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Glimpse into the lives of those Southwest Key has impacted. Southwest Key's Day Treatment Program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Southwest Key's Fatherhood Program in San Antonio, Texas Southwest Key's Intensive Supervision Program in San Antonio, Texas Southwest Key Girls Empowerment Program Southwest Key’s Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program in Travis County, Texas Southwest Key's Boys & Girls Club and College Connections Program in Austin, Texas A Community-Based Alternative to Incarceration. Location: Buffalo, New York Southwest Key's oldest program still going strong after 30 years. Location: Combes, Texas An alternative school for students who have been expelled. Location: Travis County, Austin, Texas A Community-Based Alternative to Incarceration. Location: Travis County, Austin, Texas Report of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on its visit to the United States of America* Southwest Key was recognized for providing "excellent support to unaccompanied children," in a report from the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention at the 36th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Saturday 28 – 29 July, 10am-4pm, join RSN Tutor Auburn Claire Lucas on a two day hand embroidery class, ‘Advanced Elizabethan Stitches: Elizabethan Sweet Pea’ at Exeter Community Centre. This advanced two day class is inspired by a 16th century embroidered panel. Worked on cream linen you will learn traditional Elizabethan embroidery stitches such as plaited braid stitch, blanket stitch, corded detached buttonhole and corded buttonhole variation. Goldwork: This technique has its history in military, ecclesiastical and royal regalia, but it also creates the most beautiful and dramatic embroideries. Using a wide variety of metal threads, it can be combined with other techniques to produce luxurious effects. Places are limited to 12 students per class so book now or contact email@example.com : https://www.royal-needlework.org.uk/courses/details/15674
Play / pause Basic Listening Lesson #23 Listen to Dialog Do not view the questions until after you have listened to the audio file. Reading the questions first will not help you improve your English listening skills. Quiz - View Questions 1. What is the theme of this discussion? Happiness versus sadness Money and happiness Work and money 2. In this dialog, what can money do for someone? Buy fancy cars Take away a lot of responsibilities Go traveling around the world Open a nice restaurant 3. What is one draw back mentioned from having too much money? Person will become greedy Person will become bored eventually Person will be unhappy Person will lose friends 4. What conclusion can we come to from this dialog? Neither of them are rich Both of them are rich One person does not have a job Both of them do not have a job 1. Money and happiness 2. Take away a lot of responsibilities 3. Person will become bored eventually 4. Neither of them are rich If you are uncertain about the answers to the questions, listen to the audio file again after having read the questions. After you have made all your selections, you may view the answers to see how you did. Show Conversation Dialog A: "Life's so boring." B: "Well, most of the time it is, I guess." A: "What do you think will make you happy?" B: "I think money will make me happy." A: "You heard people say that money doesn't guarantee happiness." B: "It will for me. Then I can do all the things I want to do." A: "You'll get bored eventually." B: "Then I can find something new to do. If I don't have to worry about money, then I don't have to work." A: "That's true, I guess. If I didn't have to work, I think I would be happy." B: "You see... money doesn't equal happiness, but it takes away a lot of responsibilities." You should read the Conversation Dialog to help you study after going through the listening lesson. Do not view the Conversation Dialog prior to listening to the audio, or prior to answering all the questions. Download all the conversations for your mp3 player. Hundreds of dialogs and printable lessons are available for download in the TalkEnglish Offline Package. Go to the page and download today!
One of the most common questions people ask when enquiring about a Rainwater Tank is "What does the tank need to sit on?" The most important factor is your rainwater tank must be installed on a level, flat surface. The ground must be solid & compacted. If you are installing your rainwater tank on a concrete slab, the concrete must be reinforced, level, smooth and thick enough to support the weight of the tank when it is full. The concrete slab should be greater then the dimensions of the tank. It is important to remember that one thousand litres of water weighs 1 tonne. Crusher dust may be used but the same principles apply. The area must be level and flat and void of any objects that may damage the base of the tank. This compacted base must be retained around the perimeter to avoid undermining by water, erosion, wind or vermin. Your rainwater tank MUST be fully supported around the entire base. Unfortunately, not all water tanks that we see are installed as they should be. The following photos are perfect examples of poor base preparation. Unfortunately for these home owners, the warranty on their rainwater tanks will likely be null and void due to the way they have been installed. The lack of a stable base could cause the tank to develop a weak spot and possible lead to the tank leaking. A stable, level base is of paramount importance for the integrity of your water tank, protection of surrounding structures and for the safety of everyone in the vicinity. Install your water tank properly as shown in the photos below for peace of mind and hassle free warranty.
It's undeniable; retail customer service is facing an era of dramatic change. According to analysis from global consultancy, Deloitte, consumers increasingly digital lifestyles are altering traditional customer service models more than ever. Where the customer service sector was once comprised of simply responding to customer queries using a single channel, today it has become a multi-functional role that requires its employees to be able to respond to issues and queries across various digital communications channels in real-time. Social channels such as Twitter and live online customer support via chat have significantly changed what it means to provide customer service. Consumers now expect answers in real-time. If a company's customer service team does not have the tools and skills necessary to respond effectively in a timely and supportive fashion across multiple channels, this can affect both a company's brand value as well as the bottom line. Therefore, it is more important than ever for companies to empower their customer service teams with the right tools, relevant skills and training, and to develop proper metrics to ensure that the correct levels of service are being delivered. The right tools for the job Today's digital communication touch points are numerous – in one day, a person might phone a friend, text a family member, email a colleague, post on Twitter and chat online with a retailer for customer support. In fact, recent Omnibus research reveals that the average consumer uses 7.4 channels a day to communicate, many of which are accessible on the go. Thus, the onus on retailers to successfully deliver multi-channel customer support has become even more complex. Companies need to be able to cope with maintaining effective customer support in the face of a changing industry while mitigating the decline in staff satisfaction levels and attrition rates. Unfortunately, in many cases, little attention has been devoted to putting systems in place to enable staff to effectively handle multichannel enquiries. While consumer technology has advanced, companies' internal systems and processes often fail to respond in kind, which leaves staff frustrated and lacking the resources necessary to be able to elevate their job to the requirements of today's digital world. However, with the right tools and systems in place, organisations can act more intelligently. Internal collaboration technologies can empower employees to track and respond to customer queries through these multiple new channels. By providing employees with the right tools, response efficacy will increase, and productivity along with it. Customer service teams will be able to close the loop on customer queries quicker and more efficiently. Moreover, employees will also feel more empowered to do their jobs, raising employee satisfaction and reducing attrition rates. The right training Along with having the right tools to get the job done, companies must also ensure that their employees receive adequate training to cope with today's quickly changing multichannel customer service environment. Companies must ensure that their customer service staff possess the skills necessary to successfully navigate multiple channels and live up to today's customer expectations. This requires investing in employee training. An effective approach can be to identify existing team members that are particularly adept at serving customers through digital channels and organise in-house training sessions led by those workers. Such comprehensive training can provide an excellent opportunity to discuss how they approach these channels differently and to share advice widely throughout the company. Over the years, organisations have developed a number of metrics to assess service delivered in the contact centre, ranging from call volume and average response time to customer loyalty. While it would be great if these metrics could be applied to customer service via web chat or social media, the truth is that they can't be applied across the board.
Terrafame concludes contract for the construction of an oxygen plant for its battery chemicals plant 14.6.2019 Terrafame and Air Liquide have entered into a contract for the supply of oxygen, based on which Air Liquide will construct an oxygen plant at Terrafame’s industrial site in Sotkamo. Production is scheduled to be launched at the new oxygen plant in November 2020. Terrafame uses oxygen at its new production plant to manufacture battery chemicals for electric vehicle batteries. The sharp increase in the demand for electric vehicles has also led to an increasing demand for battery chemicals worldwide. The annual production capacity of the battery chemicals plant is approximately 170,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate and 7,400 tonnes of cobalt sulphate. Terrafame’s total investment in the battery chemicals plant is approximately EUR 240 million. Air Liquide is the world’s leading supplier of gases, technologies and services for industry and the health sector. Additional information: Joni Lukkaroinen, toimitusjohtaja, tel. +358 20 7130 800 (switch) Terrafame Ltd is a Finnish multi-metal company producing nickel, zinc, cobalt and copper at its mine and metals production plant located in Sotkamo, Finland. We are now planning the processing of our main product, nickel-cobalt sulphide, into nickel and cobalt sulphates suitable for electric vehicle batteries. Our aim is to conduct environmentally sustainable, safe and profitable operations. www.terrafame.com
What are your options? What Makes An Effective Teacher?It is important to find a middle ground between being kind and being firm. In order to be one of an excellent teacher, you should be personable, understanding, and fun. However, you should not take this too far, as being a pushover is where you will begin to have problems in your classroom. When an issue comes up, deal with it in a kind but firm way, so that your students feel comfortable approaching you, but know that you mean business. Your students should respect you before they like you. That means you need to earn the respect of your students before worrying about whether or not they like you. If they respect you, chances are they will also like you. Remember, you are a mentor, not a friend. While it is important to take an interest in the lives of your students, and be available if they ask to talk to you, you need to do so as a respected mentor. This means you should not put yourself on their level when guiding them. Do not speak to them as if you are talking to a friend. On this topic, it is important to note that while you should not consider your students to be a friend, it is alright to talk in a friendly manner. Ask questions and have an engaging conversation, but do not try to talk using similar wording to how your students talk. In addition, keep your expectations high. Believe in your students as well as their abilities. The minute you lower your expectations your students will begin to lower theirs. However, if you believe in them and what they are capable of, that support will help them to subconsciously work harder. Classroom ManagementPerhaps one of the biggest downfalls of ineffective teachers is a lack of classroom management. This begins on day one of the school year. If you cannot control your students, you cannot be an effective teacher. So how do you learn to become a good classroom manager? Begin by having clear expectations for your students. Students are better able to learn when they are aware of what is expected of them. In order to do this, they need to know what their teacher is looking for, in terms of participation, presentations and projects, tests, and your grading structure. In order to accomplish this and earn the respect of your students, you should outline what you will consider to be positive and negative behavior, and discuss this with your students on the first day of class. Let them know that any unwanted behavior will not be accepted. In addition, students thrive when given a combination of structure and free time. Your classroom should keep a routine, but also ensure to carve out some free time for students so that they feel they are a part of the learning process. While it is important to show your students what you expect from them, it is equally important to have clear expectations for yourself. This involves following a routine, knowing what your expectations of your students are, and being able to maintain your sense of humor when things do not go as expected. Being able to maintain your classroom is essential to being an effective teacher. However, this does not always come easily. For those just starting out in the field, look to a veteran teacher or administrator when seeking out advice and support. How To Become A Structured EducatorIn order to better connect with your students and run a classroom where students respect you, many teachers are looking to find a happy medium between being "strict" and "too nice". This is often called becoming a "structured" educator. In order to find a balance between the two styles, it is essential to take elements of each and make your own teaching style that works for you. Firstly, a set of classroom rules should be established from the start. While too many rules will cause issues, too few will allow for too much freedom for your students. As such, it is important to determine which rules will help to increase the learning experience. When a rule has been broken, you should do your best to not yell at the student, but to sternly let them know what has happened and what you expect of them. When the situation has resolved, offering a friendly smile will let your students know you are not angry. Doing so will allow the student to realize they have done something wrong, but that you as the teacher still like them. For those students who cause a real problem in class, take them outside the room to discuss the situation with them. It can be counter-productive to reprimand the student in class in these instances. Remember, it is okay for students to have fun. If there is an activity going on in the classroom which results in laughter, that is fine. If, however, that laughter becomes overly loud or you cannot quiet the students, then it is time to stop the activity and bring order back to your classroom. In addition, it is important to interact with students on a personal level. You should be available before class for students who arrive early to talk about whatever is going on in their lives. You could also talk to students who finish their work early in class. Talking with students is a great way to show you are taking an interest in their lives. In order to be a structured educator, it is important to remember to be fair and balanced concerning the rules you set, while at the same time allowing enough freedom in your classroom to let your students be themselves. Remember, no matter how many students follow the rules or how many students like you, what is most important is what the students have learned and take away from your class. This is the ultimate goal and your personal teaching style should reflect that.
June Young Women Lesson: How do I receive the power and blessings of the priesthood in my life? The title of this lesson is taken from Carole M. Stephens’ talk, Do We Know What We Have? Daughters of God, do we know who we are? Do we know what we have? Are we worthy to receive the power and blessings of the priesthood? Do we receive the gifts given to us with gratitude, grace, and dignity? I think you could take this lesson into 2 different directions: How do I receive the power of the priesthood in my life? and How do I receive the blessings of the priesthood in my life? I’m going to give some ideas for both. How do I receive the power of the priesthood in my life? In every church lesson about the priesthood, almost always the class is asked, “What is the priesthood?” And the standard answer is “The authority to act in God’s name.” This has been the answer in manuals, on mormon.org, and pretty much every talk on priesthood I can think of. Feel free to ask it again! What does it meant to act in God’s name? For me, I imagine someone walking around all day constantly remembering that they are acting as if they are God. This reminds me of the baptismal covenant and sacramental renewal of that where we take Christ’s name upon us. When we are willing to take on Christ’s name, we are saying that we will act as if we are Christ, or as Mosiah 18:9 and the YW theme state, we are willing to “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places.” By nature of baptism, we choose to act in Christ’s name and have that authority. What does God’s power do? I think this would be a good question to brainstorm on a chalkboard. List the things you know that have happened, currently happen, or will happen, because of God’s power. The Creation, the Restoration of the Church, the Atonement, and the Resurrection are the big ones. The girls may come up with “smaller” ones, too: people being healed, birth, rainbows, reconciliation with family members, etc. How do we contribute to those things mentioned above? Discuss the list you made with the class. Some ideas might include: - When we forgive or ask for forgiveness or comfort someone grieving, we are forwarding and allowing the atonement to work in our lives. - When we share the gospel, we are forwarding the Restoration. - When we make thoughtful choices about our environmental impact, we are aiding in the creation of the Earth. I want to include an Carol Lynn Pearson poem here titled Creation Continued. It’s one of my favorites. It’s been published in multiple places and you can find it here through Google Books. I will continue To create the universe today Right where God left off. Little pockets of chaos Somehow survived the ordering And I feel moved To move upon them As in the beginning The Spirit of God moved Upon the face of the waters. I will move upon my backyard today And the weeds will be subdued And the flowers can grow And it will be good. I will move long-distance Upon a broken heart And leave a little balm And it will be good. I will move upon The hunger of my children With salad and spaghetti Which is Emily’s favorite And it will be good And even they will say so. And I will move too Upon their minds Leaveing a little poem Or an important thought And that will be even better Though they won’t say so. I will move upon Birth defects and cancer With five and ten dollar checks To help the scientists Who are battling the big chaos And I will move upon world hunger With a twenty-four dollar check For little Marilza in Brazil And it will be good. I will move upon The kitchen floor And the dirty laundry And a blank piece of paper And at the end of the day Have a little creation to show. And the evening and the morning Are my eighteen thousand And ninety-sixth day And tomorrow will start another one. And here is chaos and there is chaos And who knows if creation Will finally be done? More discussion questions: What have you done in the past week by the power of God? What can you do this next week? How do I receive the blessings of the priesthood in my life? This part of the lesson is covered pretty well in the lesson on lds.org. I particularly like the scripture examples and the variety of priesthood-related blessings they touch on. I’ll re-share them here. Matthew 3:1–6, 13–17 (baptism); Acts 3:1–10 (healing); Mosiah 18:7–18 (baptism); 3 Nephi 18:1–5 (sacrament). You can list these on the board and ask the class if they have other experiences with the priesthood not listed here. For example, some of the girls may have received their patriarchal blessings, done baptisms for the dead, or have been to a temple dedication. Be careful in assuming all the girls have a home that has a male priesthood holder in it. Not everyone has a father who is a member or regular home teachers. Discussion: How do these ordinances or experiences bless you? Ideas: Help us feel the Spirit, feel comfort, given guidance, help us progress in the Plan of Salvation, etc. The class may have specific stories to share, or you can share your own story. I think it is important to recognize that while the priesthood is for serving others, the ability to perform priesthood ordinances and blessings is in itself blessing to the priesthood holder and some of the girls may desire this experience. This would be a perfect time to add that women can officiate in some temple ordinances such as the initiatories and that they do indeed put their hands on the heads of other women and pronounce blessings upon them and that those ordinances are essential and required for progression and the sealing ordinance. B. H. Roberts, in the History of the Church, volume 4, chapter 35, page 607, recorded a talk given by Joseph Smith: President Smith then gave instruction respecting the propriety of females administering to the sick by the prayer of faith, the laying on hands, or the anointing with oil; and said it was according to revelation that the sick should be nursed with herbs and mild food, and not by the hand of an enemy. Who are better qualified to administer than our faithful and zealous sisters, whose hearts are full of faith, tenderness, sympathy and compassion. No one. In the Relief Society Minutes, Eliza R. Snow recorded Joseph Smith instructing the women: “Go ye into all the world” – no matter who believeth; these signs, such as healing the sick, casting out devils should follow all that believe whether male or female. He ask’d the Society if they could not see by this sweeping stroke, that wherein they are ordained, it is the privilege of those set apart to administer in that authority which is confer’d on them— and if the sisters should have faith to heal the sick, let all hold their tongues, and let every thing roll on….Respecting the female laying on hands, he further remark’d, there could be no devil in it if God gave his sanction by healing— that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on the sick than in wetting the face with water— that it is no sin for any body to do it that has faith, or if the sick has faith to be heal’d by the administration. Even Brigham Young stated, It is the privilege of a mother to have faith and to administer to her child; this she can do herself, as well as sending for the elders to have the benefit of their faith. Journal of Discourses XIII, page 155 I want a wife that can take care of my children when I am away, who can pray, lay on hands, anoint with oil, and baffle the enemy; and this is a spiritual wife. History of the Church, volume 6, page 322. My mother died when I was seven, but in my tender youth she taught me the truths of the gospel. She was a woman of great faith; because of her faith and prayers and a miraculous healing, I have sight in my left eye today. Father was out of town. I severely burned the pupil of my eye with a hot metal lid lifter from our wood-burning stove. Mother exercised her faith and prayed fervently to Heavenly Father as she held me lovingly in her arms. Her prayers were heard and my eye was healed. I am very grateful to have been raised in a loving home by goodly parents. Discussion: Share a time when a woman’s words have healed you or given you guidance or comfort. Someone in the class may have an experience where a woman (mother, grandmother, aunt, friend) has prayed or fasted and worked miracles through that. Last summer, I wrote about using prayer like a dedicatory prayer. When I consecrate my time in that way, I feel inwardly how I imagine it must feel to dedicate a home or temple with the priesthood and I feel as if I an enacting God’s power on my time and life. Encourage the girls to use their prayers and words to bless themselves, their families, their class members, and the people around them. Perhaps they can set goals to take time to ponder on the gravity of promising to act like Christ in their lives and perhaps resolve a problem they’ve been dealing with in their lives or comfort someone they know is suffering.
As CEO and/or business owner, you’re technically “Boss-in-Chief” for your organization. Of course, you can’t supervise everyone in the business - that’s why you have managers in critically important positions - but where you do have hands-on “boss responsibilities,” don’t you want to be great at what you do? And don’t you want department heads to be great bosses, as well? In a previous post, we’ve contended that the type of leadership behavior “you demonstrate on a daily basis sets the tone of your organization and company culture.” In other words, being a great boss “often means the difference between a healthy, thriving workplace and a toxic environment where no one succeeds, and employees feel downtrodden” - a potential threat for any organization at any time. Being a great boss usually translates into a more upbeat workplace environment with high employee morale and productivity. Here are action steps you and your managers can take to achieve this goal: Encourage “productive” conflict. Not all conflict has to revolve around personalities, competition for higher status and/or workplace politics. In fact, as Forbes notes, productive conflict “brings the team together because they trust each other enough to know that everyone is contributing in support of the team goal.” Issues are addressed directly, out in the open and - when necessary - arbitrated by the boss in a calm, rational, and affirmative manner. Promote risk-taking among employees. Solutions to pressing organizational issues aren’t easy to find. This is particularly true in an environment where bosses come down hard on employees who make mistakes or offer suggestions that don’t pan out - and may cost money and resources in the process. A punitive approach to risk-taking not only denies the company the benefit of its employees’ talents and potential insights - it also deadens initiative and out-of-the-box thinking, which can prove essential to success in the long run. A great boss encourages his or her team to come up with ideas to resolve nagging problems - even if those ideas get no further than the drawing board or end up in the trash. In these situations, failure isn’t punished, but instead used as “lessons learned,” leading to bigger successes down the road. Evaluate your own management style. Great bosses understand why they behave the way they do, and the effect their management style has on others. Successful bosses motivate their teams “by identifying their own weaknesses and making necessary adjustments to enhance effectiveness,” writes Digitalist Magazine. “Your team benefits every time you succeed.” Recognize and celebrate your team’s achievements. A bad boss waits to see if their employees’ work pays off, and then tries to take credit for the achievement. By contrast, a great boss makes sure everyone knows when an employee’s efforts result in organizational success. “Employees want to feel appreciated and have their work noticed,” as Business News Daily notes. When they’re credited for their efforts, “it motivates them to keep working hard,” while unacknowledged team members “think their work is unnoticed and will start caring less.” In an era where employee retention has become a strategic objective, it’s more imperative than ever that employees feel valued for their work. As we all know, turnover is often caused by poor manager-employee relationships. No business wants to get a reputation as a place of conflict and strife. Striving to be a great boss - and instilling this purpose in your managers - can dramatically improve your standing as an employer of choice and help the business grow. Learn more about being a great boss. Check out our Small Business Pulse Survey, “Leadership Qualities of Business Owners.”
French video artist Christophe Thockler's poetic music video for Mimi Goese and Ben Neill's "Cusp" freezes mementos and symbolic objects into blocks of ice that melt over time. The technique is a simple but ingenious way of visualizing memory and forgetting. The video required 40 blocks of ice and 36,000 still photographs, so don't miss the behind-the-scenes video and the interview with Thockler below. Make sure to watch full screen in HD! The Atlantic: How did you come to do a video for this song, and what was your inspiration for using melting ice? Christophe Thockler: I discovered Ben Neill’s music when I was a teenager and immediately loved it. A few months ago, I did an interview for a French website and mentioned his albums as a source of inspiration for my visual work. A few days later I received a message from Ben Neill saying he saw the interview and loved my work. It was amazing, unbelievable. We talked about his new project, a collaboration with the talented Mimi Goese called "Songs for Persephone" and we decided to work together on a music video. I listened to the album and immediately felt in love with the track “Cusp.” The album "Songs for Persephone" was available in a limited edition with a box containing small objects and bibelots related to the songs. I wanted to make the video a bit surreal, as a metaphor for time and memory. Objects from the special edition represent souvenirs and I wanted to play with ice to symbolize time, like "what is the effect of time on our memories? Do we remember or forget them?" I really think objects are linked to our unconscious inner self, embodying moments in life. Ice is at the same time a cold prison and a soft cocoon. This behind-the-scenes video documents the process of making "Cusp" (watch the HD version here). How long did it take to make the video? Tell us about the process. The video was really a huge project. It took me two months to do it, working almost 18 hours a day. “Cusp” is entirely composed of still photos. There is no video in it but no less than 36,000 photos. I had to create 40 blocks of ice, putting the objects in boxes with water and freezing them. Taking a photo every five seconds, I melted the ice at different rates with a burner and hot water, to fit the rhythm of the song and to create a sort of organic feeling. Editing the video and adjusting the contrasts and the colors of the 36,000 photos was also a very long process. Some fun facts: - I did some scenes outdoors but due to bad weather I also did some inside, literally cutting a square of grass from my garden and moving it inside. - Melting a block of ice took approximately 4 hours. - 25 liters of water were involved in the making of the video, and probably even more coffee. - Playing with ice and water near electric cables is dangerous. I almost electrocuted myself twice! - Running up and down stairs with a tripod and a block of ice in hand is not safe either. How did you get into filmmaking? I got into filmmaking by coincidence. I studied English art and literature and wanted to be a teacher. I always loved music videos and graphic design, but never realized it until I got my first computer in 2006 and started to try photography and design. In 2007, I put some visuals on the Internet and an English rapper, James P Honey, asked me if I would like to make a music video for him. I was very fond of the stop motion technique I saw when I was younger, in Michel Gondry’s videos or Shinya Tsukamoto’s movies, and decided to try it. The result was my first music video "Nice Clean White." To my surprise people loved the video; it won some festivals and was exhibited in museums and broadcast on French TV. What's next for you? “Cusp” was released few weeks ago, so I really hope this video will be seen by many people, because it's (like my other works) directly aimed at the viewer, playing with his feelings and his own memories. I really wanted to do something special with this project so I am creating two series of limited edition photos from the video, a large format limited to 15 prints and a smaller one limited to 50 prints. For more information about the prints, please email me at email@example.com. In December I will host a screening of my videos in Le Musée de l'Image in the French city of Epinal, during the GeNeRiQ Festival. I am also looking for artists to collaborate with on music videos and album packaging. Ladies and gentlemen, send me your tracks! For more work by Christophe Thockler, visit http://www.christophethockler.com/ or his Twitter or Facebook. For more music by Mimi Goese and Ben Neill, see http://www.mimigoeseandbenneill.com/ or their Twitter or Facebook. Via Vimeo's HD channel. We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to firstname.lastname@example.org.
==== FREE Get Email Notices when new columns are posted ==== The psychology of JB’s massive tax hike plan JB Pritzker has been lobbying hard to get the legislature to adopt his “Fair Tax” plan, but that plan is just a cover for 18 other big tax hikes that are waiting to slam your pocket book. The Pritzker “Fair Tax” will replace the Flat Tax with a Graduated Tax and must be voted on during a referendum in the November 2020 election. But what is the psychology behind a man named “Jay Robert Pritzker” who is afraid to use “JR” as his initials and uses “JB” instead. It all just seems a little too suspicious for me. By Ray Hanania In the last Governor’s race, we allowed money to blind us. Gov. J.B. Pritzker bought the election because he spent the most on it. “JB,” as he likes to be called, spent nearly $200 million of his own personal wealth to win an office that only pays $177.412 a year in salary. That doesn’t include all that PAC and “Dark” money from secret contributors. But, it should have been our first clue something was wrong. The Pritzker’s are ranked by Fortune Magazine as the 7th richest family in America, with $29 billion. There are 11 billionaires in the Pritzker family. They own the Hyatt Corporation, which began as a small motel outside of Los Angeles Airport. All but one family member divested from the Hyatt Corporation back in 2000. SUBSCRIBE TO RAY HANANIA'S COLUMN Pritzker isn’t just a rich kid who lives down the street. He’s a “super rich” kid worth nearly $2,8 billion. Does money even have value to a person who has $2.8 billion? There is a psychology in all of this that we really need to understand. First, let’s start with his name, “JB Pritzker.” I’m suspicious of people who use initials as their name. Arrogance? Or cutting corners. It’s a family thing. His wife does it too. She’s “MK.” That’s how JB introduced us to her in the election last year. Most people don’t even really know what “JB” stands for. They should. “JB” is supposed to stand for “Jay Robert” Pritzker. But apparently, those initials, “JR,” would be problematic for anyone with political ambitions. For seniors, who do most of the voting, the initials “JR” evoke memories of the infamously wealthy and vicious TV character, “JR Ewing,” played by the late actor Larry Hagman in the TV series “Dallas,” which ran from 1978 until 1991. Rolling Stone magazine describes JR Ewing as Tony Soprano in a Stetson. He was famous for off-colorful TV quotes. Can you imagine the campaign attack mailers? For those Millennials reading this column, the TV Series “Dallas” was as popular then in the 1980s as Game of Thrones was popular now. (JR Ewing would have been the Dallas version of Ramzi Bolton.) So, “Jay Robert” Pritzker did what any billionaire would do who wanted to run for public office. He adapted his initials. “Jay Robert” became “Jay Bob.” And JR thus became JB. Are you surprised after all this that JB wants to impose an array of new taxes? JB is calling for a whopping new tax of 7 percent on streaming home movies? Illinois already charges a 9 percent “amusement tax” which includes streaming movie services when you are on vacation, something we won’t be able to afford any more. Do you actually think JB streams movies in his movie theater-sized recreation room, passing the popcorn? His sister, Gigi, is a movie producer. He probably gets the movies from her before they hit the big screen, maybe hand-delivered by his Hollywood movie star pals. Planning on selling the only house you own? The JB tax on that is doubling to $1 per $500 in value. Pritzker doesn’t have one home. He has three homes, in addition to other “investment properties” (homes) including one that has no toilets to get a tax break. He can afford it! JB is going to double the tax on alcohol and on recreational marijuana. Alcohol, and doobies, are things normal people use to forget about how poor they really are and close their eyes to mounting credit card debt. In JB’s world, the average schlep will have to pay a lot more just to feel sorry for themselves. JB is going to tax “Managed Care,” you know, the “Grandma Care Tax.” He’s also going to tax Sports and cigarette addictions. He’s going to tax plastic bags. Your license plate is going to double, parking taxes will increase, as will the gasoline tax. We won’t be able to afford a vacation, let alone leaving the house. JB is proposing a total of 19 new taxes or tax hikes, including the so-called “Fair Tax” plan which would replace the equitable “Fixed Income Tax” with a “Graduated Income Tax.” The Graduated Tax will make it easier for JB to raise taxes on the Middle Class without upsetting the poor. (The “Fair Tax” was approved by the Illinois House this week and will be placed on the November 2020 General Election ballot as a referendum for voter approval. That gives Pritzker enough time to spend another $10 million to lobby voters enough to make them dizzy and support the referendum.) Do you honestly think, however, that a guy who has $2.8 billion has any sense of what it is like to pay taxes? Money is meaningless to him. He doesn’t care what he has to pay. You can expect that voters will be bombarded by millions of dollars in TV commercials over the next 18 months by both Pritzker and foes of the “Fair Tax” hounding us to support or reject the plan. So, get ready to put on your flak jackets. Maybe the TV Commercials might include some of the great lines from Dallas. JR Ewing, who at least got his initials right, had a lot of famous quotes that can be used. “Once you get rid of integrity, the rest is a piece of cake.” Or, “Like my daddy always said. Where there’s a way, there’s a will.” And the most famous, “Sue Ellen, you’re a drunk, a tramp and an unfit mother.” I’ll let you decide which quote best represents Illinois. (Published in the Southwest News Newspaper Group. Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall political reporter. His columns on Chicagoland politics and topics appear every week. Visit his personal website at www.Hanania.comfor more columns and share your thoughts with Ray by email at email@example.com.) THIS POST HAS BEEN READ 371 TIMES SO FAR. THANK YOU! "I write about three topics, the Middle East, politics and life in general. I often take my life experiences and offer them in an entertaining way to readers, and I take on the toughest topics like the Israel-Palestine conflict and don't pull any punches about what I feel is fair. But, my priority is always about writing the good story." Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992. Hanania began writing in 1975 when he published The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper which was distributed through 12,500 Middle East food stores in 48 American States (2004-2007). Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues for the Arab News in Saudi Arabia at www.ArabNews.com, and at www.TheArabDailyNews.com, www.TheDailyHookah.com and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has also published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday Newspaper in New York, the Orlando Sentinel Newspapers, and the Arlington Heights Daily Herald. Palestinian, American Arab and Christian, Hanania’s parents originate from Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada. His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association. The managing editor of Suburban Chicagoland Online News website www.SuburbanChicagoland.com, Hanania's columns also appear in the Southwest News Newspaper Group of 8 newspapers. Click here to send Ray Hanania and email. His Facebook Page is Facebook.com/rghanania Visit this link to read Ray's column archive at the ArabNews,com ArabNews.com/taxonomy/term/10906 Latest posts by Ray Hanania (see all) - Former Mayor Jane Byrne deserves more recognition - July 22, 2019 - I promise, I didn’t write this column high on the Ganja - July 10, 2019 - Jesus was a Palestinian, and many Palestinians were Jews - July 10, 2019
The proliferation of harmful chemicals is a growing concern for human health and well-being and the global environment. During its 6th replenishment period (July 2014 to June 2018; GEF-6), GEF continues to play a catalytic role in leveraging budgetary resources to support elimination and reduction of harmful chemicals and waste. The GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) is the special window of the GEF providing financial and technical support to communities and civil society organizations for addressing global environmental challenges, while also promoting poverty reduction and sustainable development. In the chemicals and waste focal area, SGP focuses its support to communities at the forefront of chemical threats either as users or consumers, including women and indigenous peoples. As of April 2017, SGP has supported 565 projects with an investment of more than $16 million in GEF grant funding, leveraging more than $18 million in co-financing from multiple sources. SGP’s chemicals and waste portfolio has focused on: solid waste management to avoid open burning of waste; pesticide management in agriculture and organic farming; • reduction of chemicals usage and contamination (such as PCB) in small-scale businesses; capacity development, awareness raising and knowledge sharing.
Tucked away in a corner of Sheffield’s cultural quarter, among the graffiti and red-brick housing blocks and a derelict industrial site, lies a green oasis. Porter Brook is a “pocket park” – a small amphitheatre, sloping down to the banks of the river Porter, where wild trout spawn in spring and students from the technical college picnic and paddle. Two years ago, the pocket park did not exist. There was just a crumbling car park with the river Porter nowhere to be seen, save for a brief glimpse before it disappeared into a culvert. “There’s no green spaces at all in this part of Sheffield, so the pocket park has been a great success,” says Katie Bayliss, a local resident. “Before, I don’t think people realised there was a fully flowing river here. You could see a bit of water going into a tunnel, but it looked more like a drain.” Like many UK cities, Sheffield is built around a network of rivers that first attracted settlers about half a millennium ago. Its very name is derived from the old English Scafeld, meaning “a clearing by the river Sheaf”, and the city’s topography – the valley and the rolling hills of the surrounding Peak District – has been carved out by water over thousands of years. Not that you would know it now; Sheffield may lie at the intersection of two rivers but its watery roots are largely invisible. The Porter, Sheaf and Don rivers spend most of their urban life underground. “You’d be hard-pressed to find the Sheaf anywhere in the centre,” says Simon Ogden, head of city regeneration at Sheffield city council. “As in many cities, Sheffield’s rivers were culverted over in the late 19th century because the water quality was so poor – they were basically sewers.” But the success of uncovering Porter Brook is the first step in a new project to bring back Sheffield’s lost urban rivers – to remove the culverts and integrate them into the city again. Known as “daylighting”, it is part of a broader global movement towards rediscovering urban rivers in cities worldwide. Daylighting across the world The poster child of all daylighting projects is Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon stream, completed in 2005. A brainwave of then-mayor and future president Lee Myung-bak, the project removed roads, buildings and virtually anything in its path to create an artificial waterway that joined up with the underground river at a cost of $900m (£615m). The 3.6 mile-long water corridor now acts as a major flood-relief channel and draws more than 60,000 visitors each day, transforming an area of Seoul previously renowned for crime. In Auckland, more than 180 metres of underground piping and 5,000 cubic metres of natural clay were removed to daylight the Fairburn and Parahiku reserve streams in 2014. It was part of an ambitious scheme to provide both better flood water protections and restore the rivers to a more natural state to support the many migratory fish species in New Zealand. “We have these seasonal species which need these pockets of upstream habitat to live in, and then they go back out to sea and spawn,” says Tom Mansell, stormwater project engineer at Auckland council. “When urban rivers are forced underground into piping, that disrupts their whole behavioural pattern. But by daylighting these rivers and creating a more natural ecology, it makes the rivers more desirable. You then find that people actually care about and want to look after the river a lot more,” Mansell says. More recently in the US, $19m was invested to daylight the Saw Mill river in downtown Yonkers, New York. The aim was to regenerate the area and bring back habitat for a range of species including muskrats and snapping turtles. “The whole project created this massive green corridor through the city by digging up car parks and wasteland,” says Adam Broadhead, who runs the research website daylighting.org.uk. “It didn’t please everyone – the construction work caused a lot of disruption to local businesses – but the overall benefit to the economy since then has probably paid off.” In Zurich, daylighting is actually enshrined in law. Known as the “Bachkonzept” or the “stream concept”, urban river restoration has been common practice in Switzerland’s largest city for 30 years. Urban rivers have been daylighted and integrated into Zurich in all manner of ways, such as complementing the local architecture. “They really are the masters of it because they’ve been doing it for so long,” Broadhead says. “They’re very clever as a lot of the funding for the work comes from the fact that by restoring these rivers, they’re keeping clean water out of the sewage streams, and so they save enough money in reducing their water treatment costs to justify it.” Such has been the success of global daylighting projects and the Porter Brook pocket park, that Sheffield council and several landowners are now hoping to create a series of mini urban parks along the same lines. Most ambitiously, they intend to open up part of the river Sheaf near the site of Sheffield’s former medieval castle to create a waterway in the centre surrounded by parkland, flowers, trees and seating for the public. It is one of Britain’s most ambitious regeneration projects. But river daylighting isn’t purely for aesthetic reasons. Climate change has been one of the major driving factors for large-scale investment in these projects. Planners hope to utilise the passive cooling provided by rivers to help combat the urban heat island effect, and most of all, offer benefits in terms of flood protection. “We’ve been experiencing more flash floods in recent years,” says Ogden from Sheffield council. “So we need to keep the water in the river and make more space for it. Culverts act as a kind of choke on the river, so any blockages or sudden increased rainfall forces the water out onto the streets.” Last year, Rochdale successfully restored the river Roch for the first time in 100 years by daylighting it through the main high street. The hope was to transform the town centre by creating a waterfront by the shopping district. While not everyone was convinced, the initiative was forced through by a desire to reduce flood risk. “A lot of the local shop owners were initially unhappy about it because the high street was closed off for some time,” says Penny Stevenson, a resident of Rochdale. “But it’s really boosted the attractiveness of the town centre and probably ultimately helped businesses. “Shortly after they finished opening the river up, we had another flood event – but whereas before the excess water didn’t have anywhere to go because of the culvert, this time it was able to drain away naturally, and didn’t swamp the town centre.” Daylighting can also be a more practical and cost-effective alternative to many of the UK’s Victorian-era culverts that are difficult to maintain. Last year, in central Sheffield, a culvert over the river Porter collapsed, causing part of a car park to completely cave in. Although the council would now like to daylight that stretch of the river, these schemes are not always straightforward. “I’d probably say that 99% of people are in favour of daylighting schemes,” says Sheffield resident Martin McQuaid. “But the other 1% typically see it as a waste of usable land. It would be fantastic to daylight the river Porter in that spot, but to do that would probably require a large compensation package for the landowner of the site. It’s the same with the scheme to daylight the Sheaf, the only people grumbling about it are the ones who usually hold a market on that site.” Indeed, not all urban river restoration projects proceed with efficiency. In Wood Green, north London, the river Moselle was daylighted in 2013, slowly meandering through parkland before joining the river Lea in the east. But the resulting stench of human waste revealed the newly restored river as something of a health hazard – misconnections with sewage channels from many of the nearby housing estates choked the river with sewage fungus, a problem that Thames Water and the Environment Agency are still trying to tackle. “In some ways it’s good that the project highlighted an existing problem which had been going on for years, contaminating the river below ground,” Broadhead says. “But it’s also an important lesson; if you’re going to spend large amounts of money on daylighting a river, you need to check the water quality at the same time.”
Indonesia plans to class large areas of its remaining natural forests as "degraded" land in order to cut them down and receive nearly $1bn of climate aid for replanting them with palm trees and biofuel crops, according to Greenpeace International. According to internal government documents from the forestry, agriculture and energy departments in Jakarta, the areas of land earmarked for industrial plantation expansion in the next 20 years include 37m ha of existing natural forest – 50% of the country's orangutan habitat and 80% of its carbon-rich peatland. More than 60m ha – an area nearly five times the size of England – could be converted to palm oil and biofuel production in the next 20 years, say the papers. "The land is roughly equivalent to all the currently undeveloped land in Indonesia," says the report. "The government plans for a trebling of pulp and paper production by 2015 and a doubling of palm oil production by 2020." The result, says the environmental group in a report released in Jakarta today, would be to massively expand Indonesia's palm, paper and biofuel industries in the name of "rehabilitating" land, while at the same time allowing its powerful forestry industry to carry on business as usual and to collect international carbon funds. "[Money] earmarked for forest protection may actually be used to subsidise their destruction with significant climate, wildlife and social costs," said the report. The report comes at a critical time in global climate talks, due to resume next week in Cancun, Mexico. Forestry and peatland contribute nearly 18% of all global carbon emissions and Indonesia is negotiating a model $1bn forestry deal with Norway and the US. This could save millions of tonnes of climate emissions in return for Indonesia agreeing to a moratorium on future forest and peatland clearances. But weak legal definitions of "forest" and "degraded land", have allowed the global logging industry and officials in some governments to take advantage of an ambitious UN forest-reform scheme known as Redd (Reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation). This would pay countries to replant trees and restore land. Indonesia has pledged drastic action to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26% on its own and 42% with international climate aid. If it agrees to a binding deal to limit deforestation, says Greenpeace, this would send a powerful message to other forested countries. "A strong deal to prevent the destruction of natural forests and peatlands would put the troubled climate talks back on track. But if international money intended to support the protection of forests and peatland is allowed to enable their destruction, any confidence in the UN talks is expected to dissolve," said a Greenpeace spokeswoman. The Indonesian and Norwegian governments last night declined to respond until they had seen the report.
The Colin Powell emails: lots more where that came from Flint, Michigan, warns Trump against 'photo op' visit Donald Trump’s visit to the city of Flint, Michigan on Thursday was met with disdain from residents who said the Republican presidential nominee’s stop was nothing more than an opportunistic photo-op. Trump, who earlier this month spoke at a predominately black church in Detroit, had said he intended to visit Flint on the campaign trail. Ahead of Trump’s visit, protesters conveyed a brief press conference outside of Flint’s water plant, where many expressed dismay at what they described as the nominee’s attempt to use the city’s public health crisis as a “campaign prop.” Carrie Younger-Nelson, a Flint resident, said the city has been engulfed by the water crisis for two years and Trump “just sees an opportunity to get in here and get him some media.” “Flint do not want him here, and he needs to keep it rolling,” she said. Standing nearby, State senate minority leader Jim Ananich, a Flint resident himself, said the purpose of the protest early Thursday was to send “a strong message that Flint’s not a photo-op.” “Looking at the water plant doesn’t help us get new, clean pipes; it doesn’t help us get clean water,” Ananich said. Jia Ireland, 23, also a Flint resident, said the public needs to know that Flint is still dealing with the effects of the water crisis, now well into its third year. “People are still living off of water bottles and living off of filters,” she said. “Yes, pipes are being dug up, but it’s a slow progress. And we need to see things happen fast and now.” “Also, I am not a supporter of Trump,” she continued. “I feel like Donald Trump is using this as a PR statement … so, you’re late.” Trump passes Clinton in Nevada – poll Powell email says 'I would rather not have to vote for' Clinton Clinton demands Trump answer 20 questions about foreign business ties
A woman in Spain infected with the Zika virus has given birth to a baby with the brain-damaging disorder microcephaly, her hospital said on Monday, the first case of its kind in Europe. The mother, who has not been identified, caught the virus on a trip abroad but authorities have declined to say where. A hospital source said she was infected in Latin America, where the virus is widespread. “The baby did not require any resuscitation,” Felix Castillo, neonatal chief at the Vall d’Hebron hospital in Barcelona, told a press conference, adding that the infant’s vital signs were “normal and stable”. The baby’s gender has not been revealed for privacy reasons. The newborn’s health is being constantly monitored and initial tests confirm that “its head circumference is smaller than normal and that it has microcephaly,” Castillo added. The baby was born by caesarean section after 40 weeks of pregnancy. “The mother is doing well,” said Elena Carreras, head of obstetrics at the hospital, adding that both parents were very excited about the birth. Authorities announced in May that they had detected microcephaly in the foetus but the couple decided to keep the baby. Doctors refused to give any further information about the mother or child. A woman in Slovenia who was pregnant with a baby with microcephaly was previously found to have been carrying the virus but she decided to have an abortion. Researchers said Monday that tens of thousands of babies may be born with debilitating Zika-related disorders in the course of the outbreak, which is sweeping through Latin America and the Caribbean. Mathematical projections suggest about 93.4 million people may catch the virus – including around 1.65 million pregnant women – before the epidemic fizzles out, a team reported in the journal Nature Microbiology.
Even at £9 a bottle, beer from Saint Sixtus abbey was flying off the supermarket shelves. Until the monks found out. Angry Trappists from the 19th-century Cistercian monastery in Westvleteren, west Flanders, have accused the Dutch supermarket brand Jan Linders of a breach of their “ethical values” for selling the brew. Under the abbey’s rules, the beer, produced on-site by 20 monks, is only available by the glass at a “meeting centre” or by the crate under strict conditions. Indeed, according to the Saint Sixtus abbey’s website, those seeking to buy bottles of Westvleteren in bulk must have “a lot of patience and luck”. A buyer may reserve a maximum of two crates of 24 bottles every 60 days at a price of £31 to £39 a crate. They must pick them up at the gate of the abbey at the agreed date and time having registered the licence plate of their car in advance. Westvleteren is one of only six Trappist breweries in Belgium, and its convoluted rules reflect the almost mythical regard in which Trappist beer is held. Saint Sixtus abbey’s beer production was outsourced between 1946 and 1992, over fears that its commercialisation was getting in the way of spiritual works. The discovery, then, that the Jan Linders supermarket chain, without the permission or knowledge of the abbey, had been selling three types of the renowned beer at about five times the price charged by the monks caused considerable dismay. A spokesman for the abbey said: “A price of nearly €10 per bottle goes against the ethical standards and values that the monks face. Every beer lover knows that the Trappists of Westvleteren do not pursue profit maximisation, they only produce as much beer as is necessary to provide for their livelihood. All the profits made go to the abbey charity.” One of the Trappists’ offerings, a dark heavy beer with a 10.2% alcohol volume, has been repeatedly voted as the best beer in the world. A spokesman for Jan Linders told the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant the supermarket had wanted to reward loyal customers with the specialist beer, and had allowed the purchase of a maximum of two bottles at a time. He said that while the stock of 300 crates of 24 bottles sold within hours, with reports of customers queueing outside, the supermarket’s profits were negligible as it needed to pay off unidentified suppliers. Gineke Wilms, the company’s marketing manager, said: “The beer was purchased through a number of links, which is why the price was this amount. We emphasised to the abbey that we had really good intentions. We respect the exclusivity of beer enormously.” An abbey spokesman said: “We especially hope that it will not happen again.”
Research says your child's snacking preferences may be genetically influenced A study conducted by University of Guelph reveal some groundbreaking findings about the link between children's snacking preferences and genetics. Cute coincidences like you and your toddler craving an ice-cream after a meal or preferring chips over chocolates is sure to make the parent in you beam with pride. But are these mere coincidences or is there more to this? Research reveals that if your kid won’t eat healthy snacks, chances are, the preference is probably genetic in nature. Kid won’t eat healthy snacks: How do genetics play a role? The University of Guelph conducted a study where it was revealed that the types of snacks that a kid chooses is related to genetics. Over a period of three days, 47 children in the age group of 18 months and five years were observed. Their daily eating habits were tracked. The genetic variants in taste receptors connected with sweet, fat and bitter tastes were investigated in preschoolers. A genetic variant is a kind of alteration or change in an individual’s DNA sequence. This is what makes an individual unique. Surprisingly, almost 80% of the kids carried at least one of these genotypes. As a result, they were predisposed to poor snacking habits. For example, most of the kids showed a sweet tooth variant. They were attracted to sugary food and, interestingly, consumed these snacks mostly during evening time. Kid won’t eat healthy snacks: Why is this such a significant finding? Why is this finding so important? Because if you can establish a concrete connection between genetics and taste, there’s high probability that through specially developed tests, a child’s genetic taste variant could be determined. Elie Chamoun, a researcher on the study and Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Guelph, believes that this can give parents an informed understanding about the eating habits of their kids. Furthermore, they can help their kids establish long-term health goals. Getting an insight into your child’s taste variant can give you a better understanding of their eating habits as well as the types of food that they may be attracted to. While such tests are developed by experts, you can look into your own food habits and those of your child’s. In case you see a pattern there, you may be able to deal with your kid’s unhealthy snacks craving in a more sympathetic manner. So, next time your kid won’t eat healthy snacks, don’t forget to check your snacking preferences. And also remember: your child mimics you in everything you do. Try to change the strength of genetics by actively eating and snacking healthy yourself. Your child should follow suit. Republished with permission from: theAsianParent Singapore
How Much Money Do We Need for Financial Independence? This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info. Have you ever thought about how much money it will take for you (and your family if applicable) to reach financial independence? This number will be different for everyone and there is no right or wrong answer. The amount you need to become financially independent (FI) will depend on how much money you plan to spend once you get there. And how much you are comfortable to withdraw per year from all of your investments once you hit FI. Of course, all of this assumes that you have been saving huge chunks of your paychecks for years and are making wise investments. How Much Money is Enough? So let’s assume we are all diligent savers and plan to put away a good portion of our paychecks every month. In my case, I have an option at work to invest money into both a 457 plan and a 401k/403(b) plan. Currently, we are not investing any of our income in these plans as my work does not offer any employer match. However, we are planning to change our investment strategy very soon in the future. Currently, most of our investments are being made into taxable brokerage accounts … mostly Robinhood. We will save the debate on which type of plans to invest in for another day – like 457, 401K, 403(b), IRA, Roth IRA, etc. The point for now is to save, save, save. Over the years … my wife and I have been investing some of our income … but not as much as we should. So we have been focusing now on being more frugal, so that we can put away more of our income to hit our financial independence number. How to Calculate Your Financial Independence Number If you research how to calculate your financial independence number, you are likely going to come across many different opinions. One of the most commonly accepted calculations for FI is to multiply your expected annual expenses by 25. FI Number = annual expenses * 25 Using this equation, let’s assume your going to live a very frugal life (post FI) and will plan to spend $25,000 annually. In this example, your FI Number would equal $625,000. $625,000 = $25,000 * 25 I won’t go into the reasoning or math behind this equation in this post, but it takes into account your annual spending along with the 4% withdrawal rule … once you hit financial independence. So here is another way to look at this equation – FI Number = Yearly Spending / Safe Withdrawal Rate In this case, our safe withdrawal rate is going to be the widely used 4% rule. So another way to get to our FI Number is like this – $625,000 = $25,000 / 4.0% Using this equation could be helpful if you don’t plan on using the 4% safe withdrawal rate. Maybe you plan to be more conservative and withdraw only 3% per year. That would bring your FI Number up to $833,333. As you can see from the examples above, playing around with the numbers just a little can make a big impact on your calculation. What is Our Financial Independence Number? Now that we have the equation, I can easily calculate our family’s financial independence number. The first step in this process is to estimate what our annual spending amount will be. I should point out that our annual spending today will probably be much higher than what it will be when we hit financial independence. For example, today we have a mortgage we are working to pay off. At some point we will either move into a smaller house that will hopefully be paid off … or will be close to paying off our current home as we move into FI. We also have 2 car payments right now. As soon as I leave my job … there is no need to have a second car … so we will have lower annual spending. But since it is hard to predict our future spending … for now we will use an estimate on our current spending. Or at least what we want our current spending to be. We are in the process of reorganizing our budget … trying to cut out anything that is non-essential to us. For example, we decided to save $500 a year on coffee … by switching from K-Cups to brewing our own again. As we go through our budget, we will get a better idea of our desired annual spending. But for now, we will use a range to get an estimate of our FI Number. Calculating our FI Range Ideally, we would like our annual spending to be around $40,000. As of today, I know we are above that amount … but that is our goal to get there. So we will use $40,000 in annual spending as our minimum range. On the high end, I think we are closer to $50,000 per year in spending. Again … we will have to dive deeper into our spending numbers using our Personal Capital account to figure this out. But for now … we will set our upper range at $50,000. Note – We are also going to use the 4% safe withdrawal rate for now in our calculations, so we will multiply our annual spending by 25. Low Range FI Number = $40,000 * 25 = $1,000,000 High Range FI Number = $50,000 * 25 = $1,250,000 Note – As we tweak our budget and continue to review our spending … I will likely adjust our numbers. But for now, we will stick to a low range of $40,000 per year and a high range of $50,000. So for now, we at least have a target to shoot for to reach FI. That target is $1 million to $1.25 million … which seems like a bunch … and it is. But we have a good nest egg already started … which brings our needed savings amount down under $1,000,000. As we continue to tweak our budget and get a handle on our personal finances, we will provide updates to our FI Number, as well as how much more savings/investing we need to make to get there. What is your FI Number? Have your reached your number, or are you still working towards hitting that goal?
THE PROBLEM WITH YOUR HOME Why you need to be aware of and manage water and moisture in your home environment Like us, all living things need water, food and habitat to exist. Without any one of these all living organisms will die. If water intrudes into your home directly or via humidity in the air, your house then becomes the home and food source for insects, mold, mildew and other pests. In our area, homes have been built on crawlspaces and basement foundations the same way for over one hundred years, These homes “breathed” by pulling fresh air from everywhere throughout the structure. This was fine, but muggy. Since the energy crisis in the seventies we started sealing homes to conserve energy. New energy efficient/sealed homes “breathe” by pulling fresh moist air into your not energy efficient crawlspace/basement and pulling that air up through your house into your living space and then out through your attic vents (the chimney effect). As the moisture laden air enters the lower levels it cools and leaves water to join any other existing moisture (leaks, drainage, etc.); like the condensation on a cold glass of iced tea on a hot summer day. This in turn allows mold, mildew and wood destroying insects to grow, thrive and attack the underside of your home. This water rots and rusts all the building materials that make up the foundation of your home. The mold spores (microscopic “seeds” that are everywhere) begin to grow and “eat” the starch and cellulose in the wood, Wood destroying termites and beetles move in and do the same thing. Other animals take up residence as the food chain grows. Your only signs of all this will be the dank, musty smells in your house; visible signs of mold growth and damages to walls, floors and other structural members; your energy bills growing as your heating and cooling systems try and fight the ever increasing moisture problems; or your family’s increasing allergies, illness or breathing problems. Not only is moisture costing you extra energy dollars, it is jeopardizing your family’s health and slowly destroying one of your most important investments – your home. Remove the unwanted water and moisture in your home. Fix leaks, correct drainage and stop any other obvious water intrusion. Utilize good, safe, long lasting, GREEN materials to seal the dirt floor, walls and vents of your crawlspace/basement and seal out the moist air. Install a heavy duty dehumidifier to lower the water vapor in the air. This whole process is called ENCAPSULATION. Finally, you need to set up an easy way to monitor the air to insure the ongoing success of your program and the continued health of your home. With no water and low humidity the insects and pests will vacate, the mold and mildew will die, rot and rust will cease and clean air will circulate up into your living area. A FREE ANALYSIS Contact the Pest Control Authority to have a state certified, experienced professional inspect your home. They will do a thorough visual inspection and take pictures of your house from the crawlspace to the attic, inside and out. They will take samples of the wood moisture content in your home’s structural members as well as the water vapor amounts in the air in your crawlspace/basement. They will provide you with all the information you need to be able to make an educated decision to implement a cost effective, holistic solution to your home’s and your family’s health.
The Role of the Spine As much as 8.7% of spinal cord injuries in the United States are, in some way, related to sports, according to a research article published by BP Boden. Your spine is the skeletal structure that protects the spinal cord. It runs from the base of your skull down to your tailbone and is a flexible tube of discs and vertebrae that allow the spinal cord to transport messages to various areas of your body. The most minor of injuries to the spine can cause sprains or strains, but major injuries pose risks including permanent paralysis or even death. The most common cause of critical spinal injuries is the result of forceful impact, such as those in sports activities. When the spine becomes damaged, your body’s overall health and function is put at risk. Common spine injuries include: - Ruptured or herniated disc(s) - Sprains and strains Worst Sports for Spinal Injuries Certain sports are more physically demanding than others, especially when it comes to the strength, flexibility, or durability of your spine. Close-contact sports, for example, put you at much greater risk of spinal injury by placing the body in stressful and potentially dangerous situations. This is why professional athletes like football players are often injured on the field and removed from play as they recover from their injuries. The following is a list of some of the worst sports for spinal injuries: - Horseback riding Best Sports for Spinal Injuries Spinal cord injury can have a long road of recovery, so it’s important to not only try to prevent injury, but also to treat your body with kindness as it heals. Staying active with spine-friendly sports following a spinal cord injury is going to keep your body healthy by allowing you to maintain a safe level of activity. The following are some of the best sports for spinal injuries to both treat them and help prevent them while you focus on your health: - Accessible CrossFit - Hand Cycling - Para Dance Sport - Wheelchair Racing - Wheelchair Tennis How to Keep Your Body Safe from Harm During Sport Activities If you know you are going to be actively participating in a sport, whether that sport is typically safe or dangerous for injury, take precautions to keep yourself out of harm’s way. Even in the most relaxing sports, like yoga or golf, you can stress your body when you push it too hard or too far. Keep your spine safe by being gentle with yourself, knowing your limits and considering your situation. If you are going to be playing a physically demanding or close-contact sport, wear protective gear and establish ground rules to keep yourself, and everyone involved, safe from injury. In the event of injury, react quickly to get the treatment you need. Need Help with a Spinal Injury? If you have suffered a spinal injury, Dr. Hooman Melamed, MD, FAAOS is here to help. Dr. Melamed is a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon with an expanse of knowledge to help you get back on your feet and on the field as safely and efficiently as possible. Contact our office today and schedule your appointment to get your body back on track to live the lifestyle you want to live.
At TODAY we take care to recommend items we hope you’ll enjoy! Just so you know, TODAY may get a small share of the revenue.Using interviews with specialists, online reviews and personal experience, TODAY editors, writers and experts take care to recommend items we really like and hope you’ll enjoy! TODAY does have affiliate relationships with various online retailers. So, while every product is independently selected, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the revenue. Lunch boxes are sparkling clean at the start of the school year, but after a few days ... look out! According to research from e-cloth, 73 percent of fabric lunch boxes tested contained mold and 20 percent had bacteria (staph and enterococci) that could contaminate food and cause food poisoning. Yikes! How to clean lunch boxes and food-storage containers - Start by getting rid of all smashed grapes, smeared peanut butter and other obvious crumbs and smears your child left behind — as well as whatever “treasures” he or she picked up that day. - To remove the most bacteria and mold, wash fabric lunch boxes and reusable food containers after every use with soap and water. A microfiber towel, rather than a regular wash cloth, will help fight bacteria. - Most hard plastic, metal lunch boxes and reusable containers are safe for the dishwasher, but check the manufacturer's cleaning instructions to make sure. - If the lunch box still doesn't smell fresh after a good wash, sprinkle it with baking soda and let it sit overnight. In the morning, rinse and dry. It should be fresh and ready to use! ...use baby wipes on lunch boxes. Like plain cloth, these just move dirt around and do nothing to remove bacteria. ...use chemical cleaning sprays on lunchboxes. These leave behind a chemical residue and odor that could get into your child’s lunch. ...wash your hands before preparing your child’s lunch and remind him or her to wash hands before eating at school. (It can't hurt to pack a few sanitizing hand wipes for good measure.) How to clean reusable beverage containers - 1. Thermoses A simple soap-and-water wash is the way to go here, using a microfiber towel and a bottle brush. Since moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria, leave the lid off so it can dry thoroughly. Thermoses should never go in the dishwasher or be submerged in hot water. Be sure to follow care instructions for these items. - 2. Screw-top containers Separate the top from the container and run both pieces through the dishwasher every day (top rack only, of course). Make sure the drying cycle is on since the container needs to be completely dry. If not, it will become a breeding ground for germs. Another option is to hand wash the container in warm water and dish detergent after every use. Use a microfiber cloth and a brush to remove any slimy build-up that may have formed. Rinse well and dry thoroughly before using. - 3. Containers with spouts or pop-up straws Wash in soap and water, using a small bottle brush to clean those hard-to-reach nooks and crevices in the drinking spouts. Rinse well and be sure to dry completely — either by air-drying overnight or hand drying with a clean cloth. - To remove odors: If a container does not smell fresh after washing with soap and water, fill with hot water and add a tablespoon of baking soda. Allow it to sit overnight. In the morning, rinse and dry. By then, it should be fresh and odor-free! How to sanitize beverage containers If the beverage container has been shared with a sick classmate or others in the class — willingly or not — you may want to sanitize it using one of the following methods: Bleach and water: - Wash with soap and water. - Fill the container with a mild bleach/water solution (one teaspoon of bleach to one gallon of water — if you can smell bleach, you’ve used too much). - Allow the bleach solution to stand for five minutes. - Rinse until all bleach odor is gone. Air dry. White distilled vinegar or hydrogen peroxide: - Wash with soap and water. - Fill container with either vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Use only one or the other. Don’t mix the two or you’ll cancel their cleaning properties. - Allow it to stand for about 10 minutes, then rinse and air dry. Using interviews with specialists, online reviews and personal experience, TODAY editors, writers and experts take care to recommend items we really like and hope you’ll enjoy! TODAY does have affiliate relationships with various online retailers. So, while every product is independently selected, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the revenue. This article was originally published on Aug. 21, 2017.
Welcome to the USA. Diverse as it is vast, America was known to migrants as the “Land of Opportunities” and when it comes to planning your trip to USA, the moniker is certainly true. Your opportunities are endless, as you travail a country that is packed with variety. From the sublime to the ridiculous: America has it all. In America, you will discover that everything is supersized. Big cities, big food, big mountains, big amusement parks, and big opportunities as you discover this country ofself-made culture and natural beauty. As can be expected from a country that is not even 300 years old, America’s most salient cultural feature is one of ambition; maybe it is this desire for bigger, better, brighter, faster that has made the USA one of the most powerful countries in the world, as well as a truly unforgettable location for the trip of a life time. Direct flights to USA fly into several main airports on a regular basis. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is the busiest airport in the world, with over 100 million passengers travelling through it every year. Other most popular airport for direct flights to America include: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The best time to go to USA depends on your preferences. At over 3 million square miles, the USA experiences a vast range of climates, which differ from state to state. Whether you are looking for snowy mountains, sunny beaches, or pleasantly warm cities, you will probably be able to find it somewhere, no matter what time of the year! If you are looking for cheap flights to USA, avoid busy seasons, such as Spring Break for sunny holidays in America, summer for amusement parks, and Christmas for city breaks. By planning ahead and booking early, you should be able to find cheap flights to America. America has so much more to offer than super-sized fries and plastic toys. In fact, when it comes to natural phenomena, America really does have it all - on your trip to USA, you will be staggered by the sheer scale and breath-taking beauty of Mother Nature’s creations. Visit the Grand Canyon, where you can watch the sun rise over one of the most incredible natural monuments in the world. Take a trip to Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world, where you can see Old Faithful geyser and hot springs, spot wild animals, sleep under the stars, hike through the American Wilderness and partake in a spot of huntin’, shootin’ and a-fishin’. Or visit Alaska, the largest of America’s 50 states, which is home to fewer than a million people. In the summer, you can spend long summer days watching for bears at Katmai National Park, while in the winter you can see the Northern Lights, go dog-sledding or snowmobiling through the pristine, snow-covered countryside. Many people assume that all Florida has to offer is sunshine and Disney, but the everglades are simply stunning. With mangrove forests and sawgrass prairies, Florida’s everglades are home to exotic breeds, including pig frogs, roseate spoonbills, alligators, sea turtles and dolphins. You can hike, canoe or take a boat tour back in time, to an era when America belonged to nature, and there was nothing for miles but wildlife and beautiful scenery. On your trip to USA, it will be virtually impossible to ignore some of America’s iconic structures. The statue of Liberty, which, standing at over 150 metres tall, has presided over Manhattan since 1886, is one of the most famous sights of America. While you are there, spend a few days in New York, which is literally packed with iconic locations, from Times Square, to Central Park – you can squeeze in a bit of world-class shopping, too. Carved into the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore took fourteen years and four hundred workers to complete under the instruction of Gutzon Borglum. The vast sculpture of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt, who helped to shape the USA of today is a truly incredible sight to behold. When you think of planning a trip to America, two things probably spring to mind: Walt Disney World and Hollywood. They may not be sculptures or buildings, but they form a massive part of America’s heritage and must, therefore, be considered icons. Indulge in a spot of star-spotting in Hollywood, as you take a guided tour through Beverly Hills, or invoke your inner diva as you saunter down the Walk of Fame. A trip to Walt Disney World is the stuff of most childhood dreams. Here, children will find themselves at the centre of their favourite films, surrounded by Disney princesses, Jedi knights and magical wizards. It may be hot, chaotic and expensive; there will be a lot of queues, but a trip to Disney World is one that you will never forget. Are you dreaming of long, hot days on the beach? America’s beaches will not disappoint. On the Gulf Coast on Florida, you will be spoilt for choice: blue skies, white sands and azure water. There are plenty of secluded beaches and islands that will reward your effort with relative isolation and a totally tropical vibe. For a little bit of quintessential West Coast glamour, head to Malibu. Home to 21 miles of sandy beach, perfect surf, chic galleries and the Getty Museum, it is no wonder that Malibu is a favourite retreat for movie stars. If you prefer pounding the pavements to the feel of sand between your toes, delve into the USA’s delightful city life. Whether you fancy LA, Vegas, The Windy City or the Big Apple, your city experience will whisk you into a scene from a favourite movie, leaving you dazed, awed and desperate to keep exploring. America is often dismissed as the home of deep fried, extra-large meals. However, there is more to the country’s culinary depths than meets the eye. America is a country largely made up of immigrants, and its traditions are therefore made up of a fusion of different cultures. From Key lime pie to Fajitas, jambalaya to banana splits, twinkies to biscuits and gravy (which aren’t biscuits or gravy as we know it), America’s cuisine covers a whole spectrum of flavours and cooking techniques. So, whether you love a comforting macaroni and cheese, or you prefer fresh crab cakes and lobster rolls, you are guaranteed to find a little (lot) of what you love on your American adventure. The list of things to see and do on your trip to USA is virtually endless. Whether you are a city lover or you crave isolation and unspoilt nature, America promises to deliver in bucket-loads. So, sit back and enjoy the ride as you start planning the trip of your life. Want help planning? Travangelo can help you find cheap flights to USA.
Discovering that you may have a problem with your sewer can be pretty frustrating due to the lengthy process required by normal sewer line repair. However, not catching backups or cracks in the pipes can lead to even worse consequences, such as serious water damage done to a home. But how can you know if you may have some problems before they’re right in your face? Here are a few signs that might indicate something is wrong: Mold: If left unchecked, the humidity from water damage can lead to mold. If you notice any dark discoloration of walls, ceilings, or floors, there’s a reasonable chance that mold is beginning to grow. This can also be accompanied by a musty smell, and in extreme cases, especially those with asthma, even trouble breathing. Backups: Every toilet will clog and refuse to flush from time to time, but if you notice it begins to happen more frequently there may be an underlying problem. A serious backup will usually occur in the lowest drain, which could mean sewage backing up through your shower drain. Seems a bit counter-productive to cleanliness. Strong odors: While the smell of mold should always be of concern, there is plenty of other material in sewers that puts off a ripe smell. Most people are not a stranger to the smell of sewage so at least recognizing it won’t be difficult. Sewage pipes are designed to be airtight, so if you ever get a hint of that tell-tale smell, it’s worth getting your pipes checked out. Grass overgrowth: This may seem counter-intuitive, but sewage can actually act as powerful fertilizer. If you notice extra green and lush patches of grass around your yard, it very well could mean a sewer pipe in the close vicinity is leaking. Problems with sewers can manifest from all kinds of issues. First off, if your sewers are around 40 years old, they probably need replacing anyway. But even at a young age, tree roots are notorious for breaking sewer lines due to their ability to grow 12 to 36 inches below the surface, as well as extending horizontally as much as two to three times the diameter of the tree’s canopy. These indicators are relatively noticeable, so if on the lookout you should have no problem discovering any leaks or backups in need of sewer repair and hiring one of the 104,852 plumbing and sewage companies in the U.S. before they become too serious. Otherwise you may be wearing nose plugs in your own house.
There was a time when flame retardant chemicals were an assumed part of our home and office furniture's composition. A safe sofa was one that was resistant to fire; a good night's sleep was thought to be enhanced by knowledge that the mattress you slept on had chemicals that made it fireproof. These days of course, informed consumers know that there's more to the story. Thanks to researchers and years of testimony by scientists, fire fighters and others, we know that there's a down side to living with flame retardant chemicals in our couches, carpets, mattresses and tapestries. That realization, which has helped to inspire a whole new class of furniture, owes its renaissance in part, to a nonprofit called the Center for Environmental Health, an Oakland, Calif. organization that is often credited with boosting consumer voice in both Sacramento and in Washington, DC. This week, the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council recognized those contributions by including the CEH in a list of organizations that it says have "leveraged institutional purchasing power to advance the long term health and vitality of society, economies, and the planet." Thirty-six organizations, government agencies and individuals were recognized by the SPLC on Monday, calling attention to their innovative purchasing strategies and research to help encourage better consumer decisions and increase industry investments in sustainable products. CEH was recognized for its part in incentivizing companies to choose flame-retardant-free furniture and educating consumers about new research about toxic chemicals. Its case study, "Kicking Toxic Chemicals Out of Office Furniture - Getting Rid of the 'Hazardous Handful'" helped jumpstart a movement to get the state and federal governments to drop requirements for chemical flame retardants in commercially sold furniture. In 2014 the organization's efforts were picked up by Kaiser Permanente, which announced it would no longer be purchasing furniture that contained flame retardant chemicals for its hospitals and offices. That sent a palpable ripple through the healthcare industry. It also delivered a wake-up call to furniture manufacturers, some of which rely on large contracts from large medical facilities. Other organizations soon followed Kaiser's example. Since then, an increasing number of furniture manufacturers have announced that they are going chemical flame-retardant free, either by developing exclusive lines or by dropping the chemicals in their product lines altogether. In 2013, California passed TB117-2013, giving furniture manufactures a choice in how to ensure that the products they sold would pass the state's required "smolder test." The passage of that law has given fuel to new production methods that take advantage of naturally flame-resistant materials in commercial furniture. Although Congress has not matched California's efforts yet, consumer support for furniture that doesn't contain chemical retardants continues to impact and shape the kinds of products now being sold on the market. SPLC also acknowledged case studies by a wide range of organizations and individuals that it says helped increase support for sustainable purchasing practices. The recipients include EarthCheck, for its case study on sustainable supply chain mechanisms; Ecomedes for its research into ways to streamline sustainable procurement; HP, for its investigation into the circular economy; and Shaw Industries Group for its efforts to increase recyclable content in carpet production. The SPLC also recognized nine individuals for their contributions to sustainable procurement, including Alicia Culver of the Responsible Purchasing Network, Melissa Yusilon of the City of Los Angeles, and Sanjay Kumar of the Ministry of Railways, the Government of India. Jan Lee is a former news editor and award-winning editorial writer whose non-fiction and fiction have been published in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and Australia. Her articles and posts can be found on TriplePundit, JustMeans, and her blog, The Multicultural Jew, as well as other publications. She currently splits her residence between the city of Vancouver, British Columbia and the rural farmlands of Idaho.
The Birthing Process The time leading up to the normal birthing process is generally 266 days (38 weeks) - from conception to birth. However, only about 5% of births occur on the actual due date. The 4 Stages of Labor: Stage 1 - from the onset of labor to full cervix dilation Stage 2 - from full cervix dilation to delivery of baby Stage 3 - from delivery of baby to expulsion of placenta Stage 4 - from expulsion of placenta to afterbirth recovery Stage 1: Labor Onset to Full Cervix Dilation Stage 1 consists of regular uterine contractions with cervix dilation. Full cervix dilation occurs at approximately 4 inches. The length of this stage varies from mother to mother. It depends on many factors including but not limited to previous pregnancies, the health and condition of the mother and fetus, patience of the doctor (or midwife) and willingness to induce labor, medications used at this stage, hospital versus home birth, etc. Stage 2: Full Cervix Dilation to Delivery of Baby Stage 2 generally takes from 15 to 50 minutes. During this time, uterine contractions strengthen and become more frequent. During this stage mother will feel the need to bear down and push. The baby goes through a series of passive movements - especially the head, which undergoes flexion, internal rotation, extension, external rotation, and crowning (the first sign of the baby's head). Stage 3: Delivery of Baby to Expulsion of Placenta This stage consists of the period immediately following birth to the expulsion of the placenta - generally taking 5 to 10 minutes. Should the placenta not easily come out, tugging or pulling should not be performed. Gentle uterine massage may be utilized to assist in the release. The placenta should always be examined to be sure no parts remain within the uterus. This can become detrimental to the mother causing hemorrhage and/or death. Stage 4: Expulsion of Placenta to Afterbirth Recovery During this stage, mother is monitored to be sure no uterine bleeding or other complications occur.
Electro-encephalography (EEG) has been clinically used for 100 years, and gamma synchrony EEG (30 to 90 hertz) correlates well with consciousness. Yet the origin, brain-wide coherence and underlying significance of gamma synchrony and other EEG rhythms remain unknown. A theory of consciousness needs to account for its correlates, including EEG and the action of anesthetic gases which selectively prevent consciousness and gamma synchrony, sparing non-conscious brain activities. The Penrose-Hameroff Orch OR theory does so by proposing that consciousness derives from orchestrated (‘Orch’) quantum vibrations in microtubules, self-assembling polymers of the protein tubulin inside neurons. The quantum vibrational states are proposed to reach threshold for ‘objective reduction’ (‘OR’) at which a moment of consciousness occurs, sequences of which give a stream of consciousness. In support of Orch OR, quantum vibrations in tubulin and microtubules in frequencies ranging through terahertz, gigahertz, megahertz and kilohertz have been detected. Further, it appears that anesthetic gases specifically dampen terahertz quantum vibrations in tubulin to prevent consciousness. Regarding EEG, microtubules in neuronal dendrites and soma are uniquely arrayed in mixed polarity networks, such that energies and vibrational frequencies among adjacent (but oppositely oriented) microtubules in a constant external field will differ slightly. Orch OR suggests negative resonance due to intereference effects from slightly off-set microtubule quantum vibrations to give slower beat frequencies extending to gamma synchrony and other EEG rhythms. Consciousness (by Orch OR) may occur holographically due to interference in a multi-scale brain hierarchy, ranging upward from terahertz in tubulin through gigahertz, megahertz, kilohertz and hertz (EEG) processes in microtubules, microtubule arrays, neurons and small-world neuronal networks. Thus quantum terahertz vibrations in brain microtubules can account for consciousness, the action of anesthetic gases, and the origin of EEG.
A sanctuary is a “place of refuge or safety” that provides lifetime care for the animals it has rescued. Because the term “sanctuary” is not regulated by any governing body, any facility can call itself a sanctuary. This leaves animal-lovers asking themselves: How can I tell if a sanctuary is a true sanctuary (credible) or a pseudo-sanctuary (not-credible)? The answer can be found by doing a little bit of research to make sure that you are only visiting true sanctuaries. It is crucial to only support sanctuaries that do what is best for the animals. Ethical tourism gives you the opportunity to change the lives of animals in need. We can make a difference through our choices. Make sure to ask the questions below before planning your visit to a sanctuary or an exotic animal rescue. Questions to Ask: - Are They A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit organization? - A true sanctuary will be a nonprofit organization. - Do they breed? - True sanctuaries will not breed animals. - True sanctuaries are rescue facilities. Breeding animals with unknown genetic backgrounds does not help save the species in any way. These animals have no conservation value and facilities that breed rescued animals are only contributing to the exotic animal problem in the United States. - Do they allow hands-on interaction with animals? - True sanctuaries will never allow the public to have hands-on interaction with an exotic carnivore of any age. Allowing hands-on interaction is a danger to the humans and animals. - True sanctuaries will only allow team members to handle animals that are sedated for veterinary procedures. If a keeper enters a cage or habitat with an animal that is fully alert, it is not safe and not a true sanctuary. - Behavioral training programs that are done behind a fence barrier are not classified as hands-on interactions. A properly managed behavioral training program will utilize tools to safely give rewards to animals. Behavioral training is a bridge-and-reward system that encourages simple actions to enrich the lives of the animals and to assist keepers to assess the health and well-being of the animals in their care. - Do they offer pictures with cubs or cub petting/feeding opportunities? - True sanctuaries will not allow any public interaction with cubs. - Cubs can only legally be handled through the ages of 1 month and 3 months (or 30lbs). In order to have cubs in this age range, they must be removed from their mothers not long after birth. This is detrimental to the health of the cub and mother. Click here to learn more about cub petting. - On the occasion that a cub is rejected by their mother, a professionally trained keeper should be in charge of feeding the cub(s), in order to track the cub(s) nutrition, formula intake, and health. Allowing the public to feed the animal does not allow for this observation and can cause the cub to be underfed or overfed. If not properly fed the cub can also aspirate on the milk. - Do they buy/sell animals or animal parts (whiskers, claws, or fur)? - The purpose of a true sanctuary is to rescue animals in need and give them a safe, permanent home. - Purchasing and/or selling animals only adds to the issue of the exotic pet trade. There are thousands of animals in need of rescue. - It is illegal to buy or sell animal parts. No facility should be participating in this practice. - Do they exhibit animals at shows? - A true sanctuary will never transport an animal off of their property unless it is for veterinary purposes. - Transporting animals for exhibit can cause the animal stress and can be dangerous for the animal and the public. Do not visit ‘travel’ animal shows, they are not true rescues or sanctuaries. - Do they have areas that their animals can go to if they want to get out of the weather or away from public view? - Animals should have access to shade, water, and a place to get out of public view (such as a den). - The only exception is if the animal is temporarily secured in a separate area of their enclosure so that the keeper can safely clean their living space. - Do they spay/neuter or separate animals that live with other animals of the opposite sex? - True sanctuaries will either spay/neuter animals that live in mixed male/female groups or separate them to prevent breeding. - Some pseudo-sanctuaries will claim to be non-breeding facilities but will allow un-altered males and females to live together, which means they are not a true sanctuary. - Are they members of outside regulating organizations other than the USDA, such as GFAS , TIA, or ASA? - Being a member of an outside accrediting organization, such as GFAS, TIA, or ASA, is a simple way to check if a facility is a true sanctuary. GFAS, TIA, or ASA have strict rules to become members (rules which align with the 7 other questions). Being GFAS, TIA, or ASA is not a requirement to be a true sanctuary, it is just a quick way to check. There are other accrediting organizations but not all of their requirements are as strict as GFAS, TIA, or ASA. - The USDA only offers the most basic standards of care for an animal. USDA regulations are not adequate to judge a facility by. Every facility open to the public must have a USDA license. This means that a USDA license is not enough to determine the credibility of a facility. TrueSanctuaryCheckList Animals are rescued from many types of situations such as private owners, research facilities, law enforcement agencies, the entertainment industry, and zoos. Many animals are often abused, injured, abandoned, and in need of lifetime care. True sanctuaries provide these animals with a forever home where they are given what they need to live the remainder of their lives in a stress-free environment. Differentiating between a true sanctuary from a pseudo-sanctuary might take a little extra research, but when you visit a true sanctuary you are helping to put an end to the exotic animal trade and also protecting exotic animals from exploitation. Currently, there are no federal laws protecting big cats from exploitation. Learn more about the proposed “Big Cat Public Safety Act” and how it will put an end to pseudo-sanctuaries and big cat abuse. You can also contact your congressmen and tell them to support the “Big Cat Public Safety Act” here. Visit the International Fund of Animal Welfare’s Interactive Map to learn more about current laws, cub petting facilities, and how you can help. What is a pseudo-sanctuary A pseudo-sanctuary is an animal facility that claims to be a sanctuary, may have sanctuary in their name and even rescue animals, but exploit their animals for profit. They breed their big cats and claim to help with conservation. The truth is endangered species born in captivity can never be released into the wild, are not genetically pure, and have no conservation value to the species. They hide under the disguise of a sanctuary for economic exploitation of animals, gaining the support and trust of the general public through manipulation. Supporters are easily drawn in by the name “sanctuary” or “refuge” as they believe that they are truly helping a sanctuary and the conservation of big cats. Unfortunately, this is just not the reality. Refusing to visit a pseudo-sanctuary or participate in cub-petting will help put an end to the exotic animal trade. If a sanctuary formerly allowed hands-on interaction with animals, but no longer does, are they classified as a pseudo-sanctuary or a true sanctuary? The field of Animal Husbandry (the scientific study of caring for animals) is always changing and evolving. Years ago, handling animals was an accepted practice. As the field has grown we’ve learned, through observation and scientific evaluation, that many of the old standard practices were not in the best interest of the animals. Changing policies to align with current acceptible practices indicates that a facility is doing their best to give quality care to their animals. Judge a facility based off of what they are doing at this point in time, not what they did in the past; the facility has made an effort to improve the care they offer their animals. These sanctuaries need your support so that they can continue to expand and improve the quality of care that they are providing their animals. What is the Difference between a zoo and a sanctuary? True sanctuaries and reputable zoos serve different purposes. A sanctuary’s main purpose is to provide a home for animals in need while a zoo is more focused on creating an environment for the public to learn about a variety of animals. Much like the term “sanctuary”, the term “zoo” is not regulated. Many roadside zoos will use the term “zoo” to draw in visitors. Please be cautious when visiting facilities that are called a “zoo”. Reputable zoos will be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and be USDA licensed. AZA zoos are often members of a regulated Species Survival Plan (SSP), which tracks the genetics and subspecies of animals. Some zoos do rescue animals on occasion but most do not. Before visiting a zoo you should verify that they are a reputable zoo. What are GFAS, TIA, and ASA and why would a facility be accredited by them? Adhering to strict rules and regulations to become a true sanctuary is important to ensure the proper care of the animals, as well as the intentions of the facility. One of the best ways to recognize a true sanctuary from the rest is through a governing body beyond the USDA. The purpose of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries’ (GFAS) is to ensure that animals in captivity receive the highest standards of care during rescue, rehabilitation, and the rest of their life. They are the only globally recognized organization for certifying that a facility meets the GFAS Standards of Excellence and recognizes those as a true “sanctuary.” GFAS offers two levels of memberships within their organization: verified and accredited. Accreditation is a much more rigorous screening process where the sanctuary is under compliance with the operational standards of GFAS in terms of governance, staffing, finance, education and outreach, safety policies, protocols, and training. The benefit of accreditation is that it indicates that sanctuaries are meeting the best possible standards in animal care. Accreditation provides clear objectives and measurable outcomes to assess performance and how to make improvements. Accredited facilities must not only meet the requirements of verification but also the more rigorous standards of accreditation. Visit GFAS’ website to learn more about their requirements and to find out if your favorite sanctuary is GFAS verified or accredited. GFAS requires that facilities demonstrate: - “Adherence to standards of animal care including housing, veterinary care, nutrition, animal well-being and handling policies, as well as standards on physical facilities, records and staff safety, confirmed by an extensive questionnaire, site visit, and interviews.” - “Ethical practices in fundraising.” - “Ethical acquisition and disposition of animals.” - “Restrictions on research – limited to non-invasive projects that provide a health, welfare or conservation benefit to the individual animal and/or captive animal management and/or population conservation.” - “The existence of a contingency plan, if the property where the sanctuary is located is not owned by the sanctuary or its governing organization.” Tigers in America (TIA) is an independent organization dedicated to helping identify and support true sanctuaries across the country. TIA’s focus is to help rescue tigers across America from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and to get them into true sanctuaries. They also help approved facilities build new enclosures so that they can take in additional tigers. They solicit support from like-minded foundations and corporations to help raise awareness about the condition of captive tigers in America. Visit Tigers In America’s website learn more about them and what they do to help big cats in the USA. TIA Evaluates Sanctuaries for: Animal Requirements – - Number of animals – More than 10 tigers rescued - No buying, selling, or trading animals - Proper veterinary care offered - No public interaction with animals - No breeding or cub handling - Offers animals a forever home Personnel Requirements – - The facility has at least 20 acres of land - Has permanent staff - Has an education program - Has an awareness program - Has a volunteer program - Has large enclosures - Has been open for 5 or more years - Is a 501(c)3 Non-profit - Can prove long-term viability - At least $500,000 a year in revenue - Can prove fundraising efficiency Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is a member of TIA. TCWR has worked closely with TIA to rescue over 100 animals in the past few years and has helped TCWR build multiple enclosures so that all of our animals could live in big, spacious, natural habitats. The American Sanctuary Association (ASA) exists to assure the humane and compassionate care for these animals by setting standards for their care, accrediting sanctuaries that meet these standards, networking with member sanctuaries, assisting in the rescue and placement of homeless animals, supporting legislation that protects animals, educating the public, and reaching out to other segments of the rescue community. ASA Requirements for membership: - Facilities do not breed the animals in their care. - Do not participate in commercial activities or allow guests to wander the facility without an escort. - Are a non-profit organization. - Have all licenses and permits required that they are up-to-date. - Have policies that will outline and provide acceptable responsibility for the lifetime care and welfare of animals. - Have an emergency plan for animal escapes. - Provide proper veterinary care for their animals. - Have a humane euthanasia policy for animals who are severely injured, terminally ill or suffering supervised by a veterinarian.
Murchison Falls National Park is the largest of all national parks in Uganda. Located in North Western Uganda, Murchison Falls National Park is the best place to see Uganda’s wildlife! The park is managed by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The park lies in north western Uganda, spreading inland from the shore of Lake Albert around the Victoria Nile. It is named for the Murchison Falls waterfall, itself named for a president of the Royal Geographical Society. The park is known for its wildlife which has partly recovered from a massacre by poachers and troops under Idi Amin. Together with the adjacent 748 square kilometres (289 sq mi) Bugungu Wildlife Reserve and the 720 square kilometres (280 sq mi) Karuma Wildlife Reserve, the park forms the Murchison Falls Conservation Area. This park in some books has been referred to as Kabalega National Park. Kabarega was the Omukama of the Kingdom of Bunyoro, around the end of the 19th century. He resisted colonization by the British, was arrested and was exiled by the British to the island nation of the Seychelles. Kabarega died in Jinja, in 1923 en route to Bunyoro from exile. During the reign of Idi Amin Dada, he changed the park’s name to Kabalega National Park. Murchison Falls National Park is located in Masindi District in western Uganda and in Nwoya District in northern Uganda. The park is situated approximately 300 kilometres (190 mi), by road, northwest of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. The coordinates of the park are:02 15N, 31 48E (Latitude:2.2500; Longitude:31.8000). The park is the location of the famous Murchison Falls, where the waters of the majestic Nile River squeeze through a narrow gorge, only 7 metres (23 ft) wide, before plunging 43 metres (141 ft) below. Also in the park, adjacent to the Masindi-Gulu Highway, are the Karuma Falls, the location of the 600 MW Karuma Power Station, Uganda’s largest hydropower station, currently under construction and expected to come online sometime around 201 In Murchison there are four of the “big five”. Buffalos, elephants, lions, leopards are best to be seen in the northern part (above the Nile). Due to excessive hunting and poaching, Rhinos became extinct by 1983, but were re-introduced into Uganda in 2005 by Rhino Fund Uganda. White rhinos are now being bred again in the 7,000 hectares (27 sq mi) Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, which is located 70 kilometres (43 mi), south of the park. Their mission is to reintroduce small herds of rhinos (around five at a time), whilst retaining a nucleus breeding herd in the sanctuary.
Innovation is increasingly based on distributed knowledge sources, given that firms often do not possess all competencies necessary for fundamental innovations. Hence, the manner in which firms organize the access to external knowledge and make use of this knowledge in internal innovation processes is crucial for the success of innovation. Learning processes have to be organized across organizational, spa¬tial, functional, and disciplinary boundaries – in particular with regard to colla¬bo¬ra¬tion between knowledge producing and knowledge using firms, suppliers, clients, diverse knowledge based service providers, or research and development centers and universities. The crucial point is how external knowledge gathered in these collaborations can be used within the organization. At this juncture, a specific recontextualization prob¬lem arises for firms, because the successful adoption of externally created knowledge depends on shared experiences of actors and the specific context of the organization where the knowledge has been created. Therefore, externally created knowledge whichmay be incorporated into routines, products, services, and documents has to be (re–)contextualized and recombined using context specific and subjective ex¬pe¬riences, perceptions, and capabilities of the involved actors. It is the solution of re¬contextualization problems that poses the particular challenge of collaborative in¬no¬vation processes. The research project »Collaborative Innovations« (COLLIN) started from the assumption that hierarchical, market, network, and community based forms of go¬vernance play a crucial role for the adoption of external knowledge. Due to their different characteristics with regard to the access to the formation process of the external knowledge as well as the proprietary use of the acquired knowledge the respective governance forms facilitate different ways of dealing with external know¬ledge in collaborative innovation processes. Publication Type: Anthology Publication Category: University Press
This service, which takes advantage of students who under the law 390/91 may undertake within the structures for a total of 150 hours per year, intends to: ● assist students, especially in the delicate phase of transition between high school and university, find a study method that allows them to effectively deal with the university course on their own ● help students take notes or prepare them in case of inability of the student to attend the lecture ● record if necessary classes that the student can not attend in person ● administrative assistance, such as: support for activities in the library, finding books, photocopies, etc. unwinding of recorded lectures. Thanks to the Service of Transport with equipped vehicles to the various faculties, students with disabilities can reach on their own all the university structures. This service is provided within the city limits of the University with continuity and with the help of equipped vehicles, from the student's house or from the train station to the different faculties. This service is intended primarily for students with physical disabilities. The service is also active on Saturdays and Sundays for transportation to the university canteen. Allowing and facilitating the access to university education means making accessible the normal information resources. Also the disabled student must have the chance to use computers to write a report or thesys, to do library research, to communicate with other students or teachers via e-mail and to view texts or hyper-texts in electronic format. Inside the University students with disabilities can find or apply for available workplace with computer aids and technological aids. In addition inside the CeSMI (center of multimedia and informatics services) the disabled student can also ask for help of the internal staff who will help him in searching for computer aids which are the most appropriate or to be guided in the use of existing ones to support their needs. Disabled students can also take loan to use the aids they need for the duration of their degree course. Interested students are reminded that the devices must be returned to the Università-Servizio Didattica at the conclusion of their school career. The student has the opportunity to do the entrance test and equivalent examination and /or extension of time of examination, in relation to the needs of the individual and the training project designed, to be agreed with professors and with the welcome service mentioned above. The university and/or European programs allow you to have short and long periods in a foreign university, with educational and cultural purposes. The request must be made to the External Relations Division whose staff will facilitate the processing and will guide in choosing the right program. Some work has already been made, others are under construction and planning. However, whenever the students must indicate specific problems with this form (443 KB). The request must be made directly with the ERSU, Via Saffi 22, Ancona
Hurricane Irma's Wake Hurricane Irma left a trail of death and devastation across the Caribbean last week before slamming into Florida and spreading across the southeastern U.S. At this writing, there have been at least 38 confirmed deaths in the Caribbean and 23 in the U.S. Our hearts and prayers go out to all who have been impacted by this storm, the largest ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. The Caribbean is the world's most popular region for cruises and Florida is home to the three busiest cruise ports in the world (Port of Miami, Port Canaveral and Port Everglades), so Hurricane Irma's impact on the cruise industry has been as enormous as the storm itself. In this cruise newsletter, I'll explain what we know so far. First, Hurricane Irma caused widespread destruction to a string of Caribbean islands, including numerous cruise destinations. The hugely popular port of St. Thomas, USVI, was devastated. Power is still out, food is running low and the airport was destroyed. Nearby St. John was hit equally hard but somehow St. Croix was spared significant damage. The British Virgin Islands suffered massive damage. I've seen unofficial reports that up to 90% of houses, businesses and boats were destroyed. Up to 70% of the homes in the Dutch territory of St. Maarten have been severely damaged or destroyed and there is also severe damage on the French side of the island, St. Martin. Also hard hit was the tiny island of Barbuda, where Irma first made landfall as a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of 185 mph. An estimated 95% of the island's structures were damaged and the island's prime minister described the scene as "total carnage". Scheduled port calls to these destinations have already been canceled on numerous sailings and this will likely roll out to other ships and dates. Some cruise ships will continue to call solely to deliver food and supplies. All of these islands depend heavily on tourism, and the sooner they can reopen their shops, restaurants and resorts, the faster they will recover. Right now, they are in desperate need of food, water, medicine and clothing. Complete recovery is likely to take years. In addition, numerous islands sustained significant damage but their tourist infrastructure emerged intact and they are--or will soon be--open for business. Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Nevis, St. Barts, Anguilla, Antigua, Haiti, St. Kitts, the Turks and Caicos and Cuba fall in this category. Fortunately, Irma missed some islands completely. Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Grand Cayman, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and The Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago are among those that were not impacted at all. Cruise ports in Mexico and Central America were also not affected. After ravaging the Caribbean, Irma hit the Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 130 mph, leaving behind extensive damage in the 113-mile-long chain of islands. FEMA has reported that about 90% of houses in the Florida Keys were damaged and 25% were destroyed. Port calls at Key West have been canceled. Irma made its second U.S. landfall at Marco Island, a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico along Florida's southwest coast. Irma continued north along Florida's west coast, bringing high winds, heavy rain and storm surge to both coasts of Florida as well as Georgia and South Carolina. Nearly 15 million homes and businesses in the southeastern U.S. lost power and 6 million are still in the dark. Throughout Hurricane Irma's short but lethal life, cruise lines kept their ships well away from the storm to ensure the safety of passengers and crew and to provide as enjoyable a cruise experience as possible. As Irma bore down on Florida, the headquarters of the world's largest cruise lines--Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line --and many smaller ones, were closed and employees evacuated. Royal Caribbean opened the Enchantment of the Seas to 2,700 Florida-based employees and families in need of shelter; the ship sailed out to calm, safe seas to wait out the storm. Florida's ports were closed. Some cruises were extended, at no additional charge to passengers, while others were canceled, delayed or had their itineraries altered. Here's a partial list of these changes. The following sailings were canceled: 9/7 Carnival Liberty 9/8 Carnival Victory 9/9 Carnival Ecstasy 9/9 Carnival Splendor 9/10 Carnival Liberty 9/11 Carnival Paradise 9/11 Carnival Victory 9/8 RCI Enchantment of the Seas 9/8 RCI Majesty of the Seas 9/9 RCI Empress of the Seas 9/11 RCI Enchantment of the Seas 9/13 RCI Empress of the Seas 9/13 RCI Majesty of the Seas 9/8 Norwegian Sky 9/9 Norwegian Escape 9/11 Norwegian Sky 9/8 Disney Dream 9/9 Disney Fantasy 9/11 Disney Dream 9/9 MSC Divina The following sailings were delayed and modified: 9/9 Carnival Conquest -- changed to depart 9/12 9/9 Carnival Glory -- changed to depart 9/13 9/9 Carnival Magic -- changed to depart 9/13 9/9 Carnival Vista -- changed to depart 9/13 9/11 Carnival Sensation -- changed to depart 9/13 9/9 RCI Harmony of the Seas -- changed to depart 9/12 9/10 RCI Allure of the Seas -- changed to depart 9/13 9/10 RCI Oasis of the Seas -- changed to depart 9/13 The following sailings in progress were extended until passengers could safely disembark: 9/2 Carnival Conquest 9/2 Carnival Magic 9/2 Carnival Splendor 9/2 Carnival Glory 9/2 Carnival Vista 9/4 Carnival Victory 9/4 Carnival Sensation 9/2 RCI Harmony of the Seas 9/3 RCI Oasis of the Seas 9/3 RCI Allure of the Seas The following sailings were cut short: 9/4 Carnival Victory 9/3 Carnival Magic 9/2 Disney Fantasy 9/4 Disney Dream 9/2 Norwegian Escape 9/4 Norwegian Sky As soon as damage reports came trickling in, several cruise lines deployed ships to battered Caribbean islands, to deliver relief supplies and assist in evacuation efforts. Royal Caribbean International sent the Adventure of the Seas and the Majesty of the Seas to St. Maarten and St. Thomas to deliver supplies and to transport evacuees to safety. The Empress of the Seas stands ready to assist in relief efforts in Key West once the impact of the storm is known. Norwegian Cruise Line dispatched the Norwegian Sky to St. Thomas to bring supplies and assist in humanitarian efforts. The current plan is to use the vessel to evacuate 2,000 people to Miami. Carnival Cruise Line is working with officials in Caribbean islands to coordinate the delivery of supplies as part of scheduled port calls on both an immediate and long-term basis. Vacations To Go is the world's largest seller of cruises, including Caribbean cruises. If you're holding a Caribbean cruise reservation (booked through Vacations To Go) to any of the affected islands, your VTG cruise counselor can provide the current status of your itinerary and answer any other questions you may have. Please call us at 1-800-338-4962 if we can be of service. Again, our hearts and prayers go out to all who have suffered due to Hurricane Irma. Vacations To Go
Bad breath is an embarrassing ailment that affects many people. Sometimes bad breath is a temporary side effect of especially stinky food, other times it’s a chronic issue that never seems to go away. At our dental office in Toledo, we have a few helpful tips that may help remedy bad breath with a little bit a time and diligence. Brushing our teeth has been a habit since we were young. And when we do something that’s so simple for so long, it’s easy to skimp on doing a thorough job. Start brushing with a purpose, paying attention that you’re cleaning each surface of every tooth using gentle circles. Two minutes of proper brushing twice a day can do wonders for fighting bad breath. Being properly hydrated isn’t only great for your body, it’s incredibly beneficial for your mouth too. A hydrated mouth helps rid your mouth of bad breath germs and bacteria by washing it away. Immediately following a cigarette, bad breath is guaranteed. However, this ‘smoker’s breath’ can last hours after smoking. The lungs and the throat can hold on to stinky smoke particles, releasing them into the air with every breath. Quitting isn’t only a great way to get fresher breath, it’s best for your overall health. Regular visits to your Toledo dentist are they best way to combat bad breath. Professional dental cleanings remove stuck on tartar and bacteria that can’t be touched with at-home brushing. You should see your dentist twice a year, perhaps more if you need more thorough, deep cleanings. You can try every trick in the book to alleviate bad breath, and even then it may not disappear. If this is the case, it may be a sign of something more. Bad breath could be a symptom of: If you’ve been living with the embarrassment of bad breath and are ready to fix it, start by scheduling an appointment at our Toledo dental office. We’ll work with you to determine its cause and talk about the best way to get you back to freshness. Welcoming patients from Toledo, Ottawa Hills, Sylvania.
Today I did a little work on the console printer/keyboard to-be (a Tekade teleprinter used by the German armed forces). The power supply had a problem in the main 5v regulator. This consists of two LM317's in series with an op-amp driven feedback loop. I found out that both LM317's and the op-amp were broken (culprits shown right); possibly an over-current issue. I replaced those parts, and got the juice running again. The teleprinter is running again (at least, in local mode). To connect it to the pc, I'll either need to build an RS232 to current loop converter, or try to find the V.10 interface card that was an option on these machines. On the inside, these machines are a pleasure to work with. All functional units (power supply, keyboard, printer) can be removed by unscrewing 2-4 screws. The electronics are contained in a card-cage (three intel 8749 microcontrollers, CMOS logic, and high power transistors to drive the mechanical parts). Functionally, it's equivalent to a Teletype ASR, with a paper tape punch and reader (except that these are 5-bit baudot code, not 7 or 8 bit ASCII):
What’s Running is a nice little tool to help you easily find what is actually running on your computer ! The tool displays information in 5 tabs. The Process tab displays an instant view of the processes running and on selecting a process, the tool displays detailed information about the process. The Services tab lists details about the windows services and there is an option to start/stop the service. The modules tab provides detailed information about the DLL’s loaded in the memory and the processes using the modules. The Drivers tab view lists all drivers that are currently active. The IP connections lists all IP sockets and connections that are currently connected or open. Startup programs and System Information as the name suggests provided detailed information on windows startup programs and your PC parameters. System Information for Windows is another alternative free tool which shows almost the same amount of information in one place.
Organizing an event is a lot of work! In this article, we examine the data model behind an event organization app. If you’ve ever tried to organize an event for more than ten people (and don’t count parties or business meetings here) you know how complicated event management can be! Have we invited everyone? Have they confirmed if they are coming? Is the venue booked and prepared? Who will host the event? Who will participate in the various parts? There are many other questions to answer, and things could easily go wrong. You can do all your planning with paper and pen, but why not use an app? It’s more convenient! Any app will need a place to store all the necessary event information. This is where our event management data model enters this story. Grab a coffee, settle into your favorite chair, and we’ll look at what it takes to build an event management data model. Event Management FAQs Before we explain the model and describe how we’ll store the data, let’s first review some event management basics: What could be considered an event? In this context, an event is an occasion where many people, who often don’t know each other, gather to learn about or participate in something. Some popular events are music festivals or concerts, IT conferences, sporting events like football games, health and medical conferences, etc. What do all events have in common? The previously-mentioned event examples are very different in terms of content, purpose, and target audience. Still, they share many similarities, especially in their organization. First, consider the event’s content. Some events (e.g. a concert or a football game) will provide only one type of content and will be held in one place. Other events include many different but related “sub-events”, which may occur in various places. Take an IT conference as an example of the second type of event. There are lectures, presentations, workshops, and competitions. Attendees will probably go from room to room or may even travel between different buildings as they go to various sub-events. Some of these sub-events will run at the same time, but each sub-event still relates to IT and has one or more hosts. What does it take to make an event successful? First of all, there are many event venue personnel who work hard in the background: audio and visual techs, ticket sellers, ushers, cleaning and maintenance workers, and administrative personnel. Many people in many different roles will spend many hours working hard to get the stage ready for the “stars” and other participants, but none of them will get much recognition. Clearly, all events require some kind of infrastructure. If we hold a conference in a physical location, we’ll be talking about rooms and seats, a sound system, lighting, maybe video, etc. Even an online event, like a webinar, must have a place to produce the content and the IT setup needed to connect with virtual attendees. Events usually have media sponsors and partners that help in organizing and promoting them. These sponsors are mostly companies and associations related to the event topic; occasionally they are other companies looking for some good publicity; and more rarely a private individual will serve as a sponsor or partner. What is event management? Event management is a process used to effectively manage events and everything related to them. It could be considered as a type of project management. We discussed a project management data model in this article. Using a Gantt chart to show the event’s progress, current status, and future actions is not a bad idea. We’ll probably want our event management application to fit on one screen, if possible. Most actions – like creating a new show, assigning employees and resources to a task, or estimating costs – should be drag and drop. The Data Model The data model consists of three main subject areas: Events and Partners Shows, Performers and Equipment We’ll take a closer look at each subject area in the order they are listed. Section 1: Events and Partners Events and Partners subject area is the central part of our model. In these five tables, we’ll store the most important details about our events. We’ll also relate events with partners. Let’s start with the event table. This lists every event we’ve organized and every event we plan to organize. The attributes in this table are: event_name– The name of an event. It’s not UNIQUE because we may have two or more events with the same name – e.g. a concert by the same band would have the same event name. However, the start_timepair should be UNIQUE. event_type_id– References the event_location– Describes the location where the event will take place. Using a descriptive attribute lets us avoid building a more complex model with tables like “country” and “city” and attributes like “address” and “description”. event_description– A detailed description of the event and all shows or activities associated with it. For a concert, this is where we would store info on the opening act, the main act, any additional entertainers, and the performance order. start_time– When the event will start. It’s mandatory because we should know this in the planning phase. end_time– When the event ends. We could use this attribute to store the expected or actual event end time. Since we may not know this exact time in advance (e.g. if a sports game goes into overtime), this attribute is optional. event_type dictionary classifies the events we handle. We’ll store all possible types of events according to their niche: concert, football match, basketball game, IT conference, etc. Each event type is uniquely defined by its As we previously mentioned, events usually have partners. Most events will have at least a media partner, while some will also have sponsors and other partners. The same partner could have several different “partner roles” on the same event. For example, a television broadcast company could be the media partner and the general sponsor of the event at the same time. This is why we’ll use three tables to relate events with partners. It is important to be able to add partners in the planning phase so that all event stakeholders can have timely access to that info. Also, we may use past data when we’re planning new events – e.g. we could contact the same partner when we’re organizing a recurring event or a new event of the same type. If a company was general sponsor of a tech conference last year, they may be interested in doing it again this year. Now, let’s look at the three partnership tables. The first is the partner catalog. For each partner, we’ll store the partner_name and their address, contact info and other partner_details. Notice that the partner_name attribute is not unique. We may have two partners with the same name, such as two private individuals with the same first and last name or two companies with the same company name. In this case, we’ll distinguish between them using the info stored in the The second table is the partner_role dictionary, which lists all the different roles a partner could have. The role_name attribute will contain only UNIQUE values. Some expected role names are “media partner”, “general sponsor” and “sponsor”. The last table in this subject area relates partners with events. The is_partner table contains only foreign keys that relate partners with events and define roles or partnership types. The combination of these foreign keys forms the UNIQUE key of the table. If we wanted to, we could add a start date and an end date in case some partner only fills their role for part of the event. We could also relate partners with single sub-events and rather than entire events. Still, these are relatively uncommon situations, so we’ll leave this part of the model as-is. Section 2: Shows, Performers, and Equipment As mentioned in the introduction, each event can have several sub-events. In this model, I’ve decided to call the sub-events “shows”. A show is a single sub-event, focused on one topic, having at least one performer, etc. In an IT conference event, one show could be a lecture on project management principles; another show could be a panel discussion of data warehousing best practices. Both could take place at the same time, in different locations, and be hosted by different presenters. We’ll also define everything that is needed to run a show, because the show must go on (in any case ☺ ). The central table of this section is the show table. This will keep a record of any show associated with past, present, and future events. When we’re planning an event, we’ll need to add new shows as soon as the performer (i.e. lecturer, speaker, presenter, rock star) has agreed to be part of an event. Looking at a description of the table’s attributes will help us understand how it works: show_name– The name of the show. show_location– Describes where the show will take place. show_description– A detailed description of that show. start_time– The expected start time. end_time– The expected end time. It can be NULL because we may enter the actual end time (once the show is over) rather than the expected end time. event_id– What event the show is part of. In most cases, shows will require equipment and performers. (Theoretically we could have a show without a performer, but we won’t bother with that here.) Because equipment is limited, It’s important to reserve all that’s needed in the event’s planning phase. To do this properly, we need to know what is going to happen at what time. For example, if we have two projectors and two shows requiring projectors scheduled for the same time, we can’t add a third projector-requiring show for that time unless we get more equipment. This is the kind of information we must have in the planning phase. Moving on, we have the performer table. This is a simple catalog of every performer we’ve worked with or will work with on any event. For each performer, we’ll store their full_name. It could be the name of a band, a lecturer, etc. The genre attribute is here to distinguish among the various types of performers – e.g. rock bands from sculptors. The last attribute in this table stores performers’ contact_details. We’ll use the text data type to store the lot, but we could also split contact details into a few separate fields. We’ll relate shows and performers via the participate table. The attributes in this table are: performer_id– References to the related show and the performer. This pair could be an alternate (unique) key of the table but I decided not to use it; we might have one performer be part of the same show at two different times. end_time– Exact times that define when that performer was part of that show. cost_actual– The costs/fees we expect to pay a performer and what we actually paid them. The remaining three tables are used to define all the equipment needed for a show. equipment_type dictionary categorizes equipment. For a concert, these categories could be “lighting equipment”, “musical instruments”, “stage construction”, etc. The type_name attribute contains only UNIQUE values. equipment table describes equipment items and quantities. Its name attribute defines the equipment more specifically than type_name. For a disco ball, its “equipment”.”name” value would be “disco ball” but its “equipment_type”.”type_name” would be “lighting equipment”. The available attribute defines what quantity of the item is available to us. It’s a decimal number because maybe we’ll use some “items” that can’t be enumerated, like water and electricity. The last table in this section relates equipment and shows. This can help us organize equipment in the planning phase; it also enables us to create reports about equipment costs later on. When we’re planning for equipment usage and costs, this information can come in very useful, especially for recurring (or very similar) events. The attributes in the required table are: equipment_id– Refers to the related show and equipment. This pair forms the UNIQUE key of the table. quantity– The quantity of that equipment needed. cost_actual– What we expect to pay for installing or renting equipment and what we actually paid. Section 3: Employees The subject area of this model is about employees and their roles. I always love to point out that people and their time are the most important part of any project. Anything else is just a tool to do a job. (And that tool was also made by people, using their time. ☺ ) I won’t explain the has_role tables here. I’ve done it many times before, for instance in this article. If you need to, please review it. The final table in our model relates employees and roles with shows. We can expect to have a limited number of qualified employees and we’ll need be sure that they will be available when needed. Obviously, the same person can’t be in two different places at the same time. The attributes in the engaged table are: has_role_id– References the related show and employee role. start_time– When we expect an employee to start that role. end_time– When that role ends. This is nullable because in most cases we’ll assign a value after the employee has finished their role. However, we might enter an expected end time here. cost_actual– What we expect to pay an employee for handling that role and what we actually paid. Once again, I’ll just point out that this historical data can be very helpful when you’re organizing a repeat event or one that’s similar to a past event. Today we’ve discussed a possible data model for an event management database. We’ve covered the really important things, like describing the event, scheduling performers, and assigning employees and resources to the event. The handling of costs in this model is simplified, but it still provides us with the ability to calculate planned and actual costs by category, event, show or equipment type. I’m not an event manager. If you are, I hope you’ve found this article very helpful. But I would like to hear your feedback on what additions or changes could be useful in real-life situations. Of course, everyone is welcome to submit their suggestions and ideas in the comments section.
What are common causes for child injuries at Richmond schools? We understand the excitement—and anxieties—of sending your children to school. You hope they will be well behaved during class, get along well with the other children, and learn the basic skills they will need to succeed in life. But the one thing you may worry about most is something going tragically wrong and your son or daughter getting hurt at school. While the staff at your child’s school is well educated and equipped to handle an accident, not all accidents can be prevented. Schools are some of the most common places that child injuries in Virginia occur. If an adult looks in the other direction for only a short period of time, a child can quickly slip and fall or get hurt leaving them facing long term consequences from their injury. Here are some of the most common child injuries that happen in Henrico County schools: - Poor maintenance causing a child to slip and fall - Broken equipment on the playground leading to broken bones, cuts, or other child injuries in Richmond - Leaks or spills not attended to by maintenance causing a child to slip and fall - Broken or missing handrails causing a child to fall down stairs - Broken or unleveled cement causing a child to fall as they run on the playground If your child has been injured at school, contact our Richmond child injury attorneys for help with your claim. We know how to prove negligence, which is necessary in a child injury accident on Richmond school property.
Born Francesco di Stefano, the artist took the surname of his grandfather, Giuliano Giuochi, called Pesello. Raised by his grandfather, Pesellino began his training and worked as an assistant in his studio. By the 1440s the artist began further training in the studio of Filippo Lippi (1406 – 1469). He collaborated with the artists Zanobi di Migliore and also Piero di Lorenzo di Pratese in the Church of the Trinitá in Pistoia. The latter work, The Trinity, was an altarpiece left unfinished in Pesellino’s death. He also completed several works depicting the Madonna, as well as a Crucifixion piece. A predella from an altarpiece, Stories of Saints, in the Uffizi Gallery. He was better known for his cassone works (elaborate furniture décor of the Renaissance.) These included works such as, a Judgment Scene, the Story of Griselda, and, Triumphs of Petrarch. These cassone panels are seen in the Gardner Museum in Boston, and in Bergamo, Italy, while his other works are seen in Museums in Washington D.C., New York City and Toledo, Ohio.
- » View All Industrial Imaging Technology Fills Gap Left by Custom Military Components by Winn Hardin, Contributing Editor - AIA Posted 03/08/2012 Slashed budgets are pushing militaries around the world to look for good bargains, and ruggedized industrial digital imaging technology is quickly becoming a prime source for cost-effective surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting systems. “Adimec (Eindhoven, The Netherlands) has been serving military applications for 20 years,” explains Joost van Kuijk, Vice President of Marketing and Technology. “In the past, the military wanted customized cameras built to a detailed military specification and supported for many years. We still sell a camera to the military that we developed 15 years ago. But you can’t get military specification image sensors or FPGAs anymore; they don’t exist. Today, the military wants industrial-grade components that are rugged enough to meet military specifications such as vibration, temperature, etc. You have to make the right component choices, have the right design rules for your design, and maximize design for test and manufacturing processes. That’s where Adimec comes in.” While cost is more important for military systems than it was just 10 or 20 years ago, performance still remains the primary consideration. Older film-based cameras provided military commanders the high-resolution imagery they needed to find targets and protect their forces, but military planners had to wait hours or days for the imagery to be developed. Analog cameras overcame this limitation but required additional shielding from electromagnetic sources and still had to be converted into digital data before military planners would be able to combine sensor data from air, land, and sea platforms into a modern C4 battlefield visualization program. Today’s industrial digital cameras offer immediate access to high-resolution reconnaissance and surveillance imagery for military applications – even from the cockpit – while making it easy to overlay all battlefield sensor and communications data into a single view for military commanders. Additionally, new standards such as CoaXPress (CXP) are making it easier to retrofit older analog systems with newer digital systems that offer higher resolution and other performance benefits. “We think CXP is going to be huge for the military,” explains Donal Waide, Director of Sales at BitFlow, Inc. (Woburn, Massachusetts). “Coaxial cable is everywhere in military systems. Now, you can replace an analog camera producing 11 MB/s with a digital camera and CXP frame grabber, and your bandwidth jumps to 6 GB/s. That is a game changer.” Up, Up in the Air The movement toward high-definition cameras in military applications running at either full HD or 60 fps speeds has progressed further in airborne applications, especially with the growth of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). “There’s also a trend in aerial mapping systems for much larger sensors from 16 megapixels to 100 megapixels or more,” explains Adimec’s van Kuijk. AOS Technologies AG’s (Baden, Switzerland) H-EM airborne imaging system is one example of digital technology replacing older high-speed film aerial imaging systems in the RF-5 aircraft. The system offers better than 14 MP resolutions to exceed film-based image-capture systems, as well as several other benefits important to military retrofits. For example, the older film system needed to have the film storage compartment in an easy-to-access location. The newer digital H-EM system uses a solid-state recording medium that can be located virtually anywhere in the aircraft, overcoming one of the challenges for a military retrofit. And because it is digital, the H-EM system can provide IRIG-B time stamping, GPS, and other important information right in the image files, simplifying system complexity. What’s more, because it has no moving parts, H-EM is even more robust than its older counterparts, capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions such as shock, vibration, temperature, and moisture while offering high dynamic range of more than 90 dB to accommodate the large intensity differences between objects in direct sunlight versus shade. Digital imaging systems based on industrial cameras enable military system designers to add new functionality, such as automated target tracking. “As for automated processing, an automatic tracking is used quite often,” explains Reto Huber, Engineering Manager at AOS Technologies AG. “For this tracking, markers are placed on the object to track. Software then tracks these points and calculates movement, speed, etc.” Industrial cameras with square pixels – compared to the rectangular pixels of consumer-grade digital cameras – make it easier to automatically track targets and provide relevant telemetry to other systems on the ground or in the air. “Missile tracking is one application where end users prefer square pixels and images that are easily processed using specialized algorithms,” adds van Kuijk. “They also prefer Camera Link output for many of these applications, as well as CoaXPress. CoaXPress can handle full HD video at 60 fps, while Camera Link cannot.” Voice data recorders are another military application that widely uses machine vision, according to Neil Chen, Product Manager in the Measurement and Automation Group at ADLINK Technology Inc. (San Jose, California). “Some systems use our video capture boards, like the HDV62, which can compress video in real time, provide color correction to differentiate between similar targets, accept both digital video and analog radar data, and combine both data streams with other information for target tracking and video analytics,” he says. “For other systems, like a recent UAV imaging system we helped develop, embedded vision systems like the EOS-1000 and -1200 provide video capture and analytic capability in a small, rugged form factor.” One If By Land While HD video is becoming de rigueur for many airborne military platforms, land-based systems use a wide variety of sensor types, from HD to VGA, visible to thermal to millimeter wave, and more. According to van Kuijk, many land-based vehicles still use UXGA sensors rather than HD or high-resolution sensors – not because military designers prefer lower resolution, but because of the limitations of the in-vehicle display systems. “You have to be backward compatible,” explains van Kuijk. “It’s not enough to just put new camera on a vehicle, you have to have the right infrastructure to display the data.” The main driver behind land-based imaging systems is to protect the soldier, allowing him to see long distance without having to emerge from the cover of the vehicle. “Many of these platforms are going to multiple cameras to see all around the vehicle, as well as farther away – from a few hundred meters to 4 km away,” continues van Kujik. “Resolution is important, as are the optics, but the color response of the camera and reproduction at the display need to be very accurate too so you can tell the difference between orange and red trucks, for example.” ADLINK Technology’s frame grabbers are regularly used in a variety of land-based military applications, from weapon detection using millimeter-wave sensors to border protection employing a variety of thermal and visible cameras. “Border patrol applications, for example, need to be small to fit in the vehicle and be able to accommodate multiple cameras, so designers will often choose an embedded system with GigE I/O to reduce the overall footprint and accommodate multiple cameras,” Chen says. “And of course we have embedded systems that can handle up to 5G of vibration and work well in temperatures ranging from 0 to 55C.” It’s a Digital Battlefield Camera Link. Gigabit Ethernet. CoaXPress. While some machine vision designers often prefer one network protocol over another, military applications prove that there is a place for many different network protocols as long as they share one common element – digital data. “When you add in many portable systems, the number of sensor streams pouring into a command center can easily overwhelm a person’s ability to efficiently react and plan,” concludes Adimec’s van Kuijk. “And they’re not just sharing with central command, but with each other. It is a lot easier to share digital data than analog data, and that’s a big reason why all these military systems are being upgraded to HD and digital. All the sensors need to be coordinated across the battlefield. That’s a trend that will continue for some time.” There are currently no comments for this article. Leave a Comment: All fields are required, but only your name and comment will be visible (email addresses are kept confidential). 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It’s Friday night. You walk up a dirt path to a humble building made of cinder blocks. There’s a little red awning, some vintage Coca Cola ads, and a hand-painted sign that reads “Blue Front Cafe.” The white paint on the top half of the building may have faded, but the electric blue paint at the bottom is a nod of what’s to come. Even though this place might not look like much, it somehow feels like everything. It is widely agreed that Mississippi is the birthplace of blues. Their historical roots are so deeply entwined that it’s impossible to mention one without the other. Grammy-nominated blues musician, Cedric Burnside, explains, “The blues is our history.” And as the blues cemented its place in Mississippi history, so did juke joints. Juke joints are small, makeshift buildings that were used as social clubs in the 40’s. After a long day of work, people in the community would bring their instruments—many homemade—to share stories and play up on stage together. Opened in 1948 by Mary and Carey Holmes, Blue Front Cafe is the oldest surviving piece of this Southern Americana. Blue Front started out as spot for neighbors to share buffalo fish (they’re very big fish), and drinks, dance to live music, and even grab a haircut. Today, Blue Front is owned by Mary and Carey’s son, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, and continues to be one of Mississippi’s most popular blues venues. Duck himself is a living legend: as the last surviving performer of the Bentonia style of blues—a style that relies heavily on minor chords—he’s made sure that Blue Front earned its spot on the Mississippi Blues Trail and continues to stay relevant. Pulling up a chair and ordering a root beer float at Brent’s Drugs is another uniquely Jackson experience that feels untouched by time. Brent’s Drugs opened its doors in October 1946 as part of the first shopping center in Mississippi and—while he connection between soda fountains and drugstores may not be apparent today—the two share a history. When bartenders lost their jobs during Prohibition, they put soda fountains in apothecaries and worked as “soda jerks,” mixing drinks as guests waited for prescriptions. While Brent’s might have stopped filling prescriptions, they kept the original soda fountain and preserved most of the interior and original furniture. Sipping milkshares and enjoying old-fashioned diner favorites at Brent's Drugs For a taste of how the local art scene is growing, stop by Offbeat, a kind of record-store-meets-art-gallery. Inside the space, amongst the shelves of records, designer toys, and graphic novels, is an art gallery that features the work of local artists. As Cedric looks at a mural created by some of Jackson’s up-and-coming young artists, he’s clearly taken aback by the sheer talent. “There’s a lot of the culture in Jackson.” Equipped with an appreciation for the past and an interest in fostering new creative energy, it’s obvious that Offbeat are purveyors of the modern Jacksonite lifestyle. A DJ performing at Offbeat, which blends the local music and art scenes The City with a Living Memory It’s true: the people of Jackson like to take their time in the kitchen and on the roads. They have polite conversations, rife with Southern charm. You can count on pecan pies and handwritten sentiments from neighbors when you’re sick, and the air really is as thick and sweet as molasses. Unlike so many places obsessed with the future, Jackson is a city with a living memory. Its residents are proud, and they choose to spend their lives there. And it remains one of the only places in America where you can get a first-hand lesson in its history from almost any person you stop on the street. There’s a sense of pride and a deliberateness in Jackson, which may be the reason no one is in a rush. Sitting on a porch, guitar in hand, Burnside reflects, “I’m proud of Mississippi. The real blues wouldn’t exist without it. The love and energy that comes through the earth is rich and beautiful in stories of music. I’ll be here fiddling with my guitar forever.” Cedric Burnside with his guitar on a Jackson evening More experiences nearby
With all the international attention focused on Singapore and the historic summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Pyongyang must be buzzing with excitement, right? Well, it might be, if anyone knew what was going on. Instead, it's like the center of the storm. With few sources of information other than the state-run media, gossip and word of mouth, most North Koreans are still largely in the dark about the momentous — and potentially life-changing — events that are about to take place outside of their isolated nation. The official media has reported that the two leaders plan to meet, but has offered few specifics, including where and when. There was no official word that Kim had left the country Sunday and arrived in Singapore, hours before Trump. The top news lately has instead been tremendously mundane, all things considered — a visit by Kim to a seafood restaurant in Pyongyang. Word does get around, however, and it is quite likely that the prospect of a meeting between Kim and Trump is on the public's radar. The meeting could have a major and direct impact on their daily lives, so it is only natural that people would want to know. But without a robust and independent media, accurate news is less likely and exaggeration and gossip probably abound. If it follows the usual routine, state media will probably wait until the event is over before it puts out its first reports. News that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited North Korea was front page news with a big photo of him shaking Kim's hand the following day in the ruling party newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun. But then again, nothing about this summit is routine.
"The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra." Jimmy Johnson is one of the greatest football coaches in American football. He understood that giving a little extra, in the beginning, made all the difference in the end. Morning team huddles are like that. Initially, you might even think there isn't time, but in time you will realize that they make all the difference. Morning Huddle Tips: The morning huddle should be quick and lively with a bit of fun. Timing is everything! Start and end on time. Be brief and concise in the sharing of information. Bigger issues that need brainstorming and planning should be scheduled for another time. Although a quick stand-up meeting it is a time for everyone to connect just like a football huddle before each play. Start and end the meeting the same way to create a shared ritual. The team huddle will set the tone for the day, so be positive. Start with good news or something positive from the previous day. Be prepared with an agenda that will relay information; don't wing it: Game strategy: share figures of how you are doing against our target, status update. Coverage: attendance and shared awareness of who needs help. Goal: focus on the priorities of the day, organize the workload for the day, and plan for coverage for the day. Heads up: where are the opportunities and issues. Intel: share the "ah-ha!" learning. Touch down dance: celebrate the wins, give a compliment, ask team members to make an appreciation statement for another team member, or share a team cheer. Consider a whiteboard as a Huddle Board to create Visual Management of metrics, issues, ideas, and wins that can be updated throughout the day. Agree to talk about things that matter and unite the team, and not a place to chit-chat, whine, complain or have side conversations. When bigger issues arise, schedule a meeting for just that issue. Consider using a ball that is tossed from one person to the next so that each person has an opportunity to be heard. The facilitator should communicate in a conversational style rather than a one-way conversation. Eye contact is essential along with active listening. Consider taking turns as the facilitator, if appropriate. Morning Huddle Practice Benefits: Improved communication between team members. Better coverage of the practice. Provides an opportunity to share concerns and receive feedback. Improves workflow. When team members start the day together they have a common understanding of the priorities and plan to address any issues. Teamwork mindset; morning huddles create awareness of what is going on in each other's work. Creates a teamwork culture along with ownership and accountability that is proactive instead of reactive. Supports organizational goals toward becoming a higher reliability organization in quality and safety. Initiatives and safety concepts get distributed throughout the team for common understanding and reduced misconceptions. In addition to reducing email traffic, it is more timely than an email as everyone receives the information together and has a chance to add any information they know. Morning Huddle Patient Benefits: Better care; with a review or "scrub" of the patient record there is less chance of a gap in care or awareness of specific needs of the patient. Holistic care; the care team functions toward a specific patient goal together from all their areas of care. Faster service; with preparedness the day runs smoother for the entire system. Depending on the size of the practice, sometimes medical assistants and providers have a separate morning huddle to review the patient schedule it can look like this: MA "scrubs the chart" looking for care gaps or high priority items such as preventative care, disease management, and identifying missing information. Plan for continuity issues such as a special care tray in the exam room but avoid too many tasks as the point is to stay on schedule. If there is a health team on staff such as dietitians, social workers, behavioral health; all who provide care attend. Avoid too many tasks - the point of the huddle is to provide the best care and to stay on schedule. Team huddles can have a huge impact on patient care when the healthcare team functions with a team mindset and patient focus. The morning huddle provides a time and place for active listening, active communication with multiple participants, and shared knowing and learning. If you would be interested in a morning huddle workshop or online training, please contact us.
By James A. Kidney Every GOP presidential candidate except Rand Paul and, possibly, John Kasich, claims he or she will order a more muscular U.S. military presence wherever there is a perceived threat anywhere in the world, as they boldly asserted during the third debate Tuesday night. (The Bloviating Donald said he would stay out of Syria for now, but otherwise seems inclined to toughen our policies by yelling at everyone.) If their propositions are to be taken seriously, then the military needs more money and more able bodies. But the frivolousness of their stated positions is proved by the fact they will offer up neither cash for costs, which would require higher taxes or add to the deficit, or bodies, through conscription. As the respected Washington Post columnist David Ignatius remarked in a recent piece, “President Obama’s foreign policy has been a regular punching bag for Republican presidential candidates, but many of their criticisms are facile. The next president – from whichever party – will have to confront the same puzzle that Obama has faced about how to best use U.S. power in a world that resists military solutions.” But, the candidates say, never mind the complexities. “Bulk Up, America!” The Cost of a More Muscular Military Is High Conservatively, the cost of our wars since 2001 has been nearly $1.7 trillion. This only includes the costs specifically assigned to those wars, not the many more trillions spent to support the war effort and national security throughout the government. For example, separately, the costs for Homeland Security are estimated at $653 billion. The Pentagon budget and related national security spending for FY 2015 was $598 billion, or 54 percent of all federal discretionary spending. The new spending bill signed by the President this week provides for a $607 billion Pentagon budget. According to the National Priorities Project, which tracks federal budget expenditures, U.S. military expenditures are “roughly the size of the next seven largest military budgets around the world.”
Library of Birmingham Waterloo contributes to Library of Birmingham’s energy savings Waterloo Air Products plc has supplied an extensive range of air terminal products for the stunning new 10-storey library in Birmingham’s city centre. The Library of Birmingham situated in Centenary Square is part of Birmingham City Council’s strategic ‘Big City Plan’ for regenerating the city centre and is set to become a major cultural destination. The 31,000m² facility is the largest public library in Europe, housing nearly 8,000,000 books and is expected to welcome up to 10,000 visitors daily. The Library of Birmingham is an iconic landmark and Waterloo is very proud to be associated with such a high profile project. We designed an extensive range of standard and custom-built air terminal products to meet the energy efficiency criteria,” comments Rick Edmondson, Chairman, Waterloo Air Products plc. The library is a striking building with many of its floors having floor-to-ceiling windows to allow views of the city and increase natural light. There is also a roof-top rotunda that houses the Shakespeare Memorial Room and a viewing gallery that offers city views. Sustainability was a key aim in the design and energy efficiencies have been addressed with a careful selection of materials and extensive use of sun shading in the design detailing whilst enabling as much natural light to permeate into the building. An aquifer ground source system is being used to support the air conditioning system which includes a wide range of Waterloo’s air terminal devices (Waterloo Air Products) designed to provide efficient air flow but also satisfy the building’s aesthetic requirements. A total of 60 passive chilled beams were supplied with a matt black finish to prevent them being seen either through the lattice style ceiling or through the perforated grilles which were also supplied. Sizes ranged from 1700mm to 2800mm long and 600mm wide. Large one piece perforated grilles were used below a number of passive chilled beams – these were supplied with Waterloo’s unique AFVS spring fastening system which enables grilles to be ceiling mounted but safely removed without the need for any tools, ideal for maintaining and cleaning the chilled beams quickly. “By using Waterloo’s passive beams, the library will benefit from cooling by natural convection which delivers an effective and draught free environment for the building’s occupants and contributes to reductions in carbon emissions,” adds Rick Edmondson. Waterloo also supplied 138 WVSV attenuated VAV & CAV dampers designed to supply a controlled volume of air into the rooms in response to demand from thermostats or BMS systems. Many were painted matt black externally to prevent them being seen through the latticed ceiling. Attenuation was a key criterion as many were fitted in exposed situations that offered little or no noise absorption. A wide range of grilles and diffusers to accommodate numerous applications were also supplied. With swirl diffusers used – high capacity adjustable type for high levels and open areas, fixed blade tile replacement units for smaller public rooms and Waterloo’s SDFS-LCT rear mounted diffusers fitted to ceiling tiles in administration areas, which allowed the ceiling to remain aesthetically unbroken by supply or extract terminals but maintaining excellent comfort conditions. In addition, Waterloo’s CSB high induction slot diffusers with a matt black finish were also used throughout the building and fitted behind various open celled ceilings. Acoustic door transfer grilles were used in noise sensitive areas to reduce the level of cross talk. About the Library of Birmingham The Library of Birmingham will be a major new cultural destination, rewriting the book for 21st century public libraries. The Library of Birmingham will provide a showcase for the city’s internationally important collections of archives, photography and rare books. New facilities including state-of-the-art gallery space will open up public access to the collections for the first time. It will also be home to a BFI Mediatheque, providing free access to the National Film Archive. Other facilities will include a new flexible studio theatre, an outdoor amphitheatre and other informal performance spaces, a recording studio, and dedicated spaces for children and teenagers. By harnessing new technology, everyone from Birmingham to Beijing, Bangalore and beyond will be able to access the Library of Birmingham’s world-class resources. Described by its architect Francine Houben as a ‘people’s palace’, the Library of Birmingham will be highly accessible and family-friendly. It will deliver excellent services through collaboration between the library, The Birmingham Repertory Theatre, partners and communities. It will provide a dynamic mix of events, activities and performance together with outstanding resources, exhibitions and access to expert help for learning, information and culture. As a centre of excellence for literacy, research, study, skills development, entrepreneurship, creative expression, health information and much more, the Library of Birmingham will change people’s lives. Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square, Birmingham Opened on Tuesday 3 September 2013 Library of Birmingham Follow the links to view the publications this article featured in: - ACR News Feb 2014 - CIBSE Journal Nov 2013 - PHAM News October 2013 - Modern Building Services – Sept 2013 - Energy in Buildings & Industry Sept 2013
Cyber Essentials is steadily gaining traction in many sectors as a baseline security requirement – but what is it, how is it implemented and what are the benefits to your organisation? With constant news of household names being compromised by Hackers and Nation-States crippling organisations with RansomWare and Phishing Attacks, the rush to batten down the hatches has begun, with every vendor selling their ‘magic talismans’ of security appliances and certifications to allay your every fear, of which they tell you, there are many. This fearmongering can be counterproductive. All this noise makes it difficult to know where to start and many organisations are reticent in taking their first steps and are anxious that tighter security will mean more red tape and less efficiency. Additionally, certifications, particularly ISO 27001, can be significant undertakings with a typical implementation duration of around 18 months. The expense and impact of such an endeavour is more than many organisations are able to commit to, especially if security is a new initiative and they’re taking their first steps towards addressing risk. Some organisations may also already have good security practices in place, but the cost of validating this with certification discourages them from doing so. However, a large number of organisations, regulators and government bodies now mandate specific security requirements within their chain of suppliers or member organisations, to ensure that those with access to their data or systems don’t introduce weaknesses into their information security. They require specific certifications that align with the risks and strategic focus of their associated sector, so that a baseline of security is established to ensure safe business practices. Jestico + Whiles, an award winning architectural firm and interior design practice based in London, decided to seek certification to demonstrate their commitment to information security and attain a competitive edge for developing new opportunities. Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus are achievable, entry-level certifications that address the most common risks to businesses in the UK; malware infections and automated internet-borne attacks. The framework focuses on five controls to implement a standard of security: - Boundary firewalls and internet gateways Devices that connect an organisation’s systems to the internet are the first line of defence against external threats. Consequently they have to be properly configured to provide the smallest attack surface possible, while still providing key business services to those that are authorised to use them. - Secure configuration To reduce the possible attack vectors and avoid disruption to key business processes, systems and applications need to be properly configured in a way that is secure and tailored to the organisation’s requirements. - Access control Limiting access to systems and data to individuals that have a validated business need and only to the level they require to fulfil their role. - Malware protection Protecting systems from malware infection or untrusted applications via effectively configured and updated Anti Malware software across the organisation. - Patch management To avoid the exploitation of new vulnerabilities and ensure consistent patching is enforced across all in-scope devices and systems. A key requirement here is that all in-scope systems must still be in support, Windows Server 2003 and XP installations are common pitfalls for organisations attempting to satisfy this requirement. Waterstons took the time to understand our infrastructure and how we operate as a business, allowing them to provide a clear and effective roadmap to certification that was achievable and specifically tailored to us. The key point here is that these controls are simple and attainable – usually with systems already in place within an organisation. Following a two day ‘gap analysis’ engagement by Waterstons, Jestico + Whiles were able to use the findings as a roadmap for their own risk treatment plan, implementing and testing solutions unaided in preparation for the certification audit by Waterstons' Information Security Team. They leveraged the functionality of systems already in place, such as Web Content Filtering on their firewall appliances and Mobile Device Management functionality present in a system already in place, to address the framework’s specific requirements. Following that they then pursued certification, of which there are two possible levels: Stage 1 - Cyber Essentials: Self-assessment questionnaire of in-scope systems independently validated by an accredited third-party. Stage 2 - Cyber Essentials Plus: An additional technical assessment of security controls of in-scope systems that validates the effectiveness of implemented security controls. By attaining both Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certification Jestico + Whiles have an assurance that they are well protected against the most common attacks aimed at businesses in the UK. Through collaborative effort with Waterstons, they managed to achieve this assurance within a matter of months, using the functionality of systems already in place and with minimal impact to users. Other organisations following a similar journey may have to invest in additional security controls to meet the requirements, but achieving certification is a low cost and high value safeguard against the cyber threats of today. Certification has also opened up doors for Jestico + Whiles to engage with an array of government bodies and other organisations on new tender opportunities. Their early adoption of the certification is a key differentiator in an industry that will soon require it to be a supplier prerequisite. Re-certification is required every year, meaning the efforts implemented will be annually re-evaluated for their effectiveness. This embeds the concept of continual improvement into Jestico + Whiles' IT Strategy, by ensuring they are routinely assessed to confirm that new vulnerabilities haven’t been introduced into their infrastructure. Consequently, this shift towards forward thinking information security will act as a key business driver for change, and as the organisation grows, will put them in a strong position to pursue further certification such as ISO 27001. Certification proves to our customers that we strive to deliver excellence both in our services and how we operate as a business – this improves confidence in our business practices and provides a world of opportunities that were previously out of reach.Darren Carroll Head of IT
HONG KONG (AP) — Thousands of people joined Hong Kong’s latest rally Wednesday night against legislation they fear would erode the city’s freedoms, capping a daylong appeal to world leaders ahead of a G-20 summit that brings together the heads of China, the United States and other major nations later this week. Below neon-lit skyscrapers, the peaceful crowd of all ages listened to speeches in a public square and then in unison held up their smartphones with their lights on. A big sign read “Free Hong Kong Democracy Now.” The police presence was light, a few officers watching from a distance. After the rally’s end, younger protesters, some of whom have been more militant, headed to the nearby police headquarters, where they stood outside shouting demands for an independent inquiry into a heavy-handed police crackdown at a protest earlier this month. The protests were sparked by proposed legislative changes that would allow suspects to be extradited from Hong Kong to mainland China for trial. Many fear the proposals would erode Hong Kong’s judicial independence and the civil liberties the semi-autonomous city was guaranteed after its handover from British rule in 1997. The government suspended debate on the legislation indefinitely after earlier protests, but activists are demanding that it be withdrawn completely. Earlier Wednesday, several hundred delivered petitions to the consulates of several G-20 countries. A sign addressed to French President Emmanuel Macron asked him to back up Hong Kong at the two-day meeting, which opens Friday in Osaka, Japan. Outside the U.S. Consulate, some protesters held up signs reading “President Trump — Please Liberate Hong Kong.” The U.S. president is due to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit. Beijing has strongly opposed any discussion of the issue at the G-20 summit, saying Hong Kong matters are an internal Chinese affair. The city of 7.4 million people is a territory of China. “I can tell you that for sure the G-20 will not discuss the issue of Hong Kong and we will not allow the G-20 to discuss the issue of Hong Kong,” Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Jun said Monday. Protester Mandy Wong described Hong Kong as an international city whose residents will all be affected by the legislation, regardless of their country of origin. “That’s why it is necessary for other countries or overseas people to pay attention to this extradition bill,” the 25-year-old student said. The protesters aimed to present petitions at 19 consulates before the nighttime rally at Edinburgh Place, a public square near the waterfront in central Hong Kong. Some lawmakers were planning a no-confidence vote against the territory’s leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, but it didn’t happen Wednesday. Pro-government supporters have a solid majority in the Legislative Assembly and the measure is not expected to pass. Lam’s push to pass the extradition bills prompted hundreds of thousands of people to fill Hong Kong’s streets in protest marches earlier this month. Smaller groups have surrounded government offices, the legislature and police headquarters. Besides withdrawal of the legislation, they are demanding accountability for the crackdown on a June 12 protest during which tear gas and rubber bullets were fired. Lam has apologized for her handling of the matter, but has declined to respond to other demands. Several foreign governments, along with legal, business, human rights and media groups in Hong Kong, have expressed concern about both the legislation and the government’s handling of the protests. In a statement Tuesday in the House of Commons, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he raised the issue with Lam on June 12. Britain urges Hong Kong to establish a “robust, independent investigation” into the violence against protesters, and will not issue further export licenses for crowd control equipment to Hong Kong “unless we are satisfied that concerns raised on human rights and fundamental freedoms have been thoroughly addressed,” he said. China has said it fully backs Lam’s administration and rejected foreign criticism as interference in its internal affairs. At a daily briefing Wednesday, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang criticized British officials for making “irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong affairs.” “China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to that,” he said. “We urge the British side to immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China’s internal affairs in any way.” Associated Press video journalists Dake Kang and Raf Wober and news assistant Nadia Lam contributed to this report.
As far as aero wheels are concerned, the Stinger 6 marks the start of a new era. After modeling the wheel, HED made prototypes and spent a full 10 days in the wind tunnel to test and perfect it, and came out the other side with a brand new rim profile. This is not evolution, with just a few tweaks here and an extra millimeter there. It is more like when a comet killed the dinosaurs and paved the way for mammals. At 15 degree wind angle the new Stinger has 100g less drag than the previous models. When HED ran the final prototypes the drag numbers were so low that they asked the tunnel technicians to re-check the calibration on the balance mechanism to make sure the numbers were correct. They were. Tunnel numbers .... all well and good, but what about out in the real world? What is the effect of 100g drag reduction and a 15 degree stall angle? Well, -100g drag is easy. The wheels are faster, period. And a 15 degree stall angle? That means Stinger 6s go faster in a wider range of wind conditions than ever before. When side winds kick up, your wheels will still go fast, and they will handle very well. The new shape is such an improvement that the 60mm deep Stinger 6 handles more like a 45mm deep wheel in a crosswind. This is all made possible by SCT Tuning. The goal with redesigning the Stingers was speed ... duh! The most aero rim in the world does not automatically translate to 'fastest wheel in the world'. Speed, even when confined just to wheels, involves more than just low drag. Tire efficiency, cornering speed, handling, strength and stiffness, and even comfort are important factors for overall speed. All are addressed in the Stinger 6. The C2 tire well secures the tire in a wider and slightly deeper 'cradle'. With increased support of the tire carcass, sidewall flexion is reduced, and less flexion vastly increases cornering stability and general handling. It also improves tire efficiency. One hard corner at speed will show you just how much the C2 well decreases tire wash under heavy loading. These wheels are available in several different configurations, please give us a call for details.
Just a month after beginning his new term in office, Russian President Vladimir Putin is heading to China for a state visit, underscoring how mounting US pressure is drawing the two countries increasingly close. Russia and China have responded to the US national security strategy, describing them as America's top adversaries, by vowing to further expand their economic, political and military cooperation. They have also sought to strengthen the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a regional grouping they created. Beijing and Moscow's rapprochement is driven by a strong personal relationship between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two have met 25 times - five times last year alone. Underlining his close personal relationship with Xi, Putin told a Chinese state broadcaster the Chinese president is the only world leader whom he once invited to celebrate his birthday. "I'll be frank with you, I hope he won't be angry at me: we had a shot of vodka and had some sausages at the end of a workday," Putin said. He praised Xi as a "comfortable partner, a good and reliable friend." The two leaders rely on tight security controls to block challenges to their rule, and both tightened their grip on power this year -- Xi by engineering a move to stay in power indefinitely and Putin, Russia's longest-serving leader since Josef Stalin, by winning another six-year term. Putin has been driven closer to China by a sharp decline in relations with the West after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine. Moscow is increasingly looking to Beijing for trade and investment following waves of Western sanctions targeting its vital energy sector and military industries and limiting the country's access to global financial markets. Russia's hopes for better ties with the US under President Donald Trump have withered, while frictions between China and Washington have sharpened over a potential trade war and American criticism of Beijing's claims to territory in the strategically vital South China Sea. "Put simply, everything the US has done in an attempt to sanction Russia and curb China will make China and Russia step up cooperation in all fields," said Li Xin, director of the Shanghai Institute for Foreign Studies' Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies. However, while political and security cooperation has blossomed, economic ties have lagged. China is Russia's top trading partner, while Russia ranks 10th on Beijing's list. Bilateral trade sank from nearly $US100 billion in 2014 to $US60 billion the following year due to a sharp depreciation of the Russian currency, but has since recovered to $US90 billion as the ruble has strengthened. Australian Associated Press
About Course #C6506 Release Date: September 27, 2017 Expiration Date: September 27, 2020 Current research reveals that in addition to the traditional mother-child dyad, infants also attach to other consistent caregivers (i.e., fathers, both parents, foster parents, nannies). The effects of positive development due to secure attachment are widely known and accepted. It is only within the past decade that researchers have turned their attention to understanding insecure attachment and its prevalence across cultures. As researchers begin to understand the potential outcomes of insecure attachment over time, professionals in human services and mental health must gain conceptual understanding of the multiple dimensions of attachment and implement effective strategies that are targeted to the specific problems and issues that are present in clients with attachment-related concerns. This intermediate-level course begins by reviewing early research and the identification of attachment styles. The basic components of attachment theory are explained while also noting potential racial and cultural biases in the theory and research literature. The effects of insecure attachments and parenting style across developmental domains are discussed. Case studies provide opportunities for clinical application of attachment theory, including how a parent's own attachment security can influence that of their children and family system. - Describe theoretical underpinnings and early research for attachment theory. - Identify effects of attachment security on each developmental domain. - Explain the effects of parenting style on attachment security. - Identify the environmental influences on attachment. - Recognize the effects of insecure attachment in adulthood. - Describe the best therapeutic strategies for counseling individuals with insecure attachment-related issues. About the Author(s) Anita R. Kiessling-Caver, MSW, QCSW, LCSW, PhD, has worked in a variety of clinical settings. Her practice of 20 years has included individual and family therapy and the design and implementation of clinical programs in outpatient and residential settings. She also has experience as an adjunct professor of social work. Dr. Kiessling-Caver's clinical work has primarily focused on antisocial and borderline personality disorders. She also has experience with anxiety disorders, adult violence, substance abuse, and trauma recovery. - Courses must be completed on or before the expiration date noted in the course description above. - You must score 75% or higher on the final exam and complete the course evaluation to pass this course and receive a certificate of completion. - Through our review processes, Western Schools ensures that this course content is presented in a balanced, unbiased manner and is free from commercial influence. It is Western Schools' policy not to accept commercial support. - All persons involved in the planning and development of this course have disclosed no relevant financial relationships or other conflicts of interest related to the course content.
The unprecedented growth in consumer debt means the central bank’s rate-hiking cycle is already the most severe in 20 years, and further increases will have far greater consequences on the well-being of households than conventional analysis shows, according to Macquarie Capital Markets Canada. Assuming there will be just one more rate rise, the impact would be 65% to 80% as severe as the 1987-1990 cycle, according to Macquarie, which took into account five-year bond yields, household debt, and home-buying activity. It should be noted that Canada’s housing market slumped in the early 90s following that rate-hike cycle and a recession. “The Canadian economy has experienced an unprecedented period of hyper-leveraging,” analysts including David Doyle said in a note. OSFI’s new mortgage stress test rules will also have a larger impact than initially expected. In isolation, the new rules are expected to reduce buyers’ maximum purchasing power by as much as 17%. This jumps to about 23% after incorporating the rise in mortgage rates since mid-2017, according to Macquarie’s note. Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz said that high household debt could make the slowing impact of rate rises more severe, and that the impact of 2017’s hikes will not be fully understood for at least 18 months. “When taken together, these observations mean the Bank of Canada is proceeding with hikes despite uncertainty surrounding the severity of tightening performed so far.This elevates the risk of policy error,” Macquarie said. Also read: BoC’s rate hikes are unlikely to discourage Canada’s debt binge Are you looking to invest in property? If you like, we can get one of our mortgage experts to tell you exactly how much you can afford to borrow, which is the best mortgage for you or how much they could save you right now if you have an existing mortgage. Click here to get help choosing the best mortgage rate
Marcello Lo Giudice at UNIX Gallery Many artists have academic background in different disciplines, which is something that largely influences their style and approach. For example, Julie Oppermann received a Master in neuroscience, and her art (quite logically) examines the possibilities of visual perception. Similarly, Nelson Saiers with PhD in mathematics creates visual math in his artworks (Saiers’ works were recently exhibited at Hoerle-Guggenheim). Marcello Lo Guidice studied geology at the Bologna University. This fact largely explains his main motifs and subjects. Incorporating his knowledge of geology, Marcello Lo Giudice developed a unique style, usually creating large organic terrestrial landscape paintings. UNIX Gallery from New York organizes an exhibition of paintings by this renowned Italian artist. The show is entitled EDEN: Pianeti Lontani. Paradisi E Terre Vulcaniche (Eden: Distant Planets. The Heavens and Volcanic Earth). The Art of Marcello Lo Guidice Marcello Lo Guidice is a famous Italian contemporary artist, whose work emphasizes the recurrent affinity between man and matter. He is considered as one of the most innovative artists in the second wave of the European Art Informel and has received critical acclaim for his rich, textured “telluric” paintings. Art Informel may be defined as European response to the growing American abstract expressionism. It is characterized by a lack or absence of form itself, and by the absence of premeditated structure, conception or approach. During his early career in the 1970s, Marcello Lo Giudice worked in the Conceptual style, using mixed media like wax, strawberries, and smoke. Later on, he began creating monochrome abstractions on canvas that play with the chemistry of color and medium. He combines his knowledge of the Earth’s metamorphoses with a profound affection for organic, geological substances to create vibrant, energetic paintings by spreading and layering colorful pigments thickly on the canvas (you can check out the work by James Turrell). This technique results in rugged, haptic surfaces, which, in various stages of drying, form beautifully interlaced designs that are both subtle and powerful. Marcello Lo Guidice became quite popular among collectors after 2003, when he began working on a series of totem sculptures, using mattresses that the artist empties, burns, and damages. After performing this demolition, he applies layers of bright color using pigments and enamels. One of his main motifs and subjects is our planet, and environment – one of the main themes of the works that will be exhibited at UNIX Gallery, New York, during the Eden: Distant Planets. The Heavens and Volcanic Earth show. UNIX Gallery: Marcello Lo Guidice Nature and ecology are recurring themes in Lo Giudice’s works. In Eden: Distant Planets. The Heavens and Volcanic Earth, Lo Giudice expresses his conception of Eden as a pure, uncontaminated paradise whose natural beauty has not yet been touched by a human hand (famous photographer Philip-Lorca diCorcia’ works were recently exhibited at David Zwirner, during the show East of Eden). Marcello Lo Giudice’s paintings uncover worlds that are concealed from people in their daily lives and whose beauty cannot be revealed by engineering, architecture and other man-made faculties. At UNIX Gallery in New York, the visitors will be able to see twelve new, previously unseen paintings that explore the theme of the beauty of our planet and the importance of its conservation for generations to come. Marcello Lo Giudice at UNIX Gallery UNIX Gallery represents an international group of established and emerging artists who embrace traditional and contemporary artistic practices that range from painting, sculpture, and photography to large-scale installations and a synthesis of diverse mediums. This time, UNIX Gallery organizes an exhibition of works by renowned and famous artist – Marcello Lo Giudice. Entitled Eden: Distant Planets. The Heavens and Volcanic Earth, the show will be on view from May 12th until June 20th at UNIX Gallery in New York. Sign up for My Widewalls, and follow the news about upcoming exhibitions! Featured Image: Marcello Lo Giudice – Blu Eden (detail), 2015, Oil and Pigment on Canvas Images courtesy of UNIX Gallery.
\|Bone: Vertebral foramen\| \|A typical thoracic vertebra, viewed from above. (Vertebral foramen is the large hole at the center.)\| \|A cervical vertebra. (Vertebral foramen is the large hole at the center.)\| \|Gray's\|\|subject #20 96\| - SUNY Figs 02:01-06 - Vertebral+foramen at eMedicine Dictionary - Atlas of anatomy at UMich back_bone16 - "Typical Lumbar Vertebra, Superior View; Lumbar Vertebral Column, Oblique Lateral View" This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.
In a previous post, Dr. Sarah Prince and Beth Nastachowski, MA, of Walden University started a discussion about online writing centers. In addition to starting a new discussion group–the OWC email discussion list–they’re happy to share some thoughts about two of their successful online services: chat and webinars. Because Walden offers its paper reviews asynchronously, offerings like synchronous chat and live webinars not only provide students with supplemental writing instruction but also give them the rare opportunity to interact in real time. The chat service is designed to quickly answer students’ writing questions while they are actively constructing their drafts. In contrast, Walden Writing Center’s bimonthly webinars offer more in-depth instruction on topics ranging from scholarly writing, style and grammar tips, and practical writing skills. Although these services aim to serve students at different points during the writing process, they both were created with the same goals in mind: to provide human connection and real-time writing instruction to distance students engaged in what can often feel like an isolating writing process. Chat Service Overview We use a live Chat feature through LibApps to give students a chance for live interaction and an opportunity to get questions answered immediately. Our Chat widgets are embedded on our writing center’s homepage and in slide-outs on every page of our website to make Chat accessible in multiple places. Because online students often crave immediate, personalized support, this service’s goal is to reach students who may not be inclined to e-mail us with their inquiry (though our policy is to answer all e-mails within 24-hours) or to try to search through our web content. Before the current successful iteration of Chat, we piloted chat a few times with limited success. It originated as a pilot called Tutor Talk in the summer of 2013 in a separate platform that was not integrated with our website. It was at one set time each week and targeted undergraduate students only. When this pilot did not gain interest, we opened it up to all students toward the end of 2013, but we still had little participation. Finally, when we discovered that our current platform had the option for Chat, we revisited it in early 2015. We offered it at varying times on varying days of the week, and we also were more intentional with the way in which we marketed it (when we had targeted advertising in an all-student communication, we had better results.) Now, in 2016, we’ve had anywhere from 150 to almost 400 students use the Chat service each month (the numbers vary depending on term starts, student communications and advertising, etc.)
What is it like to suffer from a condition that some people don't think exists? This is the reality for people with fibromyalgia, or as the National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association (NFMCPA) defines it, "common and complex chronic pain disorder that causes widespread pain and tenderness to touch that may occur body wide or migrate over the body." For a long time, doctors suspected that fibromyalgia might be psychological, and there are still those that think its sufferers are hypochondriacs, despite evidence to the contrary. That stigma makes the vocal advocacy of notable names all the more important. Based on historical documentations, various figures throughout history may have suffered from chronic pain. Frida Kahlo, Florence Nightingale, and the Bible's Job are all believed to have demonstrated signs of fibromyalgia. Here are some modern-day celebrities who have fibromyalgia and have spoken out about the disorder: Judging by her energy on stage (remember her Super Bowl halftime performance last year?), it's difficult to imagine that Lady Gaga (31) has the rheumatic condition. Symptoms usually include pain and also range from fatigue to cognitive issues, sleep trouble, depression or anxiety, and more. But in her recent documentary, Gaga: Five Foot Two, the singer revealed she lives with chronic pain, which she later identified on Twitter as fibromyalgia. Morgan Freeman (80) often still wears a compression glove on his left hand, which was paralyzed in the 2008 car crash that nearly killed him. The Academy Award-winning actor also told Esquire in 2012 that he experiences shooting pains following the accident. "It's the fibromyalgia," he explained after grabbing his left shoulder and wincing. "Up and down the arm. That's where it gets so bad. Excruciating." You'll notice Morgan Freeman is the only male on this list; fibromyalgia affects more women than men, with a ratio of about eight to two, says (NFMCPA). Best known for playing Erin Walton in The Homecoming and the subsequent series The Waltons, Mary McDonough (56) has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and Lupus, two diseases that often overlap (thyroid hormone resistance and rheumatoid arthritis are two other conditions that may co-exist with fibromyalgia). "The chronic fatigue set in, the rashes, the rash across my nose and the bridge of my face which we now know is like a Lupus rash, the joint pain, the muscle stiffness, eventually being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, and then the collagen disorder called Sjogren's Syndrome, my hair fell out and I would be tired all of the time," the former child actress-turned activist said in an interview with Melissa Parker. "Of course, everybody kept saying, 'Well you're crazy. You're depressed. Go to therapy!' So it was 10 years of being undiagnosed and finally I got to the point where I was in so much pain I couldn't even lift my daughter." Actress and comedian Janeane Garofalo deals with her fibromyalgia by laughing at it. In her stand-up, she's even talked about the time she was prescribed antidepressants for her fibromyalgia. "I had no idea I was chronically dissatisfied," she joked, proving to have quite a sense of humor about herself. Part of the reason Irish singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor (51), who has since changed her name to Magda Davitt, stepped away from singing for a time was because of her fibromyalgia. "Fibromyalgia is not curable. But it's manageable," O'Connor told HotPress. "I have a high pain threshold, so that helps—it's the tiredness part that I have difficulty with. You get to know your patterns and limits, though, so you can work and plan around it. It is made worse, obviously, by stress. So you have to try to keep life quiet and peaceful. And you have to re-assess what you do—and maybe find another less stressful job, or re-habilitate your same job! Which is kind of what I am trying to do, given that I love singing and that it's calming. So I want to do that, but to stay out of the parts of it that cause me undue stress." Fibromyalgia can flare up from time to time, and when it does, the condition can become debilitating, as Susan Flannery (78) well knows. The Bold and the Beautiful actress asked for medical leave from the show in 2007.
by Jan Alexander - President "Crann" is the Irish word for tree. It is also the name we chose for the organisation which was founded in 1986 to help bring broadleaved trees back into Ireland. Crann is a non-profit organisation which has membership of around 1000 to date. Crann was formed with a backdrop of Irish forestry consisting of mainly age class softwood plantations, coupled with total reliance on imported hardwood timber to supply Irish furniture manufacturing and joinery needs. Most foresters I spoke to at that time would ask, "Are you talking about broadleaved trees or commercial forestry ?" - the words "commercial" and "broadleaves" seemed incompatible. Broadleaved trees were seen as purely for amenity purposes. At the same time, most environmental organisations were concerned with stopping the efforts of others rather than promoting an alternative. Crann was launched with the ethos of promoting something positive - that of releafing Ireland with broadleaved trees. President Mary Robinson at the inaugural tree planting at the Oak Glen site in Co. Wicklow. Oak Glen is a project initiated by Crann. Over the 15 years since we started out, we have been involved in and initiated many educational projects with schools; urban tree promotion and tree planting; events to raise tree awareness and local initiative forestry and woodland projects. We have run woodland management training courses and seminars. Currently we are involved with a hedgerow management initiative with other NGOs. Crann tries to work with all those involved with trees, forests and woodlands, seeking always common ground. Due to the small population base in Ireland raising funds for an NGO such as Crann is not easy. We receive some help from the EC through the Forest Service, and we also work with the Corporate sector on various projects. Our core funding comes mainly from membership. We produce a colour magazine entitled ‘Releafing Ireland’, published quarterly, which is self-financing through advertising. Although our main thrust is to see broadleaved trees back on the commercial agenda here in Ireland, we do promote woodland conservation in its own right also. However, with Ireland relying almost entirely on imported hardwoods, we feel the main priority must be: 1) to reintroduce, on a meaningful scale, the growth of hardwoods in both the private and public sector and 2) to highlight the environmental damage and abject poverty created by the importation and use of tropical hardwoods. We promote Close to Nature forestry systems and have a good working relationship with Pro Silva Ireland which was formed in the last two years. Crann works with craftspeople and furniture makers who use Irish hardwoods; however our membership list has yet to include the same proportion of joiners and furniture manufacturers, as does Woodland Heritage. This is inspirational and certainly an aim for us in the future. We greatly admire the work being done by your organisation, and are pleased to have reciprocal membership with Woodland Heritage. Let’s hope we can co-operate at every opportunity to help releaf these islands and perhaps help halt the exploitation of other countries of their life-sustaining timbers. Crank House, Main Street, Banagher, Co. Offaly, IRELAND. Tel: 00 353 509 51718 Fax: 00353 509 51938 web site: www.mde.ie/crann registered in Ireland No. 249266
Google SEO Guide Google SEO Guide: The Ultimate Resource Welcome to the Google SEO Guide, your complete, all-in-one guide to ranking competitively in Google’s search engine. What is SEO? SEO refers to search engine optimization, or the process of optimizing a website in order to make it easy to find via search engines like Google. So how do you optimize your site content for Google SEO? Let WordStream lead the way! Google SEO Basics: Keyword Research Ideally, it’s best to do your keyword research before you start writing content. This lets you know which keywords to focus on in your content. It’s best to use a mixture of broad and long-tail keywords. - Read WordStream's SEO Basics Guide - Read the Ultimate Google SEO Guide to Keyword Competition - Try WordStream’s Keyword Research Tool to discover valuable keywords for your business Google SEO 101 Guide: On-Page Optimization After you complete your Google SEO keyword research and have a list of Google SEO keywords you want to target, it’s time to write! Your SEO keywords need to appear in your content – just don’t overdo it or your content will look spammy. Place your most valuable keywords in: - Body of the text. No brainer, right? Remember not to just use the same keywords over and over again. Add in modifiers (ex. “best”, “top”)and long-tails. - Title. Having the keyword in your title will improve your CTR from the SERP. (See our title tag guide for more help with writing SEO-friendly titles.) - Subheads. Subheadings/H2 headings are valuable spots for Google SEO keywords. Your work is not over yet! Don’t forget to add Google SEO keywords into the: - Meta title: The meta title appears in search engine results. Use some solid keyword here. - Meta description: This description appears below your link in Google. Write an engaging meta description that includes relevant keywords to boost your click-through rate. - Image file names/ALT attributes: First of all, include pictures in your Google SEO content! Pictures are attractive and appealing for readers, and Google also likes them. Use the keyword in the file names (e.g., how-to-catch-fish.jpg). Also use the ALT attribute to tell search engines and users what the picture is with a keyword. - Anchor text: Link to your new page from several other pages on your site, using your keyword as the anchor text. This makes it easy for Google crawlers to find and rank your page. Need more help? Read the full Google SEO Guide to Content Creation on WordStream’s Internet Marketing Blog. Google SEO Guide to Link Building and Content Promotion Increase visibility to your optimized content by sharing it on social networks and building links to your content. Be sure to create internal and build external links from outside sites. These activities are known as "off-page SEO." Get more information about Google SEO link building techniques: - Link Building 101: This Google guide to SEO link building covers everything all the basics link building techniques. - How to Build Amazing Backlinks - Five Experts on Google SEO Link Building: This Google SEO starter guide provides you with advice from SEO gurus who share their best link building secrets. Advanced Google SEO Guides - 11 SEO Tips for Optimizing for Local Search - 5-Step Google SEO Guide for Creating and Optimizing Video Content Our software and services help businesses and agencies take the guesswork out of pay-per-click advertising so you get more from your marketing budget.
With a total 971.29 sq. km of land and water area, Carroll County, Indiana is the 2676th largest county equivalent area in the United States. Home to 19,923 people, Carroll County has a total 9427 households earning 50542 on average per year. Carroll County, Indiana - Quick Facts \|Major Cities\|\|Delphi (population: 8,026), Flora (population: 3,205), Camden (population: 1,847), Bringhurst (population: 1,325), Cutler (population: 1,041), Burlington (population: 676), Yeoman (population: 138)\| \|Land Area\|\|7,692 sq miles\| \|Water Area\|\|372 sq miles\| \|Median Home Value\|\|$103,900\| \|High School Grads\|\|88% of population\| \|Holders of Bachelors Degrees\|\|16% of population\| \|Retail Spending\|\|$5,153 per capita\| \|Food & Accomodation Sales\|\|$18,411 per capita\| This page was last updated on June 30, 2016.
The #butterfly is often used as a symbol of transformation. We use its stages of metamorphosis as a motivation to trust our life’s journey. When we are in a difficult situation, we metaphorically think that perhaps we are still in a pupa stage struggling inside our cocoon of challenges, but we hope that one day, we will reach our fullest potential as a magnificent butterfly flying around the vast garden of beautiful flowers. There were highs in my life that I thought I was already a butterfly, but there were low moments, too. I’d tell myself, “Gee, I’m still in the process of #transformation. I’m still inside my cocoon.” But life is a #journey full of different levels of processes and adjustments. While we wait for the time of being a full grown butterfly, we can consider the #firefly. From the beginning of its life, there is already a light inside of it because of its bioluminescent abdomen. As an egg, it already glows, and it’s “fire” continue to shine until it has wings to fly. I believe we are like fireflies. Right from birth, we were destined to shine. ⭐️ No matter where we are in our journey, —whether we are still figuring out how to live this life, finding our breakthroughs or already living our dreams—know that there is already a light shining inside us. Dark times makes us glow brighter. It’s very tempting to isolate ourselves during tough times. We hide our light, detach ourselves, and cry in silence. Maybe we can learn something from fireflies, in the darkest nights, they continue to glow and they seek to shine with the rest. Fireflies teach us that even the smallest light can shine in a pitch black forest, and they don’t fly alone. So when they glow together, it brings joy to the observer. Each of us has Light inside us. In this dark, cruel world, let us choose to glow, reach out to others, and SHINE together.
Mr. Lauder: April 2015 This past week in Base 5 we have been revising for our upcoming SATs by developing our problem solving skills in Maths, practicing our 'slow motion' writing skills in Literacy and learning about plant adaption to finish off our Science unit. On Wednesday the children were treated to an afternoon of optical illusion art with Mrs Payne and they have produced some interesting pieces which will be shared on the website in the near future. The children also got the opportunity to meet our new Music teacher, Mrs Pascall, and very much enjoyed their first lesson. Sportscape PE sessions have now changed to Thursday however PE will still remain on Monday afternoons therefore for this term our PE days will be Mon & Thurs, please can children be reminded to bring in kit for these days. This upcoming week we are exploring a new class text in Literacy, 'The Ghost of Thomas Kempe' by Penelope Lively, learning more about fractions and shape in Maths and continuing to work hard on our revision for our upcoming SATs. Keep up the great work Base 5!! popular recent articlesAlso in the news Oh Year 6- what can I say? You have been wonderful- I feel so very lucky to have been your teacher, each end every one of you is so very special and you all have such wonderful talents. I know that you will all shine , you have all worked so hard to reach you goals. I look at you now and am so proud of how far you have come. Well done. Your leavers' service was really touching- it is... What a fabulous last week we had together in Base 1! The week started with a visit from Pear Tree school's reception class and Base 1 were fabulous hosts; the children showed our visitors around our village confidently and had a picnic lunch on the field. We were busy rehearsing for the year 6 leavers service throughout the week, all of the children supported the year 6 with their... What a super way to end the year- so many celebrations! We began by a presentation for Y6 by Mr Williamson from Brine Leas High School. The year 6 pupils have been working on a 'Gold Award' project and today was the day for awarding certificates; well done to those who received certificates and badges. Year 6 also received their French certificates after ALL passed their level one in...
Government Finance Doesn’t Have to Be a Foreign Language In government today, there is no shortage of financial transparency and reports. In fact, there are so many reports, data sheets, sources of regular information and updating, the ongoing task keeps various people busy with fulltime jobs producing all the related information and documents. However, despite thousands of pages of research being readily available, it doesn’t necessarily mean the data and reports can be easily understood. In fact, one of the chief complaints about modern government finance today is that the environment is too confusing for the average person to understand. Learn the Language Regardless of what level of U.S. government is being written about, the finances involved always start with the authorization from a representative body. This is typically known as the governmental budget and appropriation. The budget provides the plan and details of how the money will be spent if everyone agrees on the approach. The appropriation is the actual authorization via Congress or a legislature and a President or governor to allow the given amount of money to be spent in a certain way. These pieces of information are always included in the government’s budget act or enacted law. By knowing where to start, expert writers and researchers can find the beginning pieces for how a given program is funded. While a department or agency has one budget, it often includes multiple programs or subdivisions, each on spending a certain amount of money on specific tasks and activities every year. For example, the Internal Revenue Service has an overall agency budget approved by Congress, but that figure is then split into a processing component, audits, criminal investigations, legal resources, and tax policy development among others. Once the agency program or division budget is identified, there are additional reports that can break down the funding detail further. Budget legislation only looks at funding details at the macro level. The government budget book is the place to find the agency detail deconstructed into various elements. However, even this point is limited. For example, it won’t tell a company how much the government is interested in contracting for new software. The budget plan only details increases and decreases in specific programs. So to go further, a researcher then needs to look to program reports to see where the government is planning to act. The Final Steps A variety of reports also exist and have to be published annually under various government regulations. These include projection reports for contracting, grant funding, distribution of funds to lower levels of government, strategic planning on a five-year basis, and procurement. These reports provide the nuts and bolts detail of specific tasks and activities. Combined with the larger budgetary documents, a researcher can then find and conclude which government programs are expected to increase or decrease financially. This allows writers to provide pin-pointed commentary of where politics and government will be putting taxpayer money next. For expert writers who know where to find them, these reports are the gold that helps provide the basis for good government finance content when finished. Tom L is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
Photographer Sheila Pree Bright first picked up a camera in search of a means of personal expression. After her first public exhibit, it was clear that not only did she have a gift for making beautiful images, but her work also sparked thoughtful and unexpected conversations about race, politics, and justice. Bright first came into the national spotlight with the series “Suburbia,” which explored black suburban life in Atlanta. Since then her series have continued to explore black spaces left out of the mainstream conversation. Three recent projects explore past and present movements for social justice, connecting uncelebrated heroes from the 1960s to Black Lives Matter leaders working on the front lines today. Host Frank Stasio talks with Bright about her projects, including “Young Americans,” and “#1960Now.” A selection of Bright’s photos are on view at a pop-up exhibit at 1116 Broad Street in Durham through Friday, Oct. 28 as part of the Click! Triangle Photography Festival.
The story begins in 1880 when, following his marriage, Edouard Amouroux became the owner of the Clos de Oratoire, a fine Vineyard parcel of syrah vines. It was named after the oratory besides the parcel at Tresqouy. The Vineyard becomes the Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes and gains a label design that has remained unchanged ever since. In 2000 Orgier (winery) takes over, company oenologist Didier Couterier deploys all his expertise and knowledge of the terroirs to help this unique vineyard bloom. During the year, the vines are cultivated with due regard for the soil and plant life. Bud-pruning and buch-thinning by hand ensure both quality and quantity are optimised. Horses are used rather than machinery when tending the old vines to protect their roots. The transported in crates to protect it in transit. It is then fully destemmed to yield softer tannins. The wine is meticulously aged in large oak barrels using Orgier's extensive skills. In 2011 Papes terroir while further reducing the use of even organic pesticides by adopting natural composts and preparations and observing basic lunar rhythms, it is possible to get closer to nature and achieve a perfect alchemy between soil, plants and environment. This painstaking, highly-skilled approach helps maintain the highest quality for the legendary Clos de l'Oratoire de Papes Cuvée in its protected natural setting. Immagini Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes
What rhymes with the word - (noun) SCID in male children resulting from mutation of a gene that codes for a protein on the surface of T cells that allows them to develop a growth factor receptor more on Definitions.net » Find a translation for x-linked scid in other languages: Select another language: Use the citation below to add this page to your bibliography: Know what rhymes with x-linked scid? Have another rhyming word for x-linked scid? Let us know! Is x-linked scid wrong or has spelling mistakes? The Web's Largest Resource for Rhymes & Chimes A Member Of The STANDS4 Network Alternative searches for x-linked scid:
Elementary and Secondary Schools shall adopt the new policy to prevent acts of bullying. \|Bullying. Image Credits to: http://www.bluedragontkd.net/kids-bullying.jpg\| On last September 12, 2013, Pnoy signed the Republic Act 10627, or the "Anti-Bullying Act of 2013" – AN ACT REQUIRING ALL ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO ADOPT POLICIES TO PREVENT AND ADDRESS THE ACTS OF BULLYING IN THEIR INSTITUTIONS. This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on June 5, 2013. (Sgd.) EMMA LIRIO-REYES: Secretary of the Senate & (Sgd.) MARILYN B. BARUA-YAP: Secretary General, House of Representatives The said law requires all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to prevent and address the acts of bullying in their institutions. Download Pdf file: Republic Act 10627 “Bullying” shall refer to any severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a hostile environment at school for the other student; infringing on the rights of the other student at school; or materially and substantially disrupting the education process or the orderly operation of a school. Those persons reported bullying will provide disciplinary administrative sanctions against perpetrator of bullying. The perpetrator and the parent will undergo and participate rehabilitation program. The school principal or any person who holds a comparable role shall be responsible for the implementation and oversight of policies intended to address bullying. - (a) Notify the law enforcement agency if the school principal or designee believes that criminal charges under the Revised Penal Code may be pursued against the perpetrator; - (b) Take appropriate disciplinary administrative action; - (c) Notify the parents or guardians of the perpetrator; and - (d) Notify the parents or guardians of the victim regarding the action taken to prevent any further acts of bullying or retaliation. The Department of Education's Secretary shall regulates appropriate administrative sanctions. If school administrators fail to comply the requirements shall suffer penalty of suspension.
Receive timely updates. MN Equal MC Access Law MN EQUAL MC ACCESS LAW (this law is currently on Minnesota's books and reflects, as far as we can tell, an attempt to eliminate discrimination towards bikers wearing club 'colors') Well, hey, it's a start... [604.12] [RESTRICTIONS ON DENYING ACCESS TO PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION; CIVIL ACTIONS.] Subd.1. [DEFINITIONS.] As used in this section: (1) “place of public accommodation” has the meaning given in section 363.01, subdivision 33, but excludes recreational trails; and (2) “criminal gang” has the meaning given in section 609.229, (1) A place of public accommodation may not restrict access, admission, or usage to a person solely because the person operates a motorcycle or is wearing clothing that displays the name of an organization or association. (2) This subdivision does not prohibit the restriction of access, admission or usage to a person because: (a) the person’s conduct poses a risk to the health or safety of another or to the property of another; or (b) the clothing worn by the person is obscene or includes the name or symbol of a criminal gang. Subd.3. [CIVIL CAUSE OF ACTION.] A person injured by violation of subdivision 2 may bring an action for actual damages, punitive damages under sections 549.191 and 549.20 in an amount not to exceed $500, injuctive relief, and reasonable attorney fees in an amount not to exceed $500. Subd. 4. [VIOLATION NOT A CRIME.] Notwithstanding section 645.241, a violation of subdivision is not a crime. (1) Public Accommodations. ‘Place of public accommodation’ means a business, accommodation, refreshment, entertainment, recreation, or transportation facility of any kind, whether licensed or not, whose goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations are extended, offered, sold, or otherwise made available to the public. (2) [Definition.] As used in this section, ‘criminal gang’ means any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, that: (a) has, as one of its primary activities, the commission of one or more to the offenses listed in section 609.11 subdivision 9: 1st, 2nd or 3rd Degree Murder 1st, 2nd or 3rd Degree Assault Burglary Kidnapping False Imprisonment 1st or 2nd Degree Manslaughter Aggravated Robbery Simple Robbery Criminal Sexual Conduct Escape from Custody 1st, 2nd or 3rd Degree Arson Drive-by Shooting Possession/Unlawful Firearm Use Or attempt to commit any of these offenses: (b) has a common name or common identifying sign or symbol; and (c) includes members who individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal activity.
\|Property damage (current $ millions)\|\|U\|\|U\|\|U\|\|U\|\|U\|\|U\|\|174.6\|\|160.9\|\|218.5\|\|127.2\|\|111.8\|\|128.5\|\|161.5\|\|115.3\| a Fatalities include the number of people who died or were declared missing subsequent to a marine accident. b Accidents in this table are cited as "marine casualty cases" by the U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard. c More than one vessel may be involved in a marine accident. KEY: U = data are not available. NOTES: All deaths and injuries cited result from vessel casualties, such as groundings, collisions, fires, or explosions. The data are for all commercial vessels under U.S. jurisdiction, including U.S. flag vessels anywhere in the world and foreign flag vessels within the jurisdiction of the United States (within 12 miles, or having an interaction with a U.S. entity, such as a platyform within 200 miles, or a collision with a U.S. ship). Includes commercial fishing vessels. 1992-98 data come from the Marine Safety Management Information System. Data for prior years may not be directly comparable. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Coast Guard, Office of Investigations and Analysis, Compliance Analysis Division (G-MOA-2), personal communication.
Asahi Beer Pouring Robot In Action (Video) Back in January we noticed ads on our local trains here in Japan featuring an Asahi Beer promotional contest with beer pouring robots. People were invited to submit their name for a drawing, and if they were one of the few lucky entries selected they would never have to get up from their recliner for a trip to the refrigerator, or break a nail trying to pop a top. It seemed like good idea at the time, but unfortunately we didn't happen to be one of the lucky winners. Now that the contest is over, and people have started to post about their new beer pouring robot pals (see video below), we're not so sure that we would really want one. The video clip, apparently posted by one of the beer pouring robot winners, gives a real feel for how slow, and sloppy, the robot really is. In all fairness, the real attraction is the fact that it's a 'ROBOT'. After all, it was just designed as a promotional item and was never intended to be really practical or useful. You might also enjoy:
In the midst of an epidemic, last week we covered some diagnostic tips when it comes to the flu and how to recognize when you need to head to the emergency room if your symptoms escalate. But this week, a Crittenton Hospital Medical Center expert shares a couple preventive measures to help you avoid the infamous virus this winter. At the beginning of the influenza season in October, Crittenton engaged in anti-flu combat by starting at square one—immunizing their employees. “Ninety-six percent of [our] employees—and we have more than 1,800—have had the flu vaccine,” Ann Wallace said. Wallace is the manager for Crittenton’s Occupational Medicine department and the Center for Preventive Medicine and she works to oversee sleep studies. “We all silently—or out loud—honor the Hippocratic oath to do no harm,” she said. But they are getting vaccinated to only protect themselves, their cohorts or even their patients and visiting family members, nurses and medical practitioners alike get the flu shot to protect us in the community, too. “[We’re] out there sitting next to someone at the movies and [we’re] protecting them by having that flu shot,” Wallace said. She calls this the commitment to the community. At the beginning of the season, the hospital even took vaccines off-campus to local businesses to immunize employees. “It’s a very positive thing,” Wallace said, vaccinating nearly 800 community members this year. While this program has wrapped up, Wallace encourages families to get the flu shot if they haven’t already. Vaccines still available “What we’re looking for is protection for those who aren’t immunized,” she said, “And it’s really very important.” Those looking to grab a flu shot can head to the Occupational Medicine department between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. “We have plenty to share with the community,” Wallace said. Adults 18 years and older are welcome and no appointment is needed. For children 2 years and older, the Travel Medicine department—located at 441 Livernois Road—offers flu vaccines by appointment. For more information, please call 248-652-5000. A couple of the best ways to prevent spreading of the virus are to wash your hands often and cover your cough, Wallace said. Crittenton team members educate Rochester’s youth by visiting local schools and expressing the importance of such tasks. One of Wallace’s additional tips to staying healthy this winter is by eating a balanced diet. Blogging about the flu Have any questions about the flu? Crittenton blogs about the virus in an effort to educate more of the community. “Vaccines save lives,” Wallace said. “So I always try to blow those [flu] myths out of the water with fact. We are science-based so I think a blog is a great way to spread the word.” Be sure to visit www.Crittenton.com for more information. Interested in more tips? Don’t miss last week’s flu coverage here. And, earlier this fall, I caught up with two Rochester-area nutritionists to find ways each of us can prevent the flu by enhancing our immunity. You can find the article here.
Hon. James J Coit was born in Griswold (formerly Preston Conn.) May 8 1803 and died after a brief illness, at Central Square N.Y. September 10, 1884. Mr. Coit was one of the pioneers of Oswego county, having located in the town of Hastings at about the age of twenty one and endured all of the hardships of an early settler. He went into the wilderness, selected a tract of land, which he cleared up and converted into a valuable farm, upon which he resided for about fifty years. In March 1873 he removed to the neighboring village of Central Square where he continued to reside up to the time of his death. Mr. Coits family was a prominent one in his native state. His ancestors for many generations were reckoned among its educated and leading citizens. Some of them were officers in the revolutionary army. The history of the family has been honorably interwoven with that of the colony and state of Connecticut for more than two centuries and their names are frequent in its rolls of clergymen, legislators, judges, He received a thorough academic education at Bacon academy, Colchester, Ct. and was the early schoolmate and friend of the late Govenor Buckingham, eminet as the christian statesman and great war govenor of that state during the late rebellion of the South. After settling in the town of Hastings Mr. Coit was for some little time engaged in teaching school winters at Central Square or vicinity and clearing up and working his farm He was always respected and honored by all who knew him and held a prominent position of influences in society and the county. While never an office seeker he held many positions of honor and trust from his fellow citizens. He was superintendent of schools, and for many years was supervisor of his town, was justice of the peace, assessor, etc. In 1859 he represented the second assembly district of Oswego county in the state legislature, of which body he was universally regarded as an upright, intelligent and able member. For more then thirty years he was land agent for Hon. William Jay, who owned a large tract of land in the eastern part of this county. His neighbors frequently selected him as the executor or administrator of their estates and in that capacity he perhaps settled as large a number of estates as any man in the county. Politically he was a Republican but was originally a Democrat. When the slavery question came to be an issue he identified himself with the free soil element of the democratic party, and was one of the organizers of the Republican party--- having been a delegate to the convention which organized the party in this county, and also a delegate to the first republican state convention held He professed religion at fifteen years of age and became a consistent member of the Presbyterian church. He was also a liberal supporter of other evangelical denominations. His highest honor in life was in the nobility and perfection of his christian character and as a devoted husband and father. He was twice married. His first wife was Augustina S. Porter who died Nov. 5, 1841, leaving a large family of small children. His second wife was Miriam Owen, who died March 27, 1876. These were noble women and worthy of such a husband. Since the death of his second wife, his daughter Rosetta has taken charge of his household and lovingly and tenderly cared for him. Mr. Coit leaves a large family of grown up sons and daughters. They are Carolina A., wife of Lieutenant E. F. Morris of Pulaski N.Y.; Rosetta A., many years a teacher in the south and the real founder of the New Orleans Union University; James E., a merchant of Adams N.Y.; Mrs. Jane Mogg (formerly Goodwin) wife of C. Mogg esq., a farmer of Euclid, N.Y.; Martha, wife of Rev. M.D. Kinney, president of the Thousand Island Park association; Rev. Albert Coit, pastor of the Baptist church at Wellsville N.Y.; Rev. Charles P., pastor of the Memorial Presbyterian church of Rochester; John J. farmer of Volney N.Y.; Amelia M, teacher at Geddes N.Y.; Mary F., wife of S.M. Coon. esq, counsellor at law of Oswego and Prof. Judson B., professor of mathematics in Boston university. He took great pains in the educatuion and christian training of his children and considered their good character and success in life as the highest and sufficent reward of his efforts. He would have adorned any one of the learned professions, and had particularly a judicial mind. He was a man of much intellectual capacity, clear, and strong, positive in his opinions and had the courage of his convictions, but of solid conservative judgement. He loved truth, justice and equity and was upright in all the relations of life. He was conscious to the last. He contemplated his approaching death with christian resignation and joy, firmly relying on the great principles of the christian faith which had been his guide through life and died in the hope of a glorious immortality. His funeral services were unostentatious but beautiful and impressive. They were conducted by his son-in-law Rev. M.D. Kinney, who made very appropriate and fitting remarks. He was assisted in the services by Rev. D.D. Owen, for ten years and until recently pastor of the Central Square Baptist Church and who was a nephew of Mr. Coit. Rev. D. Marvin, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, also assisted in the services. He was tenderly borne by his sons to his last resting place by the side of his two wives, in the little cemetery on the hill side, in full view of the old home where he lived so long and brought up his family of children. Thus endeth a long useful and well rounded life, A good man has gone to his reward.
Hungary's economy shrunk more-than-expected in the first quarter of the year, data released by the Central Statistical Office showed Tuesday. Gross domestic product fell an unadjusted 0.7 percent year-on-year, after rising 1.4 percent in each of the previous two quarters. Economists had expected a 0.1 percent decline. It was the first GDP contraction in at least two years, according to the data released by the statistical office. Stagnation was recorded in about half of the industries of the national economy, the agency said. The performance of information and communication industry increased, while that of construction declined significantly, it added. After adjusting for calendar effects, the decline in GDP was 1.3 percent, following a 1.5 percent growth in the previous quarter. On a seasonally-and calendar-adjusted basis, GDP declined 1.5 percent annually, after a 1.2 percent gain in the previous quarter. The Hungarian economy shrunk a seasonally-and calendar-adjusted 1.3 percent quarter-on-quarter in the first three months of the year, following a 0.1 percent contraction in the previous quarter. by RTT Staff Writer For comments and feedback: email@example.com
- What other names is Wintergreen known by? - What is Wintergreen? - How does Wintergreen work? - Are there safety concerns? - Are there any interactions with medications? - Dosing considerations for Wintergreen. Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for... - Headache, minor aches and pains, stomachache, gas (flatulence), fever, kidney problems, asthma, nerve pain, gout, arthritis, menstrual period pains, arthritis-like pain (rheumatism), and other conditions. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings). Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Find out what women really need.
Putting numbers on the centerboards The locals have a saying, usually uttered as they gaze out upon a racecourse littered with victims, "Welcome to San Francisco Bay." It wouldn't be right to overplay this. Most of the 77 starters in the early races of the 2005 29er Worlds got through their races just fine, thank you. But there were enough casualties to inspire one voice, crackling over the race committee frequency, to wisecrack about creating a new rule calling for "numbers on the centerboards." Craig Williams' wake-jumping shot, above, was taken during the pre-worlds. The championship is being sailed on the San Francisco cityfront, with the boats kept in a temporary, fenced enclosure at Crissy Field, just upwind of the St. Francis Yacht Club, and launched from the sand (an earlier plan to build a temporary, wide ramp from the club docks to the waters of the marina fell prey to imperial entanglements). Here's the rigging exercise aboard the Gutenkunst yacht (Miles and Morgan). And yes, it's been a mite foggy at times in the Golden Gate. With Britain's reigning world champions moving on to Olympic 470s, the stage is open, and conditions here make it clear that whoever comes out on top will be a worthy successor to a class invented as a trainer for the Olympic 49er—to carry on and expand (expand as in viral marketing) the Down Under traditions of fast skiff sailing. 29ers have been designated as the platform for the youth worlds, when the event comes to San Diego, California in 2007, and skiff sailing appears to be on the ascendant in the USA. Think of it as speed poisoning. Designer Julian Bethwaite reported downwind speeds in the 20s on the San Francisco Bay courses, and it works, Bethwaite said, because, "American youth are going toward extreme sports." Bethwaite defines a skiff as a boat where you ignore the rhumb line, downwind, and sail the apparent wind—the race course gets wider. It's also a boat where the crew is more important than the skipper, because there's mojo happening, big time. To put that a different way, Bethwaite says, "The boats are more team-driven than anything that came before them. You can't get anywhere combining a good skipper with a poor crew because they'll be beaten by a mediocre team that works well as a team." This is the fifth world championship for 29ers. The fleet of 77 is broken into qualifying flights leading to gold and silver fleets for the finals, continuing to July 10. US Sailing Team member Molly Carapiet of the Yale University sailing team is mostly concerned with winning selection to the women's 470 for the 2008 Olympic Games. But she's sailing a 29er here for the experience, and she makes it sound as if this really is a good high performance trainer. "There's not much to think about in setting it up," she says, "you just nail it and go.
Saint Paul College's policy on sexual abuse and harassment is governed by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system's policy. In support of the System policy, the College reaffirms the policy that sexual abuse and harassment will not be tolerated. Every effort will be made to assure that all members of the College community are provided an atmosphere free from sexual abuse and harassment. To prevent sexual abuse and harassment, educational efforts will be undertaken to inform employees and students of their responsibilities regarding such behavior, how to identify and eliminate potential sexual abuse and harassment and what steps can be taken if instances of sexual abuse and harassment are experienced. Saint Paul College conducts a number of programs aimed at preventing sexual offenses and making the community aware of the potential of such crimes. These programs include nightly security patrols of the campus, providing escorts, inspecting the campus for potentially dangerous areas and implementing programs to inspect campus lighting and shrubbery. In addition, Campus Security provides educational programs concerning sexual assault awareness. A guiding principle in the reporting of sexual assault is to avoid re-victimizing the sexual assault survivor by forcing the person into any plan of action. Sexual assault survivors may contact any one of several College departments or community services for assistance. The following resources provide immediate aid or on-going consultation for survivors of sexual assault. \|Saint Paul City Police \|\|651.846.1322 or 651.846.1394\| \|Saint Paul College Affirmative Action Officer \|Saint Paul College Counseling Office \|Support Group-First Call for Help Procedure Regarding Sexual Assault - Contact Campus Security at 651.846.1322 as soon as possible after the offense. - Please remember it is most important to preserve evidence. Do not bathe, douche, use the toilet, or change clothing. Note everything about the location. If you have been raped, you should seek medical attention immediately regardless of whether you report the matter to the police. - Every attempt is made to maintain the anonymity of the sexual assault survivor. Every attempt will be made not to release names to the media. Unless privacy is requested by the sexual assault survivor, names and addresses of survivors are released to the Saint Paul City Police. Campus Security will attempt to provide support and advice for sexual assault survivors. Each report of sexual assault will be investigated in order to provide better protection to the survivor of a sexual assault and all members of the College community. Sexual assault survivors should be aware of the need of the College to release information regarding the fact that an assault has occurred for the protection and safety of others. - The Security Office will be the office of official record for reports of sexual assault, as it is in all reported law violations. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to contact the Security Office to report any information regarding assaults. - Sexual assault survivors have the right to have reports made anonymously (third party) to the Saint Paul City Police Department. Campus Security will assist the survivor in making this report if the survivor so wishes. In these situations, the name of the complainant will not be forwarded. Third party reports may prevent the College and the Saint Paul City Police Department from actively investigating the criminal activity. - Counseling and medical services are available both on and off campus. If you are the victim of a sexual assault, Saint Paul College encourages you to contact one or more of the following: \|Crisis Intervention Center \|Saint Paul College Counseling Center \|Saint Paul College Affirmative Action Office If the Security Officer (or designee) determines that a threat continues to exist for the community, information about the reported sexual assault will be reported to the campus community whether reported by a sexual assault survivor or through a third party report. As much detail as possible regarding location, date and time of the assault, and any information which might help identify the assailant will be reported. The Security Office will inform the campus community of the reported sexual assaults by poster, appropriate notices, or campus newspaper. Each report will be taken as presented by the complainant. Appropriate criminal classifications will be determined after a review of all facts by the Saint Paul City Police Department personnel. The College will take appropriate action to safeguard the alleged survivor and, at the same time, protect the rights of the alleged perpetrator. If the survivor of a sexual assault requests, the College will attempt to provide, if reasonably available, a change in classes. The College will normally not take any disciplinary action against a member of the campus community without a written complaint and the assistance of the complainant in the disciplinary process, unless the College determines there is a clear danger to the victim or the College community. Procedures for Campus Disciplinary Action for Sex Offenses: The College disciplinary process is an option for any person wishing to report a case of student misconduct. In order for the College to proceed, a written complaint (whether by the victim or a third party) must be filed with the Associate Vice President of Student Development and Services, 651.846.1362. If the complaint is criminal in nature, it will also be forwarded to Campus Security and law enforcement. There are different standards of proof in the College conduct proceeding than in the possible criminal action. The College conduct proceeding determines whether the accuser’s status as a student will be altered, whereas the criminal process determines if there will be limitations on the accuser’s liberty. As there are different standards and the purpose of each proceeding is different, Saint Paul College encourages students who are the victims of sexual assault to go forward with the College process. Both the accuser and the accused are entitled to have others present (an advocate or advisor) during the disciplinary proceeding. This person may not, however, speak in your place or ask questions of witnesses. Both the accuser and the accused have the right to call a reasonable number of witnesses during the hearings to testify on their behalf. The other party may ask the witnesses questions. Both the accuser and the accused have the right to request in advance the names of witnesses and shall have the right to question witnesses during the hearing. Both the accuser and the accused shall be informed of the outcome of the College disciplinary proceeding concerning the complaint of sexual offense. This information should not be disclosed to the public generally. Sanctions Following a College disciplinary proceeding include but are not limited to expulsion and suspension.
This world, as we know, is a fragile and fallible place, in which we encounter hunger, disease, sickness and death. Jesus proclaims, by his actions of healing, that there is another world, the Each Sunday the Responsorial Psalm is always linked in meaning to the First Reading. Never is this more true than today. To read from Job and then omit or change the Psalm would be disastrous for the meaning of the readings today. Job presents us with the complaints, with the moans and grumbling of the man oppressed by everyday life. The Psalm responds by pointing to God, whose love is so complete he heals all our ills. It’s amazing how, even though the book of Job was written so many centuries ago, there is a very ‘contemporary feel to his list of complaints: this should make it easier for the reader and for the congregation to understand. This is a slow reflective reading - it’s the questions asked in the darkness of the night. Be careful with the language in places: “months of delusion I have assigned to me” is a fine poetic phrase, but a little difficult to read - but in this reading colour and tone are (in a sense) more important than “understanding” the words. Paul offers a very personal reflection on his mission, and how he has set about it. For Paul, the most important thing in the world is the Gospel. He can no more ignore the Gospel than he can stop breathing! In reading, there must be a sense of the excitement and enthusiasm Paul brings to his mission - and also the sense that he is utterly driven by it. Be careful with the emphasis in the first sentence: it’s not “I do not boast of preaching the Gospel...” but rather “I do not boast of preaching...”Paul has nothing to boast about, because the Gospel is his life and his duty. There is a rhetorical question half way through (“Do you know what my reward is ?”) As always with such questions, leave a momentary pause, so that the congregation can think about what the answer might be. Emphasise the phrase “...at any cost.” This tells us so much about Click on the link to get this week's Gospel based Wordsearch. Feel free to copy and paste it into your parish publications.
Traditional journal based scientific peer review works as follows. A researcher does his research and writes his paper. He then submits the paper to the editor of a journal. The editor of the journal then sends the paper to a number (usually two or three) of other researchers in the same field. These researchers then write short reports on the paper outlining what is good or bad about it and usually suggesting improvements, along with a recommendation as to whether the paper should be accepted by the journal. The reports are then forwarded to the author of the paper, who responds to suggested changes and then sends a revised version of the paper to the journal. After possibly several repetitions of this, an accepted paper will eventually be published in the journal. Referees are supposedly anonymous. However, the author, the editor, and the referees often work in small fields where everybody knows one another, and people’s beliefs, foibles and writing styles are often well known, so this anonymity is often more theoretical than real. The theoretical reason for anonymity – that the referee can say what he pleases without consequences – is not always entirely true. The anonymity is one sided: the referee receives a paper with the name of the author at the top. The name of a famous and influential scientist at the top has an impact. The editor is very powerful, as he gets to select the referees and by choosing referees carefully clearly has influence whether a paper will be published or not. A good editor will choose referees of mixed levels of seniority (referees include everybody from graduate students to senior professors), and (in areas of some dispute) of mixed positions in any argument. There are various ways in which this process can be corrupted, but (certainly in the field I worked in) this generally did not happen. Publishers of journals made a point of appointing people of integrity as editors. It was in their self-interest to do this, because the long term consequences of not doing so would be a loss of credibility for the journal. The danger, always, is that authors, editors, and referees all end up coming from the same clique, in which such a process can be corrupted. Another danger is that fields become isolated from each other, and workers in one field do not properly absorb knowledge and techniques from other fields. Many scientists (and non-scientists) for that matter use a great deal of statistics in their work, and do a great deal of computer programming in their work. Often, they will not be experts in either statistics or computer programming. Sometimes they will do good work from a statistical perspective, and write good computer code. On the other hand, if their work is to be published in peer reviewed journals, and the referees for the papers selected by those peer reviewed journals are not experts in statistics or computer science, and use similarly sloppy methods themselves, then poorer quality work can at times be gotten away with (similarly, you should beware of anyone in business or finance who tells you that his “proprietary black box model” tells this, and that he cannot show it to you because it is “proprietary”. Similar situations of sloppy code and statistics are endemic here, too). The obvious point is that, when relevant, the peers who do the peer review should include statisticians and computer scientists as well as other workers in the precise field as the author of the paper. Science has become very specialised, and specialists in the same field do not talk to experts in other fields nearly often enough. However, the techniques different scientists use are not nearly as specialised as many proponents think they are. With some effort, experts in one field can understand the work of experts in another. Traditional peer review does not encourage this. Which is why in many of the most rigorous, competitive fields, in which really good, high quality science is done, traditional peer review has lost much of its relevance. Some history… It is easy to see the internet as something that was invented and came along in the mid 1990s on the back of the PC revolution of the 1970s and 1980s. Old fogeys sometimes talk about how the internet was really invented in 1969, but it is easy to dismiss the internet as being something experimental and insignificant before that. To do this, would be wrong. There was an entire world of computers before the PC, and what really happened in the mid 1990s was that some of the technology and culture from that world crossed over into the PC world and mainstream consciousness. The important thing to understand is that if you were using a Unix computer in the 1980s, it was connected to the internet. People using Unix computers in the 1980s included most university computer scientists, most physicists, many engineers, many mathematicians. By 1985 these people were talking to one another online, which allowed them to exchange work and gossip more easily than had been the case before. In highly mathematical fields, another extremely influential (related) development was the invention of the computer typesetting language TeX by Donald Knuth and its macro package LaTeX by Leslie Lamport, which facilitated typesetting of mathematical papers. These also became useful and widely available in the early 1980s. Prior to their invention, scientific journals were responsible for typesetting. After, researchers were expected to submit papers already typeset. Everybody preferred this, as you do not want someone who does not understand your mathematical formulas being responsible for typesetting them. Publishing scientific journals became cheaper, as one cost had been outsourced to the authors. Cheap air travel changed things too. Scientists have attended conferences to talk to one another since the time of Newton and Liebniz, but few non-scientists would realise to what extent a modern scientific career involves flying constantly around the world to attend conferences, visit labs, and talk to your peers. Imagine you are doing this. You present a summary of a paper you have just submitted to a conference. Having done this, somebody in the audience asks you for more information. You have full paper fully typeset and printed. The journal hasn’t accepted it yet, but the full peer review and publishing process can take years and science moves faster than that. The whole purpose of coming to the conference was to get feedback and ideas from people such as the person who asked you questions, and you want feedback from them as well as the official referees allocated by the journal. If there are other people working on the same thing, and the work you are doing is repeatable and correct, you want credit for doing it first, and circulating the work to other researchers is a great way of ensuring this. Thus evolved the concept of a preprint of a scientific paper. Typically, you write a paper, typeset it, send it to the journal, and print of lots of copies of the paper to give to other researchers. (The less common expression “postprint” refers to a paper that has been accepted by a scientific journal but not published yet. “pre” in “preprint” refers specifically to “before peer review”). Except, of course, there is one other thing you do with it. You put it on the internet. You don’t just want feedback from people you meet at conferences. You want feedback from anyone who can give you useful feedback. In 1991, a chap named Paul Ginsparg, of Los Alamos National Laboratory, decided that all these preprints of physics papers flying around the internet needed a standard repository where they could be stored and easily found. He thus created a system called ArXiv (found here, and pronounced “archive”, the spelling being a weak pun on the name of the Greek letter χ), which allowed physicists to submit preprints of their papers in a location where they could all be found. Use of ArXiv has been ubiquitous amongst physicists for about 15 years. In the years since, it has also expanded to include papers in astronomy, mathematics, computer science, nonlinear science, quantitative biology and statistics. Its ubiquity varies a little from field to field. One also should not draw any inferences about a specific field based on whether it uses arXiv specifically. There certainly are fields full of scientists I respect enormously (particularly much biomedical science) that do not use it but which have other similar conventions and systems. The question of “Do you have some process like this?” is hugely relevant, however. When you write a paper, you submit it to a journal, and you also upload it to ArXiv. At that point your priority on the work is established. There are some checks to make sure that uploaded papers have relevance to the field in which they are categorised (and there has inevitably been some controversy as a consequence) but the test is relevance, not correctness, papers that fail it tend to get reclassified rather than rejected outright, and it is much easier to upload a paper to ArXiv than it is to get it published in a peer reviewed journal. Researchers in these fields to not read peer reviewed journals, because cutting edge papers take too long to reach them. They find things out at conferences and read papers on ArXiv. They find the good papers by paying attention to researchers’ reputations and following recommendations from other researchers. Really interesting or important work will be looked at from researchers outside the field more often than is the case in peer reviewed journals, but this is possibly still a weakness of the process. Papers will be revised in response to this, and revised versions will be uploaded. A great deal more of the scientific process is occurring in public view. If you do science this way, there is relatively little to hide. This is obviously good, if you indeed have nothing to hide. Papers are still published in peer reviewed journals. It is not unheard of for important papers to only even be published in preprint form, but it is unusual (that said, the most usually quoted example – Grigori Perelman’s proof of the Poincare Conjecture – might well be the most famous mathematical paper of the last decade). Peer review matters professionally. If you are submitting a Ph.D. thesis and the work in it has already been published in reputable, peer reviewed journals, then your examiners have little work to do. If you are applying for an academic job, or for promotion or tenure, then your publication record in peer reviewed journals is central to the process. However, the peer reviewed journals are a way of keeping score. Amongst physicists at least, they are not where the work is done or how it is communicated. We have in recent weeks heard calls from various people for science to adopt a model more resembling open source software – one aspect of which is opening access to the evolution of work to more people than a small number of officially appointed referees. The “Many eyes make all bugs shallow” philosophy surely has wider reference than just to software, although when a good portion of the work is software, it’s probably even more relevant. However, what has been less reported is that in many fields, particularly the most quantitative fields, this model already exists. The physicists got there first, partly because they got the internet a decade before most other fields. However, many others have followed. The question should be, “If not, why not?” Or, perhaps “Show me the preprints”.
A transponder can be defined as a device that is located within the satellite to pick up and respond to an incoming signal. In communication satellites, sophisticated active transponders are used. These sophisticated transponders receive incoming signals over a range or band of frequencies and retransmits the signals on a different band simultaneously. In other words a transponder can be said to be a receiver-transmitter of satellite signals. Transponders of communication satellites are used for receiving and sending signals of various TV programming. The signal that is sent to the communication satellite transponder from the earth surface by various TV networks is called “Uplink” signal. The signal sent by the transponder to a point (receiver dish) on the earth surface is called “Downlink” signal. In case of communication satellite’s transponders, several video and audio channels may travel through a single transponder on a single band of frequencies. In Dish Network satellites, one transponder is used to transmit several channels. Each Dish network satellite carries 32 transponders. The satellite transponder sends downlink signals directly to the earth where they are received by the receiver dish. The dish antenna further delivers the signals to the satellite receiver. There is a home transponder for every satellite in Dish Network. A Home transponder transmits system information like Electronic Program Guide data, system software etc. In case a transponder fails to receive and transmit TV signals, then subscribers may lose programming for one or more TV channels. When signal is lost for a single transponder then the channels transmitted by the transponder cannot be viewed till the issue is sorted. In Dish Network, subscribers can view the status of signals of satellites or transponders. Subscribers can check signals from transponders by checking the signal meter on the POINT DISH screen of the television. If subscribers want to check the signals of transponders or satellites, then they must follow the given button sequence with the help of their remote control: - Press MENU - Press 6 for System Setup - Press 1 for Installation - Press 1 for POINT DISH On POINT DISH screen, subscribers can see the signal meter wherein they can view the signal from individual satellite. These signals bring home TV programming for subscribers. Uninterrupted reception of these signals depends upon many factors like weather, equipment or cable type or condition. When subscribers experience signal loss or an error message while watching TV programming, then they must check that the line of sight to the dish antenna is clear and unobstructed by tree or foliage etc. Also subscribers must check all cable connections to ensure they are tight and secured. If subscribers still cannot receive satellite signals, they can contact Dish Network’s customer care or a licensed retailer of Dish Network for further help.
By Jeanne Sager GRAHAMSVILLE May 14, 2002 Getting 298 youngsters together to all work on one project is a tough job raising $3,000 is even harder. But when the Student Council at Tri-Valley Intermediate School decided to hold a Diabetes Walk this month, their classmates soon signed on to the project. Their goal was $3,000, but by the end of the day, the students had raised a whopping $13,257. We called the American Diabetes Association, and they were thrilled, said fourth grade teacher Jason Semo, advisor to the council. It was one of the biggest totals in the Northeast theyve ever had. We were proud of the big accomplishment for fourth through sixth graders. The students went home to ask moms, dads and grandparents for pledges to make the walk around the track at the high school during Fridays half-day of school. They were instructed only to approach family and friends and explain they were raising money for diabetes a disease of the pancreas which has touched the lives of many of the students on campus. According to Diana Grey, nurse for grades four through 12, there are at least six children district-wide who receive insulin shots daily or use an insulin pump to control their blood sugar. Other students have family members or friends with the disease. Esti Ross, president of the Student Council, even has an uncle who has suffered for years with diabetes. I know how hard it is for him, she noted. He has to take insulin shots everyday. The Student Council does projects annually to help the community, especially with health-related issues. But this year, Ross explained, they wanted to do something that could incorporate a lot of people. We thought this would not only bring our school together, but help others, she said. Bob Carle, principal of the intermediate school, said that in his six years with the district, the youngsters have sent money to the Red Cross and to fund leukemia research. This is a fun activity thats gotten the whole school involved, not just the Student Council, Carle noted. Semo said this was a way to touch the students lives affected by diabetes those with the disease as well as those who have come in contact with diabetics. We wanted to do something that would touch as many lives as possible, he noted. It also helped raise awareness among the children about what their classmates go through daily. According to Grey, exercise is encouraged among diabetics to help them keep their blood sugar down. Grey walked with some of the diabetic children to gauge their reaction and make sure they were managing the activity well. But in all, she said, the teachers are attempting to make sure the children feel normal and adjusted. Its hard for a kid, she said. But you want them to feel as normal as possible, especially in this age group. Youngsters marched around the track Friday morning, listening to music and enjoying the sunshine. Because the school was letting out early, students got permission from the administration to spend two hours, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., outdoors raising money. Games were set up in the middle of the field for those who wanted to take a break from walking, and water was readily available for the youngsters who got tuckered out.
The Thanksgiving Lesson Not every teacher would take first graders to homeless shelters or to visit the mayor’s office. I do. - Grades: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12 What I love about first graders is they aren’t afraid to ask difficult questions. One day, while we were talking about plants as a food source, a girl asked, “Why do some people not have enough food and other people have lots?” This led us to other questions of fairness, like why some people don’t have a place to live. As a former community activist, I thought about this classroom conversation often, and when I noticed a call for volunteers for an annual Thanksgiving dinner for homeless and low-income people at a church downtown, I knew it was time for our class to take action. I taught my students at the Jackson Street School in Northampton, Massachusetts, a quote from the Dalai Lama, “It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.” I chose the act of piemaking. We decided to bake pumpkin pies, ask a bakery to donate the boxes, and carry our treats downtown on the public bus. First, we would go to City Hall to meet with the mayor. Then we’d walk down the block to the church, deliver the pies and cookies, and help set up the hall for the dinner before catching the bus back to school. I had never done anything like this before, but it seemed like a reasonable idea. One might argue that the realities of homelessness, poverty, and hunger are too much for young learners. I haven’t found that to be the case. I choose to bring activism into my teaching because I believe young children are capable of amazing things, far more than is usually expected of them. They can learn to think critically, analyze data, and make inquiry as active citizens in their communities. Young children understand fairness and are deeply moved and highly motivated by the recognition of injustice. On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, my students mashed pumpkins, measured sugar, and sprinkled cinnamon, (with some help from family volunteers). They used their math skills to time the baking and their creativity to decorate the tops. In all, we made a dozen pumpkin pies and several batches of cookies. Afterwards, we munched on roasted pumpkin seeds. As we prepared to leave for the day, we heard a rumor it might snow. My students asked if we would still go. I answered, “Of course. People are still hungry even if it snows. We promised to bring our pies and set up for that dinner.” But then I wasn’t counting on more than a foot of snow. “A Promise is a Promise” When I woke up the next morning, school had been cancelled. As I was eating breakfast, glumly thinking about our pies locked up at school, the phone rang. It was a parent. “I told Jack it’s a snow day,” said Jack’s mother, Ann, “but he’s insisting he has to go to school anyway to deliver those pies. He keeps saying ‘A promise is a promise.’” Sometimes, the ability of first graders to quote their teacher almost verbatim is scary. I took a deep breath and called my principal. She agreed to open the school after the roads had been plowed to liberate the pies. Then Ann and I called the whole class list to find out who was up for a “family field trip.” Later that morning, a caravan bearing pies, cookies, and 25 children snaked its way through the snowy streets to City Hall. Meeting with the Mayor The mayor of Northampton, Clare Higgins, thanked the children for their hard work and determination. Afterwards, Rebecca Story, an advocate for the homeless, introduced herself and led an open discussion with my young students about homelessness. My student Sadie raised her hand and said, “I think it’s unfair that some people don’t have homes.” Ms. Story then told us some of the reasons people become homeless, how working a minimum wage job without health benefits or reliable transportation creates a fragile existence that can easily unravel. She also described some of the services for homeless families and adults in Northampton. When students asked her what life was like for homeless people and what they could do to help, she told them very specific things they could collect, items like lip balm and hand lotion, adult socks and laundry detergent. Ms. Story described how homeless people could trade in a pair of dirty, wet socks for a pair of clean, dry socks each night at the shelter. She also explained how people could use washers and dryers for free but needed laundry detergent. The kids listened with rapt attention. The Littlest Volunteers After our visit to City Hall, we all bundled up to carry our pies to the church. I looked over my shoulder and saw this long trail of brightly booted children, proudly and seriously carrying boxes of pies and tins of cookies, stretching down the slippery steps of City Hall, across the slushy crosswalk and up the block. When we reached the site of the dinner, we rolled up our sleeves as the bemused volunteer coordinator explained the task at hand to this large crew of small helpers. They nodded with looks of complete understanding and took off like a swarm of ants to perform their allotted tasks. The volunteer coordinator was surprised by their efficiency and asked how they set tables and stacked plates so quickly. Sadie rolled up her sleeve to show her skinny arm and said, “Because we’re powerful!” Through helping others, my students were beginning to realize their own strength. What Kids Can Do After our Thanksgiving effort, my students were eager to do more. Around the holiday season, our school has a Giving Tree project. Families bring in non-perishable food items and winter clothes and leave them beneath the tree. Before the December vacation, our principal or a parent volunteer usually loads all the items and takes them to the Northampton Survival Center. Looking to get involved, my students invited the director of the Survival Center to meet with them. When they learned about the need for high-protein food donations, such as peanut butter, tuna fish, and beans, they set to work making posters: “The Giving Tree needs peanut butter!” and “Please donate lip balm and hand lotion.” The donations began to pour in. Each week my students went to the Giving Tree for math and language arts activities. They categorized, inventoried, weighed, and graphed the donations, using their math skills for authentic purposes. They wrote reports for the newsletter and made announcements about the drive’s progress. They learned a lot about nutrition and used criteria to sort the items that came in. When the day to make the delivery came, my students used what they’d learned about simple machines to assemble a convoy of garden carts, baby strollers, bike trailers, wheelbarrows, and wagons. Over snow and ice they pushed and pulled hundreds of pounds of food and warm clothing about a mile to deliver it to the Survival Center. Rethinking Food Drives When I was a child growing up in suburban Long Island, there were school food drives each holiday season “to help poor people.” I always wondered who those poor people were and where they lived, not quite understanding that my own family of eight, and later 10, was, if not poor, certainly struggling. In my family, we were not allowed to use the term “poor people.” My mother taught us early on to use the phrase “those less fortunate than ourselves at this time.” It didn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but we used it with relish as we sorted through bags of hand-me-down clothes. We would bag up the things that did not fit us and say proudly, “These clothes are for those less fortunate than ourselves at this time!” The school food drive, as I remember it, consisted of bringing in canned food our mothers had bought. Too often, that is still the case. For example, some food drives involve a competition between classrooms to collect the largest number of cans, which really reflects how much disposable income, more than how much concern, the families of that class have. Food is gathered but the children miss out on an important learning opportunity. While well meaning, an ill-planned drive may inadvertently be reinforcing stereotypes about poor people, oversimplifying the problem and the solution, and further stigmatizing low-income children in the school. Food drives can be a developmentally appropriate activity for children when used as a vehicle to challenge stereotypes, teach about the complex causes of poverty, introduce local activists who are meeting needs and working on long-term solutions. It can also empower children to take responsibility in their community and remove the stigma of poverty. In teaching my class that poverty is not a permanent or generic condition, I try to teach the same sense of dignity and respect my mother conveyed when teaching us compassion for those “less fortunate than ourselves at this time.” My 6-year-old students had respectfully learned more about the conditions of poverty in our own community. They had worked hard, collecting and volunteering, not out of pity but out of understanding and empathy. They learned to transform their compassion into action.
\|Product #: EMC1222I_TQ\| When It's Winter (Enhanced eBook) (Resource Book Only) eBookGrade 1\|Grade 2\|Grade 3 Please Note: This ebook is a digital download, NOT a physical product. After purchase, you will be provided a one time link to download ebooks to your computer. Orders paid by PayPal require up to 8 business hours to verify payment and release electronic media. For immediate downloads, payment with credit card is required. Delightful pocket projects about how different animals prepare for winter! Four pocket projects help your students learn about hibernation, changing colors, migration, and other ways animals and people adapt to harsh weather climates. Pocket 1: Some Animals Hibernate in Winter; Fascinating Hibernation Facts; Who's Hiberanting Here?; My Long Winter's Nap. Pocket 2: Some Animals Change Color in Winter; Arctic Animals Flip Book; Wintering Over in Our Classroom. Pocket 3: The Monarch Butterfly Migrates to Warmer Places; The California Gray Whale Migrates to Warmer Waters; Snow Geese Fly South for the Winter. Pocket 4: How We Stay Warm Shape Book; Winter Clothing Graph; Color Me Warm. This enhanced eBook gives you the freedom to copy and paste the content of each page into the format that fits your needs. You can post lessons on your class website, make student copies, and more. For more information on enhanced eBooks, Click Here. Submit a review
What would you think if you saw a red school bus rolling down the street? The idea is almost too ridiculous to imagine. National School Bus Yellow has graced the rides of students and set them apart from all other vehicles on the road for more than 60 years. The color is a symbol of safety and dedication to pupil transportation. Of course, choosing what color to paint your school bus isn’t the problem. It’s keeping the paint looking good through all the wear and tear the bus is subjected to throughout its life. There are plenty of factors that serve as enemies to a paint job, and the area of service determines many of them. Buses that frequently tread along icy roads, for instance, will be attacked by road salt and cinders. And buses that toil under a scorching sun don’t get a tan; their paint fades. One or more of these conditions can result in a bus that looks old, dirty and unsafe. And in addition to the aesthetic concerns, rust can cause major damage and eventually put an untreated bus out of commission. "The appearance says an awful lot, especially to the parents who are out there when you’re picking up kids," says Tony Autorino, president of Double A Transportation in Rocky Hill, Conn. "People judge a bus right away. It’s like going by a house with the lawn not cut — you’ll think the house is a mess and the people inside are a mess." Paint maintenance for school buses may not be as simple as cutting grass, but there are effective ways to protect paint and keep it looking good. Keys to success in this topic are using the right tools and techniques while remaining consistent. At some point, a bus may need to be repainted. In the meantime, a little TLC will go a long way. Foes in the sun and snow Since many of the elements that damage paint depend upon geographical location, there are some things that can’t be avoided. But it’s good to know what’s doing the damage and that there are other buses out there that share the same pain. In many areas, salt is the most powerful and obvious force working against bus paint. Obviously, the more snow you get, the more road salt is going to be a problem. "We're probably in the lower end of where all the road salt is, but up in Buffalo they would tell me the buses have to be repainted every two years, because the rust just pops right through everywhere," says Autorino. “The buses are three years old with holes in the floor." Look out for salt in the air as well. In coastal areas, sea salt can ravage paint. Rust can quickly appear on vulnerable spots such as chips and scratches. Intense sunlight is another enemy of paint. Ultraviolet rays that buses are exposed to daily will fade the paint. Call it premature aging for school buses. "It's funny when you go to one county that has no problem with the exterior of the buses, then you go right next door to a different county and they do have a problem — whether it’s paint fade or clear coat peeling off the hood," says Frank Wicks, owner and applicator of Crystal Shield System, a paint restoring operation in Gainesville, Fla. “A lot of it’s due not only to environment, but also to the techniques they’re using in washing them." Wash with care Washing regularly and properly can add years to the life of the paint. However, doing it the wrong way can have the opposite effect. There is an abundance of choices in cleaning products. Many will do the trick, but it’s important to know what to steer clear of. Some cleaners that are often used on school buses actually end up damaging the paint. Jeff Flatt, a driver for Rutherford (Tenn.) County Schools who also owns a bus detail business, recommends avoiding products such as degreasers and harsh soaps. He says that doing so will help maintain the paint’s durability. "Most people I know that keep their buses up use liquid detergent," he says. "To me, that is a big no-no. Most dishwashing liquids have a chemical that can strip the shine right off the bus." Flatt says he uses a product called Blue Coral to clean his buses. Autorino has found Skywrite Aircraft Cleaner, which is designed for what the name suggests, to do wonders on his bus fleet. "It's expensive, but it’s made to remove the dirt and not hurt the paint," he says. Brad Barker, shop supervisor and lead mechanic for Park City (Utah) School District, stresses the importance of using the right techniques and equipment to wash buses. "Brush-type wash systems will eventually wear the paint out," says Barker. "If you are looking for an automated wash, get a touchless system." Barker also suggests staying away from products that use hydrofluoric acid or similarly harsh agents, because they will damage not only the paint, but the metal as well. And if all that technology gets to be too complicated, consider doing it the old-fashioned way. “A good, old hand-washing is the best if you have the time and are detail oriented to do a good job," says Barker. Occasionally, using a wax on the buses can also help maintain their gloss and protect the paint from salt and other debris. Barker and Flatt wax their buses once a year. Out with the old When paint is damaged, it should be taken care of as soon as possible. The approach, of course, will depend upon the specific problem. A scratch on the hood won’t warrant an entire repainting, but it still needs to be fixed. There are products and services available that can make older buses look new, especially those that have been faded over time. Frank Wicks' Crystal Shield System uses a product called Nyalic that targets restoring the color of paint. The process begins with washing and removing oxidation with specially formulated soaps. Then Nyalic, which protects from cracking and peeling while revitalizing the color, is applied by hand or paint sprayer. This technique can also protect the paint from rust. "Oxidized or chalky surfaces need to be removed and paint needs to be resealed," says Wicks. "Unfortunately, some people have been using soap degreasers to wash and remove oxidation. According to bus manufacturers, degreasers should never be used to wash buses. Not only do they leave a film behind, they also streak paint and glass and cause premature paint failure." Vivilon Coatings & Chemicals in Miami uses a similar approach to renew faded paint on buses. "Paint looks very dull when it doesn’t have any moisture to it," says Bill Rice, president of Vivilon. “The pigment is like a dry creek bed. It looks ugly, light and dirty. But when the water hits it, it looks very dark." Vivilon uses this idea to bring back and maintain the shine on buses. The process involves scrubbing off dead paint on the surface and re-wetting the pigment when it becomes open and porous. A protective coating is then applied to prevent the paint from being damaged again. Besides extending the life cycle of the paint, Rice stresses the importance of appearance for school buses. “It’s an almost psychological effect," he says. "Someone who’s driving a vehicle that looks brand new is going to be a little more careful in the way he or she drives it." In with the new When or how often buses need to be repainted will depend largely on the location and what is done to maintain the paint over time. The appearance of rust spots is a fair warning to take action as soon as possible. Given the amount of time required for major paint work, though, the summer is usually the ideal time to do it. Bruce Cram, a bus owner and driver in Martin, Ga., bought his bus two years ago and is already preparing to repaint it. “I intend to have it stripped down to the bare metal, have the rust spots fixed and then have it re-primered and painted," he says. Cram estimates the entire cost of the operation to be about $350. Autorino runs his buses through the paint booth when they reach five years of age, a procedure which he says is well worth the time and money invested. “The reward is if you’re running buses with a variation of ages, someone can’t say, 'Oh, that’s a 1980 — it looks like garbage.'" The oldest bus still in service in the Double A fleet is from 1973. Barker conducts paint refurbishing on Park City school buses each summer. Any rust spots are repaired and prepped with rust conversion coating. Bare metal is treated with metal prep prior to priming with a rust-inhibitive primer. Last summer, Barker hired a local paint shop for the refurbishing. “I asked for a warranty on the color and finish against any defects in workmanship or products for a three-year period," says Barker. "Some shops will give you a guarantee of up to seven years using premium paint, but it is costly. I figure the longest I will keep these last buses is four more years, so a three-year warranty is sufficient." Barker advises anyone looking to repaint school buses to carefully consider the options. “If you do not have your own paint booth and are not qualified to paint, send out bids to vendors in your area who are set up to do so," he says. "Specify exactly what you want done, including how you want the surface prepped and how long you want the paint to last. Don’t accept anything that isn’t up to your specifications." However you choose to maintain and/or renew the paint on your buses, keep in mind the significance of National School Bus Yellow. “It’s like fighting a battle to keep the exteriors looking good," says Wicks. "But it’s very important, because that’s what the public sees. When a bus is badly faded, people judge it right away — 'that doesn’t look safe.' But as we know, school buses are a very safe mode of transportation." Magnet Paints offers the following do’s and don’ts of paint safety. For more information, go to www.magnetpaints.com. -Read all container labels, including warnings. -Refer to Material Safety Data Sheets for complete product safety precautions. -Use protective skin cream when appropriate. -Wear a properly fitted respirator while painting with hazardous substances. -Ventilate the paint area. -Keep paint away from ignition sources. -Keep containers closed and tightly sealed when not in use. -Store paint away from incompatible materials. -Smoke or eat in paint areas. -Use paint from an unlabeled container. -Mix paints with other substances without approval or full knowledge of what you are doing. -Use solvents or reducers to remove paint from skin. -Keep painting if you can smell paint fumes while wearing your respirator.
Iheringia. Série Zoologia Print version ISSN 0073-4721 SIMOES, Matheus H.; CUOZZO, Mariana D. and FRIEIRO-COSTA, Fernando A.. Diversity of social wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) in Cerrado biome of the southern of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Iheringia, Sér. Zool. [online]. 2012, vol.102, n.3, pp. 292-297. ISSN 0073-4721. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0073-47212012000300007. An inventory of social wasps in Cerrado biome of the southern of the state of Minas Gerais was performed. A comparison between field and Riparian Forest areas was made in relation to species richness; correlations between diversity, sample methods and environmental factors were conducted. A total of 32 species was registered and Polybia fastidiosuscula de Saussure, 1854 was the most abundant species. The higher richness was in the Cerrado Field, as well as the highest diversity index. The temperature and rainfall had significant correlation with species richness and a significant variation in richness between dry and wet seasons was observed. Polybia fastidiosuscula was more abundant in the Riparian Forest during the dry season and in the Cerrado Field during wet season. The study area showed a great diversity of social wasps, with record both widely distributed species such as rare species, which indicates the quality and potential area for future studies. Keywords : Polistinae; inventory; composition; seasonality.
Región y sociedad versión impresa ISSN 1870-3925 VELASCO ORTIZ, Laura. Identidad regional y actores: una experiencia de intervención sociológica en el valle de San Quintín, Baja California. Región y sociedad [online]. 2011, vol.23, n.51, pp. 43-70. ISSN 1870-3925. This article presents the systematization of a two-year sociological intervention among a group of activists in the agricultural export region known as the San Quintín valley-on the border between Mexico and the United States-which aimed to study the emergence of a regional identity due to the mobilization of residents and agricultural workers during the last two decades of the twentieth century. In the course of our research to define a regional identity, we found a transformation of the identity of the movement which is linked to macro-structural changes in the area and a struggle against exclusion. Palabras llave : regional identity; actors; sociological intervention; collective action; immigration and ethnicity.
Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública Print version ISSN 1020-4989 RIOS, Ana María and GRUPO COLOMBIANO DE TRABAJO EN STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE et al. The impact of antimicrobial resistance and capsular type distribution on the mortality of children under 5 years of age with invasive disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Rev Panam Salud Publica [online]. 1999, vol.5, n.2, pp. 69-76. ISSN 1020-4989. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1020-49891999000200001. Severe pneumonia and meningitis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae have been persistently associated with high mortality rates, despite advances in antimicrobial therapy and the development of vaccines. Resistance to penicillin and other antimicrobial agents is increasing and spreading worldwide. Even though risk factors for development of antimicrobial resistance have been identified, their influence on mortality has not been clarified. With regard to virulence, differences among serotypes have been determined, but their impact on mortality is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors associated with mortality in children with invasive pneumococcal disease. Clinical records for 245 children under 5 years of age with invasive disease due to S. pneumoniae were reviewed. Children were diagnosed between 1994 and 1996 in Colombia, during the study of S. pneumoniae capsular types conducted by the Pan American Health Organization's Regional System for Vaccines. Of the 245 patients whose charts were examined, 29 (11%) died. No significant differences in age, gender, underlying disease, nor antimicrobial treatment concordance were found. Variables associated with mortality in the univariate analysis were a diagnosis of meningitis; antimicrobial resistance to penicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMS), or erythromycin; multiresistance, and serotypes 6, 23F, 7F, 8, and 35B. In the logistic regression, serotypes 7F (OR = 7,13; P = 0,04) and 8 (OR = 13,8; P = 0,07), polipnea (OR = 2,74; P = 0,03), meningitis (OR = 5,02; P = 0,0001) and TMS resistance (OR = 2,62; P = 0,02) continued to be associated with mortality. In patients with pneumonia, serotype was the factor most consistently associated with mortality; in meningitis patients, it was antimicrobial resistance. Differences in mortality according to serotype must be taken into account in developing a vaccine if a substantial impact on pneumococcal disease morbidity and mortality is to be achieved.
BERKELEY – A family of pesticides used increasingly nationwide in place of more heavily restricted organophosphate pesticides has accumulated in many creek sediments to levels that are toxic to freshwater bottom dwellers, according to a new study. The pesticides, called pyrethroids (pie-REE-throids), have been considered safe for fish and other organisms that live in the water column, but no one has studied their effect on sediment-dwelling organisms, such as midge larvae or shrimp-like amphipods, said University of California, Berkeley, biologist Donald P. Weston, adjunct associate professor of integrative biology. These two organisms are used by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as indicators of the health of fresh water sediment. Weston and colleague Michael J. Lydy (LIE-dee) of Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale collected sediment samples from 42 rivers, creeks, sloughs and drainage ditches in California's Central Valley and exposed amphipods and midge larvae to the sediments for 10 days. Twenty-eight percent of the sediment samples (20 of 71) killed amphipods at an elevated rate, and in 68 percent of these sediments, the pyrethroids were at levels high enough to account for the deaths. Thus, while other pesticides may well have contributed to the amphipod deaths in some sediment samples, pyrethroids alone explain the toxicity in the vast majority of the sediment samples, Weston said. "About one-fifth of our Central Valley sediment samples are toxic to a standard testing species due to a class of pesticides no one has tested for before, for which there are little data on their toxicology when sediment-bound, and which are being promoted as an alternative to the increasingly restricted organophosphate insecticides," he said. The study by Weston, Lydy and post-doctoral researcher Jing You in the Department of Zoology at SIU appeared in the April 8 online version of the American Chemical Society's journal Environmental Science & Technology. and will be published later in hard copy. In the tests, the midge larvae died at higher rates when exposed to sediment from 13 percent of 39 collection sites, and 40 percent of these sediment samples contained enough pyrethroids to account for the deaths. Weston notes that these midges (Chironomus tentans) are known to be about three times less sensitive to pyrethroids than are the amphipods (Hyalella azteca), which explains the difference between the species results. "Since the levels are high enough to be toxic to the standard 'lab rat' species, the next question is: What's happening with the resident species?" Weston said. "The concern is that invertebrates, particularly crustaceans, could have reduced populations, and these organisms are an important food for a variety of bottom-feeding fish." Alternatively, the amphipods and midge larvae from areas of intensive agricultural or urban pesticide use may have adapted to live with normally toxic levels of the pesticide. Weston and his colleagues now are sampling these organisms from the rivers, creeks, sloughs and ditches to determine if they respond the same way as lab-raised organisms. Pyrethroids are a class of compounds represented by permethrin, first marketed in 1973, and various other chemicals usually ending in the suffix -thrin. Permethrin is found in home and garden pesticides ranging from RAID to flea killers and head lice creams, but permethrin and it's kin find broad use in agriculture, such as on cotton, fruit and nut orchards, and on lettuce and rice. California's Central Valley produces more than half the nation's fruits, vegetables and nuts. Though pyrethroids are used far less than organophosphates like diazinon and chlorpyrifos, their use in California has risen rapidly in recent years because of increased regulation of the spraying of organophosphates, due to health threats to farm workers and increased toxic runoff from fields. According to Weston, pyrethroid use in California increased 58 percent from 2001 to 2002, if account is taken of the increased potency of newer pyrethroids such as cypermethrin. Over a quarter of a million pounds of pyrethroids were spread on California farm fields in 2002, while about 500,000 pounds were used for structural and pest control and landscape maintenance. Despite this increased use, environmental monitoring still concentrates on organophosphates, he said. Monitoring also tends to focus on concentrations in the water column, under the assumption that sediment-bound chemicals like pyrethroids are unavailable. The current study shows that to be untrue. "It's amazing that, after 20 years of use, there is not one published study on pyrethroids in sediments in areas of intensive agriculture," Weston said. Part of the reason for a lack of data is that analytical methods to detect pyrethroids in sediment have not been broadly available or standardized. Lydy, an environmental toxicologist with SIU-Carbondale's Illinois Fisheries and Aquaculture Center, developed such a method. "Prior to our study, scientists in area water-monitoring programs were seeing that if they placed aquatic invertebrates in their sediment samples, the animals would die, but they didn't know why - they'd attribute it to organophosphates or organochlorines (two pesticide ingredients being phased out because of environmental concerns), or they'd put it down to 'unknown causes,'" Lydy said. "Where our study is unique is that we looked at the toxicity and tried to figure out what was actually causing it. We detected organochlorines, such as DDT and chlordane, in the sediments, but at concentrations not high enough to cause the toxicity we noted, whereas concentrations of pyrethroids were high enough to account for that toxicity." The samples, over 70 in all, were obtained from two major rivers - the San Joaquin and the Feather - and 19 creeks or sloughs, 17 irrigation ditches and two tailwater ponds in 10 Central Valley counties, including the ones with the greatest pyrethroid use: Fresno, Madera, Stanislaus and Sutter. Each sample was placed in a jar and left with 10 test organisms for 10 days, and the death rate compared with similar organisms raised with pristine sediment. The levels of pesticides in each sediment sample also were measured, and 75 percent contained pyrethroids. Weston, who focuses on freshwater and marine pollution and how it gets from sediments into creatures living on the bottom, noted that another chemical sometimes applied with pyrethroids may be making the situation worse. Piperonyl butoxide, or PBO, is a synergist that shuts down the enzymes that detoxify pyrethroids, making them last longer in an organism and increasing their killing potential. He and his colleagues are now trying to measure the level of pyrethroid that kills amphipods, which is around 3 parts per billion in sediments, and whether levels of PBO need to be considered in order to estimate the true toxicity of pyrethroid pesticides. "I don't want to give the impression that pyrethroids are destroying the streams, since that has not yet been shown, but if we are serious about maintaining stream health, we have to consider the sediments and not limit our sampling just to the water above," said Weston. "While pyrethroids may be preferable to the organophosphates that preceded them, our work shows that the environmental effects of pyrethroids can not be ignored and have had too little study for too long. We need to know more about pyrethroids, because if we don't, how can we regulate them?" Even if pyrethroids turn out to be little better than the pesticide compounds they replaced, Lydy doesn't expect them to go away any time soon. "Farmers don't have another class of compounds waiting in the wings," he said. "I'm realistic. You can't ban them without giving farmers another choice, so you have to find some way of making them work better under the conditions in which they're being used. 'Best management practices,' such as introducing buffer strips and wetlands, may reduce pesticide loads in aquatic systems, which would reduce the risk to non-target species." Cite This Page:
The old wives tale, “for every child the mother loses a tooth,” has some validity, according to New York University College of Dentistry’s Dr. Stefanie Russell. Russell’s paper, entitled “Exploring Pathways between Parity and Dental Health in U.S. Women,” is being presented at the 83rd General Session of the International Association for Dental Research (IDAR) in Baltimore, MD, March 8th and 10th. This is the first U.S. study conducted that shows a link between number of pregnancies and oral health problems. Dr. Russell’s study looked at 2,635 white and black non-Hispanic women aged 18-64 who reported at least one pregnancy. The data were selected from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a nationally representative study of the U.S. population. Dr. Russell found that childbirth is related to dental disease in American women. Although further study is needed to determine the specific reasons for the link, Dr. Russell offers these hypotheses: * While it has been shown that pregnancy raises the risk of gingivitis (gum disease), the gingivitis usually goes away after the birth of the child. But if a woman has repeated pregnancies and more frequent outbreaks of gingivitis, she may develop periodontal disease, which if left untreated can eventually cause tooth loss. * Many dentists are reluctant to treat pregnant women, and women who have to care for more children may have less time to visit the dentist. * Mothers with several children may be more likely to eat the “junk food” that their kids are eating. Dr. Russell’s findings suggest that women with several children need to be especially vigilant about their oral health. “We, as a society, need to be more aware of the challenges that women with several children may face in getting access to dental care,” Dr. Russell says. “That means offering these women the resources and support they need, which can be as simple as making sure a working mother gets time off from work to see the dentist.” Cite This Page:
For all of the promise embryonic stem cells hold for therapies for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease, they are notoriously difficult to use. One problem is in coaxing them into becoming brain cells that make dopamine, which is in short supply in the brains of individuals with Parkinson's. Such cells might be used for transplantation in these patients, but current methods involve extremely complex growth media and potentially contaminating animal products. Now, developmental biologist Lorraine Iacovitti, Ph.D., associate director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, and her co-workers have devised a quicker, simpler method. Dr. Iacovitti, who is also professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, and her co-workers devised a technique using only a few additives, "all chemically defined and of human origin" to get embryonic stem cells to become dopamine-producing in the laboratory dish in only three weeks, compared to the five-to-eight week period it usually takes. She reports her group's results November 13, 2005 at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, D.C. According to Dr. Iacovitti, researchers have been using blood serum, serum replacement products and cell conditioned media, all of which contain "undefined proprietary components and growth substances of animal origin." Such animal-derived substances can cause an immune reaction and result in the rejection of dopamine-producing cells transplanted into a patient's bdrain. "The goal is to get the best source of dopamine neurons and the simplest reagent and media in which to grow cells," she says. "Everyone should be trying to use human cells that have seen only human reagents." In the work, she and her co-workers used various cell markers to track changes in stem cell development, chronicling each of five steps to become a dopamine cell. They eventually were able to get the cells to form dopamine neurons, she says, but they could not harvest the cells from culture for transplantation. Dr. Iacovitti decided to stop the process and revert back to an earlier developmental stage. Shortening the differentiation process is important, she notes. The longer cells are grown and allowed to mature in culture before transplant, the less able they are to survive harvest for transplant. "We transplant cells at two weeks in stage four of development and not after three weeks and stage five for this reason," she says. "The brain can finish the process of differentiating cells into dopamine neurons. "We have been able to show we could generate a process in the tissue culture dish that is simple, rapid, and uses defined reagents, most of which are human products. We can make them into dopamine neurons in a dish, and they are mature." But because they used a pool of younger, stage four cells, which are not yet mature and still dividing, there could be a potential problem in overproduction of cells. "We're trying to figure out a way to identify these stage 4 prospective dopamine neurons," she says. "We have to go back and try to use stage 4 markers that predict which cells will be dopamine neurons and use them to purify cells before they are put into the animal. "That won't be easy, but this work gets us one step closer to it." Cite This Page:
Like the proverbial canary in the coal mine, penguins are sounding the alarm for potentially catastrophic changes in the world's oceans, and the culprit isn't only climate change, says a University of Washington conservation biologist. Oil pollution, depletion of fisheries and rampant coastline development that threatens breeding habitat for many penguin species, along with Earth's warming climate, are leading to rapid population declines among penguins, said Dee Boersma, a University of Washington biology professor and an authority on the flightless birds. "Penguins are among those species that show us that we are making fundamental changes to our world," she said. "The fate of all species is to go extinct, but there are some species that go extinct before their time and we are facing that possibility with some penguins." In a new paper published in the July-August edition of the journal BioScience, Boersma notes that there are 16 to 19 penguin species, and most penguins are at 43 geographical sites, virtually all in the Southern Hemisphere. But for most of these colonies, so little is known that even their population trends are a mystery. The result is that few people realized that many of them were experiencing sharp population declines. Boersma contends the birds actually serve as sentinels for radically changing environment. She advocates a broad international effort to check on the largest colonies of each penguin species regularly-- at least every five years -- to see how their populations are faring, what the greatest threats seem to be and what the changes mean for the health of the oceans. "We have to be able to understand the world that we live in and depend on," she said. "It is the responsibility of governments to gather the information that helps us understand and make it available, but if they can't do it then we need non-governmental organizations to step up." For 25 years, working with the Wildlife Conservation Society and UW colleagues, Boersma has studied the world's largest breeding colony of Magellanic penguins at Punta Tombo on the Atlantic coast of Argentina. That population probably peaked at about 400,000 pairs between the late 1960s and early 1980s, and today is just half that total. There are similar stories from other regions. African penguins decreased from 1.5 million pairs a century ago to just 63,000 pairs by 2005. The number of Galapagos Islands penguins, the only species with a range that extends into the Northern Hemisphere, has fallen to around 2,500 birds, about one-quarter what it was when Boersma first studied the population in the 1970s. The number of Adιlie and Chinstrap penguins living on the Antarctic Peninsula, the northernmost part of the continent, has declined by 50 percent since the mid-1970s. Other species in Africa, South America, Australia, New Zealand, the Falklands Islands and Antarctica also have suffered significant population declines, Boersma said. She recounts watching in 2006 as climate anomalies wreaked havoc on breeding of the same population of Emperor penguins that was featured in the popular 2005 film "March of the Penguins." The colony bred in the same location as in other years, where the ice is protected from the open sea and wind keeps snow from piling up and freezing the eggs. But in September, with the chicks just more than half-grown, the adults apparently sensed danger and uncharacteristically marched the colony more than 3 miles to different ice. The ice they chose remained intact the longest, but in late September a strong storm broke up the remaining ice and the penguin chicks were forced into the water. While the adults could survive, the chicks needed two more months of feather growth and buildup of insulating fat to be independent. The likely result of the climate anomaly, Boersma said, was a total colonywide breeding failure that year. Changing climate also appears to be key in the decline of Galapagos penguins, she said. As the atmosphere and ocean get warmer, El Niρo Southern Oscillation events, which affect weather patterns worldwide, seem to occur with greater frequency. During those times, ocean currents that carry the small fish that the penguins feed on are pushed farther away from the islands and the birds often starve or are left too weak to breed. These problems raise the question of whether humans are making it too difficult for other species to coexist, Boersma said. Penguins in places like Argentina, the Falklands and Africa run increasing risks of being fouled by oil, either from ocean drilling or because of petroleum discharge from passing ships. The birds' chances of getting oiled are also increasing because in many cases they have to forage much farther than before to find the prey on which they feed. "As the fish humans have traditionally eaten get more and more scarce, we are fishing down the food chain and now we are beginning to compete more directly with smaller organisms for the food they depend on," she said. As the world's population continues to explode and more and more people live in coastal areas, the negative effects are growing for both marine and shore-based habitats used by a variety of species. There is an urgent need to begin monitoring those negative impacts, Boersma said. "I don't think we can wait. In 1960 we had 3 billion people in the world. Now it's 6.7 billion and it's expected to be 8 billion by 2025," she said. "We've waited a very long time. It's clear that humans have changed the face of the Earth and we have changed the face of the oceans, but we just can't see it. We've already waited too long. "The Discovery Channel and public television are very popular for their nature programs, and those featuring penguins are especially popular. But we don't want to just have them in our television sets. We want to have them out in the world." The research was funded by the Wildlife Conservation Society and other foundations and donors. Cite This Page:
Statue of St Nicholas, France, 1601-1700 Wooden statue of St. Nicholas, France, 1601-1700. In this statue, at his feet, are three children in a tub. This relates to when he lodged with an inn keeper, during a time of famine, who had killed three children and salted them down for food. When made aware of this, Nicholas went to the tub containing the remains, prayed over it, and the children were restored to life. Known as the patron saint of children, St Nicholas is today associated with Christmas. - Currently on display in: - The Science and Art of Medicine - Year made : - Inventory number :
Active duty military personnel have specific protections that may impact child support under the Servicemembers Civil Relief ACT (SCRA). SCRA was passed by Congress to provide protection for individuals entering or called to active duty in the military service. Among other things, it is intended to postpone or suspend specific civil obligations to enable servicemembers to devote full attention to their military duty. Reservists and members of the National Guard also get the benefits of the SCRA while on active duty. The protection begins on the date the individual enters active duty and terminates within 90 to 180 days after the date of discharge from active duty. SCRA was designed to protect servicemembers who were called to active duty and incurred obligations prior to entry. If a servicemember incurred an obligation after entry into active duty, 50 U.S.C. Appendix 527 is not applicable to that obligation. Visit the link for specific information about SCRA. Amended Family Code Section 3651 now provides that when a member of the National Guard or a military reservist is a party to a child support order and is activated and deployed out-of-state, the service member may request an expedited modification to his/her child support order prior to his/her activation. Visit the link for forms and further information about the Review and Adjustment of Child Support Orders for Military and Service members Deployed Out-of-State. You may also visit the State of California Web site for more information on child support and the military information.
These are some of the most commonly asked sdlc interview questions along with answers. If you are unable to find an answer to any particular question related to sdlc, you can directly contact me to add it up this list. Updated: August 2013 - Interview Questions - 1. What are the Disadvantages of Prototype Model? - 2. What is the difference between an Iterative model and the Waterfall model? - 3. Explain spiral model? - 4. What are the advantages of Prototype Model? - 5. How many types of Prototype models are there? - 6. What are the different phases in SDLC? - 7. Explain the Difference between SDLC and STLC? - 8. What is SDLC.net? - 9. What are functional requirements? - 10. What are Non-functional requirements? - 11. What is Software Life Cycle? - 12. Is it mandatory to implement SDLC methods while developing any type of software project? - 13. Are SDLC and STLC two different aspects of software development process? - 14. Waterfall model is not suitable for? - 15. What are some possible problems with waterfall model? - 16. What is the difference between Incremental model and Spiral model? - 17. What is advanced sdlc waterfall methodology? - 18. Give some practical real life examples of Spiral Model - 19. Why is Agile so popular? - 20. Can I build a software project without sdlc models? - Download sdlc Interview Questions and Answers in PDF format These are just short and quick answers to your software development life cycle questions. Press the read more button to get the complete answer to the question. 1. What are the Disadvantages of Prototype Model? Ans. Implementing the prototype model for creating the software has its disadvantages. Since it is being built out of concept, most of the models presented in early stage are not complete. They lack flaws that the developer still needs to work on them again and again. The Integration cannot be very difficult for prototype models. Hence this often happens when the other programs are already stable. 2. What is the difference between an Iterative model and the Waterfall model? Ans. Waterfall Model is a flow based model, in which we pass every phase once, and can not go back to that phase again. Its most eminent drawback is that if there is any change in requirements, we cannot make any changes to the requirement section. Iterative Model is somewhat similar to waterfall model but herein we can always come back to previous phases, and make the changes accordingly. 3. Explain spiral model? Ans. Spiral model is one of the different models implemented under Software Development life cycle. It is very easy to understand by both the developer and customer and react to the risk at each elementary level.It uses reduction of the mechanism. It is divided into number of framework. 4. What are the advantages of Prototype Model? Ans. Creating software using the prototype model has its benefits. One of the key advantages prototype model software has is its time frame of the development period. Everyone works on the same module and at the same time, hence reducing work hours in creating the software. This work can be faster and more efficient if developers could collaborate more regarding the status of specific functions and thereby develop the necessary adjustments in timeline for the integration. 5. How many types of Prototype models are there? Ans. There are four types of Prototype Models: I. The Patch-Up Prototype II. Nonoperational Prototype III. First-of-a-Series Prototype IV. Selected Features Prototype 6. What are the different phases in SDLC? Ans. There are 5 phases in Software Development Life Cycle: 1. Requirement & analysis 7. Explain the Difference between SDLC and STLC? Ans. SDLC is a software development life Cycle model which is utilized for project management and involves processes from the feasibility Analysis to maintenance of the completed application. STLC is Software testing Life cycle and SDLC work closely together and are almost inseparable under some of the activities. However the stages are very different under sdlc and stlc. 8. What is SDLC.net? Ans. When a person is utilizes the Dot Net library or Framework to create an application application,the process is termed SDLC.Net. 9. What are functional requirements? Ans. Functional requirement is a document which contains what a certain system has to do to achieve a certain specific objective.This task is carried out during the preliminary stage of SDLC. 10. What are Non-functional requirements? Ans. Without Non-functional, a software will never function or will have vital missing information in its output. Response time, security, reliability, accuracy, capacity and availability are examples of Non functional requirement for a software development process. Non functional requirements decides how the Program or the software will function in future. 11. What is Software Life Cycle? Ans. Software life cycle comprise the total life of the software developed right from the time of initial development to the time it is scrapped out or terminated. This includes the development phases, revisions and upgrades and if necessary adding it up with another software project as well. 12. Is it mandatory to implement SDLC methods while developing any type of software project? Ans. This is a tricky question and must be tackled smartly. Yes you can sure implement SDLC approaches for every type of software you want to develop. But it is not a cost effective solution for smaller projects. For every kind of software development needs different approach and solution and must not be considered to be developed under mandatory SDLC guidelines. 13. Are SDLC and STLC two different aspects of software development process? Ans. No they are not different aspects of the development process. Rather they are closely related to each other and it is totally impossible for them to individually exist. If there is no software development process there cannot be a software testing phase and no software development process can be completed without testing the developed software. 14. Waterfall model is not suitable for? Ans. Some of the suitable situations for using a Waterfall model are - - The software Project is limited to the development of a mainframe-based/transaction-oriented batch system. - The Complete Project is very large, costly and too much complicated. - The project objectives and solutions are clear. - There is no time frame pressure for quick project deployment. - The Project has stable and definite requirement which need not change in the future. - The project group (including project leader) is not very experienced. 15. What are some possible problems with waterfall model? Ans. Some of the most common problems one might face while working with waterfall model are - - Waterfall model is not suitable for multiple module projects. - It does not support the feasibility of considering requirement specifications. - It requires too much time to complete each stage. - There can be a few bugs at the end which cannot be rectified as well. 16. What is the difference between Incremental model and Spiral model? Ans. There is not much difference between these two sdlc models. Sdlc spiral Model includes the iterative nature of the prototyping model and the linear nature of the waterfall model. This approach is ideal for developing software that is revealed in various versions. 17. What is advanced sdlc waterfall methodology? Ans. Any software development model that follows the basic linear flow of the waterfall model but has been modified to complete specific project types are called advanced sdlc methodology. Such models do not have name or either can be standardized to allow software developer to use them around other sdlc projects. Some sdlc interviewer however might claim Agile to be one of such models but it is not entirely true. 18. Give some practical real life examples of Spiral Model Ans. The most popular real life examples for sdlc Spiral model are Microsoft Windows operating System, Visual Studio Manager, Adobe Photoshop, WordPress CMS and many more. 19. Why is Agile so popular? Agile methodology is way too advanced and complex than the simple Waterfall model. The feasibility of agile to reshape the entire development structure to suit the most effective outcome is what makes Agile the number 1 choice of developers today. 20. Can I build a software project without sdlc models? Ans. Of course. There is no hard and fast requirements for a developer to implement any sdlc model for developing a software project. The ability to simplify project into modules and ascertain correct progression for completion is the only reason for which sdlc models and methodology was designed in the first place. You can sure work without them but the challenges will be more and there won’t be any specific process to organize your work as a whole.
Letter Grade or Pass/No Pass Option Description: This is an intermediate course and it is the third in the Vietnamese language sequence. In this interactive course, students use the language through speaking, listening, reading, and writing at the intermediate level. More complex language structures and vocabulary for communication are examined and explored as well as the literary and historical aspect of Vietnamese culture. This course can help you earn the following degree(s) or certificate(s):
The process of teething could be painful to both baby and parents. Drooling, chronic crying, irritability, loose bowel movements, irregular sleep patterns are symptoms of teething. The key is to soothe baby gums with a teething home remedy.Here are mentioned some handy tips which help in teething of baby without pain. Home Remedies for Baby Teething Borax and Honey Take borax (suhaga) roast it over tava and make a fine powder. Take pinch of powder, mix it with honey and massage gently on baby gums. It helps to soothe the baby aching gums. Pure Desi Ghee Take Warm pure desi ghee and massage baby’s forehead and temple gently. It helps in giving relief from problems arises out of teething such as fever, sleeplessness. Freeze a carrot for a while and give it to baby to chew. You can also give home made carrot juice. It will help not to have pain when teeth are coming out. Other frozen fruits like strawberry, grapes, apple can also be given to baby to chew. This is a kind of pearl in silver colour shaped like rice and hole in both sides to pore black thread .It is available in Hyderabad, also known as hyderabadi moti. Tie it on child’s neck; before the first teeth comes (when you feel baby gums are hard) and let it remain till molars come out. No or minimum irritation, pain occurs at the time of teething. Clove oil has warming and numbing properties. Clove oil can be rubbed on sore gums to relieve pain, but only use a tiny amount; too much can upset a baby stomach. Give baby teething rings, teething biscuits, and rusk to chew. Massage the gums of baby with clean finger or soft toothbrush. It circulates the blood up to the surface of gum and helps with teething. Allspice is a cooking spice found in the spice aisle of most grocery store. In order to make an allspice necklace, boil your allspice beads for about 5-10 minutes and drain. Thread the beads on to the thread. Tie on the baby’s neck but make sure it touches skin of baby. Allspice contains the ingredient tannin; it tightens up the gums so that teeth pop through quickly. Allspice necklace can stay on 24/7 with no harm to the child. It works only when it is in contact with baby skin; tie it on neck at the first sign of teething symptoms. Adam’s Almond Extract Rub the almond extract onto baby gums for comfort and pain relief. Adam’s almond extract contains a minor amount of alcohol, it numb the gums and gives relief in pain. At the time of teething, give baby plenty of foods with high level of calcium and Vitamin D. Calcarea phosphoric is basically a calcium powder that helps with teething process. It is 100% natural and no side effects. It is excellent for improving circulation, bones and teeth. You can give 2 tablets per day (one in morning and other in evening).
When a domain has been around, sometimes you find after a while that a number machine accounts may be found in Active Directory, but the machines no longer exist in the domain. This means your AD is not consistent, because of 'stale computer accounts'. Of course to maintain a clean forest, we need to get rid of these 'dead' computer accounts. Finding these accounts is the trick, and you need to be sure the accounts are not being used, otherwise you may end up with some cranky users! To do this we'll use what Windows provides us with, and to make sure no-one gets hurt in the process. The procedure to clean up the AD up can be done in a number of phases, and only the last phase is 'destructive', so don't worry! By the way; this works for 2003 domains and higher... This is our workflow: - Find the computer accounts - Confirm them to be correct - Disable them - Remove them The first step of course is the most fun, for this we use the little known commands; 'dsquery' and 'dsget'. These commands, together with 'dsmod', 'dsadd' and 'dsrm' form a set of very powerful commands you can use to modify Active Directory from the command prompt. For our purposes we use something like: dsquery computer -inactive 8 -limit 3000 This command returns all stale computer accounts from the Active Directory domain that have not been 'seen' by the domain controllers for a period of 8 weeks. By the way, if you would simply like to count them: dsquery computer -inactive 8 -limit 3000 \| find /c "-" This assumes each computername has a "-" dash in its name though, your machines might have another naming standard. note that we have added the 3000 limit to ensure we get all the accounts needed (we have less than 3000) otherwise you'll only get an answer of 100 accounts returned. This example show us all the inactive computer accounts, older than 8 weeks. If you would like to confirm this you can do the following: dsquery computer DC=domain,DC=com -stalepwd 56 -limit 1400 This shows us all the computer account that have not changed their password for over 56 days. The output should be quite similar. Now that we know what computers need to be removed, lets disable them, simply pipe the information to dsmod to modify their status: dsquery computer DC=domain,DC=com, -stalepwd 56 -limit 1400 \| dsmod computer -disabled yes to be disabled. If you have travelers in your company that may not visit the office for over two months you may want to use somewhat different numbers... We simply disabled the account, so we can always enable them again. Now just sit and wait for maybe a week or two, if no-one calls to report problems, you're OK ;-). Now we simply remove the disabled accounts: dsquery computer DC=domain,DC=com –disabled \| dsrm As you can see; this query simply reports all the disabled computer accounts in AD and pipes that information to the DSRM command, which deletes them. Take some time to find out more about these special dsget dsquery etc. commands and become an AD expert! You'll find that they can be really powerfull. Of course when using 2008 you may want to consifer looking into powershell and the get-aduser and get-adcomputer commands, which gives you even more flexibility. In addition you may want to check out Joe's OldCmp tool.
\|02 Dec 2011\|\|#1\| \| \|\| \| insert the media device and select the driver windows 7 My friend is trying to install windows 7 from a usb flash drive. It boots fine from usb fine and starts the setup however when she goes to install it asks "insert the media device and select the driver windows 7". Ive looked around the forums and google and found that this can be a usb 2.0 , 3.0 problem with people just switching to the 2.0 slot and it working. However this does not work for her and so I looked around more and found it might be needing the drivers for the USB ports had her insert the disc that came with the motherboard however non of the setups in the usb folder work and im not sure which specific file she needs to choose to get the driver to install or 100 % if that is even the issue. Any ideas? Intel® Desktop Board DZ68DB - Overview this is the board Forgot to mention this hard drive is from her older computer so its a new motherboard / cpu / ram. \|My System Specs\| \|Similar help and support threads for2: insert the media device and select the driver windows 7\| \|'Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media' error\|\|General Discussion\| \|reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in select bo\|\|General Discussion\| \|When left alone..."Reboot and select proper boot device or Insert..."\|\|BSOD Help and Support\| \|reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected\|\|Installation & Setup\| \|reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media in selected\|\|BSOD Help and Support\| \|Please select boot path or insert bootable media\|\|Hardware & Devices\| \|Repair install, insert installation media and driver\|\|Installation & Setup\| \|Our Sites \|\|Site Links \|\|About Us \|\|Find Us \| Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp. © Designer Media Ltd All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:13 PM.
Tuesday, October 14, 2003 It's been said before, but we're going to say it again: Rounding people up and arresting them based on their race or religion might not be the best way to respond to a crisis. For example, after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, people of Arab descent, especially Muslims, were incarcerated with little attention to their civil rights. Many were held without being charged, without bail, and without recourse to attorneys or even a phone call to their families. Brothers & Others is Nicolas Rossier's documentary, which follows several men whose lives got mighty unpleasant in the atmosphere of vengeful and often bigoted hatred that followed the events of Sept. 11. The film includes interviews with Noam Chomsky and James Zogby and begins at 7:15 and 9:15 tonight at the Red Vic Movie House, 1727 Haight (at Clayton), S.F. Admission is $3-6.50; call 668-3994 or visit www.redvicmoviehouse.com.
This website is available in: To change websites, find a country in the A - Z list then choose a language. To change websites, click on the map pins to find a country then choose a language. HomeAgriculture & FoodProject Life Cycle ServicesServices during Manufacturing of EquipmentServices Related to MaterialsMechanical Testing Mechanical testing is the first step in putting your design into practice. However, calculated values alone cannot give you an accurate picture of how materials and products will perform. That is why our mechanical testing services provide you with real data to ensure that your products meet specifications and comply with the required regulations and quality standards. We offer you world-leading mechanical testing laboratories and a proven track record in providing structural, physical and mechanical assessment of materials and products for clients across the globe. Our mechanical testing services can help you: We provide you with state-of-the-art laboratories, workshops, purpose-built test equipment and a highly trained team of experts. Plus, for your complete peace of mind, our laboratories perform according to local and international standards. Our services include mechanical testing for: Our testing methods also include non-destructive testing (NDT), such as impact echo testing and micro-vibration detection. These tests can be carried out across a wide range of materials, including cement, admixture, concrete, soil, aggregate, brick, tile, board and blacktop. Contact us now to find out how our mechanical testing services can help you gain accurate data to put your design into practice and meet the required quality standards.
In seven months, California's congressional districts and state Senate and Assembly districts will no longer be funky salamander-type shapes intended to ensure the reelection of incumbents. Instead they will be more natural boundaries intended to keep communities together under common elected representation. Or at least, that is the idea. Aug. 15 is the deadline by which the state's new redistricting commission must come up with entire new maps to delineate the boundaries of California's legislative districts. Voters gave the task to the 14-member commission though propositions 11 and 20. And, under those ballot measures, one of the commission's top priorities is keeping communities together in legislative districts. So, tasked with that challenge, civic and community leaders are hoping public participation in the complicated redistricting process doesn't stop at the ballot. They are encouraging the public, over the next seven months, to tell the commission what defines their communities. "If we want California's Democracy to be healthy, all our communities have to have fair opportunities to participate," added Rosalind Gold Senior of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). Redistricting must be done every 10 years following the U.S. Census to ensure that all legislative districts in the state and country have roughly equal populations. Typically redistricting is done by state lawmakers, who often heavily gerrymander the districts to guarantee their re-election. That process has sometimes resulted in cities and communities being split between two or more different districts - because keeping them together was less important than keeping incumbents in their seats. For example, Whittier is divided between the Congressional districts of Rep. Gary Miller, R-Brea and Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Cerritos. And while the entire San Gabriel Valley has a population of roughly 2 million - enough for approximately three Congressional districts, instead six members of Congress have pieces of it in their districts, usually along with other parts of Southern California. That means their interest in this region is shared with other areas. But now, instead of lawmakers, redistricting will be done by the commission, which must prioritize keeping "communities of interest" together. So what defines a community of interest? "They are communities with common interests, common concerns and common problems who want to stay together so they have the strongest voice to ensure their needs are served," said Chris Carson, redistricting program director for League of Women Voters of California, which has been a strong backer of redistricting reform. And it is communities who know themselves best. "It is extremely important that people express their views to the commission directly," said Tunua Thrash of the Greenlining Institute, which works to empower minority communities. Minority rights organizations are particularly concerned about the potential results of the process. In the past, redistricting has been used to dilute the power of minority voters, sometimes in violation of the Voting Rights Act, which makes it illegal to dilute the minority vote. In some cases, communities with a large number of people from a certain minority group are packed into one district, though by sheer numbers, that population could be enough to have a majority of votes in two districts. In other cases, minority communities are split between several districts to dilute their power, in a process known as cracking. For example, Los Angeles' Koreatown is divided between four Assembly districts. "When this happens, the elected leader doesn't feel obligated to listen to that community," said Deanna Kitamura, statewide redistricting manager for the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC). For example, when a severe hailstorm hit Watts, which is famously split between four Congressional districts, no Congressmember immediately offered federal help for cleanup. "It was not a concentrated piece of anyone's district to make it a priority," Thrash said. Thrash and other minority leaders hope the commission will end the practice of packing and cracking of minority groups. But one minority group's perfect map might mean cracking or packing to another minority group, acknowledged Gold. "Part of our responsibility is to figure out a way to navigate those tensions. When you have a state as diverse as California, how do you come up with a map that is fair to everyone?" she asked. Still Gold is confident NALEO, APALC and other minority organizations can produce a map that works for everyone. To do that, they say they and the redistricting commission need to hear from as much of the public as possible to fully understand how people define their communities. The commission is planning at least 50 meetings across the state in the coming months. None have been scheduled yet in the San Gabriel Valley. Other organizations are planning additional meetings, including one hosted by APALC Feb. 22 at Bruggermeyer Library in Monterey Park. Comments can also be made to the commission at wedrawthelines.ca.gov "This is really important. If you don't want to be packed together, or cracked apart, you have to be following this right now. You have to be paying attention," Carson added. 626-962-8811, ext. 2105
Dogs That Do The Doggie Paddle Some dogs just love the water and know their way around the wet stuff. These 15 dog breeds are those water-loving pooches! You might think that all dogs can swim, but that's just not the case. These 15 dog breeds are great swimmers, and love to get their feet — err — paws wet and do a little bit of the doggie paddle. Photo credit: My Brown Newfies & Me It may come as a surprise, but this big working dog is a strong swimmer with a sweet nature. Photo credit: Poodlepalooza The history of Standard Poodles reveals that they were retrievers and water dogs. Chesapeake Bay Retriever Photo credit: 2 Brown Dawgs This breed with a wavy coat was developed along the Chesapeake Bay and originally hunted waterfowl in rough conditions. Photo credit: No Dog About It Blog Another hunting dog, Irish Setters love the water. They were bred from a mix of other dogs, including the Irish Water Spaniel. Photo credit: statigram, @atemore A dog that loves to be active (and that need plenty of exercise), English Setters also love the water. Photo credit: Sugar the Golden Retriever When you think of dogs and water, the Golden Retriever almost always comes to mind. Their coats are even water-repellent. Irish Water Spaniel Photo credit: Russ Dodd, The Cooper Project This dog is known to be intelligent and strong, with a water-repellent double coat. It’s also the tallest spaniel breed. Portuguese Water Dog Photo credit: Foggy Daydreams Portuguese Water Dogs are able to swim all day, and are loyal workers and companions. President Obama and his family are fans of this breed. Up next: More dog breeds that are great swimmers >>
Alisoun, John's wife, Nicholas's lover, and a reputed local beauty, is the only character in "The Miller's Tale" who goes apparently unpunished at its conclusion. In her portrait at the beginning of the tale, the narrator is satirizing a medieval literary device called a blazon. This is a section of a romance or short poem in which the poet describes a woman's body by comparing parts of it with other objects. A typical blazon might compare a woman's eyes to the stars, her hair to golden flax. Alisoun's blazon compares the parts of her body to decidedly less glamorous things: her body is like a weasel's, her song like a barn-swallow's, her spirit like young colt's. What's up with all the animal comparisons? The best clue comes with the last one: she is a "piggesnye [tender chicken]/ for any lord to leggen in his bede" (160-161). This comparison links Alisoun's animal nature to sexuality – animals are unable to control their lust and so, we assume, is Alisoun. Another important aspect of this blazon is its description of Alisoun's "lendes," or loins, or the place where her shoelaces end high on her legs. By drawing the reader's attention to Alisoun's most sexual parts and describing her in animalistic language, the blazon makes Alisoun's sexuality her main character trait. "And sikerly," we learn, "she had a likerous eye" (136). Alisoun is a lustful young thing, says the narrator, and unlike her husband, whose behavior contradicts the narrator's description of him, Alisoun's only confirms it. She takes up with Nicholas after only the tiniest protest, even going so far as to subject her husband to trickery and humiliation in order to spend the night with Nicholas in their bed. At the same time, we are discouraged from judging Alisoun too harshly. She is consistently described as an animal about to be ravaged. Just as she's a piggesnye "fit" to be laid in a lord's bed, she's a colt ready to be tamed when Nicholas wants her and a mouse about be snatched by the cat Absolon. These metaphors have the effect of turning Alisoun into an object that's meant to be ravaged by the men around her, rather than a person who makes her own decisions about her sexuality. Alisoun's betrayal of her husband, these descriptions seem to be saying, is beyond her control: it's her nature, her fate. Alisoun's character borrows a lot from misogynistic stereotypes about women, which portrayed them as dangerously lustful liars and cheats. The interesting thing about her portrait, though, is the way it not only compares her to animals, but also to animals that are attacked by predators. Comparing women to animals was common (animalistic = lustful), but the way it's done here, it also subtly makes us think twice about who's a victim in this story. Do we blame the mouse for being eaten by the cat? We're not saying that Alisoun's character is exactly sympathetic or admirable, just pointing out the way the language used to describe her makes us think twice about the stereotype it relies upon.
The time is 1949. America has won the second World War and taken its place as a super power on the world stage. Optimism reigns as the first baby boomers are born and the atomic age arrives, heralding the modern movement in architecture. All over the world, historically based precedents of building styles begin to make way for the cleaner and sleeker lines of the "Modern Movement." All over the world, including Staten Island. On Potter Avenue, there is a diminutive circa 1949 residence that stands head and shoulders above others of its type. The Castleton Corners home owes much of its heredity to Frank Lloyd Wright and California-based, master architect Richard Neutra. Low-slung, with deep, overhanging eaves, simple lines with crisp details and a conscious effort to make the house and its landscape meld cohesively, it has all the traits that combine to make it a pure example of what we refer to today as Mid-Century architecture. The style is noted for its emphasis on ample windows, as well as its intention of opening up interior spaces by employing open floor plans. Many homes of the period utilized the then-groundbreaking innovation of post-and-beam construction, which eliminated bulky support walls. These were homes in which function was just as important as form and emphasis was placed on the needs of the average American family. PRODUCT OF ITS TIME The entire surrounding neighborhood is purely a product of its time. The land originally was part of the Governor Dongan estate. On a map dated 1907, there is an old house still standing, most of the streets have been layed out and the lots divided. Beginning in the late 1940s, homes began to appear, many built using the architectural lexicon of the day: the ubiquitous ranch. Brick was most often used, but many homes also were designed with stone and wood accents. One builder in particular was responsible for the construction of many of the homes in that area: O. Odegaard, who also built his own rambling home where Rice Avenue melds onto Royal Oak Road. Odegaard's home for many years was the headquarters for Staten Island's Visiting Nurse Association, but sadly, the sprawling brick-and-stone structure was demolished to make way for a much larger edifice. Architect Matthew Robert Leizer, born in New York City in 1910, designed both the gem at 62 Potter Avenue, and a two-story, mid-century home a few doors up the street, as well as some other homes on the Island. Matthew Leizer graduated from Curtis High School in 1927, then went on to study at the College of the City of New York, Columbia University, and New York University, as well as continuing his studies at other schools through 1935. A list of Leizer's apprenticeships includes three Staten Island firms, those of Maurice G. Usland, Olaf A. Madsen, and Michael S. Diamond, and then a stint at the NYC Department of Parks under Henry G. Jefferson. He was in private practice from 1938 to 1941. He joined the Army during the Second World War and returned to private practice on the Island from 1948 to1952. Leizer had limited success here, but after a move to California, where he was accepted as a member of that state's chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 1954, he became more successful. And why not? Think back to movies of the 1950s: The sprawling ranch home in the California Hills, or the beachfront contemporary dwelling seemed always to represent the California lifestyle, so Leizer's style of architectural design would most certainly have been in great demand. Though quite a small dwelling, the Leizer-designed home at 62 Potter Avenue utilizes its square footage to maximum effect. One enters into a living room that is light and airy. While the house has no dining room, it does sport a commodious, light-filled kitchen. Three bedrooms and one bathroom complete the residence. Built on a slab, this house was decades ahead of its time. All heating was installed in the concrete slab, an innovation we call radiant heating today. Leizer also positioned the home exactly due north and south, with the result that the many windows serve as passive heating devices. The sun's heat passes through the glass and collects in the home, warming the concrete-based floors. Though we would consider this home lacking by today's standards of the "more is more" school of design, it makes up for any apparent deficits with its simplicity of line and elegant connection to the years in which it was designed and built. The couple who call it home are only the second owners of this mid-century jewel, having bought it in 1952. They not only have maintained the house in its original condition, they have preserved a pure example of a very special period in American history. Unfortunately, the two-story, Leizer-designed home further up the street has been modified and no longer shows its important roots in a worldwide architectural movement that is enjoying renewed interest. Mid-century design is once again the rage in architecture as well as in interior design, but perhaps for reasons that are the complete antithesis of those that originally brought the style international acclaim. With oil prices in the stratosphere and worldwide economic uncertainty, we all might want to retreat to a happier time and downscale to a smaller home. That would explain why homes of this vintage have become so desirable and in demand of late. Take a drive up Potter Avenue for the sheer pleasure of seeing a home that remains untouched by the ravages of time, due to the loving care it has received for the last 57 years by a couple who appreciate the home they bought all those decades ago. Appreciated it enough to maintain it just as it was that day in 1952 when they first set eyes on a home that was quite ahead of its time and remains so today. Present, Past, Future appears on the last Friday of the month in Home. Marjorie Decker Johnson assists in researching the history of properties featured in Present, Past, Future, which is a project of the Preservation League of Staten Island.

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