question stringlengths 14 1.69M | answer stringlengths 1 40.5k | meat_tokens int64 1 8.18k |
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Celebrating human potential: capping<|fim_middle|>ley. "For us, it's been an opportunity to work with some truly amazing human beings who are proud of their country. You can't help but catch that spirit as well. They are transforming the country, and we're humbled to be invited along to contribute what we can."
Dell TechnologiesSpringboksrugbyPCs | a great year with the Springboks
By Staff Writer 6 February 2020 | Categories: Press Release
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It was an epic 2019 for South Africa's Springbok rugby team, and Dell Technologies is proud to have walked some of the journey with our champions.
The decisive and undisputed defeat of the English team by the Springboks in Japan not only crowned the new world champions, but was the destination of a journey that the team took from the depths of defeat.
"When we signed this sponsorship, we just lost 57-0 to the All Blacks," said Doug Woolley, GM of Dell Technologies South Africa. "At Dell, we believe in human potential. This team demonstrated that in bucket loads. Their glory is well deserved! Well done to the Springboks!"
Supporting the team went beyond a logo on their kit. Dell Technologies (Dell) was able to bring its expertise in modern systems to help make a tangible difference for the Springboks and the South African Rugby Union (SARU).
Games for the champs
Dell helped keep the Springboks entertained while they resided in Japan. Six Dell gaming laptops, complete with peripherals, were offered to the team. The original intent was to keep in touch with their families. But as it turned out, many of the champions are avid gamers as well.
"The team asked for ways to talk to their families back in South Africa, so we provided laptops that could deliver clear and reliable video conferencing," explained Chris Buchanan, Client Solutions Director at Dell Technologies South Africa. "But then a second request came in: could these PCs play games as well? Some of the team love playing certain video games, so we packaged several high-end laptops. These are solid gaming machines and also ideal for watching movies or streaming content."
The multi-purpose Inspiron G-series machines were bundled with peripherals, including headsets, gaming mice and gamepads. Team captain Siya Kolisi, along with teammates Damian de Allende, Elton Jantjies and Handré Pollard, collected the machines. But whether they shared with the other guys is a Springbok secret.
Modernising the game
The Springbok sponsorship also opened other doors of engagement, ones that might well impact the future of rugby in South Africa.
Sports teams across the world have been using digital technology to improve their odds of winning. The McLaren Formula 1 team partners with Dell to capture and analyse data from the cars. In a league where split-seconds can mean victory for finely-tuned machines and drivers, insights generated through modern technology have become crucial. SARU has similar ambitions and Dell stepped in to offer its services.
SARU staff are on the road often and rarely sit at a desk. They are more likely to be next to a sports field or in the thick of a training camp. The activities of coaches and players also generate a lot of information that can be captured and used intelligently. Though the union had invested in the appropriate software, their legacy infrastructure was not up to the task.
"SARU had some solutions. They had the software to do the job, but their computer infrastructure was not up to the task," said Andrew Wardman, Enterprise Account Manager at Dell Technologies South Africa. "They wanted to drive analytics and share those insights effectively. For example, the defence, tackling, and head coaches should all have the same data, accessible from devices in the field."
The central vision at Dell is that technology helps drive human potential and must be deployed with that purpose as the outcome. This aligns with SARU's vision, and an end-to-end digital strategy was formulated. The union's servers were consolidated around PowerEdge R640 machines, and its data storage was centralised for easy access.
SARU generates a lot of high-fidelity data, including video recordings of matches and practice sessions - not only of the national Springbok team but others such as the Sevens team and developmental events as well. The upgrades, which include Dell Latitude laptops for staff, make it possible to access and analyse data from matches and players. Now SARU can review plays more efficiently, track players, get information to trainers and gain that sliver of competitive edge that put the best ahead of the rest.
These improvements are just the start. SARU and Dell's collaboration continues as they look at even more advanced developments for the team and sport. But for Dell Technologies, the real pride is being able to back the national team.
"Seeing the team crowned as world champions was just the cherry on top," said Wool | 971 |
Home > Space > News Articles
New Insights About The Origin Of Solar Wind
By News Staff | December 5th 2007 09:00 PM | Print | E-mail
Images from NASA-funded telescopes aboard a Japanese satellite have shed new light about the sun's magnetic field and the origins of solar wind, which disrupts power grids, satellites and communications on Earth.
Data from the Hinode satellite shows that magnetic waves play a critical role in driving the solar wind into space. The solar wind is a stream of electrically charged gas that is propelled away from the sun in all directions at speeds of almost 1 million miles per hour. Better understanding of the solar wind may lead to more accurate prediction of damaging radiation waves before they reach satellites. Findings by American-led international<|fim_middle|> clearly shows an x-ray jet launching plasma out into the solar system from the sun's north polar coronal hole. This image was taken January 10, 2007 by Hinode's X-ray telescope. Image credit: SAO/NASA/JAXA/NAOJ
How the solar wind is formed and powered has been the subject of debate for decades. Powerful magnetic Alfvén waves in the electrically charged gas near the sun have always been a leading candidate as a force in the formation of solar wind since Alfvén waves in principle can transfer energy from the sun's surface up through its atmosphere, or corona, into the solar wind.
In the solar atmosphere, Alfvén waves are created when convective motions and sound waves push magnetic fields around, or when dynamic processes create electrical currents that allow the magnetic fields to change shape or reconnect.
"Until now, Alfvén waves have been impossible to observe because of limited resolution of available instruments," said Alexei Pevtsov, Hinode program scientist, NASA Headquarters, Washington. "With the help of Hinode, we are now able to see direct evidence of Alfvén waves, which will help us unravel the mystery of how the solar wind is powered."
Using Hinode's high resolution X-ray telescope, a team led by Jonathan Cirtain, a solar physicist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., was able to peer low into the corona at the sun's poles and observe record numbers of X-ray jets. The jets are fountains of rapidly moving hot plasma. Previous research detected only a few jets daily.
With Hinode's higher sensitivity, Cirtain's team observed an average of 240 jets per day. They conclude that magnetic reconnection, a process where two oppositely charged magnetic fields collide and release energy, is frequently occurring in the low solar corona. This interaction forms both Alfvén waves and the burst of energized plasma in X-ray jets.
"These observations show a clear relationship between magnetic reconnection and Alfvén wave formation in the X-ray jets." said Cirtain. "The large number of jets, coupled with the high speeds of the outflowing plasma, lends further credence to the idea that X-ray jets are a driving force in the creation of the fast solar wind."
Another research team led by Bart De Pontieu, a solar physicist at Lockheed Martin's Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory, Palo Alto, Calif., focused on the sun's chromosphere, the region sandwiched between the solar surface and its corona. Using extremely high-resolution images from Hinode's Solar Optical Telescope, De Pontieu's team found that the chromosphere is riddled with Alfvén waves. When the waves leak into the corona, they are strong enough to power the solar wind.
"We find that most of these Alfvén waves have periods of several minutes, much longer than many theoretical models have assumed in the past," says De Pontieu. Comparisons with advanced computer simulations from the University of Oslo, Norway, indicate that reconnection is not the only source of the Alfvén waves. "The simulations imply that many of the waves occur when the sun's magnetic field is jostled around by convective motions and sound waves in the low atmosphere," continued De Pontieu.
Hinode was launched in September 2006 to study the sun's magnetic field and how its explosive energy propagates through the different layers of the solar atmosphere. It is a collaborative mission with NASA and the space agencies of Japan, the United Kingdom, Norway and Europe and Japan's National Astronomical Observatory. Marshall manages science operations and managed the development of the scientific instrumentation provided for the mission by NASA, industry and other federal agencies. The Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Palo Alto, Calif., is the lead U.S. investigator for the Solar Optical Telescope. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Mass. is the lead U.S. investigator for the X-Ray Telescope.
Nanoflares Boost Heat Of The Sun's Corona
The Mystery Of Our Sun's Heat
Alfven Waves- Our Sun Is Doing The Magnetic Twist
Discovery- Source Of Slow Solar Wind
The Finest Mirrors Ever Made, And Their 10-Minute Mission | teams of researchers appeared in the Dec. 7 issue of the journal SCIENCE.
This image | 19 |
Valet parking and self-parking are complimentary courtesy of Kia Motors America.
The 24th and final "A Night at Sardi's," was held on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, and raised over $1.5 million.
This extraordinary event, chaired by Laurie Burrows Grad, James Burrows and Nicholas Grad, honored and paid tribute to Laurie's late husband and Sardi's co-founder Peter Grad with the Philanthropy Award. In addition, actor Keith Carradine received the Caregiver of the Year award. The evening was hosted by David Hyde Pierce and featured performances by the cast of "The Big Bang Theory," Joey McIntyre, Jason Alexander, Grace Potter and more. At the event, the torch was passed to Hilarity for Charity founders Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller Rogen,<|fim_middle|>28 million to address this rapidly growing health crisis.
© 2019 Alzheimer's Association | alz.org | All rights reserved. | inspiring the next generation to continue to build critically important awareness for the disease and the Association.
"A Night at Sardi's" is an annual celebrity musical revue and awards dinner to benefit the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer's Association. More than 850 prominent entertainment industry leaders and celebrities gather to recognize advances in the fight against Alzheimer's — and rally around the growing movement to end the disease.
To date, "A Night at Sardi's" has raised more than $ | 100 |
Alderson, WV
*SATURDAY, JUNE 13*
7:00p.m. Miss Fireworks Pageant (Alderson Community Center) $5 admission Children 5 and under are free.
*SUNDAY, JUNE 14*
1:00p.m. Baby Sparkler, Little Mr. & Miss Sparkler, Mr.& Miss Sparkler, Little Miss Fireworks, Junior Miss Fireworks, Senior Miss Fireworks (Alderson Community Center) $5 admission Children 5 and under are free. Contact Karen Lobban (304-667-5049) Applications can be printed from www.alderson4th.com
*FRIDAY, JUNE 26*
7:00p.m. to 11:00p.m. Firemen's Rodeo (Alderson Memorial Football Field) Free Admission – Sponsored by Alderson Fire Department & EMS. Contact Rick Honaker (304-445-7420)
8:00a.m. Youth Bicycle Race Registration – Virginia St & Elmwood Ave
(Three age divisions) 4 to 6, 7 to 9, and 10 to 12
9:00a.m. Youth Bicycle Race - Presented by Tri-County Fire Company. Contact Jimmy Massey (304-667-3475)
*WEDNESDAY, JULY 1*
1:00p.m. Judging Home and Business Decorating Contest. Contact Brenda Gabbert (304-445-7210)
*THURSDAY, JULY 2*
7:00p.m. Kids Night (Alderson Memorial Football Field) Bring the kids out for a free fun evening! Contact Briton Kirby (304-304-646-0841) or Rose Spencer (304-445-2042)
*FRIDAY, JULY 3*
12:00p.m. to 1:00p.m. "All American Baking Contest" (Community Center Kitchen) Entries must be dropped off between Noon-1:00p.m.
2020 Theme: Best decorated 4th of July cake. Contact Brenda Gabbert (304-445-7210) - 1st $75.00, 2nd $50 and 3rd $25.00 Sponsored by Little Debbie Distributor
1:00p.m. to 3:00p.m. Ice Cream Social – Alderson Depot. Contact Judy Lohmeyer, Alderson Main Street (304-992-2366)
4:00p.m. to 6:00p.m. Open House at Alderson Community Center
6:30p.m. 4th of July Dinner (Alderson Community Center) Served buffet style with catered food – Please make reservations by June 29 to ensure you have a seat - $18.00 per person, 12 and under $8.00. Contact Linda Loudermilk (304-445-7520) or by emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
7:00 p.m. to 10:00p.m. Virginia Magic Band (Alderson Memorial Football Field) Free Admission – Bring your own chair (Rain or Shine)
*SATURDAY, JULY 4*
8:00a.m. Arts, Crafts & Commercial Sales (Alderson Elementary School Grounds). Contact Karen Lobban (304-667-5049)
8:00a.m. Parade Line Up - Alderson Elementary School on Virginia St. Line up depends on your arrival time. Contact Jessie Willis (304-646-7893)
10:00a.m. to 3:00p.m. Throttle Throbs Car Show (Old Greenbrier Baptist Church Parking Lot) North Monroe Street. Contact Ron Ness (304-645-5055)
10:30a.m. 2020 Grand Parade – Queens, floats, cars, bicycles, tractors, horses and fire engines. Trophies and prizes in all categories. Something for everyone! After parade, trophies and prizes can be picked up at Alderson Memorial Football Field. Contact Jessie Willis (304-646-7893)
1:00p.m. Stuart's Hot Dawg Eating Contest - Stuart's Smokehouse, Rt. 63 Registration begins at 12:00 noon.
1st $500.00, 2nd $100.00, and 3rd $50.00. 12 & under 1st $50.00, 2nd $25.00 and 3rd $10.00 For more information call (304-445-DAWG (3294)
1:00p.m. 4th Annual Horse Show– Cross River Country Church - $10 Entry Fee and 4 Jackpot Classes $25. Contact Corianna Spinks (304-520-8937) Show begins at 3pm.
1:00p.m. Presentation of Colors – Introduction of Miss Fireworks and her Court, Sr. Miss Fireworks<|fim_middle|>aces of all kinds. (No pre-registration required) Alderson Memorial Football Field. Contact Jimmy Massie (304-667-3475) or Jessie Willis 304-646-7893)
4:00p.m. Tug of War – Greenbrier vs. Monroe and Kids Tug of War
*PLEASE CLEAR THE FOOTBALL FIELD*
8:00p.m. to 9:30p.m. Davisson Brothers (Alderson Memorial Football Field)
Admission $5 per person for show and fireworks. Children 6 and under free. Bring your own chair – (Rain or Shine)
Gates will not open until after the fireworks
10:00p.m. Introduction of Miss Fireworks 2020 and her Court
10:15p.m. Grand Fireworks Display -The Alderson Fire Department will put on the best show in Greenbrier County featuring marvelous aerial and ground displays - (Alderson Memorial Football Field)
Concessions ★ Inflatables ★ Duck Tickets on Sale All Day – Contact Greg Eary (304-646-1762) or Pam Shields (304-520-4233)
*SUNDAY, JULY 5*
11:00a.m. Sunday Worship Service – Alderson Area Churches cordially invite you to attend the church of your choice
12:00p.m. White Water Canoe Race – Fort Spring – Registration starts at 12:00p.m. and the race starts at 1:00p.m.–a timed event on the Greenbrier River, total distance 7 miles – canoe & kayak divisions. Contact Jessie Willis (304-646-7893)
1:30p.m. River Events – Enjoy an afternoon of fun in the cozy green water of the Greenbrier River at the Alderson Mini Park Bring a seat and enjoy! Men, women and children and anything that floats races. Contact Jessie Willis (304-646-7893)
6:00p.m. Ducks on the Greenbrier-Rubber Duck Race (Alderson Mini Park)
Grand Prize: $5,000, Second Prize: $1,000 Cash, Third Prize: Two night stay at Virginia Beach. Plus many other prizes.
For tickets and information, contact Pam Shields (304-520-4233)
7:00p.m. Gospel Sing (Alderson Memorial Football Field). Bring your own lawn chair or blanket and enjoy an evening of gospel music by various local artists. Sponsored by the Alderson River of Life Church. Contact Anthony Carter (304-732-6124).
In the event of inclement weather, the gospel sing will be moved to the Alderson River of Life Church on Rt.63
*SATURDAY, JULY 11*
7:30a.m. to 8:00a.m. Run for Snacks 5K Registration – Alderson Public Library
9:00a.m. Run for Snacks 5K Race & Kids Fun Run – Walk or Run Event. All ages welcome. Contact Laurie Bennett (540-798-5737)
Rubber Duck Tickets on Sale Now & Every Day During Celebration -- YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO WIN
Presented By: Alderson 4th of July Committee, Alderson Fire Dept. & EMS, Miss Fireworks Committee, and the Woman's Club of Alderson
Sponsored By: Alderson 4th of July Committee, Alderson Lions Club, Alderson Fire Dept. & EMS, Town of Alderson, Tri-County Fire Company, Alderson Main Street
NO PETS ALLOWED www.alderson4th.com - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Visit us on Facebook - Alderson 4th of July Celebration
Designed by Brian K Allen. | , Junior Miss Fireworks, Little Miss Fireworks, Mr. and Miss Sparkler, Mr. and Miss Baby Sparkler, and Fourth of July Salute - Awarding of parade prizes - raising of flag by Greenbrier East High School J.R.O.T.C.and the VFW Post#6723 (Alderson Memorial Football Field)
1:30p.m. Field Events – Afternoon filled with fun and events for everyone-R | 92 |
Growing Green (Sun News)
BEREA — Michael Gallagher called the last 17 months a testimony to voters and those involved in the Cuyahoga County's<|fim_middle|> Adalbert Street now is undergoing preparation for a 2,000-square-foot playground that will have handicapped access.
The Polish Village Playground project received $35,000 from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant Program.
Some of the playground's equipment includes a variety of slides, climbing station and a four-legged seesaw. A sitting bench also will be installed at the site.
GROWING GREEN — The city will introduce a new community garden Saturday.
Volunteers at the Runn Street property will help fill the 12 raised beds with dirt and such plants as tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and spinach. They also will plant seeds, including Swiss chard, beets, carrots and organic zucchini and cucumber.
All produce from the Polish Village Community Garden this year will be donated to local food banks, which will distribute it to those in need.
The Cuyahoga County Land Bank demolished a vacant house on the property, tilled and graded the land, which it turned over to the city. | new form of government.
"If you look at just starting an organization, let alone an organization with different folks from different parts of the county, and not even have paper and pencil when you walk through the door that first day and get where we are today, it is a testimony to those involved and those who voted for us," said Gallagher, Cuyahoga County Council District 5 representative.
"You (voters) put a lot of faith in a change of government where not many have done. Now others are contacting local officials to find out how they feel about what is occurring and transferring what they have to what we have now."
Gallagher spoke at a joint Berea and Brook Park chambers of commerce gathering last week at Baldwin-Wallace College. Gallagher represents Berea, Middleburg Heights, North Royalton, Olmsted Falls, Strongsville and Olmsted Township's Precinct D, which will be shifted to District 1 in the next county election.
Under the county charter, council must make economic development its priority, he said. He discussed such items as the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, jobs in Northeast Ohio, casino taxes and other local interests.
GOAL! — The new Berea school district colors soon will appear on Brook Park and Berea recreational soccer fields.
The Berea Youth Soccer Club and Brook Park Soccer Association joined forces this year to create the Tri-City United Soccer Club.
Its goal is to improve the youth soccer programs within the school district's communities that include Brook Park, Berea and Middleburg Heights.
SLIDES AND MORE — The city will have a new playground by the end of next month.
A piece of land at St. Adalbert Parish on | 345 |
OCEAN MACHINE - BIOMECH
Besides a few songs from Terria, Ocean Machine was my first endeavor into the Bizarre World of Devin Townsend. This holds no bias though, as I honestly believe this debut is a masterpiece. I hold it higher than Terria, even. Recently, (a year back) I've become obsessed with the Mad Scientist of Metal, so in dedication to him, I thought I'd spread awareness about this contagion. This addiction. Why not<|fim_middle|> a choir comes in.
"Greetings" has a build-up of magnificent proportions in its short length. "Regulator" is a complex, punchy (while still being spacey) song with a drum beat pausing between each beat. Nearly impossible to not headbang, just try to contain a slight head-nod. Rough vocals, rough guitar, and occasional keyboard-backing.
"Funeral" starts off reminding me of OK Computer, a silky, electronic-induced keyboard. Following with a mellow, steady guitar riff, soaring vocals. May take some time for first-timers of this album, could seem too slow to them. Soon, you'll learn to love the totality of its 8-minute length. The last minute features a Gilmour-like guitar, a perfect ending.
"Bastard" goes through various tempos, various emotions of Devin's voice, perhaps the most passionate display of his vocal-work. It's mainly based around his lyrics and his voice setting the mood, like Van der Graaf.
Last but not least, and let's make this clear: CERTAINLY not least, is "The Death of Music." A haunting track consisting of (what sounds like) sound clips of conversations. Over this, is Devin's strained voice: "And things I am, are things that should not be." This builds to a grandeur of keyboards, airy guitars, and that same programmed drum beat throughout. That rattle. Then, in a moment of seeming clarity, he sings (in an almost operatic-fashion): "It's like a death!! Becomes musical, musical..." The laughing and conversations continue again, little jokes like, "F**k you, okay, eh?" and the programmed drums continue... It seems simple, or silly, but this'll stay with you forever. That same beat surrounding the song.
Townsend has stated on his website (hevydevy.com) that he's "very proud of this album, and has a very obvious 'blue' feeling to me." Every album's unique in Devin's discography, though this'll always remain as one of my favorites. It changed the game for Devin, venturing further than just metal. The music had an atmosphere to it, and explored a whole new territory.
Raccoon | 5/5 | 2014-5-15
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After Sex & Religion's massive success (gold-status in Japan), Devin was recommended by his A&R rep to start his own label; get his name out. In return, he created the strange and eclectic Ocean Machine. Through the rage he displayed in Heavy as a Really Heavy Thing and City (a few months before), he created an album that channeled that anger, while at the same time entering a spacey scene.
Ocean Machine revolves around a cold, industrial tone. Think of Porcupine Tree's Stupid Dream, a bold move with some fans embracing the change, while others yearning for more of the same. Strapping Young Lad never interested me, so this was a WELCOMED change.
Throughout the album's course, I find it more 'Heavy Rock' rather than Metal. "Seventh Wave" starts us off with heavy guitars, kicking drums, and Devin's multitude of emotion shown through his vocals. His voice belts extended yells and the heavenly "Ahhhhh!!"
"Life" displays an alternative-friendly sound, "Who we are, what we are! I'll see you on the other side!" This in no way means this song is dull, or 'poppy', but it means it's extremely catchy.
"Night" features the tough side of Devin's vocals, anger-fueled and excited. Not for the light-hearted. There's a break in the chorus, a sense of relief as he says, "Falling down?" and that's repeated at the end, leaving you relieved.
"Hide Nowhere" is one of my favorites. Easily. Quick guitar riffs, plenty of cymbals. Then it leads up to a frenzy of Devin vocal layerings, reminiscent of Gentle Giant. Such a memorable track.
"Sister" is short, sweet, and (as most have stated already) a nice break from the fast-paced guitar-drum work. Calm guitar, icy keyboards, smooth vocals. Many disregard this track, but you need diversity in a metal album or it becomes tiring or annoying. Opeth does it right also, breaks in-between the dense, metal sound. If there wasn't, I probably couldn't listen to the album (Opeth and Townsend alike) in its entirety.
"3 A.M." continues on this path, where "Sister" left off. Again, great keyboard work calmer than "Sister" even. This leads up to "Voices In The Fan," opening with heavier riffs and Devin's signature yelling. This all follows a steady beat, every word stated clearly to add emphasis, which makes it catchy and powerful. Ends peacefully; a moment of silence, and | 548 |
Most tires need to be rotated every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, but you should consult your owner's manual for a more specific figure. If you're<|fim_middle|>oville, make sure to add tire rotations to your maintenance plan. However, even well-cared-for tires do need to be replaced sometimes, and our parts department is here if that's the case.
For more information about caring for your tires, contact Chevrolet of Naperville today. Our highly trained service associates are ready to answer your questions. | still wondering when to rotate tires, explore this guide from Chevrolet of Naperville, your Aurora-area service center.
A FWD or RWD car will need its tires rotated every 5,000 to 7,500 miles, or as recommended in the owner's manual.
Performing a FWD tire rotation yourself? When you move the rear tires to the front, be sure to flip sides. For example, the rear left tire will go on the front right – but when you move the front tires back, keep them on the same side.
For a RWD car, simply flip the process. Move the front tires directly back, then move the back tires forward and switch sides.
If you regularly drive on rough roads, you may want to rotate your tires more quickly. Visit Chevrolet of Naperville near Bolingbrook to develop a custom maintenance plan that suits your needs.
If you're wondering how many miles to rotate tires on an AWD Model, Chevrolet of Naperville has you covered. Since tires on all-wheel drive vehicles wear differently, many experts recommend rotating them every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Again, you'll want to check your owner's manual for specific vehicle recommendations. If you're not sure how long it's been since your last tire rotation, you can always schedule service at Chevrolet of Naperville. We'll check tread wear differences to see if it's time for a rotation. Most tires require rotation once the tread variance is over 2/32 of an inch.
If you want your car to better handle sudden storms in Rome | 325 |
Mechanical failures can wreak havoc on your<|fim_middle|> fleet.
Set performance cut-offs and policies to specify when performance slippage becomes noteworthy.
Configure real-time alerts to get instant notifications of mission-critical mechanical faults that can lead to safety concerns or costly breakdowns.
Choose channels for each alert and recipient, including SMS, email, and GreenRoad Central dashboard notifications. | fleet, even if you never skip a single scheduled maintenance. GreenRoad detects subtle indicators of emerging problems, so you can address faults well before your "check engine" light goes on.
The vehicles in your fleet are essential tools of your trade. GreenRoad's real-time health monitoring capability connects with vehicle engines to continuously monitor their critical systems and uncover mechanical failures at their first sign.
Monitor the current overall health and historical health trends of your fleet, as well as the health of individual vehicles and operating units, from GreenRoad Central.
Highlight vehicles with active faults on integrated live fleet maps, and direct them to nearby service centers.
Create on-demand or scheduled reports so you can follow up on problems that need attention.
Act on chronic or recurring issues that could indicate faulty maintenance or problematic driver behaviour.
GreenRoad's monitoring system is proactive in letting you know about vehicle health faults so you can communicate with the driver and get the vehicle serviced before problems worsen.
Tailor vehicle health alerts to the unique needs of your | 201 |
Competing with Heart, Racing with Gratitude
MENTAL SKILLS
Written by: Mike Ricci, USAT Level 3 Coach On: 01/08/2017
On August 25, 2007 the world of track and field saw an example of greatness worth talking about, and our heroine didn't even win the race. On this night Kara Goucher won a bronze medal in the women?s 10,000 meters outpacing her fellow American competitors and the rest of the world?s best. All three US women raced proudly and finished 3rd, 7th (Deena Kastor) and 13th (Katie McGregor) crossing the finish line in good form.
The conditions for this race were brutally warm and humid as the entire field pushed the envelope. Four of the 19 finishers had season?s best times while 3 more dropped out of the race and were carried from the course. If drama is what you expect from a world?s championship, this race did not disappoint. 'Worlds' is the biggest stage on earth and is probably more representative of one's career than even the Olympic Games which every four years offers up results that, at times, feel like a fluke.
Kara was not the only athlete to compete with heart that day, and the results of her race weren't sensational like the Tyson Gay 'Äì Asafa Powell, 'Earth's Fastest Human' match-up. Just the same, it is what you do not know about Kara Goucher that serves as the lesson here and it gives us both hope and pause as we expand our definition of 'greatness.'
As a sport<|fim_middle|> many things in her life, a loving family, a supportive and encouraging Adam (who trains, eats, laughs and sleeps with her), the best facilities coaching and support available, and finally'Ķher emerging health fitness and racing savvy. For those that know Kara, they appreciate her warm and friendly personality. For those who have watched her grow, they admire her devotion and tenacity working through every challenge. 'Greatness' originates in courage and toughness, but it is never more welcome or deserved than when it is accompanied by gratitude. The wait was long, and the journey filled with adversity yet no one is more thankful for its course than Kara Goucher, bronze medalist in the World Championships.
On September 2nd Adam Goucher placed 11th in the 5000 meters, 7.3 seconds behind the gold medalist, Bernard Lagat. Kara's medal was the first won by an American in the 10,000 meters since 1992, when Lynn Jennings won a medal in the Olympic Games.
Contact me please! | psychologist I teach mental conditioning skills. Much of what we do seems pedantic and routine, but collectively we are a resource for information, ideas, encouragement, methods and techniques for learning how to relax, set goals, motivate, concentrate and manage distractions. We also help athletes deal with the emotional roller coaster ride vital to competing and performing when they put 'everything on the line'. As athletes advance in their abilities, the work can get quite specific to each individual as they discover how to train and compete 'in the zone' and use tools like imagery and visualization to turn their dreams into reality. Perhaps the most important contribution we offer to each is essential to developing confidence and managing one's self-talk. These things are a persistent concern and require everyday practice. To those who faithfully follow sports, that?s how it goes during the best of times. What about during the worst of times?
Distance running is unique. It requires endless hours of training and recovery, the everlasting and incessant cycle of building fitness season in and season out. For Kara, the recovery process was all she knew for several years, and it was so much a part of her life experience, it felt interminable. Even the strongest person loses heart in such circumstances. She loyally watched and cheered her husband (Olympian Adam Goucher) from the sidelines internally fearing that might be the closest she would ever come to competing on the world stage. For years her career was characterized more by 'set backs' than accomplishments, that is, up until last year (2006).
In 1999 through 2000, Kara was a star runner at the University of Colorado, boasting NCAA Championships in the women's 3000 & 5000 meters and Cross Country. Her last good season was capped by winning the NCAA Cross Country Championships in the fall of her senior year. Then things started to go south. First came the fatigue attributed to anemia and then her problems were exacerbated by nagging injuries that spoiled a promising track season and the disappointment of not being able to defend her titles.
That however, was just the beginning of her difficulties. Even though she signed a contract to represent Nike as a professional, her career was sidetracked by compartment syndrome, a patellar tendon injury, stress fractures and multiple surgeries. It seemed as if procedures and injuries were defining her more and more. Even after screening for the female athlete triad, she missed season after season of competition and felt as if she were letting everyone down, her coach, her husband and her sponsor. Her mood crashed and she was wondering if she would ever be healthy.
A change was in order, and so Kara along with her husband, Adam, researched their options. That research concluded in the decision to train with the highly touted director of the Nike Project, marathon great Alberto Salazar. They ended their longstanding relationship with Colorado's coach Mark Wetmore, sold their house, kissed their family and friends good-bye and moved to Portland. The Nike Project offered promise, great nutritional and medical support and the wisdom of Alberto Salazar who helped Adam rekindle his great career, and for Kara to start hers. 2006 showed them both PRs, and Kara was able to compete for an entire season without injury. Life changed for them that year and the emerging flame of confidence started to glow, boosted by great workouts, staying healthy, and PR's for Kara at virtually every distance she competed in.
Even then, a bronze medal in the World Championships was a stretch?.but few people know of Kara?s secret weapon. That special inspiration comes from 'gratitude''Ķfor | 739 |
This is one of the hardest decisions to make for your growing young adult. However, I fervently believe that if your little is leaving the house at 18, then that should NOT be the first time they are ever left alone overnight. We need to learn to trust them, and allow them to screw up too. Every kid is on their own journey and mature at different rates and we need to honor that while keeping them safe. So, one month shy of Miss Moe's 16th birthday she did not want to go to the Hershey Park Half Marathon with us. We had to think about what to do at this point – Do we force her to go? Cancel our plans because she had mountains of homework? Or make her spend the night somewhere with a friend (still not getting any homework done)? We decided this would be a good time to work with her on staying the night and being<|fim_middle|> on.
Tell them not to advertise it; kids can exploit opportunities of limited parental supervision.
Make sure they have money in an emergency.
Lay out every expectation clearly – making dinner, taking care of pets, and where they'll be and when (with check-in expectations).
Technology makes keeping connected easier- use it. Trust but verify. We used the iPhone locater more than once, and checked our cameras as well. | responsible for the home and her Daisy Mae Moe. We were two hours away and a friend of the family knew she was home and could get to her in a pinch. Additionally, we have a camera in the house and at the door so we can see the comings and goings – it's a trust but verify situation.
Before deciding on this course of action I scoured the Internet and Fairfax County guidelines and found all sorts of conflicting advice leaving me more confused than before. However, where we live there are no hard and fast rules, just guidelines. It comes down to knowing your kiddo and what they are capable of and comfortable with – and trusting your gut. It was a successful trial run of a 24 hour period. She felt trusted and proud, we had her crockpot some dinner in the morning and she voluntarily picked up the house and Daisy Mae Moe was happy and cared for. It won't be the last time we trust her to be on her own for a night (and maybe in a year – two nights).
Miss Moe was more than ready, felt confident and not at all scared about it. We double/tripled/quadruple checked with her and remained flexible with our plans.
Always be available, she wanted to FaceTime when she got home from the mall (I was tired and didn't), but you bet that I was on that line and every bit interested in what she had to say.
Leave your ringer on and ALWAYS be accessible. That meant even when I was running the half marathon I had my ringer | 318 |
Searching for Alzheimer clues inside the brains cells as well as out
A new study involving Dublin City University offers new insights on a type of build-up linked with Alzheimer's disease
Tue, Sep 4, 2018, 07:01
Claire O'Connell
In Alzheimer's disease, it's thought the brain's ability to remove amyloid beta becomes impaired, and the amyloid beta builds up in a soluble form in the fluid of the brain. Photograph: iStock
Amyloid beta has a bad rap in Alzheimer's disease. It's a sticky accumulation of proteins that forms clumps or plaques inside the brains of people with the condition: the build-up of plaques was one of the original changes in the brain that German physician Alois Alzheimer spotted more than a century ago in post-mortems of patients.
Yet much remains unknown about amyloid beta in Alzheimer's disease. The focus of research has often been on the visible build-up in the space between types of brain cells called neurons.
This space, the synapse, is an important structure that allows these brain cells to communicate with each other and to<|fim_middle|> to amyloid beta build-up. If you could interfere with that process, a lot of people would be interested in that."
He stresses though, that the insights currently relate more to the development of the disease. "[Amyloid beta] binds to proteins that are responsible for the neuronal release of transmitter substances, a process essential for communication in the nervous system," he says. "As such interactions could perturb this normal functioning, our ideas suggest a basis for some symptoms of Alzheimer's disease rather than a successful treatment."
Oliver Dolly
Saak V Ovsepian
Institute Of Biological
Research Center For Environmental Health
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Many of the children in the refugee camp already have hope – they just need to hold on to it | pass information from one part of the brain to another. If the synapse can't work properly, as is thought to happen when amyloid beta builds up, it's not good news for those connections in the brain.
It's not that simple though, and a new study carried out between Dublin City University and a research centre in Germany is taking a broader perspective on beta-amyloid, which the researchers claim brings many jigsaw pieces together.
Not always a villain
Professor Saak V Ovsepian is a neuroscientist at the Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging at the German Research Center for Environmental Health in Munich.
Amyloid is an aggregate of protein fragments that can build up in different parts of the body, not only the brain, explains Prof Saak V Ovsepian, a neuroscientist at the the Institute of Biological and Medical Imaging at the German Research Center for Environmental Health in Munich, Germany.
"Amyloid can accumulate in the kidney and liver and other organs," he says. "In the brain, the type of amyloid that is linked with Alzheimer's is an aggregate of amyloid beta."
But amyloid beta is not always a villain, he notes. "The general belief that amyloid beta is always bad is not correct. Amyloid beta is present in the brain all the time, it is produced by the normal biochemistry of brain cells, and when it is present in low amounts, amyloid beta stimulates and enhances brain-cell functions."
Build-up of beta
So what goes awry in Alzheimer's disease? It's thought the brain's ability to remove amyloid beta becomes impaired, and the amyloid beta builds up in a soluble form in the fluid of the brain and also as clumps between brain cells.
"The clearance of amyloid beta in the brain becomes impaired," says Ovsepian, who is an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Science and Health in DCU. "For unknown reasons, the amyloid beta then hangs around then in the interstitial fluid [in between brain cells] where it is very toxic – it causes a lot of damage, and some of the amyloid beta aggregates into plaques."
While he was based at DCU and working with Prof Oliver Dolly, Ovsepian explored how amyloid beta moves in and out of brain cells called neurons.
"One of the most interesting issues we saw was that when there is a lot of amyloid beta outside neurons, the amyloid beta gets brought into the brain cells, and this can damage the cells," he explains.
This process could underlie the type of changes seen early in Alzheimer's disease, according to Ovsepian. "We know that a type of brain cell called cholinergic neurons die early in the disease process," he says. "These cholinergic neurons act as a clearing engine for amyloid, and if these cells are damaged and die, that means the brain loses that mechanism of removing amyloid beta and the build-up situation becomes worse."
Professor Oliver Dolly, DCU
Amyloid overview
Ovsepian and Dolly recently published a paper in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia that gives an overview of how amyloid is processed and moves in and out of neurons, particularly at the synapse, where the tips of neurons communicate.
"The synapse produces amyloid beta and then too much amyloid beta poisons it," says Ovsepian. "We looked at how the amyloid beta is regulated and processed and moved around at this critical juncture. It unifies a lot of things that were disjointed. Our study integrates them, it looks at how the parts of the jigsaw fit into the story."
Lots of people are looking at the amyloid beta plaques that build up between cells
Importantly, the paper puts the focus on what happens inside the brain cells as well as in the gap between them, notes Ovsepian. "The whole Alzheimer story was developed on what happens outside the brain cells," he says. "We are saying that it is important to look really closely at what happens with amyloid beta inside the cells too, at how it is produced and processed."
Clues for new interventions
This wider perspective could potentially point to new ways to intervene in the build-up of amyloid beta. "If we look inside the cells, there are many molecules that amyloid beta interacts with, these could be targets for us. In no way have we developed a magic bullet here, but we are pointing to a lot of molecules that perhaps had previously been ignored."
Dolly, who is professor of neurotherapeutics at DCU, is particularly interested in how the amyloid beta binds to particular molecules inside the cells and interrupts the normal trafficking of substances around and out of the brain cells.
"Lots of people are looking at the amyloid beta plaques that build up between cells, trying to develop treatments that target them and break them down," he says. "We are looking at what happens on the journey | 1,012 |
November 5, 2018 Talkin' Tunes
Where's The Beef? Ariana Grande's New Song Isn't A Diss Track, It's Just A Slapper
Posted by djchickenparm
If you've looked at any girl's Instagram story in the past 48 hours you've probably seen that Ariana Grande dropped a new song Saturday night called 'Thank u, next" and<|fim_middle|>7 (3) August 2017 (1)
toss me a follow | to no surprise, it's a banger.
The internet lost it's mind, as they always do for surprise drops, but I'm not sure if they really get the message.
It seems like everyone's calling this a "diss track" but I am yet to find a diss? I think people see a song about an ex and just assume they're putting the person in a body bag. The way people were talking about this song I thought I was gonna get some Pusha T-like bars from Ariana about Pete Davidson's dead dad or something but NOPE, all very nice stuff by my standards. You can read the lyrics here and see for yourself, but I can't find any sign of animosity from either her or Pete. I mean look at the first lyrics,
She's thankful for Pete, she talks about how it just didn't work out with the other guys, she says great things about Mac Miller…it all seems very pleasant if anything. She's learned a lot from her past relationships and she's moving on. This should be a pretty normal ideology. Then I find out this on top of it.
Ariana Grande's Thank U, Next is on its way to becoming an iconic breakup anthem, but what do her exes Pete Davidson, 24, Ricky Alvarez, 26, and Big Sean, 30, think about being mentioned in the hit? Well, they must have been cool with the lyrics about them because the 25-year-old singer admitted to sending the song their way first. "They heard it before it came out," Ariana tweeted the day after the release, along with a heart emoji and a smiley face. Via Hollywood Life
What a sweetheart! She let them hear what she was gonna say before it came out. Even if it was a horribly mean diss track it doesn't matter if you tell the person before. Drake certainly wasn't asked by Pusha T if he could tell the world he had a secret biological son, but if he hit him up before and Drake said "yeah sure sounds good" it still wouldn't really be a diss track.
The only tensions that were sort of raised came earlier this week after Pete Davidson made a joke about his breakup in his SNL Promo for Saturday's episode by proposing to Maggie Rogers the musical guest.
Pete's a comedian and he made a very lighthearted self-deprecating joke about the split. He copes with humor just as Ariana copes with music. Ariana responded to this on Twitter (supposedly) shortly after.
There are a lot of things wrong with this tweet. First of all, Pete made it pretty clear he liked all the attention he was getting from dating Ariana. Which he made public on late night shows, SNL, and any time anyone asked him anything during their engagement.
Not to mention this engagement news obviously made Pete a huge star, but Ariana also got engaged about a month before her new album dropped? And made a song on the album named after her fiance? I'm not saying either of them weren't truly in love, but it did consequentially and coincidentally help both of their careers.
However, this tweet did numbers and caused every boring buzzfeed-esque news outlet clamoring to turn the smallest celebrity interactions into full blown war zones, to report on the "toxicity" of the breakup. You can see this from this clip from "Awesomeness TV", a company I can only think was created by a 13 year old girl who got an iPad with iMovie on it for her birthday and wanted to start a Youtube channel where she can discuss Justin Bieber fan fiction.
She dragged him! She threw shade! Pete Davidson is a huge a-hole and Ariana is slamming him into irrelevancy! Except…
Yeah, Ariana deleted that previous tweet, probably realizing it wasn't fair, and tweets this. Again, it comes from an extremely rational and empathetic place. Everyone thinks Ariana was throwing shade by releasing the song just a half hour before SNL premiered. I guess people thought it was meant to overshadow Pete? But I think if anything that made more people want to watch SNL to see what Pete was going to say. And they would've watched this segment on Weekend Update.
Pete took a moment to make a sincere point at the end of the segment on Ariana and it clearly came from a genuine place. Saying,
"I know some of you are curious about the breakup, but the truth is, it's nobody's business," Davidson said. "Sometimes things just don't work out and that's OK. She's a wonderful, strong person and I genuinely wish her all the happiness in the world."
It seems like these two just realized it didn't work out and they want to move on and wish each other the best. Ariana has some angelic pipes and Pete's one of the funniest comedians in the game right now. For two young stars, it actually seems like one of the most mature breakups of all time. There's no beef. And if there is beef it's like farm-to-table, organic, vegan beef.
I think social media led to the tainted view of this song's message…and I love social media. I love twitter. The amount of geniusly stupid memes I see on a daily basis make it one of the best inventions of all time automatically, but it also makes me want to lose my mind sometimes. People take things that are great and over-glorify them to maddening ends *cough* The Office *cough*, everyone gets mad about every political move even if it's made by some random state representative from Nebraska or something, talented people lose amazing opportunities for making jokes on the site 10 years ago (RIP James Gunn) and people want to pick a side on a breakup where they don't need to.
I remember when Ariana first got engaged to Pete everyone got mad at her because of Mac Miller. Then the other side defended Ariana for leaving the "toxic" relationship. Then when Mac died people are tweeting about how Mac's like "smoking a blunt in heaven not giving af about Ariana", which is just an incomprehensibly crazy statement. And now that Ariana broke up with Pete everyone's either yelling about how Ariana dumped his ass cuz he's a loser or they're mad at Ariana for dumping Pete because he's more sad than usual now. It's all just over-opinionated garbage from fans who think they know what's going on in a celebrity's life from the few things they do in the public eye, when it's obviously much more complicated than that.
I love Ariana. I love Pete. So just, relax, and see that this "beef" the media is hyping up is nothing but a mature end to a relationship that was bound to end sometime soon anyways. Remember, THEY ARE BOTH YOUNGER THAN 26 AND ONLY DATED FOR A MONTH. I think we all expected this to end in a drama-filled divorce after 3 months like Kim Kardashian and that brick of a basketball players' marriage and thank God it didn't even live long enough to see that. Instead of getting angry, we can just be pumped it led to this pop-banger and all agree that no matter what "side" of this split you're taking, it is that this happened in the first place.
P.S. Still would've liked to see that wedding though.
SMASH THOSE MF SHARE BUTTONS
Welcome to the Hall of Parm: Jack Johnson
Old People Think "Starting A YouTube Channel" Is The New "Going to College"…And They're Right
from the vault Select Month January 2021 (1) December 2020 (2) November 2020 (2) September 2020 (3) July 2020 (1) June 2020 (2) May 2020 (3) April 2020 (6) March 2020 (4) January 2020 (4) December 2019 (2) November 2019 (1) October 2019 (5) September 2019 (3) August 2019 (4) July 2019 (4) June 2019 (2) May 2019 (1) March 2019 (2) February 2019 (5) January 2019 (2) December 2018 (4) November 2018 (17) October 2018 (7) September 2018 (11) August 2018 (7) July 2018 (5) June 2018 (5) February 2018 (1) January 2018 (4) December 2017 (7) November 2017 (2) October 2017 (3) September 201 | 1,878 |
Justia Patents US Patent for Shock control device for use in the construction of buildings such as bridges and the like Patent (Patent # 3,986,222)
Shock control device for use in the construction of buildings such as bridges and the like
Oct 1, 1975 - Japanese National Railways
There is described a control device particularly suitable for use in the construction of buildings such as continuous girder or truss bridges, elevated highways and the like, for the purpose of controlling vertically imposed loads, more particularly, for the purpose of attenuating mechanical vibrations or impacts as will be caused by braking or starting land vehicles or earthquakes, dispersing horizontally an acting forces at the joint of an upper structure of a bridge such as a girder and a lower structure such as a pier, particularly at a fixed shoe (bridge bearing) on the pier.
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Skip to: Description · Claims · References Cited · Patent History · Patent History
This invention relates to a shock control device which is particularly suitable for use in construction of large buildings such as<|fim_middle|> material is not raised by the movable resisting plate assembly and therefore there is no possibility of the viscous material flowing out of the casing; and
6. The resistance can be varied easily by adjusting the width of the clearances between or the area (or the number) of the resisting plates or by adjusting the viscosity coefficient of the viscous material.
The following table shows results of experiments using 1 mm thick resisting plates including movable resisting plates each with an effective area of 1800 cm.sup.2 and a viscous material having a viscosity coefficient of 3500 poise. The number of the movable plates, the width of the clearances between the movable and fixed resisting plates and the velocity were varied in each experiment.
__________________________________________________________________________ Number of Movable Plates 1 10 Clearance (cm) 0.05 0.1 0.1 Velocity (cm/sec) 2 10 2 10 2 10 Resistance (Kg) 580 1300 400 900 4000 9000 __________________________________________________________________________
1. A shock control device for use in the construction of buildings such as bridges and the like, comprising:
a casing fixedly mounted on a lower structure;
resisting plates received in said casing and having a number of movable and fixed plates alternately and in small interspace relation with each other;
said movable plates being linked to each other at least at the upper ends with uniform spaces from adjacent plates;
said fixed plates having the front and rear ends thereof abutted against the inner wall surfaces of said casing to block movement at least in the axial direction of said building;
a column member having the lower end thereof fixedly mounted on the upper ends of said movable plates and the upper end securely fixed to an upper structure of said building to be supported on said lower structure; and
a viscous material filling the interior of said casing including interspaces between said movable and fixed resisting plates;
said movable plates being movable toward said fixed plates upon application of impact on said upper structure against shearing resistance generated in the viscous material existing in the clearances of said movable and fixed plates.
2. A shock control device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fixed resisting plates are linked to each other at the lower ends thereof.
3. A shock control device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fixed resisting plates are placed in said casing alternately with said movable plates and separately from each other.
4. A shock control device as defined in claim 1, wherein said movable plates and fixed plates are respectively retained in uniformly spaced positions by means of spacers interposed between adjacent plates.
5. A shock control device as defined in claim 2, wherein said fixed resisting plates are linked to each other at the lower ends thereof by means of bolts and nuts.
Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
2597800 May 1952 Hussman
3105252 October 1963 Milk
3218008 November 1965 Harris
3232015 February 1966 Latham
3233376 February 1966 Naillon
3459395 August 1969 Scotto
3587787 June 1971 Rich
3762114 October 1973 Eskijian
Foreign Patent Documents
57,872 September 1967 DL
1,073,187 January 1960 DT
Date of Patent: Oct 19, 1976
Assignees: Japanese National Railways (Tokyo), Oiles Industry Co., Ltd. (Tokyo), Yachiyo Engineering Co., Ltd. (Tokyo)
Inventors: Shusuke Miyazaki (Tokyo), Yasuo Maehara (Tokyo), Wataru Abe (Hiratsuka), Ikuo Shimoda (Fujisawa)
Primary Examiner: Nile C. Byers, Jr.
Attorney: George B. Oujevolk
Application Number: 5/618,551
Current U.S. Class: 14/161; 52/167; 248/20
International Classification: E01D 1906; | bridges, elevated highways or railways and the like.
In constructing bridges with long girders, it is general practice to support one end of the girder fixedly by a fixed shoe (bridge bearing) and the other end by a movable bearing to absorb elongation or contraction of the girder due to variations in the atmospheric temperature. The bearing at the junction of an upper and lower structure of such bridge, particularly the fixed bearing, is subjected to a great horizontal force at the time of earthquakes since the movable bearing shares the horizontal force only in a small amount comparable to a frictional force. The force imposed on the fixed bearing becomes extremely great with a lengthy or continuous girder.
In this connection, it is known to provide shock controlling devices in the lower work of a bridge in combination with the fixed bearings, the shock controlling devices being designed to show almost no resistance to a very slow motion of the girder or upper structure as experienced during its elongation or contraction due to temperature variations, showing a positive resistance only to an abrupt movement of the girder or upper work as caused by earthquakes to prevent concentration of impacts on the fixed bearings of the lower work.
FIG. 1 shows a vertical cross section of a conventional shock controlling device and
FIG. 2 is a transverse cross section of the same device.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, indicated at 1 is a column which is fixed at one end to an upper structure G such as a girder or the like. The other or lower end of the column 1 is received in a casing 2 which is fixedly mounted on or embedded in a lower structure B like a pier, leaving relatively large clearances D on the opposite sides of the column 1 in the axial direction of the bridge and smaller clearances d at the sides in the transverse direction of the bridge. The clearances D and d between the casing 2 and the column 1 are filled with a viscous material R.
The shock controlling device of FIGS. 1 and 2 utilizes the fluid pressure differential in the viscous material in the clearances D which is generated by the movement of the column 1. A shock control device of this type has a drawback. That is, the surface level of the viscous material in the clearance D into which the column 1 is moved is raised to a certain degree, so that there is a possibility of the viscous material flowing out of the casing 2. If the filling amount of the viscous material in the casing 2 is reduced to prevent such overflowing, it becomes difficult to maintain constant and desired resistance of the viscous material due to trapping of air which exists in the space between the viscous material and the upper end of the casing 2.
A piston-cylinder type shock controlling device is also known in the art, wherein a cylinder is secured to a girder or an upper structure G while a piston rod of a piston which is slidably received in the cylinder is fixed on a pier or a lower structure of the bridge, generating a resistance of fluid pressure within the cylinder in response to the movement of the piston thereby to prevent displacement of the lower work G. The shock control device of this type is disadvantageously complicated in construction and requires high precision work in preparing the respective component parts.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a shock control device which effectively utilizes shearing resistance of a viscous material in absorbing and damping out shocks resulting from an abrupt movement of a girder as caused by braking and starting land vehicles running on a bridge or earthquakes, without generating resistance in response to a slow movement of the girder occurring by elongation or contraction due to temperature variations.
In one particular form of the invention, the shock control device includes a number of resisting plates which are accommodated within a casing and consist of a number of thin movable plates and a number of thin fixed plates positioned opposingly and alternately, the resisting plates having their faces disposed in the axial direction of the bridge. The movable plates are fixedly linked to each other at least at one end and uniformly spaced from each other. Mounted on the fixed ends of the movable plates is a lower-end of a column the other or upper-end of which is securely fixed to a girder or an upper structure of the bridge.
The fixed plates which cooperates with the movable plates may be linked fixedly to each other or may be mounted separately in the respective positions in the casing. The linked or separate fixed plates within the casing are blocked against movement at least in the axial direction of the bridge. As a whole, the small clearances between the movable and fixed plates and the clearances between the resisting plates and the casing are filled with a fluid of high viscosity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a shock control device which precludes the possibility of trapping air in the viscous material within the casing or the possibility of the viscous material flowing out of the casing.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a shock control device which is capable of maintaining desired buffering performance quality even if there occur deviations in the relative positions of the movable and fixed resisting plates.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a shock control device the resistance of which is adjustable by varying interspaces between the movable and fixed resisting plates, that is to say, by varying effective resisting area of the plates with increase or decrease of the number of the plates and varying a viscosity of viscous materials.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show by way of example preferred embodiments of the invention.
In the accompanying drawings
FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section of a shock control device which is currently used in the construction of bridges;
FIG. 2 is a transverse cross section taken on line X -- X of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views of a shock control device embodying the present invention, taken in the transverse and axial direction of the bridge, respectively;
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing relative positions of assembled movable and fixed resisting plates;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing a modified construction of the movable and fixed plate assembly;
FIG. 7 is a graphic illustration showing the displacement of movable plates in relation with the resistance generated; and
FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing an ordinary bridge supporting system.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:
Referring to the accompanying drawings and first to FIGS. 3 and 4 which show the shock control device of the invention in sections taken in the transverse and axial directions of the bridge, respectively, the reference numeral 1 denotes a column member which is securely fixed to an upper structure G of a bridge by fixedly anchored in a girder as shown, for example. Indicated at 2 is a casing which is fixedly anchored in a lower structure B of the bridge in a pier.
The lower end of the column 1 is fixedly mounted on a movable plate assembly 3 which has a number of uniformly spaced thin plates 4 disposed side by side and securely linked to each other at one end.
Fixedly received at the bottom the casing 2 is a fixed resisting plate assembly 5 having a number of uniformly spaced thin plates 6 which are disposed side by side and securely linked to each other at the lower ends. The movable resisting plate assembly 3 is inserted into the fixed plate assembly 5 in the casing 2 in such a manner that a fixed plate 6 is alternated by a movable plate 4 and the faces of the respective resisting plates 4 and 6 are disposed in the direction of the bridge axis.
The fixed resisting plate assembly 5 is abutted against the inner wall surfaces of the casing 2 at the front and rear sides thereof as seen in the axial direction of the bridge to block its movement at least in the axial direction. The length in the axial direction of the movable plate assembly 3 is smaller than that of the fixed plate assembly 5 which is in abutting engagement at opposite ends with the inner walls of the casing 2, so that the movable plate assembly 3 is movable within the casing 2 in the direction of bridge axis. Gaps 7 are provided on the outer sides of the fixed plate assembly 5 to escape the movable and fixed plate assemblies as a whole when deviated in a direction perpendicular to the bridge axis. An annular lid 8 is securely fixed at the lower end of the column 1 by welding or other suitable means to cover the upper end of the casing 2. The annular lid 8 is slidably engaged with a seal 9 on the circumference of the casing 2 to seal the joint of the casing 2 and the column 1. A viscous material 10 fills the casing 2 including small clearances between the movable and fixed resisting plates 4 and 6. The column 1 and casing 2 are securely anchored in positions on the upper and lower structure of the bridge with use of concrete 17 and reinforcing steel 18. The reference numeral 19 designates a holder for the seal 9. The movable and fixed plates should preferably be of a metallic material such as steel plates but obviously the selection of material depends upon the size of the bridge to be constructed as well as upon the conditions under which the shock control device is to be used.
Referring now to FIG. 5 showing the movable and fixed resisting plate assemblies 3 and 5 of FIGS. 3 and 4 placed in the alternately fit positions, the thin plates 4 of the movable plate assembly 3 are uniformly spaced from each other by spacers 11 which is formed from a material same as or different from that of the thin plates 4. The spacers 11 and thin plates 4 are tightly put together by means of bolts 12 and nuts 13.
As mentioned hereinbefore, FIG. 6 shows a modified form of the movable and fixed resisting plate assemblies, where the thin plates 4 constituting the movable plate assembly 3 are uniformly spaced apart likewise by means of a number of spacers 11 and assembled together by bolts 12 and nuts 13 at both the upper and lower ends thereof. While, the thin plates 6 which constitute the fixed resisting plate assembly 5 are inserted into the movable resisting plate assembly 3 in small gap relation with the thin plates 4. In this modification, the thin plates 6 which are inserted into the movable plate assembly 3 are not bolted together and left free to move within the movable plate assembly 3. The thin plates 6 which lie in the axial direction of the bridge have a length greater than the thin plates 4 of the movable plate assembly 3 and therefore have the opposite end portions projected outwardly beyond the front and rear ends of the plates 4 as shown particularly in FIG. 6.
With the modified form of the movable and fixed plate assemblies of FIG. 6, when placed in the casing 2 with the plate faces disposed in the direction of the bridge axis, the plates 6 of the fixed plate assembly 5 are blocked against movement in the axial direction due to abutting engagement with the inner wall surfaces of the casing 2. Also in this modification, it is desirable to provide small gaps between the outermost plates and the casing 2 so that the movable and fixed plate assemblies 3 and 5 are as a whole allowed to move to a certain extent in a direction perpendicular to the bridge axis.
Referring to FIG. 8 which illustrates an ordinary bridge support system, the bridge is usually provided on a lower structure or pier B' with a fixed support or bearing F for fixedly supporting thereon an upper bridge structure G and on another lower structure B with a movable support or shoe (briedge bearing) M for movably supporting the upper structure. The shock control device D of the invention is mounted on the lower structure B in juxtaposition with the movable bearing or shoe (briedge bearing).
With the shock control device of the invention as described above, in response to a movement of the upper structure G, the movable resisting plate assembly 3 which is fixed to the column 1 tends to move in the axial direction of the bridge maintaining small gap relation with the plates 6 of the fixed plate assembly 5. This movement of the movable plate assembly 3 is counteracted by viscous shearing resistance which is generated in the viscous material existing in the interspaces between the plates 4 and 6 of the movable and fixed resisting plate assemblies 3 and 5, according to the velocity of the movement of the movable plate assembly 3. That is to say, when the movement of the movable plate assembly 3 is very slow, the shearing resistance generated in the viscous material is very small or of an ignorable extent. However, as the velocity of the movable plate assembly 3 is increased, the resistance is increased in terms of an exponential function.
The viscous material to be used in the present invention should be of the nature which will not corrode other component parts, has a small vapor pressure, hardly deteriorates in quality and shows little changes in viscosity coefficient under varying temperature conditions. For example, fluidized polymeric material such as polyolefin, pitch or highly viscous silicon or fluorine compounds are most desirable. These viscous material may be used in the form of a mixture or may be added with other organic or inorganic material to attain desired fluidity or to make up for the variations in viscosity coefficient caused by temperature variations.
As a result of experiments using the viscous material a pitch of 3500 poise, the present inventors have found the following relation:
F = k S(V/C).sup.m
where F stands for the resistance (Kg), S stands for the total effective area (cm.sup.2) of the movable plates as demarcated by the fixed plates, V stands for the velocity (cm/sec) of the movable plates, and C stands for the width (cm) of the clearances between the movable and fixed plates. k is a constant which is determined by the viscosity coefficient of the viscous material and m is an exponent which is dictated by the kind of the viscous material to be used, which constant and exponent were 0.05 and 0.5 in the experiments, respectively.
FIG. 7 graphically illustrates the relation between the displacement of the movable plate assembly and the resistance generated in the viscous material, where indicated at I is a plot obtained with use of the device according to the invention and at II is a plot obtained by the use of the same viscous material but without the control device of the invention.
The velocity of the movable plate assembly was held constant during the comparative experiments and therefore the displacement of movable plate assembly in the graph of FIG. 7 may be substituted by time. As apparent from FIG. 7, the shock control device of the present invention quickly responds to the movement of the movable plate assembly (in terms of displacement or time), that is to say, a great resistance is generated in response to a movement of small displacement (or of short duration) and without time plays.
Where the movable plate assembly is moved at a varying velocity, the resistance of the viscous material is increased in terms of exponential function as the velocity of the movable plate assembly is increased, as will be clear from the equation given hereinbefore.
In general, earthquakes have a velocity in the range of 10 to 20 cm/sec and even the velocity of earthquakes of great magnitude is in the order of 30 to 40 cm/sec. The velocity of the girder movement caused by a braking or starting vehicle is 2 to 4 cm/sec. On the other hand, the elongation or contraction of the girder which is caused by temperature variations has a far smaller velocity, that is, a few millimeters or smaller per hour. Thus, the shock control device of the invention absorbs and attenuates abrupt and quick movements as caused by an earthquake or a braking vehicle without generating resistance in reply to a slow movement and without imparing the normal functions of the bridge bearings.
The shock control device of the invention which advantageously utilizes the shearing resistance of the viscous material possesses various merits over the conventional device which simply has one end of a column plunged in a viscous material, as summarized below.
1. Substantially no internal pressure is generated by the viscous material;
2. There is no possibility of trapping air in the viscous material;
3. The resistance is generated very quickly;
4. The shock controlling performance is not influenced by deviations from initial positions of the movable and fixed resisting plates;
5. The surface level of the viscous | 3,467 |
The readers can download Freakonomics: Revised Edition Audiobook for free via Audible Free Trial.
Freakonomics is an Audiobook by the journalist Stephen J. Dubner and the economist Steven Levitt in which they approach economics from an uncommon perspective, the principal of incentives. This audiobook shows some of their most interesting research.
Levitt and Dubner explain a lot of very interesting social phenomena through statistics. These phenomena are: cheating on standardized tests. In some cases where tests decide the job a teachers, they tend to cheat in order to make themselves look better.
One of the most culturally relevant points that Freakonomics elicit is the fact that the decreasing criminality rate in the 1990s can be the result of the Supreme Court case, Roe v. Wade, that legalized abortion; claiming that a lower number of unwanted children translates into fewer criminals.
They also spend two chapters where they mainly concentrate on socioeconomic issues that involve class, biology and race. They apply years in education statistics to conclude that<|fim_middle|>70. Apparently, abortion permitted the regulation of the incredible number of unwanted children that would eventually become criminals during their teenagehood and early adulthood, especially the ones that come from a poor family with criminal records and violent background. | students who have been encouraged to succeed in their family will be successful regardless of the school they attend to.
In Freakonomics, Levitt and Dubner have applied numerous years of economy and statistics to come up with conclusions that even the most prepared sociologies haven't been able to. This amazing audiobook is full of very interesting facts and the critic has found it a surprisingly fun. Most of the media claim to dislike books about statistics and economy. However, this audiobook seems to have caught everybody's attention because of the way how the information is presented.
They examine the cause of things by analyzing a great amount of numbers which makes it one of the very few economy books to receive so much praise. They claim to take statistics and economy to its most primal form in order to simply understand how people get what they want, which is a very important question asked by most societies.
Levitt and Dubner explained that, even though many experts claimed that crimes will raise during the years 1995 to 2005, the U.S. was actually surprised when instead of increasing from 15 to 100 %, how it was foreseen, it actually decreased.
Freakonomics analyzed this fact and attributes this phenomenon to the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case that legalized abortion back in 19 | 269 |
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by Andrew Sharp
It's too early to worry. Right? For now, and at least for the next month or two, any sign of Cavs struggles will bring on a chorus of "Don't panic" and "Remember when people doubted the Heat?" and "Give it a few months, then we can talk." Which is fine. It is definitely too early to panic. Everyone remembers when people doubted the Heat. We can all give it a few months.
But there are two factors to consider.
1. No team in the NBA is more fascinating than the Cavs this year. It's too much fun to talk about this team, so we can't just put an embargo on speculating until February. Half the reason we watch sports is to overthink everything and jump to conclusions. If we're just going to wait for the playoffs to have an opinion about teams, there's no point in playing the regular season.
2. Did you see this Brian Windhorst story about LeBron?
In recent days there have been growing questions as to whether James might be hurt — he has dealt with some minor back soreness — or in some way suddenly physically diminished because at times he has looked lackluster.
That is not the case at all.
This is a conscious decision on how he plans to operate in a passive-aggressive mission to yank some teammates toward his way of thinking. Let some of them fail at their way so they will be open to new ideas, is what it looks and sounds like.
"Everyone wants to win, I would hope," James said. "Would you rather play selfish basketball and lose, or play unselfish basketball and sacrifice and win? So you pick it."
That quote came after a 19-point loss to the Blazers. LeBron scored only two points in the final three quarters — none after halftime. Afterward, LeBron explained, "My mission is not a one-game thing. We have to do multiple things in order to win. We got to share the ball. We got to play defense. We got to sacrifice in order to ultimately win. And obviously when you're going through the process, it's not the best part of the process, but I'm looking at the end of the tunnel."
Wait a second. That's really the plan? What Deepak Chopra book did LeBron read this summer to come up with this?
In no universe does Passive LeBron help the Cavs more than MVP LeBron. Short term or long term. Kyrie's not better off handling the offense by himself. Kevin Love and the role players aren't getting as many easy looks if LeBron's not attacking. Most importantly, everything David Blatt's trying to do starts with LeBron as the catalyst.
Either this is a convenient explanation for two disappearing acts in three games or it's a calculated strategy that makes no sense. Either way, not a great sign.
"It's going to be a long process," he said in Portland. "There's been a lot of losing basketball around here for a few years."
Again, everyone be patient. The standard response. No problem.
"But there's a lot of bad habits," he added. "A lot of bad habits have been built up over the last couple of years, and when you play that style of basketball it takes a lot to get it up out of you. But I'm here to help, and that's what it's about."
But that sure seems like a pretty direct shot at Kyrie! Especially on a night when he over-dribbled, shot 3-of-17, and ended his night by walking out of the locker room rather than fielding questions.
Watching this first week of the most fascinating team in the NBA has made this season in Cleveland look a lot more complicated than it did 10 days ago.
LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving have been on the floor together for 90 of 149 mins. Off Rtg: 103.9 Def Rtg: 110.2
— David Locke (@Lockedonsports) November 5, 2014
Cleveland's Big Three has a negative point differential right now. LeBron's shooting 40 percent in the new offense and hitting less than half his shots at the rim. Then there's Kyrie. Watching him in Portland last night reminded me how great Dwyane Wade was in the early Heatles years down in Miami. Obviously the Cavs will get better as LeBron improves (they beat the Bulls when he had 36 on Friday night), but at some point they will need Kyrie to come up big just the same.
LeBron and Love should be fine. They were put on earth to throw ridiculous outlet passes to each other and run two-man weaves through the league. They are living out their basketball destiny. But Kyrie is a ball-dominant guard with streaky shooting, and his fit next to LeBron is as awkward as Wade's was.
Wade rose to the occasion, more than most people remember. In that first playoff run, he was dominant against the Bulls and Celtics and even in the Mavericks series. The next year, he and LeBron killed the Pacers on their own, and then Wade came up huge in a couple of key moments against the Thunder in the Finals. When the games mattered, Wade generally showed up and took Miami to another level. That's the curve Kyrie will be graded on in Cleveland. It's asking a lot from a 22-year-old guard who's never been part of a winning season at the pro level.
There's also David Blatt. His motion offense was the single biggest reason everyone felt so comfortable getting excited about the Cavs this summer. He's a brilliant basketball mind, he's ready for this, and on and on. But so far, LeBron seems to have just as much influence over what's happening as his coach does. How else do you explain Dion Waiters starting instead of anchoring the second unit? And how else do you explain LeBron's zero points after halftime last night? Isn't it Blatt's job to call a timeout and find ways to get his best player going? His superstars aren't clicking, and Blatt'splaying them together more than Miami played Wade and Bosh with LeBron, which only raises more questions about lineups and strategy and the long-term plan.
There's time for this to settle, and talent usually wins out, and we all remember the Heat, etc. But just for the record, all that rationale was also used when Dwight Howard joined the Lakers. Everyone predicted 60 wins and a spot in the Finals, but a slow start eventually turned into the season from hell.
The Cavs aren't the Lakers, because LeBron's too good, the East is too bad, and there's no Steve Nash injury to derail everything from the start. But if the Heat and Lakers are two poles of the super-team destiny, it's possible the Cavs could fall somewhere in the middle.
People were ecstatic about LeBron's return to Cleveland. It was one of the craziest sports stories we've seen in a long time, and it gave a second chapter to a city's heartbreak. But the other half of the appeal was this Cavs roster and how much fun it would be to watch this offense. With Blatt's schemes, Love's skill set, LeBron and Kyrie, and the role players, they'd do more to make basketball look fun than anyone in the league.
That's what has me doing a double take so far. Nobody on the Cavs looks like they're having a good time.
That may seem like a cheap criticism after two losses — losing isn't fun — but the Cavs were built with a roster full of great offensive players destined to be average at best on defense. It basically demands fun. They have to be the freewheeling juggernaut we imagined to make up for the defense we never bothered to worry about. On a team with three superstars in the middle of their prime, there's less room for error than you'd think.
The same could be said of LeBron right now. He's been careful to avoid promising titles, preaching patience at every turn. But there's still pressure here. He's not just selling himself as a great basketball player, but as a champion who Knows What It Takes, a leader who will apparently stop shooting to prove a point, a savior of an entire city.
The whole world reacted so violently to that first Heat team and its early struggles that we've spent the past few years fighting those impulses. It used to be cool to doubt LeBron, now it's cool to scold the doubters. Any criticism is treated like a hot take, because LeBron didn't get a fair shake in the beginning with Miami. Ever since, there's been this persecution myth that says everyone's always attacking the best player in the world. If you're criticizing him, you're just as shortsighted as everyone was back then.
It's not to say this new perspective is wrong, or frustrating, or anything else. But it may not be permanent.
"It's going to be a process. I keep on harping on that word, but it's the truth," James said. "I've been there before and understand it."
LeBron keeps harping on it, partly to remind everyone he's succeeded at this before, partly to remind everyone it takes time, partly to give himself more room for error. Avoid the mistakes he made in Miami, while everyone else tries to avoid the mistakes we made watching him.
We'll see. The Cavs should destroy the Jazz tonight, but it looks like there will be a lot of nights, like Tuesday, that force everyone to stay patient —about the offense, about the defense, with Blatt, with Kyrie, with LeBron. But the biggest question is a little more abstract, and I'm genuinely curious: How long does the patience last?
This post was updated to correct Kyrie Irving's age.
Filed Under: NBA
Andrew Sharp is a staff editor at Grantland.
Archive @ andrewsharp
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Tik Tok Followers – Just What Certain People Are Saying..
It's the end of the road for Musical.ly, the short-form video application that grew to a lot more than 100 million active monthly users since its 2014 launch – and spawned its own digital stars and passionate creator community of "Musers." As of Thursday (Aug. 2), the Musical.ly application is no longer available. Users is going to be migrated to Tik Tok Followers, a comparable short-form video-sharing app from Chinese internet giant Bytedance. The turn to combine Musical.ly's audience with TikTok comes after Bytedance closed the buying of Musical.ly in November 2017 in a deal reportedly worth up to $1 billion.
Existing Musical.ly user accounts, content and followers will automatically move to the newest TikTok app, according to the company. Bytedance says TikTok has 500 million active monthly users worldwide, and also the company concluded it made sense to merge Musical.ly and TikTok under one roof.
In June, Musical.ly de-activate Live.ly, its live-streaming companion app, and encouraged users to switch to Cheetah Mobile's LiveMe, an identical app where Bytedance had committed invested $50 million in funding.
Musical.ly started life as an app that let users record themselves lip-syncing along to songs and audio clips. It gained a large following, mostly inside the Usa, having a user base skewing toward tween and teenage girls. Within an update a year ago, Musical.ly attempted to broaden the app's feature set to try to widen its appeal being a social-video platform; in addition, it had struck content partnerships with Viacom, NBCUniversal and Hearst Magazines Digital Media to produce original short-form series for Musical.ly.
In accordance with Bytedance, the upgraded TikTok app incorporates the most famous components of both TikTok and Musical.ly apps. It includes a feed that highlights content coming from a users' community featuring a customized video recommendations based on viewing preferences. "Combining musical.ly and TikTok is a natural fit because of the shared mission of both experiences – to produce a community where everyone can be a creator," Alex Zhu, co-founder of Musical.ly and senior VP of TikTok, said in a statement.
Bytedance said TikTok will launch a number of new creator programs to provide technical support, performance insights and help with growth strategy. Upcoming features planned for TikTok will incorporate: a "reaction" feature that enables users to respond to friends' videos; enhanced creative tools like interactive gesture filters and "fun-house mirror camera effects"; and greenscreen-like background effects. TikTok is accessible via Apple's App Store and Google Play. Existing musical.ly users will automatically upgrade to TikTok once they update the present app.
TikTok relies in L.A., with offices in the uk, Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, Jakarta, Mumbai, and Moscow. Musical.ly's head of North American operations, Alex Hofmann, left the organization in January right after the Bytedance deal. The short-form video app, which had a lot more than 100 million active monthly users, was will no longer offered by Thursday (August 2).
If you've never used the app before, Musical.ly allows users to create and share music videos of them singing or lip syncing. The Musical.ly back catalogue includes pop songs, as well as comedy dialogue and the dnyrhd of other users. Fans of the app could share their creations on Instagram and Snapchat and spawned several Musical.ly influencers through the years. Yet, that is certainly all over now, as Musical.ly has become taken over by TikTok.
Precisely what is TikTok and why does it own Musical.ly? Chinese video platform TikTok is taking over Musical.ly, merging the two app powerhouses. In China, the app is known as Douyin and it has over 300 million monthly active users, much larger than Musical.ly's reach. Whilst TikTok is based around users uploading short videos of themselves, like good old Vine employed to do, it doesn't have the focus on music and songs like Musical.ly did.
Warnings Expert Witness – Come By Our Business ASAP To Track Down Extra Related Data..
To be able to reduce the risk of personal injury, Tort laws require that individuals must post warning signs about sudden hazards. Businesses, private homeowners, and even manufacturers have personal injury the public against potential safety hazards. Regrettably, however, sometimes people fail to uphold their duty, and, consequently, innocent parties get hurt.
When a portion of the store is under construction, creating unsafe conditions around the area. Ladders, tools, uneven terrain, and other possibly damaging construction tools could cause trouble for patrons; therefore, store owners should post indicators regarding the hazards of the area. Slippery floors that may produce a patron to slip and fall. In the event the floor just been mopped, it will be the owner's duty to publish an indication to indicate a slipping hazard. Additionally, if an accident has occurred as well as a substance was spilled on the floor, hazard signs must be immediately posted and clean-up ought to be a fast as possible in order to avoid injury.
Private Property Owners – Private property owners in addition have a "duty to warn" about safety risks on their own property. All potentially lethal hazards on private property will need to have adequate indicators. As an example, when a vicious dog guards an exclusive property, there should be an indication warning people of its existence. No matter whether or not a patron was invited on the property, should they be injured by a dog and there was no "beware of dog" sign, the property owner may be liable for damages.
Invited guests has to be warned of dangers which a property owner could discover having a reasonable inspection of their property. This can include large holes, construction zones, unsound structures, etc.
Manufacturers and Distributors – The job to warn will not just apply to unsafe premises. Manufacturers and distributors in addition have a duty to warn consumers of the product's potential health risks.
Toys for kids have the potential to harm kids, especially through choking hazards. For that reason, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission requires manufacturer's to post age appropriate warnings on all toys, in addition to choking hazard labels. This prevents manufacturer liability in the event of injury.
Home fitness equipment might also cause injury if used incorrectly. To be able to protect themselves from liability, manufacturers must warn consumers about the chance of injury if used incorrectly. Manufacturers use a "duty to warn" consumers of products that have known health hazards, like tobacco and alcohol products.
Duty to warn is utilized to safeguard others from anyone who has expressed that they wish to hurt another individual. A mental health professional that is told by their patient the patient seems like hurting themselves or others is legally required to notify the appropriate authorities to avoid the patient from hurting themselves or others. When the patient has expressed that they would like to hurt someone else, the mental health professional is additionally required to notify the one who the patient would like to hurt.
The job to protect and also the duty to warn are also important when it comes to HIV and AIDS. There are lots of ethical problems when it comes to diseases such as HIV and AIDS with regards to confidentiality ngdspg duty to warn. The essential duty from the health professional is to keep the patient's information confidential as exposure of the information to the public could harm the sufferer. However, it is crucial should you have had connection with the patient to learn which could have been exposed to the ailment.
Liability – For those who have suffered injury due to inadequate warnings, you could be qualified to receive compensation. If a person or company has failed to uphold their duty to warn, they could be responsible for any damages accumulated in the accident.
Bulk Notebooks – Upon What Exactly Rationale Should You Really Make A Choice..
Notebook or laptop computer is a portable computer which can be easily carried around, and is capable of performing all possible functions of any computer. Notebook, that typically weighs around 2.2 to about 18 pounds, comes in various sizes and varied possible features.
Unlike the majority of electronic goods, learning how to use a notebook is not any problem. People, who are used to concentrating on computers, find notebooks nearly as simple to use as they are making use of it already. However, the touchpad or perhaps the trackpads (which can be used in place of the mouse), or the pointing sticks might pose slight difficulty for that beginners, though they could conveniently attach a mouse externally. Nevertheless, the truth that notebooks bear such great resemblance to computers surely works as a great benefit to users.
These days notebook can also read in addition to write CDs and DVDs. Also, they are competent at copying and transferring data using Bluetooth devices. Most of the times, these are generally built in the bulk buy notepads, though one should attach them externally if the features have not been already provided beforehand. Pen drives, etc, could also be used on notebooks for exchanging data. They also allow the benefits of using web connection after proper configuration has been done. Microphones and web cameras may also be used using the notebooks today.
These days there are numerous types of notebooks which can be available in the market. These may be broadly classified as Ultra-Mobile PCs (or the UMPCs), the desktop replacement computers and the ultraportables. As the Ultra-Mobile PCs are laptops that may be easily carried around due to their extra small size, the powerful desktop replacement computers are mostly for use in a fixed place. These are more bulky and weigh more than the expensive ultraportables which are specifically intended for those business travelers who want small in addition to lightweight notebooks that may be easily carried around, while on a trip around.
Notebooks are specifically beneficial to anyone who has to work on computers for long hours, or are heavily depended on computers for his or her work. Though they will not be as powerful as computers are usually for the similar price range, they are capable of performing each of the functions that any computer would perform. There are numerous of varieties one can choose from and also the special features, a part of each notebook, change from one model to a different. Much this will depend on the cost range as well as the manufacturer.
The main way to obtain power to get a notebook is its main battery, and also the external adapter, which is used for charging the battery, every once in awhile. This enables an individual to work on their laptop for hours together, without having to hook it up with any wires, till the battery exhausts. Enough time taken for charging the battery is different from one to another, though qvbaea it will not take more than a few hours to charge them.
With each passing day, and new developments in technology, notebooks are becoming a lot more popular among the people around the globe. Though they were initially meant for the business class, who had grown influenced by their computers, today notebooks are employed by almost anybody and everybody.
The falling prices, reducing sizes and growing features are surely making notebooks probably the most desired gadgets in the new millennium. Hence in today's world having a notebook has turned into a necessity, no person can stay with out them. All things considered who can deny the luxury/necessity of owing a notebook in today`s world?!
Condo Rental Grand Cayman – Explore Our Business Next To Identify Extra Tips..
The Cayman Islands are made up of 3 islands Little Cayman, Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman. They are located in the Caribbean sea and are a British overseas territory. This is a wonderful location with great weather and for many reasons an excellent location to purchase a home. Property for sale in the Cayman Islands has been popular amongst real estate investors not just due to the location but additionally as a result of taxation system with no capital gains, no income tax and no inheritance tax – you can realize why!
The language is English with the Cayman Islands dollar (CI$) being the neighborhood currency however the US dollar is accepted everywhere. The federal government gathers its revenue by charging import duty which is often from 5% to 22% and particularly for cars anything from 29% to 100%. The climate is usually Caribbean, the dry season is November to May and the wet season May to October.
In case you are considering moving to and working in the condo rental in grand cayman you want a work permit. You have to make an application for this before you decide to arrive and you will definitely need a proposal of employment (the employer normally applies with this permit). Essentially, Cayman tourism offers the four Ss – Sun, sand, sea and spa. And aquatic sports for that energetic, needless to say. And at the end of a tough day of fun, tuck into delicious seafood at Cayman cookouts. Take a look at your airline packages and there are many – vacation packages, very last minute packages etc – and fly to freedom.
Once there, select from amongst the numerous resorts who do the Cayman natural splendor proud. Marriot and Hyatt are only a number of the trusted names in hospitality that dominate the Cayman resort scene. Pick a studio apartment or perhaps a one or two bedroom suites. Additionally, enjoy the special attractions of each and every Cayman resort. For instance, The Reef has a deck that offers new meaning to 'panorama'. The Hyatt beach suites practically perhaps you have diving in to the sea out of your third floor balcony.
When a thing of the beauty gets to be a joy, you need to own it forever. Visitors often buy holiday homes and Cayman property developers are selling an unprecedented, mind-boggling variety in living options – land, condos, waterfront homes or deckhouses.
There are homes and holiday suites for every wallet and whim. Cayman Island real estate also leverages to advantage the peculiar demographics of the Cayman Islands.
There is certainly always a flux of non-native professionals. They buy properties at Cayman throughout their stay and after that sell it. Cayman Island real estate never had it so excellent.
When you buy a property inside the Cayman Islands you will end up susceptible to the home transfer fee "Stamp Duty" and this is paid through the purchaser included in the closing fees. This fee is different from spot to location eg across the Seven Mile Beach it is 7.5% and the remainder of the island is 5% and upwards. After you have purchased a property then your title is recorded at the land registry office in addition to any mortgage (Charge) on the property. Solicitors fees are negotiable and are usually around 1% of the purchase price.
In accordance with a study by CIREBA, property is on the increase and, in the year 2011, sales are high on those from 2010. Inside the September 2011 report it turns up to August 2011 property has seen an increase of 203% compared fxhwgl the previous year. There has been CI$422 million in transfers up from CI$207million during 2010 as well as the figures are up on 2009 and 2008, however the actual variety of transactions is down which suggests our prime end property marketplace is still good nevertheless the budget is struggling.
Mortgages can be found in the Cayman Islands and deposits are typically between 10-35%. There is no interest only mortgage available and you may ask to pay biweekly, that will decrease the interest payments and also the term may be 20 to 35 years.
Property can be obtained from Land, Condo's or luxury villas with the higher prices in the Seven mile beach area, but if you buy to let then rental is additionally high in this field.
Oakley Sunglasses Cheap – You Might Have Questioned Why You Will Be Needing This..
Foakley is certainly an accepted word that websites openly sell "Foakley" glasses. For instance, Cheap Oakley Sunglasses claims to be a United states company with a US address, and sells Foakley Radarlocks for $13 – it has the Oakley company logo on top of the homepage but the word "Foakley" is all around the site, and it openly states that the glasses are knock-offs. Obviously, the website isn't really US-based: it ships via EMS, the Chinese state-owned courier firm.
But this can be far from the only website selling Oakley knock-offs. You will find Foakley sellers on Alibaba, DHgate, and other Chinese online merchants. A British cycle industry executive told BikeBiz that all of the riders in the cycling club who wore Oakley's have, actually, been wearing Foakleys for at least earlier times several years.
"Determining should they be real or counterfeit can be tough," admits Oakley upon an official FAQ. Indeed, purchasers of fake Oakleys have discovered the lenses as well as other parts are interchangeable with genuine Oakleys. An often seen claim online is that the fakes fry eyes because, unlike expensive and genuine Oakleys, they let through ultra-violet radiation. This is simply not true. Fake Oaks have already been lab-tested and located to bar UV-A and UV-B.
Oakley lenses are made from polycarbonate, and tend to be the fake lenses. An intrinsic property of polycarbonate is it blocks UV. "I don't desire to pay what Oakley are charging; they're just pieces of plastic," is a common complaint on cycle forums and chat-rooms.
Oakley is owned by the $9bn Luxottica Number of Italy, the world's largest eyewear company. 81-year-old Leonardo Del Vecchio, the group's founder, bestrides the sector such as a Ray-Ban-wearing Colossus. (Luxottica also owns Ray-Ban.) The Guardian has a very good long-read on the £74bn specs biz, and Del Vecchio's dominance.
Luxottica acquired Oakley for $2.1bn in 2007. The group also makes and distributes eyewear brands such as Chanel, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Burberry, and Versace. Luxottica doesn't just dominate manufacturing and distribution additionally, it dominates retail: it owns 7,000 stores around the world, including Sunglass Hut, the current market leader. When pre-takeover, Oakley was starved of use of Sunglass Hut its stock plummeted making the sale to Luxottica a foregone conclusion.
Mark Ferguson of Melbourne, Australia, is at surgical device sales. He vlogs as "CyclingMaven". Among his most widely used videos is on the technical merits of Foakleys. "We pay reasonably limited for many things within australia. My Fake Oakley Sunglasses, with lenses, were pushing nearly AU$600. I stick them on the [bike storage] cage; within several hours, these were gone.To switch them was going to be expensive. Somebody sent me a link at Aliexpress. My original thought was "no"; it didn't feel right. But curiosity got the greater of me, and i also bought some. As well as the quality was shocking – I couldn't believe how good these people were. For $30.
"Will they be produced in the identical factory as Oakleys? I don't know, but many people who purchase these fakes will rationalise it that way. Not everybody feels comfortable buying counterfeit products. "The anti-establishment side of me says, look, here's a company selling pieces of plastic for AU$500. In my mind, they're ripping people off. I don't worry about the investigation and development. There's always going to be somebody innovating. If Oakley would disappear from the face from the earth tomorrow, a few other company would replace them, and possibly wouldn't charge just as much money for products. These companies bend people over; they take them for any ride. Because situation I've got no difficulties with exploring the counterfeit product side of things.
"My "Foakley" videos have blown up. They're getting a lot of attention, a lot of people are actually buying fake Oakleys. Exploring the comments, and exactly how it's getting an impact on others because people are exploring other available choices, makes me think "damn, that's not good." I don't feel personally responsible because this market is going to happen whether I have done a youtube video onto it or otherwise, however in retrospect, it's not great. To market counterfeit products is not great, it has impact across other locations.
"I ride 30k each method to work – I wear stuff out. We receive stiffed on so many products [within australia]. It's much more expensive here. In addition to a mate, I purchased some bright orange and white Jawbreaker copies. We now have "Foakley Fridays", appearing like complete idiots. "I tell people they're fake. I place the Foakleys alongside my genuine Oakleys on the Facebook posting. It's for the look, not the manufacturer.
"I like the Foakleys – I find the lens really are a bit clearer. For 25 dollars, they're disposable. "I got them two minutes after seeing the first Cycling Maven video. "I would like to know my helmet has been tested and passes standards, I'm not so fussed about glasses. I actually have better points to spend my funds on. I want more bikes or more Lego for my son." "I don't like spending lots of money on sunglasses because I lose them, or they fall off my hat and obtain scratched or run over.
"Whenever I handled Oakley glasses belonging to friends I was thinking "these are simply bits of plastic with a few nice branding on them." I searched on eBay for "cycling sunglasses" and located a pair that bore a striking resemblance to Oakley Jawbones and the other pair that bore a striking resemblance to Oakley Radarlocks. They were about £8 each, delivered from China. They didn't hold the Oakley branding on the photos on the eBay listing however, when the Jawbones arrived that they had Oakley branding, including "Made in the us" stamped on trsywe arms, and the oval Oakley emblem was where you'd anticipate seeing it. These were indistinguishable from genuine Jawbones. They fitted well (nevertheless the arm broke after a couple of months).
"The "Radarlocks" was included with free lenses as well as a case. They fitted really well, and I'm still using them. "I tell other individuals they're fake. There's perverse satisfaction in getting something cheaper than someone else. I actually have no brand loyalty, I didn't have them for that cachet from the brand, I just want them to keep the bugs out of my eyes, and never be upset when I inevitably lose them.
"When I see Oakleys out in the wild I look at them critically. The brand is diluted by each of the fakes on the market. "I bought fakes because We have terrible trouble getting sunglasses which fit so I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a trial and error purchase. £8 means they're throwaway.
"I had a hot debate with a guy who said his optician had said you couldn't get adequate UV-A and -B protection in almost any sunglasses for under £20 a lens. I took mine down to the medical physics lab inside my hospital, as well as the chap who tests all the equipment for the dermatology UV labs has got the machinery to check UV-A and -B. Furthermore, i took some expensive and real Ted Baker casual sunglasses, too. Each of them passed one hundred percent.
"The lab manager stated it was hard to get polycarbonate plastic that lets UV-A and -B through – he needs it for some of his applications and requires to purchase it from a special source. Automatically polycarbonate doesn't let UV through. When manufacturers say you'll be blinded in the event you wear cheap sunglasses that's not just a very strong case at all.
"I wouldn't buy fake carbon parts. I've bought cheap tools from China, things such as spoke keys for pennies. "My friends are indifferent; they don't give much of a stuff. "There are a few chaps in the club who need to have the newest expensive thing. I haven't talked to them about fakes, partly because I don't desire to piss on the parade. "I really could manage to buy the genuine article. The reason why I don't always is identical reason I get a £1 loaf of bread in Tescos instead of from an artisan baker and pay £20 for a loaf that's been brought over from France that morning by private jet.
"You desire something that does the work for a reasonable amount of money. And also to me a set of Oakley Black Friday Deals for £100 or more is excessive. "I'm prepared to spend considerable amounts of money on some things. This might not be rational, but it's the way i view things. "Terrorism, child labour? It hasn't occurred to me. Not for bike parts. It's potent food for thought. If it's true, that would put me right off. "These could be messages put out by large corporations with vested interests when all I'm probably doing is supporting a little Chinese business.
Hifu – Explore Our Site Today To Obtain More Specifics..
Traditional HIFU (Ulthera, Doublo) is usually performed 1-2 times a year. If two treatments are performed, it needs to be separated by six months; MDS collagen activation technology promotes a new theory, which is carried out 4 times by two months, using the "overlapping effect" to improve the self-generating effect of collagen and consolidate the pulling effect.
How much time can a therapy last? It needs to be noted the so-called effects vary individually for each person, including whether there is certainly good maintenance in the center, whether there are healthy living habits, etc.? Therefore, whether or not the beauty company states that it must be valid for several years, it must not be trusted, and must not be convinced in the permanent effect. Solely those who perform such treatments at regular intervals should be able to keep your results of LOOK YOUNG.
To begin with, the Hifu also has a lot of cheap cottage/imitation machine/counterfeit machine. The power and effectiveness are unknown, and the safety is even more suspicious. The HIFU treatment that is too cheap may well not utilize the foreign machine of the factory, if it is really effective pulling effect, In fact, only the above models are effective. Our recommendation is that you are doing the information collection first and after that carefully choose.
Secondly, once the HIFU is pulled, the nose will be carried out on the collection of the face. Each collection of the instrument features a loss in cost, so it is usually calculated by playing several lines (or many times). If you want to conduct a full-face HIFU outline pull, you need to play at the very least 300 to 600 rounds at the same time. Some advertisements make reference to 100 shots, which is enough to hit the chin. Excessive variety of lines can also be risky. Even though the surface of HIFU is not really traumatic, it really is still traumatic towards the bottom on the skin. Even though you send 1000s of hair, the skin will not be affected or burned.
Therefore, the quality of the HIFU contour pull treatment possesses its own value, it is really not too easy, it is advisable to choose a treatment with transparency, the cost is definitely the price, the cost is within your hand. The MDS collagen activation technology will not charge the line number, however the contour calculation way of the part calculation fee, a price, not scared of ltjvze temporarily charged by the additional line number on the treatment bed, blocking the trap with the quantity of lines or the number of lines.
HIFU is High Intensity Focused Ultrasound. The Hifu is ideal for anti-aging, face lifting, body contouring and sculpting without surgery, bleeding or scarring. HIFU technology will not be like Laser, Fraxel, radio frequency, IPL, needling, or other surgical, or non-surgical, 'face lift' skin rejuvenation procedure.
HIFU is definitely the next generation in advanced facial rejuvenation with deeper penetration, visible longer lasting results … AND most importantly, NO harm to your skin surface.
Ultrasound is surely an oscillating sound pressure wave, produced by an extremely rapid vibration, with a frequency more than the top limit in the human hearing range. Ultrasound can be used in many different fields, having different effects – in the area of surgery, now skin lifting, the thermal effect of Ultrasound is key … when focused, the top intensity vibrational energy of the Ultrasonic wave is considered heat; here is the principle of HIFU.
The Hifu 效果 beams from the surface of the skin to deliver precise and fractional ultrasound energy for the deeper dermis, subcutaneous tissue and muscle layers. this deeper layer is responsible for muscular activity in the face. This energy stimulates both muscle firming and new collagen production, without any disruption for the outer skin surface (no scarring).
Home Security Mansfield – Check Out Deeper To Make A Knowledgeable Choice..
In terms of home security systems mansfield, regardless of what companies claim, "There ain't no such thing being a FREE lunch!" Sure they tell you that your home burglar alarm system is free,(and worth $850) but lets discuss the details. First, what kind of quality can you really be prepared to get for under the cost of an iPod? And, for that matter, what level of security could you get to your family for $100? We're talking about protecting your house, and family and I've had customers inside the Scranton area obtain a second quote over a $99 security alarm system. Rather than looking at the expertise of the panels and the appearance of the safety system, they were comparing prices on FREE-$99 systems. You must wonder what was his family was worth to him.
Before I go further let me give a disclaimer, and that i tell this to all of my customers; "Your home burglar alarm system you can pay for is always better than usually the one you can't afford." That is certainly to state, any security alarm system is superior to none in any way, just because a burglar doesn't know what you might have. If you're on the fixed income or cash is extra tight go for that $100 system, just make sure you possess the device and you're failing to get an entry level panel. Given that that is certainly out of the way lets take a good look at just what you're getting for "FREE" or $99.
Anytime someone is offering a "FREE" home security system it is possible to bring it towards the bank that it isn't free, and you also don't own it. To start with, they generally hide a $99 installation fee so that they can advertise the home alarm system as "FREE". The largest secret about so-called "FREE" home security systems is the fact that in 9 from 10 offers you don't own the security system. It is what is called, a leased system. They don't tell you it's a lease, but inquire further should you own the panel. Ask, "If I cancel my monitoring will your company remove or disable my security alarm panel?" The strategy behind a leased security system is if you attempt to cancel your monitoring they are going to threaten to take the system from your home (leaving a big hole with wires chilling out). You might have spent $1000.00 on additional devices to safeguard your home, however when they obtain your control panel those security devices are worthless. Which means that your saddled with a security alarm company you don't want and can't afford.
Tattoo Eyebrows – Surf To Our Business Today To Obtain Extra Suggestions..
Women that like their makeup to last choose permanent makeup or cosmetics. This is called cosmetic tattooing, micropigmentation or dermapigmentation. Essentially, permanent makeup is actually a tattoo, which lets you seem like you might have makeup. It is just like having a tattoo procedure, as it makes use of a needle in applying colored pigments under the skin's upper dermal layer, following the application of anesthesia.
During consultation, the technician uses an eyebrow pencil to outline the client's brows until each of them are content with the design. When the skin heals after 3 weeks, the customer will be able to view the actual color. Whilst the brows remain healing, the colour may seem to be dull or muted. In due time, the pigments will fade. However, this might vary from one individual to a different, depending on age, skin, tone, type of skin, intensity of color applied, as well as lifestyle – which includes exposure to the sun. To maintain eyebrow microblading, your client should undergo the same procedure every 24 months.
Although the procedure will probably produce some discomfort, this may not be necessarily painful. First of all, the technician uses an anesthetic cream to numb the area. The process is carried out by a certified permanent makeup technician following strict rules on sterilization and sanitation, using sterilized, disposable needles and tools. The pigments used as cosmetics are FDA approved.
People undergo permanent makeup procedure to produce eyebrows or enhance them. They may have lost their eyebrows, or they might have scars due to over-plucking and also over-waxing, or their hairloss might be due to chemotherapy or alopecia. They might have drooping eyebrow shape as an indication of aging. When eyebrows lack definition or symmetry, they can be improved. With an eyebrow procedure called "feathering", the technician utilizes a micro-blade method to stimulate each hair in the eyebrow. This micro-blading technique enables clients to have hair strokes that appear to be natural, using a balanced shape and design. Eyebrows outline the face area and enhance the facial expression of the clients, offering them an immediate face lift and making them appear younger.
To incorporate more definition for the eyes to make lashes fuller, people undergo a popular procedure called permanent eyeliner, which can be applied to both upper/lower lash line. This is right for correcting eyes that are droopy, deep-set, close-set or wide, small or large.
The permanent lip liner will be the solution with regards to creating the preferred lip shape, or correcting uneven or faded lip contours. Interested women can get full lip enhancement, which is popular due to its wide variety of natural and vibrant colors. Lip color is the best for those whose lips are thick, thin, asymmetrical fit, or have uneven borders. If the lips are enhanced, they look more defined and full. Moreover, the lipstick will no longer "bleed" into fine lines surrounding the mouth.
But before going for this particular treatment, you must realise that you are trusting someone along with your face. It's unlike a bad haircut, where you could always tie your own hair up or wear a hat, and this will eventually grow out; with semi-permanent makeup it's right there on your face, where everyone is able to view it. If this does fail there exists always corrective laser treatment, but this might prove expensive and painful.
You shouldn't rush into having semi-permanent make-up treatment as it can certainly stay in your skin layer for many years, so it's wise to discover a reputable technician, with the correct qualifications and training in order to avoid unfortunate mistakes.
Semi-permanent makeup is becoming really popular over the past five-years and in the last twelve months, micro blading has developed into a treatment that's often asked for. Micro blading the brows with strokes of colour individually, ensures they are look natural, unlike the block of colour that occurs once you pencil them on.
Micro blading is actually a technique where we put small particles of pigment in to the eyebrows to create really fine hair strokes. It's completed with a hand-held tool, featuring several tiny needles in a row to deposit dye sndrhn the dermal second layer of the skin. It's a cosmetic type of tattooing which puts pigment to the skin, but doesn't go as deep being a normal tattoo would. The color should last between 12-18 months and then you should return and have a colour treatment boost to renew the colours.
A consultation before any treatment solutions are important, since this is when you will understand exactly what's involved with your preferred treatment. This process will likely be fully explained plus they can answer questions you may have. The technician will find out what you desire, and assist one to design your new look. If you need help picking a cosmetic procedure, we provide a comprehensive range of cosmetic procedures for your face and the entire body: Botox, Vaser Lipo, Lip Augmentation, Dermal Fillers and much more treatments, to help produce a younger, slimmer, younger looking you!
Vitiligo – It's Important To Understand This..
What is Vitiligo? Vitiligo is a disease of your skin where you can find white patches. A health problem that is difficult and long-lasting, patients have several options to select from, for their vitiligo treatment. Let's check out the various treatments for vitiligo treatment that exist today.
Melanin is the pigment that is mainly responsible for the outer skin colour. In Vitiligo, the skin cells that produce this pigment either die or are unable to secrete this melanin. Factors like heredity, exposure to chemicals, stress, sunburn and one's own immunity attacking and destroying the skin cells are considered to be responsible.
Actually, according to ASDReports.com, in 2011 the vitiligo therapeutics market was estimated to get worth $1.4 billon. By 2019, it really is estimated that this market will grow to $2.7 billion, put simply, doubling the net profit and also this already lucrative niche.
And that's not all. The thing is, this may not be 'new', or 'cutting-edge' research. Certainly not – in fact, medical scientists have published reports about how they cured vitiligo in just a couple of weeks only using natural extracts and nutrients as soon as the 1980s! And again in the 1990s, there were several reports by Swedish doctors about how exactly just one herb and/or vitamin supplementation can halt the spread of vitiligo immediately and cure it completely in a case of weeks with zero negative effects.
Exactly what are the Conventional Medicines for Vitiligo Treatment? Corticosteroid creams and creams having drugs called tacrolimus or pimecrolimus try to suppress the immunity. As a result it plans to prevent the immunity from attacking one's own skin cells. Light therapy involves the application of Ultra violet rays on the skin, sometimes in combination with medications to improve light sensitivity. Grafting a patch of normal skin over the white patch and tattooing are other options that try to restore colour in a specific patch.
Precisely what does Homoeopathy offer for Vitiligo treatment? Homoeopathic treatment for vitiligo considers the fact that Vitiligo is likely to progress as a disease. Thus, taking care of one particular patch and doing nothing for that underlying immunity is not going to do any good to control the look of a whole new patch elsewhere. Hence, Homoeopathy attempts to correct the immunity and qyjkdg energizes the body's skin cells to generate the pigment melanin naturally. Homoeopathic treatment of Vitiligo also attempts to heal by correcting the after-outcomes of triggering factors such as stress, chemical exposure and hormonal imbalance in the thyroid gland.
Just how can Homoeopathic treatment help my Vitiligo? Homoeopathy provides a safe solution without the side-effects which are seen with long term conventional treatment. We, at Life Force Homoeopathy, usually do not promise miraculous, permanent and quick cures for those cases of Vitiligo. The extent, duration and size of your patches, whether the patches can be found on the lips, finger tips, whether there is a family history of any auto-immune disease… each one of these factors are taken into account before concluding to what extent your vitiligo can be helped with Homoeopathy. Homoeopathic treatment of Vitiligo also attempts to heal by correcting the after-outcomes of triggering factors like stress, chemical exposure and hormonal imbalance of the thyroid gland.
Hot Melt Adhesive Film for Textile Fabric – On Just What Justification Should You Really Decide On..
Hot-melt adhesives are as numerous as they are versatile. Generally speaking, hot melts are applied by extruding, rolling or spraying, as well as the high melt viscosity makes them ideal for porous and permeable substrates. HMA are designed for bonding a range of different substrates including: rubbers, ceramics, metals, plastics, glass and wood.
Today, HMA (hot-melt adhesives) can be found in a variety of different types, allowing for use in a wide range of applications across several industries. To be used with hobby or craft projects like the assembly or repair of remote device foam model aircraft, and artificial floral arrangements, hot-melt sticks and hot-melt glue guns are employed in the effective use of the Double Sided Fusible Interfacing. To be used in industrial processes, adhesive is supplied in larger sticks and glue guns with higher melting rates. Aside from hot melt sticks, HMA could be delivered in other formats such as granular or power hot melt blocks for bulk melt processors. Larger applications of HMA traditionally use pneumatic systems to provide adhesive.
Sometimes manufacturers request a certain hot melt color or clarity. Where does the color originate from? Exactly why are some adhesives more transparent than the others? Does color and clarity mean quality? So why do customers like light colored and transparent adhesives?
All materials in this particular universe, when their electrons are excited by certain energy, may emit a wavelength showing different colors. These colors are observed by human eyes or detected by instruments. Most polymeric materials containing more polar functional groups and double or triple bonds, tend to generate colorful bodies. Consequently, whenever a hot melt formulation contains more polar ingredients, including non-hydrogenated hydrocarbons resins and natural rosin along with its derivatives, they are normally darker than those hydrogenated ingredients.
Disregarding color, in the event the ingredients used in a hot melt formulation are incredibly compatible, having similar solubility parameters, the formulated product will be clear or transparent. On the contrary, for a less compatible and Hot Melt Adhesive Film for Textile Fabric, the appearance is cloudy or opaque.
Clarity will not be a huge concern for most applications. However, the warmth stability for anyone cloudy and opaque formulations can be relatively poor when compared to some clear formulations. Incompatible ingredients inside the formulation have a tendency to separate far from the other person upon heating at elevated temperatures due to their widely different solubility parameters. Be aware that the above mentioned cloudy and opaque appearance fails to affect those materials with crystalline such as wax and ethylene segment of Ethylene Vinyl Acetates (EVA).
Many users, especially in the Asian countries, often request water white and clear HMPSAs for many applications simply due to esthetics reason. Consequently, water white, hydrogenated tackifying resins are essential for those formulations. All selected ingredients must be compatible too. In the principle of adhesion, a much more polar adhesive caarow generates better adhesion to substrates due to the higher surface energy. Put simply, selecting more expensive water white ingredients for esthetic purpose may adversely hurt adhesive performance. To make up losing portion intrinsic adhesion resulted from lower surface energy; adhesive's rheology is then becoming a key point affecting adhesion performances. The rheology or mechanical property of adhesives will be discussed in a separate article.
Indeed, aside from the esthetic reason, clear Shape Flex SF101 Alternative exhibit significantly better heat stability and pot life while they are heated at elevated temperatures for long periods of time. This is extremely important particularly for that process employing an open coating system, for instance a roll coating line.
Last Key:Leading Block Chain Game Trend..
LAST KEY V(V Treasure Guild) is an international game guild based on Ethereum and developed by Jeddrey Wilck, a member of ETH creation team..
Charity activity of Treasure Hunt initiated by V Treasure Guild is the first blockchain game to support charity in the world.. Treasure Hunt can solve all trust problems by overturning the traditional single point trust and general control.. LAST KEY supports multilingual interfaces and makes it available for players from worldwide to participate in.. LAST KEY can convert the transfer mode of the overall game and charity, and it's definitely an all -win game you can't miss!
How could we start our journey for treasure hunting? Treasure hunters could pay for the treasure's keys after treasure's coordinate has been published by V Treasure Guild.. Initial price of treasure's keys is 0..000075 ETH and it will be increased successively to the highest point of 10 ETH for one single purchase.. The initial countdown for key's purchase is 8 hours and it begins when the coordinate is published.. The terminal time of countdown adds 20 seconds for one additional key.. The last three hunters who purchase keys can open the treasure and get the treasure according to keys holding ratio..
Hunters could only purchase keys for 10 ETH at most.. And a hunter could upgraded to hunter tutor by purchasing another 10 ETH.. After he recommends someone to upgrade to hunter tutor, he will get 30% of the upgrading cost as award and gain performance..
51% of keys' income will be as award to pioneers and the upper limit for award is three times of the purchase cost.. First in, first benefit..
5% of keys' income will be as award for recommendation (the hunter will get 5% of purchase cost as award by recommending people to participate the Guild).. Your effort will be rewarded..
3% of keys' income will be award to teams (any tutor can from a team with his own hunters of 12 generations automatically and 3% of new hunters' key purchasing cost will be reward to the team and shared by all members).. Your team will get bonus..
10% of key's income will be as award for hunters ranked at the top of weekly hunters ranking worldwide (top 100 hunters of all 12 generations worldwide followed any hunter tutors will be rewarded in accordance gcoasn their ranking).. You can have supreme glory..
10% of key's income will be construction funds for Guild.. Random supply 0..5ETH/8H be distributed to hunters randomly..
20% of keys' income is the ultimate treasure award (60% for the last three hunters who purchase keys, 15% for all hunters in this round, 5% for referrers of awarded hunters, 10% for hunter tutors of awarded hunters, 5% for charitable funds as donation, 5% for five hunters ranked at the top of total cost of purchasing keys in 1000 unawarded hunters in this round).. Everyone gets a bonus..
LAST KEY has various bonus and the players will be out of the game after accumulation.. You can get bonus every day, doing charity while having fun.. Express yourself with your strength and luck.. Say goodbye to system team and be a king by yourself! Now you can start your journey as a hunter for treasure hunting! GOOD LUCK hunter!
Vapor Cigarettes Reviews – Explore Our Business Now To Identify More Details..
It could be overwhelming when trying to decide which vape mods to stock at your store as there are a lot of different choices to pick from.
As opposed to stressing and browsing through pages upon pages of various buying options, let's instead take a look at the most common how to clean a vape pen purchased by store owners the same as yourself. A huge number of the most popular devices result from brands like SmokTech, Eleaf, and Wismec. The subsequent narrowed-down set of mods will make your buying experience considerably easier. Additionally, it will guarantee you that this mods that you're stocking will sell considering they are popular in the vape world.
One of the best mod options that you should sell at the vape shop will be the SmokTech Alien 220W Kit. The Alien has 220 watts of power, a slim profile, a comprehensive OLED screen display, and a dual life of the battery indicator. It will come in a variety of different colorways, the most popular being gunmetal, red, silver, white, blue, and rainbow. Smok also manufactures another just about the most popular wholesale vape mods: the Smok Stick V8 Kit. The Smok Stick V8 mod rocks a very good battery lifespan indicator for the internal 3000mAh battery with pass-through charging capabilities. This gadget gives your customers a fantastic value for this type of powerful mod. As both these products discussed are kits, in addition they have the increasingly popular Smok TFV8 Baby Beast tank.
A large collection of the very most purchased vapor cigarette reviews range from company Eleaf. The Eleaf iStick Pico Kit houses the iStick Pico Mod which boasts eight different firing modes, an OLED screen, along with a maximum wattage of 75W. Their iStick 40W Temp Control mod is additionally popular and is very similar to the Pico, with all the wattage being lower. Eleaf's iPower 80 Watt Mod is very popular. This device features a built in 5000mAh battery, operates in a variety of different modes, and it has bottom ventilation holes. Along with their iCare Kit is another greatly purchased model. This mod is ideal for beginners as it is very quick and easy to make use of. The battery life indicator also makes checking your life of the battery easier by having three different LED colored lights to show where your battery is.
A couple of more popular alternatives are taken to us by vape company Wismec. Wismec offers some larger-sized mods. The Wismec RX2/3 includes a spring loaded 510 pin and may be used in a number of different output modes. It features a replaceable back cover making it able to utilize either several 18650 batteries, which are sold separately. One of their newest mods the Wismec Predator, is showing some stiff competition with all the Smok Alien Kit. The Wismec Predator delivers a very comparable wattage range in addition to a competing tank to the Smok Baby Beast known as the Elabo Tank.
As the owner of a vape store, you will likely interact with customers that are a new comer to vaping and would you just like a good place to begin. Gain trust during these customers and give them a reason to return by giving among the best beginner mods that will make vaping very simple for just about any newbie. A number of the leading companies inside the vape industry – Joyetech, eLeaf, Aspire and SmokTech – manufacture the most effective mods for new vapers. You can get such devices through Electric Cigarette Wholesale Distributors such as Kingdom Vapor. Now let's look at your alternatives.
Joyetech, a vape company founded in 2007, has grown to be among the best known vape product manufacturers on earth. They are responsible for making some of the best beginner mods on the market. All these mods are Joyetech "AIO" mods. First, there is the AIO Kit. This kit incorporates a mod which is both basic and efficient, making it user friendly and understand for newbies. Its one-button design is likely to make usage pretty clear-cut for new users. Alternatively, there is a AIO Colors Kit that is actually the identical mod with one noticeable difference: the design. Whilst the standard AIO Kit is available in silver, white and black, the AIO Colors Kit provides more interesting colors and designs. Included in this are camouflage, brushed gunmetal, and numerous colorful designs such as the rightly-titled "Dazzling." One rmvqhq option from Joyetech is the AIO Box Kit. It is a bulkier mod compared to AIO and AIO Colors mods, but is a lightweight box mod and is quite popular. This mod also utilizes the basic one-button design.
Hopefully now you must a much better idea of what mods you would like to buy for your vape store and won't will need to go via a stressful purchasing process. These wholesale vape mods from SmokTech, Eleaf, and Wismec would be the mods which can be most purchased by best vapor cigarette review. Your prospects will likely be searching for devices from many of these highly regarded companies, so ensure that you stock your shop with many of these mods. Each of the mods discussed in the following paragraphs are available to buy at Kingdom Vapor as well as other wholesalers. Be sure to drop by best-vapepen.org to look through these options in addition to many more that your customers will like.
Cheap Nike Shoes – On Exactly What Justification Is It Best To Make Up Your Mind..
Nike Inc. started cleaning up its stats sheet the other day and the very first time, the sneaker empire rejected to report "future orders," a critical way of measuring wholesale demand from the galaxy of retailers who sell the famous kicks. Nike, No. 9 within the Business to business E-Commerce 300, says the metric doesn't matter much anymore, because now it's focused on doing business directly with consumers and cutting out the middleman.
Nike sells to retailers through a mix of EDI and e-commerce. While cheap nike shoes from china free shipping reported its slowest quarterly sales growth since 2010, its performance as a retailer-as opposed to a wholesaler-had been a relative highlight. Sales on Nike's own online store were up 19% inside the recent quarter, while its retail locations notched a 5% gain in same-store sales. 28% of sales are direct this year, compared with 4% 5 years<|fim_middle|>Opting to call bathroom refurbishment sheffield is the best idea because professionals will always be trained in doing the right kind of job and they can be the greatest solution to your bathroom requirements whenever you need them. Even though it is rarely due to the proper appreciation it deserves, the toilet is really just about the most important rooms inside your home. It is actually of course essential for the necessities of life, but there's much more to your bathroom than simply being a place in which you do what you should do. A properly cared for bathroom is really a sanctuary. It's usually the one place in the home where one can just close the door and no one will bother you. You may get some hwwcbv and quiet and do a little bit of reading.
You may even find yourself residing in the bathroom more than you need to just as it is a break out of your stressful life. However, eventually, things break or bathroom styles change, and you may need to maintain your bathroom completely functional and updated. The best way to accomplish this is to seek the expertise of a professional bathroom fitters. To actually get yourself a quality professional to attend to your bathroom, you will have to carry out some proper reference check and value compare. If you reside in the uk, you can search for authentic bathroom fitters in London from your Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) website. The association vets and guarantees professional standards for your bathroom fitters inside london registered underneath the association.
Remodeling a bathroom is one thing most homeowners wish to accomplish, but the project rarely gets off the floor due to cost and also the hassle involved. However, you can employ a very skilled professional renovator to beautifully fix up your place to get a affordable cost. They can provide an array of services to cover anything you need done. You can get a professional simply to replace your old faucet having a stylish another one, or perhaps an expert to totally redo every inch of the bathroom. You can aquire a new sink, toilet, tub and shower, anything whatsoever that you might want and need. Should you get really creative, you can even have an entertainment setup which is so nice that you actually don't desire to leave after you get in. | ago. CEO Mark Parker said the company is obsessed at this time with making shopping more personal. "Retailers who don't embrace distinction will be left behind," he warned on a conference call Tuesday.
Still, that wasn't enough to impress investors-at the very least, not even. The overlooked beauty of bricks-and-mortar retail is how well retail chains lend themselves from what economists call price segmentation. Shoemakers like Nike can certainly target customers by sending the correct shoes to the correct type of store (think: first-class vs. coach, iPhone X vs. iPhone 8, Banana Republic vs. Old Navy). In Nike's case, it ships expensive, exclusive edition sneakers to high-end boutiques, routes its stock Jordans to chains like Foot Locker Retail Inc., and dumps its low-end product and off-key colorways in these places as DSW Inc.
If done correctly, all of this socioeconomic slotting moves as much merchandise as possible with minimal fuss, without tarnishing the bigger brand. To make no mistake: Nike can it correctly. On its face, the Swoosh is actually a design shop supercharged by the type of storytelling its TV commercials, billboards and magazine ads are famous for. But Nike's real genius isn't marketing, it's merchandising: knowing what to ship where. For every sneaker sketching savant in Beaverton, Ore., there's a mid-level manager with a giant spreadsheet, making sure "Momofuku" Dunks aren't too simple to find, ordering up a special design for China, distributing its best-sellers to all the correct Dic.k's Sporting Goods Inc. outlets and dumping lots of Chuck Taylors at outlet malls.
Nike is now upsetting their own well-oiled applecart. In giving traditional retail the stiff arm, which cheap nike shoes free shipping made official in June, the Oregon empire is tearing up that playbook and attempting to make an end play the basic economics of price segmentation. The strategy-a bold move, given the historical manufacturer-to-retail model being discarded-requires an abundance of swagger. But Nike's numbers reveal that the bet is apparently working, primarily because Nike has been sharpening its digital game.
Sought-after sneakers now ship out via Nike's own ecosystem of apps, including SNKRS, which it launched early last year. The center of their lineup, meanwhile, sells on Nike.com and in their own big box stores. When it comes to cheaper, less-popular kicks, they quietly trickle to the company's "factory" stores (read: outlet) and onto Amazon.com. Nike even includes a studio in New York that creates customized shoes on-site in about an hour.
To put it briefly, the company is deemphasizing its ready-made network of retailers to produce a much more precise targeting mechanism. Tuesday Parker said the conclusion goal is to obtain ahead of the consumer and present "the most personal, digitally connected experiences" in the business. "While changing your approach is never easy, Nike has proven before that if perform, it's always hfwqsz the following phase of growth for our company," he explained.
In theory, cheap nike shoes free shipping can know any given customer better-and her or his willingness to pay-by using its very own venues and platforms, particularly on its digital properties. The process is going to be building the mechanism to sort all of the data, and in doing so, the customers. In the real world, they sort themselves: Our prime-end boutique isn't right next to the cut-rate discount outlet. Inside the virtual world, it's not so easy.
For the record, Under Armour Inc. is slightly ahead of Nike Inc., with 31% of their sales coming straight from consumers; Adidas AG is slightly behind, with 23% of revenue from retail. At its current pace, Nike will quickly be collecting one in three of the sales dollars directly from consumers. Its challenge will likely be making sure that none get too good an arrangement.
Automotive Prototype – Surf To Us Today To Look For More Resources..
Prototyping Supplies and Processes for Vehicle Lightweighting – Material selection is the key factor for making vehicles lighter. Here's a quick glance at the best options that also lend themselves to quick-turn, fully functional prototypes.
Everybody inside the auto market is looking for ways to shed some weight. Well, make that the majority of pounds. You will find myriad material options to make it work. Now you ask ,, how could you make the best choices and obtain them into test quickly? The Automotive Prototype currently available are a real boon to the initial phases from the product development process. But there's still a requirement for physical, functional prototypes to prove out design assumptions. That should be fast too.
Protolabs specializes in rapid prototyping for exactly this requirement. In many cases, you are able to upload an excellent model to the website and literally obtain a part back the very next day. They don't just know materials; additionally they know manufacturing processes including 3D printing, CNC machining and injection molding. Here are some ideas from Protolabs regarding how to reach lighter parts faster.
One important thing to keep in mind before embarking on any lightweighting project is always to take small bites. Shaving ounces and even fractions of ounces out of each component will wind up creating a significantly lighter car. The key is always to develop products which fulfill cost and duty requirements but use alternate materials and clever designs to reduce weight. Fortunately for designers and engineers, today's variety of prototyping materials and advanced manufacturing technologies are coming up with new opportunities for iterative, even parallel-path design testing.
Magnesium is a good place to start. Having a density of 106 lb. per cubic foot, magnesium is the lightest of all the structural metals, and contains the greatest strength-to-weight ratio as well. It comes with a proven track record inside the automotive, aerospace, medical and electronics industries, and it is found in anything from fuel tanks to gearboxes. For instance, BMW started using magnesium for its N52 six-cylinder crankcases and cylinder head covers in 2005.
BMW started using magnesium for its N52 six-cylinder crankcases and cylinder head covers in 2005. Magnesium is routinely milled into a variety of prototype parts. When compared with aluminum, the lightweighting runner-up, it really is more expensive per pound, but that cost delta is offset somewhat by magnesium's 33-percent lighter in weight and comparable strength. It's also easily machined, however some care has to be taken to control fine chips and metal particles, since these may be flammable in oxygen-rich environments.
The AZ31 and AZ91 grades of magnesium alloy used at Protolabs are even weldable with melting points of roughly 900° F (482°C). Unless you're designing a light-weight furnace liner, magnesium is a wonderful choice for a number of components.
Plastic As opposed to Metal – Magnesium and aluminum are excellent alternatives to steel for Automotive Molding, but thermoplastic and thermoset materials are robust possibilities also. An extensive selection ion of glass-, metal- or, ceramic-filled polymers along with liquid silicone rubber (LSR) may also be used to replace metal parts, thus reducing product cost and weight while improving durability. Among the best alternatives include: Polypropylene is really a flexible, fatigue resistant family of thermoplastics widely used in automotive interiors, battery cases, boat hulls, prosthetics and other products requiring toughness and lightweight weight. They feature superior strength-to-weight ratios and good impact resistance even at cold temperatures.
Polyethylene has mechanical properties much like polypropylene but is much more rigid and provides greater resistance to warping. Because of its inexpensive and relatively high strength, polyethylene is well best for the inner of the glove box, perhaps, or even a cold air intake. ABS is another thermoplastic with exceptional impact resistance and toughness. It is a lightweight option to metal found in dashboard trim, electronics enclosures, hubcap covers as well as other such automotive applications. Injection-molded ABS can also be obtainable in either flame-retardant or anti-static grades in a rainbow of colours. Chrome-plated ABS can be used on hubcaps, grills and fender flares.
A comprehensive collection of glass-, metal- or, ceramic-filled polymers in addition to liquid silicone rubber (LSR) could also be used to replace metal parts. Polycarbonate is a transparent material often used for thermoformed parts where glass is unsuitable, due to weight or breakage concerns. It offers 250 times the impact resistance only half the body weight of regular glass, which explains why "bulletproof glass" and aircraft windows are actually made from polycarbonate or its a little more flexible cousin, acrylic. Protolabs 3D prints this material with 10-percent glass-filled polycarbonate for functional prototypes. Another grade can be used as high-temp applications. Similar grades of polycarbonate are accessible for machining or injection molding.
Nylon is one of the strongest plastics available at Protolabs and is an excellent candidate for sprockets, fan blades, gears, latches, manifolds and bearing surfaces. It's also very light, with 15-percent the load of steel and 40-percent of aluminum. Protolabs offers selective laser sintering (SLS) of various engineering-grade nylons, which can be used functional testing of prototypes prior to machining or injection molding. One of those is Nylon 11, a material that works well for living hinge designs as found in hose and wire clips, washer fluid caps, along with other automobile components.
Acetal, more commonly known by its trade name Delrin, is a regular go-to material for machined prototypes. It really is strong and stiff and regularly called upon to switch precision metal parts in a range of industrial and consumer products. Electrical and fuel system components, power transmission parts including gears, bushings, and bearings, along with other high-performance parts can be milled or injection molded from different grades of acetal copolymer or homopolymers stocked at Protolabs.
Liquid silicone rubber (LSR), is a versatile material for a lot of molding applications. Upon curing, LSR becomes strong yet flexible, and it is appropriate for gaskets, lenses, connectors, along with other parts that require excellent thermal, chemical and electrical resistance. Wiring harnesses, panel buttons, spark plug boots-these are but of couple of the places LSR are available in modern vehicles.
Liquid silicone rubber is strong but flexible. A brand new material at Protolabs deserving of mention is CoolPoly, a distinctive polymer moldable in hardness levels starting from Shore A 40 (soft as an eraser) to Shore D 80 (hard just like a bowling ball). It had been created as an alternative for heatsinks, lighting shrouds as well as other thermally conductive parts normally manufactured from aluminum.
Sorting through all the various possibilities is probably the biggest challenges with China Plastic Molding. That's because improving product design within the automotive world isn't a point of grabbing whatever material weighs the least and replacing the legacy steel or iron used previously. For instance, plastic parts that will eventually be mass-produced via injection molding has to be made with the proper draft angles and wall thicknesses in advance. Ejector pins has to be considered, as should areas hbvpyy undercuts, tight internal radii, and numerous other details that could make or break your lightweight part.
As well as design, rapid prototyping is additionally increasing test tracks and on-road evaluations. Engineers can produce multiple versions the exact same part, then use a skilled auto technician with auto technician training replace the parts on the production model for every test run. This flexibility can even allow engineers to check elements like driver comfort, including, for instance, having production vehicles designed with different variations of interior parts.
Due to simulation environments and rapid prototyping, the design of components such as the cooling systems are kept in much earlier in the overall process. This means fewer prototypes of the full vehicle are needed, allowing vehicles to travel from concept to production much more quickly and smoothly. Additionally there is a better correlation of ventilation measurements in between the test part as well as the full vehicles, meaning fewer expensive changes are needed late during this process.
Bikini脫毛 – Upon What Exactly Agreement Is It Best To Decide On..
Exactly why is Hair Removal Essential? Besides cosmetic reasons, there can be other compelling main reasons why people want to remove hair; for example medical reasons. This is required when as a result of some hormonal imbalance women start sprouting hair at places where they are not meant to, e.g., facial hair. Also, before surgery a patient's hair requires removal in order to reduce likelihood of infection. This is achieved by a simple temporary method like shaving.
Social and cultural reasons dictate 比堅尼脫毛 sometimes. Could you look better at the workplace clean-shaven or with stubble or would you like to flaunt hairy legs over a date? These are generally such things as that make up social and cultural reasons. Many religions across the world also involve some kind of hair removal ritual. You can find basically 2 kinds of hair removal – temporary and permanent hair removal processes. Before we discuss the various methods designed for hair removal it is important to understand that the growth of hair starts from beneath the skin's surface.
If you wish to remove hair higher than the skin's surface then that is most likely a temporary method, also referred to as depilation. Shaving, trimming, using creams or powders that dissolve hair or using rough surfaces to rub off hair are temporary methods. Permanent hair removal, also called epilation, involves removing hair not only from your surface but removing it entirely combined with the root. Methods like tweezing, waxing, sugaring, threading, etc. are depilation methods. And then there are the more sophisticated depilation methods such as electrolysis and hair laser removal.
If you are searching for a form of permanent hair removal system, there is no doubt in knowing that we now have many choices accessible to you, therefore depending on your finances, available time, and private preference, you must be able to define between the options and decide on the one that fits your needs.
There are various kinds of laser hair removal systems that are available that you should choose, when you are interested in a hair laser removal system. Each laser hair removal method is different in a minimum of some way through the next, and this is the reason it is actually so incredibly crucial that you truly make yourself knowledgeable on all the various options, so that you can make sure to make the decision which is right and right for you in the long run.
Hair laser removal is regarded as extremely safe if performed properly and by qualified specialists.
Most clients have reported long lasting results and even permanent hair removal.
A laser hair removal treatment could be performed on large areas like the chest, back, and legs in just one session.
When there is re-growth after laser hair removal this is much lighter and finer in texture than before.
It may be virtually painless when compared with waxing and electrolysis as a method of body hair removal.
Laser hair removal is an incredibly significant and important matter, and in reality a large majority of the people in the world has experienced it done. However, when it comes to something such as this, it seems that there would obviously have to be some kinds of side effects, and this is just what begs the questions of the items the possible hair laser removal unwanted effects are.
In regards to the matter of the possible hair laser removal unwanted effects, should you be one of those particular individuals who is worried about the security with this practice, it is crucial that you should understand that hair laser removal unwanted effects are in fact quite rare, and, generally in most other cases, completely temporary. The most typical unwanted effects would come with something including hyper pigmentation, meaning the appearance of dark or white spots, in which would appear on the skin and then disappear in a few months.
This usually happens more frequently to anyone who has extremely sensitive skin, and more sensitive skins may also become slightly crusty, however it is essential to recognize and keep in mind that many of these symptoms are only temporary. Basically, with regards to the negative effects from such a treatment as this, these are closely related to exposure to sun or else photo-sensitizing medications.
For example, those who go to tanning beds regularly may not be an excellent candidate for this hair laser removal procedure, or they should at the very least avoid going to the beds to get a significant time frame both both before and after they plan on getting the procedure done. You can find particular hair laser removal risks that are involved with a laser hair removal treatment or procedure as with any other type of procedure. It really is significant for anybody who is planning to have a procedure such as this mvitut to understand the potential hair laser removal risks, to make sure they are informed on the matter in general before having it done.
The laser hair removal risks may include stuff like a burning of the skin, or a discoloring on darker skin as a result of use of the laser. This can be particularly more likely in the event the doctor which is performing the process is not qualified or experienced enough, and so this is why you will want to make extra certain that employees of the location you will is very qualified and deserving of your business as well as your trust.
As well, stinging may occur for your first few days, and a few people might even experience a slight crusting of the skin; if this type of crusting occurs in your case, make sure to maintain the entire area moist, for instance with Vaseline, which is the most recommended choice for this. With regards to the possible laser hair removal risks, you will find few, however these still must be viewed as critical to learn and understand about.
There are many options with regards to Bikini脫毛 that you could take into consideration. One option is to seek out a specialist surgeon that can complete the fast procedure inside their office with very little time or cost involved. It is this sort of thing that may become the best way to carry out it since you trust a specialist and you have them to hold accountable for having proper working hair laser removal equipment as well as a knowledgeable staff. Without it, you may be looking at a much less confident procedure that could find yourself removing parts that you just do not want removed.
Bathroom Conversions Sheffield – There Exists Certainly A Lot More Than Meets The Eye At This Point..
Fresh and sparkling bathrooms with voguish decoration or garnishing create magic in adding to a lavish feel of having a bath on those hectic mornings or even on lazy weekend. The mixture of numerous accessories and also the perfect mixture of design and color generate outstanding interior designing that enables you to unwind yourself and relax your mind and soul for a complete refreshing bathing experience.
But if you choose to revamp your bathroom fitters then calling bathroom fitter is among the wisest options since they bring in more professionalism and fewer headache for yourself. Bathroom fitter services comes as among the biggest advantage for individuals that wish to either revamp their bathrooms, or perhaps a maintenance check up on them.
Professionalism: Bathroom fitters services bring in professionals who are exceptionally trained to complete the job correctly and then in high proficiency. Their expertise produces higher degrees of professionalism making the task easier for you along with them, making it a basic job. These professionals generate the right kind of equipment and tools that are needed to your bathroom and if you are revamping them, chances are they are some of the best consultants you might ever have that can suggest the right type of equipment for your bathroom.
Quicker: Yet another great benefit of calling in a professional would be that the job will be done much faster than you may have thought. Repairing a broken piece within your bathroom might sound and seem a very stress-free job but as a matter of fact the work might be more complicated than you may have thought and calling in a professional is one of the best ideas. A specialist is always trained within the job he does and may do any type of job quicker than expected.
Warranty: The majority of these professionals and services include a warranty for that buyer that ensures the safety for any breakage after preparing or installation. When a professional installs new bathroom fittings they will almost certainly offer you a warranty that can guarantee no breakage in some of the fittings. This is a very advantageous offer for that consumer, as you may not desire to call in another professional right after you put money into one.
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Kind Strangers Volunteer to Fix an Elderly Man's Roof After Spotting Him Trying to Repair it Himself
He says the kind gesture has restored his faith in humanity.
By Rebecca Shinners
David Perez/Facebook
California resident Richard Dubiel describes himself as the type of person who likes to take on projects himself instead of relying on others or asking for help. But when neighbor David Perez spotted the 75-year-old trying to attach shingles to his roof, he knew he had to step in. Perez posted a call for help on Facebook to see if anyone could lend a hand.
The post quickly gathered more attention than Perez could have imagined—it has been shared over 1,400 times! Confident that help was on the way, Perez knocked on Dubiel's door to tell him the plan. Then on the set date, dozens of kind-hearted people came together to help replace the roof.
According to local news station KTVU, Dubiel had been working for the past three months on his own before the kindness of strangers helped get the job done. He wanted to prepare the roof, which had started to cave in, for El Niño's rain and strong winds.
"I like to have certain things done a certain way," he said. "Often times, people that you hire are out to do it as quickly and easily as they can without worrying about the quality put into it,<|fim_middle|> site.
Watch Frank Sommerville's follow-up video below:
(h/t Little Things)
Rebecca Shinners Social Media Editor Rebecca was the social media editor at CountryLiving.com and WomansDay.com.
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After reporting this inspiring story, Frank Sommerville, a journalist at KTVU, decided to go to Fremont, California, to watch the volunteers in action. He was surprised to find not only neighbors, but people who had driven hours just to help out. The project—which could have taken Dubiel weeks to finish on his own—was completed within three hours.
"It restores your faith in humanity," Dubiel told KTVU. "I'm just astounded. I couldn't believe it when this fella knocked on my door and said he wanted to help for free. What a gesture."
This content is imported from Third party. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web | 164 |
Maximum Disc Replacement for Series 9x7s
3000 community members at HP's facility for the OpenMPE meeting that replaced the scrubbed HP World 2005. From left, Walt McCullough, HP's Craig Fairchild and Mike Paivinen, Birket Foster (standing) and Stan Sieler.
It was a Maple floor, to be exact, in the Maple Room of the HP campus that's now long-demolished. On this day in 2005, in the wake of a washout of the user group Interex and its conference, the OpenMPE board met with HP to earn a space for an all-day meeting. HP extended use of its Maple Room -- where many a product briefing for the 3000 line had been held -- to the advocacy group that had fought for more time and better programs for migration and homesteading users.
In what feels like a long time ago, given all else that has changed, Interex closed its doors during this week in 2005 owing $4 million to companies small and large. The unpaid debts ranged from individuals owed as little as $<|fim_middle|>3000 managers and owners could attend via phone and the web, using meeting software that let them ask questions and see slides while they could hear presentations.
Webinars were not uncommon by 2005 for the 3000 community, but this web and phone conference poked further into the realm of interaction by adding the meeting software with the ability to raise your hand for a question, chat between attendees, and more. That same flavor of software, updated for our current decade, is on display at the MB Foster Wednesday Webinars of this year. (The latest is set for August 6.)
HP was gracious enough to provide a lunch for those who attended in person on that August day in 2005. The event was proof of the communication that OpenMPE sparked through its work up to 2008, when the 3000 labs and MPE experts closed off their doors and timesheets.
The meeting of nine years ago included a promise from HP's division managers that it would enable a time-honored tradition of a hobbyist's license for operating systems. It was supposed to give the 3000 community a way to teach itself and experiment with MPE for non-commercial research and education. But HP's method of licensing MPE/iX to the programmers and students of the environment was supposed to use the proposed emulator license, an agreement that required an emulator to surface for HP 3000 hardware.
Alas, the first emulator to surface for the 3000 arrived in 2012, a few years after HP stopped issuing new MPE/iX licenses. There's no hobbyist license per se today from HP. The freeware version of the CHARON emulator makes its users promise they've already got a valid 3000 license, since they've got to enter a HPSUSAN number to get started. A true hobbyist license requires no other OS-hardware license. OpenVMS has a hobbyist license, but that was begun by Digital.
As far as 2005's user group meetings went, the OpenMPE seminar was the only one to follow its proposed schedule. HP said that anybody who'd paid to attend the Interex show could shift their paid registration to the first-ever HP Technology Forum. That event was to be held in New Orleans in the thick of hurricane season. And a whopper emerged, Katrina, which wrecked the city so badly that HP's September show was moved to Orlando.
Posted on July 22, 2014 at 06:50 PM in History, News Outta HP | Permalink | Comments (0) | 8.30 on the unserved part of a yearly membership, to HP World booth sponsors who paid $17,000 for a space that the group could not mount in San Francisco. Then there were the hotels, which lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid room reservation guarantees. At five creditors to a page, the list of people and companies which the user group owed ran to more than 2,000 sheets. The file at the Santa Clara courthouse felt thick in my hands.
There was little money left at the end, too. The Interex checking account held $5,198.40, and a money market fund had $14,271.64 — neither of which was enough to satisfy the total unpaid compensation for an outside sales rep ($65,604 in unpaid commissions) or executive director Ron Evans (who had to forego his last paycheck of $8,225).
That OpenMPE meeting in August, in place of the Interex show, was notable in way that Interex could never manage. | 224 |
Lusaka's Elite Celebrate the Launch of Budweiser; The King of Beers in Zambia
A ceremonious event was held on 2 August 2018 in Lusaka to launch the iconic American beer, Budweiser<|fim_middle|> visit www.thekingisherezambia.com to gain access to what promises to be an unforgettable brand experience with Budweiser at the event. | . The beer globally known as "The King of Beers" was introduced to a crowd of curious A-list guests after a teaser campaign on social media sparked conversation on the identity of who was to be revealed as the newest royal in town.
Hip-Hop sensation, Slapdee was instrumental in the unveiling of Budweiser as he was confirmed as the Brand Ambassador for the beer which was the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2018 recently hosted in Russia. "I know that this is a beer that the people of Zambia will enjoy. From one King to another, this is the beginning of a great partnership." stated Slapdee.
Speaking at the launch of the premium beverage, Zambian Breweries Country Director Jose Moran said he was excited by the Zambian Breweries portfolio continuing to grow, giving beer lovers across Zambia a wide variety of world-class beverages to choose from. "As Zambian Breweries, we want to offer our consumers quality and prestigious global brands which will expand our current portfolio while also indulging the passion of beer connoisseurs in the country," said Mr Moran.
Plans are underway for a full launch of Budweiser at an event planned for August 25 in Lusaka. "Zambia Breweries products are all about bringing people together thus we decided to introduce our latest product to the people by going out to directly engage with our customers and share our mutual love for world class beer through events" said Mr Moran. Fans of the beer can | 305 |
Blackmores Cod Liver Oil 1000<|fim_middle|> assists in the relief of visual fatigue and eyestrain, significantly improves night vision and aids function of the retina. Sustained Release Multi Vitamins & Minerals - assists in the maintenance or improvement of general wellbeing. | mg Cap X 80 – CutPricePharmacy.com.au - Cut the price of your medications!
Rich natural source of vitamins a and d. What's It For? A supplementary source of vitamins A and D. Vitamin A may assist in the function of the skin and stomach lining and the mucous membranes of the digestive and respiratory tracts. Vitamin D is important in calcium metabolism and helps maintain healthy bones. Active Ingredients Per Capsule: Cod liver oil 1000 mg providing Vitamin A 600 IU Vitamin D3 (Colecalciferol 2.12 mcg) 85 IU. Special Features and Benefits: Easy-to-swallow capsule. Natural source. Mode of Action: Cod Liver Oil contains the fat-soluble vitamins A and D. Vitamin A is involved in the maintenance of the structural and functional integrity of epithelial tissues. Additionally it is an antioxidant and acts as a co-factor in many biochemical reactions. Vitamin D is involved in the absorption and utilisation of calcium, normal calcification of the skeleton and various cellular processes. Contraindications and Cautions: The recommended adult daily amount of vitamin A from all sources is 2500IU. When taken in excess of 8,000 IU vitamin A can cause birth defects. If you are pregnant, or considering becoming pregnant, do not take vitamin A supplements without consulting your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the label. Use only as directed. Side Effects: None noted in the literature at the recommended dosage. Medicine Interactions: None noted in the literature at the recommended dosage. Physical Description: A clear, unprinted, oblong, soft gelatin capsule. Dosage: Adults - Take one to four capsules daily with meals, or as professionally prescribed. Children (under 12 years) - For children under 12 years we recommend Blackmores Cod Liver Oil 275 mg capsules. Size: 50 capsules, 80 capsules. Companion Products: Bio Zinc - beneficial for the skin, may assist wound healing. Bilberry 2500 - | 427 |
Tilt Light Sheet Imaging System
Tilt-RM
Mizar Imaging Cubes
Mizar Imaging Cubes – 12.5 mm – 4 pack
Mizar Imaging Cubes – 21 mm – 2 pack
Mizar Cover Slip Holder
At Mizar we are scientists working with scientists. We focus on designing and manufacturing new scientific equipment to advance science.
We are headquartered in Woods Hole, MA (USA) at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL). Our founder, Paul Maddox, is a Whitman Scientist and course director for the Analytical and Quantitative Light Microscopy (AQLM) course at MBL. Our CEO, Joel Smith, was former director of education and a scientist in several labs (<|fim_middle|> imaging, he enjoys working with scientists to develop solutions for their specific applications. He also likes beer.
Onjalé Scott Price, MBA
Onji received her MBA from Western Governors University. She has worked in program and project management for over 10 years with professional and personal focus on increasing diversity & inclusion in STEM.
7 MBL St. Lillie 220 / Woods Hole, MA 02543 / info@mizarimaging.com
© 2018 Mizar Imaging. All Rights Reserved. | including his own) at MBL. MBL's commitment to the advancement of science, coupled with these strong ties led to Mizar's decision to headquarter there.
Mizar's story is about Paul's love for science and his wife. Amy Shaub Maddox, Paul's wife, needed a light sheet for imaging cytokinesis at high frames rates. There was nothing on the market for her needs, so Paul & Tanner Fadero (Paul's PhD student) set out to build a copy of the Eric Betzig Bessel beam based light sheet system. Out of this necessity and love, the Tilt was created. To read more about this story, read the blog post.
Paul Maddox, PhD
Paul received his PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is now an Associate Professor there.
Joel Smith, PhD
Joel received his PhD in oncological sciences from the University of Utah and has over 20 years of experience in academic science, primarily studying gene regulation during early development of various squishy things.
Chris Baumann, PhD
Sales and Product Manager
Chris received his Ph.D. from the University of Buffalo. With over 20 years in the field of scientific | 247 |
Is Delta's unit revenue recovery being delayed again?
So far, 2016 has been a year of revenue disappointments for most airlines. Based on Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) CFO Paul Jacobson's comments at an investor conference on Wednesday, the long-awaited airline revenue recovery hasn't begun yet.
A year ago, Delta executives set a goal of getting unit revenue back into positive territory by the end of 2015. Ultimately, the company fell short<|fim_middle|> summer leisure travel demand looks very strong.
However, Delta may need to become even more aggressive in chasing PRASM growth. Up until now, Delta has posted strong earnings growth due to lower fuel costs, despite its weak revenue trends. With oil prices having recently popped back above $50/barrel, Delta isn't going to be getting much help from fuel prices going forward.
Bottom line: if Delta is to maintain its impressive margins and meet its earnings and cash flow targets, returning to PRASM growth by the end of 2016 is imperative. | of that objective. However, passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) declined just 1.6% year over year in the fourth quarter, suggesting that Delta was on the verge of returning to unit revenue growth.
Unfortunately, Delta's performance has gotten worse since the beginning of 2016. During Q1, PRASM slumped 4.6%, a little worse than the company's original guidance for a 2.5%-4.5% year-over-year decline.
Delta's unit revenue has declined more than expected in 2016. Image source: The Motley Fool.
For Q2, Delta management again forecast that PRASM would fall 2.5%-4.5%. Once again, the company is in danger of missing that target. PRASM declined about 4% year over year in April and about 5% year over year in May.
Furthermore, CFO Jacobson told investors on Wednesday that PRASM is on track to end up near the bottom of the guidance range (i.e. down 4.5%) and could even fall slightly below it, as occurred in Q1. Delta's operating margin will also come in near the bottom of the 21%-23% guidance range. Jacobson blamed the unit revenue weakness on lower fares for last-minute bookings.
Is the revenue turnaround delayed again?
On the company's most recent earnings call, Delta President Glenn Hauenstein stated that while May unit revenue was looking "choppy," the early trends for June and July looked much better. Hauenstein noted that July is the peak month for airline travel. He also suggested that revenue headwinds from the strong dollar would be fading by the summer.
Based on the guidance update Jacobson provided on Wednesday, it seems that June isn't shaping up to be as good as expected. Through the first two months of Q2, Delta's PRASM has declined about 4.5%. For PRASM to decline 4.5% for the full quarter, the June result would have to be in the same down 4%-5% range as April and May.
This also casts doubt on whether peak season unit revenue in July and August will be as strong as Delta executives were predicting just two months ago.
Jacobson did reaffirm Delta's "commitment" to return to PRASM growth by the end of the year. Last month, Delta reduced its Q4 capacity growth plans by about 1 percentage point to bolster its revenue trajectory. Still, airline executives (including at Delta) have been caught off guard by revenue weakness frequently in the past year, so it's hard to be confident in pronouncements like this.
Delta is seeing some green shoots on the revenue front. It recently started selling extra-legroom seats as a straightforward fare option, rather than as an add-on to standard coach fares. This initiative is already driving stronger sales of these pricier seats. Furthermore, Jacobson reiterated in his comments on Wednesday that | 605 |
Despite the melted snow (my nephew had huge crocodile tears when he woke up to green grass the other<|fim_middle|> fun, much-needed break from hectic shopping centres!
In true Christmas spirit, while having fun at the museum you will also be helping out the community! This is because there is no cost for crafts, but rather a donation of cash or non-perishable food donation. Help us fill a canoe to the gunnels for our local food bank!! | morning!), Christmas is nearly upon us here at the Canadian Canoe Museum. The Christmas tree is up and decorated, new winter merchandise is in stock and our little elves, i.e. Weekend Volunteers are hard at work preparing for the Holiday Open House.
Kate and Kara cutting HBC blanket scraps in Christmas shapes.
Children will learn a simple stitch to go around the edge of the ornament and then get creative with glitter glue and ribbon to make the decoration their own.
December at the Canoe Museum will be filled with holiday spirit. I for one am most looking forward to the many drop-kids crafts we will be offering. For the last few weeks, the weekend volunteers and I have been planning and preparing for 'Christmas Fun'—working together we have developed some pretty awesome activities that families can enjoy together, if I do say so myself!
Soapstone carving, ornament decorating and poetry writing will provide a | 180 |
Pomnik konny Francesca Sforzy – pomnik z brązu, który miał zostać wykonany przez renesansowego artystę Leonard<|fim_middle|>ę u Leonarda. Było to jedno z pierwszych zleceń rzeźbiarskich Leonarda.
Wykonanie
Leonardo zaczął pracować nad koniem przed 23 kwietnia 1490 r. Natomiast 28 kwietnia otrzymał od Marchesina (skarbnika Ludovica) 103 liry jako zaliczkę na materiały do wykonania posągu.
W związku z tym przedsięwzięciem Leonardo analizował proporcje konia. Pierwsze projekty pokazują, iż Leonardo wyobrażał sobie konia stającego dęba. Wówczas powstały problemy techniczne, jak podeprzeć ciężar zwierzęcia, które styka się z podstawą tylko tylnymi nogami. Leonardo miał różne koncepcje rozwiązania problemu. Na jednym rysunku pod przednimi kopytami widać było padającego wroga, a na innym leżał pod nimi pniak. Owe problemy techniczne budziły wątpliwości Ludovica co do możliwości dokończenia projektu przed Leonarda. Wówczas Leonardo porzucił pomysł konia stającego dęba. Następne szkice przedstawiały konia w kłusie. Na tę zmianę wywarła wpływ m.in. wizyta w Pawii w czerwcu 1490 r., gdzie obejrzał pomnik Regisole. Spostrzeżenia na temat rzeźby utrwalił na kartach Kodeksu Atlantyckiego:
Prowadził studia przyrodnicze w stajniach mediolańskich, rysując konie najczystszej krwi oraz poddając analizie proporcje ich ciała. Leonardo postanowił ukazać konia stąpającego. W 1493 r. został wystawiony na dziedzińcu zamku Sforzesco gipsowy model pomnika naturalnej wielkości. Wywoływał wielkie zainteresowanie i podziw współczesnych.
Aby było możliwe odlanie konia w całości Leonardo opracował nową technikę odlewania w brązie. Wpadł na pomysł żelaznego rusztowania, które wzmocniłoby konstrukcję pomnika. Kiedy wszystko zostało już przygotowane do wykonania odlewu, Lodovico il Moro przekazał zapas brązu swojemu szwagrowi Ercolemu d'Este, z powodu zagrożenia wojną.
Zobacz też
twórczość rzeźbiarska Leonarda da Vinci
Przypisy
Bibliografia
Buchholz E. L., Leonardo da Vinci, Życie i twórczość, Pracownia Wydawnicza "ElSet", 2005,
Leonardo da Vinci
Pomniki we Włoszech
Zaniechane projekty budowlane i inżynieryjne | a da Vinci. Pomnik miał przedstawiać ojca Ludovica Sforzy, Francesca Sforzę, założyciela rodu Sforzów.
Pomysł
Pomysł stworzenia pomnika powstał już w latach 60. XV w. Wieść o tym pomyśle krążyła po florenckich pracowniach. Dowodem na to jest projekt pomnika autorstwa Antonia Pollaiuolo. Da Vinci wyraził zainteresowanie rzeźbą w "liście motywacyjnym" do Sforzy w 1482 r. W połowie 1489 r. Ludovico zamówił rzeźb | 163 |
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High-Speed Rail in California
PHOTO RELEASE: New Housing Complex Opens to Wasco Residents
WASCO, Calif. – Today, the City of Wasco opened Rosaleda Village, a new housing complex to residents, with the help of several federal and state agencies, including the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority). The new 17-acre complex located on the southside of Gromer Avenue features more than 200<|fim_middle|> page. If you have any questions about the website or its contents, please contact the Authority at info@hsr.ca.gov.
Español de México العربية Հայերեն Hmong 繁體中文 香港中文 简体中文 한국어 日本語 ਪੰਜਾਬੀ Tagalog Tiếng Việt English | units and allows for easier access to schools, shopping centers and other activities. The former housing facility was located east of the BNSF railroad line on 6th and J Street and next...
Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the Fresno to Bakersfield Project Section Made Available
Board of Directors to Consider Certification and Project Approval at October Meeting SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) announced the availability of the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (Final Supplemental EIR) for the Fresno to Bakersfield Project Section of the California High-Speed Rail System. The Final Supplemental EIR represents a comprehensive project-level review of the southern part of the section that runs between...
High-Speed Rail Authority Names Director of Real Property
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) today announced the appointment of Donald Odell as the Director of Real Property. "Don's appointment to this position ensures that we continue our forward momentum in the acquisition of right of way for the high-speed rail program," said Authority CEO Brian Kelly. "He has tremendous knowledge in this field and his experience to date is essential to the program's success." This...
High-Speed Rail Authority Names Northern California Regional Director
SACRAMENTO, Calif.– The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) today announced the appointment of Boris Lipkin as the Northern California Regional Director. "Boris's appointment to this position continues the excellent work he has done as the Acting Northern California Regional Director to prepare us for future Silicon Valley to Central Valley high-speed rail service," said Authority CEO Brian Kelly. "His experience with the high-speed rail program...
High-Speed Rail Continues to Lead California and the Nation in Building a Clean and Green Transportation System
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Today, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) issued its annual Sustainability Report, which details how the Authority is already putting sustainability into action. The report updates the progress made in 2017 and the results of our comprehensive approach to designing, constructing and operating high-speed rail in a sustainable manner. The report highlights accomplishments in each aspect of the Authority's Sustainability Framework. "Our goal is to...
Watch for Truck Hauling on State Route 43 in Kings County
KINGS COUNTY, Calif. – The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) want to remind the public to use caution and avoid passing heavy trucks on State Route 43 (SR 43), as construction for high-speed rail and local harvest season is in full swing. Drivers should plan accordingly, and please add at least 20 extra minutes to your drive-time while using the busy two-lane highway. Heavy vehicles hauling fill-dirt for...
Cross Valley Corridor Plan Approved With Connection to Kings/Tulare High-Speed Rail Station
DINUBA, Calif. – Today, the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) Board voted to approve the Cross Valley Corridor Plan that will serve as a vision plan to improve transportation connections and guide future development of the Central San Joaquin Valley. The plan focuses on an existing rail corridor between the cities of Huron and Porterville, with direct and convenient access to the Kings/Tulare high-speed rail station. "This plan represents an opportunity to transform...
2,000 Construction Jobs Created on the High-Speed Rail Project
FRESNO, Calif. – Today, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) was joined by workers representing multiple local union halls to announce that more than 2,000 construction jobs have been created since the start of the high-speed rail project. Strong partnerships have been made with the State Building and Construction Trades Council, the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board and many other groups to train and hire a skilled workforce to build the nation's...
High-Speed Rail and Tree Fresno Begin Tree Planting Program at West Fresno Middle School
FRESNO, Calif. – On Tuesday, May 29, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) and Tree Fresno began the first phase of tree planting at West Fresno Middle School. Nearly 200 trees were planted by volunteers and students. The trees are the first part of the Authority's effort to offset greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) associated with high-speed rail construction and achieve the Authority's goal of zero net direct GHG emissions from construction. The...
City of Bakersfield Approves Vision Plan for Downtown Bakersfield and High-Speed Rail Station
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Bakersfield City Council voted yesterday to approve the "Making Downtown Bakersfield" Station Area Vision Plan and Environmental Impact Report that will serve as a plan to continue revitalization efforts and guide future development of Downtown Bakersfield. The City of Bakersfield, in partnership with the California High-Speed Rail Authority, launched a station-planning and community engagement campaign in 2015 to hear from local residents and...
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The California High-Speed Rail Authority makes every effort to ensure the website and its contents meet mandated ADA requirements as per the California State mandated Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Level AA standard. If you are looking for a particular document not located on the California High-Speed Rail Authority website, you may make a request for the document under the Public Records Act through the Public Records Act | 1,225 |
When you talk about success in the financial industry, you usually measure it in terms of assets under administration. But for Charlie Spiring, that's just the start.
"I do watch the firm and<|fim_middle|> upgraded his own toolkit by completing the international director's course. The firm also has a standing recommendation to do at least one face-to-face meeting with each client per year, though video conferencing and phone conversations allow for even more frequent contact.
All of those add up to one fundamental goal: to earn clients' trust, which is crucial in times of difficulty. | myself against industry metrics for things like average turn," said the founder and chairman of Wellington-Altus Private Wealth, who has also been lauded among Wealth Professional's Top 50 Advisors for 2018.
For Spiring, one major component to value comes from being innovative. He got an early lesson on that more than three decades ago, when he was involved in one of the earliest teams to ever do a credit default swap.
"I flew over to London and met with the CEO of Lloyd's of London, where we had them guarantee to Canadian corporate debt, and that gave us a massive marketing advantage," he recalled. "We were also one of the first in Canada to adopt the 'core and explore' business plan.
Still, Spiring knows that advisors should not be round-the-clock enablers of client decisions. Rather, they should provide counsel on what is possible. While his practice has a reputation as an innovative firm, they also ensure their clients are educated and properly guided.
Striking the balance between being flexible and protecting investors from themselves is not easy — and at an industry level, he believes the regulatory pendulum has swung too far in one direction.
"I think we've built in too many redundancies as an industry," he said. "Too many advisors end up spending too much time doing things that do not necessarily make the client happier, create a better service, or result in a better price. Ideally, we would have the same regulations for almost everybody; whether you are on the MFDA, IIROC, or whatever platform. We need more consistency.
At an individual level, he recognizes that individual stock selections are becoming less and less significant. After a 38-year career that included experience as a stock picker, he has realized that it is now possible to hire cost-effective managers who can perform those functions way better, for a much cheaper rate. And for smaller accounts, robo-platforms, including bank-owned ones, are often a better option.
But when it comes to full-blown financial planning, the human-based practice has much more to offer. Spiring heads an eight-person team of financial professionals, each with their own designations and specialties; he recently | 444 |
Electrical lighting fixtures from the 1920s through 1940s reflect the popular taste for Art Deco styling in public, commercial, and home interiors. Beautiful color photographs of dramatic lights from theaters, important houses, great architects, and interior designers fill this stunning book, showing the great flair for which the period has become so famous. Fixtures shown include radio and accent lamps<|fim_middle|> it shows so many diverse examples, relates their specific details clearly, and includes values in today's competitive marketplace.
The owners of Cockamamie's antiques shop in New Hope, Pennsylvania, Herb Millman and John Dwyer specialize in decorative arts from the Art Deco and 1950s eras. | , boudoir lamps, wall sconces, ceiling fixtures, bridge lamps, torchieres, and smoking stands. Glass shades from the period are highly prized today for their diverse and exquisite designs. This book will be a constant reference for architects, designers, lighting collectors, dealers, and theater historians because | 61 |
Environmental JusticeSocial JusticeSustainability
Earth Home Economics: Rebecca Adamson and "Enoughness"
By Darcia Narvaez, PhD On Oct 16, 2016
What can we learn from an economist of the earth?
* See author list below
"If you don't change directions, you're going to end up where you're headed." The words Rebecca Adamson was told by her mother when growing up find new meaning in our globalized world today. What happens to the earth, happens to the children of the earth.
Rebecca Adamson was one of the speakers at the 2016 conference, Sustainable Wisdom: Integrating Indigenous Knowhow for Global Flourishing, held at the University of Notre Dame. Here are the summaries and reactions by several student members of the audience.
Adamson described alternative views of the economy, wealth and prosperity. She categorized economic outlooks into two main categories, Societal Economics and Tribal Economics. In most of the western world, we define economics as individuals with insatiable appetites competing for a scarcity of resources. We imagine unlimited desires all in competition with one another for a very limited number of resources and this is what is taught in economics classes. She describes our current world as having an insatiable lust for more, no matter what consequence it has on nature or our future world. She then contrasts that idea with the indigenous mindset that prosperity is achievable within the limits and means provided through nature and creation.
Tribal economics contends that there is not a scarcity, but an abundance of resources. The tribal belief system "assumes a prosperity and abundance of creation" and it "fundamentally assumes a kinship based idea of enoughness." "Enoughness" is the key difference between the dominant mindset and the indigenous idea of prosperity.
Most tribal communities utilize what are called subsistence economies, which link people together through traditions and ceremonies tied to the land and nature. These subsistence economies operate on 4 main principles: Community, Nature as a source of knowledge, Interplay of spiritual beliefs, and that meaning is derived from the context of the group. In these economies it is understood that there must be equity and justice in and between communities for the survival of resources. In Tribal economics, resources are shared with everyone; they are are not scarce, but plentiful. Everyone owns the resources, but nobody can sell them. Indigenous people recognize that the community needs cooperation, not competition.
Adamson discussed how this mindset and the subsistence-based economy that arises from it promotes community and dependency within the groups of people, so it overall raises a sense of belonging and harmony within the group. She explained that the group's connection with nature and wild resources is important and is passed down from generation to generation, allowing the traditional system to carry on without expanding beyond its means. She explained that the system is controlled by kinship-based production units, meaning that the boundaries of capital, land, and labor is decided communally, with nature's overall importance in mind.
Additionally, Nature serves as a source of knowledge, and as a model to emulate. One does not waste. One takes only what one needs. Humans and nature are tied together spiritually. A fisherman does not just catch a fish, but the fish offers itself to the fisherman.
Finally, the community and economy changes according to each group. There is a "flexible kinship configuration that changes and shifts based on the resources to be taken and the expertise needed to harvest and process it." That is, the economy shifts in accordance with the resource which is being taken. I thought Adamson did a very good job of analyzing the different styles of economic outlooks and discussing how we can implement the more tribal and community based approach. She even discussed one company which has already done so, VISA.
Additional reactions by authors:
KIT: Something that particularly stood out to me was the concept of individualism that is perpetuated in the modern world. We put value in people that have nothing and make something for themselves, and while there is something rewarding in seeing a rags-to-riches story, I think it misses the point. I have written before on the goals of humanity and our need to work together for the benefit of our entire species, and I think the talk today highlighted some of these important points. What she was able to show the viewers today was that humans have an extraordinary ability to work together for the benefit of everyone. By providing funds for an entire group in places around the work, she was able to find a correlation between these indigenous and groups and community-based effort. This kind of study into the way that humans work together brings me hope for our future; when we realize we need to live in a symbiotic relationship with the Earth as well as with each other, we can achieve so much more than through the mentality of every man for himself. This lecture today is important for a number of reasons, but chiefly it shows us that there isn't some magic formula in regards to the best economic systems throughout the world. Capitalism isn't always going to reign supreme, and by starting now we can try to find alternatives to a world filled with greed and a lack of understanding toward nature. Seeing the natural world around us as something other than a substance to be divided up and sold is going to be vital for our future on this planet, as well as vital for our understanding of what it means to work as a species, rather than just an individual.
JOHN: One fact that struck me immediately was that indigenous territory, i.e. territory controlled by indigenous people, spans just 20% of the earth's land surface, however, it is home to 80% of earth's total biodiversity. Adamson made it clear that this is not a coincidence. Though indigenous people have the technology to destroy the nature surrounding them, they also have the foresight and genius to be careful stewards of it. This fact made me realize how far we really have become from nature. It baffles me to consider how much of Earth's resources we have depleted and destroyed. The exploitation of nature has led to a global loss of biodiversity, the extinction of thousands of species of plants and animals, and the endangerment of many more. At what point will we realize that enough is enough and begin to be proper stewards of the earth. Adamson stressed the interdependence of all living things, and noted that by failing to protect the environment, we are failing ourselves.
ANNE MARIE: When Ms. Adamson first introduced herself and spoke of her history supporting indigenous peoples<|fim_middle|> (Learning from the Land): Indigenous Art, Ecology, and Aesthetics" by Dylan Miner
"Ancient Light: Picto-Poems and Ekphrastic Poetry" by Kim Blaeser
community buildingsocial justiceSustainabilitythinking global
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Ending Corporal Punishment of Children: A New Report | through First People's Worldwide I was proud of the work that the organization was doing to help those who are underrepresented in indigenous communities around the world. Then I started to feel ashamed because I had never heard of First People's Worldwide, and I had never thought of the struggles that indigenous cultures face on a daily basis to keep their tradition alive. I was amazed at the parts of the world that the organization had reached, and I was shocked at the stories of discrimination and danger that indigenous peoples faced. When she told a story of an oil company imposing on a tribe in the Philippines and how the company cut the heads off of those who tried to dispute the company's demands, I was shocked and angry that I had not heard of the injustice and that nothing was being done to stop it. Through this seminar I realized the importance of Adamson's work with the organization, especially now with the North Dakota pipeline situation.
MACKIE: In her talk, Rebecca Adamson discussed indigenous economics and the role her business, First Peoples Worldwide, plays in national and international economics of indigenous peoples. I found it very interesting that the First Peoples worldwide system involved the use of what can be considered microloans, or small grants, to supplement the work native peoples are doing to restore their own livelihoods and sense of identity. She described how her company gives small amounts of money to projects that are the brainchildren of indigenous people. Beyond that, to receive a grant the projects must have a direct impact on the community they were developed in—an idea developed by an indigenous community to directly help them and further their way of life. Compared to the standard model of "people from other countries coming in and giving money to causes without doing a lot of research," this technique seems like a much better, more focused option. By giving the money directly to the people it can help the most, and applying it to projects these people have created to bolster their own communities (rather than a project set up by outsiders who have a minimal sense of the needs and ethnic lifestyles of the community), there is a greater impact on the people who most need help. Allowing people to champion their causes and then giving them the money necessary to make those dreams a reality is also an amazing way of empowering the community as a whole, because it allows the group to work together as a team to come up with a solution that will further their cause and improve their situation while maintaining their way of life. When the solution is put into action and the community is improved as a result, it is made clear that the community can take action to improve themselves, rather than relying on hit-or-miss outside aid and hoping it will hit the mark. This will empower them to continue to take action to help themselves, creating a continuing cycle of self-improvement and better quality of life. This sense of empowerment also allows for a return to native lifestyles that have been lost due to modern industrialization, because it motivates indigenous peoples to take action to reclaim their traditions, and they know they can do it based on their own ideas for projects and community improvements. There is no waiting around for someone else to take action, or hoping a benefactor will miraculously arrive and know just what needs to be done—people who are a part of the community and know its inner workings in detail can step up to the plate and take action themselves, however small, to better their lives and the lives of their neighbors.
MADDIE: I think a major takeaway for me from the Sustainable Wisdom Conference was the question with which I was left ruminating: How do we continue to grow in a holistic way? I think about the way where we can clearly see a contrast between people using every part of an animal and a society which consists of a "throw away culture." Where can we place more careful concern on the life-cycle of the products which pass before our eyes? Adamson reiterates the message that it is sustainability versus growth and that sustainability ultimately means survival. How can we practice growth not of property or possession but rather growth in spirit, wisdom, relationships, and community?
FOOTNOTE: Rebecca Adamson, First Peoples Worldwide, works to fund projects that support indigenous communities. This includes divesting in projects that harm indigenous lands and peoples, such as the Dakota Access Pipeline project. Here is one way to help protest that project. Also check the conference action page for more actions.
*Authors are undergraduates at the University of Notre Dame of the 2019 class:
Madeleine (Maddie) Thompson
Anne Marie Bonds
John Norton
Christian (Kit) Jones
Mackenzie (Mackie) Graaf
"ENOUGHNESS: Indigenous Economics 101" By Rebecca Adamson (VIDEO)
Sustainable Wisdom conference website with videos, powerpoints
Conference Talks with Links
Welcome (with Two Worldviews by Darcia Narvaez)
"Pokagon Band Culture" by Marcus Winchester:Pokégnek Bodéwadmik (Pokagon Band of the Potawatomi)
"Introduction to Financial Historical Analysis" by Sambla AS
"Preserving Indigenous Ethnohistory and Ecological Knowledge" by Christopher Ball
"Boarding Schools and Education" by Matthew Sakiestewa Gilbert
"Mother Earth vs. Mother Lode: Native Environmental Ethos, Sustainability, and Human Survival" by Bruce Johansen
"Spirit of the Salmon: Indigenous Spirituality and Sustainability in the Columbia Basin" by Andrew H. Fisher
"Modern (Intellectual) Shamans and Wisdom for Sustainability" by Sandra Waddock
"Indigenous Spirituality: A Matter of Significance" by Four Arrows (Wahinkpe Topa), aka Dr. Don Trent Jacobs
"Spiritual Connections, Obligations and Outcomes: The Foundation of Tlingit Existence" by Steve Langdon
"Regenerating the Roots of Indigeneity: Resurgence and Resilience in Troubling Times" Waziyatawin
"The Indigenous Worldview: Original Practices for Becoming and Being Human" by Darcia Narvaez
"'Woman Is the Mother of All': Rising from the Earth" By Barbara Mann
"Orality, Literacy, and the Animate Earth" by David Abram
"Guidance from the Trembling Aspen" by White Standing Buffalo
"Daughters of Mother Earth: The Wisdom of Native American Women" By Winona Laduke
"Nature Sense to Innate Wisdom: Effective Connection Modeling & Regenerating Human Beings" by Jon Young
"Indigenous science" by Greg Cajete
"Magic and the Machine; Reflections on Animism and Technology in an Age of Ecological Wipe-out" by David Abram
"The Fortress, the River and the Garden: New metaphors for knowledge symbiosis" by Robin Wall Kimmerer
"ENOUGHNESS: Indigenous Economics 101" by Rebecca Adamson
"Aki-gikendamowin | 1,409 |
Thanks for<|fim_middle|> have added to the box and those cards are just genius.
Lovely box Peta. I love the use of this suite with the Window Box and I love the idea of the little cards. I will have to Case this idea if that's OK? Thanks for sharing your wonderful projects.
Love how you made the cards to fit inside the box just beautiful. | joining me and 21 other demonstrators on ESAD's Eastern Palace Suite Blog Hop. You may have hopped over to me after seeing Cheryl's great project. When you're finished on my page make sure you click on the next button and hop over to Maree's project. I'm sure you don't want to miss out on any of these amazing creations.
The Starter Bundle come with a FREE pack of Very Vanilla Note Cards and Envelopes and the Premier Bundle come with a FREE pack of Very Vanilla C6 Envelopes and a pack of Very Vanilla Thick Cardstock. Who doesn't love something for free?
My project uses the Window Box Thinlit Dies as well as the Eastern Medallions Thinlit Dies. They work well together as the Eastern Medallions Dies fit perfectly with the Window Box Die.
I've used Smoky Slate for my Window Box and embellished it with Basic Black and Lemon Lime Twist.
I've alternated the die cuts on the side of the Window Box. I've also added in some stamping from the Eastern Beauty Stamp Set in Basic Black and Lemon Lime Twist and finished off each side with a Basic Rhinestone.
My assistant Marvi was on hand for the photo shoot. He inspected the box only to find nothing in it. In fact, I think he poked his tongue out at it.
I had seen an amazing blog from Tricia Raineri and she had made some hexagonal cards to go in the Window Box. I CASEd her idea and made 3 matching cards.
Here is a picture of the box and matching cards together.
Marvi wasn't sold on the cards, judging by the look on his face, but I think they're cute. There was a bird on the fence that was much more interesting for him to look at.
Now it's time to hop over to Maree's blog and check out her wonderful project.
Thank's for stopping by, I'd love if you left me a comment.
Love you window box that you made for this hop. I made a window box too.
What a great way to showcase the dies with the window box. Thanks for sharing.
Lovely projects Peta ! How clever to think to use the Die with the box ! ! Must try it out !
Lovely note cards and striking colour choices Peta. Love the hexagon box die and how it can be used with so many sets.
Your cat is so cute! Love what you have done with the box and matching cards! What a lovely gift.
Your assist has taken pride of place. Love the box and what amazing cards. Very clever.
Oh Peta these boxes look amazing. What a great idea to combine the two die sets together. Stunning.
Great projects Peta, I particularly like the cards, so clever.
Peta this is amazing. I love all of the little details you | 580 |
<|fim_middle|> with poor track arrangement and bad sound quality, and the latter with really lousy editing and mixing. This has led to many critics to disregard the score with unfavorable reviews. Now, Renovatio Records dares to bring this score together into a coherently arranged album that will make the listeners enjoy those moments of pure orchestral terror with a sound palette that hits like a powerful locomotive! Hopefully, they will appreciate this underrated score. | New from Renovation Records: the original score for 1997 horror film The Relic, composed by John Debney. The film is based on a novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child about a group of people forced to struggle for survival, as they find themselves trapped inside a museum with the company of the stalking Kothoga, a vicious monster hungry for human heads. Starring Penelope Ann Miller and Tom Sizemore in the lead roles, The Relic is often remembered for its terrific special effects, which were produced by none other than Stan Winston, the man behind the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park, among others.
For film music fans, the film is also remembered for its distinctive score by John Debney, his first one in the horror genre. Despite being played by a rather small ensemble, the score manages to provide some remarkable moments of pure adrenaline and thrilling suspense. Many critics have commented that Debney's music stands on clichéd ground, but it cannot be denied that the score has its own identity, with memorable motifs on strings and lengthy and robust orchestral action passages.
The score was first introduced in 1997 as a limited 'Composer's Promo' edition, and in 2013, La-La Land Records released an expanded treatment with over an hour music. The problem with both releases was that they were badly balanced: the former | 278 |
Teaching writing should have various technique. It's not only useful to reduce learners' stress in learning process, but also to kick boredom out.
After choosing appropriate technique, teachers need media to teach<|fim_middle|> Give an example how to make composition draft.
She is .... years old.
She has .... face, .... nose, .... hair.
6. Ask students to fill the gap with the information about the famous person they have.
7. Give another picture. Ask students to compose descriptive text based on the picture.
8. Give them portfolio task. Ask them to stick a picture of one of their own family members on a piece of paper. Let them write a composition at home. | in the classroom. One of media usually used by teacher is pictures.
1. Select the aims of the learning e.g. by the end of the lessons students will be better able to compose writing in the genre of descriptive.
2. Prepare a model text and a picture. It's better to choose a famous person as the example e.g. Barrack Obama, Agnes Monica.
1. Show students the picture of the famous person.
2. Ask students to identify the physical appearance and the other characteristic of him/her. Let them tell their opinion in spoken or written language. Help them if they don't know how to say in English.
3. Give students hand out. Ask them to answer some questions about the person.
4. Give students another picture of famous person. It's better to prepare some magazine or newspaper. Let them find their own picture in the magazine or newspaper.
5. | 180 |
AC.9. Analyze aesthetics of physical models for line symmetry, rotational symmetry, or the golden ratio.
AC.11. Use ratios of perimeters, areas, and volumes of similar figures to solve applied problems.
AC.1. Create algebraic models for application-based problems by developing and solving equations and inequalities, including those involving direct, inverse, and joint variation.
DM.12. Use combinatorial reasoning and counting techniques to solve application-based problems.
DM.1. Analyze topics from elementary number theory,<|fim_middle|> de Moivre; and Pierre-Simon, marquis de Laplace.
MI.3. Use special numbers, including e, i, π, and the golden ratio, to solve application-based problems. | including perfect numbers and prime numbers, to determine properties of integers.
DM.2. Determine characteristics of sequences, including the Fibonacci sequence, the triangular numbers, and pentagonal numbers.
DM.3. Use the recursive process and difference equations to create fractals, population growth models, sequences, series, and compound interest models.
G.34. Determine areas and perimeters of regular polygons, including inscribed or circumscribed polygons, given the coordinates of vertices or other characteristics.
G.37. Determine the relationship between surface areas of similar figures and volumes of similar figures.
MI.12. Summarize the history of probability, including the works of Blaise Pascal; Pierre de Fermat; Abraham | 144 |
Luis A. Cordero Rego has been Full Professor of Geometry and Topology since 1976, firstly at the University of La Laguna and then at the University of Santiago de Compostela since 1979.
He was previously an Associate Professor at the University of Valladolid and a Research Fellow at Harvard University.
Prof. Cordero is Permanent Academic<|fim_middle|>:
Vázquez Informática
Padrón (La Coruña) | ian of the Galician Royal Academy of Sciences and of the Canarian Academy of Sciences. Furthermore, he was director of the Institute of Mathematics of the University of Santiago de Compostela between 1996 and 2000.
The Institute of Mathematics of the USC, in collaboration with UPV/EHU and CSIC, is organising the Differential Geometry Days on the occasion of his 65th birthday.
Current research topics in Differential Geometry will be treated during this conference.
Eduardo García Río
Departamento de Xeometría e Topoloxía
Facultade de Matematicas
E-mail: eduardo.garcia.rio@usc.es
Facultade de Matemáticas
Instituto de Matemáticas
Real Academia Galega De Ciencias
Design and maintenance | 170 |
The Life of a GEM Student: The Countdown.
I FINALLY received my official confirmation of my place for Graduate Entry Medicine yesterday! No more hoops to jump through, i'm most definitely going to be a Medical Student..woohoo!
I just got back from my holidays and now realise<|fim_middle|> I doubt I will have that much spare time, however there are some things that are already in my top few, such as the Catholic society (there wasn't one at my first university so I'm excited to meet some people my age who share my beliefs!) and the climbing club! There is also a Kettle Soc which I had never heard of before but considering my addiction to tea I can't wait to find out more!! Also because I'm such a keen bean I have already ordered a University hoodie... does this make me a bit crazy? I hope not! | that my to do list is getting longer and longer by the minute! I still haven't found a car, I have no idea where I'm going to park this non existent car and I need to buy all my supplies for uni including a new laptop and lab coat! That said, I'm just so super excited to start now!
I received my student number and email address today, along with all the freshers week information. There are already at least 15 clubs/societies I want to join. I'm going to have to short list them I think as | 116 |
Paris Live - 2014 Mini 5-door
03/10/2014 - 12:15 | Mini Cooper, MINI, 2014 Paris Motor Show | Anjan Ravi
Available with four engine options in petrol and diesel.
The 5-door 2014 Mini has made its public debut at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. Announced earlier this year, the car is already in production at the Oxfordshire plant in the U.K.
Like the normal Mini, the 5-door too is based on the front wheel drive UKL platform. However, engineers have extended the wheelbase by 72 mm, correspondingly increasing rear legroom by 72 mm. The 5-door, in comparison to the 3-door, is longer by 161 mm, taller by 1<|fim_middle|>014 Mini at the 2014 Paris Motor Show
Mini Cooper Paddy Hopkirk Edition Launched In India For INR 41.70 Lakh
MINI JCW GP Inspired Edition launched in India, limited to only 15 units
MINI Countryman Black Edition launched in India at INR 42.40 lakh
New MINI John Cooper Works Hatch launched, priced at INR 43.5 lakh [Update]
MINI Superleggera, MINI sedan and MINI Rocketman ruled out - Report
2017 MINI Countryman makes European debut in Vienna - In 8 Live images | 1 mm and has a boot that is larger by 67 liters.
The 5-door Mini can be had with four engine options - two petrol and two diesel. The base petrol engine is a 1.5-liter three-cylinder making 136 bhp while the more powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol makes 192 bhp.
The diesel range comprises the 1.5-liter three-cylinder producing 116 bhp and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 170 bhp. The engines can be had with 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions.
The new Mini (3-door) is expected to launch in India by the end of this year. The 5-door model could possibly follow as well.
2014 Mini Five-Door - Press Release
[Head to Slideshare if you're unable to view the document above.]
5-door 2 | 192 |
Moonraker (titulada 007: Misión espacial en México) es la undécima película de la saga de películas de James Bond, estrenada en 1979 y la cuarta en protagonizar Roger Moore como el agente secreto del MI6 James Bond. La tercera y última película de la serie en ser dirigida por Lewis Gilbert, fue coprotagonizada por Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Corinne Clery y Richard Kiel.
Moonraker fue pensada por su creador, Ian Fleming para convertirse en una película incluso antes de que él terminara la novela en 1954, puesto que él la basó en el manuscrito de un guion que había escrito antes. Se preveía el estreno de For Your Eyes Only pero tras el enorme éxito de Star Wars el productor Albert R. Broccoli decidió estrenar primero Moonraker. Cuestiones presupuestarias causaron que la película fuera rodada principalmente en Francia, con localizaciones también en Italia, Brasil, Guatemala y Estados Unidos. Los escenarios de Pinewood Studios en Inglaterra, utilizados tradicionalmente para la serie, solo fueron utilizadas por el equipo de efectos especiales.
Moonraker destacó por su alto costo de producción de 34 millones de dólares, gastando casi dos veces tanto como su predecesor La espía que me amó, recibiendo críticas poco favorables. Sin embargo, los efectos visuales de la película fueron elogiados, con Derek Meddings siendo nominado para el Óscar a los mejores efectos visuales y la película eventualmente se convirtió en la película más taquillera de la serie con $210300000 en todo el mundo, un récord que permaneció hasta GoldenEye de 1995.
Argumento
Sinopsis corta
Bond investiga el robo de un transbordador espacial, que lo lleva a Hugo Drax, el dueño de la empresa de fabricación de la nave. Junto con la científica espacial, la Dra. Holly Goodhead, Bond sigue el rastro de California a Venecia, Río de Janeiro, Argentina (Cataratas del Iguazú, de hecho figura en los créditos finales el agradecimiento al gobierno de la República Argentina) y la selva amazónica, y finalmente al espacio exterior, para evitar un complot para acabar con la población mundial y volver a crear a la humanidad con una raza superior.
Sinopsis larga
En la secuencia previa a los títulos de crédito, un Transbordador espacial, Moonraker, es llevado desde Estados Unidos a Gran Bretaña en un Boeing 747, pero intrusos infiltrados roban la nave provocando la destrucción la del avión que la transportaba. M (Bernard Lee), al enterarse, ordena llamar a James Bond (interpretado por Roger Moore), quien volvía en avión de una misión en África. Bond, durante el viaje, tiene un ocasional romance con la azafata del jet (Leila Shenna) quien, en complicidad con el piloto (Jean-Pierre Castaldi), intentan matarlo destruyendo los instrumentos del avión y pensando en dejar a Bond a bordo. Bond lucha con el piloto y hace que aquel caiga de la aeronave, pero Jaws (Richard Kiel) sorpresivamente empuja a Bond, quien cae sin paracaídas. 007 logra llegar al piloto y le arrebata su paracaídas en plena caída libre, Jaws también se arroja y lo alcanza pero Bond activa su equipo y escapa antes de que Jaws lo matase; este intenta abrir su paracaídas, pero al no lograrlo, cae sobre la carpa de un circo, cuya red de seguridad logra que se salve.
Ya en la película, Bond llega al cuartel del MI6, donde lo esperan M, Q (Desmond Llewelyn) y el ministro de defensa, Sir Frederick Gray (Geoffrey Keen), quienes le alertan sobre la desaparición de la Moonraker. Q demuestra que el avión que transportaba el transbordador había quedado destruido sin rastro<|fim_middle|>ko
Diseño de Producción: Ken Adam
Guionista: Christopher Wood
Fotografía: Jean Tournier
Música: John Barry
Cantante del tema principal de la película: Shirley Bassey
Editor: John Glen
Efectos especiales: John Richardson y John Evans
Especialistas: Bob Simmons y Claude Carliez
Vestuario: Jacques Fonteray
Director Artístico: Max Douy
Reparto: Margot Capellier
Banda sonora
John Barry utilizó por última vez la música de 007.
1. Main Titles: Moonraker - Shirley Bassey
2. Space Lazer Battle
3. Miss Goodhead Meets Bond
4. Cable Car and Snake Fight
5. Bond Lured to Pyramid
6. Flight into Space
7. Bond Arrives in Rio and Boat Chase
8. Centrifuge and Corrine Put Down
9. Bond Smells a Rat
10. End Titles: Moonraker - Shirley Bassey
La trompeta en la escena de caza en la mansión de Drax interpreta el principio de Así habló Zaratustra, como en 2001, una Odisea en el espacio. El código de apertura de una puerta del centro de Drax en Venecia se activa con la melodía de la montaña de "Encuentros Cercanos del Tercer Tipo". La música de la escena en la que se ve a Bond en los alrededores de la sede brasileña del MI6 es una pieza del compositor Elmer Bernstein.
Referencias
Enlaces externos
Moonraker
Página oficial de James Bond
Películas de James Bond
Películas de ciencia ficción de Reino Unido
Películas ambientadas en Francia
Películas ambientadas en Estados Unidos
Películas ambientadas en Brasil
Películas de Pinewood Studios
Películas rodadas en Guatemala
Películas ambientadas en África
Películas ambientadas en Venecia
Películas de acción y ciencia ficción
Películas con música de John Barry | alguno, mientras que la versión oficial decía que el avión se había estrellado junto con la nave. Bond es enviado a California, sede de las Industrias Drax, diseñadoras de la Moonraker, cuyo dueño es empresario Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale), para ofrecer disculpas por el siniestro. Q anteriormente había dado a Bond un brazalete que dispara diez dardos, (cinco de los cuales eran azules y podían perforar una armadura con su punta azul y cinco con una punta roja que tenían cianuro capaz de matar a una persona en 30 segundos). Bond llega a California transportado en helicóptero por la hermosa piloto, Corinne Dufuour (Corinne Clery). Corinne, durante el trayecto, le muestra las instalaciones y la residencia de Drax, quien lo recibe en su salón de música. En la entrevista, Drax le hace saber que la nave Moonraker no solo se construyó en California, sino también en empresas subsidiarias en otros países. Corinne lleva a Bond con la Dra. Holly Goodhead (Lois Chiles) y Drax, como sospechaba de Bond (pues comentó la desaparición de la nave), ordena a su mano derecha Chang (Toshiro Suga) que se deshiciera de él. Bond se presentó ante la Dra. Goodhead quien lo lleva por las instalaciones hasta una máquina centrífuga (utilizada para exponer a los astronautas a fuerzas de aceleración extremas), y Chang le dice a Goodhead que llamara a Drax mientras le pedía al supervisor del simulador que se ausentase. Chang modifica las conexiones de la centrífuga con lo cual aumentó la aceleración para matar a Bond. Este, con su brazalete de dardos, dispara uno certeramente y detiene la máquina antes de que lo matase. Bond sale de ella muy mareado y con la certeza de que Chang tenía la intención de asesinarlo. Bond pasa esa noche en la residencia de Drax, y seduce a Corinne, quien poco sabía de que Drax pudiera ser sospechoso del robo de la nave. Bond se dirige al despacho de Drax y allí descubre una caja fuerte secreta en la que había planos secretos de la cristalería Venini, los cuales fotografía. Bond y Corinne no saben que eran vigilados por Chang al salir del despacho. Al día siguiente, Bond se reúne con Drax en una sesión de cacería de faisanes. En ésta, Drax pone a prueba a Bond al hacerle cazar uno, cuando poco antes había dispuesto que un francotirador se escondiera en un árbol para asesinarlo. Pero Bond, en lugar de disparar al ave, abate al francotirador. Tras la partida de Bond hacia al aeropuerto, Drax, al saber que Corinne había estado con Bond la noche anterior en su despacho, la despide al tiempo que Chang suelta a sus perros Beauceron, los cuales corren tras ella, matándola.
Posteriormente, 007 viaja a Venecia a investigar dónde se encontraba el laboratorio de Drax. Allí tiene los primeros indicios de su plan acompañado de su gondolero Franco (Claude Carliez) y el agente se dirige a la Cristalería Venini, donde 007 descubre que elaboraban una rara especie de vasos hexagonales según el plano fotografiado en la mansión de Drax. Enseguida, va al museo de la cristalería y allí descubre a Goodhead, a quien sigue. La doctora argumenta que el motivo de su visita era una conferencia en Venecia. Bond al rato pasea por un canal con Franco en su góndola, pero secuaces de Drax intentan matarlo con un lanzador profesional de cuchillos, que mata primero a Franco. Bond, tras neutralizar al cuchillero matándolo a su vez, debe huir de otros dos asesinos que emprenden su persecución por los canales, para lo cual transforma su góndola primero en lancha y luego en "hoovercraft", con lo que escapa por la Piazza San Marco. Esa misma noche, Bond se infiltra en los laboratorios de la Cristalería Venini. En éstos, observa que varios científicos crean un gas altamente tóxico, del cual recoge un tubo con una muestra y, tras esconderse de los científicos, observa que a éstos, accidentalmente, se les resbala un tubo de gas, quebrándose y mueren instantáneamente, en tanto que las ratas no. Al salir del laboratorio, se encuentra con Chang, quien le da pelea a Bond, vestido de Kendō. Durante el encuentro se destruyen casi todos los valiosos artículos de cristalería del museo, hasta que llegan a una pequeña bodega en la torre de un reloj; en la cual Bond descubre varias cajas con destino a Río de Janeiro; Chang procura matarlo con una cadena, pero Bond, sin embargo, logra arrojarlo de la torre; y Chang cae sobre un piano en medio de la plaza donde se ejecutaba un pequeño concierto hallando así la muerte. Bond lo "despide" con la famosa frase "Play it again, Sam" de la película Casablanca.
Tras dirigirse al hotel que hospeda a Goodhead, descubre que ella es agente de la CIA y pasan la noche juntos. A la mañana siguiente, Bond, M y Gray, se dirigen al laboratorio donde había descubierto el gas letal, pero para sorpresa de los tres, solo estaba Drax en su despacho, quien se mostró falsamente sorprendido al ver a Bond, el ministro y M, ingresar con máscaras anti-gas, lo cual atribuyó sarcásticamente al humor inglés. Avergonzado, el ministro pide a M relevar al agente de la misión. Bond le muestra a M el tubo con el gas letal para que Q lo investigue con sumo cuidado. Drax enterado de la muerte de Chang, ordena modificar el curso de la mercancía por otra vía y se complace en contratar a Jaws en reemplazo de Chang.
En Río de Janeiro, Brasil, Bond es recibido en un hotel por una hermosa agente de la Estación VH llamada Manuela (Emily Bolton), quien ayuda a Bond en su misión de averiguar sobre el extraño cargamento de Drax que Bond había visto en la torre de reloj en Venecia. En justo pleno Carnaval de Río de Janeiro, mientras el agente explora la bodega encontrando solo el sello del Transporte Aéreo Drax, Manuela intenta hacerle frente a Jaws, pero, cuando Bond trata de enfrentarlo, los carnavaleros se pierden con Jaws y Bond lleva a Manuela al hotel. Al día siguiente, Bond llega al teleférico de Río, desde donde vigila el aeropuerto observando un avión de las Industrias Drax y, sorpresivamente, se encuentra nuevamente con Goodhead. Ambos, a regañadientes, aceptan trabajar juntos. Cuando la doctora y Bond bajan por el teleférico, Jaws los detiene (con la complicidad de otro matón) e intenta asesinar a ambos agentes, pero reducen a Jaws a la cabina del teleférico y escapan mediante una cadena, que les permite bajar por el cable, pese a que el cómplice de Jaws activa la máxima velocidad del teleférico para evitar que escapen; un salto a tiempo los salva, mientras Jaws se estrella a gran velocidad más allá de la cabina y queda atorado en la rueda de los cables; allí es salvado por una pequeña y hermosa joven rubia llamada Dolly (Blanche Ravalec) y ambos se enamoran a primera vista. Bond y Goodhead mientras se besaban son secuestrados por falsos paramédicos al servicio de Drax pero Bond logra escapar en plena pelea con uno de los secuestradores y sin poder rescatar a Goodhead.
Bond vestido de gaucho llega a un pequeño cuartel del MI6 cuya fachada es un monasterio y es recibido por Q, ambos se dirigen al despacho de M donde descubren que el líquido descubierto por Bond en Venecia es un gas letal nervioso salido de una rara especie de orquídea negra cuyos efectos solo hacen daño al ser humano y no a plantas y/o animales. Bond se embarca en el río Tipperapi en el Amazonas donde es perseguido por sicarios de Drax comandados por Jaws, Bond les hace frente y al llegar a las Cataratas del Iguazú (filmado en ambos lados tanto Argentina como Brasil) escapa en un planeador hacia un bosque siguiendo a una bella mujer a un antiguo templo (que es el Templo del Gran Jaguar de Tikal en Guatemala) donde se encuentra con la base de Drax. Bond cae a una alberca donde una pitón intenta matarlo pero usando el bolígrafo aguja (que contenía un veneno especial) de Goodhead, Bond mata al reptil y escapa. Finalmente es capturado y llevado por Jaws y Drax, descubre que desde ahí lanza naves espaciales similares al Moonraker para su plan secreto. Así Bond se entera de que Drax fue quien ordenó robar la Moonraker para reemplazar una nave defectuosa. Luego Drax hace que Jaws lleve a Bond a una celda donde se encuentra con Goodhead. Ambos estando encerrados descubren que la celda se encuentra bajo la rampa de lanzamiento de una Moonraker pues Drax planea matarlos cuando la nave despegue. Bond usa su reloj como bomba para poder escapar por un ducto de ventilación salvándose de morir incinerados. Bond y Goodhead haciéndose pasar por dos astronautas toman una de las naves espaciales de Drax y se acoplan con la gigantesca estación espacial de Drax que es invisible al radar y desde donde lanza varias góndolas que llevan el gas que puede matar a 100 millones de personas cada una, para crear una nueva civilización para la tierra, llevando parejas de hombres y mujeres escogidos por Drax, entre ellos Jaws y Dolly y lograr conquistar el mundo. Ambos agentes llegan a un nivel donde destruyen la interferencia de radar por lo que es detectada la estación y el coronel Scott (Michael Marshall) es alertado y avisa al General Gogol (Walter Gotell) para saber si ambas potencias pusieron la estación en órbita. Scott envía un equipo de soldados a bordo de un Transbordador espacial a investigar. Bond además descubre que la nueva raza humana de Drax que habitaría la tierra solo tendría personas perfectas, lo cual no incluiría ni a Jaws ni a Dolly como nuevos pobladores. Jaws se amotina traicionado a su propio jefe y Bond desactiva la gravedad artificial evitando que destruyan la nave estadounidense que se aproxima. Varios astronautas de Drax se dirigen a destruir la nave realizando una caminata espacial y armados con armas de láser, desencadenándose una batalla espacial contra los soldados astronautas estadounidenses quienes toman la ventaja e invaden la estación espacial a la vez que reactivan la gravedad artificial y prosiguen su plan. Así 007 frustra el plan de Drax con la ayuda de Goodhead y el Coronel Scott quien se une a estos y con Jaws, destruyendo poco a poco la estación espacial. Bond persigue a Drax y el villano cuando se proponía a matar al agente con una pistola láser este usa su brazalete de dardos y dispara uno de cianuro hacia Drax y activando una compuerta lo lanza al espacio exterior. Bond y Goodhead con rapidez se dirigen hacia una de las Moonraker mientras que los astronautas estadounidenses huyen de la estación que poco a poco empieza a ser destruida. Bond y Goodhead con dificultad intentan hacer que la nave despegase siendo ayudados después por Jaws. Este y su novia Dolly logran sobrevivir en un fragmento de la estación espacial. Bond y Goodhead se dirigen entonces a destruir las tres cápsulas con el gas que ya se habían disparado. Una vez destruidas las cápsulas Bond y Goodhead hacen el amor en cero gravedad siendo vistos inoportunamente por M, Scott, el ministro Gray y Q.
Reparto
Roger Moore como el Agente 007: Agente del MI6 británico destinado a investigar el robo de una de las Moonraker. En el rodaje de la primera escena en Brasil, Moore estaba enfermo y se le vistió en el avión para que pudiese salir vestido a tiempo para rodar la escena.
Lois Chiles como Holly Goodhead: Doctora y agente de la CIA que ayuda a James Bond a investigar a Hugo Drax y sus planes. A Chiles se le ofreció el papel de la agente triple X en la anterior película de la serie, pero declinó el papel por cansancio.
Michael Lonsdale como Hugo Drax: Billonario constructor de naves espaciales que quiere hacerse con el control del mundo. Para el papel de Drax se pensó en tres actores: James Mason, Louis Jourdan y Stewart Granger.
Richard Kiel como Jaws (en España 'Tiburón' y en Hispanoamérica 'Mandíbulas'): Asesino a sueldo partidario de los planes de Hugo Drax pero que al final se va al lado de Bond.
Corinne Clery como Corinne Duffour: Piloto personal de Hugo Drax partidaria de los planes de James Bond.
Bernard Lee como M: Jefe del MI6. Es la última aparición de Lee como M, debido a que fallecería víctima de cáncer de estómago. Después lo vendría a suceder Robert Brown.
Lois Maxwell como Miss Moneypenny: Secretaria de M.
Desmond Llewelyn como Q: Inventor que da a James Bond un brazalete con 10 dardos; 5 capaces de traspazar metales y 5 con cianuro.
Walter Gotell como General Anatol Gogol
Geoffrey Keen como Sir Fredrick Gray (Ministro de Defensa)
La casa donde recibe Hugo Drax al Agente 007 se muestra por segunda vez en la saga. Se mostró también en Operación Trueno.
La sede brasileña del MI6 cuando llega vestido de gaucho, es en realidad una placita semidesconocida de lo poco que queda de la Río de Janeiro Colonial, se llama "Largo do Botegario" en el barrio de Cosme Viejo (En portugués = Beco do Boticário, Cosme Velho) y los interiores y relativo quiosco, fueron rodado en la iglesia de San Nicoló en el Lido de Venecia.
La mansión selvática de Drax muestra un templo, no es nada más ni menos que el Gran Jaguar, una de las pirámides más importantes del Parque arqueológico de Tikal en Guatemala, que ya había sido usado también en Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, a pesar de que está a miles de kilómetros de distancia de Brasil.
Cameos
Albert R. Broccoli: Aparece en la primera escena de Venecia junto a su mujer Dana Broccoli.
Lewis Gilbert: El director aparece en una de las escenas en las que James Bond escapa de sus enemigos.
Melinda Maxwell: La hija de Lois Maxwell aparece en un papel como extra en la película, como una de las chicas de Drax.
Jean Tournier: El director de fotografía aparece como el hombre que está pintando un cuadro en la plaza de San Marcos.
Michael G.Wilson: Aparece en tres ocasiones: dos en Venecia y una como técnico de la NASA.
Equipo de la película
Director: Lewis Gilbert
Ayudante de Director: Michel Chey | 3,809 |
Awful People A One Month At A Time NaNoWriMo Challenge
Cindy Hale on 31
December 29, 2018 by Bill Lynch
Rose couldn't stop swearing. It was daylight by the time she rolled out of her bed, grabbed the day's first cigarette and ran to the bathroom.
She was always running to the bathroom. The baby seemed to be continuously stomping on her bladder.
Rose swore some more, as she turned on the showerhead just long enough to sprinkle a little water on top of her head and face, but not much else.
"That much water wouldn't even get a Catholic baptized," she mused, as she began tossing shirts and pants around, looking for whatever seemed the cleanest and freshest –or even just the least foul.
Regardless of what she wore, Rose resigned herself to smelling at least a little off for the bulk of the day, but this was, again, Matt's fault. She hadn't been supposed to<|fim_middle|> mean to point the gun at Rose. He pulled the gun out and pointed it at her. Then he started apologizing. The words just spilled out of his mouth.
"I'm sorry, Rose. I'm sorry. We didn't think you'd be home. We don't want to hurt you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Just tell me where the money is, and I'll go."
Rose only caught about half of what Kelly was saying. He was babbling about money, the money. He kept repeating it over and over. Somehow, he knew about what had happened last night.
"I don't have the money," she said. "I don't have it."
But he wasn't listening. Kelly's eyes were open wide. He was freaking out. The gun was shaking in his hands and he kept repeating, "I'm sorry, Rose. I'm really sorry. We didn't think you'd be home. We just want the money. That's all. Give it to me and I'll go. I'm so sorry, Rose."
Ryan got through Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" before he decided now would be a good time to check in with Ryan. By now, he ought to have a good lay of the land, he thought.
He pulled out his phone and called.
"Money?" Rose said, breathing hard and clutching her belly. "OK. I have money. It's in my purse. Can I give you that?"
Kelly seemed confused.
She repeated, "I have money in my purse. Let me give you that." She opened her purse and began digging around inside.
"No," Kelly said, shaking his head. "That's not."
Kelly's front pocket began to ring. He looked down. One of his hands fell toward his pocket, while the other, still holding the gun sagged a little.
Rose's hand touched the butt of the gun she'd been given. Kelly wasn't paying attention to her. She wasn't thinking straight. She dropped her purse. It fell to the floor with a clatter.
Kelly had his phone out, which was still ringing, but was startled by the noise.
Rose charged him. | work yesterday, let alone open and close. She shouldn't be working today, her second day off, the Lord's Day.
She stopped and exhaled a long plume of smoke.
Rose half hoped he would fire her. Margie, at least, was seriously considering it, she knew.
"Whatever," she said.
Worst case scenario she'd go on welfare and start talking to lawyers, see if any of them hated Matt enough to drag his sorry butt into court. There was bound to be at least one, she thought. He'd pissed everyone else off.
Rose settled on sweat pants and an oversized t-shirt that said George Washington High School. She had no idea where it came from. She'd gone to Riverside High School. Jake, her shiftless ex-boyfriend and baby daddy, had graduated from St. Albans.
G.W was approximately halfway between the two.
It was a genuine mystery, but not enough of one for Rose to devote too much time thinking about it at the moment. She slipped on a pair of sandals, grabbed her purse and keys and walked as quickly as her seven-month pregnant body would allow to her car.
As soon as she got there, she stopped and turned around. She wasn't leaving that gun in the house. She went right back, picked it up off the coffee table, shoved it in her purse and tried to leave a second time.
She fired the engine up of her old Toyota and drove too fast up the gravel road that led from her grandfather's small farm to the main road. She didn't stop to check the road but had already glanced down the way and seen absolutely nothing coming past the burned-out Dollar General store.
There was seldom any traffic out this way. The people who lived out this far valued their privacy. They grew dope, made meth and/or homeschooled their children as far away from the corrupting influence of American society as they could manage without actually immigrating someplace else.
Rose liked living out this way. Everybody did. It was a good neighborhood. Nobody talked to anybody and they left everyone alone. Nobody left the holler except to go to work or to buy groceries at the Walmart.
At the end of her driveway, Rose merged on to the main road in a screeching arc that veered right. She punched the on-button on her radio and half-listened to Kenny Chesney sing about drinking on a beach somewhere.
She'd never been to a Kenny Chesney show, though she vaguely remembered that he played in town once. That might have been before she was born, though.
"I hate you, Matt," Rose said. "I really hate you for this."
She had half a mind to call him and wake him up, but then realized in the rush to get out of the house, she'd left her phone plugged into the charger and sitting on her nightstand.
"Oh, hell," she said and began looking for a place to pull over. There was no way she was going to spend the day cut off from humanity and stuck relying on just the radio for company.
It would only take her a couple of minutes to go back and get the phone. She was late already. What did a couple of more minutes matter?
As soon as they saw Rose leave the house in a wild hurry, Ryan told Kelly to get going.
"Let's make this quick," he said. "Go!"
The two of them had been hiding in the woods overlooking Rose's house. Ryan's car was parked about a hundred yards back, well-hidden behind the ruined building.
"I think we should both go," Kelly said.
"No," Ryan said. "It was your idea to come here. You go to the house and take a look around. I'm going to head back to the car and get it in position. If you find anything, let me know and I'll come pick you up. If there's any trouble, I'll warn you. You need me over here. I'm your look-out."
Sighing, Kelly said, "Fine." Then he began trotting from the tree-line, across a broken field toward the house.
He got about twenty yards and slowed to a walk. He was tired. He hadn't slept, had walked a couple of miles the night before and his damp jeans chafed the insides of his thighs.
Ryan looked back toward Ryan who motioned for him to get a move on it.
Kelly nodded and picked up the pace, but he didn't understand why Ryan couldn't just drive him over.
Ryan watched Kelly jog and then walk and then jog and then stop and then start walking again before he began hiking back to his car.
They'd watched Rose come out of the house. She'd come out once and then gone back in, but she hadn't brought out a suitcase or anything else that looked like it could hold a million dollars before speeding off like a crazed bat.
Ryan could only guess what she left behind –probably her lunch or some pregnant woman stuff. Maybe she needed to throw up. He really didn't know. It didn't matter all that much to him, so long as she was out of the house and on her way somewhere else –anywhere else.
She had to open the store, this morning. That much he knew for sure and given the way she was driving, Ryan thought she was probably late.
He didn't know when the Shopaminit was supposed to open. Their hours were posted on the front of the building somewhere, he remembered, but Ryan had never paid attention to them. They were always open when he stopped in before work and they were generally still open by the time he locked the door at the Pizza Hut and started home.
Whatever. What was important was that Kelly would have as much time as he needed to search the house. They'd spent a couple of hours discussing where he should look –the obvious places first, of course. Rose might have hidden the suitcase under a couch or chair in the living room or maybe somewhere in the kitchen.
Actually, Ryan thought she probably would have chosen and easier place because he doubted Rose would be much for crawling around on the floor or climbing ladders.
"Just be thorough," he told Kelly. "And then call me when you find it."
Kelly had surprisingly gone along with everything Ryan said. He put up no fight at all, offered no other alternatives and seemed perfectly willing to subjugate his will to Ryan's without much pressure.
He liked that in a henchman but doubted Kelly would make much of an employee. It's probably a good thing that he'd tossed his application in the "Grins and Giggles" file. Ryan was required by company policy to hold on to every application for no less than six months and every now and again, Ryan went through the reject file to have a good laugh.
As he ambled along to the car, Ryan felt the call of nature and paused behind a tree to take care of the need. Afterwards, he zipped up, looked around and wondered why anyone so close to Charleston would want to live out in the boonies like this. He didn't.
Ryan got to his car and cranked the engine to warm up the car. He and Kelly had been standing out in the woods for a couple of hours, waiting and watching the house.
He turned on the radio and caught an old Def Leppard tune and sang along with until it ended and became the morning weather report –partly sunny skies, but no rain expected.
As the engine continued to warm up and the rock station moved on to its next song, "November Rain" by Guns N Roses, Ryan got out of the car and walked toward the face of the store to take a look down the road. He'd seen more life at a cemetery. He shrugged, went back to his car and turned up the music.
Axl Rose sang how nothing lasts forever, "not even cold November rain."
Rose's car pulled up to the front of the house with a loud, sliding crunch and Kelly nearly wet himself. Ryan hadn't called. There'd been no warning and he was standing on top of the kitchen counter with his hands fumbling through the greasy cobwebs above the cabinets.
"No, no, no, no," he moaned, in horror.
Kelly tried to climb down as quickly as he could, but his foot got caught on the pile of dishes in the sink and he tumbled onto the dirty floor with a loud crash.
His ankle turned with the landing and he fell hard on his knees.
Kelly was barely up when Rose came through the door and screamed.
Guns N Roses was followed by a Journey song. Ryan had never been a fan, really. He barely considered Journey a rock band. They were more of a guitar-heavy pop band, whose only use was to get high school girls in the mood to make out, about 30 years ago.
He listened to a couple of bars and then decided it was a good time to go check the road again.
Ryan left the car, stretched and yawned by the door and then walked over to the edge of the building again.
He stood there for a couple of minutes, enough time to let the song finish, but not so much as a crow came down that road.
He went back to the car and sat down.
Rose screamed at the man crouched on the floor of her kitchen. It only took her a second for it to register that it was Kelly and he looked as terrified as she felt.
The baby kicked.
Rose wasn't thinking. She didn't ask questions. She just started yelling, "Get out. Get out now!"
Kelly began yelling back. None of it made sense.
Rose tried to back away, to get away, but then Kelly got to his feet and pulled out a gun.
Ryan hadn't wanted him to bring the gun. He'd warned him against it, but then Kelly had said, "What if somebody else shows up to get the money? What if they're armed?"
He needed to protect himself. He needed to have a way to get away.
He didn't | 2,053 |
1999/152/EC: Commission Decision of 20 May 1998 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement (Case IV/M.1016 - Price Waterhouse/Coopers & Lybrand) (notified under document number C(1998) 1388) (Only the English text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance)
OJ L 50, 26.2.1999, p. 27–49 (ES, DA, DE, EL, EN, FR, IT, NL, PT, FI, SV)
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/1999/152(1)/oj
Language 1 Spanish (es) Danish (da) German (de) Greek (el) English (en) French (fr) Italian (it) Dutch (nl) Portuguese (pt) Finnish (fi) Swedish (sv)
Language 2 Please choose Spanish (es) Danish (da) German (de) Greek (el) English (en) French (fr) Italian (it) Dutch (nl) Portuguese (pt) Finnish (fi) Swedish (sv)
Official Journal L 050 , 26/02/1999 P. 0027 - 0049
COMMISSION DECISION of 20 May 1998 declaring a concentration to be compatible with the common market and the functioning of the EEA Agreement (Case IV/M.1016 - Price Waterhouse/Coopers & Lybrand) (notified under document number C(1998) 1388) (Only the English text is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance) (1999/152/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European<|fim_middle|>, the parent company's choice of auditor for this particular audit (and, consequently, for the audit of its group worldwide) is influenced by its appreciation (in terms of, inter alia, reputation and expertise) of the audit services offered in this national territory in which it is located. Indeed it appears that even a fairly strong position in a particular country and in a particular industry for the audit of subsidiaries of foreign companies may well be accompanied by a relatively weak position in the audit of companies operating in the same industry and incorporated in the same country.
(d) Decisive national market characteristics
(62) The Commission, having taken into account all the above factors in its analysis of the geographic scope of the relevant product market in the present case, identified in particular the following 'national market` characteristics:
(a) national regulatory requirements which affect both the demand (statutory audit requirements) and supply side (professional qualifications of the audit staff and restrictions on the freedom to establish audit firms in the particular Member States);
(b) the need on the part of the audit service provider for a local presence, with the necessary professional qualified personnel and the required depth of expertise (including regulatory knowledge) and the related 'brand` recognition/reputation in each of the countries in which the audit and accounting service is to be provided.
(e) Conclusion
(63) Given the abovementioned 'national market` characteristics and having taken all the other above-described elements into consideration, the Commission considers national markets to be the relevant geographic markets for the purposes of assessing the competitive effects of the present operation on the markets for the provision of audit and accounting services.
2. Tax advisory and compliance services
(64) Given the specific requisites at the level of professional qualifications and expertise which exist at a national level, and given that tax laws are also specific to each country, the Commission considers national markets to be the relevant geographic markets for the purposes of assessing the competitive effects of the present operation on the market for the provision of tax advisory and compliance services.
3. Management consultancy services
(65) Management consultancy services are provided to a wide range of corporate and public-sector customers. The parties contended that the only factor limiting the ability to participate in this kind of market is the need to have the appropriate skills and resources demanded by clients, some of whom have purely national or local needs whilst others, of a multinational nature, have needs across several national locations. In this context, the parties contended that the market had both a national and an international dimension with a range of suppliers competing at both levels, including specialist boutiques (at a national/local level), accounting firms and consulting firms (at both levels).
(66) The Commission's market investigation broadly confirmed the above contentions of the parties. However, given that the operation does not lead to the creation or strengthening of a dominant position on any alternative geographic market, as can be seen in the assessment at paragraph 69 et seq., the Commission has decided to leave the precise definition of the relevant geographic market for the provision of management consultancy services open in the present case.
4. Insolvency services
(67) The parties described the provision of insolvency services as regulated by national laws. While insolvency may occur on an international basis, the appointment of a liquidator occurs on a national basis according to the rules of each national jurisdiction. Furthermore, the Commission's market investigation has confirmed the national nature of this market. Thus, the Commission considers national markets to be the relevant geographic markets for the purposes of assessing the competitive effects of the present operation on the market for insolvency services.
5. Corporate finance advisory services
(68) Corporate finance advisory services were found by the Commission in a previous decision of 30 August 1993 (BHF/CCF/Charterhouse - Case IV/M.319) (5) to be provided in national markets. Nonetheless, the parties contended that for some transactions the market is international and the Commission's market investigation confirmed the existence of both national and international aspects to the provision of these services. However, given that the Commission in its assessment below has concluded that the present operation does not lead to the creation or strengthening of a dominant position on any alternative market for the provision of these services, it has decided not to delineate any further the relevant geographic market in the present case.
C. ASSESSMENT
1. Market characteristics
(a) Big Six accounting firms' activities
(69) Each of the Big Six now has a substantial business in all of the relevant product markets, as the following table indicates (data for management consultancy, corporate insolvency and corporate finance services are combined under 'other`).
>TABLE>
(70) The following table shows the percentage of overall revenues (based on the figures above) which each of the Big Six firms earns from the main product lines.
(71) Although each of the Big Six is active in each of the relevant markets, defined above under market definition, it is to be noted that, in respect of each market, apart from the Big Six audit and accounting market for large companies, the Big Six face competition from a range of other service providers:
- in respect of tax advisory and compliance services, the Big Six compete with other accounting firms, law firms and banks,
- in respect of management consultancy services, the Big Six compete with numerous consultancy providers such as McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, IBM, EDS, Bain & Co., etc.,
- in respect of corporate finance services, the Big Six compete with numerous investment banks and other institutions, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, SBC Warburg Dillon Read, etc.,
- in respect of corporate insolvency services, the Big Six compete with law firms.
(b) Audit and accounting services market
(72) As can be seen from the table provided above, audit and accounting services provide about half of the total revenues earned by each of the Big Six (apart from AA, which is more weighted towards the provision of management consultancy services).
(73) In the Community (as well as countries such as the USA), the laws as to audit requirements are generally well-developed and sophisticated and the market for provision of audit services is a relatively mature one.
(74) The length of time for which audit appointments are made varies from country to country (one year in the UK for example; several years in other Member States). The norm is for audit appointments to be renewed, and therefore the auditor-client relationship is often long-term, lasting many years or even decades. The Commission's investigation has revealed that one reason for this is that a change of auditor may damage a corporate client's reputation or stock market rating, since the investment community may suspect that there have been disputes over financial reporting, and that there may be a problem with the company's accounts; another reason is that it takes a considerable amount of time, training, and other resources for a client to ensure that a new auditor is sufficiently familiar with his business assets and operations to be able to carry out a satisfactory audit with risks to shareholders that remain within acceptable limits.
(75) In selecting an auditor, large companies generally use a competitive tender process. Ordinarily, a client will invite several firms (generally no more than three or four) to submit initial proposals. Based on these initial proposals, the client will make the final selection. In selecting among these firms, the client attaches importance to non-price factors, as well as to the audit fee. The most important of these factors are the strength of the firm's network, the quality of its work, its reputation, the manner in which it proposes to perform the work (including, for example the use of technology), and the experience and expertise of the staff who will have responsibility for the audit.
(76) Even after a long-term relationship, a client may decide to put out its audit contract to competitive tender because it feels it can get better value elsewhere or in order to constrain a threatened price increase by its incumbent auditor, or when it is itself involved in a situation of change, such as a merger or acquisition. Therefore the price of audit and accounting services is determined by competitive tenders which occur over time.
(77) The historic growth in demand for audit and accounting services in most Member States has been due to the implementation of Community directives requiring certain companies to have their accounts audited. Future growth in demand is expected to come from increased demand for non-statutory audit and accounting services as well as structural changes such as privatisation and increased use of the capital markets for the raising of finance.
(78) Minimum requirements concerning professional qualifications, personal integrity and independence to be met by persons carrying out statutory audits are laid down by the Eighth Company Law Directive (Council Directive 84/253/EEC) (6). However, that Directive does not contain any specific guidance on many other questions that surround the audit function. Some of the issues concerned are regulated at national level or are the subject of self-regulation by the accountancy profession. The issues typically covered by self-regulation can be grouped in two main areas: professional behaviour rules (independence, competence, quality, professional secrecy), and working and reporting rules. It is true that the matters covered by self regulation vary throughout the Community. The actual rules also vary from one country to another. However, there is a growing tendency to adopt at national level the rules which are elaborated at international level, particularly by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). At European level, the 'Féderation des Experts Comptables Européens` (FEE) is also involved in promoting the adoption of international standards in Member States.
(79) Membership of national self-regulating institutes is typically exercised on an individual basis. But even there, accountancy firms often play an important role in the process of self-regulation because they can afford the time and effort to participate in working groups which prepare the rules. This is even more so at international level. It is evident that the largest market players can therefore play a more influential role in IFAC and thus in the setting of standards at international level. As national standards tend to be in line with IFAC standards and as the same firms will often intervene in the standard setting process at national level, the influence of the large accountancy firms in the process of standard setting cannot be underestimated.
(80) The Commission's Green Paper on 'the role, the position and the liability of the statutory auditor in the EU` (7) raises a number of questions concerning audit regulation in the Community. The issue of how to monitor self-regulation by the profession at Community level will become more relevant when the Community moves in the direction of a Single Market on auditing, and in view of the increased concentration of the sector.
2. Audit and accounting services - small and medium-sized clients
(81) The Commission's investigation has revealed that small and medium-sized companies do not require the same level of resources (depth of expertise, geographic spread, etc.) from their auditors as do large companies. Thus, although they may in some cases avail themselves of the services of the Big Six, they are also served to a large extent by smaller, 'second-tier` firms of auditors, which later provide strong competition for the Big Six as far as small and medium-sized companies are concerned. The Commission has therefore concluded that the operation does not give rise to any competition concerns on the market for audit and accounting services to small and medium-sized companies.
3. Audit and accounting services - large company clients
(82) The Commission considers that the relevant product market is the Big Six market for large companies in audit and accounting services, and that such a market is national in geographic scope (see under paragraph 19 et seq.)
(83) The fact that the relevant market is already highly concentrated in that only the Big Six are able to meet big company requirements in each Member State, makes it appropriate for the Commission to consider the possibility, as well as of the creation or strengthening of a single dominant position, of the creation or strengthening of an oligopolistic dominant position as a result of the proposed merger between PW and C & L.
(84) In assessing the possible creation or strengthening of dominance in this market the Commission has used published data provided by the parties which includes all clients of whatever size. The Commission considers this approach to be methodologically correct, since the relative proportions of fee income are very similar from one member of the Big Six to the other, both on this 'all client` basis, and on an exclusively 'large company` basis.
(a) Single dominance
(85) From Annex I it can be seen that the merged firms' share of the market would not exceed 40 % in any Member State. The three highest combined shares are 38,6 % in Germany, 35,1 % in the UK, and 34,1 % in Ireland, where the nearest competitor (KPMG) has 31,9 %, 22,7 % and 23,6 % respectively. (At the European level the merged entity would have 31,7 %, whilst its nearest competitor, KPMG, has 25,9 %). Therefore, within any national market, the merged firm would not enjoy a market position such as to confer excessive market power vis-a-vis its competitors or its clients.
(86) Moreover, as has already been mentioned under paragraph 69 et seq., the norm is for an audit appointment to be renewed over many years and to be long-term, even lasting several decades. This lack of market fluidity means that in addition to market shares relating to a single year, it is necessary to examine tender offers and bidding data over a longer period in order to appraise more fully the nature and extent of the competitive process in the Big Six market for large companies.
(87) The Commission's investigation has revealed that although tender offers are not a frequent occurrence, when a client does decide that a change of auditor may be appropriate and launches a tender process, there is competition in the form of bids from other members of the Big Six. Clients are well-informed buyers and are well aware of price, quality and value in relation to the service offered. The fact that normally three or four members of the Big Six make offers when tenders are launched makes it clear that to an extent clients are able to use the implicit threat of going to tender to constrain the power of their incumbent auditor.
(88) An analysis of recent tender offers gives the following results
(89) The above figures include switches of clients both between the Big Six themselves and between the Big Six and 'second-tier` auditors. They indicate that there are over a period of time, significant client switches between audit firms and that on a 'net win/loss` basis C & L and PW ranked only third and fifth respectively as far as the Big Six were concerned.
(90) A further analysis of the total wins (column l ) indicated in the above table gives the following ranking of Big Six firms in terms of wins from other members of the Big Six.
(91) For the period in question, C & L and PW ranked only second equal and fifth equal respectively as far as the Big Six were concerned.
(92) As an example of switching at the Member State level, the following data are available for the UK.
(93) It can be seen that as far as wins are concerned, PW (with 15) and C & L (with 12) ranked second and fourth respectively. C & L was the firm that suffered the greatest number of losses (19). A ranking by net wins (= wins minus losses) gives the following results.
(94) From the above data concerning both market shares and the outcome of Big Six bidding activities over a period of years, it is clear that the merged firm will be constrained by the competitive behaviour of the remaining four large accounting firms. It can therefore be excluded that the merger would create or strengthen a position of single dominance within any of the national Big Six markets for large companies in audit and accounting services within the EU.
(b) Oligopolistic dominance
(i) Existing collective dominance
(95) In an oligopolistic market the pre-existing characteristics which would raise the issue of collective dominance have been described in previous Community merger decisions, such as Commission Decision 97/26/EC (Case IV/M.619 - Gencor/Lonrho) (8).
(96) On the demand side, there is moderate growth and inelastic demand. The supply side is highly concentrated with high market transparency for a homogeneous product, mature production technology, high entry barriers (including high sunk costs) and suppliers with structural links. These supply side characteristics make it easy for suppliers to engage in parallel behaviour and provide them with incentives to do so.
(97) Some of these elements characterise the Big Six audit and accounting market for large companies.
(aa) Stagnant demand
(98) According to the notification submitted by the parties, the demand for audit services is 'growing throughout the EEA, but more slowly than the demand for some other professional services`. The parties estimate that 'future growth in demand is projected to come from increased demand for non-statutory audit and accounting services. By comparison, very strong growth is predicted for management consultancy services in Europe as a whole`. It is clear that the Big Six audit and accounting market for large companies is not going to enjoy strong growth rates in the foreseeable future, and that anyway, given the very large individual size of the companies which constitute the client base, the latter is not of a kind such as will generate growth by virtue of an increase in the population of the client base itself. It may therefore be concluded that demand in the relevant market is likely to remain, at best, slow-growing.
(bb) Price inelasticity of demand
(99) The price elasticity of demand in the market in question is low. This is due to the fact that clients are statutorily obliged to purchase the service, that costs are incurred in switching between suppliers (see above) and that in any event audit and accounting fees constitute a minute proportion of the total costs of Big Six clients, given the size of these client companies; price is cited by clients as the least important criterion for choosing suppliers. (Nevertheless, demand is to some extent price elastic, as is evident from the fact that some switching does occur when tender offers are made, as indicated at paragraph 88.)
(cc) Homogeneity of products, market transparency, and low rate of innovation
(100) Audit services are relatively homogeneous, in that any audit performed will involve standard checks, analyses, reports, and other relevant elements as provided for by national regulations and institutional self-regulation. The Commission's investigation has revealed that the vast majority of clients consider all members of the Big Six to be interchangeable. Again, the Commission's investigation has revealed a significant degree of price transparency, in that the hourly rates charged for audit services are reasonably transparent between members of the Big Six. Costs are transparent between members of the Big Six, in that salaries and labour costs, which constitute well over half of total costs, are transparent from recruitment publicity and inter-firm personnel transfers. Again, transparency will be increased in some countries by additional factors, such as the publication of the level of audit fees in the clients' annual report in the UK, and the statutory requirement for dual auditors in other countries. Furthermore the methodology of audit and accounting services changes little over time, and is characterised by a low rate of innovation.
(dd) Structural links between suppliers
(101) The existence of economic or structural links between suppliers may contribute to the existence of oligopolistic dominance. Such links exist in the audit and accounting sector, since the sector is professionally self-regulated via institutions of which the audit firms are members (see paragraphs 78, 79 and 80). Accounting firms are represented in the institutions responsible for matters of self-regulation, and their representatives will meet on a regular basis to discuss and decide self-regulation issues which are of crucial importance to all concerned. Since the largest firms will have a particularly influential role in the setting of the standards concerned (see paragraph 79), they are in a position to use such influence to develop a system of standards which may in practice contribute to the creation of oligopolistic or collective dominance between themselves.
(102) It is clear therefore that the Big Six audit and accountancy market for large companies is to an extent characterised by elements which could contribute to a situation of collective dominance.
(103) However, the Commission has found no conclusive proof that such dominance exists at present in the Big Six market. The Commission's investigation revealed no indication that Big Six large company audit clients believe that collective dominance prevails at present. From a general viewpoint, collective dominance involving more than three or four suppliers is unlikely simply because of the complexity of the interrelationships involved, and the consequent temptation to deviate; such a situation is unstable and untenable in the long term. More specifically, as has been demonstrated above, the current Big Six market for large companies seems to be competitive over time, in that clients do put out tenders, and intra-Big Six switches do occur.
(104) Furthermore, the judgment of the Court of 31 March 1998 in Joined Cases C-68/94 and C-30/95, France v. Commission and SCPA and EMC v. Commission (9), concerning the Kali und Salz/MdK/Treuhand case (IV/M.308) (10) has emphasised that there is a strong burden of proof on the Commission in the case of an oligopolistic market which the Commission holds to be subject to collective dominance.
(105) The Court held that a high level of concentration in an oligopolistic market is not in itself a deciding factor as to the existence of collective dominance. In addition, the Court's judgment implies that evidence of the lack of effective competition between a group of suppliers held to be collectively dominant must be very strong, as must evidence of the weakness of competitive pressure from other suppliers (if there are any such in the market in question).
(106) In view of the above, the Commission considers that there is no conclusive evidence that the present concentration strengthens a situation of pre-existing oligopolistic dominance in the Big Six market for large companies.
(ii) Creation of collective dominance
(107) The Commission has considered whether the level of post-merger supply concentration would be such as to create a situation of collective dominance.
(aa) Dual-merger market structure (PW/C & L plus KPMG/E & Y)
(108) The possibility of the creation of collective dominance in the Big Six audit market for large companies was investigated by the Commission under a 'dual-merger scenario`, after KPMG and E & Y on 23 December 1997 jointly notified to the Commission their intention to merge worldwide. The Commission found it appropriate to analyse the proposed PW/C & L concentration within the context of the KPMG/E & Y operation, since under the Merger Regulation the effects of merger operations are assessed in a perspective which is projected into the future of the market, taking into account not only the changes brought about by the merger itself but also making allowance for future development such as new entrants, liberalisation, product innovation and so on, and since the KPMG/E & Y agreement was a well-known fact in the market place.
(109) Under this 'dual merger` scenario the combined shares of the biggest two firms in the relevant market would have been very substantial indeed at national, Community and world levels. Moreover, the two merged entities would have been the two biggest firms in all but two Member States, with very significant gaps with respect to the market shares of the remaining suppliers.
(110) In view of the high combined market shares which would be held by the two merged firms and also of the characteristics of the market in question as enumerated in paragraphs 98-101, the Commission reached the preliminary view that the PW/C & L merger would create a level of supply concentration which, taken together with the KPMG/E & Y merger, would be consistent with a hypothesis of collective dominance. However, on 13 February 1997 KPMG and E & Y publicly announced that they had jointly agreed to terminate their merger plans.
(111) The merger of PW and C & L could in principle lead to the creation of a dominant oligopoly, involving parallel behaviour between most or all of the resulting 'Big Five`, or a dominant duopoly, in which the two largest firms would engage in parallel behaviour, whilst coercing the remaining smaller firms.
(i) Oligopolistic dominance
(112) The risk of the creation of oligopolistic dominance arises in large part from the existence of the general characteristics described in paragraphs 98-101. The risk is enhanced by a further characteristic which is specific to this market, which is that, as was described earlier (paragraph 74), relationships between auditors and clients tend to be long-term. Although a client may in principle have a choice of six large auditing firms, for the reasons given earlier, it may often not be convenient or propitious to switch auditors during a considerable period of time; indeed, most clients have indicated that, in practice, when they decide that the time is appropriate to put out their audit contract to tender, at that particular juncture only three or four suppliers are usually considered suitable, rather than all six. Therefore any reduction in the number of suppliers in the Big Six audit market for large companies constitutes a further element which might be conducive to collective dominance.
(113) However, the Commission's investigation has not led to the conclusion that the merger would create a situation of oligopolistic dominance. As was explained (paragraph 103), collective dominance involving more than three or four suppliers is too complex and unstable to persist over time. Again, there seems to be competition in the existing Big Six market in the form of tenders, although tenders are fairly rare and, as said above, only three or four of the Big Six usually participate in any one tender. It is not likely that competitive tender offers would disappear or be drastically reduced with a reduction from six to five suppliers. This situation differs from the structure that would have resulted from a 'dual merger` scenario (like the one initially assessed by the Commission), where the number of Big Six normally seen as suitable for invitation to each individual tender would have been further reduced from the current figure of three or four to a figure leaving very limited, if any, effective choice for the client.
(ii) Duopolistic dominance
(114) Annex II indicates, at national, European, and worldwide levels, the pre- and post-merger (PW/C & L only) shares of the biggest two auditing firms of the market in question. Following the merger the combined market shares reach 57,6 % for the Community, 50 % worldwide, and between 51,1 % and 70,5 % for individual Member States.
(115) The Commission's investigation has not, however, led to the conclusion that the PW/C & L merger within the existing market structure would create a position of duopolistic dominance.
(116) Although the merged entity, PW/C & L, is one of the two biggest firms in every Member State except Austria, the other of the biggest two firms varies considerably throughout the Community. Of the 15 countries in which PW/C & L would be one of the two biggest firms, the other would be KPMG in eight countries, E & Y in three countries, AA in three countries, and DTTI in one country (see Annex II).
(117) As can be seen from Annex III, the post-merger gap between the market shares of the second and third biggest firms is not of significant size, being over 10 % in only two Member States (Germany and Spain), just over 10 % at the Community level as a whole, and 3 % at world level. The proximity in market shares between the second and third largest firms makes it impracticable for the merged PW/C & L entity to pursue a strategy of duopolistic dominance, which would involve coercing or squeezing out the third largest and smaller firms.
(118) Moreover, even though each country constitutes a separate geographic market for the supply of audit and accounting services (see under paragraph 19 et seq.), it would not be feasible for PW/C & L to adopt parallel behaviour in each country when such parallelism would need to be with one of several different firms (KPMG, AA, E & Y or DTTI), according to the country in question. It is not realistic to suppose that a firm would accept the possible benefits of parallel behaviour in one country when it would be aware that parallel behaviour between PW/C & L and a different firm would be operating to its own detriment in another country. Such a 'multi-firm` parallel behaviour would not be stable, certainly not over a period of time.
(119) In view of the continued post-merger existence of no fewer than five suppliers, of the likely continued participation of these five suppliers in the tender offers which constitute the competitive process in the relevant markets, and of the non-emergence of any two clear leading firms following the merger; the Commission has found no conclusive proof that the merger would create or strengthen a position of oligopolistic or duopolistic dominance within any of the national Big Six markets for audit and accounting services for large companies within the Community.
4. Tax advice and compliance services, management consultancy services, corporate insolvency services and corporate finance services
(a) Tax advice and compliance services
(120) Accounting firms face strong competition from each other and from law firms and banks in this market. If market shares are calculated on a basis which includes all suppliers, the only Member States where combined market shares will exceed 15 % are Spain (19,2 %) and Ireland (18,6 %).
(b) Management consultancy services
(121) Combined market shares will not exceed 15 % in any Member State. Competitors in this sector include other accounting firms and world-renowned specialist companies such as McKinsey, Bain and Co., Boston Consulting Group, and so on.
(c) Corporate insolvency services
(122) The only Member State where combined market shares exceed 15 % is the UK (25,8 %). Competitors include lawyers and other firms, as well as accountants.
(d) Corporate finance advice
(123) Combined market shares are well below 15 % in all Member States, and the notifying parties compete with the major commercial and investment banks.
(124) It is out of the question that the merger would create or strengthen a dominant position in the four abovementioned markets within the Community.
VI. CONCLUSION
(125) It can accordingly be accepted that the proposed transaction will not create or strengthen a dominant position as a result of which effective competition would be significantly impeded in a substantial part of the common market. Pursuant to Article 2(2) of the Merger Regulation and Article 57 of the EEA Agreement, therefore, the transaction should be declared compatible with the common market,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
The proposed concentration between Price Waterhouse and Coopers and Lybrand, notified on 11 December 1997, is declared compatible with the common market and with the operation of the EEA Agreement.
This Decision is addressed to:
Coopers & Lybrand
1, Embankment Place
London WC2N 6NN
Southwark Towers
32, London Bridge Street
London SE1 9SY
Done at Brussels, 20 May 1998.
For the Commission
Karel VAN MIERT
Member of the Commission
(1) OJ L 395, 30. 12. 1989, p. 1; corrected version OJ L 257, 21. 9. 1990, p. 13.
(2) OJ L 180, 9. 7. 1997, p. 1.
(3) OJ C 56, 26. 2. 1999, p. 12.
(4) This version of the Decision has been edited to ensure that confidential information is not disclosed.
(5) OJ C 247, 10. 9. 1993, p. 4.
(6) OJ L 126, 12. 5. 1984, p. 20.
(7) OJ C 321, 28. 10. 1996, p. 1.
(8) OJ L 11, 14. 1. 1997, p. 30, at paragraph 141.
(9) (1998) ECR I-1375.
(10) Commission Decision 94/449/EC (OJ L 186, 21. 7. 1994, p. 38). | Community,
Having regard to the Agreement on the European Economic Area and in particular Article 57(2)(a) thereof,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 of 21 December 1989 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1310/97 (2), and in particular Article 8(2) thereof,
Having regard to the Commission decision of 21 January 1998 to initiate proceedings in this case,
Having regard to the opinion of the Advisory Committee on Concentrations (3),
Whereas:
(1) On 11 December 1997, the Commission received in complete form a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89, by which Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand would enter into a full merger for the purposes of Article 3(1)(a) of that Regulation. Since the agreement in question was entered into before l March 1998, the Commission applied Regulation (EEC) No 4064/89 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Merger Regulation`) as it stood prior to the amendment made by Regulation (EC) No 1310/97.
(2) After preliminary examination of the notification, the Commission concluded that the proposed concentration could create or strengthen a dominant position as a result of which effective competition would be significantly impeded in the common market or in a substantial part of it, and as such raised serious doubts as to its compatibility with the common market.
I. THE PARTIES
(3) Both Price Waterhouse ('PW`) and Coopers & Lybrand ('C & L`) are two of the so-called Big Six audit and accounting organisations worldwide (the other four being Arthur Andersen ('AA`), Deloitte Touche Tohmatsui International ('DTTI`), KPMG, and Ernst & Young ('EY`)).
(4) Both parties are active in the same fields of business activity, that is to say, the supply of professional services, consisting of the audit of accounts pursuant to audit requirements imposed by law ('statutory audit`), other auditing and accounting services, the provision of tax compliance and advisory services, the provision of management consultancy services, including information technology, strategic planning and human resources, the provision of corporate finance advisory services, and the provision of insolvency services.
II. THE OPERATION
(5) On 17 September 1997, Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand entered into an agreement by which the two organisations will effectively merge their global networks.
(6) The proposed concentration will take the form of a merger. As both organisations are international networks of national offices, overseen by international bodies, their merger will be achieved by a series of transactions and contractual arrangements through which the two networks will be combined worldwide. In practice, the parties will accede to a new integrated structure (the 'Combination Agreement`) which will reflect the existing structure of the 'PW Combination Agreement`. In practical terms, the PW firms carrying on business in any particular territory will merge with the C & L firms which carry on business in the same territory. Depending on national laws concerning the provision of audit and accounting services, in some cases integration will be effected by a formal merger of the relevant firms, in other cases by the acquisition by one entity of the business and assets of the other, while in some other cases the firms will be formally dissolved and a new successor firm created. The new combined entities which will result from the various local mergers will subsequently accede to the new 'Combination Agreement`.
III. THE CONCENTRATION
(7) Both parties are structured as international networks of separate and autonomous national firms operating under a common name and observing common professional and service standards. Given this multi-partnership structure of the parties, it is necessary to examine whether their groups of firms can be regarded as single undertakings for the purposes of the Merger Regulation, whose combination would constitute a single concentration within the meaning of Article 3(1)(a) of the Merger Regulation.
(8) As was mentioned in paragraph 6, the new entity will be based on the structure of the PW combination. Starting from the premise that the result of a concentration is a single undertaking, that is to say a single economic entity, in order to determine whether the transaction at issue is a merger for the purposes of Article 3(1)(a) of the Merger Regulation - that is, whether the combining of the activities of previously independent undertakings would result in the creation of a single economic unit - it is therefore necessary to examine whether the PW combination has a sufficiently high degree of concentration of decision-making and financial interests to confer on it the character of a single economic entity for the purposes of the Merger Regulation.
(9) The PW group has achieved a significant degree of integration, as its structure has evolved considerably over the recent years. Before the creation of any combination arrangements, the PW firms functioned as a network of firms operating under a common name, and observing common professional and service standards. Each firm operated principally in its own territory and a PW firm in one jurisdiction would cross-refer work to a PW firm in another jurisdiction where the opportunity arose.
(10) As this structure proved unsatisfactory in terms of transaction costs and resources deployment and in order to remedy difficulties in organising operations at an international level, PW introduced a new system under which a combination board reviews and provides guidance to the national firms essentially on all aspects of the conduct of their business. The PW Europe combination was adopted in 1988 in order to allow the European PW firms to operate in a manner which harmonised the interests of proprietors of the individual PW firms and promoted their collective interests, thereby reducing their incentives to make business decisions which promoted the interests of their own firm at the expense of another combination firm. Separately, PW US entered into bilateral arrangements with other PW firms around the world, including those in Mexico, India, Israel and Japan, under which they agreed to pool resources and coordinate their strategies to their mutual benefit. Moreover, the PW Europe combination has recently been extended in a combination contract among the PW firms operating in Europe and the USA. The combination has the effect that the constituent PW firms function collectively as a single economic unit. The combination comprises PW firms in Western Europe, the USA, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Republic of South Africa.
(11) [ . . . ] (4).
(12) [ . . . ].
(16) From the description in the preceding paragraphs, it appears that the PW combination is characterised by a significant degree of integration [ . . . ].
(17) These features indicate considerable centralisation of management and [ . . . ]. Therefore, for the purposes of the Merger Regulation, the result of the transaction in issue will be a single economic entity, and the transaction constitutes a single concentration to which PW taken as a whole constitutes one party. In this respect, it has been left open whether the C & L firms made up a single economic entity, since in any case the series of individual mergers between each of the national partnerships of PW and C & L have been examined as part of one single transaction between the two groups of firms. Accordingly, the material scope of the competitive assessment in this case covered all the local mergers effected within the EEA.
IV. COMMUNITY DIMENSION
(18) The combined aggregate worldwide turnover of both parties is more than ECU 5 000 million (namely Price Waterhouse: ECU 4 630 million, Coopers & Lybrand: 5 305 million). The aggregate Community-wide turnover of each of the parties exceeds ECU 250 million (i.e. Price Waterhouse: ECU 1 301 million, Coopers & Lybrand: 2 249 million). Moreover, even if the C & L partnerships are to be treated as several distinct units, in at least three Member States, namely the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Germany, they achieve turnover exceeding ECU 250 million (that is, ECU 772 million, ECU 299 million and ECU 487 million, respectively). Furthermore, the parties do not achieve more than two thirds of their aggregate Community-wide turnover within one and the same Member State, nor do they achieve more than two thirds of their EFTA-wide turnover within one and the same EFTA State. Consequently, the notified operation is concentration with a Community and EEA dimension.
V. COMPETITIVE ASSESSMENT
A. THE RELEVANT PRODUCT MARKETS
1. Areas of activity of the parties
(19) Both parties to the concentration are active in the provision of a broad range of professional services to clients, which consist mainly of large companies, of both a national and multinational dimension, spanning a broad spectrum of business sectors, as well as to clients in the public sector.
(20) The parties divided the said range of professional services into five broad service lines which they consider to constitute the product markets relevant to the case: audit and accounting; tax advisory and compliance; management consultancy; insolvency; and corporate finance advisory.
2. Relevant product markets
(21) The market investigation carried out by the Commission broadly confirmed that the said five product markets correctly categorised the main areas of activity of the parties.
(22) The Commission, however, identified two distinct markets within the area of audit and accounting services: (i) a market for the provision of these services to medium and small-sized companies, which consist mainly of national companies, and on which the Big Six firms are active together with the 'second tier` of audit and accounting firms; and (ii) a market for providing audit and accounting services to quoted and large companies, whether national or multinational in dimension, which are predominantly provided by the Big Six firms.
(23) The Commission identified the possible existence of still narrower markets for the provision of audit and accounting services in some sectors, in particular the banking and insurance sectors.
(24) Likewise, the Commission identified the possible existence of another narrow market within the area of the provision of tax advisory and compliance services, namely the provision of these services to the large company clients of the Big Six.
(25) The Commission opened proceedings as a result of its concerns with regard to the competitive impact of the operation on the market for the provision of audit and accounting services to large companies which are Big Six clients, and also owing to its concerns over the competitive impact on possible markets for the provision of audit and accounting services to certain sectors (in particular banking and insurance) of the large company clients of the Big Six, and on a possible market for the provision of tax advisory and compliance services to large companies which are Big Six clients.
(a) Audit and accounting services to large companies which are Big Six clients
(i) Description of services
(26) For the purposes of the present analysis, 'audit and accounting services` consist of the performance of statutory and other audits of companies' accounts and other 'audit-related` accounting services which employ the auditor's skills of reviewing business transactions and accounting processes to check that the transactions and their implications (in terms of, among others, contingent liabilities, risks, future revenues) are truly and fairly reflected in the companies' financial statements.
(27) In this context of 'audit-related` accounting services, the parties also identified the accounting services provided as including general accounting advice, systems assurance, business risks assessment, internal audit, due diligence work preparatory to the acquisition of new businesses, the preparation of reports in connection with stock exchange listings and post acquisition reviews, among others.
(ii) Large companies which are Big Six clients
(28) The parties contended that large multinational companies who need access to the international capital markets purchase audit services only from audit firms with both an international network and a recognised international reputation. This contention was corroborated by the different operators in the market during the course of the Commission's market investigation. Furthermore, the said investigation revealed that the choice of such client companies is largely limited to the six audit and accounting firms known as the Big Six, as only those firms have both the geographic coverage that such companies require and the degree of credence on financial statements required by the international capital markets.
(29) Likewise, the Commission, in the course of its investigation, identified the Big Six as the main, and indeed exclusive, providers of audit and accounting services to large national quoted companies, not for regulatory reasons but because the stock markets in general expect it.
(30) Furthermore, the Commission was informed in the responses to its market enquiry that it is mainly the Big Six who have the depth of sectorial expertise required by most of the large companies, whether national or multinational, for the provision of audit services in their particular sector. Such sectorial expertise was found to be of particular importance in the banking and insurance sectors, as will be seen at paragraphs 35 et seq.
(31) Moreover, the market investigation of the Commission revealed that any audit firm aspiring to satisfy the audit needs of large companies must be able to deploy significant resources to satisfy the demands of such clients.
(iii) Conclusion
(32) Consequently, the Commission has identified a relevant product market which consists of the market for the provision of audit and accounting services to quoted and large companies, whether national or multinational, and which are provided predominantly by the Big Six firms as, in the main, only they can satisfy the requirements of such companies, namely to have their audit and accounting services provided by a firm with the necessary reputation in the financial markets (in the case of quoted companies), the geographic breadth to cover their companies' needs worldwide (in the case of the multinationals), the depth of expertise in their particular sector (large companies in general and, in particular, regulated sectors such as banking and insurance) and significant resources (all large companies).
(b) Sectorial audit and accounting services to large companies which are Big Six clients
(i) Sectorial audit expertise
(33) Audit and accounting services are professional services provided by firms with personnel who are professionally qualified to carry out statutory audit work. Such qualified auditors may be called on to provide their services across a broad range of industrial and business sectors, but the Commission's market investigation revealed that the tendency at a certain stage in their careers is towards specialisation in a limited number of sectors, whereby they gain additional professional expertise of a specialised nature. In this context it appeared that an audit firm which has enjoyed a large presence in a given sector over a long period of time builds up a reputation for depth of expertise in that particular sector.
(34) In the light of this evidence, the Commission considered the possibility that there were separate markets for the provision of audit services in the case of sectors where there were indications that the particularly complex nature of the sector's activities required a significant level of specialist expertise on the part of the auditor. However, the only sectors where the Commission's market investigation confirmed this possibility were the financial sectors of banking and insurance. Indeed, both clients and competitors concurred in distinguishing these two sectors from all others, including the other regulated sectors and public companies.
(ii) Banking and insurance audits
(35) Consequently, the Commission considered the possibility that there were relevant product markets for audit in these particular sectors due to their specific and complex nature as regulated financial services sectors, and in particular the combined strength the parties would have as a result of the proposed operation in these sectors in some Member States. Furthermore, as was already mentioned, third parties in general coincided in indicating to the Commission the peculiar nature of these sectors.
(aa) Demand side
(36) The Commission consulted extensively the clients of the Big Six in both the banking and insurance sectors in the course of its in-depth market investigation, given the indications it had received of the particular importance of the factors of sectorial expertise and reputation for these sectors. The examination of the replies of these clients revealed the complex and individual nature of the audit in both of these sectors and showed that, compared to other sectors, the requirement of having the necessary sectorial expertise in a given country, together with sufficient specialist resources, both of which intertwine with the corresponding sectorial audit reputation in the market, outweigh price considerations for the clients in both these sectors. Indeed, the Commission, in the course of its market investigation, had ample evidence from both the Big Six firms and their clients of the relatively low degree of importance of price as a factor in determining the client's decision with regard to either choosing or retaining its auditor. In the case of banking and insurance clients, the responses received by the Commission showed that these clients practically always consider price less important, and in many instances 'far less` important, than the other factors of sectorial expertise and reputation, discussed above, or the incumbent auditor's knowledge of them as a client.
(37) Furthermore, clients indicated the need for a comparatively long period of time for acquiring the appropriate audit skills for these particular sectors. Clients cited 'start-up` periods which were mainly in the range of two to three years for an alternative Big Six firm to become competent to carry out their audit adequately and stressed the 'intangible` costs to them in terms of disruption and investment of their management time. However, in the present case, this situation is mitigated by the fact that, as was confirmed by most of the clients consulted by the Commission, at least three if not all the Big Six firms are regarded as valid alternative suppliers. Furthermore, these clients expect the new auditor to absorb in their price the switching costs of a financial nature associated with any change of auditors. Nonetheless, given the 'intangible` costs to them, banking and insurance clients show a strong reluctance to change their incumbent auditor, due also to the importance they attribute to the factors of trust and confidence, which are built up over long-lasting relationships with their auditor, very often running into decades.
(38) However, in analysing the evidence it has gathered during its market investigation, the Commission has identified other factors which attenuate these demand-side issues and which concern, in particular, the perception of banking and insurance clients with regard to two main elements: (i) the time needed for an alternative Big Six firm to reach the same level of competence as their incumbent auditor - the 'start-up` period; and (ii) the clients' reluctance, in any case, to change auditors, as is described under paragraph 37.
(39) With regard to the first of these elements, the Commission considers that the 'start-up` periods cited by clients need to be seen in the overall context of a service which carries inherent in any auditor/client change a certain initial period during which the new auditor has to become acquainted with the client as such and which involves a certain disruption and investment of the client's time, even where no change of sector is involved. This fact is consistent with the importance attached by clients to their incumbent auditor's knowledge of them as a client. Thus the Commission is of the view that the differential introduced by the 'learning time` due to a change of sector on the part of the auditor is marginal in the overall 'start-up` periods cited by clients. Furthermore, the Commission considers that the significance of such periods has to be evaluated in the context of the particularly lengthy auditor/client relationships mentioned above.
(40) With regard to the second of the elements, the Commission considers that the reluctance of clients to change auditors, in so far as it has been attributed by clients to factors such as 'trust` and 'confidence` in their incumbent auditor, need also to be put into perspective in the context of a service in which personal relations and personal perceptions play an important role. In this context, the Commission considers that these qualitative factors of 'trust` and 'confidence`, should also be interpreted in the broader picture of any auditor/client relationship, in which 'trust` and 'confidence` have an inherent significance because of the very nature of the audit service itself, independent of the particular sector involved.
(bb) Supply side
(41) The Big Six firms, in response to clients' expectations and demands, are organised internally on a sectorial basis and this strategy is also justified by their need to have sufficient sectorial expertise to avoid any possible liability problems in these high-risk financial services sectors of banking and insurance.
(42) The Commission had evidence during its market investigation of a particularly high degree of sectorial alignment of the audit staff of the Big Six firms in the case of the banking and insurance sectors, with their specialists in either of these two sectors spending a proportionately larger part of their professional lives and working hours dedicated to them than to other sectors in which they might be active. Furthermore, it emerged from the replies of the Big Six firms that such a degree of specialisation in these sectors is due to their particular complexity as financial services sectors, with their higher inherent risks and added regulatory responsibilities, together with the corresponding knowledge of the regulatory requirements which this entails.
(43) This situation was confirmed by the parties themselves, one of whom stated that these financial services sectors (banking and insurance) 'require special expertise because of higher inherent risk and, in some institutions, complex transactions`; the other party stated that 'in the large firms and in capital cities, the client base lends itself to the formation of dedicated teams with specialist skills and experience within particular industry sectors (for example financial services). Staff will typically join and develop their careers through to senior management within these divisions`.
(44) Furthermore, the financial costs, inherent in auditing clients in these sectors when the new auditor lacks an adequate level of sectorial expertise, are borne by the audit firm, which is expected by the client to adjust its fees to absorb such costs during the 'start-up` period, generally two or three years as mentioned under paragraph 37. Consequently, an audit firm has every interest in having available professional audit staff with in-depth expertise, in sufficient number, and with a proven track record in the particular sector, whether banking or insurance, so as to be able to convince the client that it is in a position to satisfy its needs.
(45) Moreover, the Commission has been informed that the high-risk nature of these financial services sectors can in itself constitute a deterrent to the audit firm which lacks sufficient sectorial expertise, as it has to evaluate in financial and reputational terms the costs of taking on the responsibilities involved, in particular in the case of large clients.
(46) However, it appears that sectorial expertise is available to all Big Six firms. This derives from the following factors:
- most of the Big Six are already present in the audit of these sectors, even if with different strengths in different Member States,
- in nearly all Member States, all of the Big Six have some level of sectorial expertise, due to presence in a particular segment (for example smaller banks or insurance companies, subsidiaries or branches of foreign companies, as auditors on behalf of the regulators, etc.),
- sectorial expertise can also be acquired in a given Member State simply by means of the acquisition of a company by a client,
- there is a significant number of non-financial companies which have subsidiaries involved in financial services (such as financing subsidiaries of car manufacturers, payment cards or retail banking subsidiaries of big retailers, etc.). Sectorial expertise can therefore be gained by auditing these subsidiaries,
- sectorial expertise in banking and insurance is also obtained through non-audit advisory assignments such as management consultancy in which all of the Big Six are involved,
- the Big Six firms have, with certain limitations, opportunities for redeploying personnel between countries or for poaching staff from their competitors.
(47) It follows that the competitive potential of the Big Six firms who have a smaller presence in these sectors in a given country is not reflected by their current share in these sectors. This finding has been confirmed by an overwhelming majority of banking or insurance clients who stated that they would consider at least four of the Big Six as able to audit them. Hence any of the Big Six could find relatively easily the resources to expand their auditing activities in the banking and insurance sectors.
(48) As a consequence of the above-described position of the Big Six, some successful entries have been made in the financial services sectors, including PW in the insurance sector.
(cc) Conclusion
(49) The Commission, having considered all the above factors, has concluded that the provision of audit and accounting services to the banking and insurance sectors does not constitute separate relevant product markets for the purposes of assessing the competitive effects of the present operation.
(c) Tax-advisory and compliance services to large companies which are Big Six clients
(50) Tax advisory services comprise advice on the structuring of transactions and business organisations so as to minimise tax liability, as well as dealing with revenue/taxation authorities on behalf of customers.
(51) Similarly, compliance services comprise the provision of assistance in computing the quantum of tax that clients are liable to pay and the preparation of returns to the national revenue/taxation authorities.
(52) The parties contended that tax advisory and compliance services are provided not only by audit and accounting firms, including the 'second-tier` firms, but also by law firms. The Commission's investigation confirmed the parties' contention that the large company clients of the Big Six firms do not necessarily limit themselves to their Big Six audit and accounting services supplier for the provision of such services.
(53) Consequently, the Commission has concluded that there is not a relevant product market for the provision of tax advisory and compliance services to the large companies which are clients of the Big Six in audit and accounting services, as distinct from the market for the provision of such tax services to all categories of clients.
3. Conclusion on relevant product markets
(54) Given all the above factors, the Commission has concluded that the relevant product markets for the purposes of its competitive assessment in this case are the markets for the provision of the following services:
(i) audit and accounting to large companies which are Big Six clients;
(ii) audit and accounting to small and medium-sized companies;
(iii) tax advisory and compliance (to entire market);
(iv) management consultancy;
(v) insolvency;
(vi) corporate finance advisory.
B. THE RELEVANT GEOGRAPHIC MARKETS
1. Audit and accountancy services
(a) Regulatory framework/national market considerations
(55) The provision of audit services is regulated across the Community at the level of each Member State. The national regulatory requirements stipulate which types of entity must have a statutory audit, the frequency of the audits, the type of auditor eligible to conduct such a statutory audit, the professional qualifications which the statutory auditor must have and the legal forms which audit firms must assume. Moreover, while the clients appoint their own auditors, in several Member States and for particular sectors (namely banking, insurance and listed companies) approval by the corresponding supervisory body is required for the appointment. Furthermore, some Member States regulate the duration and renewal possibilities of audit contracts. Yet another aspect of the provision of audit services which is regulated is the freedom to establish an audit firm, owing to the restrictions on the ownership, management and legal form of audit firms in the particular Member States.
(56) The parties themselves recognised that the provision of audit and accounting services is highly regulated at a national level and stated that this fact 'suggests` national markets for the provision of such services. However, they contended that such a definition is primarily applicable in the case of the auditing of 'smaller companies, operating primarily in only one country, and not raising capital through the international markets`.
(b) Multinational dimension considerations
(57) Furthermore, the parties contended that, owing to the increase in the number of companies with multinational operations requiring professional services in several countries from a single provider, the market for audit and accounting is taking on an international dimension. The Commission, in its analysis of the responses from the market operators on the issue of the geographic scope of audit and accounting services, took into account the question of the international dimension raised by the parties in the particular case of multinational companies (supplied with audit and accounting services by the Big Six), which form part of the client base in the relevant product market retained for assessment in this case.
(c) The testimony of the Big Six and their audit clients
(58) Such an analysis indicated that there is an ever-increasing tendency on the part of multinational Big Six clients to negotiate their worldwide service needs with the partner firm of the Big Six located in the country of the client's parent company, in the form of an 'international package` negotiation. However, the analysis of the responses to the Commission, both from the Big Six audit firms, including the parties themselves, and from the clients of those firms in the course of the in-depth market investigation, confirmed that, while such a 'package`, when it exists, constitutes in principle a single package covering the offer of the potential audit firm supplier in all the different national locations in which the multinational client requires the services concerned, it is, nonetheless, constituted taking into account both the needs of the national subsidiary of the client company (including national regulatory requirements) and the offer, including fees, of the particular audit partner firm which would potentially be providing the services to that particular subsidiary.
(59) Indeed, one of the parties to the operation described the tender procedure as one of 'central negotiation with the parent company, following consolidation of local estimates and negotiation between local partners and the lead partner in the country of the parent company`, adding that 'this approach applies to approximately 90 % of tenders`. The other party stated that 'on receipt of an invitation to tender, the lead office identifies offices, partners and teams to serve all the operations of the potential client. These offices are asked to research the work to be carried out and prepare an estimate of the scale value of time. Local scale estimates are submitted directly to the lead office on an audit to assist in setting the strategy for the overall fee approach . . . if the total fee which is quoted is less than the total scale fee estimated, any discount is applied fairly to those offices participating`. This same party further stated that 'subsidiary management are often consulted by group management as to what they think of the competing (audit) firms` and that 'the audit practice management in territories where subsidiaries are located would be consulted to ensure that local statutory and regulatory requirements are considered in preparing the tender centrally and these technical aspects of the tender offering would be handled nationally to ensure compliance with the overall requirements`.
(60) Moreover, several multinational clients of the parties, addressed by the Commission in the course of its market investigation, indicated that they negotiate such services, including fees, with the audit suppliers at a national level, that is, their subsidiaries deal directly with the national partner firm, even if the final offer is often coordinated and/or overviewed at a central level. One such multinational client, when stating that it considered the geographic scope of the market to be national, confirmed that in the case of its company 'the negotiation of audit fees for subsidiary undertakings is the responsibility of subsidiary company management`. Another multinational client of the parties, while admitting that it did 'centrally discuss audit fees and quality issues`, stated that it 'agreed price and conditions on a company by company basis` as 'each company bears its own costs for these services and local management is normally involved in the discussions and negotiations`, and that it had 'not negotiated any international packages from any Big Six firm`. Yet another multinational client of the parties stated that it 'negotiated locally with the audit firms` and carried out 'no central negotiation on services`.
(61) Furthermore, there is a factor which is common to all multinational clients, which is their need, as corporate groups, to have an audit carried out on their consolidated accounts, which combines the audit of the accounts of the parent company and of its subsidiaries worldwide. As this consolidated audit takes place in the national territory where the parent company is located | 6,610 |
In Chapter 4 Barrett continues by saying that improvisation needs some order and rules in order to thrive. This allows for complexity in jazz and in an organizational system because it provides the freedom to create novelty, but also vigilance to attend to the other members of the organization. In organizations this can work in areas such as rapid prototyping where different people come up with ideas and then test them out quickly seeing if they work or not. If they do not work then they rapidly readjust to another way of doing things but it gives them the structure to try.
Meg Wheatley and Ralph Stacey (organizational development experts) write "that systems are most creative when they operate with a combination of order and chaos." They say that when systems live on the edge of chaos they are able to abandon undesirable ways of doing things and embrace more suitable patterns. Barrett says that by allowing improvisation in the organization it creates the condition for "guided autonomy" or finding the limiting structures that allow for coordination around core activities. This maximizes opportunities for diversity and the opportunity to experiment.
He gives the example of rebuilding after 9/11 where Mike Burton, the executive deputy commissioner<|fim_middle|> coming from new and unexpected areas.
Barrett's end the chapter with the premise for the book being that "without being guided by an outside entity or prescripted plan, a system can self-organize and produce even more efficient and effective outcomes."
-What have you been most proud of in 2014?
-What were the biggest gifts?
-What are the biggest lessons?
-What are you letting go of? | of the New York City Department of Design and Construction, ended up taking over the reconstruction efforts. He happened to be downtown at the time of the attacks. He immediately began to call four companies who he knew were qualified and could support the reconstruction. He set twice daily meetings to coordinate activities. He divided the work into four areas so that each company could handle one section. Each of these decisions created the "guided autonomy" to allow for the rebuilding to occur with some improvisation from the beginning.
Where can you implement some "guided autonomy" in your organization? What limited structures can you put into place in order to allow for novelty to be created?
"If you are not making a mistake, it's a mistake." Miles Davis. According to the author in Chapter 3 of "Yes to the Mess" organizations, just like in jazz, need to create an "aesthetic of imperfection" by encouraging brave experimentation. He says what if we measure performance not only on normal standards of success, but also on risk taking and purposeful engagement in an activity? Then organizations could leverage mistakes as a point of creative departure, allowing people to see details they might have otherwise missed. He argues that companies such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft had many failures along the way to building up their most innovative products (iPhone, Microsoft Access, and Google Video). Barrett continues to say that the failures were what allowed the ideas to incubate and the organizations valued innovation and creativity enough to allow those types of failures to occur learning from them.
So for leaders it is critical to ensure that people learn from their mistakes instead of hiding them or glossing over them. Leaders need to create environments where employees can feel safe enough to talk about their mistakes. Often this occurs by leveling status differences and allowing conversations about mistakes to happen at all levels of the organization. For example to get jazz right Barrett says, "musicians must surrender their conscious striving. They do this by deliberately facing unfamiliar challenges, by developing provocative learning relationships, and by creating incremental disruptions hat demand experimentation and risk." Through this risk taking we can lean into full engagement and truly live a meaningful life. This is the same in business and in organizations.
Where are you willing to take risks? Are you creating an organization which is open to making and discussing mistakes? What can you learn from them?
In Chapter 2 of "Yes to the Mess" there is a quote from Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon.com, "If you only extend into places where your skill sets serve you, your skills become outmoded." The author Frank Barrett says that organizational leaders need to be constantly challenging routines, taking risks and renewing old skills. He says that there needs to be some improvisation where an organization, working together, can succeed because they have faith that whatever is happening has the potential to lead in innovative directions.
He says that organizations, and leaders, can do this by being open to what can be created when "messiness" arises (e.g. - things that were not planned). He says that organizational cultures would be great where leaders and their organizations can all work together, responding to each other's needs organically, engaging in the moment, improvising as needed and leaning into the mess. He says the best leaders are not those who are predominantly analytical, but know when it is best to be fully engaged in problems/issues and in enhancing creativity and innovation. He says the first step to do this is through "an affirmative move." He gives the example of Michelangelo being able to see the sculpture David in the marble when the previous sculptor had discarded that same piece of marble 40 years prior.
Barrett says that people find it hard to say yes to the unknown ""because humans are profoundly loss averse; most people prefer avoiding a loss to acquiring a gain, especially in stressful times." He says that the best jazz players focus on discovery in times of stress, lean in, focus on the opportunities, and take risks. In high performance groups, such as in sports, Barrett uses the example of tapping into the power of expectation loops by focusing on success. He says there is a big difference "between eliminating obstacles and conjuring an image of success." He says that "research suggests that positive self-monitoring is more likely to lead to effective performance than avoidance goals."
Finally he says that improvisational leaders lean into the mess, ask questions, foster dialogue around possibilities, and create openings. They focus on what they can achieve and not the stable certainty. Are you able to lean into the mess or are you focusing on staying safe? Are you focused on avoidance goals or effective performance? Are you able to say yes to messiness?
"Yes to the Mess" by Frank Barrett is a book that discusses leadership from the perspective of jazz improvisation. In Chapter one Barrett begins by saying that in this new complex world there needs to be built a mindset of our best laid plans are likely and figuratively going to be get turned upside down. He says that there is so much turbulence in this current environment that improvisation of action, decisions, leveraging a diverse set of opinions and dedicated to innovation and creativity is necessary to surviving and prospering in such an environment. He says this is similar to jazz in that, as he urges jazz players to do, he urges leaders to embrace complexity, take informed risks, and say "yes to the mess."
Barrett continues by saying that for jazz musicians as well as for leaders they need to live in the same paradox of needing to transcend too much reliance on learned habits as it limits risks needed for creative growth, and letting go of too much control which restricts the interplay of ideas and they need to surrender to the flow. He gives the example of Steve Jobs speaking of the development of the iPad and saying that while it was risky in the moment there was a huge potential upside.
He says we need to not get tied to our strategic plans. While they are good guides leaders need to be able to follow them, while paying attention to what emerges, taking action as a result and then making sense of it all later. He says that, "Sometimes leadership means letting go of the dream of certainty, leaping in, acting first, and reflecting later on the impact of the action."
Barrett continues in chapter one by saying that one way to begin to say yes, is to abandon old routines. We have to often let go of the familiar and routine in order to welcome in new possibilities and opportunities. It is only in this way that leaders can see the potential | 1,316 |
We know you want your bathroom to look good, but you have to consider more than just aesthetics and personal style preferences when choosing the right bathroom flooring.
Will the floor stain easily?
Is the flooring resistant and impervious to water?
Is it safe when walking across with wet feet?
Will the floor last for many, many years?
Taking into account these questions – York&Young offer our take on the various, suitable options for bathroom flooring.
Yep, at first gl<|fim_middle|> square tiles, and come in different finishes – such as polished, 'ground flat' (but not polished), or 'textured'. The latter tiles are rougher and make a great alternative to polished tiles if you are concerned that the titles will be slippery when wet. Natural stone titles can be quite expensive mind, so if your budget isn't particularly large, ceramic or vinyl tiles offer a more affordable solution. | ace you make think otherwise. A soggy carpet likely to soak up water doesn't seem too attractive. However, a water, mildew and stain-resistant carpet can prove to be a wise bathroom flooring solution, especially since there are endless options for choosing colours and patterns. A carpet is also softer on your feet, just make sure the carpet has sufficient backing otherwise water may find its way round the carpet.
Created as a result of bonding materials such as melamine resin and fiber board together, the surface of a laminate plank is a photographic image printed onto a thin decorative layer. This layer is then protected by what is known as a 'wear' layer, making the flooring durable and easy to clean, and therefore logical choice for your bathroom.
Ceramic floor tiles are designed to prevent slippage, as a result of a texture that is applied during the manufacturing process. The tiles are usually 1/2 inch to 3/4 inches thick and range in size, from around 4×4 inches to 2-square-feet. The tiles aren't just available in squares – other shapes are available, such as hexagons.
These types of tiles are available in various colours and pattens, so as well as being long-lasting, durable and hygienic, they can compliment the rest of your bathroom design suitably.
One of the most popular bathroom flooring solutions, vinyl is available in the form of sheets or tiles. Vinyl is easy to clean and resist stains and moisture effectively.
The sheets come in roles, usually 6 or 12 feet wide, whereas the tiles are generally 12 to 18 square inches in size. The latter is ideal for different patterns but there are gaps in between each tile that are prone to inhabit germs. For a more seamless look, sheets are the better option.
If water resistant, a hardwood flooring could make an excellent choice. Boasting real character, a hardwood flooring could transform a dull looking bathroom into something bold and interesting.
Natural stone floorings may be cold to touch, but the stunning look they offer reflects quality and sophistication. And combined with their durability and ability to last for years and years, they make an astute choice. They're usually available as 12-inch (or larger) | 457 |
Country Is – Living in the City (Tom T. Hall)
That's Me – Gone Country!
I expect that<|fim_middle|> big twangy guitar!
The Grizzly
My daughter started dressing the part, hat, boots – and found creative ways to ride horses including a few rentals and sweet talking a nearby cow hand into letting her ride one of the older mares housed on his ranch. We lived in the outer eastern reaches of the metro area and horse properties were nearby.
A few years later we would auction off her Kiss memorabilia collection and netted enough for her to buy her own horse – "Elway" – who started off as a riding horse but as he aged became a great big old pet! Ronnie talked her friend from high school into going country also and the of them would beg either my wife or myself into taking them out to Denver's premier country dance venue "The Grizzly Rose" on Sunday nights when they opened the doors to accompanied minors.
I would sit and watch for several hours as urban cowboys and cowgirls would fall into the never ending line dances. The DJ would usually dip back into the "country oldies" stash of 45's to play the flip side of his hit "Workin' Man's Blues" – "Silver Wings" a song which never charted but was held in high reverence by the country crowd – clamoring to do "The Cowboy Cha Cha". Ronnie seemed to me to be absolutely the best dancer of all throwing in extra moves, twists and turns, getting lots of attention out on the dance floor! In later years she would form a retro 80's dance troupe in Denver called "Fire Fox".
The country craze would never really end – there was always some room for country music – still is – but not like that run in the 1990's. I haven't purchased a country song for over two decades.
Occasionally I'll hear one of the old tunes. Gets my toe to tappin'.. and if I need to get a dose of country music – I bypass the 1990's I just pull out "Monday Morning Secretary", "Understand Your Man", or "(Old Dogs and Children) and Watermelon Wine" and I'll do fine – just fine – thank ya mam! | Part 3 will be my final sojourn into country music. I occasionally catch a listen to a current country tune or two. The fire is gone for me. Seems country has been influenced by the "American Idol Fits All" approach to music.
I call it all "Opera Warbling". I'll swear now more than ever the artists sound so much alike – That's a generalization which would hold water but it's my generalization – my choice – and that's okay….
So my final journey into country came at the hands of a source I didn't see coming…. My teenage daughter Ronnie! In her earliest stages she worked her way first from Mickey Mouse and proceeded from there into Kiss!
Over a period of about two years ours was the pursuit Kiss novelties – games – coloring books – shirts – school binders – pencils – records of course (I was able to best assist her in that category) and then there were the Kiss Dolls! Came the holiday season we were able to easily locate three of the four – but number four – Gene Simmons – could not be found in Denver. We were frantic.
We must have traveled about five thousand miles and went through gosh knows how many tanks of gas searching every possible outlet. Somehow – just before Christmas Simmons was found – I can't remember where. But placing only three members of Kiss under the Christmas tree would have been the equivalent of placing three Beatle Dolls under the tree – admitting finally that Paul indeed was dead!
My Little Mickey and Her Phases
Then came musical and motion picture in 1982 – "Annie" – Oh God the Annie phase was something to behold. Her mom accompanied her to the motion picture and upon her return – Annie officially resided in our home. There were nightly performances in our living room featuring "Annie" (our daughter) and little "Molly" (our then four year-old song). Molly came complete with a little flowered dress and an adorable bonnet.
Annie knew every song in the soundtrack – God did she know every song – and Molly was delegated to mostly a backup singer roll – with the exception of taking the lead on the song "Maybe". This was poetic license on the part of my daughter – who relinquished the song in order to spotlight her little brother.
So for what seemed like about 10 years – around our house it was All-Annie-All-The Time.
Babbling Brooks
Ronnie moved on eventually, became a "dancing girl" in middle school and then came her high school years. I'm not sure what happened. We have never really talked about it. But in the Spring of 1990 country singer Garth Brooks landed on the Hot 200 LP charts with "Garth Brooks" which reached number 13. Brooks entered the country charts a year earlier with a number eight hit "Much Too Young" – a nice beginning – but then things exploded. He would go on a tear with 11 straight top ten country hits and within five years time would have 15 number one country singles.
Interestingly he wouldn't really be considered a successful singles "crossover" country star. His first Hot 100 hit would come later in 1994 "Hard Luck Woman" reaching only number 45 on the "Adult" charts only. His singles success was very modest with his best showing coming in 1999 recording as the fictional character "Chris Gaines" a role which Brooks was to take on in a proposed motion picture called "The Lamb". That project never made to production. After "Hard Luck Woman" Brooks would never again enter the Top 20 on the Pop Charts. But it was a whole different story on the Billboard Hot 200. His fanatic following elevated him to super star status scoring 13 Top Ten LP's including eight number one's.
Incredibly – when the smoke finally cleared, Brooks would rank in the top three recording artists of all time – along with Elvis and The Beatles! (that up and down story is fodder for another Post)
And so with the corral gates wide open, others would stampede through into the pop mainstream not the least being Clint Black (13 Country number 1's), Randy Travis (16 Country number 1's) and Alan Jackson (24 Country number 1's). Around our house Clint Black was my daughter's king country guy. There were large portions of Dwight Yoakam, Vince Gill and Mark Chestnut – There was a little bit of Alabama and John Anderson and a tad of Marty Stuart for good measure.
Although Brooks ranked number 1 country for the decade of 1990's – it would be hard to top George Strait's 43 number one country hits! By comparison Eddy Arnold had 28 but also 143 charting country singles compared to 107 for Strait. Johnny Cash logged 135 country chart hits and did far better than Garth on the Billboard Pop Charts with 48 hits.
(Brooks ranks number 3 all-time country behind number 1 Eddy Arnold and number 2 George Jones. Johnny Cash is number 4 and Brooks number 23. Top country female is Dolly Parton (number 8 overall) followed by Reba McEntire (11), Loretta Lynn (#21) and Tammy Wynette (#30).
I remember my daughter drilling my wife down in our basement on the intricate steps of the dance accompanying "Achy Breaky Heart" (number 1 Country for five weeks). Ronnie talked me into taking her to a Randy Travis concert at the Auditorium Arena in Denver. I agreed to go only because the queen Tammy Wynette was on the bill – I was very disappointed when she was scratched due to an illness. But that night was rewarded by a artist I didn't know sharing the bill with Travis – Alan Jackson. He would pretty much become my own favorite along side of Dwight Yoakum who's songs rocked out with that | 1,243 |
At this moment the current water temperature in Cornwallis is -. The average water temperature in Cornwallis today is -.
Today Wednesday, 24th of April of 2019, the sun rose in Cornwallis at 6:54 am and sunset will be at 5:44 pm. In the high tide and low tide chart, we can see that the first high tide was at 1:15 am and the next high tide at 1:32 pm. The first low tide was at 7:38 am and the next low tide will be at 7:56 pm.
Today we have 10 hours and 50 minutes of sun. The solar transit was at 12:19 pm.
The heights today are 3.2 m, 0.8 m, 3.0<|fim_middle|> (passage of the moon over the meridian) and the opposing lunar transit and last approximately 2 hours. The minor periods begin with the rising and setting of the moon and its duration is approximately 1 hour. | m and 0.8 m referenced to Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW).
We can compare these levels with the maximum high tide recorded in the tide tables for Cornwallis which is of 3.7 m and a minimum height of 0.1 m.
The following graph shows the progression of the tidal coefficient in the month of April of 2019.These values give us a rough idea of the tidal amplitude in Cornwallis, forecast in April.
Large coefficients indicate important high and low tides; major currents and movements usually take place on the sea bed. But bear in mind that this tidal amplitude may be greatly affected by the weather and you should also consult the weather forecast in Cornwallis and the wind and wave forecast in Cornwallis before you go fishing.
The moon set at 11:25 am at 243° southwest. Eventually, the moon will rise again in the southeast (118°) at 9:26 pm.
The lunar transit is the time at which the moon crosses the local meridian (Cornwallis, 174.6° E) at 4:02 am.
The length of time the moon will be visible is 13 hours and 59 minutes.
The solunar periods indicate the best times of day for fishing in Cornwallis. The major periods correspond to the lunar transit | 282 |
Erik Janke
If you grew up in a cold-weather climate, you understand the feeling that comes in the first days of spring. For months, you've grown accustomed to the dark, the stinging winds, the cold.
But then spring comes and the sun rises. The ice melts and recedes, loosening its grip on the earth. The grass wakes up and streches upward. The warmth returns, and along with it, excitement and energy.
There's not a sensation like it.
It's like how God describes the day when evil will finally give way to good. Evil melts away. The believer is freed, feeling like a calf leaping from barn to pasture for the first time in months. The forces that once were so destructive are like ash under the foot of a believer, like soft melting ice.
"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire," says the Lord Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act," says the Lord Almighty."
- Malachi 4:1-6
Sovereign Lord, So<|fim_middle|>
Suite 1F
Bible Study 9:15 am
Worship 10:30 am | often evil seems to restrict, oppress, and crush the good in this world. Set our hearts on the day when evil will be trampled and we will be refreshed and set free. Amen.
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What You Won't Find at a Banquet
Tired of Doing Good
You Are Not Your Sins
Freedom and Confidence
What Are You Preaching?
104 Buckwalter Parkway | 85 |
I've started Beachbody's Ultimate Reset, a 21-day body cleanse program broken into three one week phases; Reclaim, Release, and Restore. The benefit of doing this program include removal of toxins from our body, weight loss, increased energy, lowering the bad cholesterol, boost mood and mental clarity and improve regularity. Basically filtering out your body to remove toxins and bad elements to reset it back to a healthier state.
This week I finally made time to begin Beachbody's Ultimate Reset. A 21-day body cleanse program broken into three one week phases; Reclaim, Release, and Restore. The benefit of doing this program include removal of toxins from our body, weight loss, increased energy, lowering the bad cholesterol, boost mood and mental clarity and improve regularity. Basically filtering out your body to remove toxins and bad elements to reset it back to a healthier state.
If you are interested in improving your health and would like to do this program then please let me know. I am Independent Beachbody Coach and you can order Beachbody's Ultimate Reset directly from me by visiting my Ultimate Reset site.
The following is basically my journal logging my progress, meals, and experience as I complete the program. The key goals I'd like to achieve in doing this program include healthier eating habits, lose about 15 to 20 pounds in weight and reduction in bad cholesterol along with any other bad elements in my body. I'll be logging all my meals with photos through my Instagram.
Medications. Wanted to note that since being diagnosed with Addison's disease back in 2005 I've been taking Hydrocortisone and Fludrocortisone medications daily. There is no change in my medication intake.
The first phase to reclaim the body by balancing the inner chemistry and preparing it for change. There is a daily regimen to follow to ensure your getting all the supplements provided along with following a healthy balanced menu.
Woke up at 6:40 am by Jäger the cat. Took a few deep breaths, got up and did the Five Tibetan Rites exercises. Took the first reset ingredients with 12 oz of water followed by another 12 oz of water. No more espresso in the morning.
Scrambled eggs with a side of chard (picked from my garden) sautéed with garlic and pine nuts, two slices of dry grain toast. Not buttering the toast was fine, I think it is just a bad habit to always spread something on our toast. By the time I was done eating I realized that I didn't really miss the butter.
Raw veggie salad made from left over golden beet and fennel salad (from Whole Foods) mixed with fresh cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, red onions, grapefruit and slivered almonds.
The dressing made from scratch using fresh minced ginger, grapefruit juice, a dab of honey, dijon mustard, rice wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper and fresh italian parsley.
Using the fresh grapefruits I got from Jussi's place made this really tasty. A raw veggie salad really can be delicious and this one was no exception.
Raw nuts, banana chips, dried apricots, and one tangelo.
Baked salmon with ginger, garlic, lemon and italian parsley in lemon juice and olive oil, a side of steamed asparagus and boiled potato.
The first time I've cooked fish for myself at home in ages. Usually I eat all vegetarian diet when cooking at home, however the reset called for salmon so I figured why not treat myself.
I downloaded the Water Your Body Android app (also available for iOS) on my HTC One phone that helps me keep track of how many glasses I'm drinking. Plus it will remind you to drink water regularly incase you go for an extended period without water.
Overall I felt pretty good throughout the day. A little hungry at times between meals but I snacked on some plain roasted almonds, walnuts, banana chips, and dried apricots. By the late afternoon and going into the evening I was starting to get a mild headache. Most likely due to no caffeine from not having my morning espresso coffee. Before going to sleep I went for a brisk half mile walk around our neighborhood.
First woke up at 5:20 am by Jäger the cat, but went back to sleep until 7:00 am. Headache was gone. Felt like a I got a good deep restful sleep. Got up to use the restroom and weighed myself. Surprised that I was 4 pounds less than yesterday morning. Went back into bed and relaxed about 15 minutes while doing steady breathing, then got up and did the Five Tibetan Rites exercises.
1 cup of oatmeal with cinnamon cooked in plain flax seed milk with 3/4 cups of blueberries, then 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt with 1/4 cup of blueberries, both topped off with some toasted almond slivers. I'm a big fan of fresh blueberries so this was exceptionally yummy!
The menu called for greek salad with chicken. I haven't had chicken in over 20 years and I'm not about to start. I also didn't have any kalamata olives, but I did have some green olives and feta cheese. So I made a semi-greek salad with veggies, green olives, and feta cheese tossed in a fresh made grapefruit and ginger vinaigrette dressing. Yum!
A few hours after lunch I'm taking this green Alkalinize powder mixed with water. Tastes like grass and seaweed, not too bad. Then for my snack I had a few almonds and a banana.
Brown rice mixed with black beans and corn. I simmered up a can of black beans and tossed in some fresh red onion, jalapeño, corn, garlic, cilantro and spices. Then mixed 1 cup of brown rice with about 3/4 of a cup of the black bean mix, tossed in some more fresh cilantro. Served it an organic yellow corn tortilla as a taco with sliced avocado. On the side a generous serving of fresh steamed kale that was steamed with some garlic and lemon slices. Topped off with toasted pine nuts, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
I usually pan fry my greens, this was the first time I tried steaming them and they turned out really good. Only for a few minutes and they turned out delicious.
I tend to drink a good amount of water everyday, however I'm finding that now I'm increasing my water intake by 3 to 5 more glasses a day.
Wrapped up day 2 feeling good. Dinner was really yummy and filling. Went on a brisk half mile walk around the neighborhood before heading to bed. Didn't get to sleep until around 11:00 pm.
Restless night of sleep, it was hot and humid, 90° most of the night. I always sleep with the window open and a fan in the window plus our ceiling fan on, both on the low setting. I woke up at least 3 maybe 4 times throughout the night. Then around 5:00 am Jäger the cat climbed up on me, but I went back to sleep until around 7:00 am.
Got up to use the restroom, the first bowel movement since starting the program, usually I go every morning. I weighed myself, 205 pounds, that's a total of 6 pounds lost in 2 days, not bad. Went back into bed and relaxed about 15 minutes while doing steady breathing, then got up and did the Five Tibetan Rites exercises. Took a cool shower and went down to make breakfast.
This morning's breakfast was 2 scrambled eggs, 2 slices of dry whole grain toast, half a bag of baby spinach cooked with some garlic, ginger, and a tiny dash of turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt in lemon juice and water. Also added a sliced pear for my fruit serving.
Today's lunch was two dishes, the first was green lentils with shredded carrots, red onion, herbs, spices, lime zest, lime juice and sesame oil. Then a raw veggie salad all topped off with toasted sunflower seeds. A delicious combination.
No snack, didn't feel hungry. Took the Alkalinize a few hours after lunch.
First time making sushi. It turned out ok, but I think next time I'll make it tighter and wet the rice down a little with some vinegar and water to help it stick together. Still for my first time, it turned out yummy! The recipe called for 1 strip of smoky tempeh, carrots, cucumbers and avocado. I also had some left over cooked asparagus so I added two of them into it along with some sriracha hot sauce for added spice.
Also had a side of cucumber and avocado pickled salad and a bowl of miso soup with tofu, carrots, ginger, and green onions.
As part of the program your supposed to use distilled water. However we've been using this Hexagon Alkaline Hydrogen Water filtration system that provides good clean water. I simply fill up a 5 gallon Sparkletts water bottle every few days with water run through the filtration system, at the same time I always add in a big pinch of Himalayan pink salt which helps provide additional minerals.
Anyway, as part of the Ultimate Reset program we have to add a few things to the drinking water. Mineralize which is basically Himalayan pink salt and Oxygenize which is liquid oxygen and minerals. For every 12 ounce glass I add a few dashes of the Mineralize and most the time adding about 5 drops of the Oxygenize, except for the water I drink between lunch and dinner. During that time I take one Alkalinize packet mixed with about 5 ounces of water.
Wrapped up day 3 feeling less hungry as I didn't end up having a snack between lunch and dinner. Although I suspect the delicious lentil lunch which was very filling helped keep me going until dinner time. Dinner was fun, I made a sushi roll for the first time and it turned out<|fim_middle|> it. I don't know why, probably just not thinking of good recipes for it. This recipe called to marinate it for an hour and then bake it, which turned out really good. Going forward I'm going to begin including tempeh in my meals more often.
Green salad with raw veggies and fresh herbs tossed in a ginger grapefruit vinaigrette. Delicious. The menu also called for a side of quinoa salad, so I used some of the left over lentil salad and some quinoa and mixed it together.
No snack. All of the days meals ran a bit later than usual.
Tonights dinner was refreshing. First was roasted root vegetables of yam (sweet potato), beet, carrot, and red onion tossed in olive oil with salt, pepper and fresh picked rosemary, thyme, and sage from the garden. Then roasted in the oven for about 45 minutes. This turned out really good.
On the side some toasted millet, or couscous, which I had made last week. Just heated up and topped with fresh italian parsley.
Then the real surprise was a cashew and zucchini soup. So simple, yet so yummy. Soak 1/4 cup of cashews for about an hour in water, then drain. Steam 1 medium zucchini, then toss into a blender with a handful of fresh herbs, I used cilantro and thai basil, add salt, pepper, and broth or water. I used broth. Blend until smooth adding more liquid as needed until the right consistency. Top of fresh herbs and a few crushed cashews. Really refreshing and yummy!
Feels good drinking this much water. I can definitely feel the difference.
It was a good day, overall I felt a good balance of energy and mental clarity allowing me to get a lot of work done. Went for a brisk half mile walk before heading to bed.
Had a good night sleep, I don't remember waking up and I felt good in the morning. Maybe because it cooled down a bit and got into the 70's which is more comfortable than 90's. Got up to use the restroom, had a bowel movement and weighed myself. Still at 203. I've been wanting to go exercise, but holding off because the program recommends taking it easy other than some light activity. However this morning I decided to run an errand and go for a sunrise bike ride to the post office. Rode 10.6 miles in about an hour on the local paseos paths. Since I did the bike ride, I skipped the five Tibetan Rites today.
Oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts, but this time the menu called for 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed. Plus 1/2 cup of plain yogurt with fresh strawberries. I also added 1 tablespoon of the ground flaxseed to the yogurt. Delicious!
Lunch menu called for zucchini cashew soup with micro-green salad. This time for the soup I added a small chunk of ginger and garlic to the soup for a little more kick. The salad was raw veggies and grapefruits tossed in a ginger grapefruit vinaigrette. Yummy and a filling, I think I made too much salad.
Delicious organic peach from the farmer market.
The dinner menu called for the rest of the tempeh that was marinating since yesterday along with a side of veggies (asparagus and mushrooms) and rice. I didn't feel like making another batch of rice since I had a serving of couscous left over, so I used that instead. Topped with toasted black sesame seeds and thai basil. Yummy and filling!
Feeling a bit fuller this evening than usual, I think my serving portions were a little heavier today. Still overall I feel good. Went for my evening half mile walk before heading to bed.
First week of the Ultimate Reset is done. Overall it's been really good. I've increased my daily water intake and I definitely feel like I'm eating healthier than before. I've lost a total of 8 pounds in the first week, which I feel is really good. I've been taking photos about every other day in the morning, while it is subtle, you can see the difference in the day 1 to day 8 before and after photo, mainly in the belly area. I'm looking forward to loosing another 8 to 10 pounds or more by the end of the 21 days.
I think that in addition to providing a general cleanse for the body, this is more about injecting the right types of habits into our lives and hoping that they stick. For me the habits are eating a healthier vegetarian and vegan diet, drinking more water, and walking before going to sleep in addition to regular exercise.
The program comes with this bracelet to help remind us to stay on track with the program. The next week takes it to the next level cutting all dairy foods out of my meals, so no eggs or yogurt, adding in more veggies, fruits and grains. Then it adds a new detox supplement taken three times daily that really starts the cleanse phase.
So far I'm happy that I'm doing this, the only thing I miss is going out for an extended trail run or a mountain bike ride. I might try to squeeze one or two in next week and see how I feel. We'll see how it goes, I'll be doing a similar post for Phase 2 that I'll post next week about the same time, until then…stay tuned in on my Instagram, Twitter, Facebook for more food photos. | pretty good. I did notice late in the evening that my mental clarity and energy seemed to be higher. I felt really good. Went for a brisk half mile walk around the neighborhood before heading to bed. I think this is a key element in helping your body digest and burn off dinner before going to sleep.
A little restless last night waking up a few times from my sleep. It might just be the heat as its been about 90° when going to bed and only cooling down to about 82° by morning. Got up around 6:30 am, used the restroom and had another bowel movement. Weighed myself, lost another pound, now at 204 pounds.
One thing to note, since starting this week I haven't been running or mountain biking yet. The program suggest not doing strenuous exercise during the 21 day program. I want to go for a mild run or ride, maybe tomorrow. I am still doing the five Tibetan Rites exercises, 21 reps of each. They are getting easier and it feels good doing it in the morning when getting up.
Fruit bowl of 2 cups of fresh fruit. Pineapple, grapefruit, asian pear, and blueberries with half a cup of plain yogurt topped off with some fresh mint and roasted sunflower seeds. Also a slice of dry whole grain toast.
Tempeh and veggie sushi rolls, just like dinner last night. However this time the sushi turned out better with only the last two kinda falling apart. I still gotta make them tighter. Never the less, it still turned out delicious!
Then today's menu also called for some lentil lime salad and micro greens salad, but I just combined the two adding raw veggies like celery, carrots, corn, jicama, and herbs to the lentils with spices, lime zest, juice, and sesame oil. It was a good filling lunch.
Almonds, dried apricots, and an apple.
Stir fry veggies with quinoa. The one thing I noticed that most of these recipes don't call for is ginger, garlic, or chili peppers. A few key items that not only provide tremendous health benefit but also a ton of delicious flavor to food. So on many of the dishes I usually add in a clove of garlic and/or some fresh minced ginger. Plus I tend to enjoy spicy foods, so I add in fresh chopped chili peppers grown from my garden to both the stir fry and salad tonight.
I've always wanted to start using quinoa in my food. One of my favorite restaurants, Thomas Hill Organics in Paso Robles usually serves quinoa tossed with their side salad and its fantastic. Maybe this will help get me on a quinoa kick. The salad for dinner called for cucumber and tomato salad, but with more Mediterranean flavors using balsamic vinegar and basil. I thought that would not go so well with the stir fried veggies, so instead I used ginger, lime, mirin, and rice wine vinegar for the dressing. Overall delicious dinner.
One thing I noticed this morning is I'm not missing my morning espresso coffee, at least not the caffeine. I love the taste of good strong coffee, but I clearly don't need the so called boost it can give us from drinking it. Maybe after the reset I'll try decaf espresso beans when I want to enjoy a good cup of espresso.
Woke up around 6:00 am and had a much better night of sleep last night, I feel like I got a good deep sleep and Jäger the cat didn't wake me up, he came to me after I had already woken up. Otherwise I'm feeling about the same as yesterday. Got up and noticed my weight didn't change this morning. Then I did the five Tibetan Rites exercises and went down to drink some water and begin preparing breakfast. It is farmers market day, so I'm off to go get some fresh vegetables and fruit after breakfast.
Oatmeal with 3/4 cup of blueberries and walnuts.
Today's lunch was refreshing. Quinoa salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and herbs toss with a little lemon juice. Then a side serving of raw carrots, red bell peppers and cherry tomatoes with a serving of homemade hummus.
I need to remember that eating raw veggies and fruit as a meal makes you feel much better. I felt really good the rest of the afternoon, alert and focused with good energy.
For the hummus, I decided to make it from scratch using canned chickpeas (garbonzo beans) and northern white beans. It was easy to make, using the beans and mixing them together with some tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic cloves, a handful of fresh italian parsley, chili peppers from the garden, cumin, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a food processor.
No snack during the day, but I did have a delicious farmers market peach about an hour after dinner.
Stir fry veggies but with brown rice tonight. Most the veggies were fresh from the farmers market this morning. Brocoli, carrots, green beans, yellow squash, and thai basil, only mushroom and onions were not. This time I cooked them less than the other night, quicker on a higher heat to keep them nice and crispy. Still added ginger, garlic and chili peppers, essential spices for good flavor.
As part of the program take Optimize a half an hour before every meal, two pills, three times a day. The label says it promotes healthy metabolism and effective body functions.
Felt really good throughout the day and into the night. I stayed up late, till about midnight or so working on a project. I still went out for a half mile walk before heading to bed.
On and off night of sleep again, woke up at least 3 times, but by the morning around 7:00 am when I finally woke up I did feel fairly well rested. Got up to use the restroom, no bowel movement today, and weighed myself. Now at 203 pounds, for a total of 8 pounds lost in 6 days, not too bad. I hope by the end of the 21-days I'm down to 190 pounds. Did my five Tibetan Rights exercises, I noticed I'm getting more flexible on third and fourth rite. Must mean that something is working!
Baked tempeh with steamed coconut kale and avocado with a slice of whole grain toast (not pictured). I've been a vegetarian for 20 years now and I've had tempeh before, but rarely have I cooked with | 1,349 |
Goldsmith Facts
By Naomi Millburn
The Personality to Become a Photographer
i Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images
If you're skilled at working intricately with your hands and have an appreciation for jewelry, then working as a goldsmith might be a fulfilling path for you. Goldsmiths are responsible for conceptualizing and producing jewelry out of gold. They're often referred to simply as "jewelers."
It's All About Jewelry
From necklaces to rings, jewelry is goldsmiths' main focus. Not only will you outline plans for jewelry, you'll produce it. When a piece of jewelry is broken, you'll<|fim_middle|>antly, goldsmiths need to have focused and attentive personalities. People who get restless and bored easily aren't the best candidates. A sharp eye for aesthetics is a vital element, too. Artistic savvy is the foundation of the job, after all.
Goldsmith Education
If you wish to land a goldsmith position, ample training is a must. While many goldsmiths acquire knowledge and skills through a combination of observation and experience, training programs are also important. Many trade schools and colleges offer programs geared to goldsmiths, with course subjects ranging from fashion to jewelry design and restoration. Apprenticeships also can be extremely effective for aspiring goldsmiths.
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The Crafts and Culture of a Medieval Guild; Joann Jovinelly and Jason Netelkos
Money, It's Our Job; Gerry Bailey
United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics: Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers - What Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers Do
Career Opportunities in the Visual Arts; Richard P. Clark and Pamela Fehl
United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics: Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers - How to Become a Jeweler or Precious Stone and Metal Worker
Alberta Occupational Profiles: Jeweler | also fix it, if possible. Goldsmiths generally focus specifically on gold, as their name indicates. They often utilize other types of gemstones as well, however. Note that not all goldsmiths perform the same kinds of tasks. Some concentrate solely on fixing gold pieces, while others devote themselves entirely to drawing and planning them.
Handling Gold
When goldsmiths work with gold and other materials, they use a handful of techniques to give the pieces their desired forms. You'll trim, bend, roll and spin gold as a means of changing its appearance, for instance. Hammering was an especially common technique for goldsmiths far back in history. Engraving is another major part of a goldsmith's work.
Goldsmiths, for the most part, work inside. You often sit while you work, generally on benches tailored for your job. Goldsmiths typically work standard business hours, although there are always exceptions. When they have big workloads, they often extend their hours. This sometimes happens over the hectic holidays when the demand for jewelry is significantly higher.
Vital Qualities
Since making jewelry often calls for detail on extremely small surfaces, you'll have to have extremely sharp vision. You'll also have to be highly adept with your fingers and hands. Import | 258 |
Question for Dr Emma - "Fluoride Tablets"
Home ›Healthy Lifestyle Blog ›Question for Dr Emma - "Fluoride Tablets"
I'm generally quite an easy-going person. I don't like conflict and confrontation, but one of my pet peeves is the anti-fluoridation movement. I was once at a trade show, and asked a water filter salesman if his filters removed fluoride. He excitedly replied that they indeed did, then proceeded to pontificate about the evils of fluoride in our water supply until I disappointed him with the news that I was a dentist, and would not be buying his filters for the very reason he thought they were wonderful.
<|fim_middle|> needs to go, on his teeth, in a much more effective way than fluoride tablets will. | There's an overwhelming amount of evidence to show that the benefits of fluoride preventing tooth decay far outweigh the risks. Since the early 1900s, there has been a lot of research done showing that a fluoridated water supply results in less tooth decay in the population consuming it.
The benefit is just that though, on a population level, so it's not always going to be the most effective means of delivering fluoride for every individual. That's great news for your son, and many other people living in areas which don't have a fluoridated water supply.
When it was first discovered, there was a theory that fluoride being swallowed by young children helped their developing teeth to be more decay resistant. We now know that the primary benefit of fluoride is at a topical level. That is, when it's directly applied to the teeth rather than it being swallowed and then distributed through the body. Fluoridated water has a lot of contact with our teeth when we drink it, but it's at a low concentration to keep it safe to consume, (around 1ppm). A standard adult-strength toothpaste has around 1000ppm, which should only ever be applied topically and not swallowed.
A 2011 review of the research showed that topical fluoride, (such as toothpaste), was just as effective in preventing tooth decay as fluoride supplements, (drops, tablets, lozenges). It was extrapolated from that review that when a fluoride toothpaste is being used daily, extra fluoride supplements are probably going to be of limited benefit. Fluoride tablets also carry a higher risk of accidental overdose than toothpaste does, so it's hard to justify the risk if they're going to be of little value.
If your son is at low risk of decay, i.e. he has a good diet, good oral hygiene, uses a fluoride toothpaste and has had minimal decay in the past, he probably doesn't need any more fluoride than what's in his toothpaste. If your son is at a high risk of decay, I'd recommend using a fluoride mouth rinse or a high fluoride toothpaste (5000ppm) before considering supplements. These will deliver the fluoride exactly where it | 455 |
Home › Photography Masters › People › Biography: People/Portrait photographer Pedro Luis Raota
Biography: People/Portrait photographer Pedro Luis Raota
People, Photography Masters, Portrait 9 May 2015 0
Pedro Luis Raota (1934-1986) was an Argentinian photographer.
At a young age he sold his bicycle to buy a camera, determined to learn the art of photography. He quickly took up portrait photography in Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz and later moved to Villaguary where he enthusiastically set up his own studio. Since his first recognition in 1958, he<|fim_middle|> Pedro Luis Raota, People, Portrait
The Way We Were: The Photography of Julian Wasser
Ervin Marton: Paris, the Post-War years | won over 150 international awards and honors for his exceptional work in the humanitarian genre.
His photographs have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and are included in public and private collections around the world. Raota's unique and memorable talent for capturing the depth of human spirit in his photographs has brought him comparisons to other legendary photographers. Like Dorothea Lange or W. Eugene Smith, this Argentinian master presents haunting portraits of a stricken humanity. Other photographs are filled with joy or comical confrontations, spontaneous "decisive moments" akin to Cartier-Bresson or Robert Doisneau. There is a rare focused intensity of spirit in nearly all Raota's portraits, which has been compared to the work of Paul Strand. In the final analysis however, these extraordinary images step beyond comparisons to other photographers and stand apart as powerful masterpieces, unique and singularly moving.
© Pedro Luis Raota
Argentina, Biography, Born 1934, Featured, | 204 |
Dyson V15 Detect release date, price and features
Appliances News
The Dyson V15 Detect has launched in the US and UK, and is expected to arrive in other territories in the near future. Here's everything you need to know about Dyson's laser vacuum.
What you need to know about Dyson's most tech-filled cordless cleaner
By Emma Rowley, White Goods & Appliances Editor | 21 May 2021
The Dyson V15 Detect represents a fresh approach to cleaning, with some all-new tech to seek out, capture and - for the first time - catalogue dust. The latest iteration in the V-series of cordless cleaners features similar specs and design to the V11 but adds a laser, acoustic<|fim_middle|>. The vacuum cleaner also features a piezo sensor, which measures the quantity and size of dust detected.
First, carbon fibre filaments in the cleaning head pick up microscopic particles, which are sized and counted. At the entrance to the bin, the dust hits the piezo sensor, which converts the vibrations the dust produces into electrical signals. The LCD display will then show how many particles of each size have been picked up.
And, when auto mode is engaged, the vacuum cleaner will automatically increase suction when it comes across a larger amount of dust.
The V15 Detect also has two smaller cleaning heads optimised for dealing with hair. The high torque cleaner head has a comb-like attachment of polycarbonate teeth that prevents hair from tangling up in the bristles.
A second attachment, the all-new Hair Screw, is a conical cleaning head that spirals hair away from the brush bar and into the bin.
Which accessories does the V15 Detect come with?
In the US, the V15 comes with an armload of add-ons and attachments. As well as the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head, it comes with a high torque cleaning head featuring an anti-tangle comb, the Hair Screw tool, a crevice tool, a stubborn dirt brush, a mini soft dusting brush, a combination tool, plus a wand clip, docking station and charger.
Dyson often includes a different set of accessories in each territory, so its attachments will vary depending on where you buy it. We already know that two editions are set to launch in Australia, the Absolute Extra and the Total Clean, and we expect that the difference between the two will be the attachments offered with the vacuum cleaner.
All models will come with the laser Slim Fluffy head and it's likely that they'll come with one or both of the high torque head and hair screw tool.
The UK Absolute version is identical to the US one, except that it doesn't come with the stubborn dirt brush.
The Omni-glide is also part of Dyson's new line-up of vacuum cleaners. To find out what we know about the cleaner so far, check out our article on the Omni-glide's release date, price and features.
To see what we thought of Dyson's latest UK release, read our V15 Detect review and also have a look at our review of the Dyson V11 Outsize. And, for more cordless cleaner options, check out our round-up of the best vacuum cleaners we've tested. | dust detection and new anti-hair wrap cleaning heads to its repertoire.
To see what it's like to use, you can read our hands-on review.
When is the Dyson V15 Detect release date?
The V15 Detect is already available to buy from Dyson in the US and Dyson in the UK.
A Gizmodo article confirmed that the V15 Detect will launch in Australia on 27 May. It'll be available to buy from Dyson Australia. As yet, there is no release date for India.
What's the Dyson V15 Detect's price?
In the US, the V15 Detect is priced at $699.99. It's only available in a 'yellow and iron' colourway and comes with $75 of free additional cleaning tools.
Buyers have the option of a furniture detail kit, which includes a tool bag, an up-top adaptor and a mattress tool, or a carry and clean kit, which includes a tool bag, extension hose and a stubborn dirt brush.
In the UK, the V15 Detect costs £599, just like the V11 Absolute.
In Australia, according to Gizmodo, there will be two editions going on sale. The V15 Detect Total Clean will cost AUD 1,399 and the V15 Detect Absolute Extra will cost AUD 1,469.
From what we've come to expect of Dyson's editions, the Absolute Extra will come with more attachments than the Total Clean, although it's possible that the latter will have an attachment that doesn't come with the Absolute.
What are the V15 Detect's features?
The V15 Detect maintains the familiar style of the V-series vacuum cleaners, but with added new technology.
Like the V11, the V15 Detect is a modular vacuum cleaner with a swappable, click-in battery. It weighs 6.8lbs (3.08kg), fractionally more than the V11, which comes in at 6.68lbs (3.03).
Like the V11, it has 14 cyclones and a run time of up to 60 minutes, although, like all vacuum cleaner running times, this will be on the lowest setting, without motorised attachments. It charges in 4.5 hours and has a dustbin volume of 0.2 gallons (just over 0.75 litres, like the V11).
Both vacuum cleaners also feature a colour LCD screen. In the case of the V11, it's only used to display cleaning modes and battery life and for troubleshooting, should something go wrong. The V15 Detect uses it for much more, as we'll outline below.
The new cleaner represents a real change from the rest of the series thanks to its laser, acoustic dust sensing and redesigned anti-tangle cleaning heads.
The V15 Detect's main cleaning head (the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head) features a green diode laser angled from the ground in the best position to create contrast between dust and the floor. The laser's purpose is to illuminate dust that would otherwise be invisible to the naked eye, with the idea being that if you can see more dust, you can remove more dust.
But it won't just give you more visibility on the ground | 685 |
How Coronavirus is Affecting Operators in Asia
A look at how coronavirus is impacting in-destination operators in Asia.
Home In-Destination News How Coronavirus is Affecting Operators in Asia
Reading Time: 3min 30 sec
News regarding the coronavirus has flooded worldwide media, leading many China inbound travelers to cancel their travel plans, and their scheduled things to do.
With quarantine in effect in Wuhan, where the virus was first recorded, and fear of contagion spreading, many tour operators in Asia feel the impact.
"In the last one week since the threat of the virus and media reporting of it increased we have seen an onslaught of cancellations," says Laura Blackhall, owner of Hello! Tours, which operates in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, who says her cancellation rate for tours in Hong Kong was 72%, and 22% for Singapore.
Similarly, Brian Bergey, co-founder of Lost Plate Food Tours who operates primarily in four Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, and Chengdu), said coronavirus has significantly—and rapidly—impeded business. 80% of Bergey's guests who booked a tour in February and March have cancelled their trip to China, and many guests in April and May have done the same.
"Everything happened very quickly. On January 25 China began closing all tourist attractions … things like the Great Wall, Forbidden City, museums, zoos, and<|fim_middle|> economy
Arival News
New Forum For Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Bruce Rosard
by Bruce Rosard | January 13, 2021
Arival joins the Adventure Travel Trade Association and four partners at Come Together, a virtual AdventureConnect networking event; registration is now open.
Contending with Crises
Expedia Shutters Local Expert Offline Business
Douglas Quinby
by Douglas Quinby | December 18, 2020
In another sign of travel's troubled times, the online travel agency closes its once sizable, legacy offline business in Hawaii and Orlando.
Airbnb Will Create a New Mass Tourism Product
7 big takeaways from the Arival Town Hall on Airbnb Experiences | more," says Bergey. "China also ordered all tour companies, both inbound and outbound, to halt operations to limit large gatherings in public. Since we primarily service inbound tourists coming to China, this means we have no one to take on a tour."
Both Blackhall and Bergey are being proactive in their guest communication. Blackhall has updated guests with the current number of cases in Hong Kong, and is sending along information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for guidance on preventing illness while traveling. Likewise, Bergey is actively reaching out to travelers if they have not contacted the company themselves.
Prioritizing flexibility and processing cancellations is a smart tactic, says Blanca Menchaca, CEO of the Singapore-based BeMyGuest. "We can't emphasize strongly enough the importance for operators to be flexible, and support refunds for all affected travelers, especially the large and popular theme parks, who generally sell open dated, non-refundable tickets," she says. "As an industry, we need to stand by each other as much as possible. We remain observant of the situation, and we will continue to do so for the coming weeks. We hope the situation will stabilize soon."
Chee Chong Chan, CEO and co-founder of GlobalTix, based in Singapore, echoes Menchaca's message of unity among the in-destination industry during this challenging time. "This is a crucial period where the industry should stand united, and rally towards boosting consumers' confidence in travel," he says, adding that GlobalTix is working to help mitigate operator impact by extending ticket validity to reduce cancellations and create campaigns to drive domestic travelers.
"We have to educate and assure travelers that the chances of infection while on a holiday in Asia is low," says Chan. "Having said that, our industry also has to do our part to ensure this virus is contained through hygiene, quick communication or even take drastic steps sometimes to help to fight this battle."
The economic impact of the coronavirus is expected to be significant. "China's health crisis is testing the entire global economic system, and placing unexpected and additional strain on the fragility of an extended boom," reports the Wall Street Journal.
Reporting by Skift posits, particularly following the protests of 2019 (which are still occurring), Hong Kong tourism may be especially hard hit. As outbound Chinese travelers represent a vital economic opportunity around the world, many other regions may experience business lulls, too.
Negative media covering the coronavirus exacerbates the problem, says Bergey.
"I think the biggest problem is that there is a lot of scary news out there, along with a lot of unknowns and missing information," says Bergey. "It's important to keep everything in perspective, and while all of the precautions such as quarantines and travel restrictions are necessary, it doesn't mean the whole country of China (or all of Asia) is sick."
Despite the challenges brought by coronavirus, both Bergey and Blackhall are optimistic about the future.
"It is completely normal for businesses to go through ups and downs, whether it be from normal seasonal fluctuations in tourism every year or the extraordinary fluctuations caused by natural disasters, political turmoil or economic turbulence," says Blackhall. "Small businesses like ours have to be capable of weathering these cycles."
For Hello! Tours, that means running a lean business model with minimal fixed costs so when times are tough, they are never losing money. It also means Blackhall is focused on organically growing her business across Asia, so her company's success isn't reliant on one location.
Bergey is also positive about the future despite the current challenges. "We know that at some point everything will get better and tourists will start coming again," he says.
See more information on the coronavirus and Arival events here.
coronavirus, | 776 |
Patterson Cos. (PDCO) Hits Fresh High: Is There Still Room to Run?
Written by Zacks Equity Research for Zacks ->
Have you been paying attention to shares of Patterson Companies (PDCO)? Shares have been on the move with the stock up 35.6% over the past month. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $26 in the previous session. Patterson Companies has gained 25.9% since the start of the year compared to the 3.3% move for the Zacks Medical sector and the 8% return for the Zacks Medical - Dental Supplies industry.
What's Driving the Outperformance?
The stock has an impressive record of positive earnings surprises, as it hasn't missed our earnings consensus estimate in<|fim_middle|> shares could have a bit more room to run in the near term.
How Does Patterson Cos. Stack Up to the Competition?
Shares of Patterson Cos. have been moving higher, and the company still appears to be a decent choice, but what about the rest of the industry? Some of its industry peers are also looking good, including AmerisourceBergen (ABC), West Pharmaceutical Services (WST), and ResMed (RMD), all of which currently have a Zacks Rank of at least #2 and a VGM Score of at least B, making them well-rounded choices.
However, it is worth noting that the Zacks Industry Rank for this group is in the bottom half of the ranking, so it isn't all good news for Patterson Cos. Still, the fundamentals for Patterson Cos. are promising, and it still has potential despite being at a 52-week high.
Patterson Companies, Inc. (PDCO): Free Stock Analysis Report
AmerisourceBergen Corporation (ABC): Free Stock Analysis Report
ResMed Inc. (RMD): Free Stock Analysis Report
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST): Free Stock Analysis Report | any of the last four quarters. In its last earnings report on June 24, 2020, Patterson Cos. reported EPS of $0.43 versus consensus estimate of $0.17 while it beat the consensus revenue estimate by 1.89%.
For the current fiscal year, Patterson Cos. is expected to post earnings of $1.35 per share on $5.34 billion in revenues. This represents a -12.9% change in EPS on a -2.68% change in revenues. For the next fiscal year, the company is expected to earn $1.68 per share on $5.77 billion in revenues. This represents a year-over-year change of 24.26% and 7.99%, respectively.
Valuation Metrics
Patterson Cos. may be at a 52-week high right now, but what might the future hold for the stock? A key aspect of this question is taking a look at valuation metrics in order to determine if the company has run ahead of itself.
On this front, we can look at the Zacks Style Scores, as these give investors a variety of ways to comb through stocks (beyond looking at the Zacks Rank of a security). These styles are represented by grades running from A to F in the categories of Value, Growth, and Momentum, while there is a combined VGM Score as well. Investors should consider the style scores a valuable tool that can help you to pick the most appropriate Zacks Rank stocks based on their individual investment style.
Patterson Cos. has a Value Score of A. The stock's Growth and Momentum Scores are B and C, respectively, giving the company a VGM Score of A.
In terms of its value breakdown, the stock currently trades at 19.1X current fiscal year EPS estimates. On a trailing cash flow basis, the stock currently trades at 2.7X versus its peer group's average of 15X. Additionally, the stock has a PEG ratio of 2.8. This isn't enough to put the company in the top echelon of all stocks we cover from a value perspective.
We also need to consider the stock's Zacks Rank, as this supersedes any trend on the style score front. Fortunately, Patterson Cos. currently has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy) thanks to favorable earnings estimate revisions from covering analysts.
Since we recommend that investors select stocks carrying Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B, it looks as if Patterson Cos. passes the test. Thus, it seems as though Patterson Cos. | 558 |
Teaching journalism
Gerry Kreibich recalls the early days
A classroom scene
Chapter synopses
Letters Page
Musical philosophy
Really early days...
They went to Richmond
A show business interview
More Letters
Pioneering times
at Richmond
College, Sheffield
. . . when it was one of only SIX journalism colleges in England!
Thanks for visiting. Whether you are interested in journalism generally or more specifically in the training of journalists, you should find this stuff entertaining - and possibly even useful! Enjoy the read . . . and I'd be delighted if you dropped me a line.
gerry_kreibich@hotmail.com
Ex-student Neil gives us
all a brilliant read . . .
Neil Benson (with us in 1973/4) has written a top-notch cracker of a book about his varied and colourful 45 years in the business. He
writes: 'As a young reporter, all I had to worry about was taking a good shorthand note, writing my story and hitting the deadline. Today's journalist writes stories, takes photographs, shoots and edits video, creates social media posts, hosts and produces podcasts, understands search engine optimisation and can use digital analytics programs to drive audience growth and engagement with readers.' Wow!!
Neil has worked in Sheffield, Northampton, Bradford, Coventry, Newcastle and on Teeside, held two editorships, and been a Daily Express sub-editor in Manchester.
The book (Takahe Publishing Ltd, £10.95) is available from most online book stores. Take my word for it -- you'll love it!
AND THERE'S MORE: Neil's also written an entertaining
piece on the lost language of newspapers. It's a slice of
history. Find it with this link:
https://www.neilbensonmedia.co.uk/home/writing-journalism/the-lost-language-of-newspapers
And now - another novelist . . .
The latest former Richmond trainee to become a novelist is Francesca Hanikova. When she finished her full-year course in the 1970s, she became a trainee reporter on The Falmouth Packet, under the watchful eye of Mike Truscott – and now the two of them have produced their first novel together.
Lottery Loveboat (see Amazon books) is a light-hearted tale of a shy middle-aged bachelor who has a life-changing lottery win and finds himself on an ocean cruise with six women who have him in their sights. And there is already a second book nearing publication. The 'one author, two writers' arrangement has worked well, says Francesca, who is now Mrs Peterson and mother of five.
And here are a few more who have changed course . . .
Paul Mace, an enthusiastic football fan since he was a youngster, has written 'One Flew Over the Magpies Nest,' – a hefty history of his beloved Notts County.
Alan Biggs has written on sport in just about all the national dailies, as well as working for BBC radio and television, TalkSport and Sky. His 'Confessions of a Football Reporter' is packed with hilarious tales.
Ian Bevitt slid seamlessly from newspapers into TV directing, and his name still pops up on the screen.
Mat Dyson, well-armed with useful journalistic skills, skipped newspapers altogether and joined the Home Office and then the Foreign Office.. He is still visible on TV in old screenings of his role as a senior immigration officer, and he is now with UK Border Force at Heathrow, as Assistant Director and Head of Future Operations.
Jo Overty has the best job title! After 19 years with Isle of Man news publications she now works for the Isle of Man Government and is (wait for it!) UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man Project Officer.
Paul Linford worked on four newspapers before joining HoldTheFrontPage – the must-see news website for<|fim_middle|> Journalists was to impart editorial skills that would enable students to join provincial newspapers and immediately be useful. What happened to those students after that was up to them . . . and many are now prominent people in news- papers, magazines, radio and television
(and quite a few have retired!)
The work was often experimental - methods that worked well were constantly improved, bright ideas that failed were abandoned. Thus were laid the foundations of much that happens today in colleges and
universities all over Britain.
Nearly 50
years later. . .
. . . a bit of online searching
has located EIGHT members
of the 1974/5 group.
Go to Gallery Seven to
read their fascinating
catch-up letters
SIMON GETS INTO THE
Simon Bradshaw, a Richmond student in 1979, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for services to the community . . . his reward for keeping the Henley Standard alive against the odds right through the pandemic lockdowns.
He has been editor of the Standard for 14 years, and his award in the New Year Honours list came as a complete surprise. He said: It has been a real fillip for all those here in the editorial department who have worked so hard to bring the paper out each week, come what may.
Since his far-off college days, Simon has held top posts with Bradford Telegraph and Argus, Edinburgh Evening News, Newcastle Chronicle, the Brighton Argus and the Scottish Daily Record.
Grim memories of the
Yorkshire Ripper . . .
News of the death in hospital of the 'Yorkshire Ripper' brought back vivid college memories. Female students, frightened to make their way home alone after lectures, used to congregate in the entrance hall and make sure that they left the building in groups of three or four.
Once, on one of our visits to Sheffield's police
headquarters, the copper who was showing us round casually pointed to another officer and said 'There's the chap who arrested the Ripper'. Wow! All the girls could happily have hugged him!
Don't miss the
letter pages . . .
Letters from ex students have spilled over into a 'More
Letters' page . . . and each new contribution adds a fascinating - often surprising - cameo picture
of a life devoted to journalism. | Britain's provincial newspapers. Then ,a few years ago, he bought it, and he is now HTFP's owner/publisher.
A brief
deputy PM
Richmond student Peter Devine (left) interviewed the then deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in 2010 and asked him how he felt about recently having an egg thrown at him. 'How would you like it with an egg oozing down your back?' was the crisp reply.
ABOVE: Peter with Mr Prescott and his son David -- who was a Richmond classmate of Peter's a few years earlier.
***** There's a letter from Peter on the 'More Letters' page.
Who is this chap anyway?
Gerry Kreibich was one of five journalism lecturers at Richmond College, Sheffield, throughout the 1970s and 1980s. (For a bit more background, see the 'classroom scene' page.)
In those pioneering days the simple aim of the
National Council for the Training of | 206 |
Mindfulness is a spiritual practice. It is all about staying focused on the present moment and understanding how your choices, actions and behaviors impact your life and those around you<|fim_middle|> or problem, don't dive right in and do the work for them. Involve them in the creative process by asking "what do you think?". Allow them to explore their options and brainstorm with you to find the best answer. This Mindful Parenting Tool teaches problem solving and decisiveness, necessary for all humans to live more peacefully (child or adult).
2. TRY ON THE OPTIONS.
So many options! Making choices can lead to stress and even anxiety if you are not mindful. Young people have so many choices before them; from clubs and activities to peer pressure and classes; it can get overwhelming. Children need help learning to navigate every option that comes their way on a daily basis. A black and white Parenting approach of "do this and don't do that" is very limited and it doesn't allow for critical thinking skills. Empowering kids with tools to help them be selective and discerning is a mindful practice that has a positive, lifetime impact. The method of "trying on" options is so helpful because it allows you to safely experience something while empowering you to determine if its best for you. This can be done through visualization by asking "what would my life look like if I choose to do ___________". Once you try on your option, If you like what you see, you have your answer. If you don't like what you see, you have your answer.
Mindfulness heightens our gut feelings and instincts (our intuition). We know what is best for us and what is not, even as children. The most important thing is to be mindful and aware those feelings and act accordingly to avoid danger and make choices that are for our highest good. Teaching children about the sensations of their Solar Plexus Chakra can be quite helpful with this. Your Solar Plexus chakra (located a couple inches above your belly button) is very sensitive to energy; it's why your intuition is also called "gut instincts". Certain feelings in this area can warn you when something is just not quite right. These can include slight nausea, tension, tightening, butterflies and even slight pain or discomfort. Don't ignore these feelings, pay attention to what is happening when they occur. For example, if you feel nauseated every time you are around a certain person, that is a sign that something is off and you need to be aware and act accordingly (like avoid being alone with this person).
No, this is not about the "time out" technique for toddler tantrums ;). This is all about the power of the pause and when to apply it. Taking a "time out" before acting, reacting or deciding allows us to be more mindful of our behaviors, choices of the consequences. Teach your children not to respond to everything in life so immediately! We live in an on demand world, the TIME OUT gives us the chance to truly THINK about what is best for us. You have to emulate this behavior and teach it at the same time. Do you expect people to respond to your every need, question or whim upon demand? Do you answer every text and/or email within seconds? The "time out" teaches priority setting, parents need to use it for themselves before teaching it.
As situations arise with mindfully parenting your children, the first step in any parental intervention is to always look within. As the parent or caregiver, what has been your example of the behavior you are seeking to guide your child to change? What tone have you set with your own energy and is it contributing to what is happening? What changes can you make to support positive changes and/or model the behavior you expect from your child. Mindfulness is being aware that expecting something from another person, without actually living that expectation (leading by example), is inauthentic and ineffective. | . Mindfulness is taking responsibility for your part in the greater good; it is a way of life that makes you the leader of your own existence.
Mindfulness is also about energy. At its core, mindfulness requires honesty and truth-seeking, making it a very high vibrating practice. The more mindful you become, the higher your vibration soars. The positive energy created from integrity, honesty and making conscious choices, ultimately leads to a more loving and peaceful existence. When you are mindful, you do not seek to blame others, you do not stress over decisions, you do not judge, you do not react to negativity and you do not engage with toxic energy; this is because you take responsibility for your choices and act accordingly in all situations.
The practice of mindfulness applies to all areas of life and is especially powerful in parenting. Children learn the most from the example set by their parents or caregivers; they mirror our behavior. When you practice mindfulness for yourself, you teach them through your example. When you apply a mindful practice to parenting, you amplify the positive energy and results. Parents and caregivers who seek to look within and resist blaming, angering, reacting, denying and other toxic behaviors, ultimately teach these things to their children. As a result, stronger family bonds, that are truly based in unconditional love, are created.
Mindful people create peace whoever they go because they align more with that natural state. Being mindful of your choices, behavior, words, thoughts and actions requires discipline and practice; it is an ongoing evolution. Mindfulness is best taught by parental example; in this manner, it is simply a way of life imparted from a very young age. The results of these teachings create empowered, personally responsible people who spread positive energy by living at a higher vibration; it's something our world definitely needs much more of to more and more peace (which happens one person at a time).
As a parent, mindfulness tools allow you to teach your children responsibility on another level; always bringing the discussion back to being conscious of choices and behaviors. It's an incredibly valuable way to teach accountability, avoiding the common pitfalls of arguing and drama that can occur (particularly with teen years). Plus, you truly enable children to be properly prepared for adult living; as these principles are the tools of many personal development programs, that lots of grown-ups pay big bucks for and spend many years learning.
Decision-making and problem-solving are some of the most important things adults deal with on a daily basis, yet it is not addressed enough in childhood education at all. This is a top priority for parents and caregivers to teach, mostly by our own example of how we handle making decisions and solving problems. You have to first be able to apply a mindful approach with your own behavior. Are you indecisive? Do you freak out when there's a problem? Take a personal inventory and apply mindfulness to your own behavior first. When your child comes to you for help with decision | 592 |
On August 30:
1705 — David Hartley was born. Hartley founded the school of associationism, stressing contiguous brain vibrations as the cause of learning, forgetting, imagination, and perception. Contiguity remains a central explanatory principle of these phenomena.
1890 — The nation's oldest federal mental hospital, St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, DC, was authorized by Congress to purchase additional land for expansion. The land acquired was known as the Oxon Hill Manor and overlooked the Potomac River about 3 miles (5 km) from the hospital.
1914 — Roger W. Russell was born. Russell's academic interests have been in the biochemistry of behavior, psychopharmacology, the effects of environmental stressors on behavior, neurophysiology, and psychiatry. Executive Secretary of the APA, 1956-1959.
1916 — Virginia Staudt Sexton was born. Sexton's writing has illuminated the histories of special groups of psychologists, notably Roman Catholics, humanists, international psychologists, and women. Her organizational and academic work has broadened the scope of psychology and informed psychologists about their histories and relations with each other.
1930 — Nancy Mayer Robinson was born. Robinson has specialized in research on behavior pathologies in children, mental retardation, giftedness, behavioral techniques of treatment and education, and the efficacy of daycare. Her book The Mentally Retarded Child: A Psychological Approach (1965, with Halbert B. Robinson) has been a definitive text.
1933 — Saul Sternberg was born. Sternberg's contributions to the field of information processing have included several experimental procedures, analytic techniques, and experimental models, including the Sternberg memory scanning paradigm and the serial exhaustive research model. APA Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, 1987.
1937 — The first formal meeting of the American Association for Applied Psychology (AAAP) began in Minneapolis. Douglas Fryer was elected president by the 400 members. The AAAP succeeded the Association of Consulting Psychologists and focused on practice issues, in contrast to the academic orientation of the APA. The AAAP and APA reunited when the APA reorganized in 1944.
1945 — The first certificate to practice psychology was granted by a U.S. state board of examiners in psychology. The Connecticut board granted the certificate to its chair, Walter R. Miles, on the occasion of the first meeting of the board. The Connecticut certification law, the nation's first, had<|fim_middle|>us. It was the first study relating sexual preference to a brain center implicated in sexual behavior. | been enacted on July 19, 1945.
1951 — Responding to a request from the Veterans Administration, the Northwestern Conference, a conference of members of APA Division 17 (Counseling Psychology), produced the first APA Standards for Training Counseling Psychologists. Edward Bordin, Frances Robinson, C. Gilbert Wrenn, and Donald Super led the effort. After site visits, 17 doctoral programs were granted APA approval.
1961 — The American Association of State Psychological Boards held its first formal annual meeting at New York's Hotel Commodore during the APA convention. Chester C. Bennett was the first president. The new organization was comprised of 29 state boards. Its name was changed to the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards in 1991.
1961 — Undergraduate Curricula in Psychology, the report of the second national conference on teaching psychology at the undergraduate level, was published. The conference itself was held at the University of Michigan during the summer of 1960. Wilbert J. McKeachie and John E. Milholland directed the conference. Lawrence E. Cole, William Hunt, Robert Leeper, Wilbert Ray, Robert L. Isaacson, James V. McConnell, and Edward L. Walker were the other participants.
1965 — Michael Argyle and Janet Dean's article "Eye-Contact, Distance, and Affiliation" was published in Sociometry. In 1979, this article was featured as a "citation classic" by the journal Current Contents.
1965 — Michael Wallach and Nathan Kogan's book Modes of Thinking in Young Children: A Study of the Creativity-Intelligence Distinction was published. This book was featured as a "citation classic" in a 1980 issue of the journal Current Contents.
1967 — The first edition of Sol L. Garfield and Allen E. Bergin's Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change: An Empirical Analysis was published.
1973 — The APA Council of Representatives admitted Division 34 (Population and Environmental Psychology). Vaida Thompson was the first divisional president.
1973 — The APA Council of Representatives admitted Division 35 (Psychology of Women).
1973 — The Association of Gay Psychologists' Caucus held its first meeting at the APA convention in Montreal. This was the first advocacy effort on behalf of gay and lesbian psychologists and led to an APA task force on lesbian and gay concerns.
1974 — The first APA Master Lecture was presented by Kurt Schlesinger on "Behavior Genetics: Current Status and Perspective" at the 82nd Annual Convention in New Orleans.
1991 — Neurobiologist Simon LeVay's article "Is Homosexuality Biological?" appeared in Science. LeVay's study demonstrated a relation between sexual preference in men and the size of the INAH-3 cluster of cells in the anterior hypothalam | 615 |
Success! The Red Team poses for a group photo at 10,358 feet.
As they crested the crater's rim, a cold, rushing wind whipped around them and tore at their clothes. After five hours of trudging up 4<|fim_middle|> year, more than 80 students were broken into teams of 9-12 people and sent into the wild.
The annual event, known as Walkabout, brings students together to learn principles of leadership and service they will need as resident advisors. Each student has the opportunity to emerge from this process with a stronger and more personalized sense of values and commitments, a greater awareness and celebration of their own strengths, and the knowledge that their limitations need not keep them from succeeding.
Jaynie Post, a junior psychology major, said she was nervous when the hike started, but every step forward made her more and more excited. Soon, the anxiety was gone.
"Then it was just awe and wonder at things I've never seen," she said. | ,000 vertical feet on a steep trail covered in volcanic rubble, the students were tired, but they found a hidden energy.
They hugged and gave high fives.
Just two hours earlier, some of them had been wearily quoting Monty Python, calling "Bring out your dead!" between deep breaths and footsteps.
Devine, along with eight other students, were three days into a weeklong hiking trip, and every one of them passed the biggest physical challenge: get to the top of the mountain.
On Aug. 17, the Red Team woke up at 4 a.m., packed their gear and set out to climb the South Sister, a 10,358-foot volcano and Oregon's third-highest peak. A little after 10 a.m., the whole team stood on the summit.
The view from the South Sister's summit reveals the striking peaks of the Middle and North Sisters. Mount Washington, Mount Hood and Mount St. Helen's were also visible that day.
The students, many of whom had never climbed a mountain before, were left amazed at the view and the achievement.
Each year, all of George Fox University's resident assistants and student government leaders – accompanied by a guide and an area coordinator – spend a week hiking and camping in the Three Sisters Wilderness near Bend, Ore. This | 270 |
Study protocol
Structured self-management education maintained over two years in insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes patients: the ERMIES randomised trial in Reunion Island
Xavier Debussche1,2,7,
Fidéline Collin3,
Adrian Fianu2,
Maryvette Balcou-Debussche4,5,
Isabelle Fouet-Rosiers1,3,
Michèle Koleck6 &
François Favier2
Self-management education programs can reduce the complications and mortality in type 2 diabetes. The need to structure these programs for outpatient and community care with a vision for long-term maintenance has been recognised. In Reunion Island, an area affected by epidemiological and nutritional transition, diabetes affects 18% of the adult population over 30 years, with major social disparities, poor glycaemic control and frequent cardiovascular complications.
Methods/Design
ERMIES is a randomised controlled trial designed to test the efficacy of a long-term (2 years) structured group self management educational intervention in improving blood glucose in non-recent, insufficiently controlled diabetes. After an initial structured educational cycle carried out blind for the intervention arm, patients will be randomised in two parallel group arms of 120 subjects: structured on-going group with educational intervention maintained over two years, versus only initial education. Education sessions are organised through a regional diabetes management network, and performed by trained registered nurses at close quarters. The educational approach is theoretically based (socio-constructivism, social contextualisation, empowerment, action planning) and reproducible, thanks to curricula and handouts for educators and learners. The subjects will be recruited from five hospital outpatient settings all over Reunion Island. The main eligibility criteria include: age ≥18 years, type 2 diabetes treated for more than one year, HbA1c ≥ 7.5% for ≥3 months, without any severe evolving complication (ischaemic or proliferative retinopathy, severe renal insufficiency, coronaropathy or evolving foot lesion), and absence of any major physical or cognitive handicap. The primary outcome measure is HbA1c evolution between inclusion and 2 years. The secondary outcome measures include anthropometric indicators, blood pressure,<|fim_middle|> between the intervention and treatment category will be tested in the appropriate multivariate models (ANCOVA, GEE, time-dependent variable in the Cox model).
Nested qualitative study
The associated qualitative study will be conducted on a sample of 30 to 40 persons in both arms, and will include observation and recording group sessions as well as semi-directive conducted interviews at home.
The objectives of the ethno-sociological qualitative study are: i) to analyse the learning processes during the education sessions, and then in individual contexts to analyse the developments in health 'literacy' is taken to mean not only reading and writing ability and numeracy, but also information searching, cognitive work and decision-making [63] in the various areas covered by the SME process. These areas are: food, physical activity, control of risk factors in complications, blood sugar self-monitoring and adaptation of the treatment. 2) analysing the adaptation processes in context and their links with the sessions, interactions in the education session and literacy levels; 3) endeavouring to generate barriers and enablers in developing self-management.
The participants in the qualitative study will be selected on a non-random basis by the head of the ethno-sociological survey (M. Balcou-Debussche), so as to have a sufficiently wide panel of participants, taking account of the age, sex, length of time since the onset of diabetes and its level of control and complications, professional activity, habitat, socio-economic level and level of education. The possibility of inclusion in the ethno-sociological research (including interviews at home) will be specified in the information letter and consent form. Additional oral information will be provided for a qualitative study of participants on the aims and precise conditions of this survey.
An analysis will be made of the content of the themes covered in the interviews and the recurring themes. The categories and signifiers will be developed using the constant comparison method. The emerging themes can be included and developed in new analysis and data-gathering cycles [64]. The session observations will include an ethnographic summary of language interactions, speaking and activities of participants. All the data, themes and recurrence will be the subject of cross-analyses of the same individuals according to the context, sessions or interviews. The analyses will also cover the evolution since the beginning of the research, as well as differences between individuals. All the data will be coded and analysed with the aid of the N-Vivo 9 software QSR international.
Collection of biological samples
Serum collection will be performed at inclusion, as well as at one year and two years for the purpose of a posteriori secondary analyses on the evolution of more specific indicators of the risk of long-term complications of type 2 diabetes. In particular, inflammation and immunity factors, oxidative status and lipid fractions (size and density of LDL, HDL fractions, atherogenic lipoproteins).
This study has received approval from the ethics committee, "CPP Sud-ouest et Outre Mer III" and authorisation from the French Health Products Safety Agency (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits de santé, Afssaps).
Available studies which were carried out on the basis of these inclusion criteria (adult diabetes patients remaining at very high risk of complications due to persistent poor blood glucose control with HbA1c in excess of 7.5%) have shown a favourable effect from educational intervention at six months and one year, but the question of the efficacy of maintenance at two years, and of intensification by means of on-going structured intervention at the proximity level, still remains unanswered as compared to a sole initial structured education.
The relatively heterogeneousness of these patients showing insufficient therapeutic control (treatment by OADs or GLP-1 analogue, basal or multi-day insulin therapy) may give rise to significant differences in metabolic control. Randomisation with stratification into two groups in accordance with the addition of insulin therapy will make it possible to balance the spread of treatments between the two arms at the time of inclusion, and to assess situations presenting comparable initial medication treatments. On the other hand, anti-diabetic treatments may mask the effects of therapeutic education on the level of blood glucose control: i.e. the drug therapy reinforcement required due to the lower efficacy of the education in one group could minimise the difference between the two intervention groups. Although that is not the case in the available studies that have assessed this issue, it appears important to record the changes of anti-diabetic treatments occurring throughout the study [22, 23, 39].
Maintained structured educational on-going support over two years requires co-ordination, in parallel with medical and diabetological supervision, thanks to the existence of an education coordination network in Reunion. The network has the resources and already conducts structured education cycles. Self management education sessions are carried out by trained and experienced health care professionals, with an empowerment approach. The SME style is theoretically based and reproducible, with curricula and handouts making it possible to renew educational actions on the same bases. The potential investment of peer educators or expert patients has not been retained for this ERMIES study design, since the French and Reunion context is currently not yet ready to include such issues. However, this is an important clue to evaluate and implement in the future [37–39].
The primary outcome will be based on the evolution of HbA1c at two years, in order to measure the maintenance of improved metabolic control by means of a reliable and representative gauge of the long-term risk of microvascular and macrovascular complications. The purpose of educational intervention on an individual and on a collective level is to prevent the occurrence of secondary complications in the long term. Demonstrating a significant effect on the prevention of secondary complications will nevertheless take several years [5, 6], but HbA1c and cardiovascular risk factors are solid intermediate outcomes in the case of type 2 diabetes. Since it appears difficult to envisage a combined outcome of the various cardiovascular risk factors with HbA1c, we have chosen to retain HbA1c as the main outcome, particularly since most of the available studies have been based on it.
The qualitative, ethno-sociological study [14] will allow a more detailed analysis of the determinants and processes enabling people to make progress in the control of the disease, taking into account the interactions during the session, but also particular contexts, (individual, social, cultural factors) [65], and potential strengths to be leveraged for improved health literacy, which is deemed to mean the integration of significant processes to acquire information and knowledge, understanding and decisions [63].
The efficacy and potential significance of organising education groups at close quarters over the long term are important to specify. Delivering to each patient an individualised multidisciplinary therapeutic education requires time and human resources, and entails a significant cost. On the other hand self-management group education is difficult to structure, and requires organisational capacities of teams and professionals, but it ultimately enables the individual approach to be reserved for cases that genuinely need it. Furthermore, the modalities of patient-adapted group education are still being debated. The results of the present study will thus indicate whether such long-term structuring patient education in insufficiently controlled diabetes provides a real benefit, as compared to initial education over several weeks. The possibility, within the fabric of the current healthcare system, particularly in France and Reunion, of offering structured, community-based education to patients in difficulty opens up the potential to provide support for specialist and hospital teams which are facing increasing demand for type 2 diabetes management. The link to a qualitative ethno-sociological study will provide knowledge of the learning processes in context, and change factors in practices, which will make it possible to adapt and direct future actions in terms of prevention and therapeutic education.
Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique interrégional, Ministry of Health, France, 2010.
EPMC:
Education Prévention des Maladies Chroniques
ERMIES:
Multicentre randomised trial of structured educational intervention in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes
OAD:
Oral antidiabetic drugs
SME:
Self-management education
T2D:
Type 2 diabetes.
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This project is supported by grants from the Programme Hospitalier de Recherche Clinique Interrégional 2010, French Ministry of Health. Sponsor institution of the study is the Regional Teaching Hospital of La Réunion, France. We are grateful to Ms Liliane Cotte, Drs Jean-Hugues Gatina, Stéphane Schneebeli, Nathalie Le Moullec, Yogananda Thirapathi and Jean-Luc Yvin for fruitful discussion and support. We also wish to acknowledge Dr Alicia Moguilevsky and her team for the English editing of the article.
Metabolic and Chronic Diseases Department, Endocrinology, Diabetology and Nutrition Unit, CHU of La Reunion, Saint-Denis, La Reunion, France
Xavier Debussche & Isabelle Fouet-Rosiers
Centre for Clinical Investigation-Clinical Epidemiology (CIC-EC INSERM/CHU/University), CHU of La Réunion, Saint-Pierre/Saint-Denis, La Reunion, France
Xavier Debussche, Adrian Fianu & François Favier
Clinical Research and Innovation Department, CHU of La Reunion, La Reunion, France
Fidéline Collin & Isabelle Fouet-Rosiers
LCF (Languages, texts and communication in Creole and French speaking spaces), IUFM-University of La Reunion, CNRS- UMR 8143, Saint-Denis, La Reunion, France
Maryvette Balcou-Debussche
UNiRès, UNiversities/IUFM network for health education, Blaise Pascal University, Clermont-Ferrand II, Chamallières, France
Health Psychology laboratory, Victor Segalen University (Bordeaux 2), EA 487, Bordeaux, France
Michèle Koleck
Diabétologie- Endocrinologie, Hôpital Félix Guyon, CHU de la Réunion, 97405, Saint-Denis, Cedex, France
Xavier Debussche
Fidéline Collin
Adrian Fianu
Isabelle Fouet-Rosiers
François Favier
Correspondence to Xavier Debussche.
XD was the initiator for this study, XD, FC and AF drafted the study protocol. XD organised the recruitment of the centres. XD, FF, AF, and MK developed the questionnaires, FC, AF, FF organised the data collection and management and the administration of the whole study. MBD and XD developed the SME programme; MBD drafted the protocol of the nested qualitative study. AF conducted the power calculation, supervised the analyses and gave statistical and methodological input. IFR and XD are the organisers of the nurses' education course and patient self-management group education follow-up. XD, FC and AF wrote and revised the final manuscript, and all authors read and approved it.
Debussche, X., Collin, F., Fianu, A. et al. Structured self-management education maintained over two years in insufficiently controlled type 2 diabetes patients: the ERMIES randomised trial in Reunion Island. Cardiovasc Diabetol 11, 91 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2840-11-91
Randomised controlled trial
Learning nests | lipids, antidiabetic medications, level of physical activity, food ingestion, quality of life, social support, anxiety, depression levels and self-efficacy. An associated nested qualitative study will be conducted with 30 to 40 subjects in order to analyse the learning and adaptation processes during the education cycles, and throughout the study.
This research will help to address the necessary but difficult issue of structuring therapeutic education in type 2 diabetes based on: efficacy and potential interest of organising on-going empowerment group–sessions, at close quarters, over the long term, in a heterogeneous socioeconomic environment.
ID_RCB number: 2011-A00046-35
Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT01425866
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic and increasingly common disease linked to changes associated with sedentary lifestyles and inappropriate food energy intake [1]. The prevalence of known and treated diabetes is close to 4% in France, and up to 18% among adults aged over 30 years in Reunion Island, a French overseas region [2]. This situation gives rise to major costs, with overall expenditure in France estimated at €5,710 billion in 2000 [3]. In Reunion, the financial direct impact associated with diabetes and its complications is estimated at €5,451 per patient [4].
Intervention trials in T2D have clearly shown that complications can be prevented or delayed by rigorous control of the blood sugar level and risk factors [5, 6]. An improvement of one point in HbA1c is associated with a 20% decrease in the occurrence of macrovascular complications and 30% to 40% decrease of microvascular complications [6]. Diabetes and the associated risk factors nevertheless remain poorly controlled for the most part [7, 8]. In Reunion Island, as in France, glycaemic targets are not achieved: in the REDIA study, HbA1c was 8.4 ± 0.2% in patients treated with oral antidiabetic drugs (OAD) and 9 ± 0.5% in insulin-treated patients [2].
For subjects with T2D, four imperatives must be maintained over the long term to contribute to the prevention of complications: adherence to diet, physical activity, treatments and monitoring checks. In order to achieve these objectives the treatment, and optimum medical follow-up, must be associated with therapeutic patient education [9–11]. Self-management education (SME) aims to help patients to acquire or maintain the skills they need to manage their life with a chronic disease as effectively as possible [12]. These education actions must be based on solid theoretical foundations which take into account the complexity of the chronic disease [13–16] and the integration of the individual [15, 17, 18] in his or her social, family and cultural environment, as part of an appropriate approach taking into account social configurations [19, 20] and capacities for change [21].
Several randomised trials assessing SME in T2D have been carried out in the last 20 years. Reviews and meta-analyses are available [22–25]. These have produced overall positive effects of intensive initial therapeutic education in T2D. However, results remain moderate beyond the short term (six months to 1 year). In known T2D, five to 10 years on average after diagnosis, improvements have been demonstrated in metabolic control, self-efficacy, self-management practices, satisfaction and quality of life [25], including in elderly subjects and ethnic minorities [26]. The currently available data underline the need to test structured and replicable group approaches with long-term educational multidisciplinary support, on precise theoretical bases and adapted to different publics and cultures [22, 27, 28]. Interventions calling for group education have two major attractions: reduced costs due to the grouping of several patients with a trainer, and effective learning time which enables patients to gain knowledge and to develop new skills. Nevertheless, the practice of group education could be difficult to implement, essentially because of organisational problems.
Whereas the effects of initial structured education have by and large been demonstrated at one year, the results remain moderate and appear to decrease thereafter. In a population of disadvantaged patients with poorly controlled diabetes, Brown et al., [29] showed the positive effects at one year of more numerous and repeated group sessions. The total effective education time improves the overall results of self-management programmes up to one year [22, 29–32], but total uncertainty remains with regard to the question of providing on-going support with group education beyond one year for patients who received a structured initial education cycle [23–25, 33]. The four-year ROMEO Italian trial [32] compared "systemic" group education with medical follow-up alone. The sessions were conducted on an outpatient basis within the diabetes secondary care structure. They showed a very positive effect on the metabolic control, increasing over time. The intervention comprised one hour education sessions delivered on a three monthly basis. The DESMOND programme, including a single initial 6-hr structured education cycle of six hours, in a recently diagnosed T2D, has had a favourable impact on weight, risk factors, beliefs and health practices, but no effect on the level of HbA1c at one and three years compared to a randomised control group [34, 35]. A self-management intervention involving 10 two-hour group sessions in a primary care setting in Sweden, over a period of nine months, showed a 1.4% difference in HbA1c level at five years [36]. The requirement for long term maintenance closer to patients, at the community level and/or led by peer educators, has been stressed [37, 38]. The expert patient education (X-PERT) programme delivered over six 2 hour-sessions reported HbA1c improvements at 14 months (−0.6% v 0.1%), although long term outcomes have not yet been reported [39].
In Reunion, the population remains socially and economically fragile on the whole [40]. A very high proportion −43.6% in 2002 – receive free complementary health cover. The REDIA-prev2 study conducted in 2004 in the two hospital centres in the north and the south of the island, failed to demonstrate the effect at one year of quarterly one-to-one counselling encounter with a registered nurse educator and a dietician [31]. Since 2004, the RéuCARE (Réunion Cœur Artères Rein Education) regional network in Reunion is based around the establishment of group SMEs in accordance with the learning nests approach whose theoretical bases draw on socio-constructivism, empowerment and cognitive social theories, and integrate the heterogeneity of individuals, including literacy level heterogeneity [41]. The educational group sessions take place at close quarters, organised all over Reunion Island. Educators are health professionals trained to hold learning sessions, with the learning nests empowerment approach. The present ERMIES study challenges the hypothesis that in difficult-to-control T2D a feasible and reproducible group-based structured empowering SME, lasting for two years at the proximity level, helps to achieve better metabolic control, as evidenced by the level of HbA1c, compared to an initial education cycle only. The ERMIES programme includes in both control and intervention groups an initial cycle made up of a minimum of three 2 hr long sessions in an empowerment model. The programme in the intervention group involves supplementary 4-monthly empowerment 2 hr sessions over 2 years.
This is a multicentre open (except during the common initial education cycle) randomised two-arm controlled trial (Figure 1). This trial will be associated with a qualitative ethno-sociological study conducted on a sample of 30–40 persons.
Design of the protocol over two years in Reunion Island, ERMIES, 2011–2014.
Patients will be recruited from five different outpatient secondary settings in the four hospitals of the Reunion Island, and will be seen in outpatient consultations. Detailed information will be given by the investigating physician on the objectives of the study, its nature and constraints, the anticipated risks, and the expected benefits. Patients will be included in the study, and followed-up for two years, once a consent form has been signed.
Inclusion criteria: patients aged over 18 with type 2 diabetes, defined in accordance with WHO criteria treated for at least one year (OAD and/or insulin and/or GLP-1 analog); HbA1c ≥ 7.5% for three months or over; treatment regimen stable for at least three months (except for possible changes to insulin doses in the previous three months); living in Reunion Island, affiliated to French national health insurance, and patients having signed a consent form for participation in the trial.
Non-inclusion criteria: current or scheduled treatment liable to influence blood sugar levels, such as corticotherapy; current or recent hospitalisation (< three months) associated with the diabetes; structured education intervention in hospital or on outpatient basis in previous three months; severe evolving current complication: ischemic or proliferative retinopathy, severe chronic renal insufficiency (clearance < 15 ml/min), coronary heart disease, foot lesions; current pregnancy or desire for pregnancy during the trial; evolving cancer (except baso-cellular or spino-cellular cutaneous epithelioma); severe physical, cognitive or mental illness handicap; concomitant participation in a therapeutic intervention trial.
The patients randomised in both arms will benefit from a structured initial cycle. Trained educators, blind to the subsequent group allocation, will conduct this initial group education cycle within the 12 weeks following inclusion. At the end of these 12 weeks the blinding will be lifted, and the patients randomised in the two-year education arm will continue to receive on-going structured group education. All group sessions will take place at close quarters, organised by the RéuCARE health network in specific locations in each town (municipal and/or community settings).
Patients are reminded by telephone during the week prior to each educational session to confirm the date, time and place. Patients who fail to attend the session will be called within two days and offered a new schedule.
Structured group SME intervention
The theoretical basis and framework of the Learning nests' approach for the structured educational intervention [14, 42].
The complex nature of chronic diseases requires that therapeutic education takes into account both its biomedical and psychosocial dimensions. Learning nests work on knowledge to be built, and social, individual and contextual dimensions of learning, as well as the required decision of actions on a long-term basis, taking into account the heterogeneity of individuals and of their conditions. The learning nests are based on the contributions of socio-constructivism [43, 44], and empowerment [45], and take into account the enhancement of self-efficacy [18], through skill mastery, problem solving, decision making and action planning.
Fine components structure the approach of learning nest group sessions:
Component 1: Self analysis of relevant knowledge. The learner is placed in a condition to be able to analyse the relevant knowledge before making the decisions, which will be his own and not subordinated to those of the educator. Each learning nest offers a constructive meeting between the learners' ideas and the reference knowledge. Since the Learning nests do not include lectures, this meeting is dealt with through diversified actions exercised by the learner, on forms of knowledge that are made manifest and manipulable.
Component 2: Acknowledgement of individual contexts and problem-solving. The patient's "ordinary" context is legitimised by virtue of the visibility conferred on it (photographs, handouts, material, foods, ...). The learner can thus identify the affordances of his or her environment. The learner can continue to "manipulate" the reference knowledge in his own particular context. The encounter with the reference knowledge takes place in the presence of the health professional, and this body of knowledge is conveyed into the patients' context in the form of booklets that make sense to them, because the information has been put together there and then.
Component 3: Individual heterogeneity as an asset for self-assessment and action. The heterogeneity of the patients is not considered a problem, but as something of value, which is taken into account in the very act of designing the situation. The analytic dimension of the work to be carried out by patients is of importance. The specific individual characteristics of the patients can be integrated without exception. The outcome of each learning nest thus varies over a range of different solutions, and not a single one.
Component 4: The long lasting dimension of self management. The learning nests integrate the lasting dimension of chronic illness and the necessity of thinking the action over for a long time before seeing the first results. The decision for action always remains the property of the patient, with a space for encouraged actions in parallel, which leads the trainer to work with the patient's individual dispositions, helping the patient to become aware of the advantages and constraints of his environment. At the end of each group session patients identify a goal and an action plan related to their context. At the beginning of the each subsequent session patients are invited to reflect on their experience of working on their self-selected goals, and talk about what they had learned and how it could be applied in the future. Patients are encouraged to discuss events that had occurred and to reflect on how these events had affected self-management and action.
Component 5: Culturally tailored education materials. In addition to ensuring cultural relevance by focusing on the priorities and the personal contexts of the patients in the program, learning nests use education materials that are developed with and for the target audience: local foods, contextual photographs, natural surroundings, occupations, clothing, appropriate reading level, coloured items (for identification).
Learning nests incorporate and emphasise behavioural strategies, rather than a traditional didactic approach, including curricula and handouts that have been developed to meet the specific needs of the target population [14, 19, 40, 46]. They also involve psychosocial dimensions, and the presence of the context in which the chronic illness is dealt [47] with on a daily basis, and the patient's need for a decision on actions to be taken.
The learning nest can be defined as a learning empowerment situation centred on the construction of bodies of knowledge, in which the knowledge worked on in a given situation will enable the patient to take decisions relating to his health management. The patient has the possibility to modify his everyday practices (nutrition, physical activity, taking medication) while bearing in mind his/her existence in relation with the others, with his environment, his resources and his culture. Patients become aware of the issues they can manage on a priority basis, taking account of not only of medical dimensions (level of HbA1c, other risk factors, treatment, etc.), but also psycho-sociological, contextual, environmental, cultural and economic dimensions. This work results in a decision which incorporates a positive view of health and feasibility in contexts in which the patient will develop. Whatever the specific cultural, religious and socio-economic background of the patients, each can work on the basis of his own data, reinforce his own views and find a way ahead which takes into account the constraints and strengths of his social, family and personal life.
The material, process and the design of each educational group session are detailed in specific booklets for learners, including those with literacy difficulties. Booklets for educators include a curriculum written protocol, available in French and in the English language (EPMC booklets; Education Prévention des Maladies Chroniques[48]), allowing replication of the educational intervention.
Initial education cycle
The initial cycle consists of 3 to 7 educational weekly or bi-weekly 2-hour group sessions for 4 to 10 patients:
Personalised assessment group session (120 minutes): patients work on their own clinical and biological factors that can influence health maintenance (blood glucose, blood pressure, lipids, weight, waist circumference, smoking), before looking at lifestyle measure effects and specific impacts of eventual changes. They then scrutinise the feasibility of action planning and implementation in real life, and goal-setting taking into account all individual, social, and contextual dimensions. At the end of this session, each learner can schedule 2 to 6 specific additional focused sessions, according his/her needs and goal-setting.
Two to 6 specific additional focused sessions of 90 to 120 minutes, spaced at intervals of 1 to 2 weeks (3 weeks maximum). These sessions are selected on the six following themes: self-monitoring and adaptation of treatment - physical activity - food and control of fat intake – understanding of diabetes and treatment – challenges of insulin therapy – prevention of foot lesions.
On-going SME support: personalised empowerment follow-up including group sessions of 90 to 120 minutes each, with three to ten patients at 16, 32, 48, 64, 80 and 96 weeks. Each session will be scheduled at the end of the previous session. Patients will work on the progress of their indicators as follows: medical (HbA1c levels, blood sugar, arterial pressure, lipids, waist circumference, smoking, treatments); health coping and goal setting (action(s) initially decided on, actual implementation, obstacles); cognitive (review of knowledge gained through the first session assessment session and additional sessions). The summary of the session comprises objectives for action(s) to be implemented and the scheduling of optional additional sessions to support practical implementation.
The professionals carrying out the sessions have been specifically trained (long-term training by the University Diploma on SME in chronic diseases, or training with experience and skills validated in the network). Training of educators include sessions on biomedical knowledge on diabetes, nutrition and treatment, educational skills, behavioural strategies, learning nest and empowerment approach. In order to "embrace empowerment", health care professionals have to make a paradigm shift from the traditional approach to care and acknowledge that patient are in control of their daily diabetes care, making autonomous and informed decisions about their diabetes self-management [49]. Additionally, training includes for each thematic group sessions a thorough review of the process, content, educator role, learners actions, learning indicators, specificity of goal setting and problem solving taking into account individual, social and cultural context.
Control arm: group-based initial structured education cycle only
In the control arm, patients receive only the initial structured education programme, conducted in the 12-week period following inclusion.
Concomitant treatments and procedures
In both arms, patients will continue to receive quarterly outpatient medical follow-up. Regular examinations and therapeutic adaptation will take place in accordance with the recommendations. The individual nursing or dietician encounters, required in addition to the medical appointments due to the evolution of the disease or therapeutic changes (such as starting insulin, GLP-1 analogue) will be authorised whatever the arm.
The main outcome is the evolution of HbA1c (%) at two years. The HbA1c will be measured by the HPLC method in a centralised laboratory (biochemistry laboratory of the Félix Guyon hospital in St Denis).
The secondary outcomes will be as follows: quarterly evolution of HbA1c (%), fasting blood glucose, anthropometric indicators (body mass index, waist circumference), blood pressure, tobacco consumption, annual screening of lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL cholesterol), antidiabetic treatments (type and dose) and the occurrence or worsening of diabetic complications. Health practices (level of physical activity and food consumption) will be assessed by means of annual questionnaires. These have been used in Reunion Island for a number of descriptive or intervention studies: RECONSAL [50], REDIA-prev1 [51] and REDIA-prev2 [31]:
Physical activity: physical activity scores will be assessed by means of a questionnaire developed on the basis of the Baecke self-questionnaire [52], which explores professional, sporting and leisure exercise. Questions on domestic activity were added to our studies.
Food consumption: food consumption (reported energy intake, macronutrient intake, dietary habits) will be assessed by means of a rapid food frequency questionnaire relating to weekly consumption [53]. Quantities of various foods are assessed by means of a photo album. The validity of the questionnaire and the photo album for the population of Reunion was checked by comparison with food surveys.
The care and treatment courses will be assessed by means of questionnaires at inclusion and at two years, based on the questionnaire used in the French ENTRED study [54] adapted to the situation and context in Reunion and comprising 30 items.
Quality of life will be assessed annually by means of the Diabetes Quality of Life, Brief Clinical Inventory [55]. This scale, including 15 items and translated into French for Reunion, was validated for this trial among a sample of 150 Reunion's patients presenting diabetes.
Self-efficacy, social support and anxio-depressive state will be assessed by means of psychometric scales validated for the purpose of the trial in Reunion. The feeling of self-efficacy will be measured by means of section 3 of the MDQ (Multidimensional Diabetes Questionnaire) [56]. This questionnaire includes 13 items: seven for self-efficacy and six for outcome expectations. The patent's perception of the specific social support from the partner with regard to the treatment of the diabetes will be assessed on the basis of 12 items derived from the MDQ. The patient's anxiety will be assessed by the HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) [57]. The HADS includes seven items and is widely used and validated in outpatient prospective studies. The depression level will be measured by means of the CES-D [58, 59], which comprises 20 items. The French versions of the two latter tools have demonstrated their psychometric qualities.
The food consumption questionnaire will be conducted face to face with the centre nurse trained for this purpose before the start of the research. The other questionnaires will be self-administered, with the assistance of the study nurse if necessary for subjects with low literacy levels.
Sample size consideration
The efficacy assessment is based on the following main judgement criterion: developments between inclusion (week 0) and two years (week 96) of the percentage of glycated haemoglobin HbA1c (%).
The expected benefit is a decrease at two years of at least 1% in the average HbA1c between the group "structured on-going SME support" and the control group "Initial structured education cycle only". An absolute difference of 1% at two years between the two groups appears relevant [23, 24, 29, 32, 39, 60–62].
To show an absolute difference of 1% of HbA1c, with a standard deviation of 2.5%, a type I error rate of 5% and a power of 80%, it is necessary to include 99 subjects per group in a bilateral situation.
Because of an estimated data deficiency of 20% at two years (drop out, refusals, deaths), it is planned to include 120 subjects per group, making a total of 240.
Randomisation methods
Block randomisation is carried out on two stratification factors: insulin treatment on inclusion (yes/no - two strata), and inclusion centre (five strata). The numbers of participants in each group are balanced with a ratio of 1:1. The 10 randomisation lists are drawn up by the statistician of the CIC-EC of Reunion before the start of the research.
For all patients, the first phase (group-based initial education cycle) will be conducted blind with regard to the randomisation arm for patients, until 12 weeks at the latest, researchers and education team. At the end of this first phase the follow-up will therefore be unblinded.
The statistical analyses will be carried out at the CIC-EC in Reunion, under SAS® (version 9.2, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA).
Description of the initial characteristics of the screened patients and of the included patients will be done by usual statistics (number, percentage, average ± standard deviation or median and range).
Effective implementation of the SME program and the effective participation will be documented.
The assessment of efficacy of the intervention will be performed in a single analysis, according to the intention to treat principles (i.e. according to group allocated by randomisation) with type I error equal 5%, and bilateral formulation of Student t-test (primary analysis).
In the two compared groups, the deficient data on HbA1c (%) at two years (week 96) will be replaced by the measurement obtained at week 84.
If the primary analysis shows a significant difference between the two groups, a comparison of the mean change in HbA1c (%) S96-S0 will be done by the level of participation (secondary analysis using 1-factor ANOVA model): i) basic level ("initial structured therapeutic education only"), ii) level 1 ("structured on-going SME support" without specific additional focused sessions), iii) level 2 ("structured on-going SME support" with specific additional focused sessions).
Analysis of longitudinal data gathered during two years will used in generalised estimating equations (GEE) adapted to repeated measurements in order to test the trends described over the duration of the supervision.
Analysis of the time between randomisation and occurrence of a level of HbA1c <7% (first event observed) will be performed by the Kaplan-Meier method, with comparison of survival curves between groups by Log-rank test.
At each annual collection point the anti-diabetic treatments will be classified into four hierarchical categories: 1) non-insulin antidiabetic monotherapy, 2) non-insulin antidiabetic bi-, tri- (or more) therapy, 3) one injection of insulin, 4) two or more injections of insulin. Between two collection points, moves from one category to a higher (or lower) category will be identified as a reinforcement (or reduction) of the treatment. The interaction | 5,486 |
Legião da Boa Vontade (LBV) é uma entidade beneficente, sem fins econômicos, de caráter educacional, cultural e de assistência social.
Foi fundada oficialmente em 1º de janeiro de 1950, Dia da Paz e da Confraternização Universal, no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, pelo radialista Alziro Zarur (1914-1979). Ele presidiu a entidade até 21 de outubro de 1979, quando faleceu. José de Paiva Netto, jornalista, radialista e escritor, sucedeu-o e é o atual Diretor-Presidente da LBV.
A instituição possui unidades autônom<|fim_middle|> Boa Vontade
Organizações não governamentais do Brasil
Filantropia
Novos movimentos religiosos | as em Portugal, Argentina, Bolívia, Paraguai, Estados Unidos e Uruguai.
A LBV atua em diversas cidades brasileiras por meio de 82 unidades socioeducacionais, entre escolas de educação básica, escola de capacitação profissional, abrigos para idosos e Centros Comunitários de Assistência Social. As ações sociais atendem à legislação e à Política Nacional de Assistência Social. Seguem também a Tipificação Nacional de Serviços Socioassistenciais, em serviços de proteção social básica (convivência e fortalecimento de vínculos) e proteção social especial de alta complexidade (abrigagem).
Histórico
Alziro Zarur conta que participou de uma reunião na Federação Espírita Brasileira, no Rio de Janeiro, em 6 de janeiro de 1948, e, na ocasião, a médium Emília Ribeiro de Melo lhe disse: "Meu Irmão, vi São Francisco ao seu lado o tempo todo e ele disse que é hora de começar". A partir deste acontecimento, ele procurou saber tudo sobre a vida do Santo de Assis. Leu, naquela madrugada, o livro "I Fioretti", que tinha em seu acervo, e foi percebendo as coisas que deveria realizar. São Francisco de Assis é considerado o Patrono da LBV.
Em 4 de março de 1949 ele iniciou um programa na Rádio Globo, do RJ, chamado Hora da Boa Vontade, pregando o Apocalipse de Jesus, o que gerou um impacto nacional pela inovação, pois muitas pessoas nunca haviam sequer pensado na palavra Apocalipse, que em grego significa revelação. O público alvo da programação eram os sofredores de toda a sorte, independentemente de suas crenças, etnias ou classe sociais.
Com o sucesso do programa, Alziro Zarur fundou oficialmente, em 1º de janeiro de 1950, a Legião da Boa Vontade (LBV).
Em 1956, a Instituição recebeu o título de Utilidade Pública Federal., sendo assinado pelo então presidente da República, Juscelino Kubitschek (1902-1976). Em 1966, recebeu o registro no então Conselho Nacional de Serviço Social (CNSS), atual Conselho Nacional de Entidades de Assistência Social (CNEAS)
Outras instituições foram criadas a partir dela, a exemplo da Religião de Deus, do Cristo e do Espírito Santo, da Fundação José de Paiva Netto (FJPN) e da Associação Educacional Boa Vontade (AEBV).
Primeira reunião ecumênica
Seis dias depois da fundação oficial, Zarur realizou na Associação Brasileira de Imprensa (ABI), no Rio de Janeiro/RJ, a primeira reunião ecumênica da LBV. Chamada de "Cruzada de Religiões Irmanadas", reuniu, no salão do Conselho, sete oradores para falarem sobre o sentido de Boa Vontade de acordo com cada visão. Esse encontro ocorreu após algumas reuniões preparatórias em outubro, novembro e dezembro de 1949 na mesma ABI. O jornal O Globo registrou esse fato em dois editoriais, respectivamente publicados em 13 de janeiro de 1950 e 26 de janeiro de 1950. Neste último texto, encontra-se:Há um aspecto, na recente criação da Legião da Boa Vontade, que merece ser assinalado e posto no devido relevo. Trata-se da verdadeira confraternização de todos os credos religiosos que se processou no referido movimento, destinado, sobretudo, a amparar moral e materialmente os enfermos e necessitados. Nascida de um programa radiofônico, a "Hora da Boa Vontade", que a Rádio Globo vem transmitindo regularmente, sob a direção de Alziro Zarur, a Legião da Boa Vontade mereceu tal aceitação que, dentro em pouco, se transformara num grande movimento de solidariedade humana.
Justamente o denominador comum do amor ao próximo, da vontade de amparar o semelhante, do desejo de reunir forças para fazer o bem, permitiu que, na sessão de posse dos diretores e conselheiros da Legião da Boa Vontade, usassem da palavra um católico, um protestante, um esotérico, um espírita, um livre pensador, um israelita e um positivista. Todos se sentiram à vontade para, fiéis às suas convicções religiosas ou às suas ideias filosóficas, advogar o trabalho da LBV e exaltar o seu programa de amor e paz.
Não são comuns acontecimentos desta ordem, nem freqüentes mobilizações de tamanha envergadura moral. Por isso mesmo, a Legião da Boa Vontade encerra um sentido que precisamos exaltar. Dá ela uma prova de como é vasto o campo aberto à ação dos homens de Boa Vontade e de como é fácil reunir, em torno a um princípio comum a todas as religiões e a todas as concepções filosóficas, a numerosa Legião dos que desejam praticar o bem.
Ronda da Caridade da LBV
Pelo alcance do programa radiofônico Hora da Boa Vontade, já no fim da década de 1940, após a Segunda Guerra Mundial, Zarur propõe uma "a guerra mundial contra a fome". Decidiu distribuir sopa aos moradores de rua, o que ficou conhecido por "Sopa do Zarur". Em 1º de setembro de 1961, mesmo dia que irrompeu a grande guerra, 22 anos antes, ele cria a Ronda da Caridade à meia-noite, que posteriormente se tornou Ronda da Caridade da LBV. Pelas madrugadas, a LBV entregava sopa, outros alimentos e roupas, e oferecia pequenos atendimentos de enfermaria e corte de cabelo e barba. Também incluía um acolhimento fraterno e espiritual, valendo-se da expressão que a LBV criou Caridade Completa — a do corpo e da Alma. Ao longo dos anos, esse primeiro programa inspirou outros serviços socioeducacionais, voltado a crianças, adolescentes, jovens, adultos e idosos em situação de vulnerabilidade social, de acordo com as legislações da assistência social no Brasil.
Atuação na ONU
A LBV foi a primeira organização não governamental (ONG) brasileira a associar-se ao Departamento de Informação Pública das Nações Unidas (DPI), a partir de 1994. Em 1999, tornou-se também a primeira ONG do Brasil a conquistar na Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) o status consultivo geral no Conselho Económico e Social das Nações Unidas (Ecosoc). E, em 2000, passou a integrar a Conferência das ONGs com Relações Consultivas para as Nações Unidas (Congo), em Viena, na Áustria.
Ver também
Partido da Boa Vontade
São Francisco de Assis
Ligações externas
Página oficial da Legião da Boa Vontade
Página oficial da Religião de Deus, do Cristo e do Espírito Santo
Página oficial do Portal | 1,775 |
Guy deBoer runs onto rocks at night in Canaries while the fleet moves through the first "film gate"
Guy deBoer (USA) crashes into rocks at night on the north coast of Fuerteventura, Las Palmas in the Canaries, his yacht now stranded but he is safe. Salvage under investigation © GGR2022 / Alex Craig
Guy deBoer (USA) crashes into rocks at night on the north coast of Fuerteventura, Las Palmas in the Canaries, his yacht now stranded but he is safe. Salvage under investigation.
Simon Curwen (UK), Tapio Lehtinen (FIN), Pat Lawless (Ireland) and Abhilash Tomy (India) first through the Marina Rubicon film gate.
Pat Lawless is suffering a knee infection, running low on antibiotics, but going forward.
Whole fleet at risk of being parked with no wind around the Canaries and a hurricane may be forming ahead of the fleet late next week?
It was South African GGR entrant Kirsten Neuschäfer (SA) who relayed Guy deBoer's VHF radio Mayday call to GGR Race Control on Friday morning at 03:10 am UTC. Guy's Tashiba 36 had run aground on the North coast of Fuerteventura, just 10 miles from the Lanzarote Marina Rubicon film drop gate he had passed a few hours before. He had activated his EPIRB and at 04:24 UTC rang the GGR Race control on his Sat phone.
"Spirit" was sitting on rocks, away from the beach, tilting 45 degrees, Being pounded by heavy seas crashing over the boat. The surf was pushing her slowly<|fim_middle|> situation. He had his life raft ready, but decided to remain inside Spirit, which was holding up. He planned to wait for daylight since he could not see the coast. The conditions for a safe use of the life raft, or exit onto the rocks beaten by the surf were not right.
At 04:10 UTC the MRCC Las Palmas informed GGR Control that first responders were on the beach, 50 metres from the boat sitting on the bedrock. Conditions were difficult and Guy decided not to evacuate the yacht. At 04:36 UTC Guy finally abandoned his yacht by foot, greatly assisted by the local police and firefighters. A Government salvage tow boat was already en route towards them. Guy was taken to a local hotel without injuries.
Following an early morning Government assessment it was considered too difficult to tow Spirit back to sea at high water. The authorities decided to pump all fuel from the boat to avoid a potential spill and are now working with Guy deBoer 's team and an insurance company on salvaging the Tashiba 36 with the least environmental impact. The area is a popular tourist surfing spot.
"At 9.30 Monday morning I am meeting with a large salvage company to consider the best course of action which at this stage looks like dragging her back over the hard rocks, fortunately not fragile reefs". Said Guy deBoer "She has an incredibly strong and thick hull so should be able to take that ride! She has taken a pounding so far and the hull is fine. I hope to see her sail again, but certainly we cannot just leave her there".
Golden Globe Race wishes to thank all those rescue personnel who responded so professionally and quickly to a very demanding and difficult situation which had a positive outcome.
The mood was very different earlier that night and the day before as a freshly shaved Guy deBoer went through the Lanzarote Gate happy and confident to be in 5th position. Kirsten Neuschäfer could not hide her disappointment at being 6th crossing the gate 25 minutes after Guy. Her Cape George 36 had sailed out of the Bay of Biscay unscathed and was in excellent shape, although she was tired from the long hours under spinnaker at the helm of Minnehaha, even if, as she said "The boat doesn't need me and can sail by herself...".
Kirsten Neuschäfer could not hide her disappointment at being 6th crossing the gate 25 minutes after Guy - photo © GGR2022 / Nora Havel
Hours before them, Pat Lawless had beaten Abhilash Tomy in their week-long fight for the 3rd spot. Pat's option east of the fleet cost him dearly earlier in the week but enabled him a magnificent come back on Friday and Saturday. Pat's enthusiasm is infectious and he was radiant when told his position in the fleet!
Infectious also is his right knee, a pre-existing medical condition to the GGR which has come back unexpectedly during the first week of sailing. Pat is in regular contact with the Race doctor, MSOS Direct, and taking antibiotics as advised. He was advised to stop in Lanzarote to stock up with stronger antibiotics on board, but this would have meant losing contact with the leaders, as well as accepting external assistance and being moved to Chichester Class.
"This is an old injury that has come up after crawling on deck" Said Pat Lawless " There is no way I want to move into Chichester Class, not for a minute, so I sail on! It will be fine"
He could reconsider this decision if it gets worse and make a stop in Cape Verde Islands in a week or so sailing south.
Abhilash Tomy holds 4th place and revealed during the film drop that after leaving Les Sables d'Olonne he suffered for 10 days with severe PTSD syndrome. He could not eat for those 10 days. Re-living his rescue and severe back injury inflicted during the 2018 edition of the GGR upset his ability to concentrate. This reaction surprised even himself. Now he is back into the 2022 edition with real focus and determination.
Abhilash Tomy at the GGR2022 Marina Rubicon Film Gate - photo © GGR2022 / Aïda Valceanu
A few miles ahead, it is Simon Curwen in his Biscay 36 CLARA solidly in the lead after breaking away from Tapio Lehtinen who chose a less direct route under his biggest spinnaker in a bid to find stronger winds. He didn't. Both were very satisfied with the result, although they too, were disappointed for Damien Gillou. They were definitely looking forward to a direct confrontation with the French favourite now still 550 miles astern!
While the tight mid-fleet group of Guy Waites, Michael Guggenberger, known as Captain Gugg, Ertan Beskardes and Jeremy Bagshaw have all gone through the gate over the weekend, the remaining miles will be more challenging for Elliott Smith, Ian Herbert-Jones. A big wind hole arriving from Madeira is taking over the Canaries and is meant to stay until Tuesday, slowing down their progression towards Lanzarote.
Skipper Michael Guggenberger at the waypoint in Lanzarote - photo © GGR2022 / Nora Havel
750 miles further south from Lanzarote, just to the east of the Cape Verde island on the African coast, a tropical depression/Hurricane may be forming on Thursday 22nd and building into Friday 23rd. Forecast winds are expected to be around 50kts. This is right in the path of the GGR leaders and middle fleet. GGR control is monitoring it closely.
Another interesting week ahead!
For more information visit goldengloberace.com. | forward grinding over rocks. Guy who was in constant contact with Salvamento Maritimo, the local Rescue Coordination Center and GGR Race Control, was in a serious | 34 |
Art of Tequila
Preserving traditional, time-honored craftsmanship
Making Reposado
Reposado is an all-time favorite among tequila drinkers in Mexico. As a middle ground of three tequila age expressions, reposado tequilas can be used in most mixed drinks and are enjoyable to sip straight.
For tequila to merit a name "reposado" (rested), it must remain in wooden barrels for 60 days or more. Many high-end Reposado tequilas stay in oak barrels much longer. Arrogante Reposado is allowed to mature in oak barrels for 6 months. During this time, the wood changes the flavor of blanco tequila, mellows and alters its taste and slightly modifies the color. As a result, reposado is significantly milder and smoother than blanco and acquires a natural soft gold or clear honey coloring without losing its strong earthy baked agave flavors. High quality Reposado offers a harmonious balance between subtle oaky undertones acquired from wood and robust earthy agave taste with hints of vanilla and herbs.
We age Arrogante Reposado in the American oak barrels that were previously used in the production of bourbon and are slightly charred. Tequila is a delicate spirit. The previous use of the barrels has depleted some of the tannins from the wood, therefore the impact of the wood on tequila is more gentle and gradual. Charring caramelizes and releases sugars and other flavoring agents, allowing for subtle vanilla and caramel notes to develop.
Aging tequila is a masterful skill, one that's more art than science. It requires many years of experience and<|fim_middle|>rogante Reposado is aged in the imported American oak barrels previously used in bourbon production. American oak barrels are known for producing tequila with sweeter flavor than French oak and impart almond, nuts, caramel, and vanilla notes to a beverage.Arrogante Tequila
Antique Aging Vats
Reposado barrels
Reposado tequila can be sipped neat, on the rocks, or mixed in the variety of high quality cocktails. For best results, try using high-quality reposado in Margarita cocktail instead of gold or blanco. | an exceptionally keen palate to do it really well. Many factors come to play, including the temperature and humidity of the aging cellars, the type of the wood used, as well as the age and size of the barrels.
Ar | 46 |
Jason Mattera interviews someone — is it Bono?
On my list
By Erik Wemple
Media critic with a focus on the ups and downs and downs of the cable-news industry
Jason Mattera, editor at large at Human Events, is famous for rough-and-tumble journalism. Last year he created a sensation when he pulled something of a fast one on Vice President Biden. He distracted the veep by pretending he wanted to pose for a picture with him. Once Biden was in close, he started firing tough questions at him.
Mattera has been back on the video beat of late, or so it would appear. Here is a page on TheBlaze.com that addresses a piece that Mattera had done for Breitbart.com, in which he'd cornered Bono at an event and grilled the star about his band's approach to paying taxes. The U2 icon was heavily criticized last year for his record on this front.
Breitbart.com appears to be bailing on the story, per an editor's note: "Last night, we removed an article about Bono at the request of the videographer who had provided the links to the videos upon which the article had been based." An editor's note on TheBlaze.com offers more detail on the whole affair:
Editor's note: The original Breitbart.com story has been removed and the Jason Mattera videos have now been moved to "private" on YouTube. There is widespread discussion on Twitter that the person Mattera interviewed in the videos may have been a Bono impersonator.
Enjoy some of that Twitter traffic:
[View the story "New Story" on Storify]
So was Mattera duped?
Yes, he says: "I got punked. I thought I got Bono. I didn't. I got his impersonator apparently. Hats off to him. He got me — and how!" writes Mattera in an e-mail that speaks to his sense of accountability. "After scores of interviews with big-time politicians and celebrities, I finally got had. It was bound to happen sooner or later. On the bright side, if I'm gonna get had as good as I did, it might as well be in pursuit of one of the greatest rockers ever. While we're on the subject of me getting snookered, I'm now left to ponder: was that really Vice President Joe Biden I talked to?"
To whom should the hats go off? That would be the guy who's got to be Earth's greatest Bono doppelganger. He can be found on the Internet at Bonodouble.com. His name is Pavel Sfera. And he confirms a confrontational encounter with a guy who was really interested in the tax<|fim_middle|>emple, The Washington Post's media critic, focuses on the cable-news industry. Before joining The Post, he ran a short-lived and much publicized local online news operation, and for eight years served as editor of Washington City Paper. Follow
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Submissions and Discussion Policy | positions of Bono.
The scene was a Feb. 8 event honoring music producer Jimmy Iovine in West Los Angeles. Bono was billed as one of the event's co-chairs.
Pavel "Bonodouble" Sfera showed up in his Bono-impersonation garb. "I went there as a spoof," says Sfera. He was just kicking around on the sidewalk outside of the event, he says, when a guy approached him. It was clear from the start, says Sfera, that the guy thought he was the real Bono.
The guy, says Bonodouble, started his spiel by talking about One, the Bono-affiliated worldwide charity organization. "I'm a big fan of the One campaign"---that was how Sfera remembers the guy presenting himself.
Then came the fusillade. "He started asking questions about why I had taken money out of Ireland and moved it to Holland for a lower tax base," recalls Sfera. "I didn't take my money out of anywhere."
As the guy kept asking pointed questions about U2's finances, Sfera gave the only answers he knew to give: "I didn't do anything. No, I have no control of the band," he recalls.
This "guy," Sfera says, is Mattera: "The photos I've seen of him on Wikipedia and other sites online as I Googled him was the same guy that did the interview."
A transcript of some of the exchange:
Mattera: By dodging taxes on royalties are you raiding the poverty programs you purport to champion?
Bono: No.
Mattera: No? Don't you want governments to be generous with other people's money and not yours?
Bono: I don't have control over that…
Mattera: How do you not have control over that? It's your company. Are you not in charge of your own company?
Bono: It's not my company.
Mattera: You have no say in what U2 does?
Bono: Not particularly.
Mattera: You don't? You don't have a say in what U2 does?
One of the reasons that Mattera got so little from his interview is that Sfera doesn't do the whole Bono routine — just the look. "I wasn't pretending to be Bono," says Sfera. "I don't walk around with an accent. I don't fake people out. . . . I have a very strong, independent life, and I'm comfortable in my own skin," he continues, noting that he has been playing "Bonodouble" for 11 years.
Sfera says he was "waiting" for Mattera to figure out that he wasn't really Bono. That moment didn't come, and Sfera decided not to help his interlocutor. "I let him go," says Sfera. "I didn't think he was being legitimate and fair."
He added, "I think in the end he was trying to find dirt, and I wasn't there to give it to him. I didn't speak as Bono for Bono with an Irish accent." Sfera says he's a "fan of charitable causes" and admires Bono's work to "assist in extreme situations for humanity."
After looking at some of Mattera's work, Sfera noted, "He's like those guys that did that whole ACORN thing."
Erik Wemple Erik W | 732 |
Roberto Clemente is one of the greatest players in the history of baseball.
Clemente was born on August 18, 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. During high school, he was required to play on a local softball team, and from here he launched his career. Throughout his career, Clemente hit 240 home runs, and achieved a batting average of .317. He played with the Pittsburgh Pirates after a minor league season with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
In 1966, while playing playing for the Pirates, Clemente was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and, in 1971 he was the MVP of the World Series. Seven years later, he became the first Latin American to be inducted into the baseball's Hall of Fame.
In addition to being a terrific<|fim_middle|> was an outstanding baseball player and human being. He should be remembered and celebrated for his great work, both on and off the field. | baseball player, Clemente was also a great humanitarian. He often donated baseball equipment and supplies to the people of Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries. Sadly, New Year's Eve of 1972, he died in a plane crash while flying to Nicaragua to help people who had been devastated by an earthquake.
Roberto Clemente | 68 |
Greg Grandin
Author / Greg Grandin
Biographies available: English Português/Galego Français Español
Greg Grandin is the author of a number of prize-winning books, including Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford's Forgotten Jungle City (Metropolitan 2009). His most recent book, edited with Gil Joseph, A Century of Revolution: Insurgent and Counterinsurgent Violence During Latin America's Long Cold War, has been published by Duke University Press in November 2010. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History, as well as for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award, Fordlandia was picked by the New York Times, New Yorker, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune and NPR for their "best of" lists, and Amazon.com named it the best history book of 2009.
Timothy Rutten of the The Los Angeles Times writes of Fordlandia: "Greg Grandin has taken what heretofore seemed . . . a marginal event. . . and turned it into a fascinating historical narrative that illuminates the auto industry's contemporary crisis, the problems of globalization and the contradictions of contemporary consumerism. For all of that, this is not, however, history freighted with political pedantry. Grandin is one of blessedly expanding group of gifted American historians who assume that whatever moral the story of the past may yield, it must be a story well told. . . Fordlandia is precisely that—a genuinely readable history recounted with a novelist's sense of pace and an eye for character. It's a significant contribution to our understanding of ourselves and engrossingly enjoyable." And The American Scholar says that "Grandin takes full command of a complicated narrative with numerous threads, and the story spills out in precisely the right tone—about midway between Joseph Conrad and Evelyn Waugh."
Grandin is also the author of Empire's Workshop: Latin America, the United States, and the Rise of the New Empire (Metropolitan 200<|fim_middle|> Wood Award for the best book published on Latin America in any discipline.
His new book, The Empire of Necessity: Slavery, Freedom, and Deception in the New World, has just been published (Jan. 2014).
A professor of history at NYU and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Grandin writes on US foreign policy, Latin America, genocide, and human rights. He has published in The New York Times, Harper's, The London Review of Books, The Nation, The Boston Review, The Los Angeles Times, and The American Historical Review. He has been a frequent guest on Democracy Now! and has appeared on The Charlie Rose Show. Grandin also served as a consultant to the United Nations truth commission on Guatemala and has been the recipient of a number of prestigious fellowships, including the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship.
URL: http://www.greggrandin.com
URL of this page : http://www.tlaxcala-int.org/biographie.asp?ref_aut=608&lg_pp=en | 5), The Last Colonial Massacre: Latin America During the Cold War (University of Chicago Press 2004), and Blood of Guatemala: A History of Race and Nation (Duke University Press, 2000), which won the Latin American Studies Association's Bryce | 57 |
I feel like a broken record talking to a brick wall.
— Engineer tired of telling executive management the same thing over and over.
An circuit designer came to me yesterday with an interesting problem whose solution nicely illustrates how simple component thermal calculations are performed. He was seeking advice on calculating the junction temperature of a Schottky diode (Figure 1) used in a switched-mode power supply.
At our company, the component temperature calculations are done by a mechanical engineer rather than by the circuit designer. Junction temperature calculations performed by the mechanical engineer showed that the diode was operating way above its allowed maximum temperature. This means that the circuit designer was being told to add a costly heat sink and make time-consuming Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design changes. We have not needed to take these actions for similar circuits in the past, and he was wondering if there could have been a modeling issue.
In this post, I will document my analysis of the diode's temperature. It turns out that the diode's temperature is within the allowed limits and there was a modeling issue – the wrong thermal resistance value was used. It was just a simple miscommunication that resulted in unnecessary engineering actions being requested.
A previously unmentioned thermal resistance, θJL, is used in the following analysis. θJL represents the thermal resistance between the diode junction and its leads. This type of thermal resistance specification is common for power components.
The modeling error that initiated this additional calculation was the inappropriate use of θJA. I almost never use θJA directly for determining junction temperature. I will quote from the JEDEC standard on its recommendation for the use of θJA – the standard uses the term "Theta-JA."
The intent of Theta-JA measurements is solely for a thermal performance comparison of one package to another in a standardized environment. This methodology is not meant to and will not predict the performance of a package in an application-specific environment.
Ignoring this statement was at the core of the modeling error.
Figure 2 shows where the lead temperature<|fim_middle|> is 3 °C/W for this diode.
TJ is the diode junction temperature. By company convention, we normally limit TJ to no higher than 110 °C. This convention dates back to my days as a Navy contractor when we were required to conform to the Willoughby reliability guidelines, which strongly recommended keeping junction temperature under 110 °C. I should mention that the part is designed to function at temperatures as high as 150 °C. We would never run a part this hot because the lifetime is reduced at this temperature below our customer's expectations (15 years). If you are curious about modeling component failure rate with respect to temperature, see this post on laser reliability modeling.
Figure 3 shows the computation details.
Figure 3: Computing the TJ Using θJL.
I estimate the junction temperature to be running near 88 °C. This compares well with testing done with similar circuits on previous products.
Just to provide folks an alternative approach to the calculation, there is a parameter called ψJT that is actually more appropriate for this calculation. We can use Equation 2 and ψJT to compute TJ. I derive this formula in gruesome detail in this blog post.
TT is the temperature measured at the top of the diode case. In this situation, I measured 88 °C.
ψJT is thermal resistance from Junction-to-Top of case.
Unfortunately, the diode vendor does not provide ψJT. However, there Equation 3 can be used to estimate ψJT sufficiently well for many applications.
h is the heat transfer coefficient of air.
τEMC is the thickness of the part's Epoxy Molding Compound (EMC).
κEMC is the thermal conductivity of the part's epoxy molding compound.
ψJT is thermal characteristic from Junction-to-Top of case.
θJA is the thermal resistance from Junction-to-Ambient.
Figure 4 shows how I computed ψJT and used it to compute TJ.
Figure 4: Junction Temperature calculation using ψJT estimate.
The use of the approximate method also yielded a junction temperature estimate of ~90 °C. The erroneous calculation using θJA produced a temperature estimate that was over 140 °C.
While going through my calculation, I saw where the error occurred in the other engineer's analysis. I then sent him a copy of my work, and we avoided making a costly change to a system. I posted this example because others might find it useful.
I should mention that this is a simple one-resistor analysis that is not particularly accurate – the answer should be viewed as rough. When more accurate answers are required, engineers need to turn to Delphi models (i.e. multi-resistor) or computational fluid dynamics software.
Nice write-up. Is there any bias feed back to limit circuit current draw which would help to keep diode from reaching or exceeding maximum rated threshold value which in turn would keep temperature down to safe level. | is to be measured. Power components often have a large copper "slug" – also known as the lead – that is intended to provide an excellent thermal conduction path to the PCB.
Unfortunately, case temperature measurements are standard practice because it is easier to attach a thermocouple to the case than to a tiny tab.
The key formula for this calculation is Equation 1.
TB is the PCB temperature. I normally assume that TB is 10 °C above the air ambient temperature of 70 °C – set by industry standard.
PDiode is the power dissipated in the diode, which is 2.5 W in this application.
θJL is thermal resistance from Junction-to-Lead, which | 146 |
Possible Viking<|fim_middle|> by plowing, but archaeologists were able to recover fragments of spearheads, bridles, scythes, and single-edged combat knives, in addition to a crossbow-shaped brooch with poppy heads that had been damaged by fire and disfigured with spring scissors, which were also recovered from the grave. "It cannot be claimed absolutely, but it is likely the two cenotaphs are dedicated to Rävala warriors who perished in one or two battles or campaigns far from home," Kiudsoo said. It had been previously suggested that the monuments commemorated the deaths of Scandinavian warriors. Although the same types of swords were used by people living across the Baltic Sea region, jewelry was crafted in local styles. "Crossbow-shaped brooches were usually worn by warriors from southwestern Finland and northwestern Estonia," Kiudsoo explained. The construction style of the grave also indicates it was dug by Rävala residents. For more on Viking-era discoveries in Estonia, go to "The First Vikings." | -Era Grave Discovered in Estonia
TŌNISMÄE, ESTONIA—Estonian Public Broadcasting reports that a tenth-century A.D. burial site has been found in the ancient county of Rävala, near Estonia's northern coast, where cenotaphs made of Viking sword fragments were discovered last year. Mauri Kiudsoo of Tallinn University said the grave had been damaged | 84 |
What is it about the sesame seeds that has captured the imagination and taste buds of peoples alongside the Eastern Mediterranean (remember "Open sesame!" from the 1001 nights tales)? and its glorious paste, tahini, used in myriads of dishes, both savory and sweet.
All I know is that were it not for tahini, there would not be a so-called Middle-Eastern cuisine.
In Lebanese kitchens alone, hundreds of dishes have tahini as a component. Nary a vegetable dish does not contain a hefty portion of our tarator sauce.
The tarator sauce alone is presented in several versions, tahini with lemon juice, tahini with bitter orange, with minced parsley, with walnuts, etc.
It is a natural food, a paste made from crushing hulled sesame seeds.
It is a very healthy food; Omega-3, Omega-6, minerals, good fats, are contained in tahini.
The lighter tahini is the kind favored in Middle-Eastern cooking. Don't buy tahini if its color is dark. Light beige is good.
It is used as mayonnaise is used in Western-style cooking, by diluting it in citrus juice and some water and flavoring it with a touch of garlic and sometimes fresh herbs.
It is also used in sweets, when combined with molasses, like a Middle-Eastern P&J.
Feel free to add more observations on tahini, as this list is by no means exhaustive!
Pour the tahini into a bowl; add the citrus juice, stirring; it will curdle at first. Keep stirring and add enough water to get the texture of a loose mayonnaise. Add the garlic,<|fim_middle|> but I must try this recipe for a dip… lovely.
It always upsets me to see how expensive tahini is because i love it so much. thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us!
@Joanne: I have a Middle-Eastern grocer near my house where it is reasonably priced. Have you tried online stores?
I am looking forward to reading about more uses for tahini. I have already found several delicious looking recipes on your site.
The problem i have with my tahini is that it always separates and i can't seem to mix it back together just by stirring. I usually have to scoop out the whole jar and put it in my food processor which is a total pain. Is there a way to keep it from separating. Also, does it need to be stored in the fridge or is room temp okay? I thought i could leave it in the cabinet like peanut butter, but since it separates so readily i was afraid of the oil going rancid and stuck it in the fridge.
@Morgan: I have no trouble keeping my tahini in the pantry; it will keep fine for a few months; as far as the oil separating, I just stir it. Have you tried different brands?
I absolutely love tahini and definitely have a new found appreciation for it living in the Middle East!
My local store only sells two brands and they are both more dark beige in color that the tahini you have pictured. I think I will look for another place to purchase it!
Thanks for educating us on tahini. I have used it just because it's pretty iconic for mutabal, hummus or shawerma, but did not know the benefits to tahini.
You forgot one major category of tahini-derived food: halva! | mix and taste and finally adjust seasoning if you wish to.
The next posts will explore all the various hummus recipes using this sauce.
Very informative post, concise and intriguing. Looking forward to the hummus recipes!
We at wc adore tahini and hummus! The other day we didn't have chick peas and end up using edamame for a"hummus" with with tahini and that was lovely! We can't wait to read more about your future hummus recipes. We are with you on the tahini type the lighter colored ones somehow appease more to our tastes!
Tahini is one of my favorite pastes. I use it all the time and make tarrator on a weekly basis!
I love tahini. I mix tahini with grape molasses on cold winter days.
Mmmm very cool. I always wondered about tahini. I loved the idea of a middle eastern pb & j!
I love tahini and I'm looking forward to you future hummus recipes with that tarator sauce.
J'aimais déjà le tahine. Avec toutes les précisions que tu rajoutes : je ne lâcherai plus.
How apropos: I woke up this morning thinking about tahini, as I want to make falafel for dinner tonight (my first time!) and was trying to think of where I could buy a small amount of it. It seems to only come in gigantic packages, and I don't think I could ever go through a whole tub of the stuff.
Then it hit me: My local Lebanese restaurant sells sides of it for $0.75! Perfect.
I am so intrigued by tahini. I love hummus and eat it often, but have only ever been served straight tahini once in a kosher Jewish restaurant in Basle. Odd and intriguing | 369 |
Will the food system survive another Hurricane Sandy?
Flickr/James W. Brown
Traditional disaster preparedness planning has not included the food system. The City of Baltimore and a group of researchers from Johns Hopkins want to change that.
In the dark, early morning hours of Tuesday, October 30, 2012, Hurricane Sandy bore down on Greater Baltimore, Maryland, lashing the city with unrelenting rain and wind. By daylight, two people were dead and more than 200,000 were without power.
Pictured above: Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Lt. Governor Anthony Brown at Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) on October 29, 2012. Credit: Flickr/James W. Brown
According to the National Hurricane Center, the heaviest rains of Sandy's entire Northeast and Mid-Atlantic rampage fell about two hours south of Charm City, on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Total damage estimates are hard to pin down, but the 7-day storm cost 24 states and 5 Caribbean nations at least as much as $30 billion dollars, and possibly as much as $62 billion (New York City estimates alone hover around $19 billion).
Cities are uniquely vulnerable to destruction, whether natural or man<|fim_middle|> storms, "more than the 30-year average for the Atlantic Basin."
A city's food supply faces significant threat during natural and social crises. And traditional disaster preparedness planning has not included the food system.
Now, Baltimore City and the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) have teamed up to change that. The CLF on Wednesday released its "Food System Resilience Advisory Report," which the city will incorporate into Baltimore's Disaster Preparedness Plan, due to be updated in 2017. (The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) requires every city to have a hazard mitigation and climate adaptation plan. Baltimore's was created in 2013.)
The CLF report considers the risks to Baltimore's food system from 14 natural and non-natural emergencies, from storms to electrical outages to pandemics and civil unrest. In their analysis, researchers determined that unexpected shocks to the food system—an economic crisis, for example—could decrease access to food, ramp up food safety issues, disrupt the supply chain, and prompt labor shortages, communication failures, and issues with food storage and waste removal.
But let's be clear about one thing right up front: Supporting food security in Baltimore is challenging enough when the city is not in the midst of a catastrophe. The Baltimore Hunger Project estimates that as much as 84 percent of Baltimore's school children are food insecure. And it's that very population, the report points out, along with "people with low incomes, residents of food deserts … older adults, people with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, and people with special dietary needs [that] may be most at risk of losing access to safe and nutritious food during and after a crisis."
And there are other features of Baltimore's particular place in the world that make its food system especially vulnerable during a crisis. The report highlights the city's proximity to the crowded I-95 corridor, where lots of food warehouses are located, meaning the potential for disruption to deliveries in a disaster. Also, residents in neighborhoods underserved by supermarkets often have to travel some distance to buy food. But Baltimore's unreliable pubic transit system is subject to closures during heavy snow or flooding, further restricting access for communities already struggling with limited supply.
Many of the hazards Baltimore could face in the future threaten other cities as well.
In those ways, Baltimore is perhaps not so different from other major Mid-Atlantic and East Coast cities. When I asked Erin Biehl, lead author of the report and senior program coordinator of CLF's Food System Sustainability & Public Health Program, about the potential for food system destruction in another I-95 corridor city like New York, she said in an email: "While our research has focused on Baltimore's vulnerabilities and strengths, many of the hazards Baltimore could face in the future threaten other cities as well. Cities are fed by complex food supply chains, and with a global trend toward urbanization, it is important now more than ever to make sure our cities have stable and resilient food supplies."
Speaking of food supplies. Take New York's 60-acre Hunts Point produce market, located in the Bronx, as an example. It's the largest in the world, employs more than 8,500 workers, generates more than $2 billion in annual sales, and supplies nearly 50 percent of the city's independent restaurants. A June 2017 Hunts Point resiliency study, conducted by the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC), showed that power outages, coastal storm surge, and flooding are significant threats to its inventory, employees, equipment, and surrounding rail yard, which is responsible for transporting 4.5 billion pounds of food in and out of Hunts Point.
The New York City food system holds roughly 4 to 5 days of regular consumption of food stock on average.
So, that's the threat to wholesale distribution channels. But how about the city's 42,000 point-of-sale outlets? A 2016 five-borough food flow study also conducted by the EDC noted one vulnerability particularly unique to New York: limited storage space. That means the five boroughs rely heavily on "just-in-time" inventory management and continuous food deliveries. But here's another, more to-the-point way to think about it, according to the report: The New York City food system holds roughly 4 to 5 days of regular consumption of food stock on average. If a critical weather event like Hurricane Sandy is forecast in advance, there can be some time to increase delivery of our emergency food stocks. But it's impossible, of course, to forecast human havoc. For how many days might our food system be paralyzed by the things we can't predict?
The CLF report does suggest a number of strategies to improve resilience across Baltimore's food system. They center largely around need for better coordination between city agencies, non-profits, and stores providing food, which Biehl said in her email was highlighted during the 2015 unrest and, in part, spurred creation of the report.
Two other actions of note are considering food access in public transit redesign, and expanding efforts to develop a community food storage plan. But, said Biehl, "Building food system resilience is about much more than just disaster preparedness.…"
Note to New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., too, then: "It requires actively confronting issues driving food insecurity in the here-and-now."
food access,
Kate Cox is The Counter's editor. She oversees partnerships and edits investigative, feature, and senior staff reporting. Prior to joining The Counter in 2015, Kate was a freelance reporter for radio and text, focused on health policy and the American age boom. She has written for The Guardian, The Nation, Huffington Post, and others. She holds a master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, where she produced and reported a three-part radio documentary on the nation's first emergency shelter for victims of elder abuse.
2016 Food Sustainability Index: The U.S. is overnourished
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by Hillary bonhomme + Jessica fu | -made, because they are complex systems that rely on other complex systems to survive. When we talk about infrastructure damage as it relates to natural disasters, for instance, we're often talking about the toll they take on the physical structures and frameworks that support our economy: electrical grids, roads and bridges, tunnels, sewage, water and sanitation services, and telecommunications.
Cities are uniquely vulnerable to destruction, whether natural or man-made, because they are complex systems that rely on other complex systems to survive.
But how about other disasters? Civil unrest. Terror attacks. Riots. Man-made or "non-natural" disorder can be every bit as hazardous to our urban centers as natural crises.
On April 12, 2015, roughly three and a half years after Sandy unleashed on the city, officers from the Baltimore Police Department arrested Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man, for possession of what police believed was an illegal switch blade. While in transit in a police van after his arrest, Gray suffered severe injuries to his neck and spine. He slipped into a coma shortly after. A week later, on April 19, Freddie Gray died.
Protests, which erupted the day before Gray's death, rippled through the city for more than a week, escalating in some cases into violence, looting, and arson as the month came to a close. As many as 100 people were arrested, 20 officers injured, and more than 140 vehicles damaged during the unrest.
By now you may be wondering if you're still reading New Food Economy or have inadvertently fallen into a click hole on disasters.com. But here's a question: when you relived the mayhem described above, did you at any point think about food? I'm willing to bet that when I said, "infrastructure damage," you pictured buckled bridges and transformer explosions before you pictured stranded pallets of produce—if you pictured food at all.
But it turns out that a city's food supply—take Baltimore's, for instance—faces significant threat during natural and social crises, whether short- or long-term. And traditional disaster preparedness planning has not included the food system. That's especially worrying as we sit squarely in the middle of the June-1-through-November-30 Atlantic hurricane season, one that's been forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to include 11 to 17 named | 497 |
Sania Mirza enters 2023 Australian Open mixed doubles final with Rohan Bopanna, could end career with Grand Slam title | Tennis news
Indian tennis stars Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna competed in the Australian Open mixed doubles final. They defeated Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk 7-6, 6-5, 10-6 in the semifinals on Wednesday, January 26. Australian Open 2023 is Sania's last Grand Slam. She will retire from professional tennis next month in Dubai. This is her last Grand Slam and she has a great chance to retire with another Grand Slam title.
Sania has won three women's doubles and as many mixed doubles titles<|fim_middle|> that the February WTA event in Dubai will be her swan song.
With a fitting farewell @MirzaSania's last dance takes place on the biggest stage!
She and @rohanbopanna __ have qualified for the Mixed Doubles Final!@wwos _ @espn _ @eurosport _ @wowowtennis _ #AusOpen _ #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/qHGNOvWMoC— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 25, 2023
"We are excited to come back here and give ourselves another chance. We played the best mixed doubles pair on the Tour and had to come up with the best," she said of the rival players from the US and England.
"I'm not a cryer but I'm almost there now. I feel the love for the last 18 years of coming here. It feels like home to me, I have a family here, I eat at home and I have so many Indians who support," said Sania, who won her first Grand Slam singles title at the 2009 Australian Open alongside compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi.
She later won the women's doubles title at Melbourne Park in 2016 with Swiss great Martina Hingis.
The 42-year-old Bopanna, who won his only major title at the French Open, winning the mixed doubles with Canada's Gabriela Dabrowski, said it was crucial to seize momentum in the tiebreaker. "As Sania said, it was a tough team we played against. It's not easy to keep the momentum going after losing that second set, but we stayed strong and got an early lead and gave us that momentum." he said.
"I'm very happy to share the field with Sania. (It's an) incredible journey, inspiring everyone back home and so many fans here today.
"One more to go. It would be an absolute dream (Sania winning the title). It couldn't get any better. It will be special and we need it in India. Keep inspiring everyone there is the only way to stay. " Of Sania's six Grand Slams titles, three are mixed doubles trophies, won with Mahesh Bhupathi (2009 Australian Open, 2012 French Open) and Brazil's Bruno Soares (2014 US Open).
All three women's doubles titles were won by Swiss great Martina Hingis. (Wimbledon 2015, US Open 2015 and Australian Open 2016).
With input from PTI
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Home wildcards win Australian Open men's doubles title | Tennis news | in her career, while Bopanna has won one mixed doubles title. Sania has announced that the February WTA event in Dubai will be her swan song.
Also read | From Marrying Shoaib Malik To Getting Death Threats For Disrespecting The Indian National Flag – Top 5 Controversies Involving Sania Mirza – In Pics
"It was a great match, there were a lot of nerves. It's my last slam and it's so special to play with Rohan. He was my first mixed doubles partner when I was 14 and today I'm 36 and he's 42 and we play still, we have a solid relationship," said Sania after the game. Sania has announced | 152 |
Laughing Kookaburra
Conservation Status: Stable
Location: Outback
ZOO ZONE: Outback
It may look drab, but you won't think the laughing kookaburra is ordinary after it opens its<|fim_middle|>, belly laughs, and hoots. It starts and ends with a low chuckle and has a shrieking "laugh" in the middle. The song is a way the bird advertises its territory. The laughing kookaburra is the largest member of the kingfisher family and was called the giant kingfisher. Most kingfishers are brightly colored and specialize in diving into streams and ponds to catch fish. The laughing kookaburra, however, is plainly colored and rarely eats fish—it eats insects, reptiles, frogs, and rodents! This remarkable bird is famous for eating snakes: grabbing one behind the head, smacking it on the ground, and swallowing it headfirst. | beak! Known as the bushman's alarm clock, a laughing kookaburra vocalizes in its family group at dawn and dusk. The loud call sounds like a variety of trills, chortles | 44 |
Twitter does not currently allow for embedded Instagram photos, and the results are pretty ugly. When you post a photo from Instagram to Twitter, it shows up as a link to Instagram's website. This isn't Twitter's fault, so don't hate the micro-blogging site, hate the game. Or hate Facebook… post-buyout, Instagram decided not to support Twitter Cards, the system Twitter set up to allow users and developers to attach media to their tweets.
As they are on opposing teams in the Great Social Media Wars, it's unlikely Instagram will start supporting Twitter Cards anytime soon, which is why Wired reporter Michael Calore generously shared his hack to get around it, which involves using Tumblr. But if you use a service called IFTTT, there's an even simpler workaround than this.
Sign up for IFTTT
IFTTT (which stands for "If this, than that") is a crazy wonderful service that helps you connect all the stuff you use on the Internet. It lets you create "recipes" to link up different services you use, and Instagram and Twitter are among these services. Some popular recipes include automatically backing up iPhone photos through email, and automatically cross-posting from Twitter to Facebook<|fim_middle|>0-02 09:34:042015-12-11 18:44:14Embedding photos on Twitter!
The team at the Johnny Clegg concert! October 2013 Giveaway | . Signing up is free, and just requires a valid email address.
IFTTT used to have a beef with Twitter, but that's all done now. And an IFTTT user called djuiceman created a recipe that allows you to post your Instagram photos directly onto Twitter.
So once you sign up, go to djuiceman's recipe and click "Use Recipe."
If you haven't already activated your Twitter and Instagram channels, you will need to go through that authentification process, which only takes a minute. Once you activate the recipe, a trigger will fire whenever you upload a photo to Instagram, automatically posting it to Twitter.
Upload your photos and be the envy of everyone who hasn't figured this out yet
Now you have all your social media photo ducks in a line. Start using that Toaster filter. Every time you take an Instagram photo, IFTTT will activate its recipe to post them to Twitter. Boom. Your Instagram photo will be embedded on Twitter, caption and all.
2013-10-02 /by David Sarembock
https://swiftmomentum.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ifttt-instagram-twiter-650x433.jpg 433 650 David Sarembock https://swiftmomentum.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/SwiftLogo-2017-4-2362x640-cropped-300x72.png David Sarembock2013-1 | 325 |
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Hardware & Tools Middle East
by Cylinder Lifter | Apr 2, 2018 | Trade Shows | 1 comment
The Hardware & Tools Middle East exhibition at the Dubai World Trade Centre is a fantastic opportunity to browse some of the biggest and best tools, hardware, materials and machinery manufacturers and products in the region and will give you the chance to see some of the latest offerings from the biggest names in the industry. The Hardware & Tools Middle East exhibition<|fim_middle|> must-have safety tool for the majority of workplaces in the industry. Cylinder Lifter was designed to assist people in the lifting and moving of gas cylinders in the workplace by reducing strain on your body. You are no longer required to struggle moving heavy gas cylinders when you have the option of using the Cylinder Lifter, which has been tested and evaluated by chartered physiotherapists and ergonomists to ensure it is a safe alternative to lifting gas cylinders.
Garry on 3rd April 2018 at 8:51 am
Was good to meet you yesterday at the show. Looking forward to hearing more about the cylinder lifter. great piece of kit
EFP-ME,
Dubai Investment Park, Dubai.
EFP-UK,
Thatcham, Berkshire.
© Copyright 2018 Cylinder-Lifter | Created by Standish Services | will give businesses, entrepreneurs and industry professionals the chance to view a showcase of the tools of the trade to find the ideal solution to your current or future projects.
This will be the 18th time the annual Hardware & Tools Middle East exhibition has taken place and it has grown to an incredible degree since its inception. There's the chance to view a huge spectrum of hardware units, tools and specialised equipment that the professions of the industry are using to achieve the highest quality workmanship and build a stronger brand.
The Hardware & Tools Middle East show at the Dubai World Trade Center was an incredible success last year, with more than 166 exhibitors showcasing their latest and greatest products and solutions to the more than 3,200 industry professionals who came to the Hardware & Tools Middle East exhibition. The most innovative, exciting and latest products were shown from more than 160 different international brands who have managed to dominate the industry.
The Cylinder Lifter team will be making their rounds at the Hardware & Tools Middle East exhibition in order to view some of these amazing products that tie into Cylinder Lifter's success at becoming a | 228 |
An object of mass m is traveling with an...
Simran Bhatia Grade: 11<|fim_middle|> of the sides of a rectangular hexagon... Answer & Earn Cool Goodies
a police man is running toward a thief with a constant acceleration of 0.1 m/s^2. At a particular...
The compound C H 3 C H 2 N H C H 3 is an example of a: A primary amine B secondary amine C...
what is the means of a... |
An object of mass m is traveling with an initial speed v. The object is brought to a rest by a variable force that acts over a distance d for a time t. There are two ways to calculate the magnitude of the "average" force, F av = mv/t Or F av = mv 2 /2d. Are the two methods equivalent? Under what conditions, if any, will they yield the same average? Will one method tend to produce a larger result, and, if so, which method?
Aditi Chauhan
No, the two methods are not equal. The magnitude of average force in the first method comes from the momentum of the particle and the second method comes from change of kinetic energy.
Yes, the two methods will give the same average when the particle has initial momentum and final momentum have same magnitude and also have same direction.
Yes, one method tends to produce a larger method. Suppose a particle has initial momentum pi and final momentum also - pi but the final direction is just opposite to the initial direction. The change in momentum in this case is 2 pi. But the change in kinetic energy is zero. Thus the average force using first method will have the larger result than the second method.
Other Related Questions on Mechanics
When we are in defferent frames, can we see direction of speed of light constantly ? Answer & Earn Cool Goodies
forces X,Y,Z ,P+Q,Q+Y and P+Z act at a point in the direction | 303 |
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Nike's Donating Over 30,000 Pairs Of Sneakers & Other PPE To Frontline Healthcare Workers
By Bruce Goodwin II , Deputy Editor
@brucegood_
Bruce is a sneaker-obsessed pop culture junkie from Queens. He is a proud alumnus of St. John's University and is currently the Deputy Editor of Cassius. Bruce hails from Complex as a social media guru and honed his sneaker knowledge as an editor at Sneaker News. He is also a Drake and Dipset apologist. He divides his time between watching 'The Office' reruns and trying to become the next Hank Moody...or Don Draper. @brucegood_
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Source: Nike / NIke
As the coronavirus continues to ravage communities around the world with over 60,000 deaths in the United States, the real heroes have come to light.
It's the people working at the grocery stores having contact with hundreds of people a day, the delivery driver who drops off your food, and of course, the healthcare workers who are at the very front line. Nurses, doctors, EMTs, and many others are all trying to save as many people as possible right now while also protecting themselves. And for that, Nike thanks them.
The Swoosh is partnering with nonprofit Good360 in the United States and local organizations across Europe to donate more than 140,000 pieces of footwear, apparel, and equipment around the world.<|fim_middle|> Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, and New York City, and within the Veterans Health Administration. An additional 2,500 pairs are being donated to hospitals across Europe, including Barcelona, Berlin, London, Milan, Paris, and in Belgium.
Debuting in 2019, the Nike Air Zoom Pulse was built specifically for healthcare workers.
"The Nike Air Zoom Pulse is a shoe for everyday heroes: nurses, doctors, home health providers and others who work tirelessly to support patients," explains Nike.
Nike's been one of the most proactive brands during the COVID-19 outbreak and has pledged more than $25 million to relief efforts.
Coronavirus Newsletter nike | To make the announcement, Nike got some of its biggest athletes — Joshua Buatsi, Cristina Chirichella, Amandine Henry, Sabrina Ionescu, Anni Espar Llaquet, Ja Morant, Joc Pederson, Casey Short, and Nafi Thiam– to send messages of gratitude to global healthcare workers.
"From one athlete to another, Nike athletes recognize the physical and mental resilience of healthcare athletes," writes Nike.
Healthcare workers have long, hectic hours, and comfortable footwear is of the utmost importance, so Nike is donating 30,000 pairs of Nike Air Zoom Pulse to health systems and hospitals in | 134 |
Pardon, Your Dress Is Singing
A New York artist has created fabric that is durable and eco-friendly. But what's really turning heads is the sound the material makes. By Rachel Metz.
Think those mix tapes are passé? More like haute couture.
Sound and visual artist Alyce Santoro has created Sonic Fabric, a cloth made from pre-recorded, recycled cassette tape combined with other fibers. Using a minimally hacked Walkman, the fabric becomes an audible reminder of its musical past.
Sonic Fabric feels a bit like flexible plastic tarp, and is durable and hand-washable. Santoro's work has drawn lots of oohs and aahs, and is making waves in the design world.
She came up with the idea in 2001 as a conceptual art project where she used strands of cassette tape to determine the direction of the wind, combining the idea of wind-activated prayers on Tibetan prayer flags with her childhood love of sailing.
"As kid I would imagine I could hear sound coming off the tape if the wind hit it the right way," Santoro said.
She knitted a pre-recorded tape into potholder-shaped prototypes by hand. Later she tried a commercial loom and found her eighth-inch wide cassette tape fit onto it perfectly. Soon she began weaving tape with cotton.
Her first try yielded two yard-long panels that, for all she knew, would never make a peep.
Then one day in 2002, another artist suggested running a Walkman tape head over the fabric. They extracted a sound piece from a Walkman and mounted it on a block of wood. Moving it across the fabric, Santoro heard the cumulative noise of five tracks of sound.
"It sounds kind of like scratching a record backward. It's pretty garbled," she said.
Her latest creations play 20 tracks at once. She creates sound collages on a four-track, and the reader picks up five strands at a time.
Though it doesn't sound like Bach, her current work has taken off. She's worked with some designers to create a dress for Phish drummer Jon Fishman, which he "played" in concert.
Instead of splicing tapes together herself, a tape duplication specialist on Long Island now records Santoro's sound collages. She sells Tibetan monk-inspired bags and her take on Tibetan prayer flags online and at some stores. High-profile companies like Target and<|fim_middle|> that can play individual sounds, and she's working with another artist on a compact fabric reader.
For now, though, she's still a little starry-eyed.
"I never in a million years expected to take the project this far," she said. | Nissan have also expressed interest in her work.
Santoro is overwhelmed by the attention.
"To me, the important part is being able to walk around in your favorite music or sound," she said.
"It's an absolutely fabulous product," said Samantha Delman-Caserta, co-owner of Brooklyn, New York, eco-conscious store 3R Living, which sells Santoro's products. She said customers love the look and feel of Sonic Fabric.
Eventually, Santoro hopes to make fabrics | 98 |
Seven young new faces graced the stage at the Bayimba Festival this year under the banner of Milégé Afro Jazz Band. With an energy that pulled the crowd to its feet, the band filled the air with African pulses, jazz chords, and a fusion of Ugandan sounds.
The band's name "Milégé" comes from an ankle rattle from the Luo people. The band centers their sound on this bell-like and airy sound from the north, but adds in jazz elements and other Ugandan sounds.
Milégé is a new group still planning the path before them. It all started when Francis caught a "crazy obsession with guitar," he explains. After performing with only basic chords in a festival, he says, "I got this interest in music, and I started playing every day of my life, up until now." Friends gave him tips, he watched shows, joined a church band, and practiced obsessively. Little lessons every day culminated to substantial growth each year, and he began playing in various bands.
But the life of a musician is not an easy one, and<|fim_middle|> Band is after a new, creative sound. They compose their own pieces, slowly working through new combinations—jazz piano solo first, perhaps some vocal improvisation, Muganda drumming next, or maybe a bass solo before that—blending together each member's unique contributions. Elaine says it's like baking a cookie. "Everyone has this cookie that they can make," she says. "And they all have these special ingredients that they bring. Everybody just puts your special ingredient in the pot." The resulting pieces are infused with jazz, African rhythms, Ugandan languages, and an improvisational feel.
Their musical influences range from Geoffrey Oryeem to Hugh Maseka, Jonathan Butler, Soul Beat, and Erik Clapton. Above all, they want to create a change and show people the pride and beauty of Ugandan sounds.
Herman Ssewanyana, the founder of African fusion band Percussion Discussion, says there are challenges for new bands to "do more for the world to understand," but he says that Ugandans should get to hear jazz and listen to original music. "I support Milégé, and I'd like them to go far," he says.
Milégé Afro Jazz Band may be just getting their feet wet in the East African musical community, but if the Bayimba Festival is any indicator, they are one band that will rock the music scene and push creative Ugandan fusion music to new heights.
I am a supporter of Milege Afro Jazz band for taking a dream that I could never fulfill and make it a reality. In my time our parents could never hear of their children playing a guitar because music as a career or even hobby was not highly regarded in Uganda. This is despite the fact that our parents danced themselves lame to some popular Ugandan tunes by Elly Wamala ( RIP) Kawalya (RIP) and such other famous local musicians without butting an eyelid that the parents of these musicians had let them be. I do hope that they continue to evolve their unique genre and record albums that can stand the test of time.
Milege Afro jazz band has a rather unique sound that fuses different cultures in Uganda which is promotion of unity in the country. The concert in 2010 displayed beautiful and unique sounds not heard in Uganda in while. The theme was also very appropriate, "Repainting Uganda".
If only everyone would side with these young stars and pick up paint brushes of hard work, unity, selflessness and togetherness and repaint Uganda with the colours of Brotherhood, patriotism and fraternity then Uganda would be a better place.
I'm a journalist and ethnomusicologist with an affinity for traveling, listening, making music and telling stories. | he found a cold shoulder from professional groups. He spoke with three other friends who had similar experiences, and they decided to form their own ensemble. Together as partners, they found the freedom to play whatever music they like and make their own rules.
The four partners spent two months talking through the details and laying the groundwork for Milégé Afro Jazz Band. Although the original vision was for an all-girls band, Francis found that women instrumentalists were not easy to find. The four formed a structure that allowed for new members to join and work their way into the band based on their level of commitment and dedication. They talked through the importance of maintaining family relationships and allowing absences due to family functions. They discussed how to minimize discrimination so that everyone has an equal chance.
They all agreed that they wanted Milégé to be one band and one brand. Instead of being centered around a vocalist and pulling in instrumentalists from other bands, guitarist Elaine Alowo Obbo explains that they "came up with a structure to build a brand and a product, to grow as a family." They are more than individual musicians who happen to play on the same stage; they are a partnership, a band as a single entity.
At the same time, they make sure that members can pursue their own professions in order to support themselves outside of the band. "We have to hold on to our professions so we can determine what kind of music to play," Elaine says. They did not want the pressure of the market to mold them into a particular genre.
Instead of being a weakness, the band's side jobs have become a strength. Elaine, a lawyer for Shonubi Musoki & Co., develops the band's contracts. Dinah Oundo, studying commerce and ACCA, organizes the band's finance and accounts. Assimwe Paul, studying fine art, develops the band's media and brand management. Their individual talents work together as a single unit.
Milégé Afro Jazz | 397 |
Restoring the Gift of Sight--A Tzu Chi Free Clinic in West Papua, Indonesia
Text and photos by Hadi Pranoto Abridged and translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
More than 200 people had their cataracts removed during a Tzu Chi free clinic in West Papua, Indonesia. With their sight restored, they no longer have to depend on their families to take care of them. Better yet, they can return to work and help with their families' finances.
A rumor goes that if you undergo cataract surgery, your eye will be replaced with a cow's eye," said Ruben, who used to be a truck driver until his deteriorating eyesight forced him to switch to farming. "I didn't buy it, so I came here and had my eye operated on."
The operation was successful and Ruben was very happy. "My eyes are my guide. Having my eyesight restored is like finding a priceless treasure I had lost," he said with a smile.
On July 19 and 20, 2019, Tzu Chi volunteers in Indonesia held a free eye clinic in the town of Manokwari, West Papua, eastern Indonesia. This was the second time Tzu Chi had provided free medical services in the town. The first clinic was conducted seven years ago in 2012, offering surgery for cataracts, pterygium (a benign overgrowth of tissue on the surface of the eye), and tumors. The latest clinic took place in Bhayangkara Hospital. Among the 259 patients who benefited, 204 received cataract surgery. Some patients had one of their eyes treated seven years ago and were back for surgery on the other eye.
Susanto Pirono, head of Tzu Chi Biak (first from left), and Herry Rudolf Nahak, West Papua police chief (first from right), share in the joy of patients who have had their cataracts removed at a Tzu Chi free eye clinic in West Papua, eastern Indonesia.
A manifestation of love
The Tzu Chi Biak office in Papua has carried out charity work for nine years. At the invitation of the head of the office, Susanto Pirono, members of the Jakarta chapter of the Tzu Chi International Medical Association have traveled many times to eastern Indonesia to serve local needy people.
The July 2019 eye clinic was a joint effort by Tzu Chi, the West Papua police, the West Papua government, and several community health clinics in Manokwari. The various parties worked together to relieve the suffering of underprivileged people afflicted with illness. Pirono said of the cooperation: "When different sectors of society can join hands to do good deeds and give love without discrimination, a better world is sure to come."
West Papua police chief Herry Rudolf Nahak pointed out during the opening ceremony that cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in Papua, but local medical resources for treatment are so inadequate that many people suffering from the disease are unable to receive proper treatment. This has affected patients' ability to work and adversely impacted their families' financial well-being and quality of life.
As the event unfolded, more than 200 prescreened patients entered the operating room in turn to have their eyes operated on. Cataract surgery is a relatively uncomplicated procedure; it takes less than 20 minutes to have the lens of one's eye removed and replaced with an artificial lens. Most of the patients who had come to the free clinic lived in mountain areas, a long way from the town center. The long<|fim_middle|> put Basna's husband out of work. As a result, Basna became the breadwinner of her family. Unfortunately, she lost vision in her left eye two years ago and could only rely on her blurry right eye to see. Even so, many people advised her not to go for the surgery. They said, "What if it fails?" But Basna told them she was not afraid. "God will definitely take care of us," she said confidently. "I'm sure it will work."
Basna had always prayed that she could regain her eyesight. Her prayer was answered on this happy day. "I grow cabbage, bananas, leaf mustard, beans, and so on," she said. "With my vision restored, it will be a lot easier for me to work on my farm. I'll also be able to sell my vegetables in the market. Thank God for sending these people [the Tzu Chi medical team] all the way from Jakarta to Papua to help us."
Firemon, 65, and Subrina, 62, brother and sister, had both developed cataracts. Their big family lives in a mountain area where the soil is fertile, and they make a living out of cultivating bananas, chilies, corn, taro, cabbage, and other crops. An endless expanse of wooded mountain land extends before their eyes when they look out from their home. The view is picturesque. However, it took a bumpy, arduous journey of four long hours to travel from their home to Manokwari for the surgery.
Subrina's right eye had been operated on for a cataract at the Tzu Chi free clinic held seven years before in Manokwari. After that, she regained her ability to live independently and was able to continue farming and weaving bags. This time around, she underwent surgery for her left eye. Her brother, Firemon, used to be optimistic and hard-working, but after he lost his vision he could only resign himself to staying at home and letting his family take care of him. They had had to bathe him, change his clothes for him, feed him, and take care of his other everyday needs. Depressed about his condition, Firemon became a man of few words. His grandson said, "Grandpa became despondent after he lost his sight. He felt bad for not being able to work and take care of himself. He was also sad because he couldn't read the Bible."
Happily, his vision was restored by an operation at the Tzu Chi event, and his bright, upbeat personality returned. He smiled at and greeted the patient sitting next to him at the free clinic. "I can finally work in the field now and go to church by myself," he said cheerfully.
A simple postoperative eye test confirmed that Firemon (second from left) had regained his eyesight. | , bumpy journey from their homes to the free clinic site, however, could not deter them from coming to the event for treatment and hope.
"These patients' eyesight is either impaired or completely lost," said Pirono. "This has deprived them of their ability to work, and their family has had to spend a lot of time taking care of them. Hopefully after the surgery they can work again and no longer have to rely on others."
Hope ahead
Her eyes closed and her hands clasped together, Martha Basna, a patient who had had her cataract removed at the event, said a prayer as she sat on a bench in the hospital where the free clinic was taking place: "Thank you, God. All this is happening because of you."
A nurse set about removing the bandage on Basna's left eye. When she was done, she held up her fingers to test the patient's postoperative vision. "Two, three, five," Basna called out based on the number of fingers the nurse had held up, her voice louder the more the nurse stepped back. The nurse smiled. This showed that Basna's operation had been successful.
A medical condition called hyperuricemia (an excess of uric acid in the blood) had | 257 |
In Calabria you never get bored.
At the sea many sporting and recreational activities, in the many resorts of the Ionian and Ty<|fim_middle|> to forget the pleasure of spending unforgettable moments at the table, tasting the rich local gastronomy that fully reflects the tastes and smells of a magical and surprising land.
In Calabria, the real question is not what to do but when to go. | rrhenian coast can be done, from snorkeling to surfing, from boat trips to complete relaxation on the sandy shore.
For those who love the mountains, there are many options: national parks offer itineraries in the heart of woods surrounded by nature, in contact with a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. And in winter it is possible to ski on the slopes of the Sila and Aspromonte, enjoying the comfort of ski lifts and cosy huts.
Last but not least, tourists can admire the artistic and cultural routes which run through the heart of the ancient villages rich in priceless art treasures, or they can appreciate the majestic castles of medieval origins, full of stories and legends. And during these visits it is easy to encounter one of the many holy and historical pageants processions that characterize the life of every town in the region.
Calabria is also the land where sport and nature come together in a unique moment of entertainment, with walks in the wonderful nature trails or horseback rides through the beautiful plains of the hinterland.
And it is impossible | 215 |
Bio-Planet, the bio supermarket of the Belgian Colruyt group, turns out to be a source of several organic or bio chocolates.
Aroma: Sweet, leathery, spicy. The aroma is promising.
Taste: The bar delivers a hard snap. The taste starts off soft, rather sweet with red fruits slowly adding to the mix. The fruit keeps lingering in the mouth. It needs some time before the melt starts. The taste doesn't evolve constantly, it somewhat flattens after the first waves of notes. Cacao and delicate red fruits keep up all the way, with absolutely no bitterness. I'm a bit surprised not to find the spicy notes in the palate again.
This chocolate lacks some persistence, some "balls". Just a touch of sweetness makes it gentle on the palate, though it does reveal some of the<|fim_middle|> store. | tastes found in fine chocolate. In the aftertaste, some bitterness comes through and the cacao seems to rise as the fruity acidity subsides.
Edit: after eating some portions of this chocolate, I discovered something less pleasant about this bar. For some reason I seem to get little hard bits in my mouth. Almost like there are some flakes of the cacao beans that are left behind in the chocolate mass. I wonder if this is a fluke or if the production process leaves them behind. A sad conclusion.
I don't think I've ever describe any chocolates on my blog as "with balls" or without them, for that matter. But truthfully, it's a really good, if funny turn of phrase. Really enjoying the reviews.
Vivani does make one really good chocolate, it is called Equador. Try that one next time. It is the only chocolate I can actually eat at the local organic | 186 |
Hope for U.S.-China trade progress sends stocks jumping
The opening bell hangs above the trading floor at the New York Stock Exchange.
(Mark Lennihan / Associated Press)
Industrial and technology companies led stocks to solid gains Monday after the United States and China appeared<|fim_middle|> lost ground as Celgene dropped 4.7% to $74.69 and Alexion Pharmaceuticals fell 1.4% to $119.37.
The dollar rose to 111.11 yen from 110.68 yen. The euro slipped to $1.1772 from $1.1773.
Energy companies advanced as benchmark U.S. crude oil rose 1.3% to $72.24 a barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oil, rose 0.9% to $79.22 a barrel in London.
Wholesale gasoline rose 1% to $2.26 a gallon. Heating oil rose 0.4% to $2.27 a gallon. Natural gas fell 1.3% to $2.81 per 1,000 cubic feet.
Gold was little changed at $1,290.90 an ounce. Silver rose 0.4% to $16.52 an ounce. Copper rose 1.1% to $3.10 a pound.
Bond prices held steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note stayed at 3.06%.
The British FTSE 100 gained 1% and France's CAC 40 rose 0.5%. The German market was closed for a holiday. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.3%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.6%, and South Korea's Kospi rose 0.2%.
3:20 p.m.: This article was updated with closing prices, context and analyst comment.
1:20 p.m.: This article was updated with the close of markets.
This article was originally published at 7:30 a.m. | to make significant progress in trade talks. That helped ease concerns among investors that the world's two biggest economies would become mired in a trade war.
After another round of talks, the two countries agreed not to place tariffs on goods imported from each other. The Chinese government said it will buy more U.S. goods, including energy and agricultural products, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the United States postponed its proposal to put tariffs on up to $150 billion in goods from China. The two sides gave no indication of how much progress they had made toward ending their dispute entirely. Both said hostilities could increase again.
Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide Investment Management, said investors overreacted to the trade tensions and may be slowly learning to take a more patient approach with statements by the Trump administration and other nations.
"Treating Trump literally is destructive for investors," he said. "There's a lot of these issues where there are going to be hyperbolic statements made in the public sphere by both sides."
The Standard & Poor's 500 index climbed 20.04 points, or 0.7%, to 2,733.01. The Dow Jones industrial average rose as much as 371 points during the morning before subsiding somewhat; it finished with a gain of 298.20 points, or 1.2%, at 25,013.29. The Nasdaq composite rose 39.70 points, or 0.5%, to 7,394.04. The Russell 2000 index of smaller-company stocks climbed 10.81 points, or 0.7%, to 1,637.44, a new record-high close.
All 11 sectors in the S&P 500 index moved up. Among industrial companies, Boeing shares rose 3.6% to $363.92 and construction equipment maker Caterpillar rose 2.1% to $158.92. In the financial sector, Bank of New York Mellon advanced 1.3% to $57.72 and JPMorgan Chase rose 0.9% to $112.15.
Trade disputes have occupied a lot of investors' attention for the last two months. Stocks have rallied on signs that progress was being made, only to fall back when the situation appeared to worsen. Hackett said Wall Street could get over its trade worries relatively quickly if talks go well.
If that happens, he said, stocks could be set for further gains because they are still below their early-2018 highs and analysts expect stronger earnings growth, which makes stock prices seem less expensive.
General Electric rose 1.9% to $15.26 after announcing that its train engine division will combine with railroad equipment maker Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies in a deal worth $11.1 billion. It's the latest step by GE's chief executive, John Flannery, to break off parts of the conglomerate. GE is to get $2.9 billion in cash and own 50.1% of the combined company, and the deal will help it narrow its business down to the aviation, healthcare and energy industries. Wabtec shares rose 3.5% to $98.55.
Chipmakers rallied after Micron Technology raised its profit and revenue forecasts for its fiscal third quarter. Micron shares jumped 3.9% to $55.48. Intel ticked up 1.5% to $54.32, and Lam Research advanced 2.2% to $199.87.
That contributed to a broad rally in technology stocks. Microsoft rose 1.3% to $97.60. Google's parent company, Alphabet, rose 1.3% to $1,084.01.
Fifth Third Bancorp is buying Chicago's MB Financial for about $4.7 billion, mostly in stock. The deal values MB at $54.20 per share, and its stock rose 12.9% to $49.28 while Fifth Third shares tumbled 7.9% to $30.90.
Investment manager Blackstone agreed to buy LaSalle Hotel Properties for $33.50 a share, or $3.7 billion in cash. LaSalle jumped 5.4% to $33.61. Blackstone rose along with other financial firms, advancing 1.6% to $31.79.
Healthcare companies finished a bit higher overall but didn't do as well as the rest of the market. Biotechnology companies | 1,000 |
\section{Why strongly coupled?}
A realization~\cite{Shu_liquid,SZ_rethinking,SZ_CFT} that
QGP at RHIC is not a weakly coupled
gas but rather a strongly coupled liquid
has lead to a paradigm
shift in the field. It was extensively debated at
the ``discovery'' BNL workshop in 2004
and multiple other meetings since.
The experimental situation was then summarized by ``white papers''
of four RHIC experiments, who basically confirmed
this picture.
In the last 4 years strong efforts has been made to
understand $why$ QGP (at least) at $T=(1- 2)T_c$
is strongly coupled, and what exactly it means. Another
formidable ``old'' problem is that of confinement/deconfinement,
which got new attention lately.
We have learned a lot
from other branches of physics which
had experience with strongly coupled systems:
atomic gases in strongly coupled
regime, classical plasmas and AdS/CFT.
Those provided important clues: but we are somewhere in the middle
of the process, just starting to see
how it all makes a common picture.
The list of arguments explaining $why$ we think QGP
is strongly coupled at $T>T_c$
is long and constantly growing:\\
\noindent
1.{\bf Phenomenology}: Collective flows observed at RHIC lead
hydro practitioners to a conclusion that
QGP as a ``near perfect liquid'', with unexpectedly
small {\em viscosity-to-entropy ratio}
$\eta/s=.1-.2<<1$
in striking contrast to pQCD predictions.
Charmed and possibly even b quarks are strongly quenched:
their diffusion constant $D_c$ (deduced from the data
on single electron quenching and elliptic flow)
is much lower than pQCD expectations.
\\
2. {\bf Lattice/spectroscopy}: Lattice data suggest rather heavy quasiparticles and
strong interparticle
potentials, combining the two one
finds a lot of quasiparticle bound states
\cite{SZ_rethinking}.
That is why $\eta_c,J/\psi$ remain bound
at $T=(1-2)T_c$, as found
on the lattice
\<|fim_middle|> point A
at the moment of the snapshot.
The main prediction is that
associated secondaries
fly preferentially to a very large angl
$\approx 70$ degrees relative to jet, which is
consistent with the Mach angle for (
a time-averaged) speed of sound.
As shown in Fig.\ref{fig_shocks}(b), this seem to be what indeed is
observed. Its studies at RHIC
has been extended to 3-particle correlations,
which confirmed conical structure of the effect.
The 2-particle signal
for conical flow has been reported at SPS by CERES collaboration
(see proc. of QM06). These observation further proves that
viscosity of the produced matter is small enough, allowing
these waves too survive till freezout time and be observed in spectra.
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=6cm]{shocks3.eps}
\includegraphics[width=5cm]{experimental_peaks.eps}
\caption{\label{fig_shocks}
(a) A schematic picture of flow created by a jet going through
the fireball. The trigger jet is going to the right
from the origination point B. The
companion quenched jet is moving to the left, heating the matter
(in shadowed area) and producing a shock cone
with a flow normal to it, at
the Mach angle $cos\theta_M=v/c_s$, where $v,c_s$ are jet and sound velocities.
(b)The background subtracted correlation functions from STAR and PHENIX
experiments, a distribution in azimuthal
angle $\Delta\phi$ between the trigger jet and associated particle.
Unlike in pp and $dAu$ collisions where the decay of the companion jet
create a peak at $\Delta\phi=\pi$ (STAR plot), central $AuAu$
collisions show a minimum at that angle and a maximum corresponding
to the Mach angle (downward arrows).
}
\end{figure}
Antinori and myself\cite{Antinori:2005tu} suggested
that b-quark jets,
which can be tagged experimentally, will
further test that
the angle depend on velocity, not momentum, of the jets:
the cone should then shrink to zero angle at
$v=c_s=1/\sqrt{3}$.
Casalderrey and myself\cite{CS_variable} have shown, using
conservation of adiabatic invariants, that fireball expansion
should in fact greatly enhance the sonic boom (like
tsunami going onshore).
\section{QGP with magnetic quasiparticles}
We have already mentioned that electric-magnetic duality and
Dirac quantization condition may provide a clue to why
QGP is so strongly coupled. This part of the
story is relatively new, in spite of many studies of magnetic
excitations on the lattice, especially in Japan.
We start with the overall picture we proposed, returning
to brief discussion of its motivation later.
{\bf The picture}
proposed is different from the traditional approach, which
puts $confinement$ phenomenon at the center of the discussion,
dividing the phase diagram into (i)
confined/hadronic phase and (ii) deconfined or QGP
phase.
We however focus on the competition of electric and magnetic
quasiparticles,
and divide the phase diagram into (i)
``magnetically dominated'' region at lower $T,\mu$ and (ii)
``electrically dominated'' one at large $T,\mu$,
separated by ``E-M equilibrium'' line at which
the {\em couplings}
of both interactions
are equal\footnote{We use field theory notations, in which
$g_e,g_m$ are electric and magnetic couplings, e/m
duality transformation is $\tau->-1/\tau$ where $\tau=\theta/2\pi+i
4\pi/g_e^2$. $g_e=g$ and $\hbar=c=1$ elsewhere.}
\begin{eqnarray} g_e^2/{4\pi\hbar c}= g_m^2/{4\pi\hbar c}= 1 \end{eqnarray}
The last equality follows from the
celebrated Dirac quantization condition \cite{Dirac}
\begin{equation} \label{Dirac_quantization}
\frac{g_eg_m}{4\pi\hbar c} = \frac{n}{2}
\end{equation}
with $n$ being an integer, put to 2 because of adjoint color charge
of relevant monopoles.
The ``magnetic-dominated'' low-$T$ (and low-$\mu$) region (i) can
in turn be subdivided into the $confining$ part (i-a) in which
electric field is confined into quantized flux tubes by
magnetic condensate
\cite{t'Hooft-Mandelstamm}, and a new {\em ``postconfinement''}
region (i-b) at $T_c<T<T_{E=M}$ in which electric sector is
still strongly coupled and sub-dominan
We believe this picture better corresponds to
a situation in which string-related physics is by no means
terminated at $T=T_c$: rather it is at its maximum there. Then if
leaving this ``magnetic-dominated'' region and passing through the
equilibrium region by increase of $T$ and/or $\mu$, we enter
either the high-$T$ "electric-dominated" QGP or a (color)electric
superconductor at high-$\mu$ replacing magnetic superconductor.
(Electric diquark condensate obviously confine monopoles.)
A phase diagram explaining this pictorially is shown in
Fig.\ref{fig_em_phasediag}(a).
Besides equal couplings, the equilibrium region is also
presumably characterized by comparable densities as well as masses
of both electric and magnetic quasiparticles. In QCD the issue
is complicated by the fact that E-M duality is far from perfect,
with different spins of electric (gluons and quarks) and magnetic
quasiparticles. However other theories -- especially $\cal N$=4
supersymmetric YM -- have perfect self-duality of electric and
magnetic description: it is also conformal and has no confinement
to complicate the picture, while E and M-dominated parameter regions
do exist\footnote{Not in the phase diagram, as in this theory
couplings are independent of $T,\mu$.}.
see some discussion of e/m duality
in this theory in \cite{withAP}.
Now brief motivations of this picture. One is well known
t'Hooft-Mandelstamm scenario, in which the confined phase
is a ``dual superconductor''. If so, there should be
be uncondensed magnetic objects above $T_c$ as well. And indeed,
lattice studies show
that electrically charged particles -- quarks and gluons --
are getting heavier as we decrease $T$ toward $T_c$,
while monopoles gets lighter and more numerous.\\
The magnetic screening mass,
although absent perturbatively,
is nonzero, and even exceeds the electric one close to $T_c$
(as shown e.g. by Nakamura et al \cite{Nakamura:2003pu}).
These screening masses as well as estimates of the densities of
electric and magnetic objects,
leads to the location of {\em
E-M equilibrium} \cite{Liao:2006ry} at
\begin{eqnarray} T_{E=M}\approx (1.2-1.5)T_c=250-300\, MeV\end{eqnarray}.
Another lattice-based puzzle
is related with static $\bar Q Q$ potentials close to $T_c$.
At deconfinement $T=T_c$
a static quark pair
has vanishing string tension in the free energy
$exp(-F(T,r))=<W>$. However if one calculates the $energy$
or $entropy$ separately (by $F=E-TS$, $S=-\partial F/\partial T$)
one finds \cite{potentials} that
the tension more than twice that in the vacuum,
till rather large distances. The total energy
added to a pair is surprisingly large,
reaching $E(T=T_c,r\rightarrow\infty)=3-4\, GeV$, while
the entropy $S(T=T_c,r\rightarrow\infty)\sim 20$.
Where all this energy and entropy may come from in the
plasma phase? Most likely it is
due to QCD string, surviving above $T_c$ in some form.
Liao and myself \cite{Liao:2005hj}
suggested ``electric'' approach toward solving this puzzle,
by ``polymerization'' of gluonic quasiparticles in sQGP.
``Magnetic'' effect
is that monopoles further compress the electric flux tube,
as their dual -- electrons in solar plasma -- do for magnetic
flux tubes.
\begin{figure}[t]
\includegraphics[width=7.5cm]{em_phasediag.eps}
\includegraphics[width=7cm]{vis-d-mapping.eps}
\vspace{0.1in}
\caption{(color online)(a) A schematic phase diagram on
a (``compactified'') plane of
temperature and baryonic chemical potential $T-\mu$.
The (blue) shaded
region shows ``magnetically dominated'' region $g<e$, which
includes the e-confined hadronic phase as well as ``postconfined''
part of the QGP domain. Light region includes ``electrically
dominated'' part of QGP and also color superconductivity (CS)
region, which has e-charged diquark condensates and therefore
obviously m-confined. The dashed line called ``e=g \,line'' is the
line of electric-magnetic equilibrium.
The solid lines indicate true phase transitions,
while the dash-dotted line is a deconfinement cross-over line.
(b)
Plots of $Log[1/(\eta /s)]$ v.s. $Log[1/(2\pi T D)]$ including
results from our MD simulations, the Ads/CFT calculations, the weakly coupled
CFT calculations, as compared with experimental values. M00,M25,M50
mean 0,25 and 50\% of monopoles in plasma.
\label{fig_em_phasediag}}
\end{figure}
Are there bound states of electric and magnetic quasiparticles?
Yes, there are a lot of them. A surprise is that
even finite-$T$ instantons
can be viewed as ``magnetic baryons''
being made of $N_c$ self-dual dyons~\cite{Kraan:1998kp}, attracted to
each other pair-vise, both electrically and magnetically.
Not only such baryons-made-of-dyons have the same moduli space
as instantons, the solutions can be obtained
vis very interesting AdS/CFT brane
construction \cite{Lee:1997vp}. Many more exotic bound states
of those are surely waiting to
be discovered.
Transport properties of strongly coupled plasmas
is a non-trivial issue. Especially let us ask
what is the role of magnetic quasiparticles, as they
may not be strongly coupled?
These issues were
recently addressed using molecular dynamics (MD) methods of
classical strongly coupled plasmas.
In e/m context
the term ``strongly coupled'' is expressed via
parameter $\Gamma= (Ze)^2/(a_{WS}T)$
characterizing the strength of the interparticle interaction.
$Ze,a_{WS},T$ are respectively the charge, the Wigner-Seitz radius
$a_{WT}=(3/4\pi n)^{1/3}$ and the temperature.
Extensive studies
using both MD and analytical methods,
have revealed the following regimes:
{\bf i.} a gas regime for $\Gamma<1$; {\bf ii.} a
liquid regime for $\Gamma\approx 10$; {\bf iii.} a glass regime
for $\Gamma\approx 100$; {\bf iv.} a solid regime for $\Gamma > 300$.
Gelman, Zahed and myself~\cite{GSZ}
proposed a model for the description of strongly interacting
quarks and gluon quasiparticles as a classical
and nonrelativistic $Non-Abelian$ Coulomb gas. The sign and strength
of the inter-particle interactions are fixed by the scalar product
of their classical {\it color vectors} subject to Wong's equations.
The model was studied using Molecular Dynamics (MD),
which means solving numerically EoM for $n\sim 10^2-10^3$ particles.
As the Coulomb coupling is
increased, we found at parameters corresponding to sQGP liquid-like, with a diffusion constant
$D\approx 0.1/T$ and a bulk viscosity to entropy density ratio
$\eta/s\approx 1/3$.
Unfortunately there is no place here to show how
diffusion and viscosity depends on coupling: we will discuss
their interrelation in the Summary.
{\bf Plasma with magnetic charges} was studied in \cite{Liao:2006ry}
by molecular dynamics. Unlike earlier works, it does not use
periodic box but (self-contained) drops of plasma. Although
in this case the system is not homogeneous, it allows to consider
much larger systems. Simulations included transport properties such as
diffusion coefficients and viscosity. A number of collective modes have
been discovered, and their oscillation frequencies and damping
parameters calculated. The results we will show in the next section,
together with those from AdS/CFT correspondence.
\section{AdS/CFT correspondence and CFT plasma properties}
Let me omit well known results on thermodynamics, heavy-quark
potentials
and viscosity\footnote{See Son's talk in the same proceedings.}.
Let me just remind that
the
Debye radius at strong coupling is unusual: unlike in pQCD it has no
coupling constant.
Although potential depends on distance $r$ still
as in the Coulomb law, $1/r$ (at $T=0$ it is due to conformity),
it is has a notorious square root of the coupling.
Semenoff and Zarembo \cite{Semenoff:2002kk} noticed that summing ladder diagrams
one can explain $\sqrt{g^2 N_c}$, although
not a numerical constant. Zahed and myself~\cite{SZ_CFT}
pointed out that both static charges are color correlated
during a parametrically small time $\delta t\sim r/{(g^2
N_c)^{1/4}}$: this explains~\cite{Klebanov:2006jj} why a field of the dipole
is $1/r^7$ at large distance\cite{Klebanov:2006jj}, not $1/r^6$.
Debye screening range can also be explained by resummation of thermal
polarizations~\cite{SZ_CFT}.
In another paper Zahed and myself~\cite{SZ_spin} had also discussed
the velocity-dependent
forces , as well as spin-spin and spin-orbit ones, at strong coupling.
Using
ladder resummation for non-parallel
Wilson lines with spin they concluded that all of them
join into one common square root
\begin{eqnarray} V(T,r,g)\sim \sqrt{(g^2 N_c)[1-\vec v_1 *\vec v_2+(spin-spin)+(spin-orbit)]}/ r \end{eqnarray}
Here $\vec v_1,\vec v_2$ are velocities of the quarks:
and the corresponding term is a strong coupling version of Ampere's
interaction between two currents\footnote{Note that in a
quarkonium their scalar product is negative,
increasing attraction.}. No results on that are known from a gravity
side.
{\bf Bound states} of fundamental particles should be present
in any strongly coupled theory\footnote{Some people publicly expressed
an opinion that they like AdS/CFT results but not multiple bound states
advocated by Zahed and myself: this is simply logically impossible,
large coupling brings both.
}.
Zahed and myself~\cite{SZ_CFT} looked for
heavy quarks bound states, using a Coulombic potential with
Maldacena's $\sqrt{g^2 N_c}$ and
Klein-Gordon/Dirac eqns. There is no problem with states
at large orbital momentum $J>>\sqrt{g^2N_c}$, but otherwise one has
the famous ``falling on a center'' solutions\footnote{Note that all
relativistic corrections mentioned above cannot prevent it
from happening.}: we argued that
a significant density of bound states develops, at all energies, from zero to
$2M_{HQ}$.
And yet, a study of the gravity side~\cite{Kruczenski:2003be}
found that there is no falling. In more detail, the
Coulombic states at large $J$ are supplemented by two more
families: Regge ones with the mass $\sim M_{HQ}/(g^2N_c)^{1/4}$ and
the lowest $s$-wave states
(one may call $\eta_c,J/\psi$) with even smaller
masses $\sim M_{HQ}/\sqrt{g^2 N_c}$.
The issue of ``falling'' was further discussed
by Klebanov, Maldacena and Thorn~\cite{Klebanov:2006jj} for
a pair of static quarks: they calculated the
spectral density of states
via a semiclassical quantization of string vibrations.
They argued that their corresponding density of states
should appear at exactly the same
critical
coupling as the famous ``falling'' in the Klein-Gordon eqn..
AdS/CFT also has multi-body states similar
to ``polymeric
chains'' $\bar q.g.g... q$ discussed for sQGP in\cite{Liao:2005hj}.
Hong, Yoon and Strassler~\cite{Hong:2004gz} have studied
such states when
the endpoints are static quarks, and the intermediate
gluons are conveniently replaced by adjoint scalars,
so that one can use their ``flavor'' to see how long the chain is.
{\bf Heavy quark transport } in
the CFT plasma
was a subject of recent breakthroughs.
Heavy quark diffusion constant
has been calculated by Casalderrey-Solana and
Teaney~\cite{Casalderrey-Solana:2006rq}:
\begin{eqnarray} D_{HQ}={2 \over \pi T \sqrt{g^2 N_c}} \end{eqnarray}
which leads to stopping length much smaller than
an expression for the momentum diffusion
$D_p=\eta/(\epsilon+p)\sim 1/4\pi T$.
This work is methodically quite different from others: one has
to use full Kruskal
coordinates, including the inside
of the black hole connecting
$two$ Universes (with opposite time directions)
simultaneously, see Fig.3a\footnote{So to say, a fish and a fisherman
(corresponding to an amplitude and
a conjugated amplitude) live separately in these Universes, yet
they are connected by a string which conducts a wave -- an
information about a ``bite''.}
Further important result \cite{Casalderrey-Solana:2007qw}
is calculation of the mean transverse energy squared per unit length
(1/2 of the popular parameter $\hat q$ for a gluon)
for a quark moving with gamma factor $\gamma=1/\sqrt{1-v^2}$
\begin{eqnarray} k_t=\sqrt{\gamma \lambda}\pi T^3\end{eqnarray}
Jet quenching
studies by many authors\cite{jq}
have resulted in
the following expression for the drag force
\begin{eqnarray} {dP\over dt}= -{\pi T^2\sqrt{g^2 N_c} v \over 2\sqrt{1-v^2}} \end{eqnarray}
Quite remarkably, the Einstein relation which
relates the heavy quark diffusion constant (given above)
to the drag force
is actually fulfilled, in spite of quite different gravity settings.
This result is valid
in a stationary setting, in which
a quark is dragged with constant velocity $v$ by ``an invisible
hand'',
see Fig.3b. Friess et al
\cite{Friess:2006aw} then
solved linearized
Einstein equations
and found corrections to the metric
$h_{\mu\nu}$ induce by a falling string,
obtaining the stress tensor of floating matter
on the brane. Quite remarkably, when they analyzed harmonics
of this stress at small momenta they have found the ``conical flow'',
disappearing at ``subsonic'' $v<1/\sqrt{3}$ and peaked at
the Mach cone. Recent studies of near-zone flow
\cite{Gubser:2007nd} found that picture changes at velocity
a bit above the speed of sound, and a different
angle of the maximum. This indeed should
happen because finite amplitude
shocks do propagate with a speed $larger$ than that of sound.
\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=6.1cm]{kruskal.eps}
\includegraphics[width=7cm]{wake.eps}
\caption{\label{fig_wake}
(a) (from \protect\cite{Casalderrey-Solana:2006rq}): In Kruskal coordinates one can study two Universes
at the same time, shown right and left, and the evaluated
Wilson line contains static quarks on their boundaries.
(b) (from \protect\cite{Friess:2006aw})
The dragged quark trails a string into the five-dimensional AdS
bulk, representing color fields sourced by the quark's fundamental
charge and interacting with the thermal medium. The back gravity
reaction describes how matter flows on the brane.
}
\end{figure}
{\bf ``Gravity duals''} to complete hydrodynamical explosion is
perhaps the ultimate AdS/CFT application:
but unfortunately solving non-linearized
Einstein equations with evolving black hole
is a very challenging task, both conceptually and technically.
The need for
{\em dynamically generated} black hole (BH),
corresponding to thermal fireball,
was suggested by Nastase~\cite{Nastase}.
Sin, Zahed and myself~\cite{Shuryak:2005ia}
pointed out that exploding/cooling
fireball on the brane is dual to
$departing$ black hole,
falling toward the AdS center. Although specific solution
discussed in that paper
has a brane departing from a static black hole, corresponding to
spherically symmetric solution with a time-dependent
$T$, we also
suggested three d-dimensional toy problems,
corresponding for d=1 to
a collision of two walls and subsequent Bjorken
rapidity-independent expansion, with
2d and 3d corresponding to cylindrical and spherical
collapses.
Janik and Peschanski~\cite{JP} soon
found asymptotic (late-time) solution corresponding to
d=1 rapidity-independent Bjorken expansion. It indeed has
a departing $horizon$ at the 5-th distance $z_h\sim \tau^{1/3}$
Further discussion of the first subleading terms $O(\tau^{-2/3})$
has been made by Sin and Nakamura \cite{SinNak} who
identified them with the viscosity effects, although without
any preference for its particular value.
Janik \cite{janik2}
derived next sub-sub-leading term $O(\tau^{-4/3})$
and provided some argument why viscosity should be what
was found in equilibrium.
Lin and myself\cite{Lin_Shu} have discussed a process of
BH formation, by studying motion of various objects in
the 5-th direction.
They concluded that all strings, closed or open, quickly
form
a thin shell (or 3d-membrane) of matter, which is gravitationally
collapsing toward the AdS center, and related its EoM to
Israel junction equations
for the motion of collapsing shell.
Princeton group \cite{Friess:2006kw}
pointed out that global static black-hole-AdS metric can
be seen from viewpoint of a moving observer, which
is nevertheless living in asymptotically flat Minkowskian world.
This provides nice analytic solution with incoming and then
departing
BH, corresponding to d=3
spherical
explosion at the boundary.
This explosion is however exactly reversible, conserving
the entropy.
Elliptic deformation of this solution leads to
hydrodynamics with dissipation. First the value
of the damping for corresponding modes have $not$
matched the expected CFT viscosity, but this was then corrected
by Michalogiorgakis and Pufu, and Siopsis
\cite{new_boundary_cond} who pointed out
that the usual Dirichlet condition
on the boundary are to be modified
\section{Summary of transport properties}
Finally, we would like to compare our results with those
obtained using the AdS/CFT correspondence and also with empirical data
about sQGP from RHIC experiments. Those are summarized in
Fig.\ref{fig_em_phasediag}(b), as a log-log plot of properly normalized
dimensionless (heavy quark) diffusion constant and viscosity.
The dashed curve in the left lower corner is for $\cal N$=4 SUSY
YM theory in weak coupling, where viscosity is from
\cite{Huot:2006ys} and diffusion constant
from~\cite{Chesler:2006gr}. The curve has a slope of one on this
plot, as in weak coupling both quantities are proportional to the
same mean free path. Note that weak coupling results
are quite far from empirical data from RHIC, shown by a gray oval
in the right upper corner. Viscosity estimates follow from
deviations of the elliptic flow at large $p_t$ from hydro
predictions
while diffusion constants are
estimated from $R_{AA}$ and elliptic flow of charm
\cite{MT}.
The curve for strong-coupling AdS/CFT results (viscosity according
to \cite{PSS} with $O(\lambda^{-3/2})$ correction, diffusion
constant from \cite{Casalderrey-Solana:2006rq}), shown by upper dashed
line, is on the other hand going right through the empirical
region. At infinite coupling this curve reaches $s/\eta=4\pi$
which is conjectured to be its bound.
Our MD results\cite{Liao:2006ry} -- three solid lines on the right -- correspond to our
calculations with different ratio of electric/magnetic quasiparticles.
The overall behavior of these so different approaches,
as well as proximity to the empirical range, is very encouraging.
\section*{Acknowledgements}
I thank the organizers of the meeting and
Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics at Kyoto University for
hospitality.
My research
is partially supported by the US-DOE grants DE-FG02-88ER40388
and DE-FG03-97ER4014.
| cite{charmonium} (and also at RHIC).
Heavy-light resonances help to explain charm stopping
\cite{SZ_rethinking,Rapp_vanHees}. Near-zero bound states
(Feshbach-type resonances) are known to turn
dilute ultracold trapped atoms into a strongly coupled liquid
with small viscosity \cite{Gelman:2004fj}.
\\
3.{\bf Classical plasmas}: The interaction parameter
$\Gamma\sim {<pot.energy>\over <kin.energy>}$,
is not small in sQGP. Classical electromagnetic plasmas at comparable
coupling $\Gamma\sim 1-10$ are also good liquids.
This is also true for non-Abelian
plasmas\cite{GSZ}, as well as plasmas containing magnetic monopoles
\cite{Liao:2006ry}.
\\
4. {\bf AdS/CFT} correspondence between conformal field theory
(CFT) $\cal N$=4 supersymmetric YM
at strong coupling and string theory in Anti-de-Sitter
space (AdS) in weak coupling
is the basis for many intriguing results
on the CFT plasma properties. Those are generally
close to what is observed
for sQGP: both
are good liquids with record low viscosity,
which strongly quench heavy quarks
generate conical flow and have rapid onset of hydro regime.
\\
5.{\bf Electric-Magnetic duality} is perhaps the key to
confinement. In
the ``Seiberg-Witten'' theory \cal{N}=2 SUSY YM
confinement is induced by
monopole condensation
In QGP, as $T$ decreases toward $T_c$,
one finds rapid activation of magnetic monopoles.
U(1) beta function demands they
are $weakly$ coupled in IR.
Then, due to Dirac condition,
electric coupling is forced to be $strongly$ coupled.
Uncondensed monopoles\cite{Liao:2006ry} seem to be
an important player in the sQGP close to $T_c$.
\section{Collective Flows in Heavy Ion Collisions}
Collective radial and elliptic
flows, related with explosive behavior of hot
matter,
observed at SPS and RHIC, are quite accurately reproduced
by the ideal hydrodynamics.
The so called {\em conical} flow\cite{CST} is a
hydrodynamical phenomenon
induced by
jets quenched in sQGP.
Fig.\ref{fig_shocks}(a) explains a view of the process,
in a plane transverse to the beam. Two oppositely
moving jets originate from the hard collision point B.
Due to strong quenching, the survival of the trigger
jet biases it to be produced close to the surface and to
move outward. This forces its companion to
move inward through matter and to be maximally quenched.
The energy deposition starts at point B, thus a spherical sound wave
appears (the dashed circle in Fig.\ref{fig_shocks} ). Further
energy deposition is along the jet line, and is propagating with a speed of
light,
till the leading parton is found at | 707 |
GOP reacts to Trump search with threats and comparisons to 'Gestapo'
Some Republicans dismissed concerns about extreme rhetoric
By Hannah Knowles
August 9, 2022 at 7:41 p.m. EDT
A helicopter flies near former president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 9. (Giorgio Viera/AFP/Getty Images)
Republican condemnations of an FBI search at former president Donald Trump's residence widened and intensified Tuesday as lawmakers and candidates likened the investigation to "Third World" political persecution and even Nazi rule — underscoring Trump's grip on the party and raising concerns about stoking the kind of anti-government fervor that preceded the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
Lawmakers throughout the party continued to cast the search at Trump's Mar-a-Lago property, without evidence, as the act of a tyrannical regime, using terms such as "dictatorship" and "banana republic." Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said the federal government has gone the way of "the Gestapo." The New York Young Republican Club issued a statement calling for the arrest of anyone involved in the search or other alleged persecutions, suggesting the suspension of normal legal processes if needed "to secure our Republic from the insidious monsters that have wrenched it from the American People's control."
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R), who has clashed with Trump, was silent much of Tuesday before issuing a more tempered response, calling for a "thorough and immediate explanation" of what led to the search. Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie (R) in a radio interview called a search of Trump's safe "fair game" and said he would not jump to conclusions. But even prominent Republicans who have at times distanced themselves from Trump — including some who could challenge him for the presidential nomination in 2024 — joined the former president's suggestions of a politically motivated probe.
Former vice president Mike Pence, who has been jockeying with his onetime running mate for influence in the party, said that "the appearance of continued partisanship by the Justice Department must be addressed." Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) — who like Pence is considered a potential presidential candidate — denounced a "stunning<|fim_middle|> is all projection, all projection of how they would handle this situation if they were in power."
Others in the party dismissed suggestions the GOP reaction could fan extreme responses. "That's like saying everyone who has a 'Save the Planet' bumper sticker is going to blow up an oil tanker," said Rory McShane, a Republican strategist. "There's extreme rhetoric on both sides of the political spectrum."
RNC spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez suggested questions about party members' rhetoric are a distraction.
"It's outrageous that instead of asking tough questions of the White House and DOJ and demanding they answer for this abuse of power, the media is spending their time filtering through every single Republican reaction and asking if we agree," Alvarez said in a statement.
Many of the party's top leaders are among those most forcefully criticizing the FBI. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) on Monday told Attorney General Merrick Garland to "preserve your documents and clear your calendar," saying that if Republicans take control of the House he will hold federal oversight investigations into the Justice Department.
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, lashed out at McCarthy in an interview Tuesday. "Kevin McCarthy shoots his mouth off and creates a very dangerous situation by whipping up a bunch of radical people," he said. "Why? Because he's looking for some short-term political benefit by kissing up to Donald Trump. It's dangerous and irresponsible."
"Responsible adults stand back and find out the facts and measure their words carefully when there's a federal criminal investigation," he said.
McCarthy's office did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
Asked about the search at an event Tuesday, McConnell declined to weigh in, saying he was there to talk about the recovery from flooding in Kentucky. But later he issued a statement saying Garland and the Justice Department "should have already provided answers to the American people and must do so immediately."
Representatives for the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee also did not respond to requests for comment.
Sen. Charles E. Grassley (Iowa), the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, was more measured than many in his party Tuesday, calling for "transparency" on Twitter.
"Transparency brings accountability & if the FBI & DOJ aren't transparent about raiding a former presidents home they risk further damaging their credibility," he wrote.
Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee had a darker message, telling people on Twitter that "Democrats raise your taxes then send the FBI to raid your house." Earlier they warned: "The IRS is coming for you. The DOJ is coming for you. The FBI is coming for you. No one is safe from political punishment in Joe Biden's America."
The dire tone was echoed Monday and Tuesday by GOP candidates in high-profile races. Adam Laxalt, the GOP nominee for Senate in battleground Nevada, tweeted, "We don't live in a 3rd world country." Blake Masters, the Republican Senate nominee in Arizona, said, "Everyone knows this was politically motivated. And that should terrify us all."
Maryland Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox on Tuesday called the FBI search "criminal" and said that if elected, he would use the full force of government — including the state police and Maryland National Guard — to oppose President Biden's administration.
Fergus Cullen, a former chairman of the GOP in New Hampshire, said the heated responses from candidates are "another reminder that when something happens that gives Republicans around the country an opportunity to show fidelity to Trump … you see almost all of them jumping at it." He expressed particular alarm at the notion — furthered by the New York Young Republican Club — that "we can just sort of suspend parts of the Constitution because we feel like it."
In its statement Tuesday, the organization said political persecutions called for more retribution than voting people out of office. Its list of purported wrongs included "the Big Steal" of the 2020 election and the "Fedsurrection" on Jan. 6, 2021, a reference to the false claim that federal agents — rather than Trump supporters — were behind the storming of the Capitol that day.
"Anyone involved in the listed political persecutions should be arrested and prosecuted with expediency, and in cases of extreme undue resistance, we recommend consideration of the suspension of the writ of Habeas Corpus," the statement read. A writ of habeas corpus is an order that brings someone before a court to determine if their detention is legal.
Cullen said he saw echoes of Trump's calls to jail his former Democratic rival for the presidency, Hillary Clinton, and his supporters' chants of "lock her up."
"If we can just disregard these kinds of civil liberties over what really amount to political disagreements, where does that end?" he asked, warning of a slide toward lawlessness and adding, "The French Revolution didn't happen in a day."
Many Republicans criticizing the investigation previously called for Clinton to be investigated — and pointed this week to the lack of charges against her as evidence of a double standard. Then-FBI Director James B. Comey said in 2016 he found no reason to charge Clinton, a former secretary of state, after an investigation into her use of a private email server.
A GOP strategist who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be more candid also shared deep concerns about what could come next.
"If the president is prosecuted for crimes committed while in office, I am very concerned that this country could erupt in civil war," the strategist said.
Susan Benesch, faculty associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, said when it comes to "dangerous speech ... what matters most is how the language was understood by the people most likely to react. And on January 6, we learned that there were all too many people in this country ready to react with violence, because they saw it as necessary."
Jason Roe, a former executive director of the Michigan GOP, said there are "legitimate concerns" about the rhetoric stoking unfounded vitriol against the government. But he mostly shared Republicans' outrage at the search, suggesting the backlash "makes Trump stronger than he's ever been."
Annie Linskey, Erin Cox and Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this report.
Trump's White House documents
HAND CURATED
Skepticism before a search: Inside the Trump Mar-a-Lago documents investigation
Justice Department asks judge to hold Trump team in contempt over Mar-a-Lago case
Items with classified markings found at Trump storage unit in Florida
View 3 more stories | move by the DOJ and FBI" and tweeted, "Selective, politically motivated actions have no place in our democracy."
The search was related to an investigation into the handling of classified documents, two people familiar with the probe told The Washington Post on Monday. One person said it was a court-authorized search in an investigation of how documents, including top-secret ones, were taken to Mar-a-Lago instead of the National Archives when Trump left office. The Presidential Records Act requires the preservation of memos, letters, notes, emails, faxes and other written communications related to a president's official duties.
Some longtime Republican critics of the party's direction under Trump saw the overwhelming and virulent GOP response as part of a dangerous loyalty to the former president over the law. Online statements denouncing the FBI's action have drawn a slew of comments declaring or anticipating "civil war."
People are "ready to fight … and the silence by some in the GOP, and the capitulation by others, does nothing to abate that type of rhetoric," said Michael Steele, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee who has been an outspoken critic of Trump. He said the most extreme rhetoric in response to the Mar-a-Lago search should be taken seriously.
"We saw what happened on January 6," he said. " … So all of this noise about, let's suspend habeas corpus, we're going to defund the FBI — this | 286 |
Infiniti Trademarks G35h, G30t and G22d Model Names
Kurt Ernst March 22, 2012 Comment Now!
While spy shots and spy videos of new models in testing are one way to find out what a manufacturer has in the pipeline, they're not the only way to gather information about upcoming products.
Sometimes it's as easy as reviewing patent filings or trademark applications, and Infiniti has recently applied for trademarks on three model names that may give a glimpse into its near-future product portfolio.
First up is the G35h, which Car and Driver believes will be a G series sedan equipped with the drivetrain from the M35h hybrid. That would make for a seriously quick "green" sedan, as the bigger and heavier M35h can dash from 0-60 mph in around 5.5 seconds, while returning 27 mpg city and 32 mpg highway fuel economy.
We love the idea of a G series sedan that could run from 0-60<|fim_middle|> GLK Class Preview: 2012 New York Auto Show
Project Nina Teased, 2013 Mercedes GLK, Scion FR-S Priced: Car News Headlines
2012 Chevy Sonic Turbo Now Available With An Automatic Transmission | mph in five seconds while delivering close to 30 mpg in the city, so we're hoping that Infiniti proceeds with development of this particular model.
The big mystery in the bunch is the G30t, since the "t" could denote either turbo or touring in Infiniti-speak. Nissan doesn't have any 3.0-liter engines for Infiniti to use, but new engine partner Mercedes-Benz does.
If "t" stands for turbo, such an engine could be tuned to produce higher output that the G37 coupe's current 330 horsepower, while improving fuel economy at the same time. It's possible that the G30t could even use a large-displacement four cylinder, in which case it may potentially slot into the lineup below the G37.
Finally, the G22d clearly denotes a 2.2-liter, four-cylinder diesel, which would be the first in Infiniti's G series range. Europe currently gets M, EX and FX diesels, while U.S. customers only get gasoline models. A diesel G would likely debut in Europe, with a (somewhat slim) chance of making it here in the future if there's perceived demand.
It's worth noting that a trademark filing isn't the same thing as a product plan, so Infiniti may choose to build any of these models, all of them or none of them. Frankly, we'd love to see the G35h and the G22d in our local Infiniti showrooms.
Coupes Engines INFINITI G News INFINITI News Luxury Cars News Sedans
2013 Mercedes-Benz | 345 |
These first few are pictures of my awesome 3 year-old nephew, Sam!
Here are a few from my back yard near the end of the summer.
Ohhh, if only you knew the story behind this.
This is at the metra station, on our way to a Relient K show at the House of Blues.
This is a beautiful Catholic church next to my school.
I just think this one is kinda cool. Ignore the dirty mirror.
21 balloons on my 21st birthday from the parents. :) This was slightly embarrassing to carry around.
I also dyed my hair on my twenty-first. I really liked the color; unfortunately, it didn't last as long as I had hoped.
Dad & Mom :) They came to visit me at school for my birthday. We went to a really cool park and took some pictures.
They're cool. It's okay to be jealous.
This dog was so cute! I met him when I was at 5k with a friend.
My cousin<|fim_middle|> I loved the spur-of-the-moment photo shoot. They were all taken on my campus (a small Christian university near Chicago). These girls are terrific!
These were a couple of my favorites.
Mom would probably hate to know that this picture of her is on the world wide web. Oh well. :) She asked for a new glass measuring cup, so that is precisely what one of her gifts was.
Here's what I scored this year. It was good.
Me & Mom showing off our treats.
My Mom is so crafty. These are caramels dipped in chocolate and sprinkles. Super cute, super easy, super yummy. Please try this at home.
My cat, Maddie, taking over my bed as always.
This year my parents have started buying me flowers and putting them in my room when I come home on break. I think it's a pretty nice tradition. :) These were from Christmas break.
I loved Mom's ginormous ornaments she put up this year. Really cute!
Once again, my Mom's creative abilities amaze me. She made a cake and put these little guys on them. They're marshmallow snowmen, held together by toothpicks. Clever, yeah?
This is at a park in my hometown. It always looks awesome during Christmas.
Amy Jo, me, and Angela enjoying time together over Christmas break.
In case you didn't pick this up already, it's a girl! :) Ron's mom made this delicious cake.
Here are some of the decorations from the baby shower. It was really cute. | , Taylor, and me. She's a freshman in high school this year...can't believe it!
In the back (left to right): my mom, my aunt Julie; front row: my grandma, my (second?) aunt, Anne. They're hilarious!!
My friend, Tania (on the right), asked me to take a few pictures of her and her twin sister, Tiffany, for their mom. | 84 |
Yueyang is a prefecture level city at the northeastern corner of Hunan province, South Central China, on the southern shores of Dongting Lake. The city's most famous attraction is the Yueyang Tower. Dongting Lake, which stretches vastly into the skyline, is like a fancy satin belt encircling the ancient city of Yueyang.Its lovely scenery and cluster of places of historical interest draw large numbers of Chinese and overseas tourists every year. It was heavily fortified, with walls 4 miles in circumference, and became the seat of the military prefecture of Yueyang, whence its present name. During the Taiping Rebellion,<|fim_middle|> of Chu state during the Warring States period, in protest against the corruption of the era. Originating in Xiushui County of Jiangxi province, the Miluo river is about 400 km long. It passes Pingjiang county in Hunan and empties into Dongting Lake in Miluo city. The river is formed by the confluence of the Mi and Luo rivers, of which the Mi river is the main branch. The two rivers become the Miluo river after joining in Daqiuwan Miluo city.
Huanghua Airport: For international and domestic flights. | its capture by the rebels in AD 1852 was an important stage in their advance up the Yangtze River valley to Nanjing. n the long process of history, Yueyang Tower has attracted numerous literati, where they composed poems and appreciated the fascinating scenery, making the tower become a cultural landmark of Yueyang City.
May to October is best for tourism.
The Yangtze River, or Chang Jiang is the longest river in Asia, and the third longest in the world. The glaciers on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the biggest rivers by discharge volume in the world. The Yangtze River flows through a wide array of ecosystems and is itself habitat to several endemic and endangered species including the Chinese alligator and the Yangtze sturgeon. For thousands of years, people have used the river for water, irrigation, sanitation, transportation, industry, boundary-marking and war. The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River is the largest hydro-electric power station in the world.
The Yueyang Pavilion is located above the city's Western Gate with Dongting Lake located in the west. Miluo River, which is located on the east side of Dongting Lake. The famous patriot Qu Yuan who lived between 340 BC and 278 BC during the Warring States Period is worthy of mention here as he finally plunged himself into the Miluo River. Each year people along the Miluo River hold a grand Dragon Boat Race in memory of Qu Yuan during the traditional Chinese Dragon Boat Festival.
Dongting Lake is a large, shallow lake in northeastern Hunan province, China. It is a flood basin of the Yangtze River. Hence the lake's size depends on the season. The provinces of Hubei and Hunan are named after their location relative to the lake: Hubei means North of the Lake and Hunan means South of the Lake in Chinese. Dongting Lake is famous in Chinese culture as the place of origin of Dragon boat racing. It is the site of Junshan island, and is a home to the Finless Porpoise, which is endangered in China. The characteristic green tea produced here is Junshan Yinzhen Tea, a tea that enjoys a great reputation both home and abroad. The Dongting Gold Tortoise is a small creature native to the Island, and good for medicinal purposes.
Yueyang Tower is an ancient Chinese tower in Yueyang, Hunan Province, on the shore of Lake Dongting. Alongside the Pavilion of Prince Teng and Yellow Crane Tower, it is one of the Three Great Towers of Jiangnan. This inspection tower, then called the Ba Ling Tower after the nearby city of Ba Ling, was the first incarnation of Yueyang Tower.
The Miluo River is an important river in the Dongting Lake watershed. It is famous as the location of the ritual suicide in 278 BC of Qu Yuan, a poet | 621 |
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We had the most amazing experience working with Custom Woodworking on our kitchen project. We've done many kitchens as we've moved from one old house to the next, and this one was by far the most pleasant experience with the highest quality outcome because of the team at Custom Woodworking. The quality of the final work is phenomenal — from the design phase through the installation, each person paid such close attention to the details of our sloping and crooked 100-year-old house. The construction, finish and hardware on the cabinets is the best we've ever had. The cost was significantly less than what some of the local kitchen design/build companies quoted for their<|fim_middle|>: the design details are EXACTLY what we wanted. | high-end semi- or near-custom cabinet lines but the quality is so much higher than what we saw and the icing on the cake | 26 |
Home Small Business Real Expectations<|fim_middle|> $60 million, representing an increase of 33% to 38% over the same quarter last year.
According to Rob Glaser, chairman and CEO, RealNetworks, Inc. the adjustments are largely a result of technology spending.
"We are not immune to the factors that are impacting the market assembly," says Glaser. "Indeed I want to state that the management is very committed to meeting the near-term financial targets and to that end, we're managing our resources very prudently."
Glaser emphasized that Real's business model was focused on the long term, where he believes his Company has great strength.
"Our diverse revenue streams are part of very conscious decision to build a strong foundation that thrives regardless of short-term trends and dynamics," says Glaser.
The Company does expect to report its 11th consecutive quarter of positive cash flow from operations and its sixth consecutive quarter of profitable pro forma results. |
Real Expectations
By internetnews.com Staff | December 21, 2000
Following last week's Microsoft scale backs in financial expectations, officials at RealNetworks announced that its revenue and earnings for its fourth quarter ending December 31, 2000, will be below previous market expectations.
The Company expects to report pro forma diluted earnings per share of approximately $0.02. Revenue for the fourth quarter is now expected to be in a range of $58 million to | 105 |
succeeding in school and at work.
have adequate reasoning and planning skills.
The ability to sequence events relies heavily on our reasoning or executive functions abilities. The term executive functions refers to our abilities to solve problems and monitor, plan, and<|fim_middle|> important details, predicting, and identifying the parts of a story. A majority of states have educational standards that address sequencing at basic levels (identifying what happened first, next) and at advanced levels (writing essays, performing experiments; Academic Benchmark, 2010). The federal government's Common Core Standards includes standards for describing the details of an event at nearly every grade level (2010). | direct future behaviors (Tstatsanis, 2004). These mental processes help link past experiences and prior knowledge to our present actions ("Executive Function," 2009). Executive functions are activated when we begin a novel task or we are faced with a new challenge (Singer & Bashir, 1999). Meltzer (2004) identified the following executive function processes.
Sequencing tasks require students to use all of their executive function processes, especially when the task is unfamiliar. For example, some students may not have had the experience of going snowboarding. This event is unfamiliar to them so they have to use their reasoning skills to figure out a logical sequence of the events.
Many times, speech-language pathologists and teachers will give the students sets of cards that are out of order and ask the students to put the cards in order. In order to do this, students have to use their executive functioning systems. They need to plan and prioritize steps for placing the pictures in the correct order. They have to organize the steps so that they relate to each other logically, shift attention to the details in each picture, remember (memorize) the details of each picture, and check the pictures to make sure that they are in the correct order.
Sequencing activities benefit students by helping them to remember a process, to learn the names of the steps in a process, know the tools used to complete the process, and to understand and use the specific vocabulary associated with a process (Marr & Morgan, 2005). Sequencing activities that include the manipulation of pictures, words, and sentences help build important literacy skills like reading left to right, comprehending | 347 |
Home Don Donahue Articles Confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus now Number 9
Confirmed cases of Novel Coronavirus now Number 9
By Firestorm Team in Don Donahue Articles on Friday, 07 December 2012
Live Saving Basics – the First Step is Awareness
By Don Donahue
On 22 September 2012, the United Kingdom (UK) informed World Health Organization (WHO) of a case of acute respiratory syndrome with renal failure with travel history to Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
In a November 23rd update, WHO reported that they had been notified of four additional cases, including one death, due to infection with the novel coronavirus. The additional cases have been identified as part of the enhanced surveillance in Saudi Arabia (3 cases, including 1 death) and Qatar (1 case).
On November 30th as reported by WHO, and in addition to the fatal case of novel coronavirus in Saudi Arabia reported to WHO on November 28, two fatal cases in Jordan were reported to WHO, bringing the total of laboratory-confirmed cases to nine.
The latest confirmed case from Saudi Arabia occurred in October 2012 and is from the family cluster of the two cases confirmed earlier.
Investigations are ongoing in areas of epidemiology, clinical management, and virology, to look into the likely source of infection, the route of exposure, and the possibility of human-to-human transmission of the virus. Close contacts of the recently confirmed cases are being identified and followed-up.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses which includes viruses that cause the common cold and SARS. Given that this is a novel coronavirus, WHO is currently in the process of obtaining further information to determine the public health implications of these two confirmed cases.
The emergence of a SARS-like coronavirus (Novel coronavirus) is an apt example of both the challenges and the positive potential in global health.
New diseases, as documented by the World Health Organization, have been emerging at an unprecedented rate for the past 40 years; and that rate continues to accelerate. Human intrusion into and development of formerly untouched environments and the dislodging of previously remote fauna bring exposure to new viruses.
Cultural and socio-economic practices such as consuming meat from feral animals bring further exposure. Rapid world travel supports the<|fim_middle|> basic vaccinations—like diphtheria, tetanus, measles/mumps/rubella, and hepatitis A and B—are up-to-date.
Bring a traveler's health kit. Don't count on being able to find the proper medicine in the region where you're traveling; counterfeit medication is often rampant. Instead, bring your own pain medication, along with Imodium and an antibiotic for intestinal problems. If you're heading to an area affected by malaria, ask your doctor to prescribe the proper prophylaxis.
Watch what you eat and drink. Let common sense guide you. Drink bottled water or boil it, and make sure fresh vegetables are hot and steaming. (See the CDC's recommendations on safe food and water.)
This is very basic planning, but planning that can be literally life-saving. | spread of once isolated cases.
The good news is enhanced detection and diagnostic capabilities supported by international public health cooperation support early detection of these emerging diseases.
While this resembles the next installment in a communicable disease film genre – "Outbreak" (1995) and "Contagion" (2011) are examples – it is actually a real life concern.
What, you might ask, is the relevance to me?
Certainly, 9 cases out of a global population of 7 billion are not world-changing. As with any form of risk avoidance, the first step is awareness:
Cognizance of novel disease emergence is as important as alertness to crime and civil strife.
Currently reported cases originated in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are not uncommon business destinations.
People returning from overseas travel should be mindful of flu-like symptoms or other respiratory distress. Early detection and treatment is essential to countering a new health threat.
Individuals and organizations who venture overseas should make a disease survey an integral part of travel planning.
Closer to home, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that an increase in flu activity across the country over the last two weeks may indicate an early flu season. If 45% of your employees couldn't work tomorrow, what would you do? First, Firestorm's Human Resources Reference Guide is intended to assist organizations in Human Resource planning for a pandemic or communicable illness outbreak. Next:
Train Employees to:
Get the proper vaccinations. Ask your doctor about what protection you'll need for whatever part of the world you're traveling to (like yellow fever, for example, for Sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America. It's also essential that your | 342 |
"ORGANIZATIONAL EMERGENCE USING THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED VIEW" by John Perry, Xin Yao et al.
In the new venture literature, two research streams have sought to explain why some new ventures emerge as organizations and other do not. In one stream, researchers have found that organizational<|fim_middle|> EMERGENCE USING THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED VIEW OF THE FIRM AND INSTITUTIONAL THEORY (INTERACTIVE PAPER)," Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research: Vol. 28 : Iss. 4 , Article 21. | emergence can be explained by the knowledge resources that the venture's founder(s) bring to the venture such as past industry and startup experience (Delmar & Shane, 2006; Minniti & Bygrave, 2001; Stuart & Abetti, 1990). In the other stream, researchers have used institutional theory to explain organizational emergence. Researchers have not, however, examined the impacts of founders' knowledge resources and institutionalization actions together. This study examines the impacts of founders' knowledge resources and institutionalization actions on organizational emergence. Specifically, we first will determine the relative contributions of knowledge resources and institutionalization actions; we will then examine whether an interaction of founders' knowledge resources and institutionalization actions might be related to the likelihood of organizational emergence.
Perry, John; Yao, Xin; and Pett, Tim (2008) "EXPLAINING ORGANIZATIONAL | 185 |
An artist's rendering of the remodeled Building 'B' on Scripps campus where the new 100-student forum, terraces and outdoor space can be appreciated.
The expansion and renovation of the former National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fisheries building on the north side of the Scripps campus — aka Building "D" — attracted the attention of the community during the La Jolla Shores Association (LJSA) meeting, Feb. 8.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) Assistant Vice-Chancellor of Marine Sciences, Steven Gallagher, presented the project in front of an attentive room. "We are hoping to get you a sensitive proposal here, get your feedback and move forward with construction in the facility in the fall," he said, adding that SIO personnel had been especially careful when planning the impacts on the view corridor from La Jolla Shores Drive.
"Everybody learned from the MESOM building experience," said La Jolla Community Planning Association (LJCPA) trustee Janie Emmerson, who was present at the meeting, referring to the controversy that followed the construction of a a laboratory just south of the project's site. In 2012, LJCPA requested SIO remove a story from the MESOM building when board members noticed the height of the construction was bigger than the project presented to the community.
The project calls for the conversion of the NOAA fisheries building into laboratories for SIO students, and the building of a 100-student forum and classroom, plus a café on the northern side. "The footprint of the café will be hidden behind plants and the existing facility is almost hidden, too, behind trees," Gallagher said.
The design by local firm Safdie Rabines Architects, Gallagher continued, follows the line of the Scripps Forum for Science (8610 Kennel Way), created by the same company. As for the existing building, which features a Mid-Century Modern style, the only changes will be the installation of safety glass rails and new doors.
The seafood-inspired café will be open to the community and, according to Gallagher, will have outside seating with "the best view from the Scripps campus<|fim_middle|> and John Sheridan listen to a presentation during the Feb. 8 meeting.
Where a concrete parking lot stands now, the project will feature an elevated terrace with underground parking. Native plants will serve as landscaping, and benches and other amenities will be installed.
The site includes a lookout that will be improved and connected to a coastal trail that runs through the Scripps campus.
"I live in La Jolla Shores, too, and I often walk up through campus with my wife. It would be lovely to go up (the coastal path) and continue through this site and then up to the top of the campus," Gallagher said.
Walter Munk Way: Trustee Terry Kraszewski announced the board's intentions to designate the street that runs by the La Jolla Shores boardwalk as "Walter Munk Way." The internationally known SIO scientist will celebrate his 100th birthday this year. "Saying, 'Thank you for being such a remarkable person' is a challenge. (We hope this is) a remarkable way," Kraszewski said. The sidewalk by Kellogg Park, which was recently discovered to be a public street, is currently known as La Vereda, Spanish for pathway.
Council member Barbara Bry updates La Jolla Shores Association board members and meeting attendees on City Council happenings and local issues during the Feb. 8 meeting.
Short-term rentals, Cove Stench: District 1 City Council member Barbara Bry told the Shores board that she's working to move the short-term vacation rentals issue forward. "I'm fine if people rent a room in their house to make ends meet, as long as they're onsite or the owner is on vacation. What I'm against is houses in residential neighborhoods becoming mini-hotels," she said.
Bry added that she's been collaborating with Council member Lorie Zapf (District 2) to bring local regulations, and counts on the support of the City Attorney Mara Elliott. | and probably this area of Black's Beach." The rest of the site will also be open to the community, with a "community science visualization facility" where citizens can learn more about the ocean and the research conducted at SIO.
Also, the venue will be available for weekend events, chiefly weddings, Gallagher explained. "It will take some pressure off the Scripps Forum. I think this is going to be significant competition to the Forum because the view is stunning," he said, adding that having an outside source of revenue will help the institution pay for the building's maintenance.
La Jolla Shores Association board members Izzy Tihanyi, Angie Preisendorfer, chair Nick LeBeouf, Susan Tschirn, Terry Kraszewski, Mary Coakley Munk | 160 |
Home » News » 2019 Finalists announced for the CBC Comedy Originals Pitch Program
2019 Finalists announced for the CBC Comedy Originals Pitch Program
The finalists have been announced for the 2019 edition of CBC Comedy Originals Pitch Program, our open-forum pitch program for Canadian citizens or permanent residents. This year's finalists are:
Marni Van Dyk and Natalie Urquhart, Naked Nancy
Richard Young and Vas Saranga, Kandu Attitude
Nthenya Ndunda, Domesticate Me
Andrea Smith Peek and Victoria Westcott, Far Out
Rick Anthony and Jason Truong, Rock Bottom
About the teams and their Projects:
Naked Nancy, Marni Van Dyk (Writer/Director) and Natalie Urquhart (Producer)
Synopsis: When her recently internet-famous cat escapes through an open window, a reclusive pet-portraitist is forced to confront her biggest fear–the world outside her apartment.
Bios: Marni Van Dyk's first short film I Am Not A Weird Person (dir. Molly McGlynn) was programmed by Jill Soloway, and described by Lena Dunham as "a haunting little short." She served as Head Writer on WE Day 2017 (CBS), hosted by Selena Gomez, WE Day 2018 (ABC), hosted by John Stamos, and WE Day 2019 (ABC) hosted by Neil Patrick Harris. She has served as a producer on Match Game (Comedy), The Beaverton (CTV), and Still Standing (CBC). She is an alumna of the Canadian Film Centre's Writer's.
Natalie Urquhart is a Film and Television Producer with Wildling Pictures in Toronto. She worked as an Associate Producer for the NBCUNIVERSAL series SUITS, and has produced four short films, two of which were recipients of the BravoFact awardand one a recipient of the National Screen Institute's Drama Prize. Natalie has worked as a Development Executive for the past two years at both Marble Media and Amaze Film and Television,she is thrilled to now be a part of the Wildling Team seeking bold innovative content.
<|fim_middle|>) and created the digital sketch series "Off2Kali" which screened at ReelWorld. Richard's acting credits include "Jett" (Cinemax), "Taken" (NBC), "Kim's Convenience" (Netflix-CBC), "Endlings" (Hulu-CBC), "Incorporated" (SyFy) and "The Strain" (FX). Additionally, Richard serves as the ACTRA Toronto Treasurer.
Vas Saranga is a South Asian-Canadian screenwriter/actor that was recently named one of "Canada's Rising Stars" by The Hollywood Reporter. As an actor, his breakout starring role was as Reese in the live-action television series "Mudpit" (Teletoon). He has also appeared on "The Handmaid's Tale" (Hulu), "Orphan Black" (BBC America), "Salvation" (CBS), "The Girlfriend Experience" (Starz), and the feature comedy "Little Italy" opposite Emma Roberts and Hayden Christensen. Vas is also the lead creative behind the YouTube sketch comedy sensation "3ShadeProductions", where he co-wrote and directed over 30 digital shorts. The channel has over 40,000 subscribers and 10 million total views.
Domesticate Me, Nthenya Ndunda (Creator) and Siobhan Baird (Producer, Developer)
Synopsis: A self-proclaimed "feminist Queen" gets fired from her job for being "too woke" …her words not theirs. As the days of unemployment turn to months, she is faced with the uncomfortable realization that she might not be a feminist or even woke.
Bio: Nthenya Ndunda (pronounced "then-ya doon-da") is a standup comedian, actress, writer and producer born in Kenya. Yup, nthenya from Kenya!To keepit simple, she spent the first half of her life in Vancouver, BC and at the age of 11, her family moved to Charleston, SC. And that's when she realized she was black, y'all!An actress based out of Los Angeles you may have seen her on Shameless or Loosely, Exactly Nicole. Amateurs, a film she produced and acted in, was just screened at Dances With Film Festival at the Chinese Theatre in LA. She also produces comedy shows around LA with Binch Comedy and Let's Have a Kiki.
Siobhan Baird is a writer/actress/producer from New Zealand who loves creating characters who challenge the status quo. She starred in all 6 seasons of the hit TV drama series Outrageous Fortune playing a gutsy blonde and has also featured on NZ TV in The Almighty Johnsons, Shortland Street, The Blue Rose and Dancing with the Stars. She has been nominated for 3 best supporting actress awards and 1 best actress award. In 2015, Siobhan won Best Unproduced Feature Film for her screenplay, Bara at the NZ Writers Guild Awards in 2015, . She's since written another feature Gale, about a psychic dog whisperer who becomes embroiled in a crime caper. She just finished penning the sequel to Darryl for TV New Zealand with her husband Millen. In 2018 the pair produced an animated sperm web series Slow Pete, also for TV New Zealand. Siobhan has 2 works in progress with Millen: a rural NZ cop show, Naki Blues, and Darryl. a US Story.
Far Out, Andrea Smith Peek (Creator) and Victoria Westcott (Producer)
Synopsis: Five aliens have been tasked with going undercover and deciding if the human race deserves to be saved from a black hole about to devour the Earth. Or not. What these judge-y extra-terrestrial know-it-alls don't understand, however, is that they are the stars of the highest rated reality show in the known universe, and the longer they stay in human form, the more human they become. They learn being human isn't as easy as it looks.
Bios: Andrea Smith Peek is a comedy writer who has co-created a number of independent projects. Andrea has performed stand up at The Comedy Store (in LA), The Velveeta Room (in Austin), and Yuk-Yuks (in Vancouver and Toronto). She studied Writing for Film, Television and New Media at Vancouver Film School, and Film Production, and TV Comedy Writing at UCLA.
Victoria Westcott is a feature film producer with a focus on films for family, teen and children's audiences. She produced Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer, which won the 2009 Praxis Screenwriting Award and the 2010 Angel Film Award for Best Family Screenplay and stars Josh Hutcherson, Samantha Bee, Martin Short and John Cleese and played in cinemas around the world for Christmas, 2018. Victoria is a former inner city school teacher turned head hunter turned producer.
Rock Bottom, Rick Anthony (Writer/Director) and Jason Truong (Producer)
Synopsis: Two straight-laced friends find their lives intertwined with bikers, gun-runners, and drug dealers when a mobster forces them to kill his rival as payment for accidentally killing his dog.
Bios: Rick Anthony is an award-winning novelist turned screenwriter and filmmaker. His first feature film, the micro-budget crime drama "Bread Thieves" won the Canada International Film Festival Rising Star award. Not long after, his sci-fi feature "Patient 62" was honoured with awards and nominations in numerous festivals. Rick has proven his ability to write in multiple genres, but comedy is where his heart is.
Stuntman and actor Jason Truong has been in the film industry for nearly 20 years and has worked on such projects as "Patient 62", "Wolf Cop", "Super Grid", "Stakelander 2" and most recently on Amazon Prime's flagship series, "The Man in High Castle". In 2015, Jason created his own production company, Character Flaw Productions, with partner Andrew Valdez. The two have produced a number of comedy/action shorts that have been nominated for multiple awards at a number of film festivals. In addition to the role of producer, Jason plays one of the lead actors in the web series version of Rock Bottom.
Don't miss this awesome pitch event!
CBC Comedy Originals Pitch Program takes place, Thursday, July 25 2019 at 11:00 am in the Inspiration Room, Doubletree by Hilton Montreal. Admittance to the pitch is included with your ComedyPRO pass. Regular pricing is now in effect. Click here to purchase your pass today.
← RACHEL BLOOM JUST FOR LAUGHS REVEALS THE COVETED LIST OF 2019 NEW FACES → | Kandu Attitude, Richard Young (Co-Creator) and Vas Saranga (Co-Creator)
Synopsis: When the family accounting practice goes bankrupt, American-born ARUN KANDU begrudgingly recruits his dysfunctional Indian immigrant parents to help him run his new artist talent agency, despite clashing over their opposing eastern and western values.
Bios: Richard Young is a South Asian-Canadian screenwriter/actor, WGC member, and an alumnus of both the Writers' Guild of Canada Bell Media Diverse Screenwriting Program and the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) Kid's TV Writing Bootcamp. He has written for the multicultural television cartoon "16 Hudson" (TVO), co-created/wrote the Chinese-Canadian digital series "Sudden Master" (OMNI/Rogers | 168 |
In a race, whether it is a hundred yard dash or a cross country trek, the one thing the runner never does is look back. Winning the race depends upon looking forward, of setting one's sight on the path ahead. The finish line cannot be viewed from behind, but only as one moves forward and focuses on what is in front. It is impossible for an athlete to run at her top speed if she continues to look over her shoulder while running.
St. Paul writes to the Philippians about his past prior to his conversion. He certainly had just cause to brag about his past and<|fim_middle|>. That I may gain Christ - He that loses all things, not excepting himself, gains Christ, and is gained by Christ. And still there is more; which even St. Paul speaks of his having not yet gained.
For Christians, there is one priority in life-- to know Christ and to make Christ known. The race is on and we must run the race of discipleship with patience and diligence; for we cross the finish line only upon our deaths. We must throw off anything from the past that slows us down or takes us off the path. We must move full speed ahead toward the perfection God wants of us.
Like Paul we must be singularly focused on knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection and share in his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow we may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Anything else is just rubbish. | rest on his laurels. He was accomplished, educated, and worked hard. He was also well respected by people who admired his zealous pursuit of keeping the law of Moses. But then he met the risen Jesus on the Damascus Road and compared to his new-found faith, his past was now, as far as Paul was concerned, garbage-- fit for the manure pile. "Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (4:7-8).
What was now important for the apostle was the journey ahead. Knowing Christ and being in service to him was now the goal-- resurrection was in the future-- as well as suffering. John Wesley notes the santification-like character of this passage.
Yea, I still account both all these and all things else to be mere loss, compared to the inward, experimental knowledge of Christ, as my Lord, as my prophet, priest, and king, as teaching me wisdom, atoning for my sins, and reigning in my heart. To refer this to justification only, is miserably to pervert the whole scope of the words. They manifestly relate to sanctification also; yea, to that chiefly. For whom I have actually suffered the loss of all things - Which the world loves, esteems, or admires; of which I am so far from repenting, that I still account them but dung - The discourse rises. Loss is sustained with patience, but dung is cast away with abhorrence. The Greek word signifies any, the vilest refuse of things, the dross of metals, the dregs of liquors, the excrements of animals, the most worthless scraps of meat, the basest offals, fit only for dogs | 379 |
The one reason that you should have aim air conditioning machine is that it changes the condition of a place and ensure that it is comfortable. When you are getting the product you should note that it is ideal for everyday use. The most important thing about this unit is that it will help make sure that you get the most out of it. Learn about some of the reason that you should make sure that you have hired the skills of an air conditioning expert.
The one thing that you should be aware of the expert is the fact that they will assist you with the purchasing of the device. When you get a large device then it will hang, and if it is tiny it will strain. When this happens then it will end up compromising the service that you get. But this will not be the case with an expert by your side. They know how to measure the air circulating in your home to ensure that you get the best product.
When you are thinking of installing the product then you should get these experts. Since they have been trained, and they have the right tools you can be sure that they will do the installation right. It makes no sense to shop for the right unit and end up doing a poor installation. If you<|fim_middle|> then this is another thing that you should hire experts to do. The one thing that you should bear in mind is that if you do not have the training, then you should not repair as you might make the issue worse. When you hire the experts they will not only do a good job, but you can be confident that it will be completed on time. | do not do the installation right then it will lead to the product getting damaged.
In case you want to get the best then you should make sure that you take the time to repair your unit. This is something else that will require you to hire the experts. Since they are skilled and have the right tools, they will open up the unit and make sure that each part is working like it is supposed to. Should they find that there is a place that is not working or it is worn out then they will have it replaced. They will only leave your home when they are sure that the unit is working right.
In case the Ac gets any damages | 130 |
A jet-set lifestyle doesn't have to be all private planes and decadent digs. In Paste Travel's Jet-Set Bohemian series, we blend the best of high and low for just the right balance … enticing everyone from backpackers to luxury boutique hotel lovers to come along for the ride.
This summer I was given the task of planning a 10-day trip through France. Since I write about travel and live in Nice, my two friends and travel companions handed over the reigns for everything from booking hotels to mapping out train times. Hotels, of course, were out. Too<|fim_middle|> on a narrow rice boat on a sightseeing trip to 100-year-old Hindu temples and a traditional Kerala tharavad, or family residence, to see how the locals live.
Lane Nieset is Paste's Jet-Set Bohemian columnist and a freelance writer covering all things travel from her home base in Nice, France. | expensive, especially with the option of living locally in a rental like Airbnb.
Paris is known for its barges cruising up and down the Seine, as well as sitting tranquilly on top. At a party a while back on the Quai d'Austerlitz at Nüba, set on one of Paris's largest terraces overlooking the Seine, I noticed that the petite barges scattered on the banks of the river were more than just the tourist cruise variety. Couples cozied up with blankets on the deck and bottles of Bordeaux for makeshift picnics, while others played cards and board games sans technological distractions.
On Airbnb, you can find over 100 houseboat rentals along the Seine that go from rustic to regal, sleeping under the ornate Pont Alexandre III in a five-bedroom luxury boat or opting for something cozier like a 1930s one-bedroom barge moored across from the Eiffel Tower. It's like staying in your very own floating hotel in the center of a city without ever having to worry about the hassles that come along with a typical cruise.
After planning Paris, next came the hard part: Where to stop en route to Nice. I'd seen photos of the Caribbean-inspired beaches on the northern side of the island of Porquerolles, the largest of the three Isles d'or, or Golden Islands, a 15-minute ferry ride from the town of Hyères. On an island without cars that measures roughly 4 miles long by 2 miles wide, there aren't many options when it comes to hotels. On Airbnb, listings showed only a handful of houseboats. Docked in port, this would be true South of France style sans all the glitz and glam of the yachts in nearby Saint-Tropez.
When we arrived at Renaissance on Porquerolles's port, the sailboat was just how owner Yann described: "folie douce," or sweet madness. Close quarters doesn't begin to describe it, as everything was expertly put in place Ikea-style to conserve space. The kitchen consisted of a mini fridge, hot plate and espresso machine. And the bathroom, well, there was a toilet in the corner. But it was exactly the type of no frills find we'd wanted. Yann also managed one of the bike rental shops on the island, showing us the best trails leading to the beach and recommending a few of his favorite restaurants in town for dinner.
Back in mid-July, I made a quick weekend stop in Stockholm before hopping on a more traditional boat setting on a cruise to Russia. As I started scouring Airbnb options, my travel companion, Olivia, brought up The Red Boat. Recommended by one of her friends at National Geographic, this boat hotel isn't only convenient (and cheap for a city like Stockholm), it's also an experience as far away from the design savvy Swedish hotels you can get. In a city that's comprised of 14 islands connected by 57 bridges, sleeping on the Venetian-style canals makes sense.
Docked next to Central Bridge just across from hipster island of Södermalm lined with vintage shops and cafes, the riverside lodging is made up of two ships: The Red Boat and Ran af. The wood planked rooms go from basic summer camp chic bunks (red knit comforter included) and work their way up to the more luxurious admiral quarters in the hotel side of the ship. Lounge chairs on the deck look out to land and the hostel-inspired common area looks like a sailor's haven, with nautical knick-knacks hanging from the ceiling and wall giving the illusion you're out at sea rather than a 10-minute walk from Stockholm's Old Town.
As you cruise past rice paddies and villages through Vembanad Lake, you'll wine and dine in luxury with 24-hour butler service and gourmet fare in the form of authentic Keralan delicacies (think coconut prawns and local red rice) served up at wooden tables in the intimate dining room or out on the deck in wicker chairs.
While your home-away-from-home for the evening will be on the lake, you can set off deeper into the backwaters | 864 |
Ides of March Denarius Coin Sets Record at Heritage Long Beach Auction
Editor . September 27, 2011 . 0 Comments
A famous "Ides of March" silver denarius of Marcus Brutus fetched a record-shattering $546,250 on Sept. 7 at Heritage Auctions' World & Ancient Coins event, part of Heritage's $34 million total Long Beach Numismatic Auctions, at the Long Beach Convention Center. The price realized, which includes the 15% Buyer's Fee, is the most ever paid at auction for a Roman silver coin.
Marcus Junius Brutus, Assassin of Caesar and Imperator (44-42 BC). AR denarius (3.72 gm).
The Sept. 7 session of Ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine coins was part of a four-day series of auctions at Heritage, featuring the Rubicon Collection of Roman coins and the Norman Jacobs Collection of Asian coins, which brought a total of $20.5 million together, setting a world record for a multi-consignor auction featuring World and Ancient coins.
"It was a privilege to be part of this historic auction series," said Cristiano Bierrenbach, Heritage's Executive Vice President of International Numismatics. "The beauty and quality of these collections set new standards for World coins offered at auction, and to see it reflected in the results is very gratifying."
"Only rarely does any numismatist get to handle a coin as important as the Rubicon Eid Mar denarius," said David S. Michaels, Director of Ancient Coins for Heritage.
The coin, a dime-sized silver piece, features a portrait of Marcus Jun<|fim_middle|> before proceeding to the floor, where it opened at $375,000. A combination of floor and phone bids took it to $450,00 before it finally was hammered down at $475,000 to a "book" bid entered just before the session started by a well-established dealer acting as agent for a client.
The Eid Mar denarius was part of a 26-coin offering of Roman coins dubbed The Rubicon Collection, most of which featured famous Romans of the Imperatorial era. Other amazing prices fetched by Rubicon coins included:
*$57,500 for a beautifully toned and pedigreed portrait denarius of Julius Caesar struck in 44 BC.
*$63,250 for a rare silver denarius of Gnaeus Pompey Jr., son of the Roman general Pompey the Great, featuring a portrait of his father (lot 23263).
*$32,200 for a rare denarius of Cassius Longinus, the partner of Brutus.
*$80,500 for a gold aureus of Marc Antony and Octavian struck circa 41 BC.
*$27,600 for a silver denarius of Marc Antony and Cleopatra featuring an outstanding portrait of the famous Egyptian Queen.
Including lots offered in the internet Final Session on Sept. 12, the Ancients offering totaled 965 lots and brought a total of $1.8 million. Other notable prices included:
*$74,750 for a "striated" electrum stater of Ionia, circa 670-660 BC, a type now recognized as the first true coin ever struck.
*$25,300 for an electrum half-stater of the same type and era.
*$23,000 for a gold stater of Asander, king of the Bosporan Kingdom circa 42-1 BC.
"The market for quality ancient Greek and Roman coins has never been better," said Michaels. "Many of these coins sold for multiples of what the same pieces sold for less than a decade ago. The demand for truly singular ancient coins is simply going off the charts."
"These results prove Heritage has truly placed itself in the forefront of Ancient numismatics," said Bierrenbach. "We have sold more than $6.3 million worth of Ancients at auction this year, part of Heritage's total sales of almost $40 million in World and Ancient coins this year."
Artemis Gallery's May 21 auction to feature Asian, Classical & Pre-Columbian art and artifacts
A 1775 ENGLISH DEMILUNE CONSOLE AND ARTWORKS BY SALVADOR DALI AND JESUS RAFAEL DE SOTO WILL LEAD AHLERS & OGLETREE'S MARCH 5th & 6th SALE
Cool Collectibles Heat Up Selkirk's Summer Eclectic Auction
« Sotheby's Announces Strongest Ever Sale of 20th Century Italian Art
Bonhams Call For Consignments For 2nd Annual Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction » | ius Brutus, the lead assassin of Julius Caesar, on one side and a liberty cap flanked by two daggers along with the legend EID MAR (for March 15, 44 BC, the date Caesar was assassinated) on the reverse.
"This coin was already legendary when it came to us, having resided in the collections of statesman Hall Park McCollough, movie producer Sy Weintraub, industrialist Nelson Bunker Hunt, and actor-turned-professor Peter Weller," said Michaels. "It's the coin depicted in many important publications on ancient coins, including David R. Sear's Roman Coins and Their Values. We knew as soon as we received this coin for auction that it would draw intense interest, although we had no idea it would end up in a major feature in the Wall Street Journal."
Estimated at $450,000-550,000, the Eid Mar received several pre-auction bids | 198 |
Q: How to indiciate a failure for a function with a void result I have a function in scala which has no return-value (so unit). This function can sometimes fail (if the user provided parameters are not valid). If I were on java, I would simply throw an exception. But on scala (although the same thing is possible), it is suggested to not use exceptions.
I perfectly know how to use Option or Try, but they all only make sense if you have something valid to return.
For example, think of a (imaginary) addPrintJob(printJob: printJob): Unit command which adds a print job to a printer. The job definition could now be invalid and the user should be notified of this.
I see the following two alternatives:
*
*Use exceptions anyway
*Return something from the method (like a "print job identifier") and then return a Option/Either/Try of that type. But this means adding a return value just for the sake of error handling.
What are the best practices here?
A: You are too deep into FP :-)
You want to know whether the method is successful or not - return a Boolean!
A: According to this Throwing exceptions in Scala, what is the "official rule" Throwing exceptions in scala is not advised as because it breaks the control flow. In my opinion you should throw an exception in scala only when something significant has gone wrong and normal flow should not be continued.
For all other cases it generally better to return the status/result of the operation that was performed. scala Option and Either serve this purpose. imho A function which does not return any value is a bad practice.
For the given example of the addPrintJob I would return an job identifier (as suggested by @marstran in comments), if this is not possible the status of addPrintJob.
A: The problem is that usually when you have to model things for a specific method it is not about having success or failure ( true or false ) or ( 0 or 1 - Unit exit codes wise ) or ( 0 or 1 - true or false interpolation wise ) , but about returning status info and a msg , thus the most simplest technique I use ( whenever code review naysayers/dickheads/besserwissers are not around ) is that
val msg = "unknown error has occurred during ..."
val ret = 1 // defined in the beginning of the method, means "unknown error"
.... // action
ret = 0 // when you finally succeeded to implement FULLY what THIS method was supposed to to
msg = "" // you could say something like ok , but usually end-users are not interested in<|fim_middle|> myFancyFunc(someparam, etc)
Thus exceptions would mean truly error situations and you will avoid messy try catch jungles ...
I know this answer WILL GET down-voted , because well there are too much guys from universities with however bright resumes writing whatever brilliant algos and stuff ending-up into the spagetti code we all are sick of and not something as simple as possible but not simpler and of course something that WORKS.
BUT, if you need only ok/nok control flow and chaining, here is bit more elaborated ok,nok example, which does really throw exception, which of course you would have to trap on an upper level , which works for spark:
/**
* a not so fancy way of failing asap, on first failing link in the control chain
* @return true if valid, false if not
*/
def isValid(): Boolean = {
val lst = List(
isValidForEmptyDF() _,
isValidForFoo() _,
isValidForBar() _
)
!lst.exists(!_()) // and fail asap ...
}
def isValidForEmptyDF()(): Boolean = {
val specsAreMatched: Boolean = true
try {
if (df.rdd.isEmpty) {
msg = "the file: " + uri + " is empty"
!specsAreMatched
} else {
specsAreMatched
}
} catch {
case jle: java.lang.UnsupportedOperationException => {
msg = msg + jle.getMessage
return false
}
case e: Exception => {
msg = msg + e.getMessage()
return false
}
}
}
Disclaimer: my colleague helped me with the fancy functions syntax ...
| your ok msgs , they want the stuff to work ...
at the end always return a tuple
return ( ret , msg )
or if you have a data as well ( lets say a spark data frame )
return ( ret , msg , Some(df))
Using return is more obvious, although not required ( for the purists ) ...
Now because ret is just a stupid int, you could quickly turn more complex status codes into more complex Enums , objects or whatnot , but the point is that you should not introduce more complexity than it is needed into your code in the beginning , let it grow organically ...
and of course the caller would call like
( ret , msg , mayBeDf ) = | 145 |
Is Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc (TSE:NEPT)(NASDAQ:NEPT) A Good Bet Right Now?
There is no doubt 2019 was a tough year for the hemp/cannabis businesses. However, there are a few hemp/cannabis stocks that still managed to make their investors proud. Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc (TSE:NEPT)(NASDAQ:NEPT) is one of those stocks. Investors who put their bet on Neptune at a time like this saw their investment increase 130% by July of last year.
Neptune Wellness Solutions is already off to a strong start in 2020. The stock has gained more than 15% in the past week alone. Looking at how Neptune has positioned itself in the hemp/cannabis market, you cannot dispute 2020 is shaping up to be a great year for the stock. Then you notice that Neptune insiders are deeply invested in the stock. Insiders<|fim_middle|>20 thanks to Cannabis 2.0.
Neptune gears up for products launches that will make a huge difference in its financials
Neptune Wellness Solutions is expanding its consumer products portfolio in a move that promises to greatly boost its revenues and bring it to profitability much faster. In February, Neptune will launch its Forest Remedies brand, which consists of hemp-derived wellness products.
Forest Remedies products will initially launch online and late be available at US retailers. Neptune has partnered with American Media for public relations and marketing campaigns for the Forest Remedies brand.
In addition to Forest Remedies, Neptune has lined up other product launches under its Ocean Remedies brand for later this year.
Neptune strengthens its management team
Neptune Wellness Solutions recently added several highly experienced executives to its management team. It has tapped Denis Maranda, who previously worked at Dart Aerospace, as head of production at its Sherbrook facility in Quebec.
Neptune hired Eric Dodge as its senior brand manager. In that role, Dodge will oversee the growth of Neptune's various product brands, including the Forest Remedies brand. Dodge joins Neptune from a subsidiary of multinational consumer products company Colgate-Palmolive. Moreover, Neptune hired Tyler Segel to lead creative work for all of its brands.
Neptune understands that a strong management team will be vital to steering it to maximize shareholder value.
Neptune Wellness Solutions looks poised for a big breakout given that investors are starting to notice its attractive potential. We expect NEPT to back trading near its 52-week highs sooner rather than later.
We will be updating our subscribers as soon as we know more. For the latest updates on Neptune Wellness Solutions, sign up below!
Disclosure: We have no position in Neptune Wellness Solutions and have not been compensated for this article.
Related Topics:FeaturedNASDAQ:NEPTNeptune Wellness SolutionsNeptune Wellness Solutions Inc. (TSE:NEPT)(NASDAQ:NEPT)TSE:NEPT
Is Tetra Bio-Pharma (CVE:TBP) (OTCMKTS:TBPMF) A Smart Pick? | own more than 17% of all shares in the company. The company's market cap of $280 million shows that insiders alone have sunk $48 million in the stock.
You are about to find out more reasons why Neptune Wellness Solutions looks to be a good pick right now. But first, here's what you should know about the company we're discussing.
About Neptune Wellness Solutions
Neptune Wellness Solutions has been around since 1998 and is headquartered in Laval, Canada. It is engaged in the extraction, formulation, and packaging of value-added cannabis products for both Canadian and global markets.
This is shaping up to be Neptune's year for a number of reasons. But you can sum up all that by saying that Neptune is a company that is not only in the right place at the right time but also doing the right stuff. Here are other developments that are attracting investors to Neptune stock in 2020.
Neptune Wellness Solutions raises $4.0 million to invest in Cannabis 2.0 products
Neptune Wellness Solutions does not want financial shortage to stand in its ways at this time when it is focused on delivering superior shareholder value from investment in high-growth market segments. In that spirit, the company is monetizing some of its non-core investments to boost its cash reserve. On January 13, the company provided an update on its non-core investments monetization process. In that update, Neptune said it recently raised $4.0 million from selling about 2.0 million shares in Acasti Pharma Inc (NASDAQ:ACST). Following that transaction, Neptune still owns 1.0 million shares in ACST.
Neptune intends to invest the funds in the development of adult-use cannabis products in taking advantage of last year's expansion of Canada's recreational cannabis market under what is called Cannabis 2.0. Canadian authorities approved a range of new adult-use cannabis products, including cannabis-infused drinks and smoking devices otherwise called vape pens in October last year. The sale of those newly approved products began in December. Analysts see Canada's adult-use cannabis products sales doubling to C$2.4 billion in 20 | 441 |
Booker Tyrone Edgerson (born July 5, 1<|fim_middle|> of American football from Arkansas
American Football League players | 939) is a former American football player. This graduate of Western Illinois University was a cornerstone of the American Football League Buffalo Bills' defense in the mid-1960s, at left cornerback.
A four-year letterman (football, baseball, wrestling, track and field); in 1959 and 1960, he led the WIU football team to the only consecutive undefeated seasons in school history, and is in the WIU Hall of Fame.
Booker was born in Baxter County, Arkansas. He signed as a free agent with the Bills in 1962 and stepped into a starting role at left cornerback. He made a career-high six interceptions (including two in his first game, against Hall of Famer George Blanda), and was named to the AFL All-Rookie team.
Edgerson's college background as a sprinter and long jumper served him well in the demanding role of man-to-man pass coverage. The AFL featured many dangerous receivers at that time including San Diego's Lance Alworth. But Edgerson became one of the key components of the league's best defense, and he was the only man ever to catch Alworth from behind in a game.
Edgerson appeared in playoffs four consecutive years, and in three straight AFL Championship games. The Bills beat the San Diego Chargers in 1964 and again in 1965, when Edgerson was selected as an American Football League All-Star.
Edgerson had 23 interceptions in his eight-year career in Buffalo, and scored on two, including one against Joe Namath. He also forced and returned a fumble for the deciding score in a 1969 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, played in blizzard conditions.
Edgerson retired to Buffalo, where he has been involved in numerous charitable endeavors through the Bills Alumni, and was the 1993 recipient of the Ralph C. Wilson Award. He is a member of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.
Edgerson was selected to be the 2010 Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame inductee where his name was revealed during a halftime ceremony on October 3 during the Bills game against AFC rival New York Jets.
Edgerson wrote the foreword to The Cookie That Did Not Crumble, the autobiography of his former teammate, Cookie Gilchrist.
See also
List of American Football League players
References
1939 births
Living people
American football cornerbacks
Buffalo Bills players
Denver Broncos players
Western Illinois Leathernecks baseball players
Western Illinois Leathernecks football players
American Football League All-Star players
People from Baxter County, Arkansas
Players | 554 |
Thisted Brewers - American Football Equipment &<|fim_middle|> | NFL Clothing Shop in UK & Europe.
Thisted Brewers - Flexfit #11. Logo in embroidery. Flexfit 6277. 6-panel, mid-profile fitted cap with silver under-visor. Made from: 63% Polyester / 34% Cotton 3% / Spandex. Please note that Team Gear products are custom made and will not be changed to other size or returned.
Thisted Brewers - Snapback #11. Logo in embroidery. Flexfit 6089M. 6-panel, flat visor cap. 3.75" crown with green under-visor and plastic adjustable strap. Made from: 80% Acrylic / 20% Wool. Vær opmærksom på, at Team Gear produkter er specialfremstillet og ikke byttes eller tages retur.
Thisted Brewers - Beanie #11. Logo in embroidery. Flexfit 1501KC. Super dense knit hat. Approximately 22cm long. Hand washable. Made from: 100% hypoallergenic acrylic. Please note that Team Gear products are custom made and will not be changed to other size or returned.
Thisted Brewers - T-Shirt #11. Four-layer ribbing in neck. With neck and shoulder bands. Retains its shape wash after wash. 100% cotton. Please note that Team Gear products are custom made and will not be changed to other size or returned.
Thisted Brewers - T-Shirt #21. Four-layer ribbing in neck. With neck and shoulder bands. Retains its shape wash after wash. 100% cotton. Please note that Team Gear products are custom made and will not be changed to other size or returned. | 370 |
Put cocktail party and Maui in the same sentence and we're there! That was just the thought Be Inspired PR had when they decided to throw their Tassels and Tastemakers event on the Hawaiian island. The bright and tropical cocktail party kicked off the first ever traveling Tassels and Tastemakers (previously taking place only in L.A. and New York) to bring together the best of the best in the wedding industry on the islands. Vendors came to be together as an industry, support each other, and work together. And for a good time, of course! With a tagline like "Tropic Like It<|fim_middle|> they could create their "dream table settings" from a variety of chargers, napkins, flatware, glassware, and plates. Because, what's a wedding event without some creative Instagram styling?! Then, when the sun went down, it was all about the food stations, candy bar, custom cocktails, and dance floor. Cheers!
Looks like so much fun – and that video! Wow so awesome!
I need a trip to Maui now!! | 's Hot" who wouldn't enjoy themselves?
The team at Be Inspired PR says, The inspiration for the event was a tropical-chic vibe, all in hues of pink with pops of yellow and gold. The bright colors paired with modern furniture let the backdrop really be the focus – the view was everything! Guests were invited to take part in a DIY styling table, where | 74 |
2 miles from the centre of Lydford (½ mile from gorge/tea room, 1<|fim_middle|> family parties to share (interconnecting doors available). Batavia (arrowed): at entrance level, generous open-plan living/dining/kitchen (dishwasher, washer-drier, microwave, freezer, larder fridge, electric cooker) with granite worktops, TV/DVD and picture window (moorland view).
Stairs (stairgate) down to two double bedrooms looking to Dartmoor - one with 6' brass bed, and the other with 5' brass bed and en suite shower-room (suite, power-shower).
Bathroom (suite, power-shower over bath). Lydford: village (two good food pubs, farm shop, church) on Dartmoor's western edge, famous for its gorge/waterfall (Nat.
Trust, very beautiful walk deep in woods) and ruined medieval castle.
Granite Way cycle trail; trout fishing in the Lyd; riding stables locally.
Sea/beaches, about 25 miles, north or south coasts. | ¾ from pub), with signed route to open moorland for walking/horseriding, two semi-detached, 'upside down' cottages cleverly converted from a barn within an old farmstead (sheep), alongside the owner's farmhouse.The cottages are smart and comfortable, furnished with flair to include interesting and unusual artefacts, fabrics and pictures.
Polished oak floors (rugs) in living areas and bedrooms and polished granite tiles in all bath/shower-rooms; stairgates.
Each cottage has its own small enclosed lawned area at the front (picnic table).
Stabling for two horses available (good riding country).
Unfenced lakes on route to moors (caution small children).
Stylish and comfy, a lovely moorland location.
Excellent for two | 163 |
West District Central Park is a planned urban park in west Calgary that marries public open space with stormwater management to create a recreational destination for the surrounding community. The park is located within West District, an 84-acre master planned development that is envisioned as a high-density, mixed-use, compact<|fim_middle|> Truman Development Corporation and CivicWorks Planning + Design, has designed the park to be the heart of the development's urban center.
The eight-acre park is organized around a central lake that provides stormwater storage for the West District development. Fountains, boardwalks, overlooks and plantings transform the lake from stormwater infrastructure to park centerpiece. A variety of program elements, such as a performance venue, wintertime ice rink and restaurant provide activities for all seasons which make the park a year-round destination. Principles of resiliency helped guide the design, which resulted in active park spaces that are rarely impacted by storm events.
and dynamic public open space within the vibrant West District urban development.
All West District Central Park images used courtesy of S2 Architecture. | and transit-supportive neighborhood. HDR, collaborating with the City of Calgary, | 15 |
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