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warc | 201704 | In response to: In Case of Emergency from the July 13, 2006 issue To the Editors:
Professor Cole’s review [“In Case of Emergency,”
NYR, July 13,] touches on many themes developed in our extended debate in the Yale Law Journal, but he introduces one large new issue here. Before the Next Attack argues for a framework statute that would grant the president emergency powers after major terrorist attacks, but only if Congress gives its ongoing consent. Every two months, the president would be required to return for congressional reauthorization, under terms that make approval increasingly difficult: although a simple majority of both Houses would suffice to initiate emergency powers, a supermajority of 60 percent would be required the next time around; 70 percent, the next time; and 80 percent for every subsequent two-month extension. Except for the worst terrorist onslaughts, this “supermajoritarian escalator” will terminate the use of emergency powers within a relatively short period.
Professor Cole says that my promise of early termination is chimerical because nothing would prevent Congress from repealing the framework statute during the emergency by a simple majority vote. But he ignores my argument to the contrary. The Constitution limits Congress’s power to authorize emergency detentions, without the standard protections of the Bill of Rights, to cases of “rebellion” or “invasion.” Although a major terrorist assault might well qualify initially, the Supreme Court has insisted that no single attack can amount to an ongoing “invasion.” Indeed, it refused to allow martial law to continue in Hawaii a mere eight months after Pearl Harbor, even though we were still fighting the Japanese elsewhere.
My supermajoritarian escalator builds on this constitutional foundation. The framework reflects a congressional recognition that that Constitution does not allow the unlimited use of emergency powers in response to a single attack. It provides a calibrated mechanism that encourages congressional termination, while leaving the ultimate decision to our elected politicians. If a simple majority of Congress tried to repeal the escalator in a moment of panic, this would alert the Supreme Court of the imperative need to order the immediate discharge of all detainees whom the government fails to prosecute under normal criminal procedures, as required by its earlier precedents.
As this scenario suggests, my proposed “emergency constitution” does not, as Professor Cole says, reflect a “distrust of courts that is fashionable in the legal academy.” To the contrary, it proposes a new partnership between Congress and the courts to rein in the excesses of presidential power.
Bruce Ackerman
Sterling Professor of Law
and Political Science
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut
David Cole replies:
Professor Ackerman’s letter unwittingly underscores the problem presented by his book—what he offers as a grand solution to a global constitutional crisis turns out to be a rather narrow and unrealistic proposal for a preventive detention statute. His letter takes issue with my contention that one weakness in this approach is that Congress could always amend the statute in a time of crisis, and therefore it would not truly restrain the legislature in a crisis. Ackerman replies that the statute he proposes would be a partial suspension of the writ of habeas corpus (it would deny persons locked up after terrorist attacks any recourse to a judge to test the grounds for their detention), and since the Constitution limits Congress’s power to suspend the writ to periods when suspension is necessary to respond to a “rebellion” or “invasion,” the congressional amendment I envision in a subsequent crisis might trigger a judicial ruling that the amended detention statute violates the Constitution’s Suspension Clause. That threat, Ackerman suggests, would restrain Congress from amending the law, even where a majority felt that the emergency continued but were thwarted by a 21 percent minority vote of one House of Congress.
There are three problems with this argument. First, if the statute Ackerman proposes is indeed a “suspension” of the writ of habeas corpus, then its constitutionality vis-à-vis the Suspension Clause turns simply on whether we are in a time of “rebellion” or “invasion,” a fact that is entirely unrelated to whether the statute contains the procedural innovation Ackerman calls a “supermajoritarian escalator.” Accordingly, a subsequent repeal of the escalator would not alter the law’s constitutionality.
Second, and more importantly, Ackerman never explains
why suspension of the writ—that is, removal of judicial review of the legality of the detention—is a good idea in the first place. American law contains several preventive detention statutes already—for detention of persons awaiting criminal trial or deportation, or for those whose mental diseases render them dangerous to others. None of these laws is considered to suspend the writ, because they permit those detained to seek judicial review of the legality of their detention. Ackerman never adequately explains why he advocates dispensing with this protection, except for a weakly defended distrust of the very courts his letter now claims he would rely upon.
Finally, and most fundamentally, Ackerman’s resort to the Suspension Clause to defend his emergency statute only emphasizes how limited his prescription truly is. What is most unsatisfying about Ackerman’s book is the lack of a clear and convincing connection between what it promises and what it delivers. Ackerman claims to have identified a deep defect in the world’s constitutions regarding emergency powers, but his solution is nothing more than a statute giving the executive temporary authority to lock up suspects without any judicially checked basis for suspicion. If the five years since September 11 have taught us anything, it is that the problem is much more complex, and that this particular solution would only exacerbate the problem, by encouraging the kinds of abusive roundups we saw in the immediate aftermath of that day’s terrorist attacks. As the Bush administration invokes Britain’s averted Heathrow airplane bombings as justification for expanded detention powers (and a convenient campaign issue) here, the dangers of Professor Ackerman’s “solution” have never been clearer. | 6,620 | 2,936 | 0.000354 |
warc | 201704 | Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and city labor officials announced a tentative agreement Tuesday to amend health benefits for more than 550,000 current and retired city employees, guaranteeing the city $400 million in savings over the next two fiscal years.
The agreement between the city and the Municipal Labor Committee, which represents about 100 civil service unions in health care policy negotiations, includes compromises by each side and marks the first time that some city employees will be required to make co-payments for emergency-room, inpatient and ambulatory treatment.
The concession by the union reflects the extent to which labor officials appear to embrace the impact the recession has had on projected city tax revenues. By agreeing to the benefit changes, officials said they had persuaded the city to forestall by several months layoffs that the city has said are necessary to balance the budget.
The agreement imposes the $50 to $100 co-payments for about one-fifth of current and retired city employees, and eliminates coverage for preventive dental care at certain offices. For most other city employees, the plan would restrict certain hospital, ambulatory and hemodialysis coverage to network providers and would implement several other administrative cost-saving measures.
The agreement, once signed, also stipulates the city’s intent this month to lay off about 1,000 provisional employees — those full-time, unionized workers who have not passed the civil service exam and have fewer job protections — and it delays by 90 days another set of layoffs that had been announced for more than 1,000 permanently assigned employees, city and union officials said.
The agreement frees $117 million from the Health Insurance Stabilization Fund — a fund the city pays into and administers jointly with labor unions — and allows it to flow into the welfare funds of the 100 or so civil service unions affected by the new health insurance restrictions.
The agreement still needs to be signed by city and labor officials before it can become effective. But once it does, it calls for the civil service unions to, in effect, guarantee $200 million in savings in the 2010 fiscal year, which begins July 1, and $200 million in 2011.
Tuesday’s announcement, if ratified, represents a victory for the Bloomberg administration in its quest to force unionized civil service employees, who have inexpensive health insurance, to pay for more of their benefits at a time when the city is scrambling to balance a budget devastated by job losses and the nationwide financial crisis.
Union leaders kept the new restrictions on their members’ health coverage limited mostly to co-payments and administrative savings, and they bought another 90 days to negotiate a way to save the 1,000 union jobs that would have been cut.
They refused to agree to what the mayor wanted: to create a less generous level of pension benefits that would pay less and require more years of service for future employees. Mr. Bloomberg has said implementing such a new tier would save New York an additional $200 million in the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years.
“This deal provides the city with the budgetary relief it needs with a minimum of disruption to our benefits,” Harry Nespoli, the committee chairman, said at the Lower Manhattan headquarters of District Council 37 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Both sides said they agreed to continue negotiating. If they cannot reach any further agreement, more than 900 city workers are scheduled to be laid off from the Administration for Children’s Services, 116 workers from the Department of Education, 55 from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and roughly 100 from other agencies, labor officials said Tuesday.Continue reading the main story | 3,875 | 1,792 | 0.000567 |
warc | 201704 | How many times have you looked at a picture of a forlorn or sick person in tattered clothing accompanying a news story or plea for aid funds, and wondered about the circumstances surrounding that particular shot? For me, these pictures often create a momentary feeling of intimacy—a privileged view into the most private details of someone’s life—that makes me wonder: What was this person doing a few moments before the photographer arrived? Or an hour later? Did the photographer exchange a few words with her subject, or just snap the shot on her way to somewhere else? A fledgling photography project from Duncan McNicholl, an aid worker with Engineers without Borders Canada working on water and sanitation in Malawi, probes the familiar conventions of poverty porn. In the project he’s calling “Perspectives on Poverty,” Duncan presents two photos of the same subject side by side, “to show how an image can be carefully constructed to present the same person in very different ways.”
From Duncan’s blog post:
Edward [pictured above] is quite successful, both as an area mechanic and through other business initiatives. He grows tobacco, works with a basket weaving business, collects rent from a shop he rents out in the market, and services over 60 water points in his area. Next year, he is thinking of investing in a truck to start a transportation business. He is a great example of how little a thatched roof says about someone’s livelihood.
Edward was pretty excited about the project, but he had a pretty hard time keeping a straight face for the photos of him trying to look "poor." He looked so ridiculous that I’ve included one of the photos in the set. The photos of Bauleni Banda [not pictured here] had the same kind of hilarity, with community members shouting out helpful hints on how to "look more poor." Neither had any trouble putting on their best and looking sharp.
Read his post for more context and check out other pictures here. Looking forward to more as the project progresses. | 2,074 | 1,115 | 0.000926 |
warc | 201704 | In August 2015, the National Commission
on Orthotic and Prosthetic
Education (NCOPE) announced
that its board approved limiting
its focus only to higher learning and
education accreditation activities at the
post-secondary level. For that reason,
NCOPE decided to no longer accredit
or approve orthotic fitter, therapeutic
shoe fitter, and mastectomy fitter
education courses since they fall
outside the scope of post-secondary
education. So what was behind this
decision, and where does this leave
certified fitters?
The O&P EDGE spoke
with NCOPE, the American Board for
Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics
and Pedorthics (ABC), the Board of
Certification/Accreditation (BOC),
the Pedorthic Footcare Association
(PFA), and the American Association
of Breast Care Professionals (AABCP)
to gather perspectives. Making the Decision
Understanding NCOPE’s decision requires a bit of background information: NCOPE cooperates with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), a post-secondary accrediting agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), a national organization that promotes academic quality of post-secondary education through accreditation. CAAHEP’s focus on post-secondary institutions, combined with its requirement that any CAAHEP-accredited education must be two semesters or longer, prompted NCOPE’s change to its involvement in fitter education.
“We were wanting to lend consistency
to all of our accreditation activities for
primary education…,” explains
Robin
Seabrook, NCOPE executive director.
“The fitter-level courses, which were
a week or less depending on the fitter
level, were outside this scope.”
“Our goal as an educational board
is to educate the future clinicians of
O&P at the highest level we possibly
can,” adds
Charles Kuffel, MSM, CPO,
FAAOP, chair of NCOPE’s 2016 board
of directors. “We back education. It’s
hard to say ‘We back master’s-level
education, but if you have eight hours
you can see patients as well.’ It just
doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
He explains that NCOPE board members and staff examined several factors prior to making this decision. They considered best practice issues revealed by reports prepared by Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, Vienna, Virginia, and commissioned by NCOPE. They considered the fitter schools’ responses, or lack thereof, to the federal government’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant program, which provides funds to educational and career training programs that can be completed in two years or less—only two fitter programs applied. NCOPE also saw that employment rates for newly certified fitters were low.
The decision, though, was not made in a vacuum. “We had an educational meeting…and we had educators from all the schools, we had ABC representatives, we had BOC representatives, and one of the topics at hand was the fitter-level education,” Kuffel says. However, “the icing on the cake was CAAHEP’s nonrecognition of programs that are less than two semesters.”
Fitter Education Continues
At first glance, NCOPE’s announcement seemed to signal a void for orthotic, therapeutic shoe, and mastectomy fitter education. Seabrook emphasizes that was not the case. “ABC has already announced they will assume the role under the continuing education side for fitter-level approval,” she says. “ABC accepted all NCOPE-approved programs as ABC [approved] and any new programs can now apply.” The NCOPE courses ABC accepted were granted ABC course approval through December 31, 2017.
“We were aware that they were considering
making that move,” confirms
Stephen Fletcher, CPO/L, director,
clinical resources for ABC. “ABC’s
leadership decided to create an immediate
solution so that those wishing
to be ABC-certified fitters still had an
avenue.”
All of ABC’s fitter credentials are accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies (NCCA), and based on those accreditation rules and standards, ABC will approve new fitter courses through its continuing education department, he says. “Our continuing education staff, especially our director of continuing education, Heather Harris, already has well-established relationships with all of the course providers, so it is a fairly smooth transition for us to implement that process within our continuing education activities.”
BOC’s certifications are also accredited
by the NCCA. Individuals seeking
new orthotic or mastectomy fitter
certification through BOC are not
affected by NCOPE’s decision because
BOC approves its own entry-level
courses.
Wendy Miller, BOCO/L,
CDME, BOC’s chief credentialing
officer, explains, “We have our own
process in which we approve the
courses, our own evaluation criteria,
and NCOPE was just not a part of
that.” She says BOC makes sure that its
approved entry-level coursework covers
the fitter scopes of practice so those
seeking BOC fitter credentialing can
provide the best care and take BOC’s
exams. “We have a scope of practice
that defines what an orthotic fitter can
do, the types of products that they
can provide for their patients, and the
courses submit their outline and they
must include information from that
scope of practice. That way we know
the candidates are getting the best
education toward their profession.” The History of Fitters
Orthotic fitters have been involved in patient care for several decades, and mastectomy fitters have provided patient care for many years, says Fletcher. Prior to the early 2000s, orthotic and mastectomy fitters were certificate holders, he explains. A person could take a course and the course provider would issue a certificate— much different from today’s requirements of earning certification.
“We are always looking for that
opportunity in the market to fill a need, and the fitter [certifications]
came about from us seeing that there
was a need for it and creating it,”
says
Carrie Green, BOC marketing
manager.
“We knew of professionals who were providing prefabricated, custom-fitted devices but they were not able to sit for the orthotist exam, hence we created the COF, orthotic fitter certification,” Miller adds. “Then we found that there were professionals out there that all they did was mastectomy fitting…. So it made sense to create a certification for mastectomy fitters.” The first COF exam was given in 1999; the scope of practice and education for a BOC-certified orthotic fitter also includes fitting therapeutic shoes, so a separate certification is unnecessary. BOC’s first mastectomy fitter (CMF) exam was in 2001.
“BOC believes strongly that professionals need to be certified in order to demonstrate their competency to deliver qualified patient care,” Miller emphasizes.
In 2002, the ABC board of directors unanimously voted to create its own orthotic and mastectomy fitter credentialing programs; people who fulfilled ABC’s requirements received registered fitter status (O&P technicians and assistants were also registered credentials through ABC at that time). Three years later, the ABC fitter credentialing program adopted the title “certified” for orthotic and mastectomy fitters (CFo and CFm, respectively, and CFom for those who are dually certified), with an examination requirement taking effect on January 1, 2006. The change from registered to certified was based on an assessment of what those terms meant and the perception of those terms to the profession, as well as on input ABC had received from its registered technicians, assistants, and fitters and their desire to obtain more recognition, Fletcher explains. “Because there is an educational requirement…, an experiential requirement (a certain number of experience hours that you have to meet), and an exam that has to be passed, ABC believes those three things represented certification rather than a registration.”
By 2006, ABC had also seen a need for certified therapeutic shoe fitters (CFts) so it created and added the program to its list of credentials. The driving force was the lack of standards for Medicare suppliers of non-custom diabetic footwear and inserts, Fletcher says. “Diabetic patients are a high-risk population, so the combination of no standards for providers of diabetic shoes to this group created a potential for harm to patients.”
The Future of Fitters
As of January, BOC reported having 2,100 orthotic and mastectomy fitter designations; the actual number of people holding these designations is lower as some might be dually certified. Miller says the number of fitters has been increasing over the years.
For the same period, ABC reported 2,699 certified fitters and 2,596 distinct individuals holding fitter credentials. Fletcher says that the numbers can be low at the beginning of the year because some ABC certificants may be late in renewing their certifications for the current year. Having said that, he admits the number of certified fitters—especially orthotic fitters— has decreased. He attributes this, in part, to a 2014 attempt by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to no longer recognize certified orthotic fitters as providers who can independently bill Medicare for custom fitting a prefabricated orthosis. The proposed rule was challenged by the O&P Alliance, which includes ABC, BOC, and other O&P organizations. The rule was finalized without that language, he says.
Fletcher believes the proposed rule had a chilling effect on the orthotic fitter profession. Individuals may be hesitant to seek that certification and practices may be concerned that in the future Medicare will not allow orthotic fitters to independently provide these services.
“There is a gray area right now…, but we continue to work with Medicare to get clarification on that,” Miller adds. “BOC believes, as we did when the fitter certifications were created, that it is better to have a certified professional providing patient care, and the fitters provide a valuable service to the Medicare beneficiary,” she says. “Fitters have the option of asking a practitioner considered to have the specialized training under the quality standards to supervise and/or sign off on their work.”
Fletcher says that CMS’ consideration of fitters is status quo. “We’ve been told by our contacts within CMS and Medicare that until they tell us something different, everything we’re doing right now with accrediting businesses staffed by certified orthotic fitters is fine…. Nothing has changed.”
Fletcher says there continues to be demand for therapeutic shoe fitters given the high incidence of diabetes in the United States. He also sees a continuing role for orthotic fitters in O&P practices; it’s a need that is driven by reimbursements and cost effectiveness. “If your practice provides a large percent of prefabricated orthotic devices... it makes economic sense to have a certified or licensed orthotic fitter do that work rather than have a certified or licensed orthotist do that work. The salary for the orthotic fitter is less than the orthotist, and the reimbursement is fixed no matter who provides the service. It is often not a highly complex clinical situation and is fairly straightforward. In those instances, an orthotic fitter is specifically educated, trained, and tested to provide those items and services.”
Kuffel concurs that the fitter versus clinician scenario Fletcher mentions is about dollars and sense. “It’s the lowest common denominator. If a patient comes in for a pair of shoes or therapeutic inserts why is a certified orthotist/prosthetist seeing that instead of a [therapeutic shoe or orthotic] fitter? That’s a bad allocation of talent at that point. So I think there is still an avenue for certified fitters in practice,” Kuffel says.
Rob Sobel, CPed, president of PFA,
questions whether therapeutic shoe
fitters belong in O&P rather than in
durable medical equipment (DME)
because, from his perspective, they
may often work for pharmacies and
DME companies. He says that therapeutic
shoe fitters comprise 4 to 5
percent of PFA’s membership.
While he is unsure about the future of therapeutic shoe fitters, Sobel does know it’s a tough way to make a living. “I know that the reimbursements on the therapeutic shoes for diabetics is not great.” He’s heard from many pedorthists who want to discontinue fitting and providing therapeutic shoes due to the low reimbursements, extensive paperwork, and audit nightmares they’ve encountered. “We would love to see [therapeutic shoe fitters] become pedorthists because at least that way it increases their scope of practice. To me, that’s their best shot at a future in O&P.”
AABCP sees a positive and growing
future for post-mastectomy services,
including a return to mastectomy care
by O&P practices, despite the difficult
reimbursement climate and suboptimal
reimbursement rate, says the organization’s
executive director
Rhonda
F. Turner, PhD, JD. “Mastectomy is
a hybrid of both medically necessary
services and retail products and has
been for several decades. While many
mastectomy fitters are struggling with
documentation requirements, they
have a firm and successful handle
on the retail component of medical
services. Additionally, there are state
and federal mandates that require
reimbursement of mastectomy products.”
She says, too, that with only a
handful of products and reimbursement
codes, knowledge and compliance
is manageable.
One of the issues AABCP addresses for mastectomy fitters is that of adequate education, she says. “The key component of mastectomy fitting is anatomical restoration; a return to symmetry,” Turner explains. “If not done properly, there are physiological consequences. The other component of mastectomy fitter that is overlooked is that these women and men are breast cancer survivors. Mastectomy fitters in every appointment are required to marry these two types of knowledge to properly fit a patient.”
Kuffel asserts that despite the fitter education changes within NCOPE the profession will continue. “We want to still have some level of certification, but it’s not the level of a certified CPO who spent three years on a master’s degree and two years in residencies,” he says. “I think there is absolutely a venue for fitter education, I just don’t know if it’s underneath the guise of orthotics and prosthetics.”
Laura Fonda Hochnadel can be reached at
. | 15,067 | 6,335 | 0.000166 |
warc | 201704 | Today, we live in the midst of countless communication choices. We’re all viscerally connected to our device(s) of choice – be it an iPhone, iPad, Droid or some other device.
Just so you know, when it comes to actually being in a transaction where you are buying or selling a house in Orange County today, you’ll want to know early on what’s the best way to stay in touch with your Realtor, lender, escrow officer, and home inspector.
These are the folks who’ll mean the most to you for the next four to six weeks of your life. So, here’s a heads up about five things you need to consider as you as you head into your next Orange County real estate transaction using all the communication tools available to us today.
1. Texting – The average age of the people really working in the business as a residential real estate agent – aka your Realtor – is something like 61 – now don’t quote me on this – I’m just going by the look of the agents in my office. Test the waters early on and see if your agent even knows how to text. Then realize that she is out most of her day showing houses to buyers and talking to sellers about how to get the most money for their house. We really do not stop and text in the middle of a home showing or a listing presentation to a potential client. And I can only speak for myself on this point, but I do not text and drive. And driving is a large part of my job. You get where I’m going with this, right? 2. Emailing – Email means detail to most Realtors. Most Realtors work tirelessly to get your transaction completed on time and within the parameters agreed upon in the contract you signed. An email from your Realtor probably means you need to provide some specific and detailed information, review and sign something, or be aware of a new development. Your detailed response will be the highlight of your Realtor’s day. I’m smiling just thinking about getting a detailed response to a client email. 3. Voicemail – Please realize that if you call your Realtor and leave a voice mail, it’s usually urgent and the more detailed you can be the better. She called you for a reason or you called her with a question. I’ve been actually brought to tears with only one bar on my cell service listening to a client’s voice mail and all I get is “It’s me returning your call. Call me when you get this.” Did you really not understand that I needed your specific answer to a specific question which I posed in the voice mail message I left you? 4. A live phone call – When your Realtor calls you, call her back. An actual phone call signifies that something really needs your attention or you need to have a real-time discussion about a complicated or emotionally-charged topic. No smiley face or LOL designation will suffice in this moment. 5. Meeting in person – Most of your live face-to-face interactions will be with your Realtor. The face of your entire buying or selling experience. Ask all of your questions. Present all of your problems and concerns. Listen to her expert advice. And rest assured she’ll text, email, and voicemail all the other people on your team to get the job done right.
Hey, I’m just trying to help you get a grip on your team and save you the frustration of unanswered messages. Text. Email. Or voicemail.
Leslie Sargent Eskildsen is an Orange County Realtor. She blogs about what she thinks Orange County homebuyers and sellers need to be successful in the real estate market. Find her blog at whatagentsfeartellingyou.com | 3,628 | 1,726 | 0.000604 |
warc | 201704 | You know, a well-done steak is also known as “overpriced beef jerky”; anything above medium-rare is just a travesty. Now, it’s true that you can avoid ruining a beautiful cut with an array of tools: experience as a cook, using fancy techniques like sous-vide cooking, or getting a meat thermometer. Bringing some innovation to the field of thermometers, Meater bills itself as “The World’s First Truly Wireless Meat Thermometer”, and has enough features to make its purchase palatable. Each thermometer connects to your smartphone and instantly transmits the internal temperature of the protein it’s inserted into. Simply tell the app what you’re cooking, and as soon as it’s reached its desired internal temperature, you’ll get a notification. Gone are the days where you have to stay by your food’s side, obsessing over whether it’s ready, freeing you to entertain your guests or prepare some other dish.
The electronics won’t overheat since they’re insulated by the surrounding meat, so you can safely use the probe in the oven or on a grill. The external probe even monitors the ambient temperature, perfect for smoking or long BBQ roasts where maintaining the external cooking temperature is extremely important.
It’ll cost you a $59 pledge for 1 Meater probe and its charger, or $148 for the Meater Block (which provides multi-storage for the probe, Wifi range extension, as well as a display) and two probes.
[ Project Page ] | 1,512 | 832 | 0.001269 |
warc | 201704 | London, Aug 21 (ANI): DNA could be the key to predict which species In Chernobyl are likely to be most severely damaged by radioactive contamination, according to scientists.
The secret to a species' vulnerability, they say, lies in its DNA.
The discovery could reveal which species are most likely to decline or even become extinct in response to other types of environmental stress.
Professor Tim Mousseau from the University of South Carolina, US, and Dr Anders Moller from the National Centre for Scientific Research in Paris, France, led the study.
The two scientists have been working in Chernobyl for more than a decade, gathering data about the populations of insects, birds and mammals in "zone of alienation" surrounding the desolate nuclear power station.
For this study, they used existing databases to examine in detail the DNA patterns of each of the species they had studied in Chernobyl.
With every generation of a species' lineage, the pattern of its DNA changes ever so slightly, as a result of the natural balance between mutations and the individual's ability to repair damaged DNA. This is how species evolve.
The rate of this change - as each piece of the DNA code is replaced by another - is called the substituion rate.
"This information is available in large database. So you can get the DNA sequences [of each species] and examine the changes that have occurred among a species over time," the BBC quoted Mousseau as explaining.
Migrating birds have been particularly badly affected by the contamination.
"What we have discovered is that when we look at the species in Chernobyl, we can predict, based on their substitution rates, which ones are most vulnerable to contaminants," he added.
Professor Mousseau said that the Chernobyl setting offered a "unique opportunity to look at a natural experiment in progress - [to see] what happens to species when they have this kind of environmental perturbation".
The results of this study could shed light on which species are most vulnerable to other kinds of environmental contamination.
Brightly coloured birds and birds that have a long distance migration were some of the organisms most likely to be affected by contaminants.
"One explanation may be that these species have, for whatever reason, less capable DNA repair mechanisms," said Professor Mousseau.
The study has been published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology. (ANI) | 2,434 | 1,217 | 0.000831 |
warc | 201704 | This is the moment again, but unfortunately labour is not starting yet. Everything is in place except for your labour that does not seem to come by, and everyone is waiting for your contractions to start. But, the good news is that there are natiral ways to induce labour if you are trying hard to get there but just can't.
You have been preparing and waiting for this for the last 40 weeks and your belly is protruding big. At any minute, the contractions can start. If that happens, well and good, but in case you feel like giving your baby a nudge. There are some ways in which you can induce labour safely.
You have to stimulate the suckling baby when trying to induce labour through nipple stimulation. That means you should place your hands over the areola and massage in a circular motion. The pressure should be gentle but firm. It is recommended that you stimulate the nipple in this way for 15 minutes on each, one after another. This needs to be continued for hours. It is known to cause strong contractions but complications in labour and childbirth (delivery) have never been reported due to it. It is found that 37 per cent women tried it and went into labour within 72 hours when compared to 6 per cent of those who had not.
Pulsatilla and Caulophyllum are the homeopathic medications commonly used for inducing labour. You need to contact a registered homeopathy practitioner to take the medications. Homeopathic remedies are known to be safe. Plenty of women have found that homeopathy is helpful, but it has not been researched yet in a systematic way. One trial into caulophyllum found there is no difference between the women who took it and those who didn't. But the method used in the trial was not thought to be reliable.
You can take raspberry leaf in the form of tablet or as tea to stimulate labour. Do not take it in the last 3 months of pregnancy as it has a stimulating effect on the uterus.
The pressure of baby’s head on the cervix stimulates the production of oxytocin in the body. The release of oxytocin in the body is associated with inducing labour. It is also understandable that keeping yourself upright would allow the gravity to work on the baby, making him move down towards the cervix. But do not overstrain yourself. A gentle stroll would be good enough to stimulate labour.
Mix 1 to 4 ounces of castor oil with juice to save yourself from the unpleasant flavour of juice. You can take the mixture and expect contractions to start within a few hours if you are in the 40th week. Take another dose after 12 hours if it does not bring about labour. Castor oil empties the bowels and thus, it is believed, such intestinal activity act as a trigger for contractions in the uterus.
Eating a pineapple can help as it contains an enzyme called bromelain which is helpful in bringing about labour. This enzyme has a softening effect on the cervix and this brings about labour.
Labour can be induced if the baby is overdue or if there is any sort of risk to you or your baby. You should always discuss its advantages and disadvantages with your doctor and midwife and hear what they have to say about it.
Read more articles on Pregnancy and Labor
Related Questions
Stimulating pressure points with maternity acupressure has been proven safe and effective as a means of inducing labor.read more
Knowing How to Induce Labour with Acupressure:It process leads to pain relief and comfortable advancement during pregnancy.read more | 3,479 | 1,657 | 0.000607 |
warc | 201704 | European Union Cuts Budget for 7 Years
A guest post written by DAR Wong
Currency Market Observations – 11 February 2013 Fundamental Outlook
The US economy is little changed while investors still monitor the USD value. Japanese Yen trades sideways in digestion after recent devaluation. European Union reaches agreement to cut budget spending for next 7 years in Brussels meeting. Both Bank of England (BOE) and European Central Bank (ECB) keep interest rates unchanged.
The US factory orders climbed 1.8 percent in December though below forecast, after it was revised at 0.3 percent drop in November. Consumer credit rose for a fifth straight month in same stated month with consumer borrowing gained USD14.6 billion after followed a revised USD15.9 billion advance in November.
Another report showed US wholesale inventories unexpectedly fell 0.1 percent in December for the first time in six months. Trade deficits shrank to record low with trade gap narrowed 20.7 percent to USD38.5 billion in December, the smallest since January 2010, after oil exports surged.
Japan posted current account deficit for December with shortfall at JPY264.1 billion (USD2.8 billion). Then Yen slowed down in devaluation last week after Finance Minister Taro Aso said the weakening pace could be too fast. On the other hand, Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Masaaki Shirakawa will step down on 19 March and the retirement might accelerate Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s campaign for aggressive easing.
European Union leaders agreed to a 7-year budget in spending cut for the first time. The proposed budget for period 2014 – 2020 was set at EUR960 billion (USD1.3 trillion), less than the EUR994 billion spent in the current budget cycle.
European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi expressed concerns of policymakers that strong Euro will hamper their efforts to pull the economy out of recession. Last Thursday, ECB kept its benchmark rate at a record low of 0.75 percent.
The UK Acadametrics and LSL Property Services Plc reported average price of a home in England and Wales increased 0.2 percent to GBP227,478 (USD357,300) in January. BOE remained its interest rate unchanged at 0.5 percent and its bond purchases will remain at GBP375 billion (USD$589 billion).
The NIESR foresees UK economy will expand 0.7 percent this year instead of the 1.1 percent forecast in November. The British Retail Consortium said retail sales rose 1.9 percent in January from a year earlier.
Technical Forecast
USD/JPY declined on Friday and settled at 92.64 for the weekend. Technically, we reckon the supports will lie at S1 – 92.00 and S2 – 90.30 levels if profit-taking persists in coming week. However, the possibility of surging higher is still potential while we keep our target at 95.00 areas.
EUR/USD has begun downfall after it broke below 1.3500 levels last week. This week, we expect the market to build up resistances at 1.3500 areas while continual plunge could drive to 1.3250 regions. Euro is facing liquidation as a sign to aid recovery in debt and exports in the 17-nation bloc.
GBP/USD may be trading in consolidation from now on with resistances emerging at 1.5850 – 1.5900 areas. The market is support at 1.3700 levels after it reversed up recently from 1.5630 regions. As we foresee the range for coming week may be constricted to 1.5700 – 1.5900 regions, abandon your long-view if the market sinks below 1.5700 again as danger of initiating new selling pressure.
This post is contributed by OPF Guest Blogger, DAR Wong.
Wong is the founder and Principal Consultant of PWForex.com and holds a professional
DISCLAIMER: This post is written for general information only. The author, publisher and/or any third party involved in the distribution of this work assume no legal responsibilities and shall have no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential losses, costs or expenses arising from the use of the information contained herein. Post a Comment
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warc | 201704 | The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recently issued an update to Notification No. 0709004, released last year, which outlined the dossier requirements for obtaining a foreign manufacturer certificate. According to the 2002 Pharmaceutical Affairs Law (PAL), any foreign medical device manufacturer must apply and be approved for a foreign manufacturer certificate before it can produce goods for sale in Japan.
The original PAL included a requirement for a doctor’s letter verifying that the foreign manufacturing plant manager did not have a mental disorder and did not use illegal drugs. The updated PAL now allows the plant manager to submit a “self-declaration†attesting to the above statements if it is impossible or difficult to get a doctor’s letter. However, the plant manager would also be required to explain why the doctor’s letter could not be obtained.
The dossier file for obtaining the foreign manufacturer certificate must also include information on the plant manager’s work experience and background, detailed descriptions of the goods to be exported to Japan and their manufacturing process, a list of all manufacturing equipment to be used, and any domestic licenses held in the manufacturer’s home country. Once granted, the foreign manufacturer certification is valid for five years. | 1,437 | 708 | 0.001523 |
warc | 201704 | Preservation of Nature and Culture: One and the Same
Cultural traditions and practices are alive and well in Palau, and form the basis for relationships between people and their environment. Traditional practices rely on the use of Palau’s unique natural resources. Customary events place high value on individual species, and Palau’s legends and stories weave a web of culture that connects people to nature. Conservation of natural resources thus leads to the preservation of culture.
Support PCS’s work to preserve culture through conservation of natural resources. Donate now! Protection of Species and Cultural Traditions
PCS conducts educational and awareness programs that highlight the role that Palau’s biodiversity and species play in cultural traditions. Learn more.
PCS is also working with communities to develop management plans for protected areas. Regulations in management plans often include allowances for customary use and traditional practices. Learn more.
PCS also works with state governments to develop land use plans, with an eye for long-term sustainable use of resources in a culturally appropriate way. Learn more. | 1,169 | 584 | 0.001753 |
warc | 201704 | “Does she have parents?” It was asked innocently, and not in a rude way, but it caught me off guard. In the two years since our daughter joined our family through adoption, we’ve heard some interesting comments, but most people remark on how much she looks like me. In fact, a total stranger once declared, “Well she is just a mini-you!”
I don’t always respond with a quick, “She’s adopted!” Sometimes, I just smile and nod. But if it seems a good opportunity to share the positive side of adoption (which we don’t hear enough of), I’ll speak to the fact that some families are just meant to be together, no matter how they were connected. And on days when our little girl is content to play with tools or sort nuts and bolts in my husband’s workshop, or when she’s sitting beside me and writing with my favorite pen, it is abundantly clear how well she fits with us (whether we look like her parents or not).
But some people are just at a loss for words, the right words, when it comes to the mysteries of adoption. Here are
6 of the worst things people say to adoptive parents:
1. “Adopted kids have a lot of problems.”
Yes, there are some struggles unique to children who have been adopted. Yes, many children who were raised by multiple people in foster homes, orphanages and other settings have suffered trauma and neglect on various levels that can cause long-term damage (damage which can be healed with a lot of hard work and love, by the way!). Yes, many will struggle with their identity as they go through life. Are those problems insurmountable? Some days it seems that way, but it’s certainly not a good enough reason to keep a child from having the chance to be part of a loving family.
I’d venture to say there are a good number of kids who were not adopted who struggle too…
2. “You can’t love an adopted child as much as a biological child.”
While I don’t have a biological child to compare it to, I will tell you that the love for my daughter is strong, deep, overwhelming, indescribable. I didn’t carry her for 9 months, nor did I have the privilege of caring for her until she was nearly 3 years old, but I know love goes beyond blood and family. I have dear friends that I love as sisters. I love my husband and consider him my family, though we’re not genetically related. The moment a child enters your life by any means, he or she becomes family — even if the love takes time to develop and flourish.
3. “How much did he/she cost?” or “Why is adoption so expensive?”
Possibly the worst question ever. The one I dread most. “None of your business” is what most of us want to say, but then we miss the opportunity to educate people, to hopefully discourage people in the future from asking this invasive question. Simply put: Adoption is complex, which makes it costly. Yes, there are some bureaucratic expenses that are ludicrous, but ultimately, the high cost corresponds with the necessary safeguards that ensure children/their birth families are not exploited.
4. “Was it because you couldn’t have your own?” This one is right up there with the questions/comments about cost. It’s such a charged and highly personal question about an extremely sensitive issue, and one that causes deep pain for families who have struggled with infertility and loss. My daughter is my own. I am raising her and caring for 24-7-365. Why we followed the adoption path may be for very different reasons than another adoptive family, but would we ever ask a pregnant woman why she got pregnant?!
5. “Aren’t you worried about his/her parent(s) changing their minds?” or “What if they find their birth parents?”
States and countries have different regulations pertaining to the relinquishment of parental rights, but most adoptions that are finalized stay that way, no matter who comes into the picture and when. Finding birth parents or relatives is always a possibility, and those connections can be extremely beneficial, and not necessarily a threat, to adoptive families.
6. “He/she is so lucky to have you.” or “You’re a saint for doing that.”
We hear this one often because our daughter has special needs, and we chose a special needs adoption voluntarily. Our typical response? “We’re blessed to have
her. She brings us so much joy.” As my husband would say to the people who would scratch their heads about our pursuit of special needs, “She would have those needs whether she was in our family or not.” Yes, adoption is hard, but adoptive parents don’t want a medal or special recognition for doing something that they felt was the right thing to do. | 4,835 | 2,306 | 0.00046 |
warc | 201704 | Previously I created a home preparedness list for the sorts of emergencies that might commonly arise in homes with pet birds. However, there are some emergencies that require even greater preparedness. A household fire could be a time of great panic. While you might not feel at risk for this type of emergency, it is always a possibility. You don’t want to be searching for pet carriers and towels should you ever have to get out of your home quickly in the event of a fire.If you live in an area that is prone to any major natural events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, or earthquakes, you definitely need to make special preparations to make sure you are prepared to care for your pets after such a disaster.
There are two general rules of thumb that are particularly important for people who live in areas where disasters can strike with little warning (earthquakes and tornadoes).
1. Never let yourself get down to your last bag of seed/pellets.
2. Never let yourself run low on bottled water.
After a natural disaster it can be extremely difficult to get supplies. You don’t want to realize you have no tap water and a bunch of birds looking up at you with thirsty looks on their faces. Obviously you can make do with other foods in the home. However, if you have a finicky eater, you don’t want to be caught with only foods your bird won’t touch. It is best to keep enough seed, pellets, favorite foods, and water on hand to last 5-7 days for all your birds.
If you live in an area where you might be asked to evacuate, you may not be able to bring your birds with you if you wait until the last minute. It is best in such a situation to be an “early bird” and evacuate at first warning. This way you can calmly pack up your pets and take them to a location where you know in advance you will be allowed to keep them. If you think every motel will allow your six conures, you are wrong. You need to do your research in advance so you know where to go in an evacuation. Public shelters will not allow pets in most cases.
In all these situations, it is important to have enough carriers for all your birds. If you have one carrier that is shared among your birds for vet visits or the like, you will not have an easy time evacuating. As most people know, you cannot put birds who do not know each other in such a small enclosed space. Fighting is bound to ensue.
If you have small birds, carriers can be bought for a very reasonable price. You can add your own perch, purchase feed cups that fit in nicely, and make sure it is outfitted properly for your bird.
For larger birds there are collapsible carriers that include perches and seed cups. These are easy to store and can be popped open in a matter of minutes.
If you have birds who panic when confronted with a carrier, be sure you keep a towel near the carrier so it is readily available should you need to put your bird into it quickly.
It is a good idea to have a portable evacuation kit on hand. This should include seeds, pellets, dried fruit and vegetables (without sulfites added), bottled water, and your bird’s favorite treats. Keep this near your regular emergency kit since you may need this as well should your bird panic and break a blood feather or injure itself. Also include special thermal (camping) blankets to provide warmth should you lose electricity.
WARNING: DO NOT EVER USE outdoor camping stoves or any sort of outdoor grill to supply heat in a home after the loss of electricity. These produce DEADLY carbon monoxide. They are burning fuel. They must be used only outside. Anything that burns produces fumes. This is why stoves and fireplaces have vents and chimneys.
Remember that in an emergency situation you will not be thinking clearly. You will be concerned about your safety, the safety of your family, and the safety of your pets. This is not the time to figure out where an extra bag of seed is to throw in the car. This is not the time to wonder how you will evacuate your six birds with two carriers.
Preparation is key to surviving natural disasters. | 4,098 | 1,912 | 0.000529 |
warc | 201704 | One rumor in pastoral land is that preaching does not foster Christian formation. Since Christian formation is vital, then as the rumor has it, the preacher is not. If by the rumor it means that preaching
in itself does not produce full-blown Christian formation, I would agree. Yet, preaching has had a trigger role in God’s ways of changing lives. Preaching is not the only way, but it is one way God changes lives. If God’s determined purpose is to transform a people into the likeness of the Son, then we agree that Christian formation, becoming more like Christ, is a high ecclesial aim. How does one pastor preaching to a congregation contribute to “Christ being formed” in people (cf. Galatians 4:19)? We have to be realistic in acknowledging that for many Christians their only sustained exposure to the Bible is listening to Sunday sermons. That’s as far as they go. Yet, many others do live in varied and meaningful spheres of community where, beyond the Sunday sermon, the Bible is engaged as a vital resource in the Christian formation process. How does weekly preaching contribute?
You have heard about the pastor who was feeling quite good about his Sunday sermon and as he was riding home in the car with his wife, he sighed contentedly, “There just aren’t many good preachers left anymore.” His wife looked over at him and said, “You’re right, and there’s one less than you think.” I’ve preached expositionally through most of the books of the Bible; I’ve preached on marriage (divorce and remarriage), finances, parenting, what happens after death, the ten commandments, the beatitudes, the Lord’s Table, and many other topics. I’ve written and performed dramatic monologues. I, at one point, jadedly considered myself a professional “sermon machine.” It’s a real shock to discover that sermon-making and sermon-delivering do not define pastoral work. It is a poisonous myth that pastoral work is primarily about a Book and communicating that Book well. Many who drink the poison are devastated later to learn that the large part of pastoral work is rubbing shoulders in the rough and tumble of life with ordinary, often obnoxious, people. If a pastor cannot tease out the scintillating glory hiding within a full-blown embrace of pastoral work, she or he needs to rethink the call.
The robust King Jesus Gospel shapes preaching. Call it RGP, i.e., robust Gospel preaching. RGP is a kind of preaching to which I am presently trying to adjust. I don’t think there is a course for it. This preaching does not tell people who they
ought to be and how they ought to live. RGP, like the Gospel itself, is a radical announcing of unmitigated truth. All oughts and how to’s in Christian formation are launched by the what is of Jesus-first resurrection power. There may be so much more to it, yet, at this time, I find myself emphasizing, no matter the biblical text, three pervading realities (not all three in each message necessarily): I keep reminding all of us who we are. Jesus was a master at this. Jesus’ own people, having allowed the prevailing Roman imperial culture and the Jewish religious factions to define them, were startled to the core by his own vision of them. With the arrival of and our entrance into the making-all-things-new power of the kingdom of God, we must repetitively remember who we are. Not who we ought to be, should be or can be. The pastor must feel this deep in her soul; he grasps it as true at the core of his being. All imperial/cultural, religious and, yes, demonic assaults are usually aimed at our deepest identity. Jesus did not announce to his rag-tag, marginalized followers that they “ought” to be the salt of the earth, or that they “should” be the light of the world. “You are!” he confidently declared. I keep reminding all of us where we live. The assimilate we must. There can be, at times, dark, nefarious forces compelling us to return to the “world” culture in which we also live. Have you ever really considered that people may un-choose the kingdom of God realm and return to their old ways? People can cross borders. I encourage you to read Scot McKnight’s latest ebook A Long Faithfulness. Paul boldly asserted to the Christians in Philippi, “…our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 4:20). Not that it ought to be or will be some day. It is now. I keep reminding all of us of reality. The kingdom of God is more real than the U.S.A. or any other nation or way of life. But it doesn’t seem real to all. We live in a realm hidden from and considered a waste of time by the powers that be. Pastors must passionately explore and be at home in this unseen reality, being familiar with its Lord, its ways and its future. Pastors live with Spirit-enlightened eyes and Spirit-sensitized ears. God’s kingdom, eternal and solid as a rock, will last when all other kingdoms lie mute in the dust before the kingdom of our God and of his Christ. We currently live in the “little as a mustard seed” epoch, but the “not yet” reality of the huge mustard tree is forming and will be startlingly revealed to the shock of the nations. Pastors must pin their hopes on it and call Christocentric people to do the same. What is seen is temporary; what is unseen (real) is eternal. | 5,437 | 2,581 | 0.000403 |
warc | 201704 | Picnicking
Facilities and Services | Pre-trip Checklist | Safety Tips | What You Need to Know
Picnicking at Winter Cove, Saturna Island © Parks Canada / Christian J. Stewart
Picnics are a fun and easy way to have an outdoor adventure with your entire family.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Sidney Spit – Pick up a gourmet lunch in town and cruise by passenger ferry to the warm sandy beaches.
Roesland, Pender Island – After a seaside snack, stop in the museum and stroll to the viewpoint on Roe Islet.
East Point, Saturna Island –Whales and seals like this spot for noshing too, so keep your eyes peeled.
Winter Cove, Saturna Island – Dine seaside and watch the water play tricks at Boat Passage.
Georgina Point, Mayne Island – Savour an old-fashioned picnic (cucumber sandwiches anyone?) at Georgina Point Lighthouse, which has overlooked Active Pass since 1885.
Facilities and Services
Most day use areas in the park offer picnic tables for your use. View a map that shows where all picnic tables are located in the park (PDF, 7.50 MB).
Learn more about walking trails (PDF, 1.62 MB) located near picnic areas.
Sidney Spit is a popular picnic and day use destination in the summer:
Find out about passenger ferry schedule and fares. Sidney Spit offers a group picnic shelter (advance reservations required) for up to 30 people. For more information or reservations, please call 1-877-944-1744. Potable water is provided at Sidney Spit; however, this water is high in sodium content and is not recommended for people with health conditions.
Check out our 2015 Hiking, Camping and Boating Guide (PDF, 4.19 MB) to learn more about park facilities including locations and operating dates.
Pre-trip Checklist
The equipment you bring on your day trip will depend on whether you are driving, hiking or paddling. Here are some suggestions to get you started:
Plenty of water – Potable water at car campgrounds only
Garbage bags – Garbage facilities at car campgrounds only
Warm clothes (wool and quick dry polypropylene are good for the climate)
Rain gear and a waterproof tarp
Towels and picnic blanket
First aid kit
Sun screen, sunglasses and hat
Camera
Picnic basket or snacks
Pocket knife and lightweight reusable dishes and cutlery
Make sure to check the Important Bulletins for closures and public safety alerts before you leave home.
Safety Tips
When visiting Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, you are in an area where rescue services and medical assistance may take time to reach you in case of an emergency. Ensure that you have the level of training and experience necessary to take responsibility for your safety.
Some safety tips include:
Keep a close eye on young children, particularly when picnicking around water, steep drops or cliffs.
Inspect your picnic area for potential tripping hazards and watch for loose tree branches overhead, especially after a wind storm.
Portable propane gas stoves and gas BBQs are allowed; fires are not.
Wasps and yellow jackets can be a problem if you leave food out in the open.
Handle food safely.
Obtain emergency contact information and learn more about Visitor Safety at Gulf Islands National Park.
What You Need to Know
Consumption of alcohol in public places (such as beaches and day use areas) is against the law in Canada.
Fires and briquettes are prohibited everywhere in the park, including beaches and below the high tide mark. Use camping cook stoves.
Maximum group size is 15 for all day use areas. Larger groups and anyone planning a formal event (picnic, reunion, wedding, etc) need to obtain a permit.
Respect closures for Special Preservation Areas when choosing your picnic spot. For example, park islets and Sidney Spit Lagoon.
CAUTION: The inner lagoon, hook spit and vegetated centre of Sidney Spit are particularly sensitive ecosystems and have been designated special preservation areas where many threatened species are protected. Access is prohibited.
Dogs must be on leash at all times and their droppings removed from the park.
Learn more about other National Park Regulations.
"Leave No Trace™" principles promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation and stewardship. Learn more about Leave no Trace™ in Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. | 4,330 | 2,162 | 0.000473 |
warc | 201704 | Regulatory Sponsored by
Personal Care Products Council spokeswoman Kathleen Dezio issued the following statement in response to the report released November 30 by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (SCS).
“While we applaud meaningful efforts to promote greater safety of personal care products and cosmetics, there is little if any substance to today’s report issued by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) [titled
Market Shift: The Story of the Compact for Safe Cosmetics and the Growth in Demand for Safe Cosmetics].
“First, the report is based on numerous false assumptions. Specifically, it implies that the health and safety of American consumers is at risk from personal care products and cosmetics and that products sold in Europe are safer than those sold in the U.S. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our industry has the best product safety record of any sector regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA); there is no substantiated health risk from the products our member companies market to consumers; we follow rigorous safety standards and by law cannot market unsafe products; there is very little difference between the vast majority of personal care products and cosmetics sold in the United States and those sold in Europe. Although the EU Cosmetics Directive does include a list of substances banned from use in cosmetics in Europe, the vast majority of ingredients on the list have never been used in cosmetics in the U.S. (for example, asbestos and jet aircraft fuel) or haven’t been used in many years.
“Second, the report ignores aggressive, comprehensive and effective industry safety initiatives. For more than a hundred years, our industry has been committed to making safe, quality products and improving existing safety standards because consumers deserve multiple layers of protection and transparency. In 2007 we established the Consumer Commitment Code. This effort reflects existing safety practices companies have followed for decades and adds new practices. A number of the elements of the Code go beyond the requirements of the law. They highlight the proactive and responsible approach to product safety supported by cosmetic companies.
“Our Consumer Commitment Code, which took effect in 2007, has been signed by companies that manufacture and/or sell more than 90% of the U.S. sales volume of cosmetics and personal care products. As a result, the Code has shown important, tangible results, including:
“As our industry continues to innovate and to enhance its safety practices, we are confident that it will continue to grow by providing consumers with a wide range of safe, quality products—something for which it is known throughout the world,” Dezio concluded. | 2,773 | 1,323 | 0.000771 |
warc | 201704 | How to select a CMMS/EAM I get a lot of e-mails from readers seeking suggestions on which CMMS/EAM package they should select. Since I really don't know their requirements, I have no problem responding with generalities.
I get a lot of e-mails from readers seeking suggestions on which CMMS/EAM package they should select. Since I really don't know their requirements, I have no problem responding with generalities. Besides, from a professional and legal standpoint, it doesn't pay to make a recommendation based on the contents of an e-mail. But all the questions that I have received confirm a belief I have acquired from years of experience: The CMMS/EAM selection process can generate a considerable amount of anxiety and uncertainty in people.
I don't think this observation is a surprise to anyone involved in the process. Whether selecting a single-user system or an enterprise-wide solution, acquiring a CMMS/EAM package is a major purchase for any maintenance department. Like any other major purchase, we fixate on making the right choice. The thought of selecting the "wrong" solution is untenable for many people. We must get the best bang for our bucks.
Consider the approaches
So what is the best way to go about selecting a CMMS/EAM? Since there is usually more than one path to the truth, let me identify the following approaches for your consideration.
Rate the functionality of a prequalified group of packages against the perceived needs of the maintenance department. Select the best-fit package within a predefined budget.
Search trade journals, visit vendor and trade association web sites, attend trade shows, review vendor client lists, and contact peers. Identify the vendor with the best reputation in your industry.
Ask your IT department to select the package based on its ability to provide support.
Select the vendor with the most sales and/or the largest installed base.
Select the vendor with the best advertisements or coolest web site.
Identify where vendors hold their user conferences. Select the vendor with the best record of selecting places that appeal to you.
Write the name of each vendor within your price range with more than five reference sites on pieces of paper. Drop the slips into a bowl, shake, and select the winner.
Undoubtedly, most readers will gravitate toward the first two approaches. They appear to be the most technically sound. I'm sure that most organizations that have undertaken a CMMS/EAM selection would point to #1 as their primary approach. They probably would also say that they incorporated #2 and #3 into the process. I'm sure that #4 plays a role in many selections despite the fact that few people will probably admit it. The safety of "nobody ever got fired for selecting..." is too strong to ignore for many maintenance departments.
We tend to treat the software selection process as a technical exercise where the vendor who accumulates the most points is the winner. Many maintenance organizations devote considerable time and effort to selecting what they feel is the right CMMS/EAM package for their operation. They form cross-functional teams that religiously dissect prospective offerings in their quest to find the best solution. But are their efforts always well spent?
Most CMMS/EAM packages can do a more than adequate job of supporting any maintenance department's information needs. Once you account for organization size, most prospective solutions are going to provide the same core functionality. There certainly is a best-fit solution for any maintenance department's information needs. But is it really that different from all the runners-up to warrant a major investment in the selection process?
If we think of the selection process only in terms of rating packages, perhaps we are better off employing a lower cost approach. It may not yield a "best fit," but after the implementation dust settles the results will probably be the same as the more expensive, structured selection approaches. To be truly successful, a CMMS/EAM selection must be more than a mechanical exercise of choosing a winner from a field of prospective candidates.
Define operational goals
Whether selecting a system for the first time or looking to replace an existing CMMS/EAM, a maintenance department should not start the selection process without clearly defined operational goals and objectives. It needs to invest the same energy into developing and refining these goals and objectives as it does to evaluating and rating software packages. This step should be an iterative endeavor where the needs and desired direction of the total operation are evaluated and analyzed.
The software selection process is an ideal time for a maintenance organization to evaluate the way it does business. Software is about automating processes and procedures. With few exceptions, we are looking to do things differently when we implement a CMMS/EAM. Consequently, every aspect of an operation should be open for review in the quest to find a better way of doing things. This quest needs to start at the beginning of the selection process.
It is very easy to get caught up in the quest for functionality during a selection. After all, functionality determines what a software package can and cannot do. Software selections must use functionality to rate the differences between competing packages. But it is a definite mistake to equate software functionality with change and operational improvement. It is only an instrument of change.
Most CMMS/EAM selections start out with some basic operational goals and objectives. From work request management to reliability, they seek to improve various aspects of the way business is done. But then they usually jump right into evaluating packages without any significant review of how their operations should really function. They don't take the time to reengineer their processes and procedures to achieve real operational improvements.
Design procedures and processes
Procedures and process designs can take place after a software package has been selected. During implementation, software functionality can be mapped against operational needs. Opportunities for improvement also can be identified and flushed out at implementation. But to relegate these activities solely to implementation is wrong.
If we are trying to find a best fit solution during selection, then exactly what are we trying to fit? We need to have a fairly good idea of what we want to accomplish before we make a final decision on a tool to make it happen. More importantly, if we wait until implementation to address the operational details, then our focus isn't where it should be. We are implicitly downgrading operational improvement to second place. We may never get the organizational support, time, or momentum to place it at the top where it belongs.
Why CMMS/EAM implementations fail
CMMS/EAM implementations fail for a variety of reasons. But most of the failures and subperformers that I have seen started going wrong during the selection process. They went through the exercises of evaluating software package functionality but came up woefully short after implementation. They failed to think through what they should be doing from operational and business perspectives. Technology was implemented for technology's sake.
It is a matter of emphasis and approach. To have a truly successful implementation, a maintenance department must be willing to take an indepth look at how it operates and where maintenance fits into the total operation. It must actively seek areas for improvement and the means to obtain these improvements. Software functionality is merely one of these means.
This quest for operational improvement needs to start at software selection. While the improvement process must be continuous, software selection is its critical incubation time. Because a maintenance department is seeking to automate processes and procedures when it selects a CMMS/EAM, it has an implicit charter to evaluate and redesign the way it does business. Software is supposed to be about finding a new, better way of doing things.
Process design and improvement are not an easy mission to undertake. It will significantly add to the effort invested in a software selection. It will require support and input from the entire organization. It may even require some outside resources. But it is the only approach that will allow your operation to meet its real goals and objectives.
Tom Singer is an information technology consultant who specializes in designing, developing, and implementing systems solutions that meet client operational needs. He has worked both as a developer and integrator of CMMS solutions. He is principal of Tompkins Associates. He can be contacted by phone at 630-472-1524 or by e-mail at tsinger@ tompkinsinc.com. Events & Awards Magazine Archives Oil & Gas Engineering Supplements Salary Survey Blogs Digital Reports Annual Salary Survey
Before the calendar turned, 2016 already had the makings of a pivotal year for manufacturing, and for the world.
There were the big events for the year, including the United States as Partner Country at Hannover Messe in April and the 2016 International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago in September. There's also the matter of the U.S. presidential elections in November, which promise to shape policy in manufacturing for years to come.
But the year started with global economic turmoil, as a slowdown in Chinese manufacturing triggered a worldwide stock hiccup that sent values plummeting. The continued plunge in world oil prices has resulted in a slowdown in exploration and, by extension, the manufacture of exploration equipment.
Read more: 2015 Salary Survey | 9,765 | 4,130 | 0.000243 |
warc | 201704 | Resurgence for SR Motors, Drives? Advances in controls and simulation software help switched reluctance (SR) motors-one of the oldest electric motor types-remain competitive. SR systems deliver efficient performance in a simple, rugged package without permanent magnets.
Sheer numbers of induction and brushless permanent magnet (PM) motors at work in industrial and commercial applications testify to their well-established manufacturing infrastructure and user acceptance. This has limited wide use of switched reluctance (SR) motors—a technology that offers a practical alternative for various demanding applications. SR motors have been around for a long time but the sophistication of controls needed to exploit their benefits has had a shorter history. SR motors have experienced waves of interest from time to time and perhaps a new resurgence is at hand.
SR technology promises an impressive set of benefits over its competition. Among these are high efficiency over a wide speed range (and partial loads), high-speed capability (>100 krpm, with the proper drive), easy cooling with heat source only in the stator, ruggedness for high-temperature or vibration environments, and relatively simple mechanical construction (see “SR motor anatomy” online).
Why consider SR?
Growing demand for energy efficiency is driving OEMs and end users to consider alternatives to induction motors, according to Emerson Motor Co. “These customers are increasingly looking to SR technology to provide a competitive and highly efficient alternative,” says Rob Boteler, director of marketing at Emerson Motor.
SR motors can’t run direct-on-line, thus require an associated power converter (drive) to complete an SR system. “As more applications become variable speed, the SR option, whose cost is competitive with an equivalent inverter-fed induction motor, becomes viable across a growing range of applications,” he states.
Compared to conventional variable-speed solutions, SR systems deliver high efficiency across the entire load range, Boteler continues. “Substantial energy savings result in applications where a significant part of the operation occurs at part load or above or below rated speed.”
Emerson Electric Co. has long recognized the importance of SR and, through its SR Drives division (formerly, SR Drives Ltd. of the U.K), has developed and applied this technology for more than 20 years, Boteler explains. “Emerson is meeting the current resurgence in demand for SR technology with a variety of platforms intended for industry, aimed at two speed regimes: super-synchronous applications [well above 3,600 rpm]—such as screw compressors, blowers, and high-speed pumps—and low-speed, high-torque areas (extruders, conveyors, and feeders), where SR has more traditionally been considered.”
Rocky Mountain Technologies (RMT)—a designer and manufacturer of SR motors and drives since 1994—notes significant industrial R&D expenditure and well-funded product development going into specific SR applications. “Unlike past developments that mainly focused on small units (fractional to low integral hp) we now see activity in the 100 kW to 1 MW range,” says George Holling, RMT’s technical director. “This big shift involving larger SR machines is real.” RMT is currently designing SR machines rated over 1 MW. Users’ motivation to look at SR as an alternative comes from concern about magnet material cost in PM synchronous motors and a desire to move away from induction motors for overall efficiency and system cost, he notes.
However, SR systems must focus on specific applications to successfully compete with the huge installed base of induction and brushless PM technology. “There is too much infrastructure to fight; recouping your investment from going into the general market is just a tremendous challenge,” states Holling. He mentions one new application in smaller wind turbines, where minimal drag and non-cogging performance of a 7.5 kW SR generator (with proper current control) becomes advantageous, enabling operation in low winds. Reportedly, the SR generator’s efficiency reaches 95.5%, or higher, at low speeds.
For severe duty
Swedish company Emotron AB, a long-standing provider of SR technology, notes little increase in demand from the industrial arena. Rather, Emotron sees SR’s role in OEM products for applications requiring higher volumes and robustness. “We find SR motors and drives hard to beat in more unique applications,” says Per Zellman, vice president of product marketing at Emotron. Mining machinery is a prime application along with other severe environments where extreme motor speeds are needed or acoustic noise of uncompensated SR motors is tolerable. “Motor noise is mitigated through damping and savvy electromechanical design, but it comes at increased product cost,” Zellman says.
Cool-running SR motors also allow temporary high-current operation for peak torque output for severe applications. Zellman mentions versatile motor geometry as another SR technology benefit—citing motor versions that range from long cylindrical units to pancake models.
While high-speed capability is more known, Zellman notes a very successful low-speed SR motor application. Emotron is the reputed market leader in Europe for rotary heat exchangers, for which SR technology provides a solution at 400 rpm nominal speed without the need for a gearbox. Lower speed operation also reduces noise, which is of concern in this application.
SR drive is key
SR drive (power converter) topology differs from that of conventional ac drives in the arrangement of power switch and fly-back diode circuits. For smaller drives, use of power modules is a cost-effective design route, but off-the-shelf modules are not available for SR as for other motor technologies. Custom modules or other more costly designs are often used. “Having low-cost power modules available for the drive would be a key step to make SR systems more competitive. “Drives in the 1-50 kW range are most affected,” says Holling. The situation is different for larger drives. “For really big drives we work with individual power devices, not modules, and device costs are similar to other drive types of similar size,” he says.
SR drives operate at switching frequencies typically 10 times lower than comparable ac drives because SR motors run efficiently without the need for sinusoidal voltage or current. Benefits derived include reduced motor harmonic losses, less electronics heating, lower RFI, and better system efficiency, according to Emerson. Holling at Rocky Mountain Technologies also points to this SR drive advantage, citing “very high efficiency obtained with SR drives that output non-sinusoidal waveforms.”
To obtain smooth rotation, stator coils are switched on/off in strict synchronism with rotor angular position (see diagram), meaning that the phase currents’ electrical frequency follows rotor speed, not vice versa, Boteler explains. SR drives require some type of rotor position feedback to precisely time switching among motor phases. This can come from a simple low-resolution encoder or by “sensorless” methods that estimate rotor position from phase current and voltage. Phase-switching becomes critical at high motor speeds because significant rotor motion occurs during current build up or decay time. “It’s necessary to compensate for this by advancing switching angles as speed increases—analogous to 'vacuum advance’ in an IC engine,” Boteler adds.
SR motor isn’t a stepper
Emerson calls SR motors “self-synchronous” machines intended to provide smooth, continuous rotation—“in contrast to superficially similar stepper motors.” (Some other sources seem to put both motors in the same category.) Emotron concurs that today’s SR motor is not a stepping motor since current is continuously monitored and controlled relative to rotor angular position. Emotron’s expertise includes sensorless control methods for SR motors. Zellman cites more than 20,000 SR system installed with its patented IntraSens solution to monitor rotor position.
With the SR drive’s optimal control of switching angles and current compensation, interrelated cogging and audible noise of an uncompensated SR motor can be minimized, enabling smooth rotation and best torque output. “Motor mechanical and electromagnetic construction must also be designed to reduce audible noise, which may be a big issue when competing in general-purpose applications,” Holling adds. “Combining the right motor geometry and proper controls will make a noticeably quieter motor. It’s a system issue.”
In addition, design tools are essential to solve non-linear current and torque relationships associated with SR motors. Holling cites SPEED software (developed at Univ. of Glasgow, U.K.--Scottish Power Electronics and Electric Drives is a consortium) as a valuable design tool for building SR motors at RMT. With large air gap motors (see below), RMT uses finite element analysis in conjunction with The Mathworks’ Matlab-Simulink for overall system optimization—for example, when designing motors for above 50,000 rpm.
Air gap economy
Rocky Mountain Technologies stresses that key to make economical SR motors is ability to design with large air gaps, which simplifies mechanical construction and assembly. “We routinely use 20 to 60 mil (0.5-1.5 mm) air gaps for integral hp motors and preferably 40-60 mil,” Holling states. “Small air gaps can lead to problems, such as bearing wear, torque imbalance, and acoustic noise.” This contrasts with many motors designed with tighter air gaps, typically in the 0.010-0.020 in. range.
Holling illustrates the point by comparing two gap sizes when the rotor often is subjected to high side forces. For a 10 mil air gap and
With a 40 mil air gap and the same
With numerous developments and initiatives in the pipeline—such as Emerson Motor Co.’s new SR platform introduction to the North American market (see “Product Exclusive” section on page 10) —switched reluctance systems are likely to see wider adoption ahead.
- SR motor anatomy: See inside switched reluctance motors ;
- Springtime for Switched Reluctance Motors? (Feb. 2003); - ' Forward to the Past' with SR Technology (Nov. 1999); and - Product Exclusive: Emerson switched reluctance motor system .
Events & Awards Magazine Archives Oil & Gas Engineering Supplements Salary Survey Blogs Digital Reports Annual Salary Survey
Before the calendar turned, 2016 already had the makings of a pivotal year for manufacturing, and for the world.
There were the big events for the year, including the United States as Partner Country at Hannover Messe in April and the 2016 International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago in September. There's also the matter of the U.S. presidential elections in November, which promise to shape policy in manufacturing for years to come.
But the year started with global economic turmoil, as a slowdown in Chinese manufacturing triggered a worldwide stock hiccup that sent values plummeting. The continued plunge in world oil prices has resulted in a slowdown in exploration and, by extension, the manufacture of exploration equipment.
Read more: 2015 Salary Survey | 11,572 | 5,192 | 0.000199 |
warc | 201704 | We use a combination of immunological techniques and soil physics to analyse the dynamics of spread of
Rhizoctonia solani through soil
The epidemiological challenges are:
to quantify the dynamics of colony behaviour in a porous medium; to identify how soil physical conditions affect the spread of saprotrophic and parasitic fungi and microbial antagonists; to visualise fungal spread on and through soil; to identify criteria to prevent invasion of harmful organisms and to promote the spread of beneficial organisms. | 523 | 312 | 0.003236 |
warc | 201704 | House clears farm bill
In either case, the bottom line is a net reduction from what CBO forecasts for farm programs under current law. And Lucas and Stabenow hope the new system will be seen as a more rational and need-based safety net for farmers.
Regional differences and the ever-present shadow of the World Trade Organization narrowed their options. The final deal falls back on the old regimen of paying on a farmer’s “base acres” — a function of past plantings, not what is real in any given crop year. And because the commodity title consumed so much of the bargaining, there was never a really meaningful discussion about even modest cuts from subsidies for crop insurance.Continue Reading
But the biggest distraction from the farm policy debate was a bitter partisan struggle in the House over the future of food stamps, formally titled the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
Lucas found himself frequently at odds with his own Republican leadership, and in the 2012 election years, the chairman was blocked from even bringing a farm bill to the House floor.
When he finally did last June in a new Congress, the bill was upended after a fight sparked by a far-reaching food stamp amendment promoted by Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.). That loss was followed by an unprecedented series of votes in which the nutrition title was first stripped out entirely in July from the farm bill and then passed in September as its own freestanding 109-page bill crafted by Cantor and promising $39 billion in savings.
Nothing so broad is envisioned now, and Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.), who had promoted the two-bill strategy last summer, didn’t hide his displeasure.
“The farm bill was written behind closed doors, it has stripped long-term reforms,” he said. “As a farmer and a conservative, I will not take a step backwards.”
But both Cantor and Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Fla.), a central figure in the SNAP debate, embraced the deal that would allow more experimentation by states in moving jobless beneficiaries back to work. And an estimated $200 million — generated from food stamp savings — would be devoted to as many as 10 pilot programs to test ideas also supported by Democrats to improve training opportunities for low-income individuals on the SNAP rolls.
The single largest reduction from food stamps is an effort to crack down on what many see as an abusive scheme employed by about 16 states that distribute token amounts of low-income fuel assistance to SNAP households to help them gain higher benefits.
As little as $1 per year in fuel aid can be used to claim a higher utility deduction and leverage far more in monthly food stamp benefits, especially in high-cost cities like New York. By insisting that the fuel aid be no less than $20, the bill hopes to discourage this practice enough to claim about $8.6 billion in 10-year savings, a portion of which is plowed back into employment and training programs.
Just as with Republicans, this SNAP compromise also split Democrats.
“I firmly believe it is a good compromise given how far apart we were when this conference began,” said Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), who leads the Congressional Black Caucus. But Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) argued that any farm bill that adds to hunger in America is ultimately a mistake.
“People are going to be hurt. The price of admission to support a farm bill should not be cuts from SNAP,” McGovern said, asking Democrats to remember their political heritage of standing up “for the little guy.”
But McGovern’s own heritage in the Massachusetts delegation is at odds with what many see as the manipulations of the so-called heat-and-eat scheme using low-income fuel assistance to leverage SNAP gains. Indeed, the fuel assistance program was born in the late ’70s with the help of prominent Massachusetts Democrats, sensitive to the high cost of heating oil for poor families. No one envisioned handing out $1 to leverage food stamps. | 4,068 | 2,070 | 0.000497 |
warc | 201704 | Country sports were praised by Labour MPs at a rural reception hosted by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Angling Trust at the Labour Party conference in Manchester.
Tom Harris MP, the Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister, said he was delighted to have been given a shotgun lesson by BASC recently. He said: "There is a tolerance of country sports and shooting, we cannot simply be tolerant, country sports add a huge amount to conservation and we as the Labour government should encourage field sports for all the benefits that they provide in terms of employment, income generated and conservation. I was delighted to be recently given a shotgun lesson by BASC and I hope to go out again soon and game shoot, it would be rewarding to be able to eat something I had actually shot myself." Diana Johnson MP, Shadow Crime and Security Minister and Shadow Front Bench spokesperson on firearms law, praised BASC's work. She said: "I’m very pleased to know that BASC are so involved with looking at current legislation and through this, lobbying to try and get policy changes in place for the benefit of the rural community and the promotion of safe gun use. They do extensive research and present facts rather than react and speculate – we’re all aware of some of the issues that the shooting community are faced with but they are lucky to have an organisation such as BASC to represent their issues and concerns in such a impartial manner." Huw Irranca-Davies MP, Shadow Food and Farming Minister, said the Labour party needed to recognise the importance of field and country sports and the impact they have. He said: "We need to recognise as a party the importance of field and country sports and the impact they have on a vast area of the country, we need to be engaging much more positively with organisations such as BASC and the Angling Trust and be less reticent about the impact they have. Both organisations have my admiration as they engage genuinely on a mainstream agenda. There is always going to be a certain discretion with meeting representatives from organisations but it widely recognised that both BASC and the Angling Trust are voices that should, and need to be heard by the Defra team so I encourage you to carry on your work with us." John Swift, BASC's chief executive, said: "It has been very much a voyage of discovery in conjunction with Labour MPs, twenty years ago there was not much connection between shooting sports and the Labour party and little would I have thought then that I would hear such positive comments by Labour MPs today. BASC hugely values the relationship between itself and the Angling Trust. BASC is about getting things right and as such we operate to high standards and best practice so that members become advocates for shooting." Martin Salter, from the Angling Trust, said: "As a former MP, I don’t want to see shooting and fishing driven to the margins, I want both sports to remain mainstream to politicians. Both sports encourage young people not to go down the route of drugs and crime and there are huge social benefits and huge economic benefits to come out of both shooting and fishing." | 3,230 | 1,506 | 0.000671 |
warc | 201704 | Once word gets out that you're home from the hospital with your new baby, you're likely to receive a barrage of well-meaning visitors who just can't wait to get their hands on the new addition. While all of that attention and enthusiasm from friends and family is fun, when combined with sleepless nights, it can also be downright exhausting.
Saying that I "learned this the hard way" would be a bit drastic, as more than anything, I felt very fortunate that so many people were waiting in the wings to share our excitement. That said, for baby number two, there are a few things I'd do differently. Here's some advice that I wish someone had shared with me to make those first few weeks at home just a little less chaotic.
Don't Be Afraid to Say No.I hated to turn away any visitors, even if I was in need of a break. But when there's a newborn in the picture, it turns out that it's OK to bend the rules of etiquette a bit. Even if someone is offering the generous gifts of time, company, or food, let them know how much you appreciate the gesture, but that you'd rather wait until a less busy day or week. Don't Be Afraid to Say Yes.My default response to offers of help of any sort is usually "we're fine," "just bring yourself," or something to that effect. In retrospect, I wish I'd been a little more honest when friends and family offered to run errands or cook for us. A stop by the drugstore or a pickup at the Chinese restaurant is an easy task for an adult on their own . . . not so much with a newborn. So don't be shy — let people know what you need. You can pay it back later! Let Experienced Parents Share Their Tricks.While trying to calm a fussy baby isn't necessarily the most fun part of the first few weeks of motherhood, for someone who hasn't had a newborn in the house in decades, it can be a welcome treat — really. When a childhood friend and her mom came to visit, my little guy got cranky. The friend's mom offered to take him for a bit. She got him to sleep, and I got to relax and visit, hands-free, for a bit.
Keep reading for more baby visitor tips.
Set Time Limits.This is one time when it's OK to (gently) let your visitors know it's time to leave. When the baby's sleeping, it means the parents can, too — but not if they're entertaining company. You can let friends know before they come over that an hour's a good amount of time for them to stay. Or you can just say, "I hate to do this, but I can barely form a coherent sentence. Can we make plans for another get-together in a few weeks?" That should get your point across. Don't Seem Too "Together."There were a few times when I found myself turning down friends' offers to bring over dinner and instead straightening up the house and cooking (or at least picking up food) for them. Totally unnecessary. I was so obsessed as coming across as a laid-back, cool, and composed new mom, that I forgot to relax, focus on my baby, and let others take care of the rest. Know That It Doesn't Last Forever.The visits and offers will slow down and eventually come to an end, so take advantage while you can! Be appreciative and remember who was there for you so that you can do something nice for them once you're back into a bit more of a normal routine. | 3,266 | 1,686 | 0.000599 |
warc | 201704 | AUGUSTA – Gov. Paul LePage has said that he doesn’t plan to participate in a federally funded plan to expand health care coverage for low-income Mainers. But the issue likely isn’t settled for Democratic leaders in the Legislature, who are working to persuade LePage to join Republican governors who have abandoned their resistance to the Affordable Care Act and agreed to participate in the law’s Medicaid expansion.
The expansion would make 55,000 more people eligible for MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Health Foundation.
Those people would be “able-bodied” parents, and adults who have no children and earn up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level — just over $20,500 a year for a two-person household.
The federal government would pay 100 percent of the state’s costs for the expansion from 2014 to 2016. In subsequent years, reimbursements would gradually decline to 90 percent of the state’s costs.
From 2014 to 2016, the federal payout to states is projected at $1 trillion, assuming that every state participates.
Democratic leaders were reluctant to exert public pressure on LePage, but that is expected to change over the next few weeks as Democrats continue to roll out their public relations campaign.
On Monday, House Speaker Mark Eves, D-North Berwick, said in a prepared statement that Medicaid expansion is the “right thing to do morally, practically and economically.”
Democratic-aligned groups have already increased public advocacy efforts, effectively laying the groundwork for a policy debate that could affect other hot-button issues before state lawmakers.
One issue could be the governor’s plan to pay Maine’s 39 hospitals $484 million in Medicaid reimbursements, $184 million of which is directly owed by the state. The payback plan is a separate issue from Medicaid expansion, but it involves Maine’s hospitals, which figure prominently in the expansion debate.
Eves addressed Maine’s debt to hospitals in his statement, saying Medicaid expansion should be tied to “comprehensive system-wide reform that includes reducing our debt to hospitals, cost controls in our hospitals, and transparency in medical billing.”
Eves also hinted that “unnecessary and exorbitant” costs should be addressed.
States, particularly those with Republican governors, have wavered on Medicaid expansion, which has been highly political with Republicans under pressure to avoid implementing any provisions of the Affordable Care Act that aren’t mandatory.
Several high-profile Republican governors have broken ranks, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
Florida and New Jersey increased to 28 the number of states that have agreed to or are leaning toward Medicaid expansion, according to the Advisory Board Co., a national health organization. Sixteen states, including Maine, have rejected expansion or are leaning in that direction. Six states are undecided.
The Maine Hospital Association has repeatedly expressed ambivalence over Medicaid expansion. On Monday, Maine Equal Justice Partners, a progressive advocacy group for low-income residents, tackled a key point that supporters of expansion hope will sway the hospital association.
The group argued that Maine’s previous experience increasing Medicaid coverage reduced its number of uninsured residents, from 10.6 percent of the population in 2001 to 9.7 percent in 2012. The group said the decline would have been steeper if not for the poor economy and lawmakers’ decisions to freeze Medicaid enrollment.
A former senior policy analyst for Maine Equal Justice Partners, Ana Hicks, is now chief of staff for Eves, the House speaker.
Maine has the sixth-lowest rate of uninsured residents in the country, according to the Kaiser Foundation.
Touting the decline is aimed at enticing support from hospitals. In other states, hospitals have become critical in convincing governors to adopt Medicaid expansion.
Advocates of expansion say it would reduce the number of uninsured Mainers and the amount of uncompensated care that hospitals must provide.
A recent report by the Portland Press Herald showed that cost of uncompensated care by Maine hospitals more than doubled over the last five years, from $94 million to $194 million. The number is even higher when combined with hospitals’ other uncollected debts.
Monday’s briefing by Maine Equal Justice Partners was a rebuttal to Mary Mayhew, LePage’s health and human services commissioner, who last month appeared via video conference to urge Florida lawmakers to reject Medicaid expansion.
Mayhew told them that Maine’s decision a decade ago to increase Medicaid eligibility did not live up to expectations. She said it didn’t significantly reduce the number of uninsured or the amount of free care that hospitals provide to people who can’t afford health insurance.
Mayhew also said that Maine would not expand Medicaid “at this time” because it could not be assured that the federal government would deliver on its funding promises.
Mayhew, a former lobbyist for the Maine Hospital Association, also linked the state’s past Medicaid expansion to the delayed Medicaid reimbursement payments to its hospitals.
Mayhew’s testimony didn’t convince Scott, Florida’s governor.
Scott, who campaigned against “Obamacare” en route to his election in 2010, announced shortly after the testimony that he planned to participate in the federal Medicaid expansion program.
Mayhew was expected to reiterate her arguments last week before the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee, but the appearance was canceled because of weather.
That committee will hear from the lead lobbyist for the Maine Medical Association on Tuesday. The group represents the state’s doctors.
This story has been corrected to note the date that the Maine Medical Association will appear before lawmakers. Steve Mistler can be contacted at 620-7016 or at: On Twitter: @stevemistler | 6,227 | 2,741 | 0.000379 |
warc | 201704 | Buzz around logistics
In this annual issue, CARGOTALK gets you a sneak peek into the year gone by. The month of June began on an ambitious note with Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelling to Bangladesh to sign the historic coastal agreement. The pact will facilitate the use of Indian and Bangladesh ports as transhipment hubs and enable direct regular movement of ships containing cargo between the two countries.
With a focus on developing waterways, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has asked states to collaborate with the Centre to pave the way for inland waterways corporations.
The government’s serious focus on port-led development has also prompted the first state-level consultation meet on the Sagarmala Project at the Gujarat Maritime Board and a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed to enhance knowledge and share expertise regarding port development.
The stalwarts from logistics industry expressed confidence based on the performance clocked in the last financial year (2014-2015). The logistics sector steered out of its bad phase which had been plaguing it for a while. The industry leaders hoped for an uptick in almost all the verticals and are positive about a turnaround.
On the aviation front, Mangalore International Airport is the first to get a dedicated domestic air cargo terminal with private participation.
The Railways sector offered sharp discounts to consumers opting to move freight in empty flow directions. The low tariffs to be announced will enable it to grab a share of traffic from the road sector. | 1,558 | 867 | 0.001163 |
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Parcel mule scam exposure by the 3rd man
The 3rd Man : 27 October, 2008 (Technical Article) With the help of the 3rd man, ITV's Tonight programme investigates the growing fraud of parcel mules A new and emerging fraud scam has been exposed on ITV1's Tonight programme which confronts the true face of criminals involved in deception and theft through human 'mules'. With the support of experts at card fraud protection specialist, the 3rd Man, the programme reveals how fraudsters prey on innocent victims to defraud retailers of goods.
'Money mules', the term used for people who unwittingly become duped into helping transfer illegal money, now has a less sophisticated but equally problematic spin-off: the 'parcel mule'. Instead of transferring money, innocent and vulnerable people are now being duped into handling goods obtained fraudulently, forwarding items on to criminals in other countries.
For criminals using parcel mules there is far less risk of being caught by using someone else to handle goods that have been obtained illegally using fraudulent credit cards. Mules are often recruited through fake 'job' advertisements as well as through other methods such as spoof websites and even dating sites, as highlighted in the programme.
Last month (September 2008), APACS, the UK payments association, revealed the extent of the problem in the UK as data showed 873 detected fake 'job' adverts for money mules in the first half of 2008, up 345 per cent over the last three years, and 33 per cent on last year.
However, despite the increase in attempted fraud, the fact remains that it is still safe for consumers to buy online. This is due to the diligent attitude of retailers who see card fraud as a threat to their businesses.
"With the financial climate as it is, retailers face an uncertain sales period during the run up to Christmas; the last thing they need is yet another scam that rips off more of their revenue through deception," says Andrew Goodwill, fraud expert with the 3rd Man. "Criminals may think they are invisible, but actually UK retailers have become far more savvy to techniques such as 'parcel mules' and are using shared data schemes more extensively to prevent theft.
"This is how we detected the most recent type of mule scam that will be shown in this TV programme. Although fraudsters will do their best to target UK retailers during the run up to Christmas, the fact that retailers are increasingly sharing data about criminal activity has made it even more difficult for thieves to succeed.
"This programme will also go some way to warning vulnerable individuals, particularly people using dating websites, that they should be wary of deceitful and unscrupulous individuals posing as their friends."
So far this year, the 3rd Man's Supersearch shared database detected and prevented £83,117,390.52 fraud. This figure is expected to increase significantly during the lead up to Christmas.
Shared databases contain clearly fraudulent and highly suspicious data, including listings of bad or questionable details such as email addresses, delivery addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses and card numbers.
Shared databases are not restricted to retailers as banks can also integrate their systems with services such as SuperSearch. "When fraud is detected a data feed is sent to the respective bank informing them that their cardholder has had details compromised," explains Paul Simms, CEO of the 3rd Man Group. "They can then act to re-issue the account number and possibly block the card. In the same way the banking community succeeded with Chip and PIN, this is another major way to protect retailers from card not present fraud."
ITV1's Tonight programme is on Monday 27th October at 8pm | 3,829 | 1,878 | 0.000537 |
warc | 201704 | Your dissertation will be one of the most challenging papers that you will have to write. It is designed to add knowledge to the pool of information available in your field of study. Most PhD degrees require that you write a dissertation as part of the degree program.
The American Psychological Association (APA) developed a formatting style for dissertation writing. It gives students a guide to follow so that all of the papers are similar. There are specific criteria to follow when writing a paper in this format. You can lose points or even have your dissertation rejected if you fail to follow the guidelines set forth by the APA. There are a few ways to ensure that your paper follows these guidelines. It will help you complete an APA dissertation without much struggle.
One of the most effective and easiest ways of completing a dissertation is by using a template. It will set up your paper in the proper format so all you will have to do is enter the information. It is an effective way to take a lot of the stress of having the paper formatted correctly out of the way. It will have the margins and titles in place. You will only have to concentrate on the actual content. When choosing a template to use, make sure that you choose one that is formatted for the proper edition of the APA format that is required.
The paper should use a letter size sheet of paper with one inch margins on all sides. It will be typed double spaced in Times New Roman font size 12. Proper grammar and spelling has to be used. The actual set up of the paper is very specific. A title page needs to be used for both the abstract and the actual document. It will include the title, the school name, the author’s name, accreditations, and the date. There is also a statement that acknowledges that the paper is part of the degree program and the name of the program. The title page is separate from the text. A separate reference list will also be required.
When writing in an APA style it is important to be specific. Any alterations to the formatting will not be accepted. It is important to make sure that you follow the guidelines precisely so it is best to use a premade template to ensure that you don’t make careless mistakes.
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warc | 201704 | An unexpected finding was the number of closed head injuries despite the madatory helmet requirement.
Salt Lake City, Utah (PRWEB) July 02, 2012
In the last 30 years, the sport of mountain biking has soared exponentially in popularity. It is estimated that in 2009 38 million Americans regularly took part in the sport, sometimes called “free-riding,” where the rider navigates steep slopes and technical terrain.
In a study published in the latest issue of Wilderness & Environmental Medicine (http://www.wemjournal.org), Ashwell, et al, investigated 898 cases of mountain bike park cyclist who presented to the Whistler Health Clinic in Whister, British Columbia, during a 5-month period. Eight-six percent of those injured were male. And, although the majority of patient injuries were rated as mild to moderate in severity, 12.3% of riders experienced injuries that were considered potentially threatening to life, limb, or function and 9.5% required transfer to a higher level of care.
The results of this research are the first attempt at describing the epidemiology of injury associated with lift-accessed free-ride mountain biking. They demonstrate the spectrum of morbidity of such injuries. The Whistler study findings suggest planning for increased staffing for injuries on weekends and during the month of August, and highlight the need for improved upper extremity protection and more effective head injury protection for this sport. The authors of this study suggest that given the relative rarity of injury from bike-to-bike crashes, injury prevention strategies will need to focus on methods for maintaining control of the bike. Additionally, the authors conclude that "further research should include exposure information as well as specific information about which trail features are associated with injury, evaluate the long-term outcomes after bike park injuries, assess the costs of care after injury, and attempt to identify acceptable injury rates in this increasingly popular sport."
The free full-text online article may be accessed at http://www.wemjournal.org. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine is published by Elsevier Inc., for the Wilderness Medical Society, Salt Lake City, Utah. http://wms.org.
The Wilderness Medical Society (WMS), a 501(c)3 organization, is the world's leading organization devoted to wilderness medical challenges and education. Founded in 1983, the WMS has long-standing commitment to education and research, sponsoring accredited continuing medical education conferences, and publishing a peer-reviewed quarterly medical journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine. | 2,643 | 1,361 | 0.00074 |
warc | 201704 | Demand for premium pet food and animal pharmaceuticals will spur growth.
New York, NY (PRWEB) January 25, 2014
In the five years to 2014, IBISWorld estimates that revenue for the Online Pet Food and Pet Supply Sales industry has increased at an average of 7.8% annually to $3.2 billion. Rising pet ownership in the United States and growth across the e-commerce sector have caused the industry to experience overall growth, despite the recession. Furthermore, increasing demand for premium pet food and online animal pharmaceutical sales also contributed to industry growth during the past five years. While most pet owners indicated they reduced spending on pet supplies during the recession, according to a survey conducted by Pet Business, many consumers gravitated online to purchase more-affordable substitutes in lower quantities. Per capita disposable income, expected to increase 3.1% in 2014, is expected to cause revenue growth of 2.5% in 2014.
With rising revenue, industry profit margins have increased over the five-year period. According to IBISWorld Industry Analyst Andy Brennan, “Industry profit has risen due to improvements in automation, which caused wages to decline as a proportion of revenue.” Furthermore, premium pet food and supplies have boosted profitability because they typically have higher markups. Rising profit has caused the number of industry firms to increase at an average annual rate of 1.2% to 3,612 in the five years to 2014. Niche players like 1-800-PetMeds and discount retailers like Walmart have rapidly gained market share within the industry. Niche operators will likely continue entering the industry during the next five years, especially those that specialize in targeted markets, such as supplies for exotic animals or health-oriented products.
IBISWorld forecasts that industry revenue will increase in the five years to 2019. During that time, stores will benefit from an increasing number of pets in the United States and rising per capita disposable income. However, online pet retailers will also experience increasing competition from brick-and-mortar stores that also sell pet food and supplies, including grocery stores. “This trend is largely due to the closing of a tax loophole that has allowed many internet retailers to forgo charging sales tax,” says Brennan. This factor is expected to cause profit margins to decline, since firms will need to reduce prices to remain competitive.
For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Online Pet Food & Pet Supply Sales in the US industry report page.
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IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics
The Online Pet Food & Pet Supply Sales in the US industry retails pet foods and supplies via the internet. Examples of products offered by online pet supply stores include collars, leashes, health and beauty aids, medication, toys, pet carriers and furniture.
Industry Performance
Executive Summary Key External Drivers Current Performance Industry Outlook Industry Life Cycle Products & Markets Supply Chain Products & Services Major Markets Globalization & Trade Business Locations Competitive Landscape Market Share Concentration Key Success Factors Cost Structure Benchmarks Barriers to Entry Major Companies Operating Conditions Capital Intensity Key Statistics Industry Data Annual Change Key Ratios
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Recognized as the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772. | 4,092 | 1,951 | 0.000518 |
warc | 201704 | Previous Section Back to Table of Contents Lords Hansard Home Page
Lord Tope: My Lords, I join in the gratitude and praise that are being heaped upon the Minister this afternoon. Like the noble Lord, Lord Pilkington, I believe we have had a positive start to these proceedings. That is a welcome change from what occurred earlier in the week. I welcome what the Minister had to say with reference to her Amendment No. 6 and my Amendment No. 4, which I shall not move in view of what she has said. She has recognised that there is a difference between the phrase, "not less than half" and the phrase, "a majority". That may be a semantic difference in some respects, but it is not necessarily so. The phrase, "not less than half" means what it says. If we are talking about half the council, and the chair has the casting vote, that is not a majority. Therefore I believe that there is an important difference between the two phrases. I certainly would have pressed Amendment No. 4 if the Minister had not said that the Government intend the majority membership of the GTC to comprise teachers, and that an amendment will be forthcoming at Third Reading. As I have said, in the light of that assurance I shall not move my amendment.
I echo the wise words of the noble Lord, Lord Walton of Detchant, on the time that people can spare. However, the only reservation I have is that the experience of those teachers who may no longer be employed as teachers needs to be relatively recent. As we all know, it is a fast-changing world, not least in schools, and experience can rapidly become out of date. I am sure that when the Minister frames the amendment on Third Reading she will bear that in mind. I repeat that I shall not move my Amendment No. 4. That seems to be something I am saying too often this week.
I turn to the other amendments we are discussing. The noble Lord, Lord Northbourne, may speak again in a moment, but I understood him to say that he was not proposing that pupils themselves should be members of the GTC, nor indeed parents of pupils, which might possibly be more practicable, but rather that their interests should be recognised. I believe that is not quite what the amendment states. However, the intention of the amendment is one that we wholeheartedly support, as I believe does the Minister. Perhaps a further amendment could be framed more accurately to reflect that interest.
That is an important matter for my party and the Minister's amendment is welcome. I am pleased that the Minister has included that matter on the face of the Bill. I also welcome the recognition of the interests of commerce and industry. That, again, reflects part of an amendment which I and my noble friends moved in Committee. I am pleased that the Minister has recognised the importance of what we said in that regard.
As regards Amendment No. 5A, again I have a sense of the positive proceedings that have taken place this afternoon. As has already been said, it is important that we recognise the role the Churches play in providing training for teachers, and in our schools. It is important that that role is properly recognised on the GTC. I am not exactly sure how that is best done but it is important that it is done. We certainly support the amendment.
I again welcome Amendments Nos. 79 and 80. At Committee stage we made much--and I think rightly--of the unsatisfactory nature of this Bill and of how much was left to regulation. Therefore it is important that the House has an opportunity to examine and debate those regulations. I am pleased that the Minister has recognised those genuine and important concerns and has tabled these amendments at this stage.
Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: My Lords, I am in the happy position of being able to tear up my notes on Amendment No. 4, as we are not now going to have an issue over that one. I no longer need to make a number of points, but will reinforce the remarks of the noble Lord, Lord Tope. I join him in saying that at least half is not quite the same thing as a majority. I am glad that the noble Baroness accepted that point, and I join the chorus of congratulations on the flexibility that she is showing on this, as in respect of Amendments Nos. 79 and 80 and affirmative resolutions. We are very grateful.
I agree with my noble friend Lord Walton of Detchant. His remarks reminded me that I was a serving teacher at a comprehensive school when I first became, technically, a Member of this House. There was not a ghostly chance of my getting time off to spend any period here. I imagine the same would be true of the general teaching council. That point ought to be borne in mind.
Baroness Carnegy of Lour: My Lords, my only contribution to discussion on Clause 1 in Committee was that teachers should have the majority on the council. I do not think that it is even slightly different to have it being not less than half. They will in theory control their own council and that is an important point. I am sure that the Government are doing the right thing. I am wondering whether those teachers will have to be registered teachers. It would be slightly strange if the council is controlled by people who are not on the register that they keep. That points out the anomalies in the Bill, which makes it not actually essential to be on a register to teach at a school. I understand from the Association of Head Teachers in Scotland that only teachers in state schools will have to be registered. There is a slightly awkward anomaly here that the Government ought perhaps to address.
Lord Annan: My Lords, I much agree with the amendment proposed by the noble Lord, Lord Walton of Detchant, but there is a point to which the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, drew attention. It would be helpful if the words "religious denominations" were used rather than "Churches". I am sure that our non-conformist colleagues and those in the Society of Friends would not
Baroness Blackstone: My Lords, I believe that the noble Lord, Lord Northbourne, may speak at the end. I begin by saying how grateful I am to Members of your Lordships' House who have spoken in the debate. We are moving towards a very constructive discussion.
As to Amendment No. 3A, moved by the noble Lord, Lord Northbourne, the interests of parents and pupils are central to the setting up of the GTC, which is about the raising of the professional standards of teachers. We will of course consult further about the possible representation of parents on the council. In light of that, I hope that the noble Lord will feel able to withdraw his amendment.
On Amendment No. 5, I was grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Campbell of Alloway, for his remarks about his discussions with my honourable friend the Under-Secretary of State. There is widespread support in the House for the desirability of the council's membership reflecting persons who have knowledge and understanding of pupils with special educational needs. I am very glad that that amendment has been welcomed.
With regard to Amendment No. 5A, I will pick up the point made by the noble Lords, Lord Mishcon and Lord Annan. Of course I take the point that we are not just talking about churches but also religious denominations--religious interests, indeed--and will take that into account. I support also the remarks of the right reverend Prelate and the noble Baroness, Lady Young, about the major role that the Churches in particular but other denominations also play in the provision of education. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the interests of the Churches are represented. We will be consulting on the membership of the council and shall listen closely to any suggestions from the Churches on how best to ensure that denominational interests are well represented.
The noble Baroness, Lady Young, thought that something ought to be on the face of the Bill, and I undertake to consider further how we could make our intentions clearer and whether an amendment might be appropriate. I think that would have to be done in another place.
The GTC will be working to raise the quality of teaching and learning in our schools for the benefit of a wide range of people. The noble Lord, Lord Walton of Detchant, was supported by the noble Earl, Lord Baldwin of Bewdley, and the noble Baroness, Lady Carnegy of Lour, on the issue of whether we could ensure that some teachers on the council were recently retired. It is important that any teachers on the
The noble Lord, Lord Pilkington, referred to the importance of different types of schools--primary and secondary. I am not sure that he mentioned the nursery schools but they also should be included. We will certainly consult on how to involve different types of schools but I am reluctant to put more detail on the face of the Bill, so that we do not constrain consultation. Your Lordships will of course have the opportunity to debate the regulations before they are made.
I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Tope, for his comments about Amendment No. 4, which he intends to withdraw, and Amendment No. 6. I hope that we are able to come forward with something on which we all agree.
Baroness Carnegy of Lour: My Lords, with the leave of the House and before the noble Baroness sits down, she did not answer my question. I was not inquiring about retired teachers but questioning whether teachers would have to be registered. Next Section Back to Table of Contents Lords Hansard Home Page | 9,470 | 3,856 | 0.00026 |
warc | 201704 | Anticipate what U.S. payers want
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warc | 201704 | Research Questions What is the optimal mix of aircraft in the U.S. Forest Service's fleet to minimize the social costs of large wildfires? What are the costs and capabilities of each candidate aircraft type (airtankers, helicopters, and scoopers)? What are the costs and benefits of large wildfires, and what are the costs and benefits of their suppression?
An aging fleet of contracted fixed-wing airtankers and two fatal crashes in 2002 led the U.S. Forest Service to investigate how to recapitalize its fleet of airtankers. The Forest Service asked RAND for assistance in determining the composition of a fleet of airtankers, scoopers, and helicopters that would minimize the total social costs of wildfires, including the cost of large fires and aircraft costs. The research team developed two separate but complementary models to estimate the optimal social cost-minimizing portfolio of initial attack aircraft — that is, aircraft that support on-the-ground firefighters in containing a potentially costly fire while it is still small. The National Model allocates aircraft at the national level, incorporating data on ten years of historical wildfires, and the Local Resources Model provides a more nuanced view of the effect of locally available firefighting resources, relying on resource allocation data from the Forest Service's Fire Program Analysis system. Both models favor a fleet mix dominated by water-carrying scoopers, with a niche role for retardant-carrying airtankers. Although scoopers require proximity to an accessible body of water, they have two advantages: shorter cycle times to drop water and lower cost. Two uncertainties could affect the overall optimal fleet size, however: future improvements in the dispatch of aircraft to fires and the value attributed to fighting already-large fires with aircraft.
Key Findings Across All Analyses, Scoopers Were the Dominant Component of the U.S. Forest Service's Optimal Fleet Mix Scoopers are considerably less expensive to own and operate than larger helicopters and fixed-wing airtankers ($2.8 million versus $7.1 million per year). When fires are near water, scoopers can drop more water than airtankers can drop retardant. At least two-thirds of historical fires have been within ten miles of a scooper-accessible body of water, and about 80 percent have been within five miles of a helicopter-accessible body of water. Airtankers have a niche role in fighting wildfires that are not proximate to scooper- or helicopter-accessible water sources. The Forest Service May Require a Somewhat Larger or Smaller Overall Fleet If the Forest Service has sufficient insight into where fires will next occur, has the freedom to move its resources to any airport to optimize an attack, and sends aircraft only to fires that require them, the total size of the necessary fleet would be substantially smaller than if the Forest Service had poorer intelligence on future fires, less flexibility in pre-positioning aircraft, or less insight into which fires were most appropriate for aircraft to fight. Although there is a dearth of evidence of the effectiveness of aircraft against already-large fires, airtankers and other aircraft are currently used in this capacity, potentially adding to the size of the Forest Service's required fleet. Recommendations The U.S. Forest Service should acquire an initial attack fleet that is predominantly composed of water-bearing scoopers. The Forest Service, and wildland firefighting efforts more broadly, would benefit from a detailed examination of the effectiveness of water versus retardant in different fire-suppression applications. This would enable a more precise valuation of the contributions of airtankers to firefighting operations. Given the frequency with which airtankers are employed to fight already-large fires, there should be more research on the outcomes and the impact of air support in these scenarios. Q&A Table of Contents
Chapter One
Introduction
Chapter Two
Background
Chapter Three
The Costs of Large Fires
Chapter Four
The Costs of Large Aircraft
Chapter Five
The RAND National Model
Chapter Six
The RAND Local Resources Model
Chapter Seven
Concluding Remarks
Appendix A
Equations Used to Construct High and Low Fire Cost Estimates
Appendix B
Trends in Fire Aviation Demand Through 2030
This research was sponsored by the United States Forest Service and was conducted within the RAND Homeland Security and Defense Center, a joint center of the RAND National Security Research Division and RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment.
This report is part of the RAND Corporation monograph series. RAND monographs present major research findings that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND monographs undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.
Permission is given to duplicate this electronic document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Copies may not be duplicated for commercial purposes. Unauthorized posting of RAND PDFs to a non-RAND Web site is prohibited. RAND PDFs are protected under copyright law. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit the RAND Permissions page.
The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND's publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. | 5,494 | 2,450 | 0.00041 |
warc | 201704 | February 14, 2010 “˜Nicotine-Free’ Cigarettes Help Smokers Quit
According to a new study, nicotine-free cigarettes might be as helpful for smoking cessation as nicotine lozenges.
The study, which appeared in the journal Addiction, showed that people who used the nicotine-free cigarettes before quitting were just as likely to be smoke-free after six weeks as those who used the lozenges.The nicotine-free cigarettes, which actually have a tiny amount of nicotine in them, were more effective then low-nicotine cigarettes, noted Dr. Dorothy K. Hatsukami of the University of Minnesota Tobacco Use Research Center in Minneapolis.
Hatsukami and her research team compared the smoking habits and quitting rates of 165 middle-aged men and women who had smoked for an average of 15 years. They chose subjects that have tried to quit multiple times and were highly motivated to try again.
Fifty-three subjects were given nicotine-free cigarettes and fifty-two had been given low-nicotine cigarettes. Each group were supplied the cigarettes for six weeks. The remaining subjects used nicotine lozenges for six weeks.
Urine and lung tests were given to participants after the six week regimen. In the nicotine-free group 19 people remained smoke-free. 12 people in the lozenge group stayed smoke-free, and only 7 of the low-nicotine users were able to stop smoking. Though the groups all reported similar cravings, the nicotine-free subjects had lower levels of tobacco-related toxins in their system, and withdrawals seemed to be lessened.
Scientists were correct in their predictions that nicotine-free cigarette users were less likely to compensate their withdrawals with regular cigarettes, than those who used the low-nicotine cigarettes.
Although authors of the study note that the nicotine-free cigarettes are a potential cessation tool, the results from the small study are not enough to suggest that smokers should replace nicotine lozenges with nicotine-free cigarettes, Hatsukami told Reuters in an e-mail.
The conclusions of the study are limited as a third of the smoking group subjects, and about 50 percent of the lozenge group subjects, did not complete the six-week study.
Nicotine-free cigarettes have 0.05 milligrams of nicotine per cigarette, while low-nicotine cigarettes have 0.3 milligrams. Regular cigarettes, by comparison, can have as much as 1.4 milligrams of nicotine, while light cigarettes still have around 1.0 milligrams.
Reducing the amount of nicotine that smokers inhale to help them cut down has been a difficult process for scientists, who have concerns that smokers will just smoke more cigarettes to make up for the lack of nicotine they are getting. Scientists believe nicotine-free cigarettes will make that reality much less likely, as it would take too many cigarettes to get there.
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On the Net: | 2,862 | 1,288 | 0.000784 |
warc | 201704 | By Ilya Shapiro
Later today the Senate is set for a “cloture” vote — the vote to end debate, for which you need 60 votes — on the nomination of Berkeley law professor Goodwin Liu to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. I’m not going to weigh in here on the issue of whether judicial nominees ought to be filibustered in general — or if the Republicans ought to be the first to foreswear the tactic even without a guarantee that Democrats would do likewise in the future — but if ever there were an “extraordinary circumstance” fitting into the Gang of 14 agreement that broke the judicial logjam under President Bush, this is it.
As I blogged last year, Liu is, without exaggeration, the most radical nominee to any position that President Obama has made. He believes in
constitutional positive rights — not that the welfare state and all its accompanying entitlements (and then some) are a good idea, but that they are constitutionally required. That is, someone ought to be able to sue the government (qua the taxpayer) if they don’t have adequate health care, or food, or shelter, or… well, anything Liu envisions is part of his indeterminate Constitution whose evolving norms adapt to the times “in order to sustain its vitality in light of the changing needs, conditions, and understandings of our society.”
As Liu wrote in the
Yale Law Journal in 2006:
On my account of the Constitution’s citizenship guarantee, federal responsibility logically extends to areas beyond education. Importantly, however, the duty of government cannot be reduced to simply providing the basic necessities of life….. Beyond a minimal safety net, the legislative agenda of equal citizenship should extend to systems of support and opportunity that, like education, provide a foundation for political and economic autonomy and participation. The main pillars of the agenda would include basic employment supports such as expanded health insurance, child care, transportation subsidies, job training, and a robust earned income tax credit.
Moreover, he’s opined that words like “free enterprise,” “private ownership of property,” and “limited government” are “code words for an ideological agenda hostile to environmental, workplace, and consumer protections.”
As I wrote in an op-ed with Evan Turgeon last year:
We don’t expect a president of either party to appoint judges who adhere 100 percent to the Cato line — though that would be nice — so we do not object to every judicial nominee whose philosophy differs from ours.
Goodwin Liu’s nomination, however, is different. By far the most extreme of Obama’s picks to date, Liu would push the Ninth Circuit to redistribute wealth by radically expanding — and constitutionalizing — welfare “rights.”
Now, if all 53 Democratic senators vote for cloture, they will need to add seven Republicans to prevail. So the key to this vote are the 11 GOP senators who voted for cloture earlier this month on controversial Rhode Island district court nominee Jack McConnell: Alexander, Brown, Chambliss, Collins, Graham, Isakson, Kirk, McCain, Murkowski, Snowe, and Thune. This list includes some of the more “squishy” Republicans, to be sure, but there are also some wild cards — and, of course, the stakes with a circuit court nominee are higher than for a district court nominee.
The outcome of the vote is uncertain but one thing I can say for sure is that if Prof. Liu becomes Judge Liu (and later, God forbid, Justice Liu), the Obamacare litigation will seem so quaint:
Can Congress force you to buy health insurance? Heck, the Constitution requires you to buy it — for yourself and a lot of others as well! | 3,851 | 1,961 | 0.000539 |
warc | 201704 | Country Reports on Terrorism 2011 - Morocco
Publisher United States Department of State Publication Date 31 July 2012 Cite as
United States Department of State,
Country Reports on Terrorism 2011 - Morocco, 31 July 2012, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/501fbcaa23.html [accessed 23 January 2017]
Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Overview: The Moroccan government continued its comprehensive counterterrorism strategy of vigilant security measures, regional and international cooperation, and counter-radicalization policies. The investigation of the April Marrakech bombing and indications from Moroccan authorities' disruptions and investigations of other groups supports previous analysis that Morocco's terrorist threat stemmed largely from the existence of numerous small independent extremist cells. These groups remained isolated from one another, small in size, limited in capabilities, and had limited international connections. The Government of Morocco's counterterrorism efforts have effectively reduced the threat, but the Marrakech bombing underscored the need for continued vigilance. 2011 Terrorist Incidents: On April 28, Morocco suffered its worst terrorist attack since 2003, when Adil el-Atmani detonated a 15 kilogram explosive device at the Argana Restaurant in Marrakech. The attack at the café, popular among tourists, killed 15 foreign nationals and two Moroccans, and injured more than 25 others. El-Atmani used an ammonium-based explosive device that he detonated with a cell phone. Hakim el-Dah and seven others helped el-Atmani plan and carry out the attack. The cell was not connected to any organized terrorist groups, but the Ministry of Interior described el-Atmani as a Salafist and an admirer of al-Qa'ida (AQ). Legislation and Law Enforcement: Morocco aggressively targeted and dismantled terrorist cells within the kingdom by leveraging intelligence collection and police work, and collaborating with regional and international partners. Morocco continued to participate in the Department of State's Antiterrorism Assistance program. Morocco's counterterrorism efforts led to the following disruptions of alleged terrorist cells:
In January, the Moroccan security services arrested 27 members of a terrorist group linked to al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). According to the Ministry of Interior, this cell had stockpiled weapons in Western Sahara and was planning suicide and car bomb attacks against Moroccan and foreign security forces.
In September, Moroccan authorities arrested a three-member cell called the "Battar Squadron," who planned to receive training from AQIM outside of Morocco with the goal to return and attack Western targets. According to the Moroccan National Police, the leader of the cell had ties to al-Qa'ida in Iraq (AQI), and the group had been in close communication with AQ members in Syria, Turkey, Yemen, and Somalia.
In October, security services arrested a five-member cell that was communicating with AQ elements through the Internet. The group had also been in communication with el-Atmani, the Marrakech bomber, and planned to carry out attacks against tourist sites and Western targets.
Also in October, Moroccan authorities arrested an individual in Casablanca for suspected terrorism-related activities. The man, reportedly in contact with AQ, had bomb-making materials in his home and planned to attack sensitive sites within Morocco.
In December, the national police arrested an individual for his involvement with a Moroccan terrorist cell that was dismantled in 2010. Authorities accused this individual of recruiting volunteers in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia.
While there were diminishing reports of Moroccans either preparing to go or going to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia to receive training from AQ-linked facilitators and/or to conduct attacks, the government remained concerned about veteran Moroccan terrorists returning from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya to conduct terrorist attacks at home, and about Moroccans who were radicalized during their stays in Western Europe, such as those connected with the 2004 Madrid train bombings.
The Government of Morocco made public commitments that the struggle against terrorism would not be used to deprive individuals of their rights and emphasized adherence to human rights standards and increased law enforcement transparency as part of its approach. Demonstrating this commitment, the government's investigation of the April bombing was conducted professionally and transparently. In contrast with its response to the 2003 Casablanca bombings, security services did not carry out mass arrests, and the Ministry of Interior granted the media unprecedented access to cover the aftermath of the attack.
In addition, the Moroccan government continued to provide more access for defense lawyers and more transparent court proceedings than in previous years. Moroccan counterterrorism laws were effective in leading to numerous convictions and the upholding of convictions of multiple terrorism suspects, as noted below:
In April, the Moroccan terrorism court sentenced four men to 20 years in prison each for planning to commit terrorist acts in Morocco and send violent extremists to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia. Three others were sentenced to 10 years each for their involvement.
In May, Moroccan police, acting on an INTERPOL Red Notice, arrested an individual who was wanted for making terrorist threats. The Moroccan Ministry of Justice deported the individual in October.
Also in October, Adel el-Atmani was sentenced to death for his role in the Marrakech bombing. His accomplice Hakim el-Dah received a life sentence. Four others involved in this crime were given four years each, and three others received two-year sentences.
Countering Terrorist Finance: Morocco is a member of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force, a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body, and in July, joined the Egmont Group. In January, Morocco adopted legislation to strengthen the definition of the terrorist financing provisions of the criminal code. The new law extended courts' powers to prosecute money laundering crimes committed within the country and abroad, and expanded the list of people and organizations obliged to report on suspicious financial activities. Morocco was publicly identified by the FATF in February 2010 for strategic anti-money laundering/counterterrorism finance deficiencies. Morocco committed to an action plan with the FATF to address these deficiencies and has made significant progress.
For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, we refer you to the
2011 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm. Regional and International Cooperation: Morocco is a founding member of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF). Morocco maintained cooperative relationships with European and African partners by sharing information, conducting joint operations, and participating in training maneuvers. Morocco was also a partner nation in the Global Initiative to Counter Nuclear Terrorism (GICNT) and hosted a GICNT radiological response exercise in March and an Africa outreach meeting in November. Morocco was a Mediterranean Dialogue partner of the European Union's (EU) Barcelona Process and a major non-NATO ally.
While Morocco and Algeria are members of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership and GCTF, the level of bilateral cooperation on counterterrorism between the two countries did not improve. Algeria and Morocco's political disagreement over the Western Sahara remained an impediment to deeper counterterrorism cooperation.
Countering Radicalization and Violent Extremism: In the past decade, and specifically following the Casablanca (2003) and Madrid (2004) terrorist bombings, Morocco has increasingly focused on countering youth radicalization, upgrading places of worship, modernizing the teaching of Islam, and strengthening the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (MEIA). The MEIA has developed an educational curriculum for Morocco's nearly 50,000 imams to advance tolerance and anti-extremism, which are inherent to the Maliki rite of Sunni Islam (the dominant form of Islam in the country). Additionally, the Moroccan Council of Ulema for Europe and the Minister Delegate for Moroccans Living Abroad also worked to promote a tolerant, peaceful Islam among Moroccan expatriate communities in Europe.
To counter what the Government of Morocco perceived as the dangerous importation of violent extremist ideologies, it has developed a multi-component strategy aimed at strengthening the theological and intellectual credibility of Morocco's tolerant Maliki Islamic legal tradition. In addition, Morocco has accelerated its rollout of education and employment options for youth and expansion of legal rights and political empowerment for women. The U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of State both fund a suite of programs aimed at establishing better governance of Moroccan prisons, improving prison conditions, and rehabilitating and reintegrating convicts into society.
Annually during Ramadan, the king hosts a series of religious lectures, inviting Muslim speakers from around the world to promote moderate and peaceful religious interpretations. | 9,717 | 4,224 | 0.000238 |
warc | 201704 | RF Cafe Software
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November 1960 Electronics WorldTable of Contents
People old and young
enjoy waxing nostalgic about and learning some of the history of early electronics. Electronics World
was published from May 1959 through December 1971. See all
When really good researchers set out to write books on history, they do not simply cull information from the publications of fellow contemporary authors; instead, they look for sources that were published during or around the time of the subject being covered. Doing so helps minimize the possibility that inaccuracies have crept into the knowledge pool and that information other authors might have either deemed insignificant or have missed can be recovered. With a bit of luck, sources are discovered that have never been used before. That is part of my motivation for going to the trouble of buying these vintage magazines and posting articles like this one which reports on early maser developments. It delves fairly deeply into the solid state physics of rare earth minerals that some of the first masers and lasers relied upon to function, including energy band diagrams and cryogenics.
If the "sugar scoop" antenna looks familiar, it might be due to its rising to fame as the result of Dr.s Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson having serendipitously discovered the background cosmic radiation of the universe's creation while using it after Project Echo shut down. The discovery led to a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1978.
The Maser: Receiver for Signals from Space
By Martin I. Grace & Joseph G. Smith
Airborne Instruments Laboratory, Div. of Cutler-Hammer Inc.
Radar pulses bounced back from distant planets, communications with space vehicles, receivers to listen for radio signals from outer space, satellite-reflected telephone and TV microwave signals - these are all possible because of the remarkable maser, which uses atomic forces within a super-cooled ruby to amplify.
Some two-hundred times better than a good, conventional radar receiver, the maser receiver affords scientists in the fields of space communications, radar, and radio astronomy the possibility of amazing improvements. This is because the maser receiver is an almost theoretically perfect receiver insofar as sensitivity and low noise are concerned. Radar range can be increased, or for the same range, the transmitter power can be cut by a factor of 10. Satellite and deep space communication will be extended. Coast-to-coast and continent-to-continent microwave communication links without repeater stations (i.e., via satellite reflector) should be realized. Radio astronomers will be able to "see" much deeper into space, helping to answer some of the basic questions about the universe, and perhaps, discover another civilization. This is not as preposterous as it sounds. Project "Ozma" has been initiated to listen continuously for intelligent transmissions of radio signals from outer space. The project will use a maser for the ultimate in listening range.
An excellent example demonstrating the ability of a maser to amplify very weak signals was the Venus radar bounce disclosed last year. In this experiment conducted at the Millstone Radar Site of the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, a radar signal was beamed at the planet Venus. A small portion was reflected back toward earth where it was detected by a maser receiver. The scientists involved in the bounce admit the project would have been unsuccessful without the maser. Calculations showed that the transmitter power necessary for the bounce, using a conventional receiver, would have been so high that the air directly in front of the antenna would have been ionized.
Prof. C. H. Townes of Columbia University coined the word "maser" by taking the first letters of its more technical description, "microwave amplification by stimulated emission of radiation." Prof. Townes proposed a maser in 1953 and experimentally verified it three years later with a maser which was essentially an ultra-stable-microwave type oscillator. Based on these results, Prof. N. Bloembergen of Harvard University proposed in 1956 a maser capable of continuous-wave amplification and, within three months the theory was embodied in an operating unit.
How It Works
The maser is a rather exotic piece of equipment, combining a rare gem (usually ruby) and extremely low temperatures to produce amplification. Unlike most other devices in electronics, the maser makes use of bound electrons to accomplish amplification. There is no flow of electrons as in a tube or transistor. It is a property of these bound electrons that they spin on their axes very much the same way as the earth spins on its axis. We all know that a moving charge is a current and, associated with every current is a magnetic field. The spinning electron is charge in motion and this causes the electron to have a magnetic field. Normally the spin is randomly oriented but when this "electron spin" is placed in a d.c. magnetic field, the electron's magnetic field normally aligns itself parallel to the d.c. field. The action is similar to that of a compass needle.
The electron spin with its field aligned with the d.c. field possesses a discrete amount of energy. Now, the electron spin can take up another position, namely, against the field. Energy must be expended in "flipping" the spin over. Thus, an electron spin aligned against the d.c. field has more energy than one aligned with it. In a substance containing many of these spins, the condition pictured in Fig. 1 will exist. Some spins will be aligned with and some against the d.c. field. It can be seen that two definite energy levels exist and that the difference in energy is directly proportional to the applied d.c. magnetic field.
The above condition is for a substance possessing one net electron spin per atom. If the substance possesses two net electron spins per atom, it will have three energy levels - one for both spins aligned with the d.c. field, one for both spins aligned against, and one for one spin aligned with and one spin aligned against the d.c. field. In the case of three net electron spins, there are four energy levels and so on. Chromium-doped ruby, which is the primary maser material today, has three net electron spins per atom. Ruby is a single crystal of aluminum oxide with a small percentage (.05%) of chromium. This small percentage of chromium is what gives ruby its characteristic red color. It is also the chromium which provides the three net electron spins necessary for maser action.
Quantum physics states that the difference in energy (Δ E) between two levels can be equated to frequency (f) by the simple formula: Δ E = hf, where h is Planck's constant. Now we can change the graph of energy levels and write frequency in place of energy. Fig, 2 shows the energy levels for ruby plotted in this manner.
There are approximately 7 x 10
10 electron spins
in a cubic centimeter of ruby and, of these, a certain percentage
of spins are in each of the four energy levels. The number of
spins in each level a function of the temperature of the crystal.
At room temperature the four levels are almost equally populated
but at liquid helium temperature, 4.2° above absolute zero.
the populations of the four levels are substantially unbalanced.
(Absolute zero is also known as zero degree Kelvin, or K, and
represents a temperature of 273 degrees below zero C or 460
degrees below zero F.) The solid bars in Fig. 3 represent a
typical energy population distribution for ruby. From the diagram
it can be seen that the lower energy levels are more heavily
populated than the higher ones.
The operation of a 3-level maser can be explained from an energy level diagram. The term "3-level maser" means that only three energy levels are used in attaining maser operation even though there may be a greater number of energy levels in the material. If we inject into the crystal a strong r.f. signal from a local oscillator, equal in frequency to the difference between energy levels 1 and 3, an interesting phenomenon takes place. Some of the electron spins in the lower level absorb energy from the r.f. field and jump to level three. If the local-oscillator r.f. signal, usually called the "pump signal," is strong enough, the "pump" transition (level 1 to level 3) can be saturated, i.e., the number of spins in level 3 can be made equal to that in level 1. The total number of spins in the two levels has not changed, but now they are equally populated. Levels 2 and 4 are unaffected since their natural frequencies have not been involved. This "pumped" condition is shown in Fig. 3 by the dashed bars. It can be seen that level 2 now possesses more electron spins than level 1. This is contrary to the normal equilibrium condition.
If a signal which is equal in frequency to the difference between energy levels 1 and 2 is now fed into the crystal, spins in level 2 will be stimulated to emit energy to the signal rather than absorb energy from it. In the process they will flip over and fall back down to level 1. This giving up of energy to the signal frequency is amplification. By varying the d.c. magnetic field, the operating point in Fig. 2 is varied, thereby changing the spacing of the levels and "maser action" can be obtained at other frequencies. This is the basic scheme of maser operation. Sophisticated techniques have been developed using more than three levels, double-pumping arrangements, and harmonic and sub-harmonic schemes; but it all boils down to the same fact. To accomplish amplification, a greater population must exist in a higher energy level than in a lower one.
The low-noise characteristic of a maser is more difficult to explain but it is extremely important. In conventional receivers the main source of background noise is from random emission from hot cathodes, shot noise in tubes, and random thermal noise in resistors. Since, with the maser, amplification occurs without the use of hot cathodes and tubes, it is logical to expect that noise from such sources does not exist. Also, the components that could produce noise are at an extremely low temperature, a few degrees above the point where all thermal motion ceases to exist. This is only part of the low-noise story because, for quantum-mechanical reasons, noise is even lower than the helium-bath temperature would predict.
Types of Masers
There are two basic types of maser configuration, the cavity maser and the traveling-wave maser, or TWM.
The first maser amplifiers constructed were cavity masers. In this type, resonant circuits are used to inject the r.f. signals into the ruby crystal. The early cavity masers consisted of a single microwave waveguide cavity resonant at two frequencies; the pump and the signal. The maser material was placed inside the microwave cavity. This first type of cavity maser had the disadvantage of operating at a single fixed frequency. Later, cavity masers of a tunable nature were designed. A tunable maser structure is shown in Fig. 4. It consists of a waveguide resonant cavity which is resonant at the pump frequency, and a quarter-wave coaxial resonator, resonant at the signal frequency. The coaxial resonator is constructed inside the waveguide resonator. The maser material is placed inside the resonant cavity. The r.f. signals are coupled into the cavity by adjustable loops.
The cavity maser is a one-port amplifier; that is, the input and output have the same common terminals. In order for this type of amplifier to operate, a non-reciprocal device called a "circulator" is necessary. The circulator acts as a traffic cop (see Fig. 5). A signal that enters port 1 is directed to port 2, a signal that enters port 2 is directed to port 3; and so on around the loop.
The cavity maser has many inherent problems: (1) it must be manually tuned; (2) the noise figure is degraded by "lossy" input components; (3) the unit's stability is not too good; and (4) saturation effects occur at relatively low power levels. At the onset of saturation the maser loses gain and becomes transparent, acting very much like a piece of transmission line. The receiver's second stage is usually capable of picking up the saturating signal and completing the reception. Once the maser saturates, it takes a considerable amount of time after the saturating signal is withdrawn to return to normal operation. If, during this time, a low-level signal enters the system, it is lost. This is the only drawback of the maser. Presently, this "recovery" time is on the order of 50 milliseconds but crystal-line materials are being developed which will reduce this figure to insignificance.
The traveling-wave maser corrected most of the drawbacks of the cavity type. It employs a transmission type of coupling between the r.f. signal energy and the crystal rather than the resonant technique used in the cavity maser. There are many advantages in this type of unit. The overall system noise figure is reduced by the elimination of the circulator, it is much more stable, it can be electronically tuned, its bandwidth is greater, and its saturation characteristic is improved.
In this method of operation (Fig. 6), the signal enters at one end of the structure, travels along a transmission line past a slab of ruby, picking up gain as it goes. The amplified signal leaves at the other end. In a cavity maser the fields are built up by a resonant technique to enhance the interaction of the signal with the crystal. In the TWM, the signal reacts very weakly with the crystal and the gain per inch of structure is small. For a signal traveling at its normal speed, the speed of light, the structure would have to be 50 to 70 feet long to attain a gain of 20 db. This is not practical so the signal is slowed down by using a series of metal rods forming a comb structure in which the signal is bounced back and forth before it emerges at the output. The signal is then slowed down, and this increases the reaction time between the signal and the ruby crystal. Gains of 25 db can be obtained in lengths of 5 to 10 inches in sections of this type. This technique is not new, it has been used very effectively in many devices. The traveling-wave tube is an excellent example of a device using the same technique. The TWM is made oscillation-proof by the inclusion of small ferrite isolators between each finger in the slow-wave structure. These isolators look transparent to a signal traveling in the forward direction but very "lossy" to a signal traveling in the reverse direction. This eliminates any regenerative effects which are the primary cause of instability and oscillations. The pump power is introduced into the crystal in the same resonant manner as in the cavity maser.
Cryogenics
In order to operate a maser, the ruby crystal must be kept at a very low temperature, usually at or below 4.2° absolute. The only substance that is liquid at such low temperatures is helium. Liquid helium boils (that is, turns into a gas) at 4.2° absolute. Because liquid helium boils at such a low temperature, elaborate systems have had to be devised to contain it. In fact, the whole science of cryogenics has developed around liquid helium, its production, storage, and effect on other materials at very low temperatures.
Complete ruby maser developed for Signal Corps by Hughes. Assembly weighs 25 lbs. and is 30" high and 5" in diameter. Double vacuum assembly contains liquid helium and nitrogen for supercooling a half-inch square ruby crystal to only a few degrees above absolute zero. The ruby and a 12-ounce permanent magnet are inside the structure at the very bottom of assembly.
Most masers employ a double Dewar system to establish the continuous cold necessary for operation. A functional sketch of such a system is shown in Fig. 5 and a number of stainless-steel double Dewars are shown in the photos. The double Dewar is nothing more than one vacuum bottle inside another. The inner one is filled with liquid helium and the outer is filled with liquid nitrogen to reduce dissipation of the helium (liquid nitrogen boils at 77° absolute). The maser structure is immersed in the liquid helium, supported on long narrow stainless-steel rods which reduce boil off. With proper design, a single charge of liquid can last from 18 to 24 hours, after this the Dewar system must be recharged. Cryogenic engineers are developing a closed-cycle system which will allow continuous operation without recharging. This type of system collects the helium gas as it boils off, re-liquefies it, and returns it to the Dewar. When these closed systems become readily available, we can expect to see greater use of masers. Currently, the open helium systems are not very desirable - recharging is tricky and costly, storage of the liquids is difficult, and the supply of liquid helium is very limited.
The operation of a TWM with a closed-loop refrigerating system forms a very practical low-noise receiver. It can be remotely operated for extended periods of time without maintenance.
Systems Applications
The systems applications of masers have been slow in coming, because many components in present systems were not designed for use with an ultra-low-noise receiver. For a maser to be useful, the noise contributions of the rest of the system should be of the same order as that of the maser. It is for this reason that the Bell Telephone Laboratories had to develop a special low-noise antenna for use with the maser for project "Echo." This is the first system engineered to take maximum advantage of the maser's characteristics.
Among the many systems that can make good use of the low-noise characteristics of a maser are: preamplifiers for radio astronomy receivers, radar front ends, and numerous systems that do not suffer from high background noise.
To take full advantage of a maser one would have to mount it directly at the feed of an antenna. Giordmaine and Meyer of Columbia University operated a 9000-mc. radio telescope with a maser preamplifier mounted on the feed of a 50-foot parabolic reflector at the Naval Research Laboratory. The effective noise temperature of the complete system was 85°K with the maser contributing about 4° maximum and the antenna 20°. The rest of the noise contributions were due to input losses and the second stage. If a typical X-band mixer had been used instead of a maser, a noise temperature of 20000K would not be uncommon. This shows an improvement on the order of 25 times in the reduction in noise and hence increase in sensitivity with the use of a maser.
B. F. C. Cooper and J. V. Jelley operated a maser radio telescope at 1420 mc. with the maser mounted at the feed of a 60-foot reflector located at the Harvard College Agassiz Station. The overall noise characteristics of this maser system were similar to those of the X-band maser radio telescope mentioned previously. A unique feature of this system was a closed-loop feedback system to keep the maser gain constant.
The use of a maser as a preamplifier for a radar receiver was first accomplished by Hughes Aircraft Company. A 10-db improvement in the effective noise temperature was obtained as compared to the normal receiver operation. The main problem with a maser when used with a pulsed radar is that the maser saturates from pulse leakage. To overcome this deficiency, a special low-loss ferrite switch had to be constructed. This switch inserted about 30-db loss when the radar was in the transmitting state. In the receiving state the switch loss was only about 0.25 db. The overall 10-db improvement with the use of a maser almost doubled the range of the radar.
The maser has proven that it can detect and amplify signals better than any other type of receiver. We can expect the maser to develop from a laboratory curiosity to the workhorse of ultra-low-noise receiving systems. The major drawback to a maser is the necessity of maintaining low temperature for operation. Hughes Aircraft has operated a maser successfully at liquid nitrogen temperatures using the present maser material (ruby).
In the future we can expect the development of new materials
that will permit operation at higher temperatures. For masers
operating at 4.2°K, there is a recovery time problem, which
will only be corrected with the development of new maser materials.
There are a number of new, materials that look promising for
4.2°K and higher temperatures, among them iron-doped sapphire
and iron- or chromium-doped titanium dioxide (known as rutile
or titania). For frequencies above 10,000 mc., there is no other
type of amplifier that can approach, even closely, the extremely
low noise and high sensitivity of a maser. Masers have already
been operated from 400 to 75,000 mc. Many laboratories are trying
to develop infrared and light masers.
1 If successful,
these will be the first amplifiers for such types of electromagnetic
radiation. These are but a few of the things that can be expected.
The future for this amazing receiver is certainly beyond the
skies.
See "The Laser - a Light Amplifier" in our September issue.
Posted December 31, 2013 | 22,008 | 8,940 | 0.000113 |
warc | 201704 | Dr Parviz Dabir-Alai, Professor of Economics, was recently invited (July 2015) to the Department of International Development at Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University, to discuss with faculty and postgraduate researchers the work he has done on the measurement of economic vulnerability within informal labour markets in South Asia; and also to discuss work pioneered as part of Oxford University’s Poverty and Human Development Initiative on multidimensional indicators of poverty.
Subject to further extensions of it Dr Dabir-Alai’s work on measuring economic vulnerability is now complete but his research methodology has been replicated by academics in Ethiopia, Peru and the Philippines. | 708 | 433 | 0.002353 |
warc | 201704 | People are being warned to remain alert as the risk of flooding continues.
The Environment Agency said the River Thames was expected to rise further and said communities along the river could experience further flooding over the weekend.
The highest levels are expected in Teddington, where flood warnings have been issued.
The warning means flooding of property is to be expected and people should take action to prepare.
People are being urged sign up for free flood warnings, check on elderly neighbours and move valuables to safety.
People are also urged to avoid driving or walking through flood water because fast-flowing water just 15cm deep can knock an adult off their feet.
Howard Davidson, Environment Agency director for the south-e East, said: “River levels will continue to rise for the next few days and we expect to see further property flooding over the coming days.
“We’re paying close attention to the River Thames, particularly below Abingdon, through Berkshire and into Surrey.
“We are expecting that many more properties will flood over the next two to three days, but there is still time for people to take appropriate action.
“We have had warnings and alerts in place for several days, which stress that flooding is imminent, and now is the time for people to act.
“Environment Agency teams continue to work to work around the clock maintaining flood defences, clearing watercourses and deploying pumps and temporary defences to protect communities at risk, but we want to stress to residents that they need to act.”
For more information visit environment-agency.gov.uk/flood or call floodline on 0845 9881188. | 1,682 | 856 | 0.001203 |
warc | 201704 | The Nuts and Bolts of Succession Planning
Most managers know that talented people are hard to find. If managers try to replace current employees, they often find that recruiting comparably qualified employees from outside the company may cost much more than keeping current employees.
Succession planning is about filling the organisation’s talent pipeline and building internal strength. It is about leveraging the talent that the organisation already possesses by developing its full potential; but how is succession planning different from replacement planning?
Succession planning is identifying critical management positions, starting at the levels of project manager and supervisor and extending up to the highest position in the organisation. Although it is often confused with replacement planning, succession planning goes one step further as its focus is broader than one position, department or division. It also differs from replacement planning because successors are considered by level on the organisation chart. A talent pool is identified underneath each level with the goal to prepare as many successors as possible – these individuals need to be at least 80% ready for promotion to any position at the next level on the organisation chart.
Dale Carnegie Training® offers seven essential elements of effective succession planning in an organisation.
Step 1: Get Commitment
No succession planning programme can work without managers and employees at all levels having a clear understanding of why a succession program is needed. Employees at all levels need to understand their role in the programme.
Step 2: Analyse the Work and the People Now
To prepare successors, managers need sufficient knowledge of what work needs to be done, how it is being done and what people do it best. This step requires the creation of up-to-date job descriptions, clear work outputs and accountabilities as well as job competency models to describe the characteristics of the people who do the work best.
Step 3: Evaluate Performance
This is the process of planning, managing and appraising worker performance over time. This step is key to a good succession planning programme. The performance management system must measure people against what they are expected to do, what results they are expected to achieve, and what competencies and behaviours they are expected to demonstrate.
Step 4: Analyse the Work and People Needed in the Future
Decision makers align the organisation’s strategic objectives with the work and competencies needed to realise those objectives. The organisation’s future requirements should be driven down to each level, job and function and the result should be implemented into future job descriptions.
Step 5: Evaluate Potential
The potential for promotion to higher level of responsibilities should be considered against the backdrop of the future. Things are changing as individuals are developing - it is not enough to assume that successful performance in the past will guarantee successful performance going forward. Organisational leaders must find objective ways to determine how well individuals will function at a future time and at a higher level of responsibility.
Step 6: Develop People
Focus on closing developmental gaps by comparing the results of steps four and five. To carry out this step successfully, organisational leaders should establish an individual development plan (IDP) for each employee to narrow gaps between what the individual does now and what he or she must do, successfully, in the future.
Step 7: Evaluate Program Results
The results of a succession planning programme can be evaluated by measuring programme success against the objectives established for the programme.
“Since succession planning focuses on, internally, developing employees, it is usually necessary to devote more time and attention to planned training, on-the-job development, and other experiences designed to build competencies. Succession planning is a step forward in securing not only the future of your organisation, but of your employee’s skillsets too. A promising approach is to integrate top-down succession planning, in which managers identify possible future leaders,” says Neville De Lucia, New Business Development Director at Dale Carnegie Training.
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warc | 201704 | Supporting Lifelong Learning
Whether seeking to improve their employability, preparing for world travel, or for personal development, adult learners need flexible, innovative and efficient learning options.
Offer them the right programmme to integrate into their busy lives. Open Doors Around the World
With 30 languages to choose from, our language-learning solutions help prepare your learners for opportunities at home and around the world.
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warc | 201704 | We depend on all our great readers to keep
Salvo going!
Follow
Salvo online
Feature
A virulent strain of insomnia has hit a special group of folks: physicists. According to an article in NewScientist.com, there are seven conundrums that can keep these crumple-jacketed oracles "tossing and turning in the wee hours."
The article was reporting on a panel discussion held in October 2009 at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Canada. Upon being asked, "What keeps you awake at night?" the group of physicists came up with the following list of vexing questions. Disappointingly, their discussion failed to reveal the depth of these mysteries and why they are so discomforting. To better understand the troubled spirits of scientists, I thought it would be helpful to fill in some detail for each of the seven questions.
Article originally appeared in
Salvo 13 1. Why this universe?
Among researchers of a particular bent, there is an uneasy recognition that our universe is a very special place—an "against-all-odds" place, really, whose existence depends on a host of delicately balanced parameters. Newton's gravitational constant, the mass and charge of the electron, and the strengths of the weak and strong nuclear forces are just a few of the factors that, if varied but a smidgeon, would make our cosmic home quite different—perhaps one in which apples fell up, or, more likely, in which there could be no applies at all!
Fidgeting over the apparent "deck-stacking," scientists have been scratching around for something—anything—that could explain our cosmos as the inevitable product of natural, unintelligent processes. Today, a favorite construct is the "multiverse": a vast menagerie of universes in which every imaginable (and unimaginable!) combination of parameters is realized somewhere. Despite its growing popularity, the multiverse hypothesis hinges on propositions that far overreach what has been, or even can be, demonstrated.
For example, one "many worlds" scenario advanced in the 1950s postulated that, at the quantum level, every slice of the cosmos splits off in every moment of time to form a parallel universe. This mind-numbing production of worlds, contingent upon a controversial reading of quantum mechanics, has provoked many researchers to look elsewhere for answers to our Goldilocks existence; specifically, to black holes and "inflation."
In black hole theory, universes are birthed from the digested contents of black holes—those invisible, massive objects gobbling up everything, including light, that falls into their gravitational web. The problem is, among the "black hole candidates" identified to date, not one has been confirmed as an actual black hole. Furthermore, not only is the existence of black holes not demanded by Einstein's gravitational formulations, as once thought, but recent calculations indicate that they will evaporate long before they reach cannibalistic proportions (see, for example, "No More Black Holes?" by Phil Berardelli in Science Now).
According to inflation theory, the Big Bang turned into a Big Fizz, creating an initial "bubble" of energy that quickly fizzled into a constellation of bubbles—much like that created when popping the top on a well-shaken can of soda—with each bubble ballooning into a new, unique universe. It is a tale of cosmic proportions, held together by a string of mathematical abstractions and the will to believe.
All three of these theories share a fundamental difficulty: If another universe did exist, separate from our own and with its own unique set of physical parameters, it would be undetectable because our instruments are constrained by the distinctive parameters of our own universe.
And aside from being unfalsifiable, the multiverse theories challenge one other fundamental premise of scientific logic. Materialists often rebuke intelligent design proponents for allegedly violating "Occam's Razor," the pretension that simple explanations will turn out to be correct ones. In this case, what's simpler to believe: that the order in the universe stems from an intelligent cause, or that there's an unimaginably vast cosmic multiplex of near-infinite numbers of universes that we can't detect? You do the math.
2. What is everything made of?
In the late 1990s, researchers were stunned to discover that the universe was expanding at an ever increasing rate. That suggested a source of cosmic energy very different from the types known to exist; something akin to anti-gravity. Although a positive identification for this "dark," Star Trekkian energy has yet to be established, it is estimated that it comprises 70 percent of the entire universe. If you add to that all the matter in the universe that is not visible, then dark stuff makes up 95 percent of the known cosmos.
The mysterious nature of dark energy and matter, and their implications for understanding the universe, has led prominent physicists to consider them the biggest riddles of science.
3. How does complexity happen?
In the materialistic narrative, everything from spiral galaxies to sentient life started from very simple beginnings. But how? How did quarks form quasars, or molecules organize into a genome, or a genome direct the assembly of beings capable of pondering the mysteries of quarks and quasars?
The challenge facing materialists is that their "simple-to-complex" story line is at loggerheads with one of the most sacrosanct laws of science: Left to its own devices, the universe, like all closed systems, will go from order to disorder and from complex to simple, not the other way around.
More and more researchers are realizing that, for living systems, materialistic mechanisms are insufficient to account for even the basic components of life. Consider the biological cell. To imagine that a living cell could emerge from pond swill is tantamount to believing that several tons of satellite debris orbiting the earth could, after a few billion years, organize into a fully functioning, self-operating space station, capable of performing its own maintenance and repair with its own self-manufactured spare parts.
4. Will string theory ever be proved correct?
It is axiomatic among scientists that there is a meta-principle, a Theory of Everything (TOE), that will tell us why our universe is the way it is. To date, three fundamental forces and hundreds of particle types have been identified or suggested. Yet, why these particular building blocks of nature exist and not others, and why they have the features they do, remains a mystery.
Another puzzle is why the two most successful theories of science—general relativity, which governs the large-scale structure of the cosmos; and quantum theory, which governs its innermost workings—are in conflict. The dissonance suggests that one or both of these highly vaunted theories is wrong. And that is unsettling.
To rescue the day, Himalayan hopes are riding on string theory. According to this theory, the fundamental particles of nature are not vanishingly small "points," but rather "strings" of quantum-sized dimensions whose vibrational patterns determine the physical properties of mass, charge, and magnetic spin. The essence of the theory, Princeton physicist David Gross explains, "is to build matter itself from geometry."
But if matter is a product of geometry, which is a measure of space, which in turn (according to general relativity) is shaped by matter, then we seem to be back where we started. So will string theory really be able to tell us anything?
5. What is the singularity?
For most of the history of mankind, the universe was universally accepted as a creation. But today, it is pitched as the product of a "singularity": a one-time event in which the fundamental laws of physics broke down, setting up the Big Bang with all the stuff that would become our universe.
Although the "bang" is supported by observational data and theory, the question of
what banged, and how, is up for grabs. The question is especially troublesome because of another sacrosanct law of science, which says: You can't get something from nothing, or, in other words, There is No Free Lunch!
Interestingly, some theorists are not bothered by that difficulty. Take Alan Guth, a top theoretical physicist, who acknowledges, "It is said that there's no such thing as a free lunch," but who then blithely chimes, "But the universe is the ultimate free lunch." Something to keep in mind the next time you see a scientific expert pontificating to the fawning media.
6. What is reality really?
In the sixth century b.c., musings over the nature of reality led to the competing worldviews of what we may call naturalism and transcendentalism.
Heraclites took the naturalist side, insisting that what is real is what changes—things that come into being, then decay, and ultimately disappear—that is, the material realm of nature thought to be reducible to fire, water, air, and earth.
Parmenides, on the other hand, took the transcendentalist view, claiming that reality consists of those things that are eternal; namely, the pure, immaterial "forms" of the things in the sensible world. It is in the intangible, unseen realms of nature, Parmenides insisted, that reality exists.
Plato elaborated on this idea in his Allegory of the Cave, which depicted the material world as an illusionary shadow pointing to the world of forms—the ideal, numinous realm of what is
really real.
Funny, twenty-five hundred years later, thinkers are no closer to an answer.
7. How far can physics take us?
This question, I suspect, is the
real sleep snatcher. In a transparent moment, physicist Lawrence Krauss reflected, "I worry whether we've come to the limits of empirical science."
His worry is legitimate.
Notice that nearly every question causing Krauss and his fellow physicists to lose sleep hinges on the ultimate question: What is Prime Reality, the thing that is self-existent and non-contingent, preceding all that exists? Is it matter, energy, the Void, God?
Prime Reality is the fountain from which all knowledge springs, yet it is beyond the reach of experimental knowledge, even that gleaned from light spectra captured by the Hubble telescope, or exotic particles detected by the Large Hadron Collider, or cellular structures unraveled by the electron microscope.
Prime Reality can neither be deductively proven nor empirically verified; it must be revealed, and, in fact, many believe it has been: "In the beginning was the Logos."
No wonder the oracles are having trouble sleeping.
So, one day, if you should find yourself in a hotel lobby when a blurry-eyed physicist comes stumbling out of a conference room, have a little compassion on the fellow—offer him some Sominex and mention the Gideon next to his bed. •
If you enjoy
Salvo, please consider contributing to our matching grant fundraising effort. All gifts will be matched dollar for dollar! Thanks for your continued support.
© 2017
Salvo magazine. Published by The Fellowship of St. James. All rights reserved. | 11,194 | 5,328 | 0.000191 |
warc | 201704 | SWANTON — Ignoring early-afternoon showers, farmers explored the cornfields at the Bess View Farm Thursday, discussing and seeing first hand the variety of spring tillage methods used by the Bessette family.
The show and tell at Bess View was part of a conservation field day hosted by University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils (NWCS) Program and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), highlighting the farm’s agronomic practices.
The Bessette family has worked with these organizations as well as Friends of Northern Lake Champlain and Green Mountain Power (GMP) to invest more than $750,000 over a ten-year period into practices that improve the water quality of the Bay.
In 2016, the Bessettes cover cropped 180 acres of their cornfields, reducing the risk of erosion and surface runoff. The farm is also working with GMP to install a community bio digester, which generates electricity from the methane gas.
During the field day, David Bessette led the farmers to a section of the corn fields where the seed beds were prepared four different ways in the spring: single harrow, double harrow, aerate and no-till.
Jeff Sanders of UVM Extension said this year, it didn’t seem to make a huge difference what tillage method was used on the ground. Comparing an ear of corn from each section, there was little physical difference.
See the complete story in the Monday edition of the St. Albans Messenger, or subscribe to the digital edition to read it online. | 1,509 | 861 | 0.001179 |
warc | 201704 | You can add only four products to the comparison list.
Most companies need employee lockers. Think about it. You’ve helped to build your company from the ground up. You take pride in what you do each day. You provide quality products and services, and in doing so, your company has grown. As you’ve helped create more jobs and hire more staff, security becomes an increasing concern. Occasionally things might go missing: a stapler, a lunch, inexpensive supplies, nothing big yet. But the fact that things are going missing is a cause for concern. Few things are worse than that feeling of violated trust when you find someone is stealing from you or your employees. We can help you prevent that with our lockers for employees!
Then there’s the issue of cell phones, tablets, and other mobile devices. Some employees are just a little too fond of using their mobile devices throughout the work day, affecting daily productivity. Sometimes they aren’t paying attention and leave products, important documents, and occasionally even that pesky phone, in random spots of the office or warehouse. Having dedicated, secure personnel lockers where the staff can store their purses, wallets, cell phones, and other valuables can help prevent theft and limit your company’s liability. We offer a variety of storage solutions and lockers for the workplace to help you out.
For smaller belongings, box lockers are probably your best option for employee storage. Economical when it comes to both money and space, these are perfect for storing those personal valuables that can sometimes fall out of pockets or are cumbersome to have on you when you’re working. With their compact size, these are mini lockers for employees, not enough space for them to fill excessively, just enough room for small valuables, shoes, and a small bag. You can order built in locks, or have employees bring their own. See our durable metal lockers for a storage solution that will stand the test of time. If you want visibility as to each unit’s contents, see our ventilated staff lockers as well as our clear view lockers for employees. These keep items secure but visible so you can make sure there’s nothing prohibited or dangerous on your premises.
If your staff needs a little more room, like they have uniforms or change clothes at work, then it might be a good idea to look into our single tier and double tier lockers for sale. These not only have the advantage of more space but also hooks to hang clothes, jackets, and uniforms on. We also carry wall mounted lockers that have smaller compartments like our box lockers, but include a coat rod to hang jackets, aprons, suits, uniforms, and other clothing on. These are a great compromise between box lockers and double or single tier lockers. Just like our box lockers, these also have options for higher visibility.
Speaking of uniforms, if your company issues uniforms, then you know the mess that can come from employees changing clothes, mixing dirty uniforms with clean clothing, and clothes piling up where they do not belong. Then there’s issues with wrinkles that look unprofessional due to uniforms not being stored properly. With our clothes lockers, clean uniforms can be stored and distributed to workers easily and efficiently. Master doors make access by supervisors and suppliers quick and simple. Pair with a dirty clothing lockup unit for personnel to drop off dirty uniforms. Dirty clothes go in, clean neat outfits come out. Your employee rooms stay efficient and clean, and collecting/distributing is easy and straightforward.
Or maybe you don’t necessarily need lockers, but you do need secure storage for your office, warehouse, or company that can withstand years of use and still be as tough as the day it was purchased. You know what? We’ve got you covered there too. We have a wide range of metal storage cabinets, wardrobe cabinets, mobile cabinets, wall mounted cabinets, TV storage, and office storage cabinets that include a file drawer on the bottom of the unit that are perfect for any workplace. Basically, if you need to store one thing, or many things, we have the ideal solution to help make your workplace safe and secure. | 4,250 | 1,939 | 0.000523 |
warc | 201704 | This paper has been added to your cart ($35.00)
Passive solar control solutions have been widely used in buildings in tropic countries like Malaysia. It is assumed that these solutions may notably control the heat-gain of buildings. However, there is a lack of empirical studies that assess the extent of green-glazed techniques to sufficiently control solar heat-gain. The current study uses a case study approach to examine the thermal indoor performance, particularly the near-glazed workplace area. The performance of the ST Diamond Building (in Putra Jaya, Malaysia) has been examined in terms of: outdoor/indoor dry bulb temperature; glass surface temperature; heat flux through glazing; outdoor/indoor air movement; lux and; solar radiation. The results of the field analysis indicated that ST Diamond Building’s green-glazed solutions are efficient to control solar heat gain, which in turn will lead to reduce energy consumption for controlling solar heat loads. | 979 | 558 | 0.001807 |
warc | 201704 | The busiest period ever for windfarm construction in Scotland is now scaling new heights, with ScottishPower Renewables alone installing enough new green energy to meet the annual electricity requirements of approximately 287,000 homes.
More than 1,000 people are currently building a total of eight wind projects for the company across the Central Belt and south west of Scotland. Work is progressing at pace with 221 turbines being erected, representing an investment of more than £650 million.
Over a 9 month period alone, ScottishPower Renewables awarded nine turbine contracts with a combined value of over £350million. Once completed, this unprecedented investment in green energy will deliver 474 megawatts (MW) of new electricity capacity.
Construction work taking place at Dersalloch windfarm in South West Scotland
The projects will see over 145km of new roads constructed on the windfarms, roughly the distance between Glasgow and Carlisle, to provide access for turbine deliveries to their final locations.
The largest site under construction is at Kilgallioch, which straddles the border of South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway. At 96 turbines and 239MW, it will become the third largest onshore site in the UK and will be capable of powering more than 130,000 homes.
At the peak of construction at Kilgallioch there were more than 300 people working on site and the project will create 13 full-time posts once it is completed next year.
Kenny Peberdy, Onshore Director at ScottishPower Renewables, said: “Scotland is one of the busiest places in the world right now for the construction of onshore wind, with thousands of engineers and technicians and support workers delivering a raft of large-scale renewable energy projects. We are currently building more projects at the same time than we’ve ever built before through an unprecedented level of investment this year.
“Scotland is boosting its credentials as a global renewable energy leader, and making wind power work for communities across the country. Not only is the industry supporting of thousands of jobs in the construction and operation of windfarms, it also means that low carbon electricity generation in the country will be at an all-time high, as well as ensuring that millions of pounds will made available by developers to support community investment projects.”
Other sites where ScottishPower Renewables is working include two extensions at Black Law near Shotts, North Lanarkshire; two phases at Ewe Hill near Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway; Dersalloch east of Straiton in East Ayrshire; an extension at Harehill near New Cumnock in East Ayrshire and Glen App in South Ayrshire north east of Cairnryan.
Projects being built by ScottishPower Renewables:
Kilgallioch – 96 turbines / 239MW
Black Law Extn Ph 1 – 23 turbines / 45MW
Black Law Extn Ph 2 - 11 turbines / 18MW
Ewe Hill Phase 1 – 6 turbines / 14MW
Ewe Hill Phase 2 - 16 turbines / 37MW
Dersalloch - 23 turbines / 69MW
Harehill Extn - 35 turbines / 30MW
Glen App – 11 turbines / 22MW
TOTAL – 221 TURBINES / 474MW
Map showing the locations of ScottishPower’s new onshore windfarm sites: | 3,215 | 1,514 | 0.000678 |
warc | 201704 | Starting this month, undocumented immigrants under 30 and without criminal records can apply to avoid deportation for at least two years. Advocates for that policy estimate that it will assist slightly more than 1.5 million people.
Some critics have called the policy an amnesty for illegal entrants; others complain that it doesn’t offer immigrants who arrived in this country as children a path to U.S. citizenship. Despite criticism from both sides of the aisle, thousands of people across the country are applying — and amid the surge, ten federal immigration agents have sued Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Chris Crane, president of the National ICE Council and a plaintiff in the suit, says when he and colleagues follow the new policy, they “have to disobey immigration law and their oaths to uphold it.”
Immigrant activists are pushing back against the lawsuit, including Fia Campos, an undocumented immigrant who works with activist group DREAM Team L.A.
“As immigrant youth here in California, we will not stand for something that will separate our families," Campos says, "something that will hurt our economy here in the U.S., and something that will hurt our access to education. [W]e know that immigrant youth do and will continue to be an important and integral part of that path to generate a better economy.”
Several lawmakers have expressed support for the ICE agents’ lawsuit, including Congressman Lamar Smith of Texas. Smith says the new policy runs counter to federal immigration law and threatens job prospects for Americans during an economic downturn. | 1,632 | 866 | 0.001187 |
warc | 201704 | HINGES
Ensure there is no visible wear on the hinge. Any marks, stains around the hinge knuckle may indicate wear and or impending failure, if the latter the hinge must be replaced as soon as possible. Hinges should be lubricated every three months using a high quality lubricant.
Door Closure’s/ Friction Stays
Ensure that the door closure is working correctly, a smooth motion should be seen with no jerking or shuddering. Doors should not be wedged open for long periods. Open the door and check that is closes smoothly without catching on the floor. Open the door approximately 5 degrees and check that it closes and latches smoothly and firmly. The door closing speed should be about 10 seconds from a 90 degree angle but does not slam. To correct remove face plate of door closure and using a screwdriver adjust the pressure screws until a reasonable closing speed is achieved
Friction Stays:-
Should always be tensioned when being fitted to the door set. Location and climate must be taken into account when adjusting the resistance level of the friction stay. .
Electro-Magnet Hold Open and Swing Free Devices
Make sure that any electro-magnetic hold-open device is operating correctly and releases immediately when power is turned off.
Locks, Lever Handles and Cylinders
Check that the levers fully return to the horizontal after use and that the latch bolt is engaging smoothly and completely into the strike. Clean off any metal dust deposits from the latch bolt and strike plate. Check cylinder throws the latch/deadbolt smoothly into the receiver. Adjust, tighten or lubricate as needed.
All Ironmongery
Make sure that all fixings are secure. Ensure all hinges, closers, friction stays, locks and other hardware are lubricated /maintained at the required intervals. Seal MUST BE FITTED correctly to the door frame. Tolerances are calibrated for OUR seals only, do not use any other manufacturer’s product.
Quarterly Maintenance Guide
Hinges and ALL working parts must be lubricated with LANOLIN solution. Check Door and frame for damage
Check the door leaf alignment. Making sure door does not scrape on the floor and has an optimum clearance of 6mm. Check locks, cylinders, latches, handles, panic hardware, closure, friction stays and any other ironmongery for loose fixings, smooth operation and security, Retighten/lubricate/adjust as needed. Cylinder should only be lubricated with either TEFLON OR GRAPHITE based oils.
WD40 OR SIMILAR PENETRATIVE OIL MUST NOT BE USED
General maintenance
To ensure safe, reliable operation regular maintenance is essential. Maintenance frequency will depend on door usage.
Door cycles per day Maintenance periods
Up to 15 Every Six months Up to 30 Every Four Months Up to 40 Every Two Months Up to 50 Every Five Weeks Over 50 Every two weeks
Pre finished doors are easily cleaned using mild household detergents or washing up liquid with warm water
DO NOT
use any chemicals, solvents, bleach or abrasive type cleaners which will affect the paint finish. | 3,039 | 1,541 | 0.000656 |
warc | 201704 | Goals
To provide students with psychological knowledge and skills that will help them function more effectively in human services careers.
Objectives To provide students with knowledge and understanding of basic personality and clinical psychological principles. To provide students with knowledge and understanding of psychological techniques and approaches that may be used in human services fields. Competencies, Knowledge or Skills to be Achieved
Students will learn basic psychological principles in the areas of personality and clinical psychology. They will learn to critically evaluate current research in these fields. This knowledge will enable them to keep abreast of new information, skills, and techniques that will allow them to provide better services to clients in applied settings.
Courses and Curriculum
Required Courses: PY102 - Introduction to Psychology (3) PY432 - Introduction to Personality (3) PY440 - Abnormal Psychology (3)
Choose Nine Hours from the Following Courses: PY358 - Social Psychology (3) PY359 - Psychology and the Law (3) PY441 - Introduction to ClinicalPsychology (3) PY442 - Introduction to Psychotherapy (3) PY444 -Childhood Psychopathology (3) (Prerequisite: PY 120/CF 120 or PY 220) PY531 - Psychological Testing (3)
Note: All 300+ level PY courses require completion of 45 hours. | 1,334 | 646 | 0.001559 |
warc | 201704 | According to the Safety Assessment Federation, safety signs should be used on escalators and moving walkways wherever there is a significant risk which cannot be avoided or controlled in any other way. This does not, however, mean that a sign is required to cover every possible risk or hazard, but only where the risk is considered significant. The potential hazard and risks in the use of escalators
and moving walks can include, for instance, items of clothing becoming trapped; see our range of Machinery Signs to highlight this potential hazard to users. Other safety signs to consider using are Fire Safety Signs, such as Emergency Stop Push Button Signs. Signs should be positioned in a conspicuous area at the upper and lower approaches to each escalator or moving walkway – see our Sign Fixings for solutions to securing your signage where it can be seen. | 872 | 499 | 0.002023 |
warc | 201704 | Water agencies debate desalination CALIFORNIA DROUGHT Published 4:00 am, Sunday, February 15, 2009
Is it time to stick a straw into the Pacific Ocean?
About 20 water agencies up and down the California coast seem to think so.
From Marin County to San Diego, small and large projects that turn seawater into tap water are gaining favor, propelled by events unprecedented in California's history: worsening drought, dwindling species of freshwater fish, crumbling plumbing systems and unyielding demand.
"People are worried about water supply," said Michael Carlin, assistant general manager of water at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. "Desalination is for drought supply, for an emergency, and it augments existing supply - it's another tool in our toolbox."
But critics argue that desalination is an expensive, environmentally questionable last resort in a sprawling state that misuses one of its greatest assets.
"People are looking for an easy solution, and they look to the ocean," said Linda Sheehan, executive director of the California Coastkeeper Alliance, a watchdog group. "They're ignoring the opportunities we have for conservation, storm water reuse and water recycling."
This is not the first time the desalination debate has surfaced in California. Dry spells and government funds for infrastructure often prompt new studies and investment in the process, which strips salt, debris, bacteria and other substances from saltwater and funnels it to local taps.
But climate change, rising water costs and threats to wildlife have increased the stakes.
On a pretty stretch of beachfront at the Seymour Center at Long Marine Lab, a set of trailers holds the potential answer for the Santa Cruz area. Inside, humming pumps, pipes and tanks treat about 50 gallons of seawater a minute.
Santa Cruz and the Soquel Creek Water District hope to build a $30 million to $40 million plant that would deliver 2.5 million gallons a day to more than 130,000 customers by 2015. A plant that size would help boost supply during summer months and droughts.
"If we face a drought like the late 1970s, we could be 45 percent short of supply," Melanie Schumacher, project spokeswoman, told a group of 20 people during a public tour of the desalination apparatus on Wednesday.
Officials at the Marin Municipal Water District and the Bay Area Regional Desalination Project - comprising the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, Contra Costa Water District and Santa Clara Valley Water District - make similar points about their budding plans to make saltwater drinkable.
Reservoirs for those districts - and scores of others in the state - are at critically low levels after two dry winters and possibly another one this year. Deteriorating fish populations and rules slashing the amount of water pumped through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta have exacerbated the problem for most agencies.
EBMUD enacted 15 percent rationing last year, while San Francisco is contemplating similar measures depending on snow levels by the end of the water year April 1.
Conservation pushed
Water policy experts, environmentalists and consumer groups recognize the dire circumstances facing many water agencies around California. But they insist that using less water - not adding more to the supply - is the cheapest, fastest and most ecologically friendly way to stem the state's water crisis.
Desalination consumes a lot of energy, catches fish in intake machinery and flushes concentrated brine into coastal areas, and its facilities are unsightly, critics say.
Mark Massara, director of the Sierra Club's Coastal Program, said California has all the water it needs for growth projected through 2050.
"Obviously there's a need for fresh water - but there's a misperception that desalination is the Holy Grail that allows you to engage in unfettered sprawl and ignore conservation," Massara said. "Desalination is still not priced competitively with traditional water costs, and we haven't even hit the tip of the iceberg on conservation."
Research on water consumption seems to bear that out. While per-capita water use in California is decreasing, urban users could cut consumption by 2.3 million acre-feet each year - fully one-third of current urban usage - using low-tech options, said Peter Gleick, an expert on freshwater supplies.
"We should not be building desalination plants where other things make more sense," said Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute in Oakland. "At the moment a lot of other things make more sense."
Simpler alternatives
Alternatives include replacing top-loading washing machines and 3-gallon-per-flush toilets with water-efficient versions, Gleick said, while communities could offer incentives for drought-resistant plantings and use water from showers and dishwashers for irrigation.
Saving water has a price advantage. A study last year by the Los Angeles Economic Development Council found that conservation would cost $210 a year per acre-foot, compared with more than $1,000 per acre-foot for desalination.
In addition, costly amounts of energy are needed to force seawater through the fine membranes that trap tiny salt and other particles.
While the cost of desalination may grow more attractive if surface and groundwater supplies decline further and prices jump, some water experts say California's water crisis has less to do with shiny new water plants than about changing attitudes toward water.
"We need to change how we relate to water and not just dip straws into whatever water source is close by," said Coastkeeper Alliance's Sheehan. "We need to recognize the limitations to the environment and adjust our behavior. If we live in a desert climate, we need to act as though we live in a desert climate." | 5,855 | 2,849 | 0.000354 |
warc | 201704 | 'Ambien' defense causing headaches for prosecutors Published 4:00 am, Friday, April 27, 2007
THE SENSELESS murder of almost three dozen students at Virginia Tech is a profound tragedy. Yet, already some pundits are jumping on that bandwagon which often emerges in the wake of a human tragedy in modern America -- responsibility avoidance. Yes, the blame-shifting has already begun. Barely had Seung-Hui Cho completed his carnage by taking his own wretched life, than those seeking to divert focus from the tortured mind of a mentally deranged young man were declaring that responsibility for the carnage lay not with the individual who perpetrated it, but rather with the system that gave him the tools by which he chose to carry out his deeds.
In fact, responsibility diversion is seen not only in efforts by gun-control advocates to find more fault with the instrumentality of a crime than with the perpetrator. Prosecutors across the country, from California to New York, are dealing with a burgeoning number of cases in which a phalanx of trial lawyers, "victims" and talk show hosts are attempting to excuse criminal and other bizarre behavior, based on theories that certain prescription sleep-aid drugs caused their behavior and should therefore excuse their actions. This trend threatens to usher in a new era of responsibility evasion, with ramifications beyond the cases themselves.
While the methods employed by trial lawyers through which this latest defense theory is raised are many, the primary vehicle of choice appears to be the popular sleep medication, Ambien; largely, no doubt, as a result of the market share enjoyed by this drug. More than a dozen prescription medications fall into the same class of sleep disorder drugs as Ambien, and together they account for some 44 million prescriptions written last year.
Although products in this category of sleep-disorder drugs have been on the market for years, it is the increased media interest and public awareness that has caught the attention of the trial lawyers. Already, the number and types of cases in which the "Ambien defense" has been raised has proved most interesting and imaginative. For example, drivers caught Driving Under the Influence of drugs or alcohol are raising the defense, spurred no doubt by the national publicity the maneuver received in May 2006 when U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., crashed his car into a concrete barrier on Capitol Hill; others facing criminal charges blame the drugs for assaults on spouses and even children.
The pharmaceutical companies that manufacture these medications -- no strangers to lawsuits -- include on their Web sites, in their advertising and in printed materials accompanying the products, detailed warnings about potential side effects and misuse of the drug. The companies and their products are tightly regulated by the federal Food and Drug Administration. In fact, just one month ago, the FDA urged the companies to include expanded warnings with the prescriptions. Key among the listed contraindications for the drugs is the necessity to use them only with a full night's sleep, and to avoid any drinking of alcohol before or after taking the pills; but the medications continue to be abused. One well-known trial lawyer in Georgia, William C. Head, for example, noted that in the overwhelming majority of cases in which sleep-disorder drugs are involved, the person consumed alcohol. Still, the efforts to raise the specter of the drugs absolving the user of criminal or civil responsibility continue.
History has shown that permitting such defenses as the so-called "Ambien defense" to be viewed as legitimate, especially if accompanied by just a few instances in which the tactic is successful in court -- as happened recently in an Austin, Texas, Driving While Intoxicated case -- will quickly become pervasive and lead to increased irresponsible, possibly criminal, behavior. The rise of the so-called "abused spouse" or "abused child" defense a generation ago, for example, remains with us today as a defense tactic. In Selmer, Tenn., the government recently tried Mary Winkler for murdering her husband, but despite the evidence showing she shot him in the back with a shotgun at point blank range, prosecutors were only able to secure a conviction for manslaughter, not murder, because the jury apparently bought into the "abused spouse" defense at least to some extent.
We have no way of knowing in what contexts the Ambien defense or its progeny will rear its ugly head in the years and decades to come, if it is allowed to take hold. What we do know, even now as the defense is just starting to develop, is that teens and adults alike are modifying their behavior -- taking medications that have legitimate but serious effects, for the wrong reasons and under improper circumstances, then posing a danger to themselves and others -- based on the possibility that they will not be held accountable for the results of their actions. This is a danger none of us can afford. | 5,046 | 2,477 | 0.000405 |
warc | 201704 | There are currently no product reviews.
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Carl-W. Lohmann
STORING FOOD
Refrigeration reduces the rate of food spoilage. To maximize the shelf life of perishable food products, ensure that the food is of the freshest possible quality. The following is a general guide to help promote longer food storage. NOTE: ⢠Evenly place the food on the shelves to allow the cooling air to circulate efficiently. ⢠Hot foods should be cooled before storing. Storing hot foods increases the temperature in the unit and increases the risk of food spoilage. ⢠Do not block the outlet and inlet of the cool air circulating circuit with foods or containers; otherwise the foods will not be evenly cooled throughout the refrigerator. Do not place food directly in front of cold air outlet. This may lead to the food freezing. IN OUT Fruit / Vegetables To minimize moisture loss, fruit and vegetables should be loosely enclosed in a plastic material e.g. wrap, bags ( do not seal ) and place in the Vegetable crisper. Those fruits and vegetables with thick skins e.g. oranges do not require wrapping. Dairy Products & Eggs ⢠Most dairy products have a use by date on the outer packaging which informs the recommended temperature and shelf life of the product. ⢠Eggs should be stored in the Egg holder. Meats / Fish / Poultry ⢠Place on a plate or dish and cover with paper or plastic wrap. ⢠For larger cuts of meat, fish, or poultry, place to the rear of the shelves. ⢠Ensure all cooked food is wrapped securely or placed in an airtight container. FOR BEST FREEZING ⢠Quality of foods should be fresh. ⢠Freeze small quantities of food at a time to freeze them quickly. ⢠Food should be properly stored or covered and the air should be removed to seal tightly. ⢠Evenly place the food in the freezer. ⢠Label bags or containers to keep an inventory of freezing food. CARE AND CLEANING Some household cleaning chemicals may affect the inside surfaces and plastic shelves resulting in splitting or cracks occurring. When cleaning all plastic parts inside this refrigerator, only use diluted dishwashing liquid(soapy water). Make sure that all plastic parts are thoroughly rinsed with water after cleaning. 1.Remove the shelves and pockets from the cabinet and door. Wash them in warm soapy dishwashing water; rinse in clean water and dry. 2.Clean the inside with a cloth soaked in warm soapy dishwashing water. Then, use cold water to wipe off soapy water. 3.Wipe the exterior with a soft cloth each time it is soiled. 4.Clean the Magnetic door seal with a toothbrush and warm soapy dishwashing water. 5.Whenever the refrigerator is moved to clean or repositioned, the Evaporating pan should be removed and cleaned. Evaporating pan; How to remove/set Remove the two screws to take the Evaporating pan off. Please pay attention to the safety since the compressor is very hot. Compressor NOTE: Evaporating pan ⢠Do not use polishing powder, benzine, hot water etc. ⢠If undiluted detergent is used or soapy water is not wiped off thoroughly, cracking of plastic parts can result. ⢠Wipe any food oils adhered to plastic components as they can cause cracking of the plastic surface. Switching off your refrigerator If you switch your refrigerator off when you are going away for an extended period, remove all food, clean the interior thoroughly. Remove the power cord plug from the power socket and leave all doors open. WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU CALL FOR SERVICE Before you call for service, check the following point . IT IS NORMAL for the refrigerator to produce the following sounds. ⢠Loud noise produced by the compressor when operation starts --- Sound becomes quieter after a while. ⢠Loud noise produced once a day by the compressor --- Operating sound produced immediately after automatic defrost operation. ⢠Sound of flowing fluid (gurgling sound, fizzing sound) --- Sound of refrigerant flowing in pipes (sound may become louder from time to time). ⢠Cracking or crunching sound --- Sound produced by expansion and contraction of inner walls and internal parts during cooling. ⢠Squeaking sound --- Sound produced by expansion and contraction of internal parts. IT IS NORMAL that the outside of a cabinet may be hot when touched. The hot pipe is in the cabinet in order to prevent dew generation. IF YOU STILL REQUIRE SERVICE Refer to your nearest service agent approved by SHARP. 4 ¥
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warc | 201704 | In February 2007, writer Jay Forman contacted Slate to confess that his 2001 story about " monkeyfishing " was untrue, which of course casts doubt on the truthfulness of this article. See this article . Note: The author of this article fabricated details of a later article for Slate. Click here for more information. This column contains descriptions of depraved and immoral acts and is for informational purposes only. Neither Slate nor the author advocates this sort of behavior. If you don't want to hear about these sorts of things, don't read these kinds of articles.
Guns and liquor go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Shooting a gun is an exhilarating experience, and anybody who says otherwise is either lying or has never actually pulled a trigger. And drinking can add a lot to the experience. Ted Nugent aside, lots of gun owners enjoy a cold foamer along with their pump-action Mossberg. Playing with guns adds structure to any bender. Sometimes a game of Beer Pong or Hungry, Thirsty Hippos just doesn't generate the level of excitement and sense of purpose that many hard-core partiers crave. Guns do. When you shoot a gun drunk, you get results. Large, gaping results. Whether you are blasting gin bottles off the roof of a junked Camaro or simply getting the cat out of the tree, squeezing the trigger is a wonderful way to cut loose. It is the ultimate in instant gratification. It is American expressionism.
People do stupid things while drunk. We all know that. The advantage of guns is that they throw wide the doors of opportunity for stupid drunken behavior. A drunk staggering down the street is comical. A drunk staggering down the street with a gun is alarming. Oh, the places he might go!
Having access to a weapon while tossing back beers allows drinkers to come up with bold new solutions to problems. Two friends of mine once shared a rat-infested house in Baton Rouge because the rent was cheap. They saved money on an exterminator by simply picking off any rats that wandered into range with a .22-caliber rifle. They'd kick back on the sofa, drink beer, and snuff rodents. It was like living inside a big video game. Instead of just a boring evening at home on the sofa, suddenly the night had purpose. Drinking games arose from the situation, and points and penalties were awarded for hits and misses. But on top of just plain having fun, they got a sense of accomplishment out of it as well. Guns allowed them to take a proactive role with their vermin issues.
One night I was over at my friend Haim's apartment in New Orleans, slamming Jägermeister, a drink that lends itself to certain abuses. This viscous treat is a shortcut to The Zone, and six or eight shots of it will airlift you to a place it might otherwise take a whole long night of methodical drinking to reach. Haim and I were trying to think of something to do, and we ended up deciding to build a homemade silencer for a beat-up old AR-7 rifle he had bought at a pawnshop a few weeks earlier. The gun was only worth about $60 and was ripe for experimentation, and the Germanic liquor added a sense of urgency to the occasion. Silencers are illegal, but Haim had found step-by-step instructions on how to make one in some paramilitary magazine he had bought at a gun show. The magazine was full of neat home projects like that; I imagine that if Martha Stewart lived in a trailer with an abusive husband, this would be the kind of stuff she'd write. And the world would be a better place for it.
The first stop was at a metal shop Haim had access to, where he used the drill press to vent the barrel in several locations. We then brought the gun back to his apartment to finish the job. We slid 10 large washers down along the barrel at even intervals and stuffed the spaces in between with alternating layers of steel wool and cotton wadding. Then we cut a length of PVC pipe and fitted it over the barrel like a sleeve, so that it sat atop the washers. We iced the whole package with duct tape, loaded the magazine with .22-caliber high-velocity LRs, and were good to go.
Haim's place was in a quiet residential neighborhood, an ideal proving ground. If the silencer worked here, it would work anywhere. The first thing I plugged was a jar of cocktail onions I carefully placed atop the mantle in the living room. I put it in a Ziploc baggie, thinking that would be sufficient to contain the breakage. I was wrong. When I popped it, the bottle exploded, scattering shrapnel and cocktail onions indiscriminately throughout the room. But the silencer actually worked. You could hear the action of the rifle kickback and a heavily muffled pop, but that was all. Our experiment was a success! It felt great, and all it took was a little Jägermeister, a survivalist pulp magazine, and some good old Yankee know-how. We celebrated with impromptu ballistics tests on ordinary household items throughout the night.
A drunk with a gun and a mission is a happy drunk. One of the best times I ever had potting with firearms was when a group of friends and I decided to rub out a beaver who had proved himself to be a nuisance. He had dammed a creek on my friend Stuart's farm and flooded the road, and for this he was to die. About eight of us staggered out into the backwoods of Mississippi that night, twisted on rye whisky and horribly armed. We had shotguns, assault rifles, and high-tech pistols. The only things missing were a pitchfork and some burning torches. Memories of what happened down at the creek that night are hazy, but I do remember it began with Dave jumping up and down atop the lodge screaming for the beaver to "show himself," then shoving his 12-gauge into the pile of sticks and mud and pulling the trigger. He backed off, and we emptied everything we had into the dam. Thumps, staccato cracks, whoops, pops, and rebel yells followed. Warren's laser sight swept crazily through the smoke filled air, adding an ominous sense of the surreal to the dark Mississippi night. Finally it was over. Off in the distance an owl hooted. The beaver remains at large.
A gun can make a night of ordinary drinking far more interesting. Nobody is talking to you at the party? Bring a gun! That'll get their attention. Want to kick that guy's ass at the bar but can't? Bring a gun! He might have spent a lifetime mastering the subtleties of aikido, but he's no match for your Glock. Why work out if you can own a gun? As Chris Rock said, "You got pecs? I got Tecs." A bottle will give you the liquid courage to follow your dreams, and your gun will make sure nobody gets in your way. | 6,618 | 3,333 | 0.000301 |
warc | 201704 | I am not a nutritionist, but I don’t think that you need to be an expert to learn important nutritional information so that you can make better decisions in your life. In the past 5 years my attention has been drawn very strongly to two things, nutritional information that we have on our food packaging and sodium. I am not entirely sure where it all started, but I do know once the glory the teenage ability to eat whatever I wanted and work off the weight gain easily left me nutrition became very important for me to learn. When I was little I would often read the nutritional information on my cereal as I ate breakfast, not really because I was interested, it was because I was bored and wanted something to read, but it did get me wondering. I mean what good is that information if you don’t know how it affects you, is it good that it has 6% of Vitamin A, what does 6% even mean. So I started researching how to best understand this strange chart that we are given. One of the biggest eye opening moments for me came when I read about the importance of the serving size. I have been guilty of looking on the back of a package and reading the information and thinking to myself oh that isn’t too bad, but careful re-examination of the label I soon realized that I was making terrible choices without even realizing it. Now again I am not an expert so I am not going to try and teach you all of the important things about this subject, this truly is something for either your doctor or nutritionist to really lecture you about. But if you are like me and want to learn what you can without having to pay someone for that information then you can take a look at Mayo Clinic, they have a wonderful interactive guide to learning to read a nutrition label that will help get you on the right path.
Now onto obsession number two, sodium. I am actually very blessed with a family history of low blood pressure so I never really thought about the dangers of too much sodium in my diet. But one thing I have struggled with was my weight and so I began to read all that I could find about weight loss. One of the things that I read over and over is how having too much sodium in your diet can lead to water retention, and here is the thing. Water retention is not true weight as many of you know, but what water retention can do is discourage you when you are trying to loose weight. It has been proven, if by nothing more then my own experiences, that if you try to loose weight, go on a diet, start working out and you get no results after a decent amount of time then you are far more likely to give up. But I started to think, what if it isn’t so much that my efforts are pointless but that I am counter acting the good with bad habits. So I began to read more about the importance of sodium in our diet and tried to understand how to decrease the amount I was taking it. What I learned has changed how I think about food and cooking in more ways then I could have ever imagined.
Again I am no expert I am only taking information that I have learned over the years and compiling it together to help point you in the right direction, it is very important to also ask a doctor or nutritionist what is good for you. But there is one thing that I learned that I think is important I pass along to you, especially for women. Eating foods that have a lot of sodium may decrease your body’s ability to retain calcium. We need calcium to build strong bones, but if you eat too much salt, a lot of your calcium intake is directed straight out of your body via urination. This is something that I think should concern young women because it is the habits you have when you are young that affect you when you get older. A decrease in calcium absorption can lead to a loss of bone density, which as you know leads to Osteoporosis. Now of course I am not a doctor, I am not even trying to say a diet high in sodium causes Osteoporosis, these are just facts that we need to be aware of so that we can make the right decisions.
One last piece of information, for our bodies to function properly they say an adult needs a minimum of 500 mg of sodium a day, it is recommended that our daily intake not exceed 1,500 to 2,300 mg. This really means nothing to people, like me who really don’t understand what a mg of sodium looks like, so here are some examples of some common foods and their sodium levels. Again educating ourselves is the best resource we have to healthy living, though don’t just take my word for it, multiple sources of information is always the best way to get a more accurate picture.
1 can of Green Giant Green beans-serving size on package says ½ cup that means the whole can is approximately 2 cups, which means if you serve the whole can that is 1,600 mg of sodium. 1 box of Rice-a-Roni Chicken- Serving size is for this prepared is 1 cup, the whole box cooked makes about 2 cups. That means that the entire box prepared contains 2120 mg of sodium. 1 can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle soup- the serving size given on the can is ½ cup. There are about 1¼ cups in the whole can. So if you are like me and can eat the entire can in one sitting then you are taking in a whopping 2,220 mg of sodium!!
And because we often just can’t say no to the convenience of fast food-
BK Whopper with Cheese contains 1,430 mg of sodium | 5,393 | 2,400 | 0.000422 |
warc | 201704 | One goal of Salish Kootenai College’s social work program is to undertake research that Native American tribes can use to tailor their social programs to their communities.
Located on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Pablo, MT, the social work department has two research proposals under consideration. One is a needs assessment of pregnant and parenting teens that will be implemented by Salish Kootenai students, and the other is a potential survey of the different resources Native people are using to become knowledgeable about climate change.
But the most important goal of the program is to help develop Native American expertise in social work. It’s the first Native program to be accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Rather than just focusing on federal and state laws, Salish Kootenai focuses on tribal laws as well. The program draws students from many tribes and emphasizes cultural competency in its teaching. According to Co Carew, MSW, LCSW, the BSW director, she’s had no problem placing students in internships, and almost all the social work classes are taught by Native faculty.
“Our faculty members come from different parts of the Montanas and also from the Blood Reserve in Canada, and they’re all master’s-level social workers, so they have life experiences and they’ve been in the field long enough to develop important understandings,” says Carew. “They can apply their experiences to the knowledge that we’re trying to teach.”
However, while getting more Native American social workers into the field will undoubtedly benefit Native American communities, it’s important to note that being non-Native shouldn’t deter social workers who are interested in working in such communities. Although non-Native people may have more to learn about tribal practices and culture, they can still develop effective clinical relationships with Native American clients.
“Native people have a lifestyle that often blends Native traditional ways that have evolved to work within the context of western society,” says Rodney C. Haring, PhD, LMSW, founder of One Feather Consulting, a provider of culturally sensitive employee assistance program services, and a member of the research faculty at the University of Arizona’s Native American Research and Training Center as well as an enrolled member of the Seneca Tribe. “Hence, it is not the case that social work practice learned in a Western society university is not applicable. However, it is the case that social workers should understand that there are cultural differences that extend beyond social work text and often revolve around historical events and the traumas associated with them.”
“I think that Native Americans are invisible nationally,” says Susan DuBray, MSW, a social worker on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, part of the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Nation. “There isn’t enough coverage and when there is coverage, it’s more a matter of dramatizing things vs. looking at some of the stuff that really is of value that comes from the Native wisdom, stories, and practices, the cultural aspects of the various tribal systems.”
While stories about high rates of poverty, substance abuse, and suicide in Native American communities—such as the ongoing youth suicide crisis at the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Poplar, MT—most often grab headlines, they tell only part of the story. History and culture are living entities in Native communities, and they exert a great deal of influence. For social workers, understanding the cultural differences of a particular community is an essential part of understanding how to work with the people who live there.
Although there are some similarities among Native communities, Haring says social workers need to be aware of the community’s history, including when the tribe first made contact with Europeans and what events may have occurred as a result of that contact. Haring says cultivating an understanding of Native clients’ needs and differences will help social workers build a foundation of trust and mutual respect.
Social workers should also recognize differences in the languages and traditional practices of the tribes they work with. In addition, they need to be aware of the role that historical trauma plays in the worldview of many Native Americans.
“Things that happened to our mothers and our grandmothers, our grandfathers, and our aunts and uncles carry a lot of weight because we’re a very close-knit community,” says Haring. “So the conversation sitting around the dinner table is sometimes reflective of that where we hear stories from 150 years ago from our great-grandmother about what happened at that time. And that kind of trickles down into how we’re brought up.”
Part of the reason for this resentment is that the boarding schools, although their mission changed somewhat over the years, existed in some form for nearly a century. While many people who have heard of the boarding schools think of them as a late 19th or early 20th century phenomenon, there are still many people who lived through boarding school experiences. Coming to terms with the complex feelings associated with boarding schools is a significant challenge for many students in her program, according to Carew.
“Almost all of our students have been affected by boarding schools. Their parents have attended boarding schools or they personally have attended boarding schools. As students discover the historical experience of Native peoples, they begin to unravel parts of their own history,” says Carew. “Their stories come alive in the classroom, and it’s a new awareness. And it’s not a happy story for most people.”
Contributing to the uneasy relationship between Native Americans and the federal government is the issue of sovereignty. The Wheeler-Howard Act of 1934, also known as the Indian Reorganization Act, imposed on tribes governmental structures that were foreign to most Native communities. DuBray says rather than emphasizing kinship and cooperation, the new structures emphasized the pursuit of power. This has led to a situation on some reservations where federal money doesn’t reach the people who need it most. However, some tribes choose not to accept any federal money, instead relying solely on Native sources of funding.
DuBray adds that formal systems and services offered within some tribes are 30 to 40 years behind the rest of the country, partly due to a lack of resources and partly due to a lack of expertise. At Pine Ridge, the fact that the unemployment rate hovers around 80% exacerbates the situation and because the area the reservation serves extends far beyond its official boundaries, lack of transportation is a significant barrier to care. Conducting an accurate census—the basis for the distribution of most federal funds—is also a factor. Because of high unemployment, many residents spend only part of the year on the reservation. This makes it difficult to gauge how many people actually need social services.
It doesn’t help that federal housing allowances cap the number of people who can be claimed at an individual residence, which causes chronic underreporting. DuBray estimates that the population of Pine Ridge is easily twice the official estimate, which would make it South Dakota’s second largest population center behind Sioux Falls. She believes that rather than simply contributing money to the status quo, the federal government could significantly help Native communities by promoting tribal sovereignty.
“It’s notable that tribes are really trying to take a stand on sovereignty and that should be embraced and encouraged for tribes to develop their systems—whatever that might look like, from an educational standpoint, healthcare standpoint, social services standpoint—to develop their own systems that work for them and that fit for their communities,” says DuBray. “And if that could be fully embraced from the national level, I think you would see some real significant change for American Indian people.” | 8,295 | 3,570 | 0.00029 |
warc | 201704 | Surgery free weight loss treatments: What are the options?
Surgery free weight loss: What are the options? Laser Liposuction (aka Vaser)Sometimes no matter how hard we exercise and how sensibly we diet, there are some areas of stubborn localised fat that just won't shift. Yep we're talking about those pesky love handles and that extra layer on our tummies that just wants to stay put.
One non surgical weight loss treatment that can give great results is Laser Liposuction - and it's becoming increasingly popular.
This is largely due to new technological advances in equipment, making it a state of the art procedure that's safer and more efficient than conventional lipo.
Unlike traditional Liposuction, laser Liposuction doesn't involve a general anaesthetic or a an overnight stay in a hospital and it's viewed by medical experts as less invasive and less aggressive.
What do the experts say?
Dr Robin Stones, Medical Director of Court House Clinics says: "Conventional Liposuction is fairly brutal due to size of the suction catheter used and purely physical treatment. It is also not very refined in terms of shaping the body contours. It also carries a greater risk of complications and there is a lot of discomfort and down time for the patient.
Newer procedures such as Vaser (laser Liposuction) carry fewer risks and are done under local anaesthesia."
But how does it work? Dr. Stones explains: "The use of ultrasound or laser breaks down the fat making it easier to remove through a smaller catheter. High-definition Vaser is a refined technique that can accurately sculpt the body profile to a client’s specification e.g. define pecs or sculpt a 6 pack.”
Laser Liposuction involves making tiny incisions in the skin (2-3 milimeters across) which is where the optic laser is inserted.
The laser emits energy to help break down the fat cells, essentially melting the fat so it can easily be removed from the body.
The surgeon will then extract the fat by inserting a fine cannula in the same incision. The Laser is then re-introduced to stimulate skin contraction and tightening to ensure that a great final result is achieved and you are not left with loose skin once the fat has been removed.
The length of the procedure time depends on how many areas you're having treated. Usually no more than two areas are performed at the same time as this is quite an intricate process.
On average, between 500mls and one litre of fat can be realistically removed at one time. For that reason people are often keen to come back for more treatment on different areas”.
As you might expect, the most popular areas for Vaser treatment include the stomach, love handles and the inner and outer thighs. But it is also good at tackling smaller fat deposits around the chin and jowls, neck and even ankles.
Pros:
Local anaesthetic only No overnight hospital stay needed Good for smaller and more intricate stubborn areas May stimulate skin contraction Less disruptive to everyday life and busy schedules
Cons:
Risk of incisions becoming infected
Risk of uneven finish
Small risk of burning or scarring caused by the heat emitted by the laser
Expensive
Recovery time:
After laser Liposuction you can rest in a room afterwards for a short time after the procedure and normal activities can usually be resumed the following day. Some patients may experience a little bruising, swelling and tenderness for a few days.
Your Doctor or Surgeon will usually advise you to wear a compression garment for seven days, 24 hours a day and then for another seven days during the daytime.
This is to help reduce the swelling. It is advisable to avoid vigorous exercise (running, gym) or sports for seven days after this procedure. Providing your job is not too physically demanding, you should be able to return to work the next day!
Results:
With Laser Liposuction patients can usually see a result from day one as the fat has been removed from the area treated but the results do improve gradually over a number of weeks.
The full results may take up to six to twelve months to be seen.
Costs for Laser Liposuction starts at around £1,995 per area
Ursula Dewey
30/10/2012
Article Plan
Surgery free weight loss treatments: What are the options?
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warc | 201704 | Brainspotting The Revolutionary New Therapy for Rapid and Effective Change
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Description
Brain-based therapy is the fastest-growing area in the field of psychological health because it has proven that it can immediately address issues that talk therapy can take years to heal. Now Dr. David Grand presents the next leap forward in psychological care—combining the strengths of brain-based and talk therapies into a powerful technique he calls Brainspotting. In
Brainspotting, Dr. Grand reveals the key insight that allowed him to develop this revolutionary therapeutic tool: that where we lookreveals critical information about what's going on in our brain. Join him to learn about: The history of Brainspotting—how it evolved from EMDR practice as a more versatile tool for brain-based therapy Brainspotting in action—case studies and evidence for the effectiveness of the technique An overview of the different aspects of Brainspotting and how to use them Between sessions—how clients can use Brainspotting on their own to reinforce and accelerate healing Why working simultaneously with the right and left brain can lead to expanded creativity and athletic performance How Brainspotting can be used to treat PTSD, anxiety, depression, addiction, physical pain, chronic illness, and much more
“Brainspotting lets the therapist and client participate together in the healing process,” explains Dr. Grand. “It allows us to harness the brain's natural ability for self-scanning, so we can activate, locate, and process the sources of trauma and distress in the body.” With
Brainspotting, this pioneering researcher introduces an invaluable tool that can support virtually any form of therapeutic practice—and greatly accelerate our ability to heal.
“David Grand is one of the most important and effective psychological trauma therapists now practicing, and his development of Brainspotting is a very important leap forward in helping people resolve trauma. Brainspotting is a remarkable, sophisticated, flexible addition to the therapeutic toolkit of any psychotherapist. I know because I use it regularly, and find that, combined with the psychoanalytic approaches I normally practice, the results are astonishingly helpful. Using it, one becomes amazed at the extent to which our traumas can be detected in our ordinary facial and eye reflexes, and how, by using these windows to inner mental states, many traumas and symptoms can be rapidly relieved. Grand writes clearly, and the cases, dramatic as they are, are not exaggerated.”
—Norman Doidge, MD, FRCPC, author of The Brain That Changes Itself; faculty, University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry, and Columbia University Department of Psychiatry Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research Samples Reviews Write Your Own Review Customer Reviews 6 Item(s) Review for Brainspotting Review by SANDRA S Rating
Accessible, inspiring explanation of the writer's theory and practice of trauma-based treatment modalities.
(Posted on 10/14/2014)
Review for Brainspotting Review by Jeanne R Rating
Full of wisdom and knowledge that I can bring into my own practice with my clients.
(Posted on 10/8/2014)
Review for Brainspotting Review by Mary L Rating
Fascinating book. Easy to book, well structured. Dr Grand writes with sincerity and compassion about his discoveries.
(Posted on 10/5/2014)
Review for Brainspotting Review by Louise F Rating
In resonse to your query, Dr. Grand's Brainspotting book more than met my expectations. In fact, that's why I ordered six more copies. As a lay person, I wanted to share it with my therapists and other therapists who have helped me along my journey. They were most appreciative and interested in Dr. Grand's groundbreaking work. Thanks for asking.
(Posted on 4/27/2013)
Review for Brainspotting Review by Thomas E. Taylor, M.Div., LMSW Rating
David Grand's book, "Brainspotting: The Revolutionary New Therapy for Effective Change", is an excellent book for both the general public as well as mental health professionals. His anecdotes and stories, highlight what Brainspotting is and how it works, and makes for an easy read. But, Dr. Grand also expands on the more technical aspects of the treatment for therapists and those wanting to know more about the science of Brainspotting.
In the book there is an excellent glossary of terms and a listing of other resources as well. If you or someone you know suffers from PTSD, trauma, grief or any kind of loss than do yourself a favor and please read "Brainspotting." Also, if you are an artist, actor or athlete struggling with your craft or you just want to get better at it, than read "Brainspotting" too. I have used this treatment for every conceivable issue I can think of: trauma, relationship issues, grief, sports performance and creativity enhancement. I have used it with firefighters, police officers, combat veterans, 9/11 survivors, athletes, artists, children, couples and people who have survived accidents and abuse. It is remarkable and the book tells you everything you need to know about this terrific resource and therapeutic tool. Brainspotting can be a stand alone treatment or it can be integrated with other therapies along with the background and experience of the therapist. It is very much a client centered therapy and works consciously and unconsciously on thoughts, memories, emotions and physiological reactions or body memories. Simply put, Brainspotting works and works extremely well. It never ceases to amaze me how this treatment can help others to help heal themselves. As David says in this wonderful book, "Where you look affects how you feel."
(Posted on 3/22/2013)
Review for Brainspotting Review by Louise Fitzgerald Rating
Dr. Grand's new book is incredibly well written and full of wonderful insights and techniques for therapists who are looking to powerfully enhance their clients' healing. I admire the clients who stay with treatment year after year. To be able to help speed up the healing process will be most welcomed and appreciated by those who truly are working hard, but are stuck. Thank you, Dr. Grand. Excellent work. Keep up the good work. Ms. Fitzgerald/NYC
(Posted on 3/20/2013)
6 Item(s) Details Paperback Book Contents Paperback book (167 pages) Date Published April 01, 2013 ISBN-10 1-60407-890-1 ISBN-13 978-1-60407-890-9 Dimensions 5 x 5 inches Product Code BK02551 eBook Contents eBook (167 pages) Filetypes EPUB, JPG, PDF, PRC Date Published April 01, 2013 ISBN-10 1-60407-943-6 ISBN-13 978-1-60407-943-2 Product Code BK02551W | 7,358 | 3,342 | 0.000304 |
warc | 201704 | Three months of yoga practice is enough to reduce inflammation and fatigue in breast cancer survivors, a study has found (Kiecolt-Glaser et al., 2014).
Even 3 months after the yoga practice had ended, participants were reporting 57% less fatigue and 20% less inflammation in comparison to a non-yoga group.
The study’s lead author, Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, who is professor of psychiatry and psychology at Ohio State University, said:
“This showed that modest yoga practice over a period of several months could have substantial benefits for breast cancer survivors.
We also think the results could easily generalize to other groups of people who have issues with fatigue and inflammation.”
The study, which is published in the
Journal of Clinical Oncology, is the largest yet to look at the biological effects of yoga.
Two hundred women who had been through breast cancer treatment attended 90 minutes of yoga twice a week for three months.
Kiecolt-Glaser explained the reasoning behind focusing on breast cancer survivors:
“One of the problems they face is a real reduction in cardiorespiratory fitness.
The treatment is so debilitating and they are so tired, and the less you do physically, the less you’re able to do.
It’s a downward spiral.
“That’s one reason we think there are higher levels of inflammation in cancer survivors, meaning that an intervention that reduces inflammation could potentially be very beneficial.”
Along with the boost to vitality and drop in fatigue, the researchers also found remarkable biological changes.
Those who’d been practicing yoga had lower levels of proteins which are markers of inflammation.
In comparison to the non-yoga group:
interleukin-6 (IL-6) was reduced by 11%, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B) was reduced by 15%, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) was reduced by 10%.
Kiecolt-Glaser continued:
“We were really surprised by the data because some more recent studies on exercise have suggested that exercise interventions may not necessarily lower inflammation unless people are substantially overweight or have metabolic problems.
In this group, the women didn’t lose weight, but we saw really marked reductions in inflammation.
So this was a particularly striking finding biologically.”
Why does yoga work?
Yoga may be beneficial for all sorts of reasons, Kiecolt-Glaser explains:
“Yoga has many parts to it — meditation, breathing, stretching and strengthening.
We think the breathing and meditation components were really important in terms of some of the changes we were seeing.
We think improved sleep could be part of the mechanism of what we were seeing.
When women were sleeping better, inflammation could have been lowered by that.
Reducing fatigue enables women to engage in other activities over time.
So yoga may have offered a variety of benefits in addition to the yoga exercises themselves.”
Image credit: lyn tally | 2,993 | 1,413 | 0.000735 |
warc | 201704 | "People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use."
--Soren Kierkegaard
It is the same story.
Around the country, speakers are warning Americans about the danger of Islam and the threat of the Muslims within. Islam maligned, Prophet Muhammad attacked and the speakers threaten lawsuits if they are denied the space to spew their venom in an unchallenged manner.
They argue this is "freedom of speech." To such individuals, regurgitating your dirty saliva without any critical thinking or understanding of the subject matter at hand is free speech. Yet a society that values freedom of speech is best known by the presence of the voices of its minorities and politically weak in the public square. To my knowledge, the Muslims in many European countries and here remain mainly marginalized.
There is a strong social pressure for Muslims to speak the right way, breathe the right way, sneeze the right away or fear being accused of extremism or terrorism activity.
Let us play an imagination game.
Imagine in your mind's eye the following cartoon: a Muslim with a thought bubble that reads, "What is freedom of speech?" The Muslim figure is looking at two prevailing images from Western countries with Muslim minorities: One image shows some Westerners bashing Muslims, Islam and Prophet Muhammad, and another image shows law enforcement persecuting, spying, bashing and censoring Muslims for unpopular opinions and speech. In the first image a crowd surrounds the speaker attacking Islam and Muslims, and in the second image a drone is aiming at the Muslim speaker spewing venom at non-Muslims. What makes one speech socially and legally acceptable under free speech and another as in the case of Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen, grounds for a drone attack for his inflammatory speech against the US?
Let us continue the imagination game.
Imagine a Muslim speaker who claims that American Christians and Jews "will kill your children" and that "we are in war with Crusaders," was invited to speak at Bagley High School.
Imagine the speaker incited the audience such that some neighbors felt endangered and decided to attend to challenge the speaker with their attendance and "Love Thy Neighbor" signs.
Imagine said speaker stopped his presentation and singled these people out, demanded they leave or threatened to throw them out.
Imagine the incited crowd yells, 'Get out' and 'You weren't invited.'
Imagine people getting up to their feet and moving towards them to lay hands on them and kick them out.
Imagine one Muslim upset at the Christian and Jewish presence, later approached the officer and asked: "Can I borrow your gun?"
Imagine one member describes the event as "The audience doesn't know where the line is, or that a line even exists. When [Muslim speaker] works a crowd, he does so skillfully, provoking responses and goading reactions. After listening to fear mongering messages the previous night, such as 'Christians are destroying the world,' 'Jews are coming to kill your children and grandchildren,' 'The day will come and Christian and Jews in America will have the upper hand, and they will kill your children for not eating what is liked. For not eating the lawful foods,' and 'Killing you is a small matter.'
Are we as Americans in favor of such speech? Are we in favor of the views of Anwar al-Alwaki and other Muslims who spew such venom? Would we be open to our schools allowing such views to incite crowds?
Noam Chomsky said, "If you're in favor of free speech, then you're in favor of freedom of speech precisely for views you despise. Otherwise, you're not in favor of free speech."
The US killed Anwar al-Alwaki, and his children with drones. They did not commit acts of terrorism, but al-Awlaki was guilty of spewing hatred against America.
So I would like to ask Bagley High School, are you open to a Muslim speaker who spews venom towards Christians and Jews? I ask the Police and Law Enforcement in Bagley - had this been a Muslim speaker spewing venom against Jews and Christians - would you have handled this situation the same way?
I ask the radio stations and media in Bagley and around - had this been a Muslim speaker spewing venom against Christians and Jews - would you have favorably promoted the event on your station and paper? Are Muslim voices that you despise heard? This demonstrates whether it was hate or freedom that is motivating speakers and the audience.
I ask the FBI who is constantly asking us to keep our eyes and ears open to questionable behavior by Muslims and to aid them in preventing terrorism - had this been a Muslim speaker spewing venom - would you have remained silent?
According to Islamic teachings, freedom of speech is a valuable concept when embraced with a spirit engaged in the search for truth and is not laced with insults and vulgarity. For example, Islam forbids Muslims from cursing or attacking other faiths. Islamic teachings also prohibit sitting in the company of those who ridicule and mock God or the prophets. There is no value or critical thinking in such speech.
In the Qur'an, one hears arguments raised by Satan toward God as well as the objections toward Prophet Mohammed, upon him peace and blessings, by the early Makkans. God does not censor these voices but responds to the charges raised.
Satan was given time till Judgment Day to prove that God's ennoblement of human beings over him was a mistake. If you are for free speech, then you are for an equal platform for those you disagree with, who oppose or challenge your views and ideas, openly and transparently.
Speech that seeks to incite a crowd and rage at any opposing voice and muzzle everyone who can respond and challenge their argument - is not free speech, but hate.
In addition, in the Quran we are told of a conversation between Prophet Solomon, upon him peace, and the Queen of Sheba. The Queen of Sheba was of a different faith, different gender, and different ethnicity, in other words, the "other." When a subject of Prophet Solomon shares with him negative news regarding the Queen, Prophet Solomon responds with a call for verification and investigation. He respectfully writes to the Queen and engages her directly, openly and transparently.
(Solomon) said: "Soon shall we see whether thou hast told the truth or lied! "Go thou, with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them: then draw back from them, and (wait to) see what answer they return"... (The queen) said: "Ye chiefs! here is delivered to me - a letter worthy of respect. (Quran 27: 27-29)
When a crowd is easily incited by negative comments on the "other" and fails to accept its responsibility to verify, investigate, and engage openly and transparently, then that is not freedom of speech, but hate.
The quotes shared above in the imagination game were not the quotes of a Muslim speaker; rather, they are the quotes of Usama K. Dakdok, a Christian speaker, who came to Bagley, Minnesota this past weekend to warn Minnesotans about the "disease of Islam." I changed the quotes to help us understand that were similar quotes to be said by a Muslim toward non-Muslims, we would not be so open and receptive to such speech and we would not call it free speech. We would easily recognize it as hate speech.
I do not ask for the US to hit Dakdok with a drone, but why is al-Awlaki hit with a drone, while Dakdok and others are allowed to speak in public schools or spaces under the banner of "freedom of speech?" That is not imagination, but reality.
The issue for me is not that Dakdok and others like him are allowed to speak, but the platform in which they speak is a platform where Muslims are marginalized, mocked and silenced. It is a platform devoid of critical thinking, investigation, transparency, and verification. It confuses feelings with facts, projection with analysis and promotes a demented understanding of one another, which creates an atmosphere that is unhealthy for Muslims and all citizens in Bagley, Minnesota and America at large.
Reflect | 8,112 | 3,596 | 0.00028 |
warc | 201704 | “How ‘bout a shot of truth in that denial cocktail?” – Jennifer Salaiz
Denial has a bad rap.
The truth is, we need denial sometimes.
It protects our minds and bodies against information that is too overwhelming to process all at once.
Denial can last for a short time or a fairly lengthy period. When my late partner, Ruth, was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer, it took about a year for us to completely come out of our denial that the disease would take her life.
After her first course of chemotherapy, Ruth’s cancer went into remission. When it reappeared at the end of that first year, we finally acknowledged that she would never be cured.
When denial gets in the way
But what would have happened if we had persisted in our denial?
We would have missed out on the richness that life took on when we realized that hers was going to end soon.
And I would have been completely blindsided and traumatized by her death if I hadn’t accepted that it was going to happen.
Denial is one of the many tools we employ to keep ourselves as together as possible.
I worked with a client who came to me for therapy because she was feeling very angry toward her sister.
My client, Mary, thought her sister was enabling her adult-age son, Mary’s nephew, to continue his anti-social ways by bailing him out of jail, fixing his financial problems, and allowing him to stay in her home.
The sister’s codependent behavior was driving Mary crazy.
A few sessions later, as she was telling me more of her frustrations about the situation, she said that she had written letters to her nephew’s probation officer.
However, she had sent the letters as though they were coming from her nephew when, in fact, they were written by Mary.
“I just don’t want him to get into more trouble by not checking in with his probation officer,” she said.
When I gently reflected her own enabling behaviors, Mary was shocked.
And she never returned to therapy.
It was easier for her to stay in her denial story that her sister was the problem, rather than admitting she was also adding to the situation in a negative way.
Denying a problem exists can have lethal consequences, too. One day as I sat in a restaurant, I saw an acquaintance walk by. She had a huge lump on her neck. Later I found out that she had noticed the lump over a year ago, but decided it wasn’t anything to worry about so never went to the doctor.
A few months after I saw her in the restaurant she died from advanced lymphoma.
Denial is okay. Until it’s not.
You know denial.
You’ve seen it in yourself and others.
The person who thinks the bank isn’t really serious about foreclosing on his house.
Your co-worker who thinks a bottle of wine with dinner every night isn’t a problem, even though she keeps getting in trouble for coming in late.
That voice inside your head that says, “It’s okay to buy this iPad with my credit card. I’ll pay the minimum due this month and get caught up again next month.”
Denial is okay.
Until it’s not.
While short-term denial gives you time to adjust to your current setback, long-term denial only digs you a deeper hole.
And denial doesn’t only apply to the big crises in our lives. Do any of these situations that we deny sound familiar to you?
I know exercise is good for me but I don’t have time right now. I’ll start next month. Yes, my desk is messy, but I only missed one bill payment in the last month. That’s not too bad. I should probably talk to my husband about my feelings of loneliness because he always works so late. But I don’t want to stress him out even more than he already is. My cholesterol is high, but it’s genetic. It’s okay if I eat a little red meat twice per week.
So the first step away from denial and toward acceptance is to call a spade a spade.
see what is in front of you: Truly You willsoon be in insurmountable debt if you don’t stop running up your credit card. The bank doeshave a right to take your home if you aren’t paying the mortgage. Drinking so much that you are late for work every day isa problem. Your spouse’s complaints and threats to leave really domean there is trouble in your relationship. The phone calls you’ve been receiving from your child’s school means that he really ishaving behavioral issues.
But how can you determine whether you’re in denial or not?
Four ideas for coming out of denial Pay attention to what your friends are telling you. “Wow, you really like to keep that credit card busy, don’t you?” “Having a little food with your wine again?” “Wait. Did I hear you two actually say something niceto each other?” Notice if you’re having the same problem over and over.
What’s that old definition of insanity?
Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
If you keep running into the same problem all the time, stop!
Look around.
Are you so deep into denial that you don’t see that you’re doing the same thing repeatedly that gets you into trouble?
If you are in the middle of a crisis, ask a trusted friend or family member if they think you’re denying any part of it.
Use a friend as a mirror and ask them to reflect back to you how you’re doing. Ask them to be very honest and to point out any areas of reality that you might be missing.
Use your imagination.
Imagine that your friend is in your current situation.
Notice how she is behaving.
Is she in denial about the problem?
Now it’s your turn to ‘fess up. When have you caught yourself in a serious case of denial? | 5,737 | 2,688 | 0.000393 |
warc | 201704 | Electronic Publication No. 3
Revised,
February 12, 2001
(This article was largely written by David Y. Allen. The author's role has consisted of reworking the ideas of others, who are mostly responsible for its intellectual content. Mary Larsgaard, Patrick McGlamery, and Jan Smits contributed substantially to this article and made numerous suggestions and corrections. They are not responsible for any errors.)
Confused about Metadata? Not to worry--so is everybody else. Metadata is undoubtedly one of the most complex issues facing map librarians in the digital age. There are several reasons for the confusion. First, there are a number of competing standards for metadata. These standards are evolving and, in some cases, converging. To further complicate matters, there are many different types of digital files that may be described by metadata. A type of metadata that works well with one kind of file may be too cumbersome or inadequate to describe others.
The situation becomes more manageable if one is concerned about producing metadata for a particular application. None of the metadata standards are that difficult to understand and apply. Our purpose here is to provide an overview of existing standards, to show you where to get more information, and to suggest which types of metadata may be most appropriate for particular kinds of digital files.
The term "metadata" originated among GIS specialists when they realized they needed detailed information about the computer readable files they were producing. The classic definition of metadata is "data about data." A more helpful one is "information about a publication, as compared with the content of the publication". Metadata is generally taken to mean information about digital data only, although as is evident from the definitions, that is more often implied than explicit.
Metadata resembles cataloging, but it was not designed to be produced by librarians, but rather by the producers of the data--i.e. the creators of the digital files. Most metadata is designed to be indexed and retrieved on the Web, rather than to be retrieved on conventional online catalogs.
What is the difference between metadata and cataloging information? At this point, very little. Some librarians have suggested that the advocates of metadata are reinventing the wheel, and maintain that standard MARC cataloging can be adapted to do everything that metadata does. Nonetheless, there is no consensus even among map catalogers on this issue. Good metadata should include all of the information needed to read and interpret a complex digital file. For example, metadata should also be able to include graphic fields (that is, not just URLs linking to graphics, but the actual graphics themselves). MARC is not designed to convey complex numeric information, and can be adapted much more easily to produce records for simple map images than complex GIS data sets..
Rather than attempt to decide on a single metadata standard, we would suggest that various types of metadata may be appropriate for various file types, and that librarians in different situations may need to work with one or more kinds of metadata. What is perhaps most important is to maintain as much consistency between various types of metadata as possible. If that is done, records can readily be interchanged using "crosswalks," and can be displayed in a single database.
Numerous metadata standards have been developed. Leaving aside for the moment international standards, three types of metadata are dominant in the United States.
FGDC Metadata:In the United States the most established metadata standard isthat adopted by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). This standard is used by thefederal government and many other agencies. In fact, it is obligatory for federal agenciesto produce FGDC metadata for their digital products. Detailed information about FGDCmetadata is available at the FGDChome page. Here can be found tutorials, examples, and all the other information youneed to get started making FGDC metadata. Probably more metadata can be found in FGDCformat than in any other. A major effort is underway to harmonize the FGDC standard withEuropean standards, and a new international standard with the blessings of theInternational Standards Organization (ISO) will soon replace the FGDC standard..
Although the FGDC is clearly winning widespread acceptance, it is not without problems. The most common criticism of FGDC metadata is that it is too cumbersome and difficult to apply--that it is overkill for very simple digital files. To address this problem, a number of states have adopted simplified versions of FGDC metadata ("metadata lite"). The FGDC itself is developing a list of essential metadata elements--its own version of "metadata lite."
Not the least of the problems with FGDC metadata is its incompatibility with MARC. You can't find FGDC metadata on OCLC or RLIN. On the other hand, the FGDC records are more extensively indexed than MARC, and can be readily searched on the World Wide Web.
Finally, even FGDC metadata is not sophisticated enough to suit everyone's needs. Although it is more information rich than MARC, it is inadequate for those attempting to construct graphical interfaces (like Project Alexandria or Harvard's "Liboratory"), and needs to be supplemented for these purposes. Clickable maps, which allow a person to retrieve digital files for a particular area, are an increasingly popular option not provided for by the FGDC standard.
MARC as Metadata: There are obvious advantages to having a single standard forcataloging both digital and non-digital materials--hence the appeal of MARC. Recognizingthat traditional MARC records are inadequate for many digital materials, librarians havebeen attempting to upgrade MARC to incorporate additional data elements from the FGDC. Forfurther information on cataloging cartographic datafiles in USMARC, see "Guidelines for DistinguishingCartographic Records on Computer File Carriers from other Materials on Computer FileCarriers," which has been prepared by the Library of Congress. Dublin Core Metadata: The "Dublin Core" bears a relationshipto USMARC, which somewhat resembles that between "metadata lite" and FGDCmetadata. The Dublin Core is named after Dublin, Ohio, the home of OCLC, which isthe chief proponent of this metadata standard. The authoritative source for information onthis standard is the OCLC Dublin Core Homepage. The Dublin Core has been rapidly evolving, and remains the subject of much discussion and controversy. In this regard see the Final Report of the MAGERT CCC Task Force on Using Dublin Core for Cartographic Materials.
In the opinion of some of us, the Dublin Core has potential as a form of brief cataloging for maps, including raster images of maps available on the Internet. The Dublin Core consists of fifteen "core" fields, which more or less correspond to certain fields in MARC records. The Dublin Core is extremely flexible: all of the fields are optional, and all are repeatable. Once a basic template is devised for maps, it should be possible for a non-professional with little training to produce acceptible Dublin Core records for cartographic materials in both digital and non-digital form. Dublin Core records can be searched on the Web, and experiments are being made by OCLC to produce databases that utilize both Dublin Core and USMARC records. The important OCLC CORC Project contains many examples of map cataloging records that can be displayed in both MARC and Dublin Core formats.
Implicit in the above discussion is the idea that "one size fits all" does not work with metadata--that no single standard is suitable for all purposes. The various types of metadata can be placed in a hierarchy of complexity. Jan Smits has discussed in some detail the need for various levels of metadata in "The Creation and Integration of Metadata in Spatial Map Collections", and those interested in pursuing the subject in depth should consult his article. In summary, those who are trying to describe complex GIS data sets will probably need to work with the FGDC/ISO metadata. MARC records can be used with less complex data sets. And Dublin Core, as well as MARC, is suitable for raster images and simple vector data sets that do not require a lot of description.
An important point is the need for consistency and linking among the various levels of metadata. Very often map librarians may want to link FGDC metadata with MARC or Dublin Core records providing briefer descriptions of the same data (for distribution on online catalogs, etc.). If this is done, the URL for the FGDC metadata should be provided in the MARC record. It is also important to provide as much consistency as possible between records in different formats, as is most obviously the case with name authority.
Another reason for keeping the fields in different metadata records as consistent as possible is to facilitate the interchange of records. Thus, at some point you may want to upgrade your Dublin Core records to full MARC cataloging. Some librarians receiving grants from the federal government have found it necessary to translate their metadata in MARC format into the FGDC standard. And those with FGDC metadata on their hands may need to create MARC records for distribution via online catalogs.
To facilitate moving metadata from one level to another, a number of so-called
"crosswalks"have been developed. A good collection of these is Mapping between Metadata Formatsfrom UKOLN, the UK Office for Library and Information Networking. A FGDC toMarc Crosswalk is available from the Project Alexandria site. Most recently,Adam Chandler and Dan Foley at the U.S.G.S. Energy & Environmental Resources Centerhave written a paper describing their project to develop a crosswalk between DublinCore, USMARC and FGDC . Aspiring Masters of Metadata can explore the subject in depth at the followingWeb sites:
IFLA Metadata Resources Page
Metadata Page (from UKOLN, the UK Office for Library and Information Networking)
Project Alexandria metadata page
An important source of information about metadata for maps inpaper:
Paige Andrew and Mary Lynette Larsgaard,eds.
Maps and Related Cartographic Materials: Cataloging, Classification, and Bibliographic Control (New York: Haworth Press, 1999). This book, which was co-published simultaneously as v. 27, no. 1/2 and 3/4 of Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, contains articles discussing in depth most of the issues mentioned here. Keep up with current developments with these online publications:
d-lib Magazine
RLG DigiNews
Return to MAGERT Electronic Publications Page | 10,735 | 4,568 | 0.00022 |
warc | 201704 | Australia enters 2016 in anticipation of a general election likely to be held in the second half of the year.
It is set to be a fascinating election, after the third successive polls in which an incumbent leader came to office after ousting a sitting prime minister.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been in office only since September, after ousting Mr Tony Abbott, and will be hoping to win a public mandate to govern.
Opinion polls show his ruling coalition is on track to easily defeat Labor and win a second successive term.
But Australia faces lagging economic growth, with a growing government deficit that could yet pose big challenges for the coalition.
The year ahead
• General election that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's coalition is likely to win
• Twin challenge of a lagging economy and a growing deficit
• Delivery of a long-delayed defence blueprint that could show stance on security challenges
There are already strong calls for Mr Turnbull to consider tax reform and an increased consumption tax, which could prove politically risky. And previous newly installed prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard both struggled at elections shortly after they seized power in 2013 and 2010, respectively.
Mr Turnbull's election opponent is set to be Labor leader Bill Shorten, who supports stronger action on climate change but is yet to establish a clear political agenda. But Mr Shorten currently has terrible approval ratings and the party will almost certainly turn to a fresh leader if he cannot improve his standing.
While the nation's attention will increasingly turn to politics as the election nears, other big challenges loom in the new year.
In early 2016, the coalition is expected to deliver its long-delayed defence blueprint and reveal plans for Australia's future naval and submarine capability.
The blueprint is expected to finally reveal the winner of an A$20 billion (S$20.6 billion) contract to build the next generation of Australian submarines. The leading contenders are France, Germany and Japan.
But the blueprint will also be closely read for signals about Mr Turnbull's stance on significant security challenges, particularly the rise of China. Since becoming leader, he has described Beijing's recent territorial assertiveness in the South China Sea as concerning and "counter-productive".
The other big pre-election challenge for Mr Turnbull will be his first annual budget in May. He has repeatedly stated that he wants to deliver a budget before calling an election.
The difficulty for Mr Turnbull is that Australia's economy has been struggling due to its fading mining boom and a slump in commodity prices, as well as the general global sluggishness. Mr Turnbull will have to decide whether to go for a tough but unpopular budget, which could include steep spending cuts, or avoid such measures but instead risk his own economic credibility.
Outside politics, Australia could be in for a year of heavy weather as the El Nino pattern continues.
Rising temperatures have already led to heavy drought and early bushfires - and the forecasts are for another hot year. | 3,154 | 1,548 | 0.000654 |
warc | 201704 | According to Greenberg (1999) motivation is defined “as a process of arousing, directing and maintaining behaviour towards a goal.†Where ‘directing’ refers to the selection of a particular behaviour; and ‘maintenance’ refers to the inclination to behave with consistency in that manner until the desired outcome is met. Motivation is therefore the force that transforms and uplifts people to be productive and perform in their jobs. Maximising an employee’s motivation is necessary and vital to successfully accomplish the organisation’s objectives and targets. However this is a considerable challenge to any organisation’s managers, due to the complexity of motivation and the fact that there is no ready made solution or an answer to what motivates people to work well (Mullins, 2002). It is my intention in this essay to explore some issues around motivation and cite work based experiences to illustrate and substantiate any arguments or points of view. Main Body
Mullins (2002) classifies motivation into Intrinsic and Extrinsic types. Intrinsic motivation involves psychological rewards to enhance job satisfaction, such as the opportunity to use one’s ability, a sense of achievement, receiving appreciation and positive recognition or being treated in a considerate manner (Mullins, 2002:P490). Such methods ensure employees are constantly motivated while being engaged in activities that are enjoyable and rewarding. I was formerly employed by a supplier of automobile parts where in addition to using compensation as a means of motivation; they too were dedicated in ensuring their employees had maximum job satisfaction. This was achieved by giving autonomy in their job functions and assigning significant responsibilities, which allowed them to be involved in the decision making for their area of expertise. Pleasant working conditions and annual recognition of the ‘Best salesman of the year’ and ‘Best... | 2,140 | 1,042 | 0.001055 |
warc | 201704 | Moving faster than the speed of light, being in two places at once, and Traveling backward through time are all common themes in science fiction. Conventional physics tells us these are all nearly impossible. However, they are happening right now, in this very room. They are happening at the atomic level. Journey with me into the world of Quantum Physics. Quantum physics is the study of the smallest things known to science. In this world are things so small that they no longer obey what we consider the “laws” of physics. At such a small scale, Newton’s precious laws no longer apply. In fact, scientists have had to come up with a new set of laws that only pertain to atoms and the particles they are made up of. In the world of Quantum physics, the impossible becomes reality. Atoms have been observed to occasionally “link” or “bond”, not in a physical or chemical way, but in an “Informational” Bond, if you will. Scientists have no idea how or why two atoms may become bonded. All they know is that these two atoms seem to transfer data instantly. Now, this not like an Instant message send over the internet. While a message through the internet can only travel as fast as the electricity carrying it, this bond the atoms is truly instant. These atoms can be separated be billions of light years and though it would take the fastest thing in the universe billions of years to get from one atom to the other; this data would be instantly transferred from atom to atom. When one atom spins clockwise, the other atom will spin counterclockwise. When one atom is observed, the second atom physically becomes the first when observed at the same time, and when the second is observed, the first atom will physically become the first when observed! Even more incredible are the particles smaller than atoms. One such particle, the photon, seemingly does the impossible. This massless particle whizzing around carrying light, has flabbergasted and puzzled physicists for over to 100... | 2,035 | 977 | 0.001048 |
warc | 201704 | Any one who aspires to become a Tennis Champions like Andy Murray could just copy his 1. Training diet
2. Winning strokes
However to really understand what makes him ‘Outstanding’ and beat Roger Federer to claim the Shanghai Masters title on the 17 October 2010 will require a deep understanding of what goes on inside his head (the Real Inner Game).
As you will know, more than 70% of our optimum performance is MENTAL! So what was it that allowed Andy Murray to sustain his focus when the pressure and anxiety was building up as the game progressed?
What thoughts, values and beliefs supported him to ‘hold his nerve’ and beat Roger Federer?
Having a balance of both psychological and physical training is key in the success of a tennis champion.
According to ‘The Law of Correspondence’ (dating back many thousands of years), it states ‘As within, so without’. An individual’s outer world (i.e. how you perform on a daily basis) is simply a manifestation of your inner world (i.e. your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes). Thus, if you want to make a significant change on the outside, you must first have a paradigm shift on the inside.
NLP Coaching gives you the tools to know what goes on inside Andy Murray’s head – His Mental Strength.
To sum up, by booking a series of sessions with an NLP Coach you will experience the following benefits: 1. Draw on into the times when you were performing ‘at your best’ 2. Pull off ‘your best’ whenever you need it
3. Overcome mental limitations that are preventing you from achieving peak performance FAST! Not in hours. 4. A significant boost in performance on a consistent basis
Give us a call at 90486062 to find out how we can help you improve your game.
Excellerated Excellence’s Stellar Track Record
Established in 2001, Excellerated Excellence is the First NLP Institute in the world to seamlessly integrate the “Enneagram Personality... | 1,986 | 1,085 | 0.00097 |
warc | 201704 | Walking meditation is ideal to increased focus and awareness. It helps a person to be attentive on their encounter as they do the walking. It gives more freedom and enhances feeling good on the inner selves. Walking meditation to be effective should be done outdoor like in the sea shore, park or any open space without barriers. This makes one aware of the surroundings and increases the level of thinking because eyes are wide open.
Walking meditation is favored because it is proven that when body is in motion the level of awareness increase compared on sitting down. It can calm your mind and promote good thinking and concentration. Walking meditation gives the benefit of enhancing awareness in addition to the health benefit it does to your body.
Walking meditation can be done easily at your own time and pace. Even while walking from a grocery to your car in the parking lot can be considered as part of the meditation. It is also highly recommended when you are busy because it can be done at the most convenient time while doing some other errands. | 1,064 | 534 | 0.00188 |
warc | 201704 | Relevant offers Michael Cox
If I was asked whether I was in paid employment or self-employed for more than 20 hours, I would reply, quite truthfully, "No".
"Are you then claiming an unemployment benefit?"
"No, I'm not," I would reply. "Are you actively looking for work?" Once again my reply would be in the negative.
I wonder if, as a result of this hypothetical interview, would I be part counted as part of the 170,000 unemployed, of which only 50,390 are being paid an unemployment benefit?
Some journalists, like Simon Collins of the New Zealand Herald, who has always been to the left of Michael Savage in his philosophy, make the argument that the gap between these two figures is as a result of the National Government making it harder for people to receive their benefits. One does wonder what planet he is on. Collins quotes The Council for Christian Services which claims that "those in genuine need are unable to obtain social welfare assistance".
It's always been my experience, over many years of working with the disadvantaged in our community, both as a politician and as a budget adviser, that if they are in genuine need they will surely receive financial assistance.
The most recently reported number of unemployed, receiving a benefit, has fallen from 65,281 to 50,390, a fall of almost a quarter. This has released millions of dollars to be used in paying off our debt, improving our schools or on health care.
The main reason for this drop has been the toughening of the criteria. In particular benefits are cancelled if, after a year, the beneficiary fails to re-apply. Now why would you fail to re-apply for your unemployment benefit? Could it be that you would be exposed as no longer being eligible; perhaps a fraudulent beneficiary who has been ripping off the system? The same size drop has been experienced among the numbers of those "sole parents receiving a domestic purposes benefit". Perhaps they were no longer a "sole parent" and the process of re-applying would expose that fact. We, the taxpayer funders of these fraudulent claims, should be applauding this drop in demand for social welfare payments, not looking for some other nefarious reason. All power to the hand, I say, of the gutsy minister and former beneficiary, Paula Bennett from West Auckland.
If the numbers receiving benefits had unjustly dropped you'd expect those people claiming food parcels would increase in number; not so. The Salvation Army, an organisation I personally support because they actually put their money where their mouths are, report that 7 per cent fewer families are coming to them for food parcels since these measures were introduced.
Simon Collins points out that some of this drop in unemployment numbers could be as a result of New Zealanders leaving for Australia. Well, from what I read they could be in big trouble over the ditch if they find themselves requiring an Australian benefit of any sort; the Aussie taxpayers have said no to that, and quite rightly so in my view. In fact his argument falls apart as recent figures show a reverse in those numbers of people leaving for the "not so lucky land".
One of the good indices published in the last few weeks has been that CPI fell by 0.2 per cent, mainly as a result of drops in food and petrol prices. Vegetable prices have fallen by 16 per cent. I didn't notice that Collins mentioned these "good news" items, but then I wouldn't expect him to do so, although surely balanced reporting should be the norm for a major daily such as the Herald.
Of course, the unemployment figures at the end of September, obtained from an interview such as mine, have come under pretty heavy questioning. How come the PAYE tax take for November shows a 6.9 per cent increase, maybe caused by the gross weekly earnings having reportedly increased by 4.6 per cent or maybe more people in work; definitely not the reverse. Not bad for a country in recession!
And despite Collins "going off" against the current Government, he has failed to point out that in the most recent Roy Morgan political poll, support for the National Party was, once again, up.
- Waikato | 4,165 | 2,051 | 0.000492 |
warc | 201704 | A forearm fracture is a break in one or both bones of the forearm.
The forearm consists of two bones: Radius—the smaller of the two bones, runs along the thumb side of your armUlna—the larger of the two bones, runs along the little finger side of your arm
Forearm Fracture with Swelling
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
A forearm fracture is caused by trauma to the bone. Trauma may include: Fall on an outstretched armFall directly on the forearmDirect blow to the forearmTwisting the arm beyond the elbow's normal range of motion
Forearm fracture is more common in older adults.
Factors that may increase your risk of forearm fracture include: Osteoporosis
Certain diseases or conditions that result in bone or mineral loss, such as abnormal or
absent
menstrual cycles, or post-
menopauseCertain diseases and conditions that weaken bones, such as tumors or cystsPoor nutritionCertain congenital bone conditionsDecreased muscle massParticipating in contact sportsViolence
A forearm fracture may cause: Pain, often severeTenderness, swelling, and bruising around the injuryDecreased range of motionA lump or visible deformity over the fracture site
You will be asked about your symptoms, your physical activity, and how the injury occurred. The injured area will be examined.
Imaging tests assess the bones, surrounding structures, and soft tissues. This can be done with: X-rayCT scanMRI scan
Proper treatment can prevent long-term complications or problems with your forearm. Treatment will depend on how serious the fracture is, but may include:
Extra support may be needed to protect, support, and keep your forearm in line while it heals. Supportive steps may include a splint, brace, or cast. A sling may be necessary to help stabilize your arm.
Some fractures cause pieces of bone to separate. Your doctor will need to put these pieces back into their proper place. This may be done: Without surgery—you will have anesthesia to decrease pain while the doctor moves the pieces back into placeWith surgery—pins, screws, plates, or wires may be needed to reconnect the pieces and hold them in place
Children’s bones are still growing at an area of the bone called the growth plate. If the fracture affected the growth plate, your child may need to see a specialist. Injuries to the growth plate will need to be monitored to make sure the bone can continue to grow as expected.
The following medications may be advised: Over-the-counter medication to reduce inflammation and painPrescription pain medication
Check with your doctor before taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen or aspirin.
Note: Aspirin is not recommended for children or teens with a current or recent viral infection. This is because of the risk of Reye syndrome. Ask your doctor which medications are safe for your child.
You may be referred to physical therapy or rehabilitation to start range-of-motion and strengthening exercises.
To help reduce your chance of a forearm fracture, take these steps: Do not put yourself at risk for trauma to the bone.Always wear a seatbelt when driving or riding in a car.
Do
weight-bearing
and strengthening exercises
regularly to build strong bones.
Wear proper padding and safety equipment when participating in sports or activities.
To help reduce falling hazards at work and home, take these steps: Clean spills and slippery areas right away.Remove tripping hazards such as loose cords, rugs, and clutter.Use non-slip mats in the bathtub and shower.Install grab bars next to the toilet and in the shower or tub.Put in handrails on both sides of stairways.Walk only in well-lit rooms, stairs, and halls.Keep flashlights on hand in case of a power outage.
Adult forearm fractures. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Ortho Info website. Available at:
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00584. Updated July 2011. Accessed September 25, 2014.
Distal radius fracture. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:
http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed. Updated September 15, 2014. Accessed September 25, 2014.
Preventing falls and related fractures.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases website. Available at:
http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/Fracture/prevent_falls.asp.
Updated January 2012. Accessed September 25, 2014.
4/25/2014 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance. http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed: Bruno MA, Weissman BN. American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria for acute hand and wrist trauma. Available at: http://www.acr.org/~/media/ACR/Documents/AppCriteria/Diagnostic/AcuteHandAndWristTrauma.pdf. Updated 2013. Accessed September 25, 2014.
Last reviewed August 2015 by Warren A. Bodine, DO, CAQSM
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved. | 5,311 | 2,574 | 0.000394 |
warc | 201704 | Highlights Summer beach action Summer beach action
Sydney is the perfect destination during summer holidays, effortlessly mixing the buzz of a large city with a cosmopolitan beach culture. With so many things to see and do by the sea, you can make the most of this beach lifestyle with friends and family.
Always wanted to hang ten? Summer is the perfect time to learn to surf at one of Sydney's many famous surf beaches. Get started or hone your skills at surf schools in Bondi, Manly or Maroubra. Many of the city's beaches have surfboards for hire, too.
Want to try something a bit different? Stand-up paddleboarding is a great way to see the beach and keep fit! Several spots around the city offer instruction and board hire, including Manly, Bundeena and Mosman.
Looking for something to do when you rinse off the salt and sand? Visit one of the many waterside cafes and restaurants around the city. In Manly, you'll find food and drink aplenty by the water. Afterwards, visit Manly Waterworks to enjoy the waterslides or to the Manly Sea Life Sanctuary to check out the marine life.
If you prefer to scope out marine life with a snorkel or a tank, Manly is also a great place for underwater adventures. Gordon's Bay near Clovelly is another top spot for beneath-the-surface encounters. Book in for a Snorkel Safari if you want an expert guide to help you.
While you're enjoying yourself at the beach, remember to play it safe. Regularly reapply your sunscreen and always swim between the yellow and red flags where the surf lifesavers patrol.
Keep in mind that many attractions have school holiday deals, giving you and your family the chance to explore more of the city for special package offers.
It's the perfect time of year in Sydney to get outside for your exercise. Kayaking is great for your core, cardio fitness and strength training. If you like your sun salutations, find a beachside yoga class. Try Mysan Yoga at Manly, the Mosman Yoga Co-op at Balmoral Beach, or Yoga by the Sea, which offers seaside classes at Bondi, Bronte and Tamarama. Pedestrians can set out on one of the city's longer coastal walks, or go for a run around the harbour. If you're really keen, get in the harbour for the Great Sydney Swim in January.
There is plenty of outdoor summer fun in Sydney in Summer. Visit the Sydney Markets for a bit of open-air shopping. On a warm summer evening, pack a picnic and watch a film at one of Sydney's outdoor cinemas. Venues include the Royal Botanic Garden, Bondi Beach, Centennial Parklands, and Sydney Olympic Park.
Secluded Chowder Bay, along with Middle Head and Georges Heights, form the beautiful Headland Park near Mosman and Balmoral. There are plenty of things to do in the bay's calm waters, including swimming, paddling, snorkelling and diving. After your time in the water, enjoy a harbourside meal at Ripples at Chowder Bay or high tea at Gunners Barracks.
Cycling is popular in Sydney, with some great shared pedestrian and cycle paths around the city and harbour. All you need is a bike, a helmet and you're set to go. Bike hire is available at a number of locations around the city. Favourite pathways include a winding 35 km through Homebush Park near Sydney Olympic Park, the 7 km 'bay run' around the harbour via Rozelle and Drummoyne, and a ride around beautiful Centennial Parklands.
NSW has a wide range of wonderful swimming options including beaches, ocean pools, harbourside pools, lakes, rivers, and swimming holes at the bottom of waterfalls. However to ensure maximum safety and enjoyment, swimmers should follow this general advice:
Look for patrolled beaches (this is where lifesavers are on duty; you will see red and yellow flags that indicate this). You should always swim between the red and yellow flags as they mark the safest place to swim. Never swim alone at night, or under the influence of alcohol, or directly after a meal. Always check water depth before diving in, as rocks or trees could be submerged, and never run and dive into the water from the beach. Check for signs regarding advice on water conditions at your chosen swimming spot and at any natural swimming hole. Always proceed with caution as surfaces could be slippery and water conditions may not be immediately apparent; particularly if the area has recently experienced heavy rain or flooding. Pay attention to the advice of the lifesavers and safety signs. Visit SharkSmart to understand any potential risks in the area you are swimming. | 4,496 | 2,198 | 0.000456 |
warc | 201704 | Nicola Sturgeon’s push for independence following last week’s Brexit vote threatens to transform Scotland into “Greece without the sun” because its economy is far more reliant on the UK than the EU, a right-wing think tank has warned.
The Centre for Policy Studies acknowledged that the First Minister stating a second independence referendum is “highly likely” has some merit from a democratic standpoint, given 62 per cent of Scots that voted chose to remain in the EU.
But it questioned the “economic logic” of independence, noting that Scotland trades more than four times as much with the UK as other EU nations and warning that leaving one union for the other would expose it to even more significant risks.
Among the major problems it highlighted with Ms Sturgeon’s plan to leave the UK and join the EU were adopting the single currency, greater exposure to “shocks” in other Eurozone economies, the total collapse in North Sea revenues and Scotland’s massive budget deficit.
Although the report conceded Scotland’s position would not be directly comparable, it concluded that Greece’s extreme economic troubles “undoubtedly serve as useful reminder that countries with challenging public finances can end up suffering inside the euro.”
The strident warning about the economic ramifications of Ms Sturgeon’s stance came as Jim Sillars, the SNP’s former deputy leader, also argued that the rest of the UK is a far more significant market for Scottish goods than the EU.
Mr Sillars criticised Ms Sturgeon for having “nailed” the independence movement to EU membership and warned this could lead to defeat in any second referendum. Instead, he argued she should wait to see the terms of the Brexit deal struck between the UK and EU.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Sir Iain McMillan, the former director of business group CBI Scotland, challenged the First Minister to come forward with “constructive proposals” for what should be agreed.
He urged Ms Sturgeon to “work with the UK Government to get the best possible deal to get the best possible deal from Europe” and argued that refusing to do so will mean “she will have failed Scotland and failed its people.”
The warnings came at the end of a dramatic week during which Ms Sturgeon said she would propose a second independence referendum unless another way could be found to keep Scotland in the EU.
But a series of experts warned staying in was extremely unlikely or impossible, and Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, said Scotland would have to leave with the rest of the UK.
The Centre for Policy Studies, which was founded by Margaret Thatcher, said that the economic backdrop to Ms Sturgeon’s push for independence “is not encouraging for her” either.
“Revenues from North Sea oil have collapsed, leaving Scotland with a budget deficit that is three times higher than the UK average. Indeed, Scotland’s budget deficit today is nearly equivalent to the UK’s budget deficit in the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis,” it said.
“Scotland trades over four times more with the rest of the UK compared to other EU countries. Why therefore would you break ties with the UK for the purpose of restoring ties with the rest of the EU via European Union membership?”
The report concluded that there is “a precedent for a small, romantic country, surrounded by hundreds of islands, perched on the extremity of Europe, seeking membership of the Euro: Greece.”
Mr Sillars said that Ms Sturgeon “received nothing” from her high-profile trip to Brussels this week other than “a reminder of realpolitik” from France and Spain that “Scotland was not an issue they would give room to.”
He said Scottish exports to the EU had declined over the past 12 years and that the rest of the UK and the world “is the big factor we have to take into account when deciding our future.”
Urging Ms Sturgeon to wait to see the terms of the Brexit trade deal, he said: “The next referendum will be Scotland’s last chance. The present direction being taken by the independence movement, hijacked by the SNP’s blind attraction for the EU, could lead us to defeat.”
Dean Lockhart, Scottish Conservative Shadow Economy Secretary, said: “Although departure from the EU may cause some difficulties, those difficulties won’t be addressed by leaving the UK too. Calling another knee-jerk independence referendum would make the uncertainty even greater.”
But an SNP spokesman said: “This is unforgivable hypocrisy, coming from a right-wing Tory think tank founded by Margaret Thatcher and backed by Brexiteers who have taken the UK economy to the edge of a cliff.” | 4,887 | 2,230 | 0.000477 |
warc | 201704 | Anton Bailey gazes apprehensively at the horizon from the helm of his scallop trawler Emulate, watching for any sign of hostile craft.
Tension remains high among British fishermen working the English Channel following an unprovoked attack by French trawlermen, just under a fortnight ago.
While helping his crew gather the rich harvest of scallops from the bed of the Baie de Seine, off the coast of Normandy, Mr Bailey uses satellite tracking systems, and his own eyes, to keep watch on the movement of French craft in the area.
What he and his colleagues working these waters are desperate to avoid is a repeat of the violence of Monday, October 8, when French fishermen mounted what is now being described as “an act of piracy” over claims that the British were fishing within the 12-mile limit from the Normandy shore imposed by the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, something they deny.
“Their boats appeared in a line along the horizon and proceeded to surround me and about half a dozen other British trawlers,” said Mr Bailey. “Suddenly they started pelting us with iron bars, rocks and firing flares at us. We had to take refuge in the wheelhouse. It was pretty nasty stuff.”
Some of the French vessels are said to have tried to ram the British and their crews threw ropes into the props of British trawlers to snag them.
A seven-hour stand-off followed, with the French leaving only when a French police boat and a naval vessel, the Pruviere, arrived at the request of the British Government.
The attack was the culmination of weeks of tension following the collapse of talks between British and French fishermen over the allocation of fishing areas and quotas.
The dispute now threatens to escalate into a full-scale “scallop war”, with some militant French trawlermen saying they will blockade British ports and ferries and target British exports of scallops if they don’t get their way.
Their actions have deeply angered men such as Jersey-born Mr Bailey, 38, who has spent all his working life at sea.
“It’s just plain wrong,” he said, from the wheelhouse of his 50ft trawler, which sails 18 hours out of Brixham to reach the Baie de Seine scallop beds. “The French lads are fishermen like us, and we respect the fact they are trying to make a living, but attacking our boys like that is not on. It’s not the way to go about settling your disputes.”
As he speaks, Kerry Watts, 28, one of the Emulate’s four-strong crew — and the only woman working on the Brixham fleet – begins sorting the latest haul of scallops, lifted by two huge metal dredgers which scour the seabed.
In order to comply with strict European Union conservation measures, each scallop shell has to be measured through a metal funnel to make sure it is mature enough to harvest. The younger, smaller ones less than 110mm wide are thrown back into the sea to carry on growing.
It is a tough job, with trawlers working round the clock on trips lasting five to seven days, in winds of up to force seven and mountainous waves. During the trip they return regularly to Portsmouth or Shoreham, the nearest British ports, to unload the scallops, which will have been kept in the boats’ fish rooms at temperatures of -3C.
The crews work six hours on, six hours off, among the ever-present smell of diesel and the bare metal of the pitching vessel, taking it in turns to gather and sort the prized mollusc.
During their hours off, they sleep in narrow bunks or watch television or a film on a DVD player in the galley area.
Here they also cook, with meals including roast dinners, steak or fresh fish caught that day. Scallops, understandably, are rarely on the menu. As well as being a gruelling occupation it is also a perilous one. Only last month, Geoff Ingram, 51, drowned after his trawler, the Sarah Jayne, capsized off Brixham.
The latest available figures show that eight British fishermen were lost at sea last year, with total fatalities between 2000 and 2011 reaching 132, making it one of the most dangerous working environments there is.
Pete McLeod’s trawler, the Danielle, had a lucky escape, pulling into harbour the day before the attack to offload its scallops. “It’s a form of piracy to surround a boat and stop it from going about its lawful business,” said Mr McLeod, 53, whose boat is laid up in Brixham for maintenance. “And that’s what the French did. We understand they are trying to protect their livelihood, but we are abiding by the rules and they should let us get on with it.”
Those rules are at the heart of the dispute. The French claim that the British trawlers have been fishing within the 12-mile exclusion zone. The British fishermen are adamant they were at least 15 miles offshore — which still falls within French territorial waters – when they were attacked.
To complicate matters, the French are demanding a ban on all fishing in the Baie de Seine in order to replenish its stock of fish and scallops.
They had imposed a voluntary ban on fishing through the summer and were angry the British boats had not done the same, claiming that their actions were putting stocks of scallops at risk of overfishing.
But the British fishermen would already appear to be operating under far stricter limits than those imposed on the French.
While the British fleet is restricted to 3.3 million “kilowatt” days at sea — the measurement of the boats’ fishing capacity — the French are allowed 7.7 million days, although they use only a quarter of their actual capacity.
The limits mean the British scallop boats can sail only 36 days in the current October to December quarter.
Matters came to a head on September 18, in Paris, where, in the monumental office complex of La Grande Arche de la Defense, eight British and 12 French representatives of the trawler owners gathered to thrash out a deal.
Negotiations had broken down in February this year, but both sides were confident a settlement could be reached.
The British offered to stay out of the Baie de Seine for up to eight weeks in return for access to one million kW days of the unused French quota.
All but one of the French representatives were in agreement, but the objection of one representative from Brittany, who speaks for six per cent of French scallopers, was enough to scupper the deal. As a result, the status quo prevailed and the British carried on working the Baie de Seine.
Andy McLeod, 44, whose boat the Van Dijck was among those attacked two weeks ago, said: “We carried on fishing perfectly legally in the 15-mile zone, as we have done for years, and so it was extremely worrying that they attacked us as they did.
“What they did to fellow fishermen was extremely unpleasant. It was frightening for our lads and we don’t know if its going to escalate.”
Mr McLeod and his fellow trawler owners want to see the Royal Navy step into the dispute by mounting more regular and highly visible patrols in the area.
The Government says it is the responsibility of the French authorities to ensure our trawlers are protected.
Richard Benyon, a junior minister at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said: “These are not international waters.
It is the responsibility of the French authorities to manage activity in their waters and France must ensure safe access to UK vessels wishing to prosecute the Baie de Seine. Defra and the Marine Management Organisation have made it clear to their French counterparts at the highest level that UK fishermen have a legitimate right to fish the Baie de Seine.”
The dispute is replete with ironies. Not only is much of the British haul of scallops exported back to the French and Spanish markets, after being processed by UK wholesalers, but Brixham’s new, £20 million fish market was part-funded by the EU’s member states, including France.
As with any trade dispute, there is money at stake. Scallops worth more than £70 million are exported from Britain every year, bringing a welcome injection of cash into fishing ports.
A 30ft trawler like the Danielle or the Van Dijck can bring home £40,000 worth of scallops after a good trip, although the costs of diesel, wages and maintenance have driven up overheads and cut profit margins.
But for the men on the boats there is now something even more basic at stake.
At home in Brixham, Mr Bailey’s three young daughters have watched news reports of the attack on their father’s boat and those of his fellow trawlermen.
“I do understand why they [the French] were wound up, but there’s other ways going about dealing with the situation than going alongside other fishing vessels and throwing rocks and doing stupid things because people are going to get hurt.” | 8,937 | 4,121 | 0.000251 |
warc | 201704 | Warring placenta, uterus trigger preeclampsiaOctober 11th, 2011 - 3:49 pm ICT by IANS
Washington, Oct 11 (IANS) A battle raging within the womb - between the father’s biological motive to produce a big and healthy baby versus the mother’s need to live through delivery - may bring on preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia is a deadly condition that triggers high blood pressure and protein into the mother’s urine. Delivery of the baby is the only known cure for the condition.
The foetus must be big enough to thrive, yet small enough to pass through the birth canal. In a new study, Yale researchers describe the mechanism that keeps these conflicting goals in balance.
The battle is waged between the mother’s uterus and the baby’s placenta, made up of cells called trophoblasts that are controlled by the father, reports the journal Reproductive Sciences.
Led by Harvey J. Kliman, scientist in obstetrics, gynaecology & reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine, researchers observed how the placenta tricks the mother so she doesn’t attack the trophoblasts, trying to increase her blood flow into placenta.
If this placental deception doesn’t work, the mother may develop preeclampsia, according to a Yale School of Medicine statement.
The placenta’s job is to get nutrients from the mother during pregnancy. Kliman explained that in a normal pregnancy, specialised invasive trophoblasts leave the placenta and invade the mother’s tissues to attack and destroy the walls of her blood vessels.
This allows the most blood possible to enter the placenta, resulting in a big baby. But the mother’s own called lymphocytes or white blood cells, responsible for immunity, are on the lookout to destroy the invasive trophoblast cells.
The placenta in turn appears to trick the mother by creating a diversion by secreting a protein called placental protein 13 (PP13), into the mother’s blood where it travels through her veins into the uterus below the placenta.
There the PP13 leaves the veins where it triggers the mother’s immune system to react and attack. The entire area around these veins becomes a mass of inflammation and dead cells, called necrosis.
“We believe that maintaining this balance could be the key to a healthy pregnancy, free from preeclampsia,” concluded Kilman.
Related Stories Gene that controls immune system linked to preeclampsia - Feb 15, 2011 Clue to early diagnosis of pregnancy-related disease - May 16, 2012 Pregnancy outcome linked to immune system genes - Oct 26, 2010 Promising novel diagnostic biomarker for ectopic pregnancies identified - Nov 05, 2010 New advances may hold key to fight preeclampsia - Oct 16, 2010 Scientists create 'gas gauge' to avoid pregnancy loss - Aug 03, 2009 Genetic changes that may predispose women to pre-eclampsia found - Mar 23, 2011 Genetic parasites changed pregnancy in mammals - Sep 27, 2011 Scientists figure out why foetus is not rejected - Jun 10, 2012 Enzyme may explain preeclampsia symptoms in pregnant women - Jan 05, 2011 Baby's sex determines response to pregnancy stress - Apr 30, 2010 Key component in preeclampsia development identified - Sep 05, 2009 Slimming before pregnancy ensures healthier births - Apr 15, 2012 Extra calcium may not prevent premature birth - Oct 09, 2011 Pregnant women less able to fight infections - May 02, 2011
Tags: birth canal, blood flow, blood vessels, foetus, high blood pressure, kliman, lymphocytes, medicine statement, obstetrics gynaecology, oct 11, placenta, preeclampsia, reproductive sciences, school of medicine, trophoblast cells, uterus, white blood cells, womb, yale researchers, yale school of medicine | 3,709 | 1,737 | 0.000589 |
warc | 201704 | 7 Reasons to Strengthen Your Core
Shutterstock
Everyone wants to wear the fitness badge of honor –
a six pack. The good news is that everyone has it; it’s just hidden beneath all the fat. The bad news is that toning the muscles and losing the extra inches off your waist is actually hard work and it takes a lot of determination.
Crunches are extremely popular but they are not the way to go as they put too much
pressure on your neck and lower back. That's even why they are one of the exercises doctors will never do. Back pain can occur from too much flexion in the spine and from the many repetitions.
The abs are, unfortunately, some of the
hardest muscles to tone in the body because when it is stressed, it tends to store fat in the midsection. But the results are worth your every effort. But there are other reasons to work the core. Ivy Karlinsky, personal trainer at Transform 180 Training, created the following list. Lift more weight
While you might not realize it when you're doing it, you use your core when performing squats, overhead presses, deadlifts and
many other strength exercises. Having a stronger core helps you stabilize your body better which will allow you to lift more weight and do so more efficiently. Run better
Runners who incorporated even a few minutes of core exercises at the end of their workout increased their
running performance by at least 3 percent. When your core is stable, you are able to power your legs faster without fatiguing as quickly. Keep your knees happy
Part of your core extends to
include your glutes, so when doing exercises that work these areas like squats, weak core muscles can put extra stress on the knees. According to the Huffington Post, one study showed that people with knee issues had 30% weaker hip and outer thigh strength than those without. Protect your upper body
Having a strong core not only
helps your lower body, but is also important for upper body exercises. Being able to stabilize your body with a strong core allows you to execute upper body exercises properly without swaying or bowing the back. This also allows you to power from your midsection, not just the arm and deliver a greater force. Cycle easy If you are a cyclist, you may have experienced a sore back or neck after being on your bike for a long period of time. Having a strong core will help stabilize not only the back but also neck muscles which helps you feel better longer and recover faster. Relieve back pain
Spending the majority of the day sitting can cause
arching of the back which leads to weakened abdominals and low back pain. By strengthening the entire core, you make sure all sides of the core are balanced and can work together. Look better
And not in the way you're thinking. Having strong back muscles will help you stand up straight, keeping the shoulders back which can make you look taller and leaner, not to mention more confident.
More readings: | 2,950 | 1,459 | 0.000693 |
warc | 201704 | AAP
A summary of trading in key commodities markets overseas:
ENERGY - Oil prices have continued their downward slide in the wake of unexpectedly high US jobless claims and concerns about a supply glut.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May delivery dropped $US1.19 to $US93.26 a barrel on Thursday.
European benchmark Brent futures for May delivery dipped 77 US cents to $US106.34 a barrel.
The decline came after Department of Labor data showed initial claims for unemployment benefits totalled 385,000 in the week ending March 30, up 28,000 from the prior week. Analysts had expected the claims reading, an indicator of the pace of layoffs, to fall.
On Wednesday oil prices tumbled - WTI sank 2.8 per cent in the biggest day-to-day drop since November - after an official US oil inventory report showed surprisingly lofty supplies and data on private sector hiring and the service sector came in weaker than expected.
Tariq Zahir, managing member at Tyche Capital Advisors, said the poor labour reports have dimmed expectations for Friday's important monthly report on non-farm payrolls and unemployment.
"A lot of people are positioning themselves for tomorrow's jobs report," Zahir said.
PRECIOUS METALS - Gold futures ended slightly lower on Thursday, paring earlier losses as the US dollar weakened and helped cushion gold's declines.
The most actively traded contract, for June delivery, settled down $US1.10, or 0.1 per cent, at $1,552.40 a troy ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
This was a fresh nine-month settlement low for the contract.
The US dollar eased against a basket of international currencies through the afternoon, skidding into negative territory. The ICE Dollar Index was recently trading down 0.1 per cent at 82.673.
Gold futures are traded in US dollars and become cheaper for investors who use other currencies when the dollar weakens. This tends to lure foreign investors into the gold market as buyers.
Gold prices must climb above $US1,615 a troy ounce, their 50-day moving average, before traders who follow technical indicators will be convinced the metal is on track to recovery, said Ralph Preston, market analyst with Heritage West Financial.
"We just don't know if this is just a bounce, or if this is where physical buying comes back in," Mr. Preston said.
BASE METALS - Copper closed higher on the London Metal Exchange on Thursday, due to a combination of bargain-hunting and a stronger euro against the US dollar, which reversed the metal's earlier losses across most of the base metals complex.
At the PM kerb close, LME three-month copper closed up 0.7 per cent at $US7,440 a metric tonne and aluminum climbed 0.7 per cent to $US1,885 a tonne. Only nickel closed lower, down 0.1 per cent at $US16,095 a tonne.
Base metals closed mostly higher as the dollar weakened against the euro to about 1.293, compared with 1.284 on Wednesday. Base metal prices generally rise when the dollar weakens because it becomes cheaper for investors to buy the dollar-denominated base metals using less foreign currency.
A London-based trader also said there was a bit of short-covering on technical trading that provided some support.
"We got some bargain hunting and that triggered some short covering," said William Adams, head of commodities research at FastMarkets.com. He noted that some of the base metal prices are hovering close to last summer's low even though there are signs that both the US and Chinese economies, the two largest in the world, are set to continue growing this year.
"If [the two economies] are pointing in the right direction, maybe [base metal] prices shouldn't be falling so much," he said. | 3,721 | 1,921 | 0.000525 |
warc | 201704 | Low-income criterion sees little change
Though qualifications for low-income housing in Stark County hasn't changed much over the past year, rent in the area has skyrocketed and more affordable housing may be available in Dickinson as early as August if construction goes as planned.
There are two programs for low-income housing and qualifications changed by about $50 in May, Eldon Krein, director of property management at North Dakota Housing Finance Agency said Friday.
For people to qualify for properties using the Housing and Urban Development program they cannot make more than $13,950 a year.
A person cannot make more than $24,850 if the property is under the North Dakota Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program.
Metroplains Management is constructing six buildings called Prairie Hills Town Homes near 15th Street West and Fourth Avenue West in Dickinson, said Gary Stenson, owner of Prairie Hills Town Homes, adding he is not ready to release the cost of the project. This will replace some that was lost in a 2009 Dickinson tornado.
"There is definitely a need for low-income housing in the county," said Karla Sanner, an assistant at the Stark County Housing Authority in Dickinson.
Loretta Miller lives in the income-based housing in Dickinson. She agrees and said with the amount of baby boomers getting closer to retirement, there needs to be adequate housing.
"My home is really decent, especially the cost," Miller said. "I'm glad to hear there will be more affordable housing available because rent is too high -- it's really out of bounds, there is no way someone on Social Security can afford $2,000 a month."
Since an oil boom hit the area, rent has unexpectedly increased in many counties. It is not uncommon for rent to cost $2,000 a month for a two-bedroom apartment.
Miller said she did not have too much trouble finding a home in her price range, but added that may not be the case for others.
"We only manage one complex in Dickinson, it consists of 16 two-bedroom apartments and they are full," Sanner said.
She added the Housing Authority had similar statistics last year.
"There is always a waiting list for apartments," she said. As of Thursday there were 10 people on the list.
Krein said there are more than 400 affordable housing units in Stark County and as of Friday, there were 16
vacancies.
"There is an obvious need in Dickinson based on the number of vacancies," Krein said. "There are folks out there with limited incomes, and even though qualifications for low-income housing haven't changed much over the last year, people are still having trouble finding adequate housing because of the housing shortage and rent."
He added, if you look at the open-market properties, Dickinson rents are high and that circumstance precludes families from finding safe efficient housing.
Krein said affordable housing fills a need regardless
of the size or type of a
community.
One of the functions of the NDHFA is to inspect properties and look over finances to make sure the properties listed as affordable housing are affordable and that they are safe and livable, he added. | 3,143 | 1,486 | 0.000681 |
warc | 201704 | No one’s perfect — not even your trainer with his washboard abs or your nutritionist with her seemingly impossible knack for dietary self-control. In fact, many top wellness experts admit to having trouble practicing some of the fundamental principles they preach. So, next time you feel bad about devouring that box of Girl Scout cookies or being too hungover to make it to the gym — don’t. Not convinced? Check out our slideshow above to hear it from the horse’s mouth. | 498 | 336 | 0.003147 |
warc | 201704 | SCARBOROUGH — Town councilors unanimously approved adding $250,000 back to the third proposed school budget Wednesday night.
The funding is half of what was deducted for the second, failed budget proposal, and $70,000 more than what was initially approved last week.
The addition creates a proposed operating budget of $43.5 million.
The School Department expects to receive approximately $885,000 in state education subsidies, which will help offset the taxpayer burden, and the new proposed local share of the operating budget will be about $37.7 million.
The net municipal and school budget would be about $57.8 million, with a tax rate increase of 2.9 percent. The projected mil rate would be $15.54 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.
In comparison, the second budget proposal, overwhelmingly defeated on July 7, would have required $38.3 million in property tax revenue and a mil rate increase of just under 5 percent. The first budget proposal, rejected on June 9, produced a mil rate of $15.97 per $1,000.
The third budget referendum is scheduled for Aug. 4. Absentee ballots are available from the town clerk’s office, where early voting is also available.
Council Chairwoman Jessica Holbrook called the added funding a compromise for both the councilors and the School Board. “Certainly the community is expecting some form of leadership and some form of problem-solving method,” Holbrook said.
At this point, she said, “There’s not a whole lot else to do with this budget. … Nobody is happy with the outcome … this is not a budget that anybody loves.”
The 2.9 percent increase, Holbrook said, is “the best we’re going to hope (for) out of the budget this year.”
School Board member Chris Caiazzo, who has been a critic of school budget cuts, said he “can’t promise you that this compromise will not affect programming at our schools. However, I will promise you that the board will continue to do its duty in good faith to identify the areas that will have the least impact on the day to day activities of all of our students.”
Public discourse aimed at councilors was considerably more mild-mannered and respectful than at the first reading a week earlier. Most speakers, however, still requested that more money be reinstated to preserve existing school services.
“Compromise is a word that has been used quite a bit, but in my mind, compromise implies two equal sides coming together, and I don’t think that’s the case in this situation,” Robin Twombly, of Pond View Drive, said.
“I think the majority clearly stands for the school system,” Twombly said. “I will not vote for anything less than the level services.”
Several speakers, including councilors and School Board members, cited dysfunction on a larger scope. They said the next step, once a budget is passed, is to implement a sustainable budget-forming process that involves the council, School Board and residents.
“I’m not here to argue for or against a budget; that question has torn this town apart to a degree that isn’t healthy,” said Liam Somers, of Holmes Road.
The more important question, he said, is “how do we go forward from here?”
Somers outlined questions he said the board and the town should ask.
“If the schools are underfunded dramatically, let’s close the gap … what increase does the board need to provide level services? Let’s get it out there, let’s have the discussion now. We’re adults, let’s figure it out together,” Somers said.
He also advised residents that “if we want to help our schools, it takes more than just money. It (takes) engagement and a town that is willing not just to support themselves (but everyone else in the district).”
Councilor Peter Hayes said he was pleased with the comments from the public.
“There’s probably (people on) both sides who aren’t happy with this, but I did hear a little bit different language (and) people saying (they’re) really looking forward to changing the process for next year so we don’t end up in the same place,” Hayes said.
Councilor Bill Donovan said there is a silver lining to what has happened since voters rejected the first proposed school budget on June 9. “School supporters are energized,” he said. “That’s a wonderful outcome to have for this community.”
But Councilor Shawn Babine said he doesn’t think the community is divided or that the budget process is broken. “I think the part that broke down was voter apathy,” Babine said, “and the communication between both our boards after the first referendum.”
Councilors also addressed their July 15 unanimous decision to eliminate the advisory question of too low, too high, or just right, from the third referendum, which came after most members of the public had left council chambers.
Babine said he “never appreciated this question,” and that its original intent was to curb submission of ballots that weren’t correctly filled out. “It had nothing to do with knowing what you really wanted,” he said. | 5,243 | 2,462 | 0.000433 |
warc | 201704 | Bruce Anderson is the chairman of polling firm Abacus Data, a regular member of CBC The National’s “At Issue” panel and a founding partner of i2 Ideas and Issues Advertising.
“It’s the foreign policy, stupid”: Said no Canadian campaign advisor ever, or at least not lately.
In Canada, rare is the election where foreign policy is much discussed, let alone is it deciding winners and losers on election day.
In 1988, free trade with the U.S. was on the agenda, but it was debated largely as a economic initiative, and that was 26 years ago. In most other elections, leaders have campaigned with platforms that included some foreign policy content, but rarely with much intent to make this form part of a “ballot question.”
Chances are this may not be any different in 2015, politics having a strong tendency to repeat itself. But recent events in the world are certainly making it worth wondering if international affairs could have a greater influence on how we vote this time.
The Gaza conflict, new instability in Iraq, the rising power of China, the aggressive posture of Putin’s Russia, are all matters that can raise public anxiety, and cause voters to put a greater premium on stability.
Add to this the question of what role the U.S. can or will play in world affairs going forward. Polls show that many Americans themselves have lost confidence in their country’s influence. Beset by political cleavages, massive debts, disappointment with President Barack Obama and hostility towards Congress, it’s hard to imagine a time when our neighbours to the south seemed less prepared or able to help calm global tensions.
Unfortunately, there seems to be every chance that the world will be an even less stable place next year, compared to this summer. In turn, this might increase interest in the kind of foreign policy leadership that will be on offer from Messrs. Harper, Mulcair and Trudeau.
Canadians show some ambivalence about how we like our leaders to conduct themselves on the international stage. We want leaders to assert themselves on matters of principle, but we are careful not to overestimate the amount of influence Canada can truly have.
The notion of Canada as moral leader or honest broker is not as clear-cut today as it may have been in the past. Are other countries looking for a moral leader? Has our record on climate change weakened our moral standing? Does voicing very strong positions on contemporary conflicts limit our ability to help fashion the kind of compromises that can be essential to achieving peace?
Canada’s policies have often been developed in concert with those of major allies, like the U.S., the U.K., as well as other NATO or Commonwealth countries. It’s a fair question whether our interests and perspectives are as aligned with many traditional allies as they have usually been in the past. When it comes to countries in parts of the world that are increasing in influence, in Asia, South America, and Africa, our alliance-building seems a work in early progress.
With fewer anchor points in world affairs, Canadians may pay more attention to what our own political leaders have to say. Stephen Harper has been vocal, clear and persistent in making his views known. The political risk for the PM lies in whether voters will wonder if his stance is more aggressive than effective – will it lead to more disputes settled, a lower risk of conflict. Could it make them feel that Canada is speaking loudly but carrying little stick?
For opposition leaders, there are risks too. Speaking too little or too equivocally about hotspot issues might make voters wonder if they are ready for the burdens of the highest office. Conversely, aggressive rhetoric might come off as pretentious or contrived.
Barring any dramatic decline in the health of the economy, the next election is likely to hinge more on broad questions of what kind of leadership Canadians want, and whether change is more risky than necessary, or the reverse. There’s more reason than usual to think this calculation will involve consideration of the tensions in the world and the role we want Canada to play on the world stage.Report Typo/Error
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warc | 201704 | Google has done a lot to make its operations greener (although still without publishing details of its own emissions or reduction targets) but a couple of weeks ago the company announced (via a blog post) its first direct investment in a renewable energy project.
The company has invested $38.8m in two wind farms developed by NextEra Energy Resources. Located in North Dakota, they generate 169.5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 55,000 homes.
The project apparently uses some of the latest wind turbine technology and control systems, making it one of the lowest-cost sources of renewable energy to the local grid. The turbines can continuously adjust the blade pitch angles to maximise efficiency and there is also remote 24/7 monitoring and operation control systems.
Google’s aim is to help “accelerate the deployment of the latest clean energy technology while providing attractive returns to Google and more capital for developers to build additional projects”. | 1,007 | 597 | 0.001709 |
warc | 201704 | You definitely have to have a certain type of personality and work ethic to become an attorney: hard working, type-A, detail oriented, go-getter kind of person. Combine your personality with the fact you grew up constantly hearing how great you were at everything you did (and probably got a trophy for something even if you didn’t actually win the competition), and attorneys from this generation who can’t find a job may be taking it harder than others.
The fresh out of law school students and young associates under the age of 30 could answer this question better than I can since I am not an associate looking for a job. But being around that age, I can understand the theory that people our age may be more affected mentally by the rejection. You’ve worked hard to become an attorney and expect to get a job out of school or hold on to the one you’ve got, so not having a job is a major blow to the ego and self-esteem. Suddenly, no matter how hard you work, you can’t get the results you want. Plus, if you’ve been in school since the age of 6, you haven’t really had to deal with rejection and struggles like finding a job.
Does this theory have any weight to it? As someone who grew up on the cusp of the “highly praised” generation, I can see how handling rejection can be more difficult for us than someone 10 or 15 years older, especially if we were told we could do anything we wanted and we did everything great. | 1,475 | 785 | 0.001318 |
warc | 201704 | Often during great tragedies, one person or a group of individuals will find inhuman strength and courage to help and comfort those who are badly suffering.
This was the case when a runaway materials train, substantially overloaded with girders and empty mine cars, crashed with considerable force into the rear of a man-riding ‘paddy’ train at Silverwood colliery on February 3, 1966.
The 8.15am train, which had slowed down, was carrying 48 day shift men to the coal face 2,550 feet underground.
Ten miners sitting towards the rear of the train were killed and many more were injured in the crash.
The men had only another 500 yards to go to the end of the journey. They would have walked from there to the coal face, a mile further on.
Two Coal Board doctors Dr W D Smith, the Doncaster area medical officer, and Dr Alan Wright, medical officer for Worksop area, went underground to aid the victims.
Three other Coal Board doctors were on the surface in the medical room attending to the injured as they were brought up.
Also helping were the colliery’s three nursing staff, Sisters Adsetts, Parton and Payne. Two of them went down the mine.
The pit produced about 20,000 tons of coal a week and employed 2,000 miners.
The first nurse to go down the pit was Sister Diane Adsetts, aged 38, of Hollings Lane, Ravenfield, who had been working 13 years in colliery medical services.
Sister Adsetts, who was on call 24 hours a day, organised medical assistance on the surface before going underground.
She said: “When I got to the scene the trucks of the paddy train were piled around and men were all over the place but there was no screaming. Everything seemed quiet. Some men were still trapped.
“One of the men who had his feet amputated was still conscious and cried out when I saw him. He asked for morphine.
“I lost my helmet lamp on the way down and miners gathered round to train their lamps on the injured. I had to scramble over the wreckage to get to some of the men.”
The nurse spent three-and-a-half hours underground and later told reporters: “I am nothing out of the ordinary. I was just doing my job.”
The disaster was a tremendous shock for all who worked at the colliery, the wider mining community and the nation as a whole.
A scathing attack on Silverwood’s transport rules was made by Sheffield and District Coroner, Dr H H Pilling, at an inquest into the disaster on March 10, 1966 at Rotherham.
He said that they should be redrafted “in shorter sentences and in simple English”.
He continued: “As I read these rules I get the impression that their primary function is to exonerate the management when something goes wrong, rather than instruct the workmen on how to avoid something going wrong.”
Earlier, he had told the jury that the evidence of the legal experts said there had been no criminal negligence.
But there may have been ignorance of rules and errors of judgement, said the coroner, adding that he thought the evidence had shown the driver of the materials train had been trained to do his job, that he had been tested and passed his test.
“I think events have proved that he was somewhat inexperienced but this is something that cannot be laid at his door.
“The events have proved that the system of training needs looking into. It is possible a more experienced driver might well have coped with this emergency,” he commented.
The driver of the materials train had been a certified driver for one week before the tragedy. He had been a trainee driver for 10 weeks and eight of these were two-and-a-half years ago and the other two weeks immediately preceding the granting of his certificate of competence.
During his training he had not been given any instruction as to the action to take if he came across a fault.
Moving on to the execution of the rules, Dr Pillin said: “I think it would help if various responsibilities were allocated to people who would see the rules were carried out.”
The materials train was overloaded as far as the transport rules were concerned. This overload was within the capabilities of the braking system, said Dr Pilling.
“I think the transport rules were not generally known or referred to and that no instructions in the rules or testing upon them were incorporated in the training of the driver.”
The coroner said copies of the rules were available at various points but no-one seemed to have made any attempt to ensure that they were known or implemented.
Another possible contributory factor in the malaise underground was that the headlamp of the diesel hauling the materials train was faulty and was “going in and out”.
It was laid down in the transport rules that every locomotive should have a headlamp with a beam of 200ft.
The driver had reported the fault to an electrician, who at the time was on his way to a breakdown and said he couldn’t do anything immediately, but would do it later on.
Dr Pilling said that this was relative only to the extent that there would be evidence of the headlamp not shining immediately before the impact.
The men who died, therefore, had no visual warning of the pending collision.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death in all cases.
An appeal fund for the 10 widows of the Silverwood miners was opened by the Mayor of Rotherham, Ald. Bill Beevers, and the chairmen of Rotherham Rural and Maltby Urban Councils, Councillors George Downing and Bob Tose, and raised a total of £12,512 1s 2d.
A special comprehensive scheme for the full training of pit locomotive drivers was recommended in the report on the disaster by Tom McGee, the Yorkshire Miners’ Safety Engineer.
On July 1, 1966 it was a little surprising to learn that colliery officials at Rotherham decided not to make any recommendations for individual bravery awards following the Silverwood disaster.
This was announced by Bernard Hemingway, chairman of the Silverwood Joint Committee, who said there was no justification for singling out individuals.
He said: “The whole matter has been considered very carefully and the fact which cannot be overlooked is that numerous people played invaluable parts at the time of the emergency.
“Under these circumstances we do not feel there would be any justification to single anyone out. This is not to say, however, that we are not very much aware of what the various individuals did.”
Another attempt to gain recognition for Sister Adsetts had failed. The move, made through Rotherham Labour Party, was defeated when no member of the party’s general management committee would second a motion recommending her for an award.
Coun George Moores, a former NUM Secretary at Silverwood, told the committee, perhaps a little insensitively, that although the part played by the Sister was “immediately recognised”, they must also remember that much of the emergency work, including first aid, had been completed before she could have reached the spot.
The last shift was worked at Silverwood colliery on December 23, 1994. | 7,149 | 3,304 | 0.000312 |
warc | 201704 | With the easy availability of high-capacity networking system, cheap computers, availability of internet on the go, creating, storing, and transferring of data has become very comfortable. Earlier, we needed CD’s, pen drives, hard disks or even local servers every time we needed to store data. These often got damaged, corrupted or inaccessible due to various reasons. As a result, the virtual data often got lost.
With the improvement in technology, this necessity has largely been replaced by what is known as
Online Data Storage. What is Cloud Storage? This is a virtual mode of saving data by the user through the internet in a remote network and accessing it time and again through the web. This data can be stored on a third party network and routed through Internet Protocol, or, may be retained through a cloud computing storage component, called Cloud Storage. You can personally use these platforms for photos, files, music, movies & family related memories. Let’s look at some Pro’s & Con’s of Cloud storing:
Contents
Cloud Storage: Advantages & Disadvantages
Here are the advantages of hosting files on online cloud…
Paying as per usage by the companies, thereby incurring only operational expenses and not capital costs. Provides immediate access to a huge pool of data and information to the users via web-based services. Energy consumption by businesses using cloud storage reduces by as much as 70%, thereby choosing to become a green business.
The disadvantages are as follows…
The risk of unauthorized access to storage due to they being located at multiple locations and replication. Increases the number of networks through which data is transmitted and stored. The number of people accessing the data could be compromised ethically. A potential source of information pool for hackers and security agencies. File sharing might infringe on privacy and copyright. Security of stored data and in transit data might be a major area of concern. Cloud Storage is quite expensive. Cloud Storage Providers & Platforms (Free & Paid List)
There are several free and paid cloud storage providers who allow users to lease their space for digital data storage.
Free Cloud Storage Providers: 1. Mega: This provider allows 50 GB of free data storage and can be accessed through Android, iOS, Windows or Blackberry phone device as well. Mega offers secured data encryption for combatting privacy breach. 2. Mediafire: Allows free 10 GB online data storage that increases up to 50 GB through referrals and application downloads. Accessible on iOS as well as Android devices. Files uploading can be as large as 25 GB, with no bandwidth limits. 3. DropBox: Starts with a 2 GB free storage and can be increased up to 18 GB through several simple ways. All files can be viewed and uploaded from a desktop, or a mobile app and you can share files with the people who do not have a Dropbox account as well. Dropbox is a desktop application for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS and several mobile apps. 4. pCloud: Provides a free storage of 10 GB, possible to increase to 20 GB through referrals and bonus steps. pCloud is also supported on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. There is also a mobile app for Android and iOS devices which are very user-friendly. Any one can send files and folders to the user’s account. Photo backs ups from social media like Facebook; Instagram, etc. can be done very conveniently. Find the link here: 5. Google Drive: This service is provided by none other than Google, with 15 GB of free storage space for each user. Other Google services like Gmail, Google+ Photos, etc. share this space as well. Collaboration with others regarding opening files, commenting or viewing without downloading and accessing by multiple persons at the same time makes this storage very convenient to use. Paid Cloud Storage Providers:
Almost all of the above storage providers provide paid cloud storage with increased space for an annual subscription. Apart from the ones listed above, here are a few paid cloud storage providers:
1. MicroSoft ne Drive: for 2$ a month for 50 GB storage, this is provided by Microsoft and is seamlessly integrated into Windows 8 or 10 OS.However, it can also be accessed via the web through Android, iOS, XBox and Windows mobile devices. 2. Amazon Cloud Drive (Android): Does not offer any free storage. Offers a paid plan of 12$ a year for unlimited storage of photos, and 60$ a year for unlimited file storage. Operating Systems supported are Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Kindle Fire. 3. Box (iOS): Offers 250 MB for Free plan, and 5 GB for personally paid plan. The paid plan also has a storage of 100 GB available at 10$ per month. Operating Systems supported are Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Blackberry. Here’s the link: 4. Sugarsync: Extremely easy and intuitive for usage, with simple installation and online backup services. It does not provide any free storage.
The prices of storage for this are as follows- 100GB, $7.49 per/month, 250GB, $9.99 per/month, & 500GB for $24.99 per/month. The prices are not low if you compare it with Dropbox Pro or One Drive prices.
5. Certain Safe Digital Safety Deposit Box: The pricing is in two tiers, 12$ for 100 GB storage and offers access to 100 free guest users, or 15$ per user per month for 250 GB of storage and 200 free guest users. Data encryption and security are the USPs of this online cloud storage provider. However, the ease of use is not compromised with for this. Other Cloud Storage options like – Copy, Tresorit, Knowhow Cloud, Apple iCloud, Mozy, Spideroak, Verdict, Egnyte, Norton, SafeCopy,Livedrive, Altdrive (paid), Zoolz (paid) and etc. are also available to check.
Cloud Drive Storage offers seamless movement of data across various locations quickly to multiple users through a complex network of servers. Though still quite expensive, most providers give access to free storage space to individual users as well. With physical storage becoming more expensive day by day, virtual storage of digital data accessible through web service application programs seems to be the new era solution to meet the ever increasing demand and supply of digital data across the globe.
In spite of the several disadvantages and security concerns about cloud storage, it saves businesses a lot of capital costs and redundancy of spaces required for storage of virtual information and is also an active step towards embracing clean and green business strategies. Cloud Storage is one of the biggest technological advancement of our times. | 6,608 | 2,992 | 0.000337 |
warc | 201704 | 83fc
Tennessee-American Water pulls water from the Tennessee River, filters the water at its treatment plant on Amnicola Highway, then pipes it out to homes and businesses in downtown Chattanooga and other parts of Hamilton County.
Other areas served by Tennessee-American receive their water from sources other than the river.
Tennessee-American Water Co. is touting straight A's on its annual drinking water quality report for Chattanooga. But a clean water group laments that "good enough for government work" doesn't cut it for residents.
According to readings from the water company's 2013 report, Chattanooga's drinking water passes federal requirements on all nine monitored substances and two disinfection byproducts. The company also disclosed levels on 13 other substances it is not required to report, such as alkalinity, aluminum, potassium and others.
But the readings for one type of carcinogenic chemicals -- trihalomethanes -- are too high for comfort, according to Tennessee Clean Water Network Executive Director Renee Hoyos.
Trihalomethanes are made when chlorine disinfects organic material in the water that is pulled from the Tennessee River. Long-term exposure to high levels of these chemicals can harm the liver, kidneys and central nervous system -- and may cause an increased risk for cancer, according to the report.
The maximum federal limit for average trihalomethane levels in drinking water is 80 parts per billion. For perspective, that's no more than 80 drops of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
The water company report shows the average reading from 33 monitored sites found 76.4 ppb. But those readings ranged from 34.8 ppb to as high as 106.9 ppb.
And the readings are up from levels recorded five years ago. In 2009, second-quarter averages were 59.7 ppb, according to previous reports. In 2012, the figure was 46 ppb.
Hoyos said the Clean Water Act only requires an average reading to meet requirements. But the water company and the state should work to bring all readings below the 80 ppb mark, she said.
"They should be trying to make those standards with every reading," she said.
Daphne Kirksey, spokeswoman for the water company, said residents should not be alarmed by the trihalomethane levels. The 80 ppb limit is based on a yearly average, and of the 33 quarterly samples taken, seven were over 80 ppb.
"Having a result above 80 is not alarming, but we released that for full disclosure," she said.
She added that the company released many other nonrequired readings specifically to inform the public. The company has been creating annual reports for decades -- including 25 years before the reports were federally required.
Additionally, Kirksey said Tennessee-American Water has won the director's award from the Environmental Protection Agency's Partnership for Safe Water for 13 years running.
In fairness, Gary Burriss, an environmental specialist with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said regulating trihalomethane levels would be tough because the Tennessee River is a big system. Since it stretches across much of the Southeast, passing numerous cities, towns and forests along the way, there are many inputs for pollution.
"Just being the Tennessee River makes it susceptible to pollution," he said. "Almost all of our systems are moderate or highly susceptible."
Trihalomethanes mostly form when natural organic materials -- such as rotting logs, leaves and dead animals -- interact with chlorine when the water is processed for drinking. That creates higher concentrations of the chemical in the water in the spring and summer and lower concentrations in the cold months, he said.
Overall, public drinking water is safe in Tennessee, Hoyos said. But she said there are further steps government and water utilities could take to make it cleaner, especially when it comes to the chemicals used to clean up the water.
"Some of the products for disinfection can be as nasty as the pollution. There's concern there because they are trying to disinfect it for one thing, but that creates these other compounds that could harm human health in the long run," Hoyos said.
In other words, she said, "You might not get dysentery this week, but you might get cancer six years from now."
Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6481. | 4,393 | 2,057 | 0.00049 |
warc | 201704 | 8109
How great it was to read the letter this Aug. 14 from former congresswoman Marilyn Lloyd. She helped my cousin in getting he and his wife Social Security for his disability. It saved their lives. This is just one of many things her 20 years of service represented.After being elected to Congress she went to Washington, not as a Democrat, but as a representative of all the people in the Third District. Upon reading her letter, I see that she still remains concerned for the district's welfare.
She was elected for 10 terms and states it was an honor to represent the Third District. Well said Congresswoman, but may I say: It was our good fortune to have the honor of being represented by you.
HELEN MALMGUIST, Cleveland, Tenn.
It's an exciting day when the President of the United States comes to town. If his proposed plan to "create good jobs that pay good wages in durable industries" came to pass, there would be even better days. How to get there is, of course, the challenge.
But when the president was talking about energy, he neglected to mention energy efficiency--one proven way to create good paying jobs. Bonus: energy efficiency and use of renewable sources help avoid power produced from dirty coal and unsafe nuclear plants that spoil our air and health.
In Chattanooga, we're proving we can do more with the same or less amount of energy. That means more jobs and less pollution in our community. Just look at Volkswagen, the world's first and only LEED Platinum certified car factory run partly by solar energy and providing 5,000 jobs! EPB has also taken award--winning steps to keep operational costs down with energy efficiency measures that provide jobs. Next time the president comes to Chattanooga, I hope (s)he'll see more, good, old--fashioned American ingenuity at work making our homes and businesses more energy efficient. The result will be lower utility bills, less harmful emissions, and more jobs.
SANDRA KURTZ
Talk about moral decline! I can't believe people would think it's OK to tell a seated president to take his plan and "shove it" in a public forum. Common courtesy would prevent most, I hope, from being so disrespectful, no matter what his or her political leanings. If the Times Free Press were as biased as some (very vocal) people would have us believe, it wouldn't print their letters of complaint. It's very sad, and typical of what is going on in our government today, that parties can only see one side of an issue with no objective to try to understand opposing views in a civil manner.
ELSIE O'BRIEN, LaFayette, Ga. | 2,589 | 1,417 | 0.00071 |
warc | 201704 | IRELAND’S four main horticulture industry associations - the Association of Landscape Contractors of Ireland (ALCI), the Garden Centre Association of Ireland (GCAI), the Irish Hardy Nursery Stock Association (IHNSA) and The Garden & Landscape Designer Association of Ireland (GLDA), in conjunction with Bord Bia, are encouraging garden centres, landscape and garden designers in Tipperary to take part in an autumn gardening campaign this September.
The campaign aims to encourage and educate the public on the advantages of gardening during the autumn. Planning is already underway for a number of events and activities to take place across the country.
There is a widespread belief among the public that the gardening year is drawing to a close. After a challenging season, the garden industry in Ireland is working together to develop and launch a campaign to remind the public that there is still time to enjoy the garden and that autumn is the real beginning of the new gardening year.
The four main industry bodies, in partnership with Bord Bia, are encouraging their Tipperary members to organise events, workshops and promotions to help convey the message that autumn is nature’s natural beginning of the gardening year.
The autumn gardening campaign will launch in early September with events and promotions set to continue throughout the autumn season. To get involved why not organise a gardening event for your business! Contact your industry association for further details or alternatively register your event with Bord Bia by emailing gardentime@bordbia.ie or visit www.bordbia.ie/gardentime
For further information on autumn gardening events in your area, and some top tips visit www.bordbia.ie/gardentime | 1,738 | 817 | 0.001236 |
warc | 201704 | If your tire business doesn’t have a presence on Twitter, you’re missing a trick. Done well, it can really help grow your business.
Twitter is a great way to engage with new and existing customers and to build your business’ credibility online, the starting point for many consumers’ tire shopping experience.
Taking that first step into social media can be daunting and many businesses opt on the side of caution and miss a massive opportunity to cultivate a new audience of potential tire buyers. But fear of something going wrong isn’t really a good reason not to do something that could make a positive improvement in your business. Consider the following tips as a Twitter “cheat sheet” to help you get off to a good start.
1. Know what you want to achieve
Have a strategy. Before you set up an account and start tweeting, it’s essential to know who your target audience is and what they’re interested in. What do you want to say to them? How will you engage them? What kind of content will you share with them? What will be the “tone” of your interaction? Set up a profile that gives the consumer an idea of your company “personality” as well, not just the “who, what, when and where”. Know why you’re tweeting and what you want it to do for your business.
2. Start following, then build a following
Start finding industry-relevant people, businesses and brands to follow. Check out tire manufacturers, other retailers, racing teams, race tracks, car companies — anyone even remotely tire-related. Go through their follower lists and find any people or companies you might also want to follow. These users will receive a notification that you’ve started following them. The trick is to get them to follow you back — and the best way to do that is have interesting and relevant tweets in your Twitter feed. Let your following grow organically — don’t be tempted to “buy” followers. It’s not about having the “most” followers or the biggest network; it’s about having the “right” followers that will eventually support your business.
3. Keep your content engaging, keep it relevant
This might seem hard to believe, but most people aren’t interested in an ‘all tires, all the time’ conversation. If you only use Twitter to plug deals on tires, your network is going to remain quite small and unengaged. If you’re tweeting links to a thrilling final lap of a NASCAR race, or road tests to determine the “safest family sedan”, you’re far more likely to capture your followers’ interest. It might not be strictly about tires, but your followers get that it’s relevant and they’re likely to want to see it. It’s also an ideal chance to show your involvement in the community and to showcase pet projects or sponsorships. Let your followers see the whole picture of your business, not just what stock you currently have on sale.
4. Keep it clean, keep it polite
Things go wrong on Twitter very quickly when users forget their manners. Never slam anyone on Twitter — especially your competition. Avoid anything tasteless or rude, including swearing and anything even remotely racist, sexist, or any other kind of prejudiced. Often what might seem funny on the workshop floor doesn’t go down well in the Twittersphere. Avoid politics, religion and anything sexual. In fact, if you wouldn’t say it in front of your grandmother or you wouldn’t say it in front of “the big boss”, don’t tweet it. Don’t forget, if someone retweets you or praises you (or even offers criticism), always say thank you.
5. Be helpful
Try to be helpful where you can even if it has nothing to do with your business. You should be just as focused on building relationships on Twitter as you are in your store. If someone is looking for a good place to have breakfast or the best park to walk a dog, offer your advice. Don’t hesitate to share information about road conditions, construction or accidents, especially if they’re occurring in your neighborhood. Demonstrate to prospective tire buyers that you’re a part of the same community they live in.
6. Tweet often (but don’t go nuts)
Space your tweets evenly throughout the day to give your business the chance to connect with different people. Ideally, you should work up to putting out one tweet an hour. The more active you are, the more Twitter will work for you as a marketing tactic. Like any other business tool, if you’re not using it, it’s not earning you money. Businesses and brands making good use of Twitter will tell you the platform generates solid sales leads for them, but you only get out of it what you’re willing to put in. That said, don’t tweet 40 times a day or your followers will think of you as spam and un-follow you.
7. Measure your success, hone your strategy
There are lots of Twitter monitoring tools and plugins out there that you can use to work out your reach, measure engagement and keep track of your statistics. Many of them are free. These can help you measure the success of your Twitter strategy and pin-point how you can make it work better. If you can see what sort of content is getting retweeted or what time of day your followers are engaging with your feed, that’s good information to help you use Twitter more effectively and efficiently.
Cool Tools
Here are some of our favorite free tools to help you get most out of Twitter and have some fun along the way.
Buffer lets you schedule updates on Twitter but also on Facebook and LinkedIn. It also provides useful analytics to help you understand what sort of content is most popular with your network.
Bitly is a URL shortener that takes long URL addresses and shortens them so you can save space in your tweet. It also provides a dashboard with stats to show you how your URLs have performed.
Tweetdeck is a web application that allows you to set up different columns to show all your Twitter categories at once. You can also track lists or keywords on Tweetdeck to make sure you always know what’s going on.
WeFollow, Twellow and Twibs are business directories that help you find people to follow. They also allows you to add your Twitter profile to the directory. Think of the yellow pages for Twitter and you get an idea what it’s all about.
Twilk creates a background image using the avatars of all your followers.
Twitonomy gives you more stats about your Twitter profile than you could possibly imagine and it lets you compare yourself to other tweeps. It also gives you a cool visualization map so you can see where you’re being mentioned.
FollowerWonk provides all kinds of analytics and stats about your Twitter profile to help you understand how much influence you have with your network.
Matthew Walker is the Managing Director of Tireweb Marketing, a digital marketing agency specializing in the tire and automotive industry. Tireweb Marketing provides online marketing products and services for tire dealers, including Ezytire and TirewebLocal. Matthew can be reached at 212-634-4846 or via email at matt@tirewebmarketing.com.
What is the most pressing issue facing your dealership in 2017?
Finding skilled, qualified workers
71% (103 votes)
Competition from online tire sales
16% (23 votes)
Managing marketing and social media efforts
7% (10 votes)
Upgrading our shop’s technology and equipment
5% (7 votes)
Other
2% (3 votes)
Total votes: 146 | 7,623 | 3,411 | 0.000307 |
warc | 201704 | By Joseph Jimenez CEO of Novartis.
The BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) have long been the focus of emerging-market investors. But it is in Africa, a region with the world's second-fastest growth, where the next big business opportunities lie. In about one-third of the continent's 55 countries, annual GDP growth is above 6%, and Sub-Saharan Africa grew at an estimated 5.1% pace in 2013.
Foreign investors report that their return on investment in Africa is higher than in any other emerging region. By 2040, the continent's working-age population will total an estimated 1.1 billion people, providing businesses with a larger labor pool than even China or India. Moreover, economic expansion is taking place not just in urban centers, but in small towns and villages as well.
However, Africa also faces major challenges. One of the biggest concerns is inadequate health care. Preventable and treatable diseases plague the population. Life expectancy is 14 years below the global average. Nearly one in 20 adults in the 15-49 age group in Sub-Saharan Africa lives with HIV - roughly six times the global average. Every minute, an African child dies from malaria.
Africa's rapid economic growth and urbanization are also creating new health challenges. Non-communicable diseases are projected to become the most common causes of death by 2030. The number of diabetes cases, for example, is expected nearly to double over the next two decades.
If left unaddressed, the dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases could jeopardize Africa's economic potential. To avoid this, three critical areas of health care must be addressed: technology, infrastructure, and education.
Africa has witnessed some remarkable technological leaps. A decade ago, telecoms infrastructure was almost non-existent. Today, one in six people owns a mobile phone, the benefits of which go far beyond easy communication. Africa has pioneered the use of mobile banking, with local players like M-Pesa and global corporations like Citi demonstrating how new technology can provide vital financial services to the unbanked population. Mobile money and digital wallets accessed on cellphones eliminate the need for physical cash in rural areas, where financial services are limited and carrying large amounts of cash is risky.
Joining this mobile-phone revolution, Novartis is working with five African governments and private-sector partners to improve drug distribution and monitor the supply of anti-malaria medicines in rural areas, using text messaging and electronic mapping. Previously, patients would travel to distant health clinics only to find that the medicines that they needed were no longer in stock. Now, thanks to the SMS for Life project, vital medicines can be quickly redistributed to where they are most needed.
A second crucial aspect of improving Africa's health care is infrastructure. Good rail lines, roads, and ports allow products and services to be distributed widely at lower cost, and to benefit from economies of scale. This is an essential component of any country's economic development. And nowhere are the benefits more evident than in the provision of health care.
Fortunately, several companies are rising to the challenge. Coca-Cola, for example, is contributing its supply-chain expertise to map out health facilities and implement stock-management software to support the distribution of bed nets, contraceptives, anti-AIDS drugs, and vaccines to remote villages. Meanwhile, Novartis is piloting a "social venture" business model to give poor people in remote villages access to vital medicines that are packaged in small, affordable doses.
Finally, education is one of the most powerful tools for reducing poverty and generating sustainable, inclusive economic growth. But, given limited resources and few teachers, too many children are being left behind. Public-private partnerships are helping to change this. The IT company Cisco, for example, works with NGOs to connect communities and help students develop skills in information and communications technology.
Poor education also affects health. Although Africa accounts for one-seventh of the world's population, it bears one-quarter of the global disease burden, yet has a mere 2% of the world's doctors. Unsurprisingly, many health problems stem from ignorance about diseases and basic hygiene.
So Novartis has formed a partnership with the Earth Institute, the United Nations, and private-sector groups to train and deploy by 2015 a million community health workers in Sub-Saharan Africa to deliver basic treatment and preventive care, and to track disease outbreaks. The idea is that local people will learn how to support their communities, rather than rely on handouts, and thereby lift themselves out of poverty permanently.
Africa is increasingly showing signs of its promise, but innovative solutions to improve its people's health are essential if the continent is to approach its potential. This will require more than philanthropy: it will demand new commercial models that solve health-care issues, help the economy to grow, and benefit those who invest in Africa's future.
Copyright: Project Syndicate
/AzerNews/ | 5,245 | 2,549 | 0.000394 |
warc | 201704 | The Ohio House is joining the Senate in ramming through a bad bill — even for this General Assembly, which is saying something — that would effectively repeal the state’s vital standards for promoting alternative energy and energy efficiency. Since leaders of the Republican-controlled House have no apparent interest in slowing down the runaway train, Gov. John Kasich must be prepared to protect the interests of Ohio consumers and businesses with a veto.
Senate Bill 310 would freeze for at least two years the standards set by the state clean-energy law that legislators approved almost unanimously in 2008. The law requires Ohio utilities to make 25 percent of their electricity sales from renewable and advanced energy sources by 2025. At the same time, utilities must adopt efficiency measures aimed at cutting electricity use in Ohio by 22 percent, also by 2025.
Seeking to wreck the standards are such interest groups as the Koch brothers, Ohio utilities (notably FirstEnergy), fossil-fuel companies, and large industrial power users — as well as the lawmakers who pocket their campaign contributions and parrot their talking points. They assert the clean-energy law is killing jobs and costing utility consumers money.
The opposite is true: According to utilities’ own filings with state regulators, the energy-efficiency programs they have developed are on track to save their customers billions of dollars. Advanced-energy companies have created more than 25,000 jobs in Ohio and attracted an estimated $1.2 billion in capital investment.
Passage of SB 310 would jeopardize this progress. Although it would not formally eliminate the clean-energy mandates, it would place them on hold while lawmakers “studied” them. Legislators then could choose to weaken the standards, or dump them altogether.
The bill makes other mischief. It would eliminate a requirement that half of the renewable energy produced under the clean-energy law, such as wind and solar power, must be generated in Ohio. That would remove a major incentive for investment, industrial development, innovation, and job creation in the state.
For that and other reasons, many of the state’s major manufacturers — including Owens Corning, the Husky Lima Refinery, and Cooper Tire and Rubber Company — oppose the bill. The bill also would contradict Governor Kasich’s economic development strategy, which extols renewable-energy industries.
By discouraging production of nontraditional energy, SB 310 would reverse the state’s efforts to diversify its electricity supply. That would increase Ohio’s overreliance on coal-fired power, which has environmental as well as economic drawbacks. Natural gas has become a larger part of Ohio’s energy mix, but it won’t be the only answer.
If SB 310 becomes law, Ohio will be the first state to roll back its energy standards. Our state will advertise its regression to employers and investors across the country and around the world.
After five years in effect, the standards might use some updating — based on good-faith negotiations among affected interests, not power politics. Until then, they should remain in place.
A House committee is scheduled to take testimony on the bill today — so far, it has not heard from utilities — and is likely to move it to the House floor. If GOP leaders adopt the fast-track tactics of their Senate counterparts, who passed SB 310 well after midnight May 8, the measure could be on Mr. Kasich’s desk within days.
Then it would be up to the governor to show whom he truly represents — an instructive exercise for his re-election campaign this year and a possible presidential run in 2016.
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warc | 201704 | Not every spot is ideal for holding a function. Only a few spots qualify to be party venues. Where the word ‘great’ comes in, the number even gets smaller. That means even if a venue qualifies to hold any other party, it doesn’t mean that it can hold the great parties. The choice of an event venue will ever have an impact on how the guests and you, the host feel about it later on or in the course of the party. If you are seeking for an excellent party venue, you must understand that there are key characteristics that define that. Having an eye on these traits will land you there. And most of these features are about facilities available at the venue. Check out what really defines the great venue.
Convenient access
You may be the party host but that doesn’t give you all the freedom. It’s just like being the president. You have the power but you must use it for the benefit of the masses or you will be impeached. The location of a party venue is important. You must consider the guests and from which direction they are coming from. The means to get there must also be available. Choosing a central spot easily accessible for all guests is ideal.
Positive impact to you party and brand
Holding a party at some venues does not impress the guests as they would have been if the venue was more classic. You were not born for the average. You got to believe that. It’s time to get happy and the next time you get such an opportunity will be a year later or even never. Seek for a venue that will leave your guests smiling. If it’s a business party, your employees and guests want to see some advancement. Pick for them a venue that is above the obvious. That spot that offers a little more than the average makes the best
function venues. Professional staff, catering and accommodation services
Don’t make a mistake of locking yourself at a place where you don’t have services at your disposal. The venue must provide professional assistants to guide you in case you need directions or need some extra supplies. You can imagine if food or drinks got depleted with some guests having none and you don’t have catering services within the venue. It will be a disappointment. Accommodation is also key as the party will not last forever. Time for sleep means actual sleeping on a nice bed.
Availability of technology
These days, tech is a must no matter where you go. Music systems, TV screens and the internet are among the basics of a party. For cooperate functions, you might need a projector or high-speed video conferencing systems. A venue with all such facilities is ideal for a function. Again, there must be a technician to help you out in case you don’t have an expert of your own. | 2,759 | 1,340 | 0.000764 |
warc | 201704 | Kids in unrest-hit states 'must get education' Amman, September 21, 2011
Unicef has urged authorities in countries affected by unrest in the Mena region to make sure that children have free, equal and safe access to quality education.
“Education is the right of every child and adolescent, and the obligation of every government. Despite significant progress in recent years, there are still 4.7 million boys and girls of primary-school age and 4.3 million adolescents of lower secondary school age across the Middle East and North Africa who are out of school,” a statement from the organisation said.
“Current unrest, whether in Libya, Syria or Yemen, threatens to deprive even more children of one of their most fundamental rights,” it said.
In Libya, primary schools reopened on September 17 in some parts of the country while secondary schools are due to reopen over the next two weeks. Unicef is coordinating closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure that schools in non-conflict zones are open.
This is a significant challenge considering that many classrooms have been damaged, up to 21 schools destroyed, and some schools still occupied by internally displaced persons or armed groups.
Landmines, abandoned munitions and unexploded ordnances continue to pose a serious threat to children, in addition to the wide presence of small arms and weapons, held at times by adolescents. Unicef and partners are working to clear schools of explosive remnants of war, it said.
Unicef is urging the government in Syria to ensure that the new school year, which started on September 18, takes place within a safe and protective environment for children and adolescents.
Activities such as school clubs and remedial classes, which were successfully implemented in Daraa during the summer, with Unicef support, should continue and be expanded in the course of the new academic year.
In Yemen, the unrest caused children to miss out on two months of schooling in the last academic year. There have been reports that schools have been shelled or used as military installations.
In Aden and Lahj, more than 80 schools continue to be occupied by internally displaced persons. Classes have officially resumed on September 17 and yet there are many reports of schools not being able to open at all, including up to 44 schools occupied by armed forces in Sanaa.
“Unicef reminds countries affected by unrest that Security Council Resolution 1998 recognises schools, along with hospitals, as safe havens and calls for parties that attack such facilities to be held accountable,” the statement said.
“In times of unrest or conflict in particular, going to school helps children and adolescents maintain a sense of routine, teaches them important life skills, and offers them the opportunity to receive essential services including health, hygiene, nutrition and psychosocial support,” it said.
“Education is a force for social change and a key way to promote principles of conflict resolution, tolerance and equity –principles that are needed more than ever in these critical times,” it said. –
TradeArabia News Service | 3,187 | 1,519 | 0.000674 |
warc | 201704 | Magnet status: What it is, what it is not, and what it could be
Also see our piece in Advance for Nurses "Magnet Status should be a floor, not a ceiling" published June 8, 2015 (or as a pdf)
Magnet status is an award given by the American Nurses' Credentialing Center (ANCC), an affiliate of the American Nurses Association, to hospitals that satisfy a set of criteria designed to measure the strength and quality of their nursing. A Magnet hospital is stated to be one where nursing delivers excellent patient outcomes, where nurses have a high level of job satisfaction, and where there is a low staff nurse turnover rate and appropriate grievance resolution. Magnet status is also said to indicate nursing involvement in data collection and decision-making in patient care delivery. The idea is that Magnet nursing leaders value staff nurses, involve them in shaping research-based nursing practice, and encourage and reward them for advancing in nursing practice. Magnet hospitals are supposed to have open communication between nurses and other members of the health care team, and an appropriate personnel mix to attain the best patient outcomes and staff work environment. We encourage all nurses to learn more about the principles of Magnet certification, and to consider appropriate nursing certification programs for their hospitals.
We understand that some nurses are enthusiastic about the program and feel that it promotes the important practices outlined above. However, it is important to be aware that others, notably nursing unions, have been highly critical of the way the Magnet program has been implemented. Some critics, including the California Nurses Association and the Massachusetts Nurses Association, have argued that the Magnet program is primarily a hospital promotion tool that resembles the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in its seemingly incestuous relations with hospital management. Such critics have also asserted that there is little evidence that nurses at Magnet hospitals are really much better off than nurses elsewhere. We are concerned about the Magnet program being a an illusory program that gives the impression of nursing excellence without actually achieving it. Many nurses have written to us to say that once Magnet certification has been awarded at their hospitals, Magnet coordinators and teams are immediately fired and all the progress made through the Magnet application process is dismantled. We have heard many first-hand reports of some hospitals trumpeting their new Magnet status even as they proceed to betray some of the program's key principles.
If you work or have worked at such a hospital, we urge you to report your experiences on the Hospital Safety Reviews website so this information can become public and everyone can be aware of what is happening. Thank you!
Research comparing Magnet to non-Magnet hospitals
A 2013 study by Matthew McHugh, Linda Aiken and colleagues found that Magnet hospitals have 14% lower mortality risk and 12% lower failure to rescue rates. See the AMN Healthcare report.
A 2011 study by Colleen Goode and colleagues found that Magnet hospitals provide better care for pressure ulcers, and had higher quality of care, innovations in practice and nursing excellence. But non-Magnet hospitals had better infection control and less post-operative sepsis. Non-Magnet hospitals had
better staffing, with 30 RN hours per unit more per week. See the AJN report.
An October 2011 study by Linda Aiken and colleagues found that Magnet hospitals "have better work environments, a more highly educated nursing workforce, superior nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, and higher nurse satisfaction than non- Magnet hospitals."
A July/August 2010 study by Alison Trinkoff and Meg Johantgen published in the
Journal of Nursing Administration found that magnet hospitals do not have any better working conditions than non-magnet hospitals.
To the extent the Magnet program is not effectively promoting its important nurse empowerment goals, we would like to see it strengthened. In general, we hope that all nurses will work for strong, effective nursing credentialing programs to address the nursing crisis and improve patient care.
Frankly, the Truth has heard from a number of nurses who are unhappy with the changes at their hospitals since the award of magnet status, and we have not heard from many who are happy. One report was that the nurse who had led the drive for magnet status was fired soon after the hospital received it, and that the magnet reforms quickly began to unravel. Others have said that their hospitals reverted to short-staffing and excluding nurses from decision-making processes soon after receiving magnet certifications. Such reports support the claims that some hospitals are treating magnet status mainly as a promotional tool, and that the program is not effectively monitoring compliance.
The Truth's suggestions on how to improve the Magnet Program
In June 2006, the Truth About Nursing's founder and executive director, Sandy Summers, sat on an expert panel about the Magnet Program for The World Congress Leadership Summit for Chief Nursing Officers in Chicago, Illinois. In this presentation she encouraged the Magnet Program to incorporate the following ideas:
Safe Facilities
Green and organic environments
Improve hospital policies to protect and support nurses
Strengthen Nursing
Strengthen Nursing Managers
Staffing
Employee Benefits
Media
Strengthen credentialing process
Collaboration between the professions
Magnet hospitals should be
nursing institutions
Magnet hospitals should exist to provide humane care to all patients
Ethics
Overall changes to the magnet program
Discussion
Safe Facilities
Magnet facilities should not be reservoirs for dangerous organisms such as MRSA. Each magnet facility should:
Create health care environments using evidence-based designs to promote better patient outcomes and less stress on nurses. For guidance, seek help from The Nursing Institute for HealthCare Design. provide uniforms for all staff who have contact with patients; wash these uniforms at temperatures sufficient to render them clean; provide adequate showering facilities for all staff so that all organisms are not brought out into the community and home to families; require that all staff change out of uniforms and shower before leaving the facility.
See our analysis on this issue.
Each Magnet facility should be a safe place for patients and nurses. They should be:
Latex-free facilities Mercury-free facilities Free of toxic cleaning chemicals that lead to illness.
Guidelines for creating safe facilities can be found on Sustainable Hospitals and Health care without harm
Green and organic environments
Magnet hospitals should be green facilities, that recycle, compost, separate out electronic waste and serve only cholesterol-free organic food in their food facilities.
See Health Care Without Harm; and
Greening the NICU: An Expert Interview With Kathi Randall, RNC, MSN, CNS, NNP-BC on Medscape.
Improve hospital policies to protect and support nurses Each institution should have "no lift policies" and appropriate lifting equipment. (See Franken bill on no lifting.) Magnet hospitals should have needleless IV systems and safe needles. There should be zero tolerance for abuse practices and procedures. Critical incident stress debriefing sessions should be offered to all employees who suffer physical or sexual assault of any kind. Hospital attorneys should pursue with police and the district attorney, the cases of employees who have been assaulted, physically or sexually, while at the hospital. Adequately address nurse fatigue. When considering patient assignments, patients being admitted or discharged should count as 2 patients to account for the higher mortality associated with bed turnover.
Strengthen nursing All care should be delivered by Registered Nurses (RNs) such as is the case at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia. The nursing model should be a primary care nursing model, not a team model. Magnet hospitals should have at least one-year nursing residencies for all new nursing graduates. (Studies (1, 2) show that nurses who went through residencies had about a 90% retention rate. Without residencies, a third to more than half of nurses leave the profession.) See our discussion of nursing residencies. Each unit of each hospital should have at least one clinical nurse specialist on duty 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Magnet hospitals should not recruit nurses from nations with shortages more dire than their own. When hospitals increase staffing by taking nurses from countries that desperately need them, it violates nurses' ethical obligations to the needs of our patients around the globe. Each nursing manager should be a clinical nurse specialist in a relevant field for his unit. Each nursing manager should have a full-time administrative assistant to help with paperwork and budgetary duties to allow managers the time to focus on nursing excellence, instead of clerical duties. Nursing managers should practice clinical nursing on his/her unit at least 16 hours per week. Over 50% of staff nurses on each unit should be certified in their fields. Each facility should have at least three centers for nursing professional improvement; one each to strengthen nursing research, nursing clinical practice and nursing education within the hospital. Efforts should be made to provide zero distractions to nurses as they perform critical tasks such as medication administration. (see article.)
Strengthen nursing managers The chief nursing officer should have at least a master's degree in nursing. Nursing managers should have significant and ongoing management training. Nursing managers who do not receive positive evaluations by more than 80% of nurses who work under them should be replaced. New nursing manager hires should be interviewed by the staff nurses they will supervise.
Staffing Charge nurses should be allowed to set the staffing levels on their floors determined by what nurses feel they can safely handle; and filled staffing should be filled by an appropriate mix of nurses based experience and expertise. Basic minimum nurse-to-patient ratios should be set no higher than those set by the current California legislation, whether or not the institution is located in California. Nurse-to-patient ratios should be posted very visibly for visitors to see on every unit and updated every shift.
Employee Benefits Nurses should receive full tuition reimbursement for education that will enable them to stay in nursing or public health. Hospitals should pay for at least 15 hours of continuing education hours for each nurse per year. From the day they begin work, all employees, including part-time employees, should be provided with health insurance for themselves and their families. All employees, including part-time employees, should be provided with retirement benefits.
Media At least half of the public relations officials at Magnet hospitals should be charged with solely promoting nursing. When a hospital loses its magnet status, the Magnet Credentialing Center should send press releases to at least the two largest newspapers in the area, the four major television networks and local news radio stations regarding the removal of magnet status and the specific reasons why the status was removed.
Strengthen credentialing process The Magnet Credentialing Center evaluators should come to evaluate hospitals at a surprise time. The Magnet Credentialing Center should choose hospital staff members they wish to interview--not allow interviewees to be hand-picked by hospital managers. The Magnet Credentialing Center should separately contact, through home mailing addresses, all nurses who works at the institution to inform them of policies by which they can report infractions by hospitals. The Magnet Credentialing Center now has an anonymous tip line to report hospital misbehavior, which is recent since we last reviewed the ANCC informationi. We applaud this action..
Collaboration between the professions The professions should have recurrent training in how to function as a team. Physicians should be expected to seek nursing input on patient rounds and morbidity and mortality rounds. Physicians and medical students should follow nurses at work for at least 12 hours per year so that they can understand the value of nursing and how to collaboratively work with nurses. Magnet hospitals should have an incivility and bullying hotline to address all acts of reported incivility by a committee that is comprised of at least half staff nurses.
Magnet hospitals should be nursing institutions At least 51% of the board of trustees should be nurses. The CEO of the hospital should be a nurse.
Magnet hospitals should seek to provide the best care possible based on the latest research Magnet hospitals should be non-profit institutions. Corporate profits have no ethical place in the delivery of health care. Studies show that non-profit nursing homes provide better care than for-profit nursing homes. Uninsured patients should pay no more for any service, procedure or item than the lowest amount accepted by the hospital from any private or government insurance program. Absolutely no dumping of patients should occur. Patients should not be woken to have labs drawn. If physicians want lab results with their rounds, they should come to the hospital at noon or later, so lab draws do not interrupt sleep and patient health.
Magnet hospitals should exist to provide humane care to all patients Music in should be provided in rooms of all patients. A growing body of research shows that music reduces pain, blood pressure, depression, physical signs of stress and cortisol levels. See this interesting research in many different studies by nurses from Japan, South Korea and Sweden. Music affects the blood pressure of pregnant women more intensely. Noise should be reduced as much as possible. See the nursing research. Hospitals should institute The Pause after someone dies to take a moment to reflect on the person's life and health workers efforts to save them
Ethics Magnet hospitals and each person who works in them including physicians, should adhere to the principles of accepting no gift from any pharmaceutical company or medical supply company, and be a member of No Free Lunch. Being that hospitals are nursing institutions, the ethics committee should be comprised of at least half nurses. Magnet hospitals should follow the Code of Ethics for Nurses.
Overall changes to the magnet program The Magnet program should be a government program to which all hospitals must adhere.
Discussion
Above is the list of changes and improvements to the Magnet program that our executive director presented to the World Congress of Nurses in June 2006. We would like to hear what all nurses (and patients) think of Magnet hospitals and our suggestions for improvement, especially those who are at magnet facilities.
Please post your experiences with Magnet hospitals at Hospital Safety Reviews. Thank you!
The list for suggested improvements to the Magnet program expressed herein are those of Sandy Summers, RN, MSN, MPH, the Truth About Nursing's founder and executive director. They do not necessarily reflect those of the Board Members or Advisory Panel of The Truth About Nursing.
Last updated October 2, 2016
(Formerly titled "What is Magnet status and how's that whole thing going?") | 15,607 | 6,449 | 0.000156 |
warc | 201704 | In an effort to keep motorcyclists safe, the Turlock Police Department is planning a day of enforcement.
The department will have 16 extra patrols throughout today to solely enforce motorcycle safety related laws.
The detail is being paid for by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. Officers will be cracking down on traffic violations made by both motorcyclists and other vehicle drivers that can lead to motorcycle collisions, injuries and fatalities.
Motorcycle fatalities had been on the rise in California, increasing 175 percent in 11 years, from 204 killed in 1998 to 560 killed in 2008. That trend has stopped and data shows a 30 percent decrease to 394 motorcyclists killed in 2009. Despite this dramatic improvement, California remains one of three states that lead the nation in motorcyclists’ deaths.
“Today’s high fuel prices and congested roadways make motorcycles very attractive to many people. Unfortunately, many of those people fail to get the proper training – or any training – before heading out on two wheels,” said Turlock Police Department Traffic Safety Unit Supervisor Sgt. Neil Cervenka. “Many of the officers participating are motorcycle enthusiasts. We, in no way, want to discourage safe and courteous motorcycling. We simply want to reach out to the motorcycling community and ensure they are following the law, and riding safe.”
California collision data reveals that primary causes of motorcycle-involved crashes include speeding, unsafe turning and impairment due to alcohol and other drugs. The Turlock Police Department is also reminding all motorists to always be alert and watch out for motorcycles, especially when turning and changing lanes. | 1,746 | 894 | 0.00115 |
warc | 201704 | By Dave Mundy/manager@gonzalescannon.com
Posted November 28, 2012 – 1:10pm EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a three-part series examining the CScope curriculum management system being used in several area school districts. The second part of this series will examine how and why the system was developed and the third part will concentrate on how local schools and districts view the success or shortcomings of the program.
Stan Hartzler has authored and co-authored math textbooks, taught college mathematics for 14 years as an assistant and associate professor, helped implement a math program in Oklahoma City schools which dramatically closed the achievement gap between white and minority students in just two years, and has made more than 500 presentations on teaching mathematics in 48 states, several Canadian provinces, Puerto Rico and Mexico. He has a doctor’s of philosophy degree in math education from the University of Texas at Austin.
And he’s now a teacher in the Luling ISD. “It appeared nobody wanted a grumpy old man until Luling,” Hatzell said.“Luling has had some excellent math education priorities, and it was just an ideal location.” Hartzler said he and several other “grumpy old men” were brought on-board to help the district reverse its fortunes after low scores brought the district under Texas Education Agency supervision. The problem, he says, is that the district won’t let them teach the way their experience has proven works. “We’ve been told to not add anything to CScope so it can be properly evaluated,” Hartzler said. “We’ve actually been given mixed signals. Now we are adding lots, but not on regular class time. I studied a little administration, but nothing like that. “CScope is a hollow curriculum.” The CScope system is being used by more than 70 percent of school districts in Texas — including Luling ISD, Gonzales ISD, Yoakum ISD, Cuero ISD, and Nixon-Smiley CISD. Hartzler and other long-time teachers have expressed so many concerns over CScope — a curriculum management system developed by the Region XIII Education Service Center — that the Texas Board of Education took up discussion of the system at its Nov. 15 meeting. Among the state board’s concerns: CScope materials are not made available to parents, teachers have been issued a “gag order” against speaking about the program, and many of those developing CScope materials have specific political agendas. One SBOE member said he’d attempted to attend a regional CScope conference but has been told he was specifically excluded. During the Nov. 15 meeting, in fact, one lesson plan was reviewed in which the participants in the Boston Tea Party, an important event leading up to the American Revolution, are described as “terrorists.” Another concern was raised over a lesson plan which praised Islam as a culturally significant religion but referred to Christianity as a “cult.” Yet another promotes a United Nations-sponsored agenda for “zero population growth.” That testimony prompted a response on Nov. 20 from Wade N. Labay, EdD, the director of the state’s CScope program. In a letter to participating school districts, Labay said the lesson plan on the Boston Tea Party had been changed. “The CScope World History content on Islam and the Boston Tea Party presented at the November 15 SBOE meeting (and referenced in recent messages by CScope detractors) is associated with the previous (and now outdated) SBOE adopted Social Studies standards. None of the World History content referenced in this messaging exists in the current CScope system.” Labay’s letter said the history lesson was “taken out of context,” thus “creating an inaccurate portrayal of lesson design and intent. Drawing conclusions based on isolated portions of CScope content is not recommended.” During the SBOE hearing, educators from around the state as well as board members said the problem is that CScope is advertised as a fix-all curriculum system that is instead being applied as curriculum. “For 40-plus years, the only people who told me how to teach were my students,” Hartzler told the SBOE. “The professional is interested in student learning. CScope wants teachers to be interested in CScope’s interpretations of TAKS scores. The unit tests don’t match the CScope lessons. CScope exams put students in a hole, from which CScope alone can provide the way up.” Much of the critique from parents centers around the fact that CScope materials are not made available to parents in contravention of state law which specifies that all instructional material MUST be available to parents. One parent notes: “Since they had decided to end the use of textbooks, I asked to have access to the CScope website so I could help my kids study at home … The parent portal is absolutely worthless, as I’m sure you know. I’ve asked many times to see what exactly the teachers are using to prepare their lessons, and they say they cannot allow access to that portion of the curriculum.” Hartzler said he had written the TEA and SBOE on Oct. 20 expressing his concerns and received a response from the TEA’s Monica Martinez. Hartzler said he was told by the TEA representative that “While the SBOE has authority to review and adopt textbooks, the SBOE and TEA do not have statutory authority to review curriculum management systems such as CScope … By state law, the SBOE may not adopt rules that designate the methodology used by a teacher or the time spent by a teacher or a student on a particular task or subject.” In other words, the State Board of Education has no authority over a “curriculum management system” that is electronic in nature and has replaced textbooks. The evasion is noted in a Nov. 25 in the online World News Daily by reporter John Griffin: CScope is not subjected to the same rigorous standards of review as are textbooks, Griffin’s report notes, because CScope considers itself a private venture. It operates under the umbrella of the Texas Education Service Center Curriculum Collaborative (TESCCC), independent of the SBOE and TEA. However, a move is afoot to remedy that situation, Griffin writes. “The Texas Attorney General’s office ruled on April 4 that CScope is agovernmental body and falls within the scope of Gov. Code 552.003(1)(A)(xii) concerning public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act (PIA). “In theory, this means that CScope is subject to some degree of accountability and transparency. And yet, Section 552.104 (Gov. Code) carries an exception if following the PIA would give competitors an advantage in the development of similar products. CScope has evaded any disclosure via this loophole.” Hartzler’s critique is echoed by a number of Texas teachers, many of whom post anonymously for fear of retribution, and parents at the Texas CScope Review website operated by retired teacher Janice Van Cleave. State Rep. Debbie Riddle (R-SH 150) is among the most outspoken critics of CScope. “We are outsourcing the rearing, education, parenting, and discipline of our children; stick the kid in front of the TV or give them an iPad. This takes away from teacher-student interaction, and removes the Socratic method from classrooms,” she told Griffin. “If the goal is to create sheeple, then this works and is right on target. If the goal is [to] create, critical, problem-solving participating citizens, then [CScope] fails miserably.” NEXT: CScope’s development and purpose | 7,758 | 3,620 | 0.000289 |
warc | 201704 | Dividing
January 2012
I have 3 or 4 large hostas plants that have gotten too big for the area where they are currently planted. When is it a good time to dig these up and relocate them. Also, is there anything extra I need to do to insure the plants will re-establish themselves.
Hostas are quite easy to divide and replant. When you see signs of them emerging in the spring, dig up the clump and cut between divisions. I find a serrated bread knife does the best trick, but anything that makes a nice clean cut will work. Leave two or three crowns per division. A crown of a plant is the area where the stems meet the roots. When hostas get growing, they often can have six or more crowns in each plant. If you over-divide and separate them down to one crown per division, it will give you a small plant and they will not bounce back as quickly.
May 2008
My cannas haven't bloomed in three years. Is it because they are not in full sun? They only have sun in the afternoon?
Cannas need a minimum of six hours of sunlight to bloom their best. They also may be too crowded. Canna bulbs grow quite quickly and can easily get overcrowded. Try thinning out the plants and try moving a few to a sunnier locale and see how the blooming goes. Water well and fertilize two to three times during the season.
June 2005
Once before you printed a hint about how to make Stella de Oro lilies bloom again once their first blooming period is over. My Stella daylilies bloomed only fair this year. They now have what look like pods at the tops of the stalks. I wonder if I should cut them back or leave them alone. I would appreciate your help with any info you can give me.
While Stella de’oro daylilies are touted as ever blooming daylilies, blooming will definitely be curtailed if you allow the seedpods to remain after bloom. Although most daylilies set seedpods following bloom, Stella’s seem to be prone to an abundance of them. While they are busy making seeds, less energy will go into new blooms. It is best to deadhead the spent blooms at least every two weeks to keep them setting more flowers. This needn’t be as time-consuming as it sounds. Simply snap off the spent flowers or beginning seed pods whenever you pass the plant. Fertilize after the first peak of blooms, and then again six to eight weeks later. Water as needed. Following these recommendations should give you almost continuous blooms. Another thing that reduces blooms is overcrowding. While Stella’s don’t get overly tall, they can grow quite wide. If they are too crowded, blooms will be small and sparse. Division can be done either spring or fall.
All links to external sites open in a new window. You may return to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture web site by closing this window when you are finished. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the information, or the accessibility for people with disabilities listed at any external site.
Links to commercial sites are provided for information and convenience only. Inclusion of sites does not imply University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's approval of their product or service to the exclusion of others that may be similar, nor does it guarantee or warrant the standard of the products or service offered.
The mention of any commercial product in this web site does not imply its endorsement by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture over other products not named, nor does the omission imply that they are not satisfactory. | 3,518 | 1,679 | 0.000602 |
warc | 201704 | Orb weaver spiders do not share common origins, contrary to assumptions
July 19, 2014 Posted by News under Darwinism, Intelligent Design, News
From
ScienceDaily:
For decades, the story of spider evolution went like this: As insects became more and more diverse, with some species taking to the skies, spiders evolved new hunting strategies, including the ability to weave orb-shaped webs to trap their prey.
From that single origin, the story goes, orb-weaver spiders diverged along different evolutionary paths, leading to today, where several species weave similar — though not identical — webs.
It’s a good story, but there’s just one problem — Harvard scientists now know it’s not true.
The largest-ever phylogenetic study of spiders, conducted by postdoctoral student Rosa Fernández, Gonzalo Giribet, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology, and Gustavo Hormiga, a professor at George Washington University, shows that, contrary to long-held popular opinion, the two groups of spiders that weave orb-shaped webs do not share a single origin. The study is described in a July 17 paper published in Current Biology. More.
Hey, if we had to explain the problem with current evolutionary biology in a few words, we would say “It’s a good story, but there’s just one problem — it’s not true.”
Follow UD News at Twitter! | 1,394 | 758 | 0.001395 |
warc | 201704 | In Dr. Shapiro's letter below, quotations are from Almanac's May 13 story on Trustee actions of May 3.- -Ed.
No wonder Penn tuition is so high. I wonder if I can sell these folks the Brooklyn Bridge?
-- Bernard H. Shapiro, Professor of Biochemistry, Animal Biology/Vet
I am delighted to echo your concern that Penn's resources not be spent frivolously. As Director of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and
Biostatistics and Chair of the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, however, I think it is important to point out some features of this
expenditure that were not included in the brief Trustee action on our space renovation reported in
Almanac.
First, the cost quoted is a total project budget, including all fees and furniture as well as construction and contingencies, and we can assure you this budget will be managed very tightly to maximize the residual unspent funds upon project completion. Regardless, tuition funds were not used for this purpose, so your concern about its impact on tuition can be allayed.
Second, given our type of research, these are not academic offices, but in fact this is our research space. We have been extremely productive in terms of the grant funding we bring into the University per square foot of space, including, of course, indirect expenses. Thus, this is a short-term investment by the institution which will pay off for years to come. Further, we are creating a state-of-the-art computing consortium center to serve not only epidemiology and biostatistics, but also the information technology needs of all the clinical researchers in the Medical Center. Finally, despite the fact that Blockley Hall was constructed about 1964, with its space configured to serve as a residence hall in support of the old Philadelphia General Hospital, this is now a critical building in the core of the Medical Center complex. This 166,000-square-foot building requires substantial infrastructure renovation to continue its conversion from a dormitory into a modern, code-compliant functional research office building. We will be increasing the occupancy on the Epidemiology and Biostatistics floors from an existing capacity of 24 people per floor to an average of 39 on each floor, or a 63% occupancy increase. Absent these renovations, this space would be, at worst, useless, and, at best, extremely inefficient. Space is a scarce resource at Penn, and careful use of Penn's space requires that it be used as effectively and efficiently as possible. Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your concerns.
-- Brian L. Strom, Professor and Chair, Biostatistics & Epidemiology
and Director, Center for Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics
With respect to the portion of Dr. Shapiro's letter that concerned the Wharton School's new structure, Dean Gerrity deferred to the Facilities Management Office. --Ed.
There certainly can be no debate that $8.4 million is a considerable amount of money. However, this it represents the entire pre-construction costs of a 300,000 gross-square- foot, world-class academic building on a very important site, the corner of 38th and Locust Walk. The largest single component is the A/E (architectural/engineering) fees for their involvement through to the opening of the building. In addition, other major costs are site surveys, geotechnical investigations, construction costs' estimating and scheduling, legal and administrative fees, printing and reimbursables.
The A/E team was chosen through the formal University process for the selection of A/E firms, which considers both professional qualifications for a particular project and cost. We invited six qualified firms to submit proposals based on a specific building program and specific site development guidelines, which were developed through the efforts of the Wharton School, Facilities Management, and the Design Review Committee, etc. The design of the building must not only comply with University architectual design guidelines, but also meet the challenges of the program while maintaining the scale of Locust Walk. Final selection of the architect was made after consideration of the written proposals and interviews of each A /E team by a committee representing Facilities Management, the Wharton School and the Dean of the Graduate School of Fine Arts.
-- Art T. Gravina, Vice President Facilities Management
Almanac
Volume 43 Number 36
June 17, 1997
Return to Almanac's homepage.
Return to index for this issue. | 4,485 | 2,179 | 0.000461 |
warc | 201704 | This story comes courtesy of Courtney Murrah, with the Exchange Club Family Center. Names and images have been changed to protect privacy.
Daniel was acting aggressively toward his teacher and peers, and his behavior was becoming a problem. At home, his aggressive behavior was targeted at his siblings and even his mother. Looking for help, his family began participating in the Exchange Club Family Center’s domestic violence group therapy program and one-on-one therapy.
Daniel’s behavior problem is duplicated hundreds of times a year by other children who, like Daniel, see repeated acts of domestic violence in the home.
“Children just like Daniel begin to heal and cope with their emotions after participating in the program,” an agency counselor reported. “This is the goal we want to achieve, as it is vital to stopping the cycle of violence.”
When Daniel entered the program, his mother was struggling to find housing, work and transportation, while simultaneously going through the legal system to get an order of protection from her husband. Adding to her concerns, she was repeatedly called by the school about her son’s behavior. Before getting Daniel involved in the therapy program, she was afraid of what Daniel might do to her younger children – or even what he could do to her. In addition to helping give Daniel the therapy he needed, the agency was also able to assist his mother with some of her other goals.
“After nine months with our counseling staff, Daniel began to show positive signs of controlling his anger,” the counselor said. “He has learned nonviolent means of settling conflict. He has had significantly decreased levels of anger, shame and anxiety and has been behaving better at school. His grades were also improving. His mother attributes this success to the therapy program.”
Daniel continues to use the coping tools he learned through the program, and he is excelling in school and becoming a positive “older brother” role model to his siblings. Thanks to your support of United Way, Daniel and many children like him are involved in programs that help stop the cycle of domestic violence, providing help for today and the future. | 2,250 | 1,102 | 0.00094 |
warc | 201704 | VICTORIA — A new drug-pricing agreement and plans to take a hard line with doctors during a coming round of contract negotiations have helped the government shave more than $230 million from its planned health budget for the coming year, Health Minister Margaret MacDiarmid said Tuesday.
The move represents a significant belt tightening, and is the most dramatic area where government was able to cut its own ministry spending to help balance the budget.
MacDiarmid acknowledged the reductions will be challenging, but made assurances that patient care will not suffer as a result.
“I’m not going to say it’s going to be easy, but what we’ve been able to do is health authorities are going to get the budgets that they expected, so the front line, the place where the direct patient care is being provided, is staying the same,” she said in an interview, adding health was an obvious target for reductions given its more than $16.6 billion budget makes up almost half of direct government spending.
While the health budget will still rise each year, projected increases for the next three years dropped in Tuesday’s budget to about 2.6 per cent each year from a recent annual average of 4.4 per cent.
Previously — between 2005 and 2008 — health spending had grown by about seven per cent per year.
Tuesday’s projections mean the health sector will see an increase for the coming year that is $234 million less than what government projected at this time last year.
B.C. Nurses’ Union president Debra McPherson took aim at the scaled-back increase, saying she does not think the budget will be able to keep pace with inflation and population growth.
“With the government’s determination to limit the growth of health spending in the upcoming years to even less than the historic lows they forecast in last year’s budget, there’s no improvement in store for seniors or in already under-serviced areas, such as mental health and home community health services,” she said in a news release.
“Instead, the budget will force health authorities to continue to run hospitals (at) overcapacity and push people out quickly in order to achieve funding that comes from meeting performance targets.”
MacDiarmid disagreed, saying the ministry has already found savings in a new drug-pricing agreement that lowers the amount government spends on generic drugs, and that it is working on reforms that could help lower the amount government pays each year on laboratory testing.
She also said that the government’s pay-for-performance program, aimed at increasing health care efficiency, has netted significant gains.
“That’s had some quite remarkable results around the province in terms of people finding ways to provide more services for patients, for example, to get more people through the MRI machine, to get sometimes … twice as many surgeries done in the same amount of operating room time just by doing things differently,” she said.
But MacDiarmid added the reductions also require government to take a tough stance in its upcoming negotiations with the B.C. Medical Association.
The province’s deal with doctors runs to March 2016, but can be reopened at the end of March 2014 so both sides can adjust the fees paid to doctors.
In a clear first strike, Tuesday’s budget documents promised measures to “reduce the rate of growth of MSP expenditures, which cover the costs of most physicians and other health care providers,” though it did not provide any details.
BCMA president Dr. Shelley Ross said she expects talks to begin in earnest after the May election, but would not say what she thinks of the government’s hard-line approach.
“We have this process in place, so we’ll work our way through this process and do the best we can for the doctors of B.C. to be able to provide good services to the citizens of British Columbia,” she said.
“I think it’s going to be a tough negotiation.” | 4,074 | 1,928 | 0.000544 |
warc | 201704 | Glasses 101
Beginner's Guide to Buying Glasses Online
For ages now you’ve been squinting and straining to see clearly while you’re driving. Or maybe you have to hold your favorite newspaper further and further away in order to make the print come into proper focus. You have finally made the decision to buy glasses, but where do you start? Here’s a beginner’s guide with all the basics to help you on your way to buying the perfect pair of glasses..
Getting Your Glasses Prescription
First of all, you have to go see your doctor or optometrist to get your eyes checked. Here they will do tests to determine whether you are nearsighted (myopic) or farsighted (hyperopic). When you’re done, the doctor will hand you your prescription. Make sure to ask your doctor to measure the distance between your pupils (PD). This measurement ensures that the optical center of your glasses will be directly in front of your pupils. If your doctor writes your PD as two separate numbers, just add them. If you already have a prescription that does not include the PD, you can measure your PD in just a few simple steps with our Virtual Mirror.
Understanding Your Prescription
Once you get your prescription, it may look a little something like this:
What do all these terms and numbers mean? Let’s start with the abbreviations.
OD
Latin for "Oculus Dexter," meaning "right eye." Everything in this row corresponds to your right eye.
OS
Latin for "Oculus Sinister," meaning "left eye." Everything in this row corresponds to your left eye.
SPH
Amount of lens power needed to correct your vision, measured in dioptres. This number always has a + or a - in front of it, to identify whether a plus or a minus lens will be used.
CYL
Amount of lens power needed to correct astigmatism, also measured in dioptres. If a number is present here, it is always accompanied by a number in the AXIS category.
AXIS
Measured in degrees. This number is needed to correctly position the lens into your chosen frame, in order to properly correct astigmatism.
ADD
Refers to the amount of power needed in the reading portion (or near vision zone) of a multifocal glass (bifocal, trifocal, or progressives) in order to treat presbyopia. Also measured in dioptres.
PRISM_
Amount of prismatic power needed to correct eye alignment problems. Measured in prism dioptres. If a number is present in this category, it is always accompanied by a value in the BASE category.
BASE
Refers to the direction of the above mentioned prism. Can be expressed as "base up" (BU), "base down" (BD), "base in" (BI), or "base out" (BO).
PD
Abbreviation for "pupillary distance." Measured in millimeters. Generally speaking, this number can fall anywhere from 40 to 80.
What do all these terms and numbers mean? Let’s start with the abbreviations.
Having explained the abbreviations, let's translate the prescription into words. This person needs -1.25 dioptre to correct for nearsightedness, needs -2.00 dioptre correction for astigmatism at an axis of 90 degrees and has an added power for reading of +2.00 dioptres in the right eye, in addition to a prism of .6 base up. In the left eye, the sphere is -1.75, with a cylinder of -0.75 at an axis of 160, and added reading power of +2.25.
After you get your prescription, it’s time to figure out what kind of frames and lenses you would like for your prescription glasses. Of course, for the fashionistas out there, we also offer frames with plano lenses. Plano lenses are plain lenses without any corrective power.
Frames
Selecting a frame for glasses is probably the most exciting part of buying them. There are tons of options available to you when you combine factors such as color, size, material and decoration. What do you need your glasses for? If you will use them all day every day, choose a durable and lightweight material such as titanium. If you have very sensitive skin or suffer from skin allergies, you may want to select a frame made from hypoallergenic materials. For children, flexible materials such as memory metal and TR-90 are recommended to prolong the life of the glasses. If you’re looking for a colorful pair of statement glasses, acetate frames are the way to go.
If you don’t know what kind of glasses will look good on you, take a look at our articles about face shape and coloring. These two articles offers hints to help you narrow down the vast array of styles to just styles that will look good with your face shape. But, as with anything, there are no concrete formulas to determine what will or will not look good on you. The best way to judge such things are with our Virtual Mirror, where you can try on as many or as few pairs of glasses as you wish.
Lenses
You have heard the terms bifocal, trifocal and progressive lenses quite a bit now. But what exactly do these terms mean?
Bifocalsare lenses with two zones; one for distance, and one for reading. The two zones are separated by a line in the glasses. Trifocalshave three zones in the lens: one for distances, one for intermediate vision (such as computer use) in the middle, and a zone for reading on the bottom. All three areas are separated by visible lines in the lens. Visio-Rx does not offer trifocal glasses. Progressivesare multifocal lenses that have no line separating the zones, eliminating the jump from one power to the next. This increases user adaptability and ease of wear. Aside from these two significant improvements, progressive lenses have a vain benefit as well: the lens looks like a single vision lens to anyone not wearing the glasses, thus “hiding” the fact that presbyopia is setting in. In previous generations, the only option available was the lined bifocal. Today, the progressive lens makes it possible to hide your reading glasses..
Modern technology is improving the quality of our lenses every day. Despite the name, most glasses are outfitted with hard plastic lenses of varying thickness these days. Selecting the appropriate lenses for your glasses can be overwhelming if you are unfamiliar with all the terms. To help you decide, here is a brief overview of several types of lenses.
Xirm, Trivex and polycarbonate lensesare significantly more impact resistant, which makes them a great and safe choice for kid’s glasses, sports wear and safety goggles. Photochromic lenseschange from clear inside to sunglasses outside. This special lens is UV activated and will save you the hassle of switching back and forth between your regular glasses and your sunglasses. High index lensesare a great choice for people with stronger prescriptions. These materials will allow you to have thinner and lighter lenses in your frames, thus making your glasses more comfortable to wear. Polarized sunglass lensesare ideal for people that are active outdoors. These lenses minimize glare from reflective surfaces such as water. They can even reduce the glare from the road in front of you, and from the hood of your car.
The type of lens you choose is completely dependent on your personal preference, although thinner and lighter lenses are much more comfortable for high prescriptions.
The Whole Package
Sight is one of the most important senses we have, and glasses are an important device in making sure you can see everything clearly. We strongly believe that you do not need to spend the big bucks at an optical store in order to get a high quality pair of glasses.
We've invested much thought, time and money into making sure that we will deliver you the same quality glasses as you would get from your optician. Give us a try, we won't disappoint you.
Recommended for you | 7,713 | 3,445 | 0.000295 |
warc | 201704 | Biotechnology Index Glossary
Agarose Gel Electrophoresis of DNA
Preparing and Running Standard Agarose DNA Gels
The equipment and supplies necessary for conducting agarose gel electrophoresis are relatively simple and include: An electrophoresis chamber and power supply Gel casting trays, which are available in a variety of sizes and composed of UV-transparent plastic. The open ends of the trays are closed with tape while the gel is being cast, then removed prior to electrophoresis. Sample combs, around which molten agarose is poured to form sample wells in the gel. Electrophoresis buffer, usually Tris-acetate-EDTA (TAE) or Tris-borate-EDTA (TBE). Loading buffer, which contains something dense (e.g. glycerol) to allow the sample to "fall" into the sample wells, and one or two tracking dyes, which migrate in the gel and allow visual monitoring or how far the electrophoresis has proceeded. Ethidium bromide, a fluorescent dye used for staining nucleic acids. NOTE: Ethidium bromide is a known mutagen and should be handled as a hazardous chemical - wear gloves while handling. Transilluminator(an ultraviolet lightbox), which is used to visualize ethidium bromide-stained DNA in gels. NOTE: always wear protective eyewear when observing DNA on a transilluminator to prevent damage to the eyes from UV light.
To pour a gel, agarose powder is mixed with electrophoresis buffer to the desired concentration, then heated in a microwave oven until completely melted. Most commonly, ethidium bromide is added to the gel (final concentration 0.5 ug/ml) at this point to facilitate visualization of DNA after electrophoresis. After cooling the solution to about 60C, it is poured into a casting tray containing a sample comb and allowed to solidify at room temperature or, if you are in a big hurry, in a refrigerator.
After the gel has solidified, the comb is removed, using care not to rip the bottom of the wells. The gel, still in its plastic tray, is inserted horizontally into the electrophoresis chamber and just covered with buffer. Samples containing DNA mixed with loading buffer are then pipeted into the sample wells, the lid and power leads are placed on the apparatus, and a current is applied. You can confirm that current is flowing by observing bubbles coming off the electrodes. DNA will migrate towards the positive electrode, which is usually colored red.
The distance DNA has migrated in the gel can be judged by visually monitoring migration of the tracking dyes. Bromophenol blue and xylene cyanol dyes migrate through agarose gels at roughly the same rate as double-stranded DNA fragments of 300 and 4000 bp, respectively.
When adequate migration has occured,
DNA fragments are visualized by staining with ethidium bromide.This fluorescent dye intercalates between bases of DNA and RNA. It is often incorporated into the gel so that staining occurs during electrophoresis, but the gel can also be stained after electrophoresis by soaking in a dilute solution of ethidium bromide. To visualize DNA or RNA, the gel is placed on a ultraviolet transilluminator. Be aware that DNA will diffuse within the gel over time, and examination or photography should take place shortly after cessation of electrophoresis. Migration of DNA Fragments in Agarose
Fragments of linear DNA migrate through agarose gels with a mobility that is inversely proportional to the logIn other words, if you plot the distance from the well that DNA fragments have migrated against the log 10of their molecular weight. 10of either their molecular weights or number of base pairs, a roughly straight line will appear.
Circular forms of DNA migrate in agarose distinctly differently from linear DNAs of the same mass.Typically, uncut plasmids will appear to migrate more rapidly than the same plasmid when linearized. Additionally, most preparations of uncut plasmid contain at least two topologically-different forms of DNA, corresponding to supercoiled forms and nicked circles. The image to the right shows an ethidium-stained gel with uncut plasmid in the left lane and the same plasmid linearized at a single site in the right lane.
Several additional factors have important effects on the mobility of DNA fragments in agarose gels, and can be used to your advantage in optimizing separation of DNA fragments.Chief among these factors are:
Agarose Concentration:By using gels with different concentrations of agarose, one can resolve different sizes of DNA fragments. Higher concentrations of agarose facilite separation of small DNAs, while low agarose concentrations allow resolution of larger DNAs.
The image to the right shows migration of a set of DNA fragments in three concentrations of agarose, all of which were in the same gel tray and electrophoresed at the same voltage and for identical times. Notice how the larger fragments are much better resolved in the 0.7% gel, while the small fragments separated best in 1.5% agarose. The 1000 bp fragment is indicated in each lane.
Voltage:As the voltage applied to a gel is increased, larger fragments migrate proportionally faster that small fragments. For that reason, the best resolution of fragments larger than about 2 kb is attained by applying no more than 5 volts per cm to the gel (the cm value is the distance between the two electrodes, not the length of the gel).
Electrophoresis Buffer:Several different buffers have been recommended for electrophoresis of DNA. The most commonly used for duplex DNA are TAE (Tris-acetate-EDTA) and TBE (Tris-borate-EDTA). DNA fragments will migrate at somewhat different rates in these two buffers due to differences in ionic strength. Buffers not only establish a pH, but provide ions to support conductivity. If you mistakenly use water instead of buffer, there will be essentially no migration of DNA in the gel! Conversely, if you use concentrated buffer (e.g. a 10X stock solution), enough heat may be generated in the gel to melt it.
Effects of Ethidium Bromide:Ethidium bromide is a fluorescent dye that intercalates between bases of nucleic acids and allows very convenient detection of DNA fragments in gels, as shown by all the images on this page. As described above, it can be incorporated into agarose gels, or added to samples of DNA before loading to enable visualization of the fragments within the gel. As might be expected, binding of ethidium bromide to DNA alters its mass and rigidity, and therefore its mobility.
Other Considerations
Agarose gels, as discussed above provide the most commonly-used means of isolating and purifying fragments of DNA, which is a prerequisite for building any type of recombinant DNA molecule.
By varying buffer composition and running conditions, the utility of agarose gels can be extended. Examples include:
Pulsed field electrophoresisis a technique in which the direction of current flow in the electrophoresis chamber is periodically altered. This allows fractionation of pieces of DNA ranging from 50,000 to 5 millon bp, which is much larger than can be resolved on standard gels. Alkaline agarose gelsare prepared with and electrophoresed in buffers containing sodium hydroxide. Such alkaline conditions are useful for analyzing single-stranded DNA.
Finally, if you haven't had an opportunity to run agarose gels, try out the virtual agarose electrophoresis lab.
Advanced and Supplemental Topics Isolation of DNA from Agarose and Polyacrilamide Gels Virtual Lab: Agarose Gel Electrophoresis of Restriction Fragments
Index of: Gel Electrophoresis of DNA and RNA Principles of Gel Electrophoresis Agarose Gel Electrophoresis of RNA
Last updated on January 15, 2000 Send comments via form or email to rbowen@colostate.edu | 7,709 | 3,387 | 0.000296 |
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