should be focusing on technical SEO maintenance. Items like correcting error pages, redirects, site performance, and duplicate content should always be at the top of the to-do list and checked on a regular basis.
As well as making incremental changes, we should look to make small changes with big impacts.
For example Bill Hunt would like to see a move towards focusing on optimising templates over pages.
Too many companies still focus on pages to optimize and not templates. If you can impact the templates every page built from it will have near perfect on-page optimization in any market around the world.
One thing I really didn’t like to read was Kristjan Haukssoni’s opinion of developers when he said.
Whilst I don’t agree with this in the slightest and feel that “the tech guys” should get involved at a much earlier stage of any SEO project, I can’t say I am surprised.
Generally speaking us developers care more about getting our tests passing than we do presenting data in a meaningful way. Lets try and change this!
On the subject of presenting data in a meaningful way, one thing I have already written about is using schema correctly. I was glad to see people talking about semantic markup throughout this eBook.
Be smart about implementing schema, understanding Semantic Web issues involving the facts and attributes that you show with products and when writing about specific entities.
This is something the frontend development community have been saying for years, not least because well designed responsive websites are far easier to maintain than separate websites for different view ports.
There were several people who spoke to the importance of getting a top quality mobile offering, I think Barry Adams summed it up best.
If you aren’t taking mobile users seriously, don’t expect them to take you seriously. And in this increasingly mobile-first connected world, that’s a very dangerous position to be in.
Kristjan’s comments notwithstanding I think the general feeling was that SEO needs to integrate itself into the entire organisation and it isn’t just something that can be relegated to a section within marketing.
Now, it requires very close cooperation with the marketing team, and also with the dev team.
Thanks to Linkdex and the experts who put this together. I think it acts as a great high level view of where the industry is at and needs to be heading.
The language and analogies used were suitable for the layperson and there were plenty of actionable takeaways.
I really hope you take the time to download it and read it yourself. | 2019-04-20T02:50:15 | https://tosbourn.com/developer-take-away-seo-now-2015/ |
Set the tone for your Eastern Shore getaway with your choice of accommodations. Maybe you see yourself setting out on the road to explore historic highlights like the Moose River Gold Mine Museum, the Port Bickerton Lighthouse and the Canso Islands National Historic Site with stops along the way where heritage arts and crafts like hooked rugs are sold. That’s the kind of vacation experience that can be enhanced by choosing gracious country inns and charming bed & breakfasts for your overnight accommodations. Or maybe you have the kids and the dog and your younger sister along for a couple of weeks at the beach in which case a seaside cottage or two might be just the ticket or a few rooms at the quaint motel that reminds you of summer road trips when you were a kid. If you’re finally getting away on that week away for just the two of you for a little golf and maybe some hiking by day and romantic meals by candlelight at night, take a look at our gorgeous resort options. And if you have strapped your best board to the top of your van and are coming in search of the big surf you’ve heard so much about, we’ve got hostels and campgrounds that are easy on the wallet. | 2019-04-21T02:25:46 | http://www.threeshoresnovascotia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31&Itemid=101 |
The Omaha Public Power District Board of Directors will conduct a public workshop regarding the district’s strategic directives and other board policies on Monday, July 24, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Omaha Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center, Room 201. The event is open for the public to attend, though public commentary will not be taken at the event. The Board of Directors encourages feedback to be submitted via the link provided by July 23. There will also be opportunities for public commentary on the policies during Board meetings following the workshop.
You may provide feedback through July 23, 2017. | 2019-04-22T06:15:04 | http://oppd.dev.waveinteractive.com/community/oppd-listens/board-policy-workshop/ |
I have been looking after a five year old who tells me that she "loves scrapbooking and crafting Grandma". I give her a piece of paper - she prefers the white pages from the albums - and some scraps and a photograph or two. She sits at the table happily cutting the scraps into even smaller pieces then she spreads glue on the page and sticks the pieces onto it. She places the photograph where there is a space (and when she suddenly remembers it is there) and all the time she works she talks.
I quietly do my own thing while occasionally saying "uh huh, really, goodness me" and other words of few syllables. I have never been to a crop but I suspect that this is very similar.
We went out for the day with my Cousin and his wife - the other Colin and Ann - and we went to the South Wales Borderers' Museum in Brecon. I wanted to see the VCs won by men of the 24 regiment of Foot at Rorke's Drift. Mr M didn't come in as he fails to see the fascination with all these old wars. He stayed outside and when it rained he stood in the sentry box heehee.
Before we did the museum we started the day properly with Breakfast, not at Tiffany's but at Morrisons! We love breakfast at Morrisons. The eggs are always perfect. We don't like the Tesco breakfast because everything is always dried out and over cooked. I had the meat free breakfast, while Mr M and the other Colin and Ann had the all day breakfast with extra toast.
The "girls" are me and my five fellow students who were Rural Domestic Economy Students at the Monmouthshire Institute of Agriculture, way back in the dark ages (the 1960s) We meet very rarely but one of our number emigrated to New Zealand several years ago and was back home for a holiday. It was great to be the youngest in a gathering instead of the oldest. We talked and talked for hours. My daughter, who took me to the meet up, was agreeably surprised that we were not a bunch of old farmers talking about fields and the weather. Every one of the girls except me married someone in farming - four of them married fellow students - and as there were several other students from other courses in our year at the "reunion" it was good to see that some people never change. The people I was friendly with at college are still just the same, older, plumper, with more wrinkles but still the twinkle in the eyes and the ability to laugh out loud. | 2019-04-19T12:18:16 | http://scrapbookannie-ladkyis.blogspot.com/2010/07/pages-lots-of-pages.html |
Crew neck sweat. Set-in-sleeves. Taped neck. Stylish fit. Soft cotton faced fabric creates ideal printing surface. Simple tear out label makes it perfect for rebranding. Twin needle stitching detailing. Ribbed collar, cuff and hem. Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) certified production. | 2019-04-24T22:04:18 | https://jackbruce.noisemerchants.com/product/jack-bruce-sunshine-of-your-love-sweatshirt/ |
Content descriptors: Mild Violence This is a racing simulation game in which players can select and customize a car to compete against other drivers on city streets and professional race circuits. Players earn "profile points" for performing certain skillful actions in the game (e.g., passing a car, mastering a corner on a difficult track, etc.), and can use their points to upgrade their driver profiles. Drivers also can earn "aggression points" for erratic driving or bumping into other cars; when racers collide with objects and cars on the track, they sometimes grunt in pain.
Shift into high gear! Designed to deliver a true driver’s experience that reflects contemporary motorsports, Need for Speed Shift is built by racers for racers. Need for Speed Shift delivers an authentic and immersive driving experience, replicating the true feeling of racing high-end performance cars like never before. Players are thrust into the heart of the action with immersive and exciting features including a stunningly realistic first-person cockpit view camera and an all-new crash mechanic, providing an unrivaled sensation of the speed and feeling of racing a car on the extreme edge of control.
Just got this game yesterday and it’s lots of fun. I’m having no issues with the game as it anyway is a racing game–nothing offensive at all. Really enjoying the game– not too serious but no too much arcade-like. Recommend it to fans of racing games!
I take it that this game is not like some of the other Need for Speed games in that it does not center around street-racing?
Excellent post. I was checking continuously this weblog and I am inspired! Extremely helpful info particularly the last section 🙂 I care for such information much. I was seeking this particular information for a long time. Thank you and good luck. | 2019-04-26T16:29:37 | http://guide2games.org/2009-reviews/4471/need-for-speed-shift/comment-page-1/ |
Hi friends! Happy day before Thanksgiving! :) I just ran out of milk so I have to run to the store. GULP! Wish me luck! This is NOT something I was planning on doing! Yikes!
Here's a CAS card I made next week and never got around to blogging or putting up in my gallery. It was for last week's CAS challenge. I'm not sure you can see the score lines on my card but they are there. I actually don't know what occasion is appropriate for a card that says Have a Donut but whatever. I love this set and the donut is so cute with it's Stickle icing.
Have a great day and a fabulous Thanksgiving, friends!
Gimme! I am totally off sugar and this looks delicious!
DELISH!! Love this CAS card, Ashley! CONGRATS on the Hero Arts Tweet! Way to go, girl! | 2019-04-24T16:15:50 | https://www.ashleynewell.me/2010/11/cas-donut-card.html |
Music is a gripping media that touches the heart of human. Meanwhile in the world of musical instruments, the classic guitar plays a dominant role.
Mohan Premathilaka is a musician who makes the man’s heart feel with melodies of strings. As a Sri Lankan composer of music, he provides music for ballets,dramas, songs and so on.
He is a under graduate of the Trinity College in London & a Student of The associated board of royal schools of Music in London (A.B.R.S.M). He‘s been stepping in the field of experiments to find advanced and subtle melodies from guitar going beyond natural music it makes. | 2019-04-24T10:17:38 | http://www.sinhalachord.com/2012/01/sulage-pavi-on-classical-guitar.html |
Gross Dam protest: Can a kayak drum circle halt Denver's water diversion?
When powerful development forces in metro Denver conspire to drain more water from already depleted Western Slope rivers, there's only one thing for a self-respecting environmentalist to do: Grab your gear and head to Boulder for The World's Largest Kayak Drum Circle.
At least, that's what protesters hope a large crowd of river lovers will be doing this afternoon, with the idea of pressuring Boulder County's commissioners to intervene in the flap.
The outraged and the deeply concerned will be gathering on the Boulder County Courthouse lawn this afternoon at 2:30 p.m. for an "informational rally" opposing the expansion of the Gross Dam and Reservoir. Denver Water hopes to triple the size of the reservoir as part of a ramp-up of Western Slope water diversion projects to meet the demands of Front Range growth. As we've noted in previous posts, the Moffat Tunnel already takes 60 percent of the flow of the Fraser River to Front Range users, and now planners are talking about taking half of what's left.
A press release from the Stop Gross Dam! campaign launched by The Environmental Group urges citizens to "bring your boat -- and bang it like a bongo!" Not to mention inner tubes, paddles, buckets and other musical instruments. The big noise is just a preliminary event, though. At 4:30, the county commissioners will discuss the planned expansion of the reservoir and whether the county has any authority to halt or modify the project. Expect an earful from the kayak drummers and other interested parties whose land, livelihood and recreational opportunities could be affected by the expansion.
"Gross Dam is located wholly within Boulder County," the opponents note, "but will take water from the Fraser and Colorado rivers, pump it through the Continental Divide, and feed it to urban sprawl and golf courses along the Front Range."
The opponents contend that the county's home-rule control over its resources, known as 1041 rules, allow intervention. Denver Water says otherwise. But the project, handled quietly to date, is bound to generate quite a bit of noise as residents learn more about who's getting soaked in the deal.
For additional links and coverage of the Moffat Collection System Project, Coyote Gulch has a nice roundup here.
More from our Politics archive: "Scott McInnis: The waterlogged years (Pt. 3)." | 2019-04-23T06:21:44 | https://www.westword.com/news/gross-dam-protest-can-a-kayak-drum-circle-halt-denvers-water-diversion-5862989 |
NO I Don't Have Pets - A Mum's Journey to Independence!
Everyone I know has pets. The highest number right now in terms of my personal friends are dog owners. Second comes cat owners. That is followed by those who love reptiles, birds and more. Yes, there is an "AND MORE".
My journey with pets has been long. Often times it was filled with those that needed a home whether it was a good idea or not - a cat from a monastery in Big Sur that was abandoned and would be eaten by local predators, a bird molting in a cage in a local store that I added to a happy pair. It proceeded to torture the other two. You get the idea. I have a hard time saying no to any suffering animal.
I've always had a soft spot for pets of every type, including reptiles. Before marriage I had a dogs, cats, rats, hamsters, birds and more. Bugs are a different story. Although there are a few such as all varieties of stick bugs and amazing giant centipedes, the list is short here. However, at this point in my life I try to avoid pets of any kind. What led me to this? There are just a few simple reasons.
When I married and moved to Canada I ended up becoming a stay-at-home mum. As someone who started babysitting at an early age and always worked, that was a big change. It took all my focus for over 15 years of my life. That said, I wouldn't trade that time for anything.
We were told our chances of conceiving were only 15% and needed to go for it without interference to give ourselves the best chance. Fortunately, we defied the huge odds. We welcomed three kids in 3-1/2 years. I breast fed, changed diapers and did the school thing non-stop for a very long time. There was very little me time. My job didn't earn me a lot of support. Every time I was asked what I did and responded being a stay-at-home mum, I got THAT LOOK!
Honestly, my kids were bullied and finances were tight. This was the hardest job I have EVER worked. It was fabulous, challenging, amazing and depressing. Through it all I had to find a way to keep my mind challenged and myself intact. I needed to find me in the chaos.
Every stay at home mum has moments that are off the chart amazing and others where we sit and cry, but for me it was all worth it. My husband and I have three amazing, independent and totally unique kids. Hold on to your hats world - they are out there making their mark!
As my kids grew, they all acquired smaller pets. I didn't want to have to walk anything - I was busy enough - so that limited our choices. We had garter snakes, a Bearded Dragon, mice, hamsters and a guinea pig. All my kids had the best intentions, but as I was the one at home while they were at school and participating in after school activities, I was the one most of the daily care fell to. And I loved each and every one of those crazy pets.
What was hard for me was the parting. At one point I discovered you weren't allowed to domesticate Garter snakes. You could kill them, torture them or dispose of them, but they couldn't be pets. When I turned our pet Garter snake over to the Richmond Nature Park I cried for three days - the only family member to do so. Another time a guinea pig had a tumor and we were leaving on vacation. No one wanted to care for a sick pet. I was the one who had to take him to the vet to be put down. The tears wouldn't stop.
Then there was my oldest son's Bearded Dragon. We discovered Bearded Dragons at a Boy Scout event. They were billed as very calm and easy to keep take care of. Max, as he came to be known, was amazing. However, I remember when my son was out of town and Max seemed to be dying, I was the one who sat late into the night with him snuggled on my chest. holding him to let him know he was loved. He ended up recovering. I would like to think it was my personal touch. When he finally did pass, it was a particularly hard time for me. I was invested.
So for this moment, I chose to take a break. For this moment I chose to focus on my needs and wants - my goals. I'm ready for a break. No pets to feed, no dinners I have to cook as all of my brood is very capable. If I want to fly the coop for 2 weeks, it doesn't require any organizing. And I do it without apology. I know eventually in my future I will again welcome new pets to my home, but for now it's about me. | 2019-04-24T02:59:57 | http://www.oliobymarilyn.com/2016/09/no-i-dont-have-pets-mums-journey-to.html |
Yes when u have old and new data mixed together the old SStable will not be dropped until new SStable is fully expired.
The single sstable compaction has quite strict checks for whether it should be started, this option disables those checks and for some use cases this might be needed. Note that this does not change anything for the actual compaction, tombstones are only dropped if it is safe to do so - it might just rewrite an sstable without being able to drop any tombstones. | 2019-04-21T01:05:56 | http://osdir.com/apache-cassandra-users/msg07338.html |
I am sure it would not come as a surprise, but our website (www.scrum.org) needs a major refresh. The current implementation has become out of date and less and less supportive of our vision and mission. As a team, we quickly realized that we do not possess the resources needed to take on a full website development effort in a timely fashion, and that we’d need some outside help. This blog post is the first in a series that will document our adventure partnering with an outside company to build our website using Scrum, and the surprises we’ve encountered along the way.
To work with Scrum.org you MUST use Scrum.
Of course, it would be unimaginable for Scrum.org not to “eat its own dog food” (drink its own champaign), or “practice what it preaches”. But our desire to use Scrum is so much more than marketing, it is our fundamental belief that Scrum enables us to deliver software that is both better and more Agile. And, as Scrum is now practiced by thousands of companies every day, you would think that the requirement of using Scrum would be an easy one for most web companies to follow.
Wanted to use a modified and more traditional partnering approach that was more like water-scrum-fall in structure and values.
Our customers like a good estimate up front which requires us to build out a detailed view of all the requirements.
A holistic approach to design really means we need to spend quite some time building out detailed wireframes and Information Architecture before we can build anything.
To keep a team together would be VERY expensive – and you might not have the most skilled people for your situation.
We prefer documentation over a Product Owner – after all, there is more than one stakeholder.
We find it best to manage change using a formal process – makes sure that both parties are happy and informed.
We will deliver frequently, but would rather do it on our infrastructure that we use to demo to you. After all, you don’t want to have to deal with bugs and stuff.
So, they liked Scrum, but wanted everything up front, formal change management and very detailed, documented requirements. And, when it came to delivery, they would go off and create website assets that they would demonstrate on their timeline. From my experience this means that after a large number of meetings, teams would go dark for long periods of time, and then would demo something that really did not deliver on my actual needs, but did deliver to the requirements.
This did not sound like Scrum to me.
And we wanted to go one step further. Not only did we want to use Scrum we wanted to both provide a Product Owner and embed a development person from Scrum.org in the team. This approach was VERY different from anything these web agencies had experienced. They all saw Scrum.org as the distant client who was going to receive work from them, not as an active participant in the process. But we all know that this approach is likely to fail, costing more time and effort as we, as a team, navigate unknowns, manage integrations and introduce opportunity, even if those are not covered through the upfront fixed requirements. The reality is that the only way to manage this risk is to have a team that includes not only all technical skills, but also the right business background, and some of those people are from Scrum.org.
Using Scrum is good for both parties.
One of the biggest reasons why Agile and Scrum have become popular is that by frequently delivering software you reduce risk. The business / customer sees real progress and makes decisions based on working software. No paper reports, updated Gantt charts, or Powerpoints. And, the Development Team does not waste time building features the customer in the end does not want (anymore). Scrum is an elegant way to ensure transparency and accountability in frequent bursts of focused activity. So why was it so hard for a web development company to adopt this model?
It seems that it all boils down to trust. Many of the web agencies we spoke to did not trust that Scrum.org would support this transparent delivery approach, and would not be willing to talk through the budgetary impact of changes. Yes, we said we would, but when push comes to shove history has led us to believe that the exposure of problems, unknowns and risks will mean we, the client would be disappointed and stop the project or demand more than what was budgeted. After all, the standard approach to web development is hook the client – build something and then get the next phase which would be all about finally building the right project, based on experience of the first delivery which never really worked. And, if done correctly, a web project will keep both parties involved at least twice as long as the initial estimates because of documented changes and environment issues.
By the way, web companies are not evil – and not trying to extract extra money from the clients, but instead have accepted that customers don’t understand what it takes to build a well designed and working website and that no customer wants to see the messy reality of building software. They also often assign their people to multiple projects to spread costs across these projects and become more profitable through maximized utilization. Having a dedicated Scrum Team would cause many team members to have to focus on a single project, impacting profitability.
So the reality is that everyone accepts this traditional model in the false belief that it protects both parties. The client knows that they do not know everything up front, but pretends that they can write everything down and that will protect them from ‘scope creep’. The vendor expects that phase one will not deliver what the client wants, but will deliver on the agreed requirements, regardless changing realities, thus getting them setup for phase two. And that the tension and surprises on the project are the normal reality for web projects.
Instead of the usual 2 months and 20 odd meetings we have condensed the preparation work to 2 weeks ensuring that we are sticking to the principle ‘what is the minimum we need to know up front before we can move to delivering working software’. And the other stuff is sprinkled into the Sprints.
We are setting up dedicated Scrum Teams – instead of paying by the hour we have contracted a Scrum Team at $X to work in two week sprints. This removes any complexity from the cost model, but also allows us to start getting feedback on velocity and scope.
We have a dedicated Product Owner from Scrum.org – Yes, not a surprise but instead of expecting the web development company to ‘get us’ and only working with them when we have to we have a dedicated person working with the team on a regular basis.
We have a shared staging environment – Now, the technology we are using makes this a bit easier and our friends at Amazon Web Services help, but from day one we have a shared staging area that both companies can see.
Working software is the primary measure of progress – Yes, we do capture stories and other requirements in a Product Backlog, and -yes- we report progress on these, but the real measure, the one we care about is the actual working software on the staging area.
We use Scrum – We use the events, roles and activities to ensure progress and have NOT built out a set of additional processes to ensure status, risk and change are managed. The Product Backlog, and the Sprint Planning, Daily Scrum, Sprint Review and Retrospective events provide both companies with the material and feedback to measure the progress and ultimate success of the project.
And the contract supports this – No, we did not include wording in the contract around status or failure. Yes we said we can stop a sprint and for BlueCoda’s stability we commit to 2 or 3 sprints at a time, but that is all. We described Scrum in the contract and avoided traditional CYA language. | 2019-04-19T10:34:35 | https://www.scrum.org/resources/blog/working-web-development-company-using-scrum |
With wintertime quick approaching currently is the time to think concerning maintaining your home cosy and safe and secure by spending in ranch shutters or strong shutters. This short article will certainly look at the advantages of ranch shutters and strong shutters to keep your home secure and cosy this period.
Originating from pre civil war The U.S.A., ranch shutters are louvered panels which could either be fixed to the inside, or beyond doors and home windows. They are readily available in hardwood, repainted timber or can be waterproofed for usage in washrooms, wetrooms, shower rooms and pool.
Ranch shutters come in three types: café design shutters, complete elevation shutters and tier on tier shutters. COFFEE SHOP design shutters were originally used in France to create an intimate eating experience without jeopardizing on natural light. They cover simply the bottom half of the home window, helping to keep privacy whilst still allowing in a lot of natural light. COFFEE SHOP design ranch shutters are a really clever and cost effective method of introducing shutters in the home.
As the name implies, unabridged shutters cover the entire home window and are a simple and appealing choice for the home or office. The third alternative, tier on tier shutters, cover the entire home window aperture in 2 areas. These use a flexible service, as the louvered panels can be opened independently of one another to manage lights levels and privacy.
Unlike ranch shutters, they consist of strong panels, instead of louvers and are preferred today in brought back duration homes. In enhancement, strong shutters make great dividings as they could be used as high top quality, light folding doors.
When the weather condition transforms cold outside, it could quickly affect the temperature inside. Winds, frost and rain could rapidly reduce the temperature of an office or home and create you to put on an extra layer of clothing or turn up the home heating, bring about greater home expenses.
Both strong shutters and ranch shutters could assist to insulate your home against the cold, by lowering warm loss via home window glass.
If you select strong shutters for your home, then these can be closed fully to add a layer of timber which totally covers the home window, lowering drafts and chills. This can be particularly reliable in rooms in the evening, where you will certainly also take advantage of deep corrective sleep triggered by the black-out effect they create.
In other spaces you could choose ranch shutters. Below the louvered slats can be relocated to the closed setting, or partly closed, to still allow some natural light. Or you might select café design shutters or tier on tier shutters to reduce drafts and warm loss via the bottom half of your home window and allow light in via the top.
Another element that is more crucial in wintertime, when the evenings are longer and darker, is protection and privacy within your home. This is due to the fact that when it is dark outside, and light inside it is easier for people to see in. Both ranch shutters and strong shutters act as a barrier to quit this occurring, guaranteeing your protection, privacy and discreetness!
Solid shutters can be fully closed in the evening time, for a cosy protected feeling within your home and complete privacy from the outdoors. They also make it much harder for a trespasser to barge in, due to the substantial additional layer they would certainly need to appear. During the day, shutters could be opened once again to allow in ventilation and natural light.
Ranch shutters could also be changed to the closed setting as dusk drops. Or the louvered slats of ranch shutters can be rather skillfully readjusted to make sure that even throughout the day, when you require light to be allow right into the room, a sightseer’s line of vision is disrupted, obstructing their sight right into your home.
With wintertime quick approaching currently is the time to think concerning maintaining your home cosy and safe and secure by spending in ranch shutters or strong shutters. Ranch shutters come in three types: café design shutters, complete elevation shutters and tier on tier shutters. COFFEE SHOP design ranch shutters are a really clever and price reliable method of introducing shutters in the home.
Or you might select café design shutters or tier on tier shutters to reduce drafts and warm loss via the lower half of your home window and allow light in via the top.
Both ranch shutters and strong shutters act as a barrier to quit this occurring, guaranteeing your protection, privacy and discreetness! | 2019-04-18T14:33:37 | http://festivalsalsacali.com/probably-super-amazing-home-depot-plantation-shutters-photos/ |
Billionaire investor and Giving Pledge signatory has donated $2.86 billion in Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. shares to the and four family charities, reports.
Buffett's eleventh annual contribution to the five charities — part of his plan to give away most of his fortune before he dies — comprised 19.61 million Class "B" shares of Berkshire, according to a regulatory filing made last Thursday. The Gates Foundation received the lion's share of the gift — about 14.96 million shares worth approximately $2.2 billion — while the , , , and foundations, which are managed by Buffett's children, Susan, Howard, and Peter, shared the rest.
Buffett's 2016 contributions boost to $11.3 billion the total he has donated to the five foundations since 2006.
Jonathan Stempel. "." Reuters 07/15/2016. | 2019-04-24T05:47:01 | http://kazenotani.info/news/buffett-gives-2.86-billion-to-gates-children-s-foundations |
In-Depth SEO Audit Service | Start Getting Great Results Today!
If you have found yourself at a digital brick wall, unsure what you can do to help improve your online presence, it may be time to consider an SEO site audit.
If you find yourself questioning why your website isn’t working the way you want it to or why you’re not getting the sales you expect, then the first stop should be organising yourself a website audit with a reputable SEO professional.
Having an SEO site audit is like performing a service on a car. You are looking beyond the body of the car which we can see with the naked eye and gaining a deeper understanding of the more technical components that bring everything together and ensure it works on a day to day basis.
A technical site audit will provide you with the details you need to discover why your site is not generating the traffic that you’re expecting or aiming for. It can also look at why you’re not converting on sales.
Perhaps visitors are getting to certain point on your site and then not committing to the next step? An audit could provide you with the answers you’re looking for.
The processes involved are vast and can range from looking for duplicate content to looking for red flags in the underbelly of your website or finding completely missing elements that are effecting your rankings.
It will also involve working with several pieces of website audit software and online tools to bring together all the data required to gain a full picture.
When is the best time to have an SEO Audit?
Any SEO expert will tell you that site audits are the foundation to a healthy website. Frequent audits will ensure your website keeps up-to-date and on top of any changes/errors as they crop up.
Leaving problems running in the background of your website for too long can have devastating effects on your rankings and although the damage may be irreversible, it can take a long time to undo the damage. The best way to avoid this is by having regular SEO audits every quarter, six months or annually.
Just because something you do now is deemed innovative, excellent and a great demonstration of web expertise, it does not mean that this will still be the case in 6 months’ time, let alone 5 or even 10 years.
There is no excuse for websites to be left without audits, care and updates for long periods of time.
The world of the web is always going to see advancements and changes that will need you to stay on top of the industry and unless you’re going to take on this onerous task on top of the running of your business, you need to find someone who can help you do this.
The longer we have access to this growing digital environment behind our computer screens, the more complex things will become, the more factors we will need to consider and the smarter search engines will get in determining rankings.
This year alone has seen the introduction of multiple new initiatives and factors online, for example Google is now looking at mobile version of websites first, before desktop. On top of this, technical code and site speed have been top factors considered this year. Do you know what to expect next year?
It isn’t just about knowing the trends that effect your online ranking, it’s about knowing your own website too.
Do you know if the mobile version of your website is search engine friendly? Do you know how many backlinks you have, their quality and topical relevancy? What about broken inbound, outbound or internal links? These are a tiny portion of the things you need to know in order to rank and an audit can help you find the answers you need.
What should you expect from a professional SEO technical audit?
And what are the signs of a low quality SEO audit?
If you’ve never had a website audit, then you won’t know what to expect. But here are a couple of red flags to look out for, to ensure you don’t end up disappointed or with unreliable information.
A good SEO site audit is not a quick process, so if this is something you have received within a few hours or a day, or even immediately then this will raise alarm bells.
Easy read? Not necessarily. Whilst the aim of an SEO audit is never to confuse you, it is important to provide a real insight into the website. There’s no point receiving a quick and easy read as a result of an audit, otherwise how will you know which individual elements you need to work on to move forward.
I analyse your current set of keywords, find new, better keywords to target, prioritise your keyword set, and then categorise your keywords based on search intent.
I analyse your competitors to help you prioritise what keywords you should be targeting. Then, I analyse your competition on a deeper level to extract KW ideas, content perspectives and backlink opportunities.
Having a strong technically-optimised website is critical to the long-term success of your SEO campaign. I use a variety of tools to identify technical issues that may be holding your website back or hurting User Experience (UX).
A well-designed site architecture improves crawlability and indexing and helps grow your site’s overall authority. I audit your existing architecture and will map out a more effective one if deemed necessary.
SEO content refers to any keyword-targeted page on your website. I analyse every single one of your keyword targeted pages to help you make them even better.
Information is useless without direction. That’s why I also supply you with a detailed action list. This list is prioritised based on what actions will have the highest impact on your SEO performance.
If your website is more than 5000 HTML pages, please get in touch!
Are you considering a Full SEO audit? | 2019-04-20T14:39:25 | https://georgepapatheodorou.com/seo-audit-service/ |
P&O Ferries is using software from Compuware to help it identify performance bottlenecks in its core systems.
Previously, P&O had no visibility of its systems, so if a problem occurred the team could not easily identify the root cause.
P&O is now using Dynatrace to monitor Java virtual machines in performance engineering.
Dynatrace is used by P&O Ferries to identify any particular piece of Java code that affects performance. | 2019-04-21T16:26:18 | https://www.computerweekly.com/video/Video-PO-Ferries-deploys-Compuware-to-pinpoint-software-bottlenecks |
The Advanced Undersea Systems and Technology Group develops innovative undersea and undersea-enabled capabilities for transition to operational systems of the US Navy and other Department of Defense (DoD) sponsors. Focus areas include acoustic and non-acoustic sensors, undersea networks, autonomous systems, and advanced signal processing algorithms. The group performs rigorous systems analyses, develops system architectures, and builds prototypes to demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of new concepts, capabilities, and processing techniques. In addition, the group provides undersea domain and technology expertise to inform and motivate novel cross-domain concept development.
The Advanced Undersea Systems and Technology Group is searching for a candidate to contribute to the development and evaluation of novel undersea defense systems. The group welcomes applicants with experience or interest in one or more of the following areas: adaptive sonar and/or radar signal processing, detection and parameter estimation theory, communication theory, and model development for evaluating algorithms and architectures. The technical staff hired for this position will develop signal processing algorithms, analyze sonar and/or radar data, and quantify the performance improvements achieved by integrating advanced technology into future undersea systems. The technical staff will have the opportunity to collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team and to work with experienced group members to learn about new technology and the undersea mission. The staff will have mentorship opportunities to help identify a growth path toward increased technical contributions and, as desired, project leadership. In addition, the candidate will communicate with diverse audiences including both technical and non-technical peers and sponsors.
PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Systems Engineering, or similar technical field. In lieu of a PhD degree, applicants with an MS and 3 to 5 years of experience will also be considered.
Experience with algorithm-development software (e.g., MATLAB or Python, C, C++). Familiarity with acoustic or radar propagation modeling. | 2019-04-18T18:26:44 | https://mass-it.jobs/lexington-ma/undersea-systems-signal-processing-engineer-technical-staff/0AAB636F8CFC46BB9D679A7A0AA78BBE/job/ |
Blowout Sale! Up to 73% off on Plates at Foom App, Page 4. Top brands include Tuxton, Yanco, D&V, Lenox, Juliska, Michael Aram, SoftTouch, Chef Clever, Red Vanilla, World Tableware, CAC China, Le Cadeaux, Z-Moments, CORELLE, 180 Degrees, Portmeirion, DLux, CALIFORNIA PICNIC, & DilaBee. Hurry! Limited time offers. Offers valid only while supplies last.
Slate Cheese Board and Knife Set - for cheese, meat, and appetizer dishes. 12 x 15 inches. Comes with 4 piece serving set. | 2019-04-20T10:39:37 | https://www.foomapp.com/fap/plates-p156/4 |
Enter the world of Disney Frozen and join Anna as she takes a break on her journey to visit her sister. With a feeding station for her horse and a campfire to make hot chocolate, they have everything they need to rest and refuel. The sleeping shelter has an opening function for easy play inside. This fun Disney Princess toy includes an Anna mini-doll, plus her horse.
Shelter measures over 2” (7cm) high, 3” (10cm) wide and 3” (8cm) deep.
Horse feeding station measures over 3” (8cm) high, 3” (8cm) wide and 1” (3cm) deep. | 2019-04-23T07:04:47 | https://theplayroom.com.au/products/frozen-annas-snow-adventure-41147 |
May 25 2017, Théodore Toussaint uploads Star Wars Angry Birds Printable Coloring Pages. The Star Wars Angry Birds Printable Coloring Pages has been created with briliant ideas, beautiful combined colors and follow trend of printable maps, so the Star Wars Angry Birds Printable Coloring Pages will give you the real of maps you need . more over The Star Wars Angry Birds Printable Coloring Pages.
By giving the reference about the Star Wars Angry Birds Printable Coloring Pages Beautiful Angry Birds Birthday Coloring Pages New Coloring Pages for Print. Star Wars Angry Birds Printable Coloring Pages Unique Elegant Free Coloring Pages Angry Birds Star Wars Katesgrove. Star Wars Angry Birds Printable Coloring Pages Epic Elegant Free Coloring Pages Angry Birds Star Wars Katesgrove. We also provide examples of maps that makes your travelling more better. Here we will continue to provide updated information on Star Wars Angry Birds Printable Coloring Pages so you can get the maps on the like. and here's a list of fantastic images or photos from the Star Wars Angry Birds Printable Coloring Pages as part of a collection artmous a gallery of great ideas and useful. | 2019-04-25T16:01:06 | http://www.yishangbai.com/star-wars-angry-birds-printable-coloring-pages/ |
One thing that we hear a lot when speaking with business owners is that it is hard to keep up with the social posting. As you probably know, social sites require frequent posting to be effective. Many businesses start off strong but then either post rarely or throw in the towel altogether.
Don’t let social media get the best of you. Call us for a quote today.
The Future of Content – Microcontent? | 2019-04-22T00:58:19 | https://avsvideo.com/internet-marketing/social-media-posting |
You won’t be able to rely on your cell phone. There are alternatives, however. This is a pretty long article that goes into some good detail, but if you want the short answer, this is what you need.
I’ll go over the basics of some emergency communication methods but if you want more detail, check out Personal Emergency Communications: Staying in Touch Post-Disaster: Technology, Gear and Planning.
Short-term emergencies have shown the limitations of using cell phones to coordinate with each other. Even if the towers are operational, they can’t handle the added traffic of millions of people trying to get a hold of loved ones – or help. Ever had trouble calling your mother on the morning of Mother’s Day?
During many recent events, cell phone service wasn’t an option for many for days. The system became seriously overloaded on 9/11 so calls wouldn’t go through, 70% of the towers went down during Katrina and were down for days, and most areas haven’t been adequately improved across the US.
These won’t be isolated events. Don’t think that because you live in a large metropolitan area that you’re safer. A quick look at some of the things that went on during Hurricane Sandy in NY will show that the government has a lot to deal with in addition to just trying to get your cell phone service back up so even though that was a pretty short-term event, it caused a lot of problems.
Cell phone communication has a lot of vulnerabilities that make it a poor solution for widespread or long-term emergencies.
Heavy winds or flooding can disrupt the cables between towers such as during Hurricane Sandy.
Cell towers require AC power to operate so if they don’t have an automatic backup system, they stop. Keep in mind that a lot of towers are just glorified antennas on the tops of buildings or mountains and backup power, such as an emergency generator, is a very short-term solution. Generators require fuel and that fuel has to be replenished quite often. In a lot of cases, the only backup power available is a bank of batteries that stop charging when the main power system stops.
Backhaul systems (essentially the system that connects and/or allows overflow from outer systems to the core, often including other carriers) aren’t always reliable. A lot of this system is wired but has been expanded to microwave and other systems.
Most cell phones will only stay charged for a day or three. If you don’t have local power to keep it up, when the system does come back up, you won’t be able to talk to it.
Cell phones require networks, which are vulnerable to hackers, physical attack, or solar storms.
Now don’t get me wrong, for day-to-day emergencies, such as getting a flat tire, a cell phone usually works pretty well. It’s just a crappy solution for big emergencies. They’ll be pretty useless if the national grid goes down due to a cyber attack, EMP or CME, which is actually a lot more likely than you might think.
One cool idea that’s coming out is the goTenna cell phone radio antenna system. Your cell phone connects to it via Bluetooth and an app, and the signal is sent and received through an encrypted radio signal. How awesome is that? It won’t be able to reach to the other side of a city but you should be able to locate your family if they’re in the area and maybe even communicate with others if they have the system.
So if you can’t rely on cell phone service, what other options do you have?
A lot of people grew up watching BJ and the Bear and they remember seeing all the truckers talking over the air with each other. CB radio is definitely more available during an emergency but they have a lot of limitations.
For one, not a lot of people are on CB. You might be able to find someone in a truck but even that’s harder to find. The problem isn’t just the lack of people who use it, it’s the lack of people in your range that use it.
One of the big reasons your range is very limited with CB vs other systems is that they’re limited to 5 watts input which is about 4 watt out. That may be just some vague notion but more power means more distance. At the frequencies that CB radios use, you can only expect to get between 1 and 10 miles or so, depending on the terrain. There could be a million people in the US with their CB’s all on the same channel at the same time, but if they’re not within range, you won’t be talking.
You might think that you could just hack into your ham radio and pump out more power, but the FCC goes after people who do that (just a few examples). Obviously if SHTF, you’re not gonna really care about that but remember that adding more power to transmit and receive farther doesn’t do anything to help you hear the other guy with a normal CB transmitter.
How good are satellite phones in an emergency?
For a lot of emergency situations, satellite phones are pretty good. The first problem with them though is cost. They’re mighty expensive. Not only do you have to shell out for the phone, you have to pay for service and minutes. If you’re stranded somewhere though, it may be worth the cost.
They don’t always work though. I had one with me at all times when I was in Uganda, and it came in hella handy at times. They don’t like jungles though due to the trees blocking the satellites and contrary to what every freaking movie shows, they don’t work indoors or inside a ship like they kept showing in World War Z (which was a decent movie but movie mistakes like that drive me crazy).
The real problem is that it’s highly unlikely you’d need it in a normal household so they’re ONLY good for emergencies and probably not worth the cost.
Another big problem is that just like cell phones, they rely on the satellites to function so if the satellites stop working, then so do the satellite phones. Obviously. Solar storms and CMEs have taken out satellites in the past. They will do it again.
For local communication, GMRS, FRS and MURS radios are pretty good. They don’t require an FCC license for FRS and MURS, they’re cheap, and easy to use. They’ve pretty much replaced CB radios for a lot of families. As such, even though they’re an improvement, they have a lot of the same limitation on power and range.
If you have a true GMRS radio, you may be able to tap into a repeater, which will expand your range to possibly hundreds of miles, but the repeater obviously has to be running, and you have to be within range of the repeater for your radio to hit it. GMRS radios are also allowed to operate at higher power than a lot of other radios. You also need a license to use GMRS frequencies.
Basically, if you’re considering one of these radio systems for emergency use, go with a true GMRS radio and get the license.
I have one of these – AWESOME radio!
So now that I’ve gone through several options that you could choose, but obviously from the title I don’t recommend, let’s look at ham radio.
Ham radio is the go-to communication system for pretty much every emergency response system and is what MARS (the Military Auxiliary Radio System) and ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) both use, as well as many search and rescue and other emergency groups.
One of the nice things is that a lot of ham radios can reach the national weather system (NOAA) frequencies. That means that if you have a radio, you can find out what’s going on in the area. If you have a radio scanner , you can listen to what’s going on with emergency frequencies as well as any other that the scanner can reach, and you don’t have to know which one they’re transmitting on. That’s why they call it a scanner. It goes in a loop up through whatever frequencies you tell it to and it stops if it hears someone transmitting.
34.90: Used nationwide by the National Guard during emergencies.
39.46: Used for inter-department emergency communications by local and state police forces.
47.42: Used across the United States by the Red Cross for relief operations.
52.525: Calling frequency used by ham radio operators in FM on their six-meter band.
121.50: International aeronautical emergency frequency.
138.225: Disaster relief operations channel used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; it is active during earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and other catastrophic events.
146.52: Used by ham radio operators for non-repeater communications on the two-meter band; it is very busy in many parts of the country.
151.625: Used by “itinerant” businesses, or those that travel about the country. Circuses, exhibitions, trade shows, and sports teams are some of the users you can hear. Other widely used itinerant channels are 154.57 and 154.60.
154.28: Used for inter-department emergency communications by local fire departments; 154.265 and 154.295 also used.
155.160: Used for inter-department emergency communications by local and state agencies during search and rescue operations.
155.475: Used for inter-department emergency communications by local and state police forces.
156.75: Used internationally for broadcasts of maritime weather alerts.
156.80: International maritime distress, calling, and safety channel. All ships must monitor this frequency while at sea. It is also heavily used on rivers, lakes, etc.
162.40: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.425: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.45: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.475: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.50: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.525: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.55: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
163.275: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
163.4875: Used nationwide by the National Guard during emergencies.
163.5125: The national disaster preparedness frequency used jointly by the armed forces.
164.50: National communications channel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
168.55: National channel used by civilian agencies of the federal government for communications during emergencies and disasters.
243.00: Used during military aviation emergencies.
259.70: Used by the Space Shuttle during re-entry and landing.
296.80: Used by the Space Shuttle during re-entry and landing.
311.00: Flight channel used by the U.S. Air Force.
317.70: Used by U.S. Coast Guard aviation.
317.80: Used by U.S. Coast Guard aviation.
319.40: Used by the U.S. Air Force.
340.20: Used by U.S. Navy aviators.
409.20: National communications channel for the Interstate Commerce Commission.
409.625: National communications channel for the Department of State.
462.675: Used for emergency communications and traveler assistance in the General Mobile Radio Service.
Here is a large list of different frequencies that you could use to put together a list of channels to follow during an emergency or other times.
Ham radio operation requires a license, but as you can see in this article, they’re easy to get. This isn’t quite as daunting as it seems, especially considering you don’t need to learn Morse code anymore, but it still requires some studying.
There are three main levels of licensing: Technician, General and Extra. The higher license you get, the more frequencies you can use. This is important. The lower license will get you started but you really need the higher licenses if you want to communicate around the world.
So why is it important to get a license? In non-emergency life, you have to be concerned that the FCC will go after you if you transmit on a frequency that you’re not allowed to operate. For you to be ready for a SHTF scenario, you need to have the equipment and practice with it in order to make sure you’ll be able to get through.
Just like with FCC investigators and volunteers who track down offenders (you have to call out your FCC callsign every 10 minute on the air or you’ll probably get some unwanted attention), if you find yourself in martial law and don’t want to be found, they can track you down pretty easily.
So why does it matter about what frequencies? Just like with CB radios and the others, the frequency will affect how far you can transmit/receive a signal. This can be pretty complicated so it’s best to get a good book on antennas and propagation, and work with more experienced people to help you get going.
There are a LOT of people around the world who use amateur radio. These people are typically in tune with dealing with emergencies or working with communicating with people in different scenarios. Because of the range ham radios can get, it’s a LOT easier to get a hold of someone during an emergency. These people are also extremely resourceful so even if they don’t have a working radio (such as after an EMP pulse), they can make one.
I currently have three ham radios. An inexpensive Baofeng UV-5R handheld that I keep on my Harley, a great Yaesu VX-6R waterproof handheld with an upgraded antenna that I keep in my bug out bag, and a portable Yaesu FT-857d radio that I can run off a 12v battery. I’m seriously considering upgrading to the Yaesu VX-8DR though because it’s pretty awesome. You might prefer the VX-8GR though.
A big part of getting your signal out and hearing others is the antenna so if you get a handheld, I’d suggest upgrading the antenna like I mentioned above. Keep in mind also that if you get a Baofeng that their antenna connections are different so you’ll need an adapter in some cases.
There are a lot of repeaters around the world that can help you transmit long distances with just a little radio. Basically, a repeater will listen to the little radios in its immediate surroundings and then blast the signal out for hundreds, or thousands, of miles. Obviously the repeaters need to be functioning to do this but people who have repeaters are usually up on emergency communication and will have backup power systems. If they go down, they usually know how to fix it.
There are even repeaters that use the internet so if you tap into a repeater and type in the address of a remote repeater in another country, what you say on your little radio will blast out to that point on the other side of the world. I talked to a guy in Australia on the first day I got my Yaesu handheld that way.
Because ham radio people are crafty lot (and some places don’t allow antennas), there is a whole sub-genre of ways to make antennas so they can’t be detected (by sight, not by signal). Antennas can be made out of flagpoles, ladders, fences, railings, and a lot of other things in plain sight. They can also be hidden inside things or buried.
There are several books such as Low Profile Amateur Radio: Operating a Ham Station from Almost Anywhere that can show you how to do these (which is a great book, by the way but good luck finding a copy of it).
Stealth Antennas . A British book so it’s geared to that area but most of the ideas are universal.
Stealth Amateur Radio: Operate From Anywhere . One of the best books on the subject.
With the proper knowledge (which you can pretty much only get with practice), you can make a radio out of stuff you can find pretty much anywhere that will transmit on frequencies that you can reach other people. Not only is this useful to hide your antennas, it could seriously come in handy if you had to make an antenna in an emergency.
Obviously, the more experience you have with radios, the easier it’ll be for you to do something like this.
As I’ve mentioned, amateur radio operators are not only creative and resourceful, they’re very in tune with handling emergency situations. There are several groups that use ham radio for dealing with disasters or for search and rescue. The two biggest are Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) and Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES).
If you want to get started learning about ham radio as an effective emergency communications system for you or your family, check out the Prepared Ham Forum. My buddy AD owns the site, and it’s great for learning and asking questions. Lots of helpful people on there to help out.
With the right equipment and some practice, you can easily get around the world. And, you don’t have to actually buy a radio to do it. That’s one of the greatest things about learning and using ham radio. You can literally make a working radio out of scrap. There will always be scrap. You will always be able to make a radio.
A foxhole radio was used by GI’s during WWII and beyond. The cool thing is that it doesn’t require a power source and is made from simple parts like a pencil and razor blade. It’s only a receiver though.
There are many, many, many ways to make a radio out of household items. Way too many to list them here. Suffice it to say that with all the wires and old electronics laying around, making a simple radio receiver is pretty simple. Just like the foxhole radio, these pretty much only receive. They can also be made to use power from the signal itself so they don’t all need anything else to power them.
Spark-gap transmitters are pretty simple to make. The good thing is that they transmit over a HUGE frequency range so pretty much anyone nearby is gonna hear it.
The bad things are that they’re illegal (for the same reason) and can zap the heck out of you if you’re not careful. You also have to learn Morse code or create your own in order to have anyone have any idea what you’re trying to say.
If you don’t have a ham radio license yet (or actually, even if you do), you should look at getting an emergency shortwave radio so you can listen into weather bulletins etc. The Safe-T-Proof radio is a great little one to have because you can charge it with a hand crank or the solar panel, it has a flashlight and a cell phone charger outlet on it too.
It won’t have the range of a ham radio with a good antenna, but it could be really useful in an emergency, and you don’t have to worry about running out of power.
So, there are many different ways to communicate during a disaster situation or if society collapses but for the most flexible and effective way, you should seriously look into getting your ham radio license and start playing with it. It’s a great hobby and one that could be the difference between finding your family in an emergency or losing them.
Either way, make sure whatever you do that you come up with an emergency communications plan beforehand.
I hope you’ll consider posting an article on the integration of your Yaesu FT-857d into your BOV. I received my Technicians license recently, and want to outfit my BOV with a HAM rig also. But, being new to amateur radio, I need some tips on what to look for in a mobile radio, antenna, antenna tuner, and any other considerations. Seeing how you’ve setup your mobile HAM rig would be very helpful.
Many thanks for your decades of service, and for sharing your tactical knowledge with us.
Thanks for the lift to ham radio. The ham community welcomes all comers. Get in touch with your local ARRL member club for licensing, training and just plain old help. Used gear available cheaper than new. ARRL.org.
Might also consider a rockmite tiny transceiver, can fit min an altoids can (without options). Youi would need to know CW (morse) however. But agreed, thanks for the “HAM” props.
Great article, Amateur Radio is something I have been thinking about getting a licence for, and really interested in that book, Low Profile Amateur Radio: Operating a Ham Station from Almost Anywhere, it sounds like it could be just the thing for the area I live in. Just one problem, on Amazon.co.uk it costs £1,339.08 new. Even used it costs £461.68. A little more then I want to pay for a book.
I can vouch for what Graywolf said about cell phones in a disaster. Last year several officers (including me) were called up by my department to go to Moore, Ok. after the tornados ripped into that city. Cell coverage was almost completely down for about a day in that area. I could get an occasional text message in/out, but calls, internet, or group text messages…..no dice!
Plan ahead of time as to who your messaging should go through. In the event of a disaster, we have one person everyone checks in with, and they keep a tab on who is ok and who they haven’t heard from. We also have a backup person in the event that a disaster strikes the primary person’s area.
I would just like to add that I would not recommend Baofeng radios due to their quality control issues. I own three of these radios and each one has a QC issue that makes them not dependable for an emergency situation. I see too many reviews where people like the radio based solely on the price alone and ignore all the other factors that make these radios a poor choice. Not to mention programming a Baofeng is a real pain unless you use CHIRP software which is free and easy to use. If Baofeng increased their quality control these would be a great radio.
the issues with Baofengs QC supposedly (key word there) have been taken care of. The problem was a faulty supply of generic chips they were using. Your comment is VERY valid, and I would personally like to hear from more people on this, in specific, WHEN they purchased their radio, any dates marked on it, and nay issues if any, other than the programming. which is a nature of the beast thing. Quite frankly, anyone as a member of a group, who have these radios SHOULD program them with the software, so that they are all the same, so that if one persons is damaged another can hand them theirs and all settings are the same…. for example the channel numbers match the same frequencies and so forth, simplifying operation, “Operator A qsy to channel 9” instead of “qsy to 458.950” for speed simplicity and security.
I have the BaoFeng BF-F8+, the newer radio. I’ve used it in the field every few weeks for the past 6 months, it has held up great. I use a cloning cable to copy my frequency set to other radios for my wife and friends. The only downside is they are not water resistant in any sense. Nothing a properly sized o-ring at the antenna base and waterproof bag can’t solve.
1. The three Amateur licenses are: Technician, General, *Extra* (vice Technician, General and *Amateur*).
2. A sentence below the Amateur Radio Frequency Chart says… “you have to call out your FCC every 10 minute on the air…” <– this SHOULD say that "you have to call out your FCC *call sign* every 10 minutes…"
3. In the Repeaters section, just to help clarify a bit… repeaters that are connected to the Internet do not "blast out to that point on the other side of the world". They simply send the voice/data via a unicast (1-to-1) packet(s) over the Internet to that distant repeater. Once arriving at that distant repeater, the voice/data is then "blasted" out over the local (VHF/UHF) line-of-sight coverage of that repeater's antenna. Result is the same… just wanted to avoid any readers thinking that this did not STILL rely on the Internet being functional, or that the voice/data was being "broadcast" globally.
4. Just in case anyone left this article thinking: "oh… lots of ways to MAKE radios from household stuff… and it's EASY, so why bother spending any money", because this was said in the reading; I would HIGHLY discourage that thinking! You may be able to build SOMETHING that will pull a signal out of the air… but transmitting, and/or even receiving selectively over a LARGE potential RF spectrum is NOT something you're going to slap together from parts around the house! BUY a few radios and educate yourself on their usage. Baofengs and Wouxun's (yes… they're made in China) are DAMNED good radios when you consider their price!
4. Just so no one sends me any "hate" comments for adding my insights… I LOVE this site and think there is a LOT of GREAT info here!
lol. Thanks B24, I sometimes write these on my iphone or ipad so I miss stupid details like that so what I mean to say and what I end up typing sometimes don’t always match. Plus, sometimes I’ve had several Guinnesses by the end of the post.
I’m curious to know if you can make SatPhone to SatPhone calls if SHTF and power was down across a huge area, say the entire east or west coast. As long as the satellites themselves are still functioning, which is a big assumption, I know… SatPhone to SatPhone calls should be fine?
Satphones would still work unless something from the ground causes them to shut down like a command signal. You just gotta keep your satphones charged.
Sat phone to sat phone works if you have the other sat phone number. Some sat phones have a regular 10-digit number (sometimes a 800 toll free number). In an incident a couple of years ago the DC region experienced a large area outage of the ground phone system. Many satellite phone users couldn’t use their cell phones because they didn’t know the actual phone number for the cell phones.
Sat phones do not all work via terrestrial link. Only higher end units have that function. The most common sat phone is strictly Satellite based, particularly since the introduction of the multiband cell phone which makes has allowed for international use of the (CELL) phone. Also, anything that brings down the terrestrial net work would make a functioning sat phone, in either mode sat or ter, worthless as the network they need to access would not be up. We had used them extensively, and abandoned them due to their unreliability,,, a simple cloud would interfere with their connections unless you had a fairly large dish with you.
Sat phones aren’t the end-all solution. The assuredness of whether or not a call goes thru is often dependent on the the condition of the land based system — just like cell phones and land lines are.
A sat call from your handheld sat phone goes up to one of the passing satellites (like one of the many in the Iridium system) The satellite relays the call to a ground station located “somewhere”, the ground station then sorts out the destination of the call (to another sat phone, to a cell phone or to a land line).
If the call is to a cell phone or other landline phone, then the signal is routed from the satellite receiving station into the “ground based” communication links (like wires, microwave, internet, etc) and on to the receiving phone. At this point the condition of the ground based system becomes the deciding factor on whether the call gets thru or not.
If its to another sat phone, it may link it back up to the same satellite and on to the destination phone — assuming that intended sat phone is in the same “shadow coverage area”.
In this case the call will likely go thru.
But if the down link – to uplink require ground stations that are far apart to get to the area where an overhead satellite has coverage to where the receiving sat phone is located , the call could go thru a ground based system (based on wires/microwave or internet). Then the outcome of whether the call goes thru or not again depends on the condition of the ground based transmission system.
As an example — if you were in the midst of the Katrina wreckage and tried to use a sat phone to try to call your family’s cell phone which was located several miles away but also in the Katrina carnage area that wiped out cell towers, your call wouldn’t go thru.
You want to know how to communicate, with no infrastructure (no repeaters, satellites, towers, internet, etc), with minimal equipment, with minimal power (small battery, solar, etc), over long distances, then talk to a ham operator that does hf field qrp radio. By this i mean less than 5 watts output on shortwave frequences of 3-30mhz. They take tiny relatively simple radios, some on ssb voice but most on cw (morse code) and commonly communicate hundreds and sometimes thousands of miles. Some even do 1 watt or less output with fractions of a watt on receive. Weakness is the ionosphere and what the condition of it is at any given time. They do simple contests throughout the year. How do i know? i am one. I rarely do a contest without contacting a few but often dozens.
154.57 and 154.60 are part of MURS now, businesses previously licensed for those freqs (blue/green dot) can still use them but don’t believe they were ever designated for itinerant use. 163.275 isn’t used by the NWS/NOAA any longer.
I chose a different route for SHTF/disaster comms, you won’t find me on here: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAdvanced.jsp Yes, I practice too, and it doesn’t require long ragchews on a daily basis to do so. If that’s the desire then the license is the way to go, but for SHTF use it’s not necessarily a requirement. With the amount of new amateurs getting licensed since the FCC dropped the code requirement and made the test questions available, it’s easier than ever to get lost in the crowd. In many ways choosing to skip the license requires more radio knowledge than actually getting a license does, in the same way that it requires more knowledge about bank operations if you plan to make a withdraw from one when you don’t have an account there :-).
163.2750 MHz is a frequency that is owned and administered by the NTIA for Federal Government use only. Civilian operations on 162-174 MHz is prohibited in this case.
Ham radio test questions have been made available to the public longer than I have been a licensed operator and I have been licensed since Sept 1992. So it is not new by any means. It is up to the ITU to add or drop any radio requirement as they are the worldwide governing body. It is then up to the NTIA and the FCC to effect those changes. Morse Code was dropped in 2003 by the ITU. It was not until 2006 for the FCC to finally drop the Morse Code requirement as well.
The written examination is not designed to make you a first class radio operator right out of the starting gate. The test was designed to test the very minimum of a radio operator. There is much more to learn about radio operation and theory once you get your license to transmit.
The test questions were available when I fires became licensed in 1961. They were part of the license manual as they are today. There seems to be some persons for what ever nonsensical reason do not want to become licensed, but still want to use the amateur radio spectrum. Maybe they apply it to driving, also .
Such a good article. I wonder if I can build a spark gap transmitter for demonstrations purposes. Not to use of course. I have build a fox hole radio and it’s fun if a bit quiet.
You can certainly build one but if you try it out, someone will eventually start a fox hunt to track you down.
As always, thanks for this info. And thanks to everyone who is also adding in on the comments. I’d really like to get started on a HAM license, but just not in the “budget” right now to get the equipment to get started.
I’d love to be able to do all that but I unfortunately can’t buy or try bunches of every prepper kind of item. If I linked to something on Amazon, it was the best item at the time of the article. I also unfortunately can’t go back through every article for every item every time something’s updated.
This may be a dumb question, and forgive me since I am very new to the idea of prepping. Will a ham radio (on or off) after an EMP going to be functional?
Sorry I just saw this question in my queue (I get thousands of comments and most are spam). A ham radio can be functional after an EMP (theoretically) if it’s adequately protected and not connected to anything outside that protection, including the antenna or power supply.
First The list of amateur frequencies you listed only contained two Amateur freqs. the six meter calling frequency and the two meter calling freq. the rest are reserved for other services.
Next, even with todays awesome solid state rigs, with an EMP /cme you are screwed. Invest in at least one old school 100% tube type ham rig, and make sure it works. most of these will need the old capacitors replaced, but are not susceptible to emp type burn out as there are no solid state devices in them.
Third, Learn about PACKET Radio. it is a simple but efficient way to set up a text based network that you can implement fairly inexpensively with older computers and even a cheap hand held radio that has none of the bells or whistles. you can get a chain of people together to transmit text messages as many miles as the group of people are linked. this means 100 people who can only transmit 22 miles max, EACH can send messages 2000 miles if they are in the correct geographic locations in relation to each other. And finally despite what Spirit claims, Marine/ MURS/ GMRS radio is worthless other than local contact. The power available to the rigs is limiting in the respect that it wont get you further than 25 miles max without a functioning repeater. Ham Radio is the ONLY service that has rigs built that put out over 50 watts (even over 100 and commercial built amplifiers that go over 1000 watts) The bottom line is he has based much speculation without any factual proof in his commentary. I’ve been a practicing ham radio operator for multiple decades, I can sit anyone down and show them how to get their license with minimal effort. I have taught hundreds of hams how to get their licenses, and the only ones who have failed are those who refused to dedicate a handful of minutes a day to simple online study that doesn’t cost a cent, and is there to use for the taking. It is essentially a web based automated form of the Method Gordon West uses. And As for Spirits comment about the FCC making the questions available? They were available from the very first DAY that ham radio licenses were required, BY FEDERAL LAW… It is Sad that people find it so important to post nonsense to make themselves feel so much more important, especially in an arena where we are disseminating information that can mean the difference between Life and Death.
We enjoyed your website and your frequency list. It is always good to collect more channel frequencies for various areas of the world. Survivalist SHTF prepper radio communications.
Well yeah, I used it to find terrorists in Afghanistan and a couple other countries, but they also have cameras on every street corner and drones and satellites so if you really wanna be safe then you shouldn’t go outside – ever. It all comes down to mission requirements and risk mitigation. I’m not really concerned about the government finding me.
RDF is significantly harder with HF frequencies. I transmitter hunt on 2meters and its really pretty easy. Of course if the Gvt is looking for you seriously not much will help. Harder does not mean not possible.
Excellent article. Thank you. Looking forward to the info on reliable chinese radios. Currently setting family up with VX3R ‘s and VX5 or VX7 the VX8 is a bit to pricy and Im not sure I would use all its good stuff. VX8gr does not have a wide open a receiver (I know this is a mixed blessing) but in a real mess up a lot of the other transmitters will be down. I also have a couple of 2at’s for back up, if nothing else we can hit zombies in the head with them in between transmissions. Also going to build a couple of rock mites with the boys, fun little kit.
Thanks for pointing out the need for practice with gear. Things will be a mess in an emergency until all the radios people dont know how to use break. A note about default frequencies on those radios would be helpful.
Hi Rose. That’s not a radio, it’s a piece of test equipment used to measure and generate frequencies so it won’t be any good for you.
After SHTF, repeaters will not be operational as they require people to operate them and power to power them.
A highly (modded) CB radio will talk as far as you need to as long as you understand basic antenna principals.
It still does not hurt to have a good radio like a yaesu FT-60. The old Cobra 29 will likely get more use though.
Most repeaters have backup power supplies and people who run them who could figure things out if SHTF. Besides, if you’re on the right frequencies, you can get around the world on your own with a ham radio without a repeater. You cannot do that on a CB radio. It will not work. CB frequencies will not travel around the world. Some ham radio frequencies will.
Many Ham repeater sites have backup power.
The LIMARC repeater on Long Island is on a commercial rooftop with many other repeaters and has emergency power. It was operational throughout Hurricane Sandy, and was my only form of reliable communications during that time. An informal net ran during much of the hurricane, where Hams help spread information on which Gas stations were open, etc.
Only two of those frequencies are authorized to amateur radio operators: 52.525 MHz and 146.52 MHz.
The remainder of the list are scattered among commercial, military, maritime, public safety, and aeronautical services.
Under no circumstances (unless they have a licenses to transmit there) should anyone use those frequencies.
I really encourage you to update this post.
Nowhere did I say you need to be transmitting on all those frequencies just because you feel like it. Those are listed for reference because in an emergency situation you could gain information by listening to them – and in a REAL emergency situation, if I HAD to get a hold of someone and could only reach someone on one of those freqs, I’m absolutely going to use it if my radio will tx on it. Anyone who gets a license to be able to transmit legally in the first place would understand this so it’s not like I’m giving out incorrect information.
I’m late to the party as this is article is a year and a half old…but….
A lot (not all) the information given here is technically correct but has no practical value (a spark gap transmitter? Really?). Crystal and foxhole radios are interesting and they really do work, barely, sort of. This article implies that they are a realistic option. I’ve made both and they are not.
The list of “amateur radio emergency frequencies” is mostly frequencies NOT used by amateur radio. I realize this may be a matter of semantics, but when your target audience is people who know nothing about radio, semantics matter.
This article is not factually inaccurate but it is oversimplified almost to the point of being maliciously negligent. Any beginners reading this should know they’re not going to throw together some junk from around the house and have a useful, practical, working radio.
I’ve been a ham for 30 years and a professional technician almost as long. Anyone who suggests a spark gap generator as an option has outed themselves as (and I’m being generous here) someone who absolutely should not be taken seriously.
Some people who come to this site are interested in worst-case information, so I provide it, as well as mostly mainstream information. I also provided the spark gap in particular because it needed a little clearing-up from what I’ve read on other blogs. So you’re saying it’s absolutely, under no circumstances, in any way, shape, or form any kind of solution for anything that could ever possibly happen? I added those additional pieces to make a complete article. I don’t believe I came across in any way that those are the best ways. I also don’t believe it would be impossible for someone to use those in a long-term, grid-down situation, that some of my readers are interested in.
Write your own article if you think you can do better.
Amen, GW. We’re all adults here. The well rounded info presented is much appreciated. You’re always honest and straightforward.
I can think of some highly useful applications for survivalists to understand the basics of a spark gap generator. Not the least of which is potentially jamming communications to UAV’s and drones were we ever invaded by a foreign military.
Wow please get over yourself even novice people understand what was written without your translation and fear of the law mongering. If there is a big enough emergency situation I can tell you while you adhere to the regulations the rest of us are going to transmit and listen to where ever we can, period!
Once you figure out how to set up the antennas and impedences and which frequencies work in which conditions, etc. You can’t do that now without a license. Good luck trying to do that all during an emergency when you need to tx/rx immediately.
Hey, Greywolf. We’re looking to give you a guest writing spot on the site to send back to greywolfsurvival.com on any topic you choose. Let me know if you’re interested.
Hi Ryan. I appreciate it but I definitely don’t have any bandwidth to do that. I haven’t even been able to write for this site for three months.
In the second paragraph you have a link to Amazon. I’m just wondering if you still recommend that one for a beginner? I ask because I noticed this was written over a year ago. Thanks! Very informative!
I linked to that one specifically because it’s pretty much the least expensive ham radio you can get that you can start learning with that will still work. Probably a better idea than tossing out $800 for a Yaesu but it all depends on where you want to put your money.
I believe that there will be a lot more people on the CB if things really go bad for any length of time, primarily because it doesn’t depend on towers or repeaters. A lot of people have old CB units sitting in their basement or garage, and will eventually think of trying it. So I pulled mine out & hooked it up, just to make sure it worked.
One recommendation, based more on rumor than any real knowledge: If you’re looking around for used CB’s at yard sales or on eBay, you might be better off with one of the older 23-channel models instead of the “newer” 40-channel units. I have heard from a number of people (who should know) that the power on the 23-channel models is significantly higher than the newer ones — that the government dropped the max power output when the 23 to 40-channel change was made.
Also — they used to have devices, usually called a “power mike” that would boost the output of your CB signal tremendously. I believe they were technically illegal, but a lot of truckers had them anyway.
I also understand that “base station” CB’s have a lot more allowed power than the usual 12-volt vehicle-type or hand-held models. The trade-off being, of course, that it might be easier to find 12-volt power than 110-volt if the grid falls apart.
Ham radio doesn’t require a tower either. It just expands your range by many times. You can talk without it.
Ok iam 73 I been do this stuff since I was about 6 years old SWL thats short wave listener. QRP hit it the closes on the button. which Iam one low power station. real low. i live in lower arizona and have reach around the world Indian ocean union Island. zulu south africa new zealand little Islands in the pacific japan i can go on and on its fun and great to do. I know you do it to with your 500 watt lintard big deal try 5 watts stupid. OK first you got to read try Shrader electronic communication. the books get bigger after that. Attennta books must read. Grounding is the beganing must read. I live next door to a man that ran voice america in dixon cailf. he said billy put a ground rod down. today I got four ground rods down on river bottom land that i pour ten pound of rock salt on every year maybe the only salt marce in arizona belive me it works ten foot rods does it no high power lines around. attennas are fun built your own or pay a thounsand or better. i built attennas that nasa had to come and look at. one they came flying out of sky but thats still top secret. thank god for area 51. radios listeners win. alagader lose. tune in listen. you learn so much by keeping your mouth shut. low power morse code will get you going really good. and its all easy.
OK this is top secret stuff . when earth talks to the people on the moon . they use a half of a watt of power. and thats real. not bad for playing on the radio.
now that top secret dont tell anyone.
trying to find an easy to follow instruction to set up bao-feng radios?
Try youtube. I don’t have the link but I’ve seen some good ones there.
Is there anything / device out there that could replace the cell phone incase of an emergency that could be recharged by a solar panel and that don’t need uncle sam’s involvement to use for our family ?
A ham radio will do all that.
Thanks Victoria. I’d love to be able to write short posts but every time I try, it ends up being long because I want people to know enough to adapt what they know to real life.
So what would be the best for shtf/martial law scenario where one would like to not be tracked?
One I’ve personally been involved in, where you’re in a foreign country and the political climate changes for the worse.
BRAVO ZULU on a GR8 series of posts.
Out here on the NW edge of the Atlantic (@ FN41so) we are ready for SH’gTF in hurricane season, so a warhead exchange shouldn’t be much of a challenge – RELATIVELY SPEAKING !
I agree that ham radios are the optimal choice in an emergency situation. We use older generation Jedi series motorola radios because of their durability as well as they are intrinsically safe if you are on a situation where there may be a natural gas leak or at various chemical plants.
Recent events have caused me to attempt to start prepping. I’m a single woman in my late 50’s on a fixed income. I have no family, but I do have a close friend who lives less than a mile away. I would like to be able to communicate with her if SHTF. I would also like to be able to hear police and other emergency broadcasts in my area. I live in a fairly small town about 40 miles from Atlanta, GA. If anyone reads this, could you recommend a radio that would do the job for me? Thanks in advance.
Hello. I am new to this but have been prepping for a few years now my husband and I are slightly older disabled pensioners and we live in Northern Ontario, Canada. Came across your site and like the posts hope to find out lots more from this site. Looking forward to reading and or participating we are trying to learn everything that we will need to know. Thanks for reading.
thanks you really made my day i programed my baofeng uv-r5 fm ham radio o was talking to a friend that lives i dwight illinois i live here up in joilet illinois thanks i made very good contact. | 2019-04-18T22:35:30 | https://graywolfsurvival.com/2716/ham-radio-best-shtfdisaster-communication/ |
Sariska Tiger Foundation is a non-profit, voluntary and registered organization. The Foundation is a group of nature enthusiasts committed to ensuring welfare of Sariska Tiger Reserve and people living in and around it. To begin with the strategy of the Foundation is work in collaboration with the management of the reserve and cooperation of the local people. | 2019-04-21T06:25:46 | http://sariskatigerfoundation.org/objective.htm |
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Used GEA Westfalia RSE-60 disk stack centrifuge. Built 2008. Used primarily for vegetable oil refining, neutralization, degumming, water washing, etc.
GEA Westfalia SA1 separator available for purchase or pilot testing. The centrifuge can be configured as a clarifier (separation of one solid phase from one liquid phase) or separator (separation of two liquid phases from one solid phase). Application flow rates vary from 0.5 GPM – 2 GPM. 3 HP motor, 230/460V, 3-phase, 60 cycle.
H&H model 5500. 16″ x 55″ bowl dimensions. 10 degree beach angle. 304/316 stainless steel product contact areas. GB-53 gearbox. Tiled conveyor. Last used in rendered fat processing. With basic VFD control system. 460 – 480V. 50 HP motor. Excellent of oilfield drilling mud using, rendering, wastewater treatment, etc.
One (1) rebuilt Kubco K3400 (14″ x 48″) decanter centrifuges set up for oilfield drilling mud. 50HP Explosion proof motor and controls. 52/1 ratio gearboxes with trip-arm device. Tungsten-carbide tiled conveyors. Technical equivalent to a Sharples P-3400, Hutchison Hayes 3400 or Derrick DE-1000 centrifuge.
Two (2) Sharples P-5000 decanter centrifuges. P-180 gearboxes reported. Stainless steel rotating assemblies. 25″ x 66″ bowl dimensions. Ideal “big bowl” decanter for oilfield drilling mud. Last used in ethanol DDGS separation.
Sharples P660 decanter centrifuge. 6″ x 15″ bowl dimensions. Rated for 3,180 x G-force at 6000 RPM. Stainless steel product contact areas. On stand with motors. 7.5 HP main drive motor. 3 HP back drive motor. 460-480V, 3 phase , 60 Hz. Contact us for additional details. F.O.B. Amarillo, Texas.
Sharples PM-35000 (17″ x 50″) decanter centrifuge. All stainless steel product contact areas. Tiled conveyor. 360 degree discharge. P-125 gearbox (125 : 1 ratio). Fiberglass cover (NOTE: stainless steel cover can be fabricated on request).
Used Sharples PM-35000 decanter centrifuge. Stainless steel product contact areas. P-125, 125:1 gearbox ratio. With controls and motor.
Sharples SP-6500 “Sludge-Pak” Solid Bowl Basket Centrifuge. 316 stainless steel product contact parts. 48″ x 30″ bowl dimensions. 30 HP motor. 1400 bowl RPM. 900 x G-force. Top feed, bottom dump design.
Three (3) Sharples P180 gearboxes available for purchase. One 95/1 and one 47.5/1 ratios. Used on Sharples models P-5000, P-5400, P-75000, P-76000, P-85000 and P-95000. Available for insepction, F.O.B. Amarillo, Texas – USA.
Tema – Siebtechnik H-700 Screen Scroll Centrifuge.
Westfalia OSA20-02-566. Two (2) available.
Reconditioned Westfalia RSA-150-01 centrifuge. Ideal for vegetable oil refining, degumming, soap stock separation, biodiesel and more. Machine can be purchased as a stand-alone unit or complete with tools, new control system, start-up assistance, etc. | 2019-04-19T06:46:30 | https://kytecentrifuge.com/inventory/ |
The domain name is propagated to children items.
Disciplines may be common to several domains. In the item hierarchy, domains shall be located above discipline. So you have to create discipline items with the same name under each domain.
Note: Domain is propagated to all children items along item hierarchy. | 2019-04-20T12:50:31 | http://www.eunomia-process.com/user_manual/site/Process_classes/Domain/overview.htm |
Bandai Namco has today launched Battleline: Steel Warfare for PC (on Steam).
Battleline: Steel Warfare will feature a new “Divisions” feature. Divisions are like guilds, and let players band together to take down their opponents. The launch also improves the game’s progression, making it easier for players to unlock their first tier of tanks.
Battleline: Steel Warfare is a fresh take on strategy tank shooters with an impressive roster of tanks to use in combat, and we are excited to bring the game to Steam and open ourselves up to a new group of players. Creant Studios has created a highly dynamic game that adds an unique strategic element to classic tank shooters, and we’re delighted to see players take to the battlefield.
RuneScape has revealed The Shifting Tombs, a new and fast-paced skilling activity for mid- and high-level players.
With this new class, players will be able to sacrfice their HP in order to defeat enemies and defend allies.
flaregames GmbH announces the release of Throne Wars for Windows Phone. | 2019-04-21T01:03:12 | https://mmohuts.com/news/battleline-steel-warfare-launches-pc/ |
Business, medical, construction and development interests have poured money into the gubernatorial campaign of Republican Robert Bentley, while labor unions and PACs that received contributions from gambling have been a major source of cash for the campaign of Democrat Ron Sparks.
An analysis of the most recent campaign disclosure forms in the governor's race, filed last week, shows that both candidates received a majority of their major contributions from political action committees.
Of the $3.3 million Bentley raised since the runoff, his largest contribution came from the Republican Party of Alabama PAC, which put in $435,000 drawn from businesses, other PACs, individuals and other Republican candidates.
The retired dermatologist also got a big boost from medical interests, including a $250,000 donation from Alabama Medical PAC, $25,000 from the dental PAC, $15,000 from the state anesthesiologists PAC, plus numerous individual contributions from doctors. Coupling the medical PAC donations with contributions from individuals identifying themselves as doctors, Bentley collected a total of $334,925 from medical sources.
Political fundraiser Mike Echols of Tuscaloosa rounded up $220,540 for the Bentley campaign, contributing through PACs fueled by a variety of interests, including construction and nursing homes.
The nursing home industry also gave through its PACs, contributing $103,500.
PACs operated by Tuscaloosa's Ryan deGraffenried III, which took in money from a variety of businesses including construction and paving, contributed $130,000 to the Bentley campaign. The same amount came from the constellation of business-oriented PACs operated by Montgomery lobby firm Fine Geddie.
Montgomery lobbyist Clark Richardson distributed $64,000 from his clients and $50,000 came from PACs operated by Birmingham governmental affairs consultant Steve Bradley.
Trucking industry PACs gave $50,000 to Bentley.
PACs related to the construction and road-building industry gave heavily to Bentley, including $80,000 from cement producers PACS; $50,000 from the Alabama Builder's PAC and $47,000 from the Associated Builders and Contractors PAC. PACs related to the coal industry gave Bentley $31,000.
Of contributions to Bentley $1,000 or greater, $267,500 came from businesses, $979,683 came from individuals and $1.4 million came from PACs.
Of the $783,306 Sparks raised since his last report, the biggest chunk came directly from the state teacher's union, A-Vote, which gave $105,000.
In addition, Sparks received $17,000 from PACs operated by lobbyist Joe Cottle, which were largely funded by the teacher's union.
Sparks, who is running on his proposals to establish a lottery and legalize and tax casino gambling, took in $128,500 from PACs operated by lobbyists who have received donations either directly or indirectly from gambling interests.
That includes $57,500 from lobbyist John Teague's PACs and $28,500 from John Crawford PACs.
In addition to the teacher's union, Sparks also received $76,000 from a variety of unions.
Coal industry PACs gave Sparks $25,000.
Montgomery governmental affairs consultant Harvey E. Cauthen Jr. and his PACs gave Sparks $20,000.
Among major donors, Sparks got $62,500 from businesses, $174,600 from individuals and $406,500 from PACs. | 2019-04-22T00:53:40 | http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2010/09/alabama_pacs_give_most_to_stat.html |
The town is divided into three wards with six councillors representing each one. You can find out whether you are in East, North or West Ward and other relevant ward information, here.
Councillors are required by law to register any interests, which can be viewed here.
Click on the councillor's name or picture for more information. | 2019-04-19T22:47:51 | http://rosstc-herefordshire.gov.uk/councillors.php |
In the year 1098 of the Moonless Age, Femi Val'Jaal'darya set out on an expedition to recover legendary flowers that were said to have felled an entire nation. Little did the citizens of Chel'el'Sussoloth know, she and her benefactor Snadhya'rune Vel'Sharen held nefarious plans for this highly virulent mana plant.
It starts as a seed, and it may come in parasitic flower form, that can attach to your head and drains your aura dry after prolonged exposure to the flower. The flower appears to produce the initial spores this way. An individual can also become infected through exposure to the flower's pollen, and it spreads via these spores, remaining contagious even after the person has died. You can prevent yourself from being infected by using mana shields (or sealing off with glass or another solid material) when near the source.
Stage 1 of incubation is feeling physically ill, and presumably animals can detect it (like ferals). Constant itching on the face is also a sign, because the flower typically grows on the crown of the head or side of the face.
Stage 2 is hallucination and visible lesions on the skin--it takes about 5 days to get to Stage 2. After 10 days since contact with the spores, the lesions grow much worse as do hallucinations. At this point in time, presumably the flower has sprouted and is producing spores.
Stage 3 occurs when the infected experiences nothing but hallucination as as they slowly die. They may even become an desiccated husk when the flower finishes its victims off, leaving the victims' bodies ready for the formation of more spores.
The young Blossom, former childhood friend of both Empress Diva'ratrika and Ash'waren Val'Sullisin'rune, had fled underground with the rest of her people, following the Great War. There, her people founded a city, with Blossom as its queen following her mother's death. Blossom had her potential suitors find a surface flower to please the Queen, and one male made it his quest to find one. Though his journey was treacherous, the male found a dryad who gave him a seed for Blossom to raise. Overjoyed, she cultivated this seed and made the male her lover and champion.
Blossom soon discovered that the red flowers had a curious effect: they would take root and grow on the victim's head, turning them into a mindless, docile carrier of poisonous spores. However, she and her people mistook this for a calming effect, and assumed the enduring peace in the nation was created through unity in the flower.
Eventually, the poisonous flower claims many lives--including Blossom herself. Aside from the champion who never took a flower, the only way other nations recieve news of her city's fall is from the mouths of the scant few survivors.
In the year 1098 of the Moonless Age, The Blue Banner relic hunter forces were contracted by a band of Jaal'darya women to search the ancient surface ruins of Amaranth's people. They were promised any loot found in the ruins as incentive, and the relic hunters were eager to explore. This group came across a corpse covered in mold--though they examined the vicinity of this corpse, the search found no loot to be had. The relic hunters soon began to feel ill and hallucinate, all while the mana shielded-Jaal'darya observed the progression of the sickness at a distance. Several days had passed, and the Blue Banners were too growing mold on their bodies.
In the year 1114 of the Moonless Age, Chel was engulfed in a war for control of the city.
As Femi conducted her lethal experiments to refine the flower spores into a liquid solution, her daughter Wafay grew suspicious of the activities. She felt it was her responsibility to stop the Nidra'chaal influence her mother had brought into the clan, and young Wafay made the journey to seek Val'Sarghress help.
Shortly after Wafay petitioned Suu'be, a Sarghress team of infiltrators was sent to the Jaal'darya fortress. These agents discovered Femi's lab and stole her plans for the virulent flower spores, which deeply angered the Jaal'darya leadership.
Femi truly had been working in tandem with Snadhya'rune's Nidra'chaal agents to mass-produce this virus, all in the name of control over the leaders of Chel and beyond.
Her minions hand out many vials, among those are Shinae, Ash'mita Val'Sullisin'rune, and a young Beldrobbaen Val, all intent on poisoning their respective leaders. An agent of Ash'waren is also given a red flower as a gift to her clan. The goal is to make these leaders and their clans bow to Snadhya, who would be seen as a savior of the drow race.
The next day after Snadhya's declaration, the Sarghress infiltration team strikes; Chrys'tel and Shinae investigate after hearing the alarm cry, and discover Femi lying in her own blood. The team is captured, but not before a single cure vial is passed along to Sara'hilana Balvhakara, and eventually to Chrys'tel. This team is executed in Felde after an unsuccessful interrogation. Worried about the breach, Snadhya'rune orders her Jaal agents to produce more cures as soon as possible, though the Jaals claim the process is difficult.
First among the leaders to be targeted is Zala'ess Vel'Sharen: after negotiations with the Sarghress, Shinae poisons Zala'ess' drink and days later, the Fifth Daughter finds herself scratching her face and falling into wild hallucinations. The Vel'Sharen attempt to censor any info about her condition from spreading, but a meeting of the clans breaks down due to her illness.
Quain'tana soon becomes infected by a disease with similar effect to the spore virus suffered by the Blue Banner group, during her duel with Sarv'swati Vel'Sharen. She soon falls to its malicious effects, with the flesh around her face rotting off and her mentality degrading into a maddened insanity. The poison originated from a poisoned blade given to Sarv'swati by Nir'naya, the former captain of the Imperial Guard with dubious allegiances.
Verthandi, a Nidra'chaal double-agent, reports to the Beldrobbaen clan of Snadhya'rune's declaration to the great families to surrender or face the consequences, just as reports of madness begin to spread among the Beldrobbaen Houses. A young val had intent to bring down her clan with the vials she recieved; Waes'soloth takes it upon herself to excise the problem as the clan falls into a panic, and though thr Illhar'ess becomes infected, her initiative to call for Jaal'darya aid allows her and many fellow clan members to be saved in time. Those who carried the infection longer are forced out.
The Val'Jaal'darya themselves had begun to take action, sending emissaries to the infected clans of Sharen and Beldrobbaen. They intend to reconcile with the infected clans for what their Nidraa'chal runaways did and avoid further dragging the clan into conflict. However, because of the infiltration team, Asira'malika is greatly displeased and distrustful of the Sarghress; no effort is made to aid the wolves.
Meanwhile, Chrys'tel's ally An'jin Jie'yen had discovered Snadhya'rune's true location, and along with her aunt Nishi'kanta and Sara'hilana, the group set out to the Nal'sarkoth compound to recover every last one of Snadhya's cure vials. While Nishi battles with Snadhya'rune, Chrys'tel attempts to find the cures; she runs into Zhor and Mel'arnach. Mel tries to remove the young woman from Snadhya's room but Zhor warns her that the cures are being held elsewhere, including the cure Chrys had recently gave Dia'heira Jaal'darya. Meanwhile, Snadhya battled and lost to her sister in the Nal'sarkoth compound, resulting in the eldest daughter becoming physically disabled.
With the cure back in Nidraa'chal hands, Wi'am is ordered to administer it to Zala'ess so that the now paralyzed Snadhya'rune can broker a deal to rule from the shadows, in exchange for keeping the Sarghress anti-vals at bay.
This page was last modified on 31 March 2017, at 14:18. | 2019-04-24T15:50:41 | http://wiki.drowtales.com/index.php/The_Flower_Plague |
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With regards to your online business, conversation is actually exactly what has got the the majority of serious impact. Which means that conversation issues the majority of and really should be produced a higher concern. This really is carried out the majority of successfully by using on the internet task administration resources which were created particularly to deal with company conversation requirements. Right now just about all people of the company group may remain linked continuously regardless of the place. With regards to controlling tasks on the internet, much less is actually much more as well as simpleness is actually crucial.
On the internet task administration may be the fundamental degree of internet based administration which is well suited for companies seeking to develop. If you’re a small company proprietor seeking to increase and be much more worldwide, you need to understand the numerous advantages which are attached to this kind of administration. Because your company starts to develop, it is usually feasible in order to update to some much more personalized edition associated with software program or even more created specifically resources.
Controlling tasks on the internet is able to consider your online business in order to brand new amounts of success. Because the technologies currently is available, there isn’t any cause why you need to not really make the most of on the internet task administration with regard to operating your company. Maintaining your own workers on the right track as well as in your mind associated with forthcoming deadlines has become simpler than in the past. It’s the easy method to develop as well as help to make your company much more obtainable as well as linked inside a dependable method which advantages just about all. | 2019-04-20T10:16:42 | http://www.techwebuk.com/2013/11/have-more-structured-as-well-as-effective-along-with-on-the-internet-task-administration.html |
So far juno2019 has created 10 blog entries.
Visual Flavour. Does it exist? | 2019-04-26T03:54:40 | http://juno-london.co.uk/author/juno2019/ |
There are quite a few controversial comics and comic creators out there. So, why not look at some work from those guys?
So, we’ll start CONTROVERSY WEEK with a really thick book by Frank Miller.
The Controversy: In the 80s, Frank Miller was probably the hottest writer and artist in comics. He remade Daredevil for Marvel and Batman for DC in ways that stood for years for both characters. His later work on more creator-owned projects like the various Sin City stories or even 300 made quite the impact.
But Miller does have a reputation when it comes to how he writes female characters. We’ve probably all seen this comic strip.
And that’s not even getting into both his Dark Knight sequel work or Holy Terror. Frank Miller might be the ultimate “What the hell happened to that guy!?” in comics.
The work: So, I thought I’d take a look at one of Miller’s few prominent female protagonists, and that would be Martha Washington.
Martha Washington was a co-creation with Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons. My edition was an omnibus from publisher Dark Horse Comics that includes all of the Martha stories, all of which were written by Miller and drawn by Gibbons. Miller also wrote an introduction, but each individual story also has an introduction from Gibbons, all the various bits of promotional art, and Gibbons’s own sketch book. The end result is a 600 page book with a lot of stories that are mostly good.
Yes, Martha is a pretty good protagonist. There’s nothing of the whore to Martha. She has only one love interest for the duration of the book, and rarely does she appear as anything that might be considered seductive. True, the book also has a lot of Miller’s more trademark characteristics like weird bits of advertising and political satire that isn’t all that subtle. Of course, these stories were done back when those Miller touches actually worked. Plus, I get the impression that Gibbons was a good moderating influence on the work as he explains in his first introduction that the basics of the story was something the two of them worked out before they went to work, and when Miller’s eventual script went off in directions Gibbons didn’t like, Gibbons threatened to walk unless Miller went back to the original concept, an idea Miller agreed to.
So, who is Martha Washington? She’s an African American woman born in a closed-off ghetto neighborhood on March 11, 1995, a date that was in the future at the time of the original publication. A Ronald Reagan-type conservative has been elected president, and due to various legal mechanisms, he gets re-elected many, many times and becomes more and more of a tyrannical despot. Martha’s neighborhood is actually closed off from the rest of the country where the only way for anyone to ever be allowed to leave is to join the ironically named military organization PAX. Martha does just that and goes on to fight in a never-ended series of conflicts in the Second Civil War.
Martha’s world is a real craphole of a place. Little that anyone does makes things better. And Martha? She keeps fighting and sometimes even winning against adversaries like fast food company mechs, anti-male feminists, and the Surgeon General, a mad man who thinks crime and immorality are diseases that needs to be combated as lethally as possible.
I really liked this book. Martha is a compelling character, tough and compassionate. True, there are a few weaker stories, most notably Martha Washington Saves the World, a story that pushes the sci-fi elements of the series to a point I thought was a bit beyond my own suspension of disbelief for Martha’s setting. But this is mostly a lot of over-the-top weirdness with a central character who plays it all straight and keeps surviving. Plus, the way the book is set up, the reader essentially sees Martha’s whole life. The first story covers her birth and childhood up to and including her early days in the army and the last one is her dying of old age. Martha isn’t so much of a world changer as a witness. She sees the weird stuff that is going on all across a fragmented United States in a dystopian society where nothing seems to work, and Miller and Gibbons even managed to take ideas from a book I hate (Atlas Shrugged) and made a compelling story out of it…mostly by dumping the philosophy I can’t stand. So, yes, Miller can write a woman protagonist that isn’t a whore…or at least he used to be able to do so.
8.5 out of 10 treacherous clones and computer programs. | 2019-04-19T02:22:17 | http://www.gabbinggeek.com/2019/02/11/comic-review-the-life-and-times-of-martha-washington-in-the-twenty-first-century/ |
Posted On Sat, 13 Feb 2016 03:39:39 +0000. Filed in Libar. By Vaibhav Bhandari.
So the first Libar speakeasy of 2016 is featuring latin music, just around valentine’s day. | 2019-04-25T13:55:47 | http://www.vitraag.com/2016/02/13/libar-san-francisco/ |
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Champ BC2 · Code Finder · Delta URC · Code Finder · Atlas URCBO4 · Code Finder · Champion URCB2 · Code Finder · Slate URC Get your Mediacom MCI Premium DVD Karaoke Player with 2 Mics Xcite Kuwait. PhygiBucks: AED Brand: MediaCom; Product Code: MediaCom pro DVD KARAOKE PLAYER WITH WIRELESS MIC - MCI ; Availability: In Stock. 29 Dec Karaoke-maker MediaCom has launched its much-anticipated MCI TW Premium Karaoke player during the festive season. The latest. | 2019-04-20T19:04:22 | http://aarcotceramics.com/photography/mediacom-player.php |
TCA: The hit NBC drama has also hired Tim O’Brien as a consultant for the sensitive storyline.
It’s been over 40 years since the end of the conflict with Vietnam, but as many recent TV series — from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s “The Vietnam War” documentary to OWN’s “Queen Sugar” — the legacy of that time still has lasting repercussions in America. “This Is Us” will delve into that story through its characters in the upcoming third season.
When the show picks up, it will be the Randall (Sterling K. Brown), Kate (Chrissy Metz), and Kevin’s (Justin Hartley) 38th birthday, showrunner Isaac Aptaker revealed at the NBC panel during Wednesday’s Television Critics Association press tour. And as teased in the last season finale, Kevin will be on a plane with Zoe (Melanie Liburd), bound for Vietnam.
The trip holds significance for the Pearsons since patriarch Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and his brother Nicky served in Vietnam. Jack alluded to losing Nicky in the war, but as with anything “This Is Us,” that may be misleading.
“We are going to be spending a lot of time in Vietnam,” Aptaker said, adding that the show has been working with “The Things They Carried” author and Vietnam veteran Tim O’Brien for the sensitive storylines.
“This Is Us” returns for its third season on Sept. 25 on NBC. | 2019-04-19T06:46:46 | https://www.indiewire.com/2018/08/this-is-us-season-3-will-spend-a-lot-of-time-in-vietnam-to-dive-into-jacks-history-1201992441/ |
On this page you can read or download relatives short story in PDF format. If you don't see any interesting for you, use our search form on bottom ↓ .
Grade 7: Unit 2: Short Story and Picture Book Genre Study .... Note: Review these short stories first. Skin . Local News: Stories by Gary Soto, First Job.
Nov 2, 2012 ... The people of Maycomb fabricate/make up stories about Boo. . He is short- tempered/easily angered. . RELATIVES Chris van Wyk.
Short Stories: Relatives; ... Grade 12 English Home Language: . Astra castra 3 'PS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO.
Meet Rosina By George Ancona signing celebrate Story Vocabulary: deaf cultures language relatives Hi! I'm Rosina. I am deaf, so I talk with my hands.
Learning English through Short Stories NOTES: The short story tends to be ... Activity 2 Helping students.
This website is a PDF document search engine. No PDF files hosted in Our server. All trademarks and copyrights on this website are property of their respective owners. Loaded in: 0.012661933898926 second. | 2019-04-21T23:10:07 | https://joomlaxe.com/document/relatives-short-story.html |
Sacred Plant Wisdom vol 4 :Wisdom from Sage Brush is now available!
This powerful plant ally that grows all across the western U.S. shares wisdom with us about how we come into alignment with spirit and ceremony in our lives, and calls us to attention on how we use our breath as prayer. And not the least, serves us a strong energetic, physical, spiritual and emotional cleansing ally.
This is a downloadable PDF document, which also includes mp3 downloads of journey tracks, guided meditation and a recorded teaching from Sage Brush through Shamanic Herbalist Darcey Blue’s work and journey with this plant. | 2019-04-18T15:37:44 | https://shamanaflora.com/2013/03/27/sacred-plant-wisdom-vol-4-sage-brush-artemisia-tridentata-spiritual-alignment-and-cleansing/ |
The launch of Syndication at the end of last summer empowered REBNY brokers and salespersons to send residential listings via the RLS to a growing network of local, national, and international consumer websites, centralizing listing data through a single feed. It’s clear from the data that Syndication has been a success...The biggest winner of this program, though, has been the consumer. There are more listings across a wider network and those listings are all consistent thanks to the new consolidated process.
While New York brokerage firms had been co-brokering exclusive properties for almost two decades without a centralized listing system, the process has never been better organized or more efficient than it is today with RLS Syndication. As a result, the spirit of cooperation and collaboration between many brokerage firms is at an all-time high...Our Real Estate Board has become a community where, although we compete amongst ourselves, the level of cooperation has risen to a historic apex, which benefits our members, home-seekers, and the public like never before.
Douglas Wagner has been a leading manager in the residential real estate industry in NYC for more than two decades. As Director of Brokerage Services at BOND New York, he supervises the company’s new development marketing, sales, rentals, education and compliance. As a member of REBNY’s Residential Board of Directors, he is active in the development of the RLS and serves as a champion of the rental market in developing REBNY’s best practices and agreements. | 2019-04-26T03:40:56 | https://rebny.com/content/rebny/en/newsroom/in-the-news/2018/One_Year_Later_RLS_Syndication_Continues_to_Grow.html?utm_source=rls&utm_campaign=infographic&utm_medium=weblink |
About eight years ago, Dallas English was rummaging through some old family albums for pictures to scan into his computer when he came across a touching photo of his military father holding him as an infant.
"I liked it a lot and I was in the military at the time, so I decided then and there that if I were to have a child, I would re-create that photo and have them side by side,'' English told TODAY.com.
The picture stuck with English all these years later, and now he has done an updated version featuring him wearing his uniform and holding his 10-month-old son, Ace. The photo is a near match almost 30 years after the original was taken, as English will turn 30 next month.
"I just thought it was really cool,'' English said. "You're able to see the beginnings of a tradition."
English, a deployment manager for the U.S. Air Force in Rapid City, South Dakota, then posted the split of the two photos on Reddit, where it was viewed more than two million times. He also texted the picture to his father, Mike, a retired U.S. Army veteran who lives in Illinois.
"I haven't really talked to him on the phone about it yet, plus he's not too big into texting, but he did like it a lot,'' English said.
English was inspired to join the Air Force by his brother, continuing the family's military tradition. English's wife joined the Air Force with him at the same time in 2005, and they were married shortly afterward. Whatever Ace's future holds, English is hoping a tradition has been born.
"Hopefully when Ace grows up and has kids, he'll want to do the same whether he's in the military or not,'' English said. "I think it would be really neat if he kept it going." | 2019-04-19T04:35:35 | https://www.today.com/parents/military-dad-recreates-touching-father-son-photo-30-years-later-t35036 |
From emergency plumbing to a regular check up on your pipes, Our Local Plumber is your professional, reliable, and local Chelsea plumber.
Thousands of people (including you!) across Chelsea use their kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and other household or commercial utilities every day. What the untrained eye doesn’t see in these every day uses, is that there is always a better way to improve the efficiency of your plumbing, the quality of your plumbing, or attend to the urgent situations involving your plumbing. It’s here that the highly skilled team of Our Local Plumber can be of great service.
Our Local Plumber is a team of plumbing experts servicing the Chelsea community, attending to all projects- from a blocked or overflowing drain, to a leaking tap, or a faulty hot water system.
Our Local Plumber Chelsea is open 24 hours, 7 days a week – so we are always available when you need a plumber. We offer a $0 Call out Fee* and upfront, transparent pricing, so you have peace of mind around the scale of plumbing you require before we start any work. | 2019-04-24T03:51:00 | https://ourlocalplumber.com.au/plumber-chelsea/ |
MLS# 190001898 - 1802 Ocean Front, Del Mar, CA 92014 - Abacus Properties Inc.
Please, send me more information on this property: MLS# 190001898 – $17,999,999 – 1802 Ocean Front, Del Mar, CA 92014.
I would like to schedule a private showing for this property: MLS# 190001898 – $17,999,999 – 1802 Ocean Front, Del Mar, CA 92014. | 2019-04-19T09:07:43 | http://www.abacuspropertiesinc.com/featured-listings/cofeed1/mls-190001898-1802_ocean_front_del_mar_ca_92014/ |
thought i'd share my latest faves with you!
have you found any must-have apps lately?
i'm linking up with yes, teacher today!
Great spin on the "tickle me tuesdays" - I hardly ever use apps because I have a Palm. One of these days I'm getting an IPhone though!
I am a big fan of Evernote. It's a pretty simple program for taking text or media notes on just about anything. You just need to sign up for a free account and then you can access all of your notes from your smart phone, laptop, desktop, wherever...Hope all is well!
those all sound like great apps! i love my bible app on my iphone too. its free and has TONS of versions to choose from! i also love all my "kid" apps like itsy bitsy. they keep my little one entertained when we are at a restaurant or in the car! have a great day!
Cool apps...I'll have to check them out!
I have a smartphone but I haven't taken advantage of any apps except one for making lists! | 2019-04-23T11:00:43 | http://www.thegoadabode.com/2011/02/tickle-me-tuesday_15.html |
The Sabatier Professional Ham Knife features a 25cm/10" blade.
Just what I wanted. Really long knife, make slicing meats and salmon so easy. | 2019-04-20T04:49:19 | https://www.hartsofstur.com/sabatier-professional-slicer-sabpr015.html |
Smoke Hotbox wants you to be delighted every time you shop with us. Occasionally though, we know you may want to return items because they’re not quite right for you. For those times, here’s what you can do.
Our policy lasts 7 business days. If 7 business days have gone by since the delivery of your purchase, unfortunately we can’t offer you a return. Smoke Hotbox does not offer refunds. Our exchange policy allows you to receive full credit toward your exchanged item(s).
Send us an email at hello@smokehotbox.com for further instructions.
Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your exchange. In the event an item you requested for an exchange is back-ordered, we will notify you of the possible delay via email. We will also contact you if the item requested for an exchange has been discontinued and we are not able to fulfill your request.
We hope this never happens, if you do receive damaged goods, or have a manufacturing fault occur, please contact us immediately at hello@smokehotbox.com so we can personally assist you and sort out your problem as quickly as possible.
To return your product, you should mail your product to: 19749 Dearborn St.
Exchanges are shipped complimentary. Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary. | 2019-04-21T00:13:03 | https://shop.smokehotbox.com/pages/returns-refunds |
Here at Pro Foundation Repairs, we are here to fulfill your needs when it comes to Foundation Repair in Langford, SD. We've got a staff of experienced experts and the most advanced technologies in the market to supply exactly what you're looking for. We grantee that you receive the most excellent support, the ultimate price tag, and the very best quality materials. Call us by dialing 844-329-5836 and we'll be happy to go over your alternatives, resolve your questions, and arrange an appointment to commence scheduling the project.
At Pro Foundation Repairs, we realize that you will need to keep in budget and spend less anywhere it is possible to. You will still need top standard services for Foundation Repair in Langford, SD, and you're able to put your confidence in our team to conserve your funds while continuing with supplying the very best quality results. Our endeavors to help you save money will not give up the excellence of our services. Any time you work with us, you will receive the advantages of our own working experience and high quality products to make sure that your project lasts even while saving time and funds. To illustrate, we are mindful to stay away from pricey errors, work fast to conserve time, and be sure that you are given the top savings on supplies and work. Call up Pro Foundation Repairs when you're needing the highest quality products and services at the cheapest rate. We're ready to answer your phone call at 844-329-5836.
Concerning Foundation Repair in Langford, SD, you should be kept informed to come up with the best judgments. You won't want to go in without consideration, and you want to be aware of what to expect. We take the unexpected surprises out of the picture by offering precise and thorough information. You can begin by talking over your project with our client service staff when you contact 844-329-5836. We will address all your questions and concerns and arrange your first appointment. Our company will show up at the scheduled time with all the required equipment, and can work with you all through the process.
You will have many great reasons to use Pro Foundation Repairs to suit your needs concerning Foundation Repair in Langford, SD. We have got the greatest customer service ratings, the best products, and the most helpful and successful cash saving strategies. We offer the skills that you need to satisfy all of your goals and objectives. Dial 844-329-5836 to reach Pro Foundation Repairs and go over your expectations when it comes to Foundation Repair in Langford. | 2019-04-20T22:54:38 | http://www.profoundationrepairs.com/sd/foundation-repair-in-langford/ |
Hughes Appraisal Group has answers to "Frequently Asked Questions"
Hughes Appraisal Group is always eager to elaborate on any questions you might have about appraisals in Billerica and Middlesex County. Contact Hughes Appraisal Group today to see how we can help solve your valuation problems.
What are the reasons I would need services from Hughes Appraisal Group?
Once the appraisal has been completed, how can I have assurance that the final number is trustworthy?
Where does Hughes Appraisal Group get the information used to estimate values in Middlesex County or other areas?
The procedure of producing an appraisal report deals with an investigation which forms an opinion of value. There are three "common approaches to value" which helps the real estate appraiser conclude this opinion or estimate. One of the methods in use is the Cost Approach, which evaluates what it would cost to restore the improvements to the house, minus age and physical deterioration, plus the land value. The most common approach in figuring the likely sales price of a house is the Sales Comparison Approach which involves making a comparison to similar homes nearby. Usually, the Sales Comparison Approach is the most definite indicator of market value of a residential property. The Income Approach is primarily used for determining the market value of income-producing properties based on what an investor would pay based on the amount of income a property would bring in.
An appraiser generates a professional, unbiased determination of market value, often in the context of a real estate exchange. Appraisers illustate their expert conclusions in appraisal reports.
The appraiser is not a home inspector nor does he/she do a complete home inspection. The purpose of a home inspection is to investigate the structure of the property from bottom to attic. The archetypal property inspector's report will contain an evaluation of the integrity of the property's heating system, central air conditioning system (temperature permitting), interior plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic, and visible insulation, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, the foundation, basement, and visible structure.
To be blunt, it's night and day. The CMA depends on vague local market trends. The appraisal relies on specific verifiable comparable sales. The appraisal report will also include location and building costs. The CMA will provide a non-specific figure. Being a documented and carefully investigated opinion of value, appraisals are defensible and stand up in legal situations.
The credentials of the person behind the report is frankly the most significant difference between a CMA and an appraisal. Real estate agents, who may not have a true grasp of valuation methods or the entire market, generate CMA's. A certified, Massachusetts licensed professional who bases their livelihood on valuing homes in and around Middlesex County creates the appraisal. Likewise, the agent has something at stake since they get a commission based on the property's selling price whereas the appraiser is bound by a code of ethics to collect only a flat fee for assignments, regardless of their outcome.
Pertinent property characteristics, including: location, physical description, legal attributes, economic attributes, the real property interest valued, and non-real estate items included in the valuation, such as personal property, items that are more or less permanently installed and even intangible items.
Whether individually or collectively, there were no grave errors contained in the report, nor any material details left out.
The final appraisal report was understandable, credible and not easily discredited.
To become a state licensed appraiser, there are extensive education requirements as well as real world experience that must be logged - all with the end goal of being able to render unbiased value opinions. In addition, appraisers must obey a stringent industry code of ethics and comply with national standards of practice for real estate appraisal. The tenets for carrying out an appraisal and documenting its results are insured by enforcement of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
Regulations regarding licensing and certification vary from state to state. In general, licensing and certification is commonly associated with many hours of classroom study, tests and experience working under a supervisor. Once licensed, he/she is required to complete continuing education courses so that the license doesn't expire. To see the specific requirements for any state click here.
Most of the time, appraisers are called upon by lenders to render a value opinion on property involved in a loan transaction - to make sure the subject is truly adequate collateral for the loan. Attorneys and CPAs also retain the services of appraisers for asset division and estate settlements.
Compiling information is one of the primary occupations of an appraiser. Data can be described as either Specific or General. Specific data is gathered from the home itself; Location, condition, amenities, size and other specifics are noted by the appraiser while on site.
General data is gathered from a number of places. To find out about recent sales to be used as "comps", we often use the local Multiple Listing Service. Tax records and other courthouse documents reveal actual sales prices in a market. Appraisers routinely have to report when a property is in a flood zone, and that information is retrieved from a FEMA data outlet such as a la mode's InterFlood service.
If you're making any kind of financial decision and the value of your home matters, you'll want to hire a licensed appraiser. For those selling a home, you'll want to figure out a price that gets you the most profit but doesn't leave your home on the market too long; an appraisal can help with that. If you're buying, it makes sure you don't overpay. For parties settling an estate or divorce, an appraisal from Hughes Appraisal Group is the best way to ensure assets are split up fairly. A house is often the single, largest financial asset anybody owns. Don't make decisions in the dark with a professional appraisal.
PMI stands for Private Mortgage Insurance. It takes care of the lender in the event a borrower doesn't pay on the loan and the market price of the house is less than the balance of the loan. Once you can prove the amount you owe on your home is less than 80% of the home's market value, you can make a case to your lender to drop the PMI.
The money you keep from cancelling your PMI will make up for the price of the appraisal in no time. Nobody is more qualified than Hughes Appraisal Group when it comes to analyzing real estate appreciation in Billerica and Middlesex County. Contact us today.
We begin with an inspection of the property. During this process, we will come to your home and measure it, determine the layout of the rooms inside, confirm all aspects of the home's general condition, and take several photos of your house for inclusion in the report. Is there anything you can do to help? Yes there is! First, be sure the appraiser has easy access to the exterior of the house . Trim any landscaping and relocate any items that would get in our way while we measure the structure. Indoors, make sure we can get to items like furnaces and water heaters.
For mortgage transactions, the lender orders the appraisal, either directly or through a third party. While the buyer pays for the report as part of the closing costs, the lender retains the right to use the report or any information contained within. The buyer is entitled to a copy of the appraisal - it's usually included with all the other closing documents - but is not allowed to use the report for any other purpose without permission from the lender.
It's different when it's the homeowner engaging the appraiser for things outside securing a mortgage. In these situations, the appraiser may state the purpose of the appraisal; for PMI removal, or estate planning or tax challenges, for example. If not noted otherwise, the home owner can use the appraisal for any purpose.
No matter where you go, however, renovating a kitchen is almost always a safe investment. One recent study revealed that putting $20,000 into a kitchen remodel would add about $17,500 to the value of the home - or about an 88% return on investment. Bathrooms were second, returning 85%. On the contrary, work that may not increase your value would be painting just for the sake of redecorating. | 2019-04-20T21:00:35 | https://hughesappraisalgroup.com/FAQ |
The Board of Trustees of the Geneseo Public Library met in regular session in Foundation Room B at the library on Monday, August 11, 2014. President Gary ZumMallen called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m. Board members in attendance were Mary Farrell, Dave Johnson, Holly McAvoy, Bill Menendez and Susan Philhower.
Dave requested a minor change to the minutes. Susan made a motion that the amended minutes be accepted; Bill seconded the motion and it passed by voice vote.
A draft of the Tentative Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for 2014-15 was distributed to the Trustees. Jim Luikart noted that citizens can come in to review it and make comments for a month. Next month the Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for 2014-15 will be adopted and filed at the Courthouse. Bill moved that the Tentative Budget and Appropriation Ordinance be adopted; Mary seconded the motion and it passed by roll call vote. Susan made a motion that the financial report for July be accepted; Dave seconded the motion and it passed by roll call vote. Bill made a motion for the bills to be paid; Mary seconded the motion and it passed by roll call vote.
Please refer to the written report. Claire received notification from ExxonMobil and Wells Fargo about their foundations’ matching contributions made by patron Florence Link and the Davis Trust, respectively. In both cases, each letter was addressed to the previous Library Director, so Claire contacted them to clarify that she is the Director and that we are not a 503(c) (3) but ILA.
At the Digitization Meeting in Galesburg, Claire learned that the board must approve a statement regarding broadening access to unique historical materials through acquisition/creation, maintenance and preservations of the materials in digital format. This statement is to be added to our Technology Plan. She and Susan attended the Edge Initiative Workshop, in which it was suggested that touch screens be available for the handicapped. Susan stated that we do have that now by going to the “Start” menu then choosing “Accessibility” on the computers. This will be mentioned in the newsletter. Their interpretation was that this library is in compliance with the current goals set forth in the Edge Initiative. A new bookmark Deb Wyffels created was given to Trustees. It was larger than other bookmarks and has lots of information about our website, plus it asks patrons to “Like us” on Facebook and lists links that are on our website. The Per Capital Grant has been submitted.
Donor plaque – Holly is still working on this.
Personnel – Claire turned in a list of employee descriptions.
Building Maintenance – Johnson Controls performed normal maintenance, including changing filters and scraping the chiller.
Roof – Leaked last week after the rain. Gary contacted Precision Builders and Alan Armbrust, our architect. We are waiting on the manufacturer’s report.
Trees – The quote from Steve’s Nursery to remove and replace five trees and do some trimming at prevailing wage was reviewed. Holly moved to accept the bill for $625; Bill seconded the motion and it passed by roll call vote.
Technology Plan – there was a brief discussion about a Social Media policy regarding the public’s ability to post on the library’s Facebook page. Holly suggested that rules (etiquette for posting) be noted on the Facebook page, to discourage inappropriate comments. Dave moved to accept a Social Media policy, Mary seconded the motion and it passed by voice vote. Goals 4 and 5 were added to the plan. In accordance with the directive Claire received at the digitization meeting, the following paragraph will be added to the Technology Plan: “The Geneseo Public Library District Digital Collections Program is dedicated to broadening access to unique historical materials contained within the Library’s Special Collections through the acquisition/creation, maintenance and preservation of these unique historical materials in digital format.” There was a brief discussion regarding the purchase of tablets for staff use. The Technology Plan will be revised and reviewed next month.
Section L – Library Operations and Section K – Safety were presented last month for review. Susan moved to adopt Sections L and K, Dave seconded the motion and it passed by voice vote.
The Personnel Section, a 14-page manual to be Section B, was emailed to our attorney, Phil Lenzini, who had some comments about this. This will be addressed next month.
Statistics and Databases – Deb Wyffels presented print outs of the Google Analytics, adding to her report the number of types of devices used on our website: desktops, mobiles or laptops. Holly asked Deb to include any trends she sees to her reports. Deb has added several new links to websites on the Library’s webpage. These new sites can instruct a patron how to use the Internet, how to work in Excel (from basic to advanced knowledge), how to access multiple courses and access to AcademicEarth.org, which provides online college courses from universities. There was discussion about the attendance at Dan Horn’s computer classes that were held here. Attendance was initially good, then fell off drastically the last two classes. It was suggested that possibly the use of some of the previously-mentioned websites could take the place of holding classes for groups. Sarah Alexander discussed the statistics for the month, noting increased check outs, some increase in ebook usage and poor interest in teen programs. She reviewed the top four web links most used on our website. The license for Mango, a language instruction website, was due. Instead of renewing it, we could save $900 if we contracted with Pronunciator. Zinio was another website that Sarah was asked to investigate. She reported that she had sent six emails to this company and received no responses. She contacted some local libraries about this website and the response was not good: renewals were more expensive and the application is reader only (books can’t be checked out). She believes hard copies of popular magazines is the most cost-effective and patron-popular way.
At 7:43 pm, Susan moved to go into Executive Session. Bill seconded the motion, and all agreed. No action was taken, and at 8:05 pm the Board came out of Executive Session.
Scribe Raise – Bill moved to increase the pay for the scribe by $20 per meeting. Mary seconded the motion and it passed by roll call vote.
Susan moved to approve the wage adjustment for the library director. Dave seconded the motion and it passed by roll call vote.
With no further business before the Board, at 8:25 p.m. Bill made a motion to adjourn; Holly seconded the motion and it was approved. | 2019-04-23T14:28:08 | https://geneseo.lib.il.us/august-2014-board-minutes |
The Audio Salon In Santa Monica California announced today a Beatles event that sounds fascinating. I'd go if I lived out there.
The two upcoming Beatles compilations, the "Red" (1962-1966) and "Blue" (1967-1970) were cut from the original analog tape used to produced the original LP sets—with a few exceptions, says Abbey Road mastering engineer Sean Magee. | 2019-04-20T10:40:18 | https://www.analogplanet.com/taxonomy/term-p/506 |
Patients with missing teeth have often experienced detrimental dental function and an altered appearance. Dental implants offer a comprehensive replacement for missing teeth. Dr. Jae Byun and his team of dental care professionals can place and restore dental implants in New York, NY. Dental Ambitions is dedicated to helping you bring back the form, function, and beauty of your smile.
Are you ready for a comprehensive replacement for missing teeth? Call our practice today!
Your issue is that you’re missing one or several teeth. Dental Ambitions can help. Dr. Byun and his team of specialists provide patients with a comprehensive solution to one or more missing teeth.
This procedure involves placing a biocompatible titanium post to replace an absent root and fuses with the surrounding bone. This generates support for existing dental structure and the prosthetic replacement teeth.
Single-unit crowns replace a tooth missing anywhere in the smile. An implant post is placed into the jawbone where the natural tooth root once existed to generate support for the new crown.
Multi-unit bridges replace a greater number of teeth using two to three implants placed in optimal locations for best support. Whereas a traditional bridge would require altering existing teeth for support, implant-supported bridges are supported directly by the jawbone.
Implant-supported dentures restore the entire bite by replacing an arch using four to eight posts. A denture is placed atop these posts to complete the restoration.
Our practice offers the preliminary procedures required to enable eligibility for dental implants. Our in-house periodontist conducts the necessary bone grafting, sinus lift, or ridge augmentation to ensure patients are in good-standing health prior to receiving dental implants.
Why Replace the Roots of Teeth?
Missing teeth cause a multitude of issues. In addition to the esthetic detriments, a single missing tooth can compromise the dental system, causing existing teeth to shift out of alignment and the bone to experience atrophy. The jawbone goes through a process of resorption and slowly deteriorates over time, leading to accelerating signs of aging.
When you receive a dental implant for one tooth or several, not only will this improve appearance but enhance performance as well. It also helps to preserve the current dental structure.
The team at Dental Ambitions is dedicated to restoring your oral health. Call or visit our practice for dental implants in New York, NY, and schedule a consultation with Dr. Jae Byun to find out if this procedure is right for you. | 2019-04-19T16:18:20 | http://www.dentalambitions.com/dental-implants/ |
It’s commonly known that dogs and cats don’t get along. However, this isn’t always the case. As Orange County’s premier grooming salon, we’ve seen several families where dogs and cats are best friends. It’s important to note that this doesn’t always happen overnight. It often takes a lot of time and patience to convince household pets to tolerate each other. Sometimes they never become friends but they do learn to share their space.
The best cat/dog relationships start when one or both pets are young. When introducing a dog into a household with cats, it’s generally best to start with a puppy. This will seem less threatening to your cats and gives you an opportunity to train the dog not to chase. This can take some time as dogs have a natural instinct to chase and cats will instinctively run, making it even more satisfying for your dog.
If you decide to bring home a kitten to play with your dog, you must take care to ensure it doesn’t get hurt. This can be difficult if your dog is large. You will need to watch them very carefully together. Just one grab and shake could seriously injure or kill your kitten. It is up to you to ensure this doesn’t happen.
It’s important to ensure that both the cat and the dog understand the rules. Do not let them chase each other or steal each other’s food. This might take some time as both must adjust to their situation. Rewarding good behavior lets them know they’ve done something right. This is a much better approach than punishing your pet for bad behavior.
Even if the transition goes smoothly, your pets may feel left out if you spend too much time with one and not the other. Make sure that you set aside plenty of time for both pets.
Claws N Paws Day Spa offers dog and cat grooming from our full service salon in Fountain Valley, CA. Please call 714-962-1005 to set up a grooming appointment.
Does My Hairless Pet Require Grooming?
Hairless pets have become extremely popular over the past few years. From guinea pigs to dogs and cats, it’s seems like every species has its own hairless version. If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to spend time with a hairless pet you’ll know how warm and cuddly these creatures are, even without the lush coat you’ve come to expect.
Many people with hairless pets have questions about grooming. While these animals do not require brushing, they do have special grooming needs that must be considered.
Hairless pets become dirty much faster than your average pet. This is due to excessive skin oils. These oils protect your pet from skin irritation. Unfortunately, they can cause your pet to smell and develop an oily feeling when touched.
Regular baths are important to the care of any hairless pets. However, care must be taken not to dry out their sensitive skin. Use a mild shampoo to thoroughly bathe your pet once to twice a month. Make sure you clean their ears and between their twos as dirt and oils tend to collect in these areas. If irritation occurs, ask your vet for a non-irritating prescription shampoo.
Make sure that you keep your hairless pet’s nails trimmed as you would any other pet. Nails that grow too long are uncomfortable and pose a risk to your pet. If left to grow, they can curl back into the pads of the feet. This creates an expensive and painful situation for your pet.
Hairless pets do not have the same protection against the sun. This makes them prone to sunburn and skin cancer. If possible, keep your pet out of the sun. These breeds are best kept indoors. You can purchase special sunscreen from your local pet supply or your vet.
Claws N Paws Day Spa offers grooming for hairless pets from our full service pet salon in Orange County, California. We have extensive experience working with hairless pets and understand what it takes to keep them clean. Please contact us at 714-962-1005 for more information about grooming. | 2019-04-23T08:30:36 | http://www.clawsnpawsdayspa.com/blog/ |
Heat half the oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the onion and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes, until starting to brown.
Add the garlic and mushrooms and stir-fry for a further 4-5 minutes, until the mushrooms have cooked through and are turning golden at the edges.
Spoon the mushrooms and onions into a bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the wok. Add the steak and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, until browned.
Add the spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the spinach has wilted, then add the cooked mushrooms and onions, stock, oyster sauce, sugar and cornflour mixture, and bring up to a boil, stirring continuously.
Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has thickened and serve with rice or pasta.
To finish off you could sprinkle over some sliced spring onion.
Want dinner in less than 30 mins? This recipe is quick, easy & packed full of iron for growing families. | 2019-04-22T18:35:51 | https://www.annabelkarmel.com/au/recipes/beef-spinach-stir-fry/ |
Find the unique figure, as quickly as you can, to earn points! How long can you last and how high can you get your score?Find the unique figure!Find the figure without a match, as quickly as you can, to earn points! Wade through a variety of different faces and shapes to pick the correct object as you dive into the Singleton world. This puzzle game will see how long you can last and how high can you get your score! | 2019-04-23T10:29:52 | https://online.allbigfishgames.com/singleton |
Dr. Takashi Akasaka, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1, Kimiidera, Wakayama 641-8510, Japan.
Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability of frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) for coronary measurements compared with quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).
Background Accurate luminal measurement is expected in FD-OCT because this technology offers high resolution and excellent contrast between lumen and vessel wall.
Methods In 5 medical centers, 100 patients with coronary artery disease were prospectively studied by using angiography, FD-OCT, and IVUS. In addition, 5 phantom models of known lumen dimensions (lumen diameter 3.08 mm; lumen area 7.45 mm2) were examined using FD-OCT and IVUS. Quantitative image analyses of the coronary arteries and phantom models were performed by an independent core laboratory.
Results In the clinical study, the mean minimum lumen diameter measured by QCA was significantly smaller than that measured by FD-OCT (1.81 ± 0.72 mm vs. 1.91 ± 0.69 mm; p < 0.001) and the minimum lumen diameter measured by IVUS was significantly greater than that measured by FD-OCT (2.09 ± 0.60 mm vs. 1.91 ± 0.69 mm; p < 0.001). The minimum lumen area measured by IVUS was significantly greater than that by FD-OCT (3.68 ± 2.06 mm2 vs. 3.27 ± 2.22 mm2; p < 0.001), although a significant correlation was observed between the 2 imaging techniques (r = 0.95, p < 0.001; mean difference 0.41 mm2). Both FD-OCT and IVUS exhibited good interobserver reproducibility, but the root-mean-squared deviation between measurements was approximately twice as high for the IVUS measurements compared with the FD-OCT measurements (0.32 mm2 vs. 0.16 mm2). In a phantom model, the mean lumen area according to FD-OCT was equal to the actual lumen area of the phantom model, with low SD; IVUS overestimated the lumen area and was less reproducible than FD-OCT (8.03 ± 0.58 mm2 vs. 7.45 ± 0.17 mm2; p < 0.001).
Conclusions The results of this prospective multicenter study demonstrate that FD-OCT provides accurate and reproducible quantitative measurements of coronary dimensions in the clinical setting.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution intracoronary imaging technology based on near-infrared interferometry. The spatial resolution of OCT is 10 to 20 μm, which is approximately 10 times greater than that of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Recently, a new-generation frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) has been developed to overcome limitations of conventional time-domain optical coherence tomography (TD-OCT). FD-OCT provides a high frame rate (100 frame/s), which enables imaging of long coronary segments within a few seconds in combination with rapid spiral pullback (20 mm/s) and contrast injection through a guiding catheter. This technology is safe and feasible for evaluating coronary atherosclerosis (1). Several studies have shown excellent ability of FD-OCT to qualitatively assess coronary plaque morphologies (1). However, the accuracy of quantitative FD-OCT measurement has not been fully elucidated. Accurate coronary measurement is important in the guidance of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). QCA is the standard method for estimating lumen diameter stenosis in the atherosclerotic lesion. IVUS is also widely used for measurement of absolute cross-sectional luminal areas. The aim of the present study was to investigate the reliability of FD-OCT for coronary measurements compared with QCA and IVUS.
A total of 100 patients with coronary artery disease were prospectively enrolled in 5 medical centers. After coronary angiography, FD-OCT and IVUS were performed in 20 patients at pre-PCI, in 60 patients at both pre-PCI and post-stent deployment, and in 20 patients at stent follow-up. Patients with a left main coronary artery lesion, coronary bypass graft lesion, chronic total occlusion, minimum lumen diameter (MLD) <1.5 mm, reference vessel diameter >4 mm, extremely tortuous vessel, coronary artery containing target imaging lesion which had previous coronary bypass graft, or renal insufficiency with serum creatinine >2.0 mg/dl were excluded. This study was approved by the institutional review boards of the institutions in which the procedures were performed, and all patients provided written informed consent before cardiac catheterization.
QCA, FD-OCT, and IVUS were performed via 6-F guiding catheters. All patients received an intracoronary bolus injection of nitroglycerine (0.2 mg) before each coronary imaging.
Angiograms were obtained from a standard series of 6 to 8 projections for the left coronary artery and 2 to 3 projections for the right coronary artery. All images were stored on a CD-ROM for offline analysis.
FD-OCT imaging was performed using the C7-XR OCT imaging system (LightLab Imaging/St. Jude Medical, Westford, Massachusetts). After a Z-offset adjustment, an FD-OCT image catheter was advanced distally to the target lesion over a 0.014-inch conventional angioplasty guidewire. After the catheter placement, preheated contrast media at 37°C was flushed through the guiding catheter at a rate of 3 to 4 ml/s for approximately 3 to 4 s by using an injector pump. When a blood-free image was observed, the FD-OCT imaging core was pulled back over a longitudinal distance up to 54 mm at a rate of 20 mm/s by using standalone electronic control of the pullback motor. FD-OCT images were stored digitally for subsequent analysis.
IVUS imaging was performed using a commercial scanner (Atlantis SR Pro, Boston Scientific Corporation, Maple Grove, Minnesota) that consisted of a 40-MHz transducer. The IVUS catheter was advanced beyond the target lesion and withdrawn to the aorto-ostial junction at a pullback speed of 0.5 mm/s automatically. The IVUS images were recorded onto a DVD for offline analysis.
Image analysis was performed by an independent core laboratory (Cardiocore, Tokyo, Japan) (Fig. 1). QCA was performed with the CMS Medis system (Medis, Leiden, the Netherlands). The MLD was averaged from the 2 orthogonal projections without foreshortening.
In this representative case, frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was performed for the proximal circumflex coronary artery stenosis of which minimum lumen diameter (MLD) was 1.59 mm in quantitative coronary angiography (QCA). MLA measured using FD-OCT and IVUS was 2.75 mm2 and 3.50 mm2 (MLD was 1.87 mm and 2.13 mm), respectively.
FD-OCT analysis was performed with the LightLab OCT console software (LightLab Imaging/St. Jude Medical). The Z-offset was adjusted again before the FD-OCT analysis. By visual screening for all contiguous frames, 3 candidate frames were selected for measurement of minimum lumen area (MLA). MLA was determined as the smallest lumen area in the candidate frames. MLD was defined as the mean diameter of the lumen at the MLA site. Initially, 1 observer (S.N.) performed FD-OCT measurements, which were compared with IVUS measurements. Subsequently, images were analyzed again by another observer (K.K.) to assess interobserver reproducibility of FD-OCT measurements.
IVUS analysis was performed after FD-OCT analysis. IVUS images were analyzed with the echoPlaque software (INDEC, Santa Clara, California). MLA and MLD were estimated at the same location in FD-OCT and IVUS. To obtain corresponding images of IVUS and FD-OCT, the measured distances from at least 2 landmarks, such as side branches, calcifications, and/or stents, were used as references. Initially, 1 observer (K.H.) performed IVUS measurements, which were compared with FD-OCT measurements. Subsequently, images were analyzed again by another observer (M.A.) to assess interobserver reproducibility of IVUS measurements.
The FD-OCT and IVUS images at post-PCI were analyzed qualitatively. Qualitative analysis was performed by 2 observers in FD-OCT (S.N. and K.K.) and IVUS (K.H. and M.A.), respectively. When there was any discordance between the 2 observers, a consensus reading was obtained. Qualitative analysis determined the presence or absence of intrastent tissue protrusion, incomplete stent apposition, stent edge dissection, and intrastent thrombus. Intrastent tissue protrusion was defined as prolapse of tissue between stent struts extending inside a circular arc connecting adjacent struts in both the FD-OCT and IVUS images. Incomplete stent apposition was defined as a distance between the center reflection of the strut and the vessel wall of greater than the actual stent thickness +20 μm (FD-OCT resolution limit) in the FD-OCT images, and it was identified as a clear separation between at least 1 stent strut and the vessel wall in the IVUS images. Stent edge dissection was defined as disruption of the luminal vessel surface at the edge segments in both the FD-OCT and IVUS images. Thrombus was defined as a protruding mass beyond the stent strut into the lumen with significant attenuation behind the mass in the FD-OCT images, and it was defined as an irregular low echoic mass, often mobile and extruding into the vessel lumen, and sometimes becoming detached from the vessel wall in the IVUS images.
In addition to the in vivo study, we evaluated the accuracy of FD-OCT and IVUS measurements using an in vitro phantom model (Fig. 2). A circular, polytetrafluoroethylene plastic arterial model (lumen diameter 3.08 mm; lumen area 7.45 mm2; length 10.00 mm; Lightlab Imaging/St. Jude Medical) was used. For the FD-OCT examination, the arterial model was filled with contrast media by using a 3-ml syringe. After a Z-offset adjustment, the FD-OCT image catheter was advanced into the model. The FD-OCT images were acquired during motorized pullback of the catheter (20 mm/s) through the model. For the IVUS examination, the arterial model was filled with whole human blood by using a 3-ml syringe. The IVUS catheter was introduced into the model and pulled back automatically (0.5 mm/s) for image acquisition. Single pullback data of both FD-OCT and IVUS were obtained from each of the 5 medical centers. Three optimal image frames were selected from each pullback, and lumen areas were measured in the independent core laboratory. The FD-OCT (n = 15) and IVUS (n = 15) measurements were compared with the actual model lumen areas and with each other.
In this representative cross-sectional image, the mean lumen diameter of IVUS was 3.27 mm, whereas that of FD-OCT was 3.06 mm, closer to true value (3.08 mm). Abbreviations as in Figure 1.
Categorical variables were presented as percentages, with comparisons using the McNemar test. Continuous variables were presented as mean ± SD and were compared by using the paired t test. Values of p < 0.05 were considered to be significant. The relationships between the measurements (FD-OCT vs. IVUS, FD-OCT vs. QCA, IVUS vs. QCA, and interobserver comparison) were investigated using a simple regression analysis. The agreements between the measurements were expressed in Bland-Altman plots. The Bland-Altman plot depicted the differences of each pair of measurements versus their mean values with reference lines for the mean difference of all paired measurements. The limits of agreement were defined as mean ± 1.96 SD of absolute difference.
Baseline patient characteristics are shown in Table 1. There were no adverse events related to the imaging procedures. In 2 patients, the FD-OCT and IVUS catheter could not pass through the target lesion at pre-PCI. Eight pullbacks of FD-OCT were not evaluable due to incomplete blood clearance. Two pullbacks of IVUS contained artifacts that did not allow a proper image assessment. Eventually, 148 sets of FD-OCT/IVUS pullbacks were analyzed.
Measurements of MLD by QCA, IVUS, and FD-OCT are shown in Figure 3. MLD by QCA was significantly smaller than that by FD-OCT (1.81 ± 0.72 mm vs. 1.91 ± 0.69 mm; p < 0.001), with a mean difference of 0.10 mm. MLD by IVUS was significantly greater than that by FD-OCT (2.09 ± 0.60 mm vs. 1.91 ± 0.69 mm; p < 0.001), with a mean difference of 0.18 mm. Figure 4 shows Bland-Altman analyses for the MLD. There were direct correlations and good agreements in MLD between FD-OCT and IVUS (r = 0.95, p < 0.001), between FD-OCT and QCA (r = 0.89, p < 0.001), and between IVUS vs. QCA (r = 0.87, p < 0.001).
MLD by IVUS was greater than that by FD-OCT (relative reference 9%). MLD by QCA was smaller than that by FD-OCT (relative reference –5%). Abbreviations as in Figure 1.
There were direct correlations and good agreements for measurements of MLD (A) between FD-OCT and IVUS, (B) between FD-OCT and QCA, and (C) between IVUS and QCA. Abbreviations as in Figure 1.
Measurements of MLA by IVUS and FD-OCT are shown in Figure 5. MLA measured using IVUS was significantly greater than that according to FD-OCT (3.68 ± 2.06 mm2 vs. 3.27 ± 2.22 mm2; p < 0.001). The difference in measurements of MLA between IVUS and FD-OCT was significantly greater in nonstented segments compared with stented segments (0.56 ± 0.49 mm2 vs. 0.25 ± 0.87 mm2; p = 0.007). Bland-Altman analyses for MLA are shown in Figure 6. There was a direct correlation and good agreement in MLA between FD-OCT and IVUS (r = 0.95, p < 0.001; mean difference 0.41 mm2).
Minimum lumen area (MLA) by IVUS was greater than that by FD-OCT (relative reference 10%). Abbreviations as in Figure 1.
There was a direct correlation and good agreement for measurements of MLA between FD-OCT and IVUS. Abbreviations as in Figures 1 and 5.
Interobserver reproducibility for measurement of MLA is shown in Figure 7. Bland-Altman analysis revealed a direct correlation and good agreement between the measurements by 2 observers in both FD-OCT (r = 0.999, p < 0.001; mean difference 0.01 mm2) and IVUS (r = 0.994, p < 0.001; mean difference 0.04 mm2). The root-mean-squared deviation between measurements by the same observer was approximately twice as high for the IVUS measurements compared with the FD-OCT measurements (0.32 mm2 vs. 0.16 mm2).
Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated good agreements between the measurements by 2 observers in both (A) FD-OCT and (B) IVUS. Abbreviations as in Figures 1 and 5.
Table 2 summarizes the results the evaluation of the abilities of FD-OCT and IVUS to detect suboptimal lesion morphologies at post-PCI. Intrastent tissue protrusion (95% vs. 18%; p < 0.001), incomplete stent apposition (39% vs. 14%; p < 0.001), stent edge dissection (13% vs. 0%; p = 0.013), and intrastent thrombus (13% vs. 0%; p = 0.013) were detected more frequently by FD-OCT compared with IVUS. Representative FD-OCT and IVUS images of suboptimal lesion morphologies after stenting are shown in Figure 8.
(A, arrows) Tissue protrusion, (B, arrows) incomplete stent apposition, (C, arrows) coronary dissection, and (D, arrows) intrastent thrombus are observed in FD-OCT but difficult to discern in the corresponding IVUS image (E, F, G, and H).
Figure 9 compares measurements of lumen area by IVUS and FD-OCT in the phantom models. The mean of the lumen areas measured using FD-OCT was equal to the actual lumen area of the phantom model. The mean and SDs of the lumen area of the phantom measured by using IVUS were significantly greater than those measured by using FD-OCT (8.03 ± 0.58 mm2 vs. 7.45 ± 0.17 mm2; p < 0.001).
MLA by IVUS was greater than that by FD-OCT (relative reference 8%). Abbreviations as in Figures 1, 5, and 7.
There were 2 main findings of this study. First, FD-OCT provided accurate measurements of coronary lumen with excellent intraobserver reproducibility. Compared with FD-OCT, QCA measured smaller lumen diameters and IVUS measured larger lumen areas, although the correlations among these 3 methods were high. Second, FD-OCT was much more sensitive in detecting intrastent tissue protrusion, incomplete stent apposition, stent edge dissection, and intrastent thrombus compared with IVUS.
Accurate luminal measurement is expected in OCT because this technology offers high resolution and excellent contrast between lumen and vessel wall. However, a few previous studies have reported conflicting results for the OCT morphometry.
Some phantom models have shown accurate measurements of OCT. Sawada et al. (2) demonstrated that the TD-OCT measurements of diameter and area of the phantom models were identical to the actual values when the image wire was positioned in the center of the lumen. Tsuchida et al. (3) revealed that the TD-OCT measurement correlated well with the actual lumen dimension (relative SD 1.8%, r = 1.000, intercept 0.01, slope 1.02) when OCT was performed in a plexiglass phantom manufactured with a precision of 10 μm. In a single-laboratory pilot study, Tahara et al. (4) found that FD-OCT measurements had excellent correlations with actual phantom dimensions (concordance correlation coefficient ≥0.9958). The present study demonstrated that FD-OCT measurements were more accurately reflective of the true phantom dimensions than IVUS. Our results are in line with previous phantom studies which showed that OCT provided closer measurement to the actual phantom dimension.
An additional vivo study by Gonzalo et al. (5) found that both TD-OCT and IVUS overestimated lumen area compared with histology. In fixed human coronary arteries, the lumen area obtained by using TD-OCT and IVUS was larger than that obtained by using histomorphometry: relative reference 28% for TD-OCT and 40% for IVUS. The proposed explanation was removal of water content from histology specimens causing vessel shrinkage and thereby falsely lowering luminal areas.
Several in vivo studies have compared luminal measurements between OCT and IVUS. Kawase et al. (6) performed measurements on stented pig arteries and demonstrated no differences in lumen areas and volumes between TD-OCT and IVUS. However, other studies consistently reported that lumen dimensions measured by OCT were significantly smaller than that by IVUS. In a clinical study by Yamaguchi et al. (7), the MLD and MLA measured by TD-OCT were significantly correlated with those measured by IVUS but the measurements by OCT were significantly smaller than those by IVUS (relative reference –4.3% and –7.1%, respectively). Capodanno et al. (8) showed that lumen area measured by TD-OCT using a nonocclusive imaging technique was significantly smaller than that by IVUS (relative reference –5.4%). Okamura et al. (9) demonstrated that MLA measured by a Terumo intravascular optical frequency domain imaging system (Terumo Corp., Tokyo, Japan) was smaller than that by IVUS (relative reference –6.7%) and larger than QCA (relative reference 40.3%).
One possible explanation for these measurement differences between OCT and IVUS is the fact that most previous studies were performed with TD-OCT, which requires proximal balloon occlusion. Balloon occlusion causes a decrease in coronary perfusion pressure that was not compensated by continuous flush injection, therefore causing partial vessel collapse. In support of this hypothesis, a previous TD-OCT study found that the lumen area obtained with proximal balloon occlusion technique was smaller than that obtained with a nonocclusive technique (relative reference –13%) (5). FD-OCT, however, does not require coronary occlusion for image acquisition. In addition, the size of the FD-OCT image catheter is similar to that of IVUS catheters. Therefore, the degree of coronary pressure depression and vessel collapse due to the imaging catheter is thought to be comparable between FD-OCT and IVUS. The difference in lumen measurements between the 2 techniques is not likely due to the imaging procedure of FD-OCT.
Another possible reason for this difference is the superior ability of OCT to visualize the lumen-intima interface compared with IVUS, therefore allowing OCT to visualize the true lumen dimensions and causing IVUS to overestimate. Supporting this theory is the fact that IVUS is known to overestimate lumen area. An experimental study reported that IVUS measurement was influenced by blood flow velocity, blood temperature, eccentric catheter placement, and the incidence angle of echo signal, which resulted in a 16 ± 6% increase in lumen area for phantoms and 14 ± 9% for human arteries in vitro (10). Furthermore, a clinical study showed that the lumen area measured using IVUS was larger than the values obtained using 2 standard methods of QCA, such as edge detection and video-densitometry (11).
The high-resolution images of FD-OCT result in the excellent reproducibility of coronary measurements. Fedele et al. (12) reported that the average biases of FD-OCT in the interobserver, intraobserver, and interpullback comparisons were <0.15 mm2 for the lumen area. Sources of variability were incomplete visualization of the vessel circumference, ambiguous luminal borders, and drift of internal catheter calibration (Z-offset). With its excellent accuracy and reproducibility of quantitative measurements, FD-OCT has great potential to become a valuable tool for evaluating lumen changes in response to specific pharmacologic or interventional treatments.
Given the fine resolution at imaging depths <1 mm, OCT is suited for stent visualization. A previous TD-OCT study showed that TD-OCT detected intrastent tissue protrusion, incomplete stent apposition, stent edge dissection, and intrastent thrombus better than IVUS (13). The present study revealed that FD-OCT also had the capability to detect these suboptimal lesion morphologies after stenting. Further investigation is needed to assess the clinical implication of these detailed findings obtained by OCT.
FD-OCT is becoming increasingly widespread as a clinical tool to assess coronary artery disease and guide PCI. Although a recent study by Habara et al. (14) found that minimum stent area was smaller in FD-OCT–guided PCI compared with IVUS-guided PCI, knowledge of accuracy for FD-OCT measurements is essential when designing clinical trials and when considering FD-OCT findings as a surrogate marker of PCI optimization. Because FD-OCT has smaller lumen area measurements than IVUS, caution should be taken before using literature-validated IVUS parameters to assess lesion significance by FD-OCT. In addition, unlike IVUS, OCT has limited far-field penetration and thus is unable to reliably visualize the external elastic membrane, which may affect stent sizing. Thus, further studies are required to determine whether IVUS or OCT is better suited to improve clinical outcomes after stent implantation. Similar to the earlier days with IVUS, we will continue to learn more about this technique. Our results will form the basis of quantitative FD-OCT analysis in future clinical trials.
First, both FD-OCT and IVUS require keeping the guidewire in the vessel during image acquisitions. The shadow from the guide wire can affect measurements of lumen area. Second, the influence of coronary pulsation on lumen measurements was not assessed in the present study. Corresponding FD-OCT and IVUS images were not necessarily acquired during the same phase of cardiac cycle, because the pullback speed is different between the 2 techniques. Third, for the FD-OCT image acquisition, the injection rate of the contrast media was chosen by the individual operator. Rapid injection increases shear stress, which could induce vasoconstriction. Fourth, we used 40-MHz IVUS transducers according to the previous comparison studies between TD-OCT and IVUS (6). Our results may be not applicable to IVUS images acquired by ultrasonic transducers that operate at frequencies significantly above or below 40 MHz, because the IVUS frequency can affect the spatial resolution. Finally, the QCA studies were performed using standard 2-dimensional analysis, which has a few well-known limitations. Recently developed 3-dimensional QCA has the potential to provide more reliable measurements of segment length and diameter.
This prospective multicenter study demonstrated that more accurate measurements of the coronary lumen may be achieved using FD-OCT compared with IVUS and angiography. These results indicate that FD-OCT provides reliable quantitative measurements of coronary dimensions in the clinical setting.
This work was supported by a grant from Lightlab Imaging/St. Jude Medical. Dr. Kubo has received grant support and consulting fees from St. Jude Medical. Drs. Akasaka and Shite have received grant support and consulting fees from St. Jude Medical. Dr. Zhang is an employee of St. Jude Medical. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.
(1992) Geometric accuracy of intravascular ultrasound imaging. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 5:577–587.
(1996) Quantification of the minimal luminal cross-sectional area after coronary stenting by two- and three-dimensional intravascular ultrasound versus edge detection and videodensitometry. Am J Cardiol 78:520–525.
(2012) Reproducibility of coronary optical coherence tomography for lumen and length measurements in humans. Am J Cardiol 110:1106–1112. | 2019-04-23T03:08:05 | http://imaging.onlinejacc.org/content/6/10/1095 |
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