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warc | 201704 | The kids go back to school, the temperature starts to drop and, almost overnight, you go from energetic and active to sick and fatigued. But the end of summer doesn't have to mean the start of
your cold and flu season. There are natural ways to arm your body to fight off infections before they can make you sick. Here are five of our best-selling supplements to give your immune system a hard kick into high gear: 1. Solaray Two-Stage, Timed-Release Vitamin C 1,000 mg -- 100 VCaps for $6.68 Vitamin C is one of the most important nutrients our bodies need on a daily basis to remain healthy. Vitamin C acts as a potent antioxidant, protecting the body from the potential oxidative stress and damage of free radicals. This supplement from Solaray is designed to release half of its vitamin C content shortly after ingesting it and the other half over a period of up to 12 hours. Vitamin C also supports healthy bones, cartilage and the central nervous system. This supplement is available in larger quantities and in tablet form. 2. Now L-OptiZinc 30 mg -- 100 Caps for $4.39 Zinc is an essential mineral that supports a strong immune system response to combat infection and illness. Once ingested, zinc helps fight off pathogens and is particularly useful when it comes to the common cold or flu. Methionine has been added to this supplement to help the body properly absorb and utilize the 30 mg of zinc, along with copper, which supports zinc's immunity-boosting actions. You only need one capsule daily to help you fight off viral and bacterial infections and keep the immune system heightened. 3. Bio Nutrition Black Raspberry Fruit Extract 500 mg -- 60 Caps for $9.95 These amazing berries are packed with antioxidants like anthocyanins and phenols that protect the cells, tissues and organs of the body against free radical damage and limit oxidative stress. Black raspberries are only grown in Oregon for a short amount of time each year, which makes a supplement especially useful to get their amazing antioxidant benefits. These berries also contain vitamins A, C and E as well as calcium and folic acid. Black raspberry, as a medicinal ingredient, was also featured on "The Dr. Oz Show" as a natural way to prevent cancer. 4. Olympian Labs Self Heal Formula -- 120 VCaps for $35.96 This supplement from Olympian Labs contains vitamin C, zinc and a proprietary blend of herbs including bitter melon, olive leaf and acerola. All of these ingredients provide antioxidant protection and valuable support for the body's immune system response. These nutrients also fill in any gaps in the diet that can lead to an impaired immune system. This formula has strong antibacterial and antiviral properties that can help the body fight off infection and prevent cold sores, which can be common around this time of year. 5. Larrea Biosciences LarreaRx -- 60 Caps for $43.40 The active extract of the larrea plant is virastatin, which has strong antiviral properties. When combined with 250 mg of vitamin C, this supplement provides additional antioxidant support for the entire body. Larrea also has known anti-inflammatory properties that support healthy joints and skin (making it useful for individuals with inflammatory skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis) as well as minor aches and pains. Taken on a daily basis, this supplement can help you feel better all around and keep the cold and flu at bay. Don't let the changing seasons mean you stay sick and stuck indoors until next summer. Shop for these and other immune system supplements at eVitamins. | 3,566 | 1,716 | 0.000584 |
warc | 201704 | What is Fairtrade?
Not all trade is fair! Farmers and workers at the beginning of the chain don’t always get a fair share of the benefits of trade. Fairtrade enables consumers to put this right.
Introducing Fairtrade
What is the difference between Fair Trade and Fairtrade? What is a surveillance audit? – Find out with the Fair Trade Glossary (PDF), a listing of all fair trade terminology created by Fairtrade International, FLOCERT and World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO).
Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade and is based on a partnership between producers and consumers. When farmers can sell on Fairtrade terms, it provides them with a better deal and improved terms of trade. This allows them the opportunity to improve their lives and plan for their future. Fairtrade offers consumers a powerful way to reduce poverty through their every day shopping.
When a product carries the FAIRTRADE Mark it means the producers and traders have met Fairtrade Standards. The Fairtrade Standards are designed to address the imbalance of power in trading relationships, unstable markets and the injustices of conventional trade.
The Charter of Fair Trade Principles
In 2009, Fairtrade International along with the World Fair Trade Organization adopted the Charter of Fair Trade Principles, which provides a single international reference point for Fair Trade. The charter includes our common vision, definition of Fair Trade, core principles and the distinct approaches to Fair Trade. Fairtrade International endorses the definition of Fair Trade and adheres to the Principles.
You can download the principles in multiple languages below and read an introductory letter from Ian Bretman, Vice Chair of the Fairtrade International's Board of Directors.
Introductory Letter from Ian Bretman (PDF in English)
The Standards
There are distinct sets of Fairtrade Standards, which acknowledge different types of producers. One set of standards applies to smallholders that are working together in cooperatives or other organizations with a democratic structure. The other set applies to workers, whose employers pay decent wages, guarantee the right to join trade unions, ensure health and safety standards and provide adequate housing where relevant.
Fairtrade Standards also cover terms of trade. Most products have a set Fairtrade Minimum Price, which is the minimum that must be paid to the producers. In addition producers get an additional sum, the Fairtrade Premium, to invest in their communities or businesses.
Fairtrade Minimum Prices
The minimum price paid to Fairtrade producers is determined by the Fairtrade Standards and Pricing Unit. It applies to most Fairtrade certified products. This price aims to ensure that producers can cover their average costs of sustainable production. It acts as a safety net for farmers at times when world markets fall below a sustainable level.
When the market price is higher than the Fairtrade Minimum Price, the buyer must pay the higher price. Producers and traders can also negotiate higher prices on the basis of quality and other attributes.
The Fairtrade Premium
In addition to the price paid for the product, there is an additional sum of money, called the Fairtrade Premium, that farmers receive for products sold on Fairtrade terms. This money goes into a communal fund for workers and farmers to use to improve their social, economic and environmental conditions.
The use of this additional income is decided upon democratically by producers within the farmers’ organization, or by a workers' committee on a plantation. The Premium is invested in education and healthcare, farm improvements to increase yield and quality, or processing facilities to increase income.
As many projects funded by the Premium are communal, the broader community, outside the producer organization often benefits from Fairtrade.
Now Pricing Database
Find Fairtrade Minimum Prices and Premiums | 3,979 | 1,768 | 0.000571 |
warc | 201704 | Aesthetics is an issue that should be of concern to all people involved in the ultimate selection and design of a noise barrier. It is often felt to be as important as the noise reduction provided by the barrier and is the most subjective of any aspect of noise barrier design, with the phrase "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" often used in discussing noise barrier aesthetic treatments. Whether a jagged, stepped, sloped, uniform, non-uniform, colored, plain, straight, curved, or textured barrier is desired at any given location is a decision left to the responsible organization based on its policies and procedures regarding design philosophies, community input, and any other factors which are considered in the decision making process related to barrier aesthetics. Public input should always by considered in the aesthetic design of noise barriers. The intent of this section is not to justify any particular philosophy related to any element of aesthetic design, but rather to discuss elements that should be considered regardless of the particular aesthetic philosophy chosen.
In designing noise barriers, there are two general approaches or philosophies related to aesthetic treatments. One philosophy is to aesthetically design the noise wall in a manner that it blends into the surrounding environment and is as unintrusive as possible. The other philosophy is to have the noise barrier be a prominent feature in the surrounding environment. Neither should be considered right or wrong in a general sense. Both philosophies have been successfully employed and even combined on the same project. In certain instances, highway sides of noise barriers have incorporated a "blend in" philosophy while community sides of the same barriers have employed more prominent architectural treatments. Certain elements of aesthetic design should be evaluated and considered separately in the design process dependent upon whether the barrier surface is being seen from the highway or from its adjacent land uses.
Prior to discussing aesthetic design issues specific to the views of the motorist (see
Section 6.1.6) and the community (see Section 6.1.7), a number of aesthetic design issues common to both barrier view points are described below.
While on occasion, a barrier can be constructed at a continuously uniform distance from the roadway and at a uniform height or elevation, it is rare that barriers can be built without some change in horizontal and vertical alignment. In attempting to make aesthetically pleasing barrier transitions and profiles, barrier designers incorporate shifts and transitions into the barrier's alignment. Such changes must be made within the restrictions and tolerances of the barrier system components. For example, angles of horizontal alignment shifts on post and panel systems are restricted to those which the particular post design can accommodate. Barrier systems with cable secured, linear ball and socket style panel connections can accommodate much greater angles.
Combined shifts in both horizontal and vertical alignment (see Figure 130) can create conditions which may not be obvious to the noise barrier designer unless the barrier can be viewed from various angles. Such conditions can occur in areas where a barrier transitions from a location on the edge of
shoulder of a fill section to a point at the top of a cut section (see Figure 131). The horizontal angle of the back (community) side of the barrier's transition section can actually reflect flanking sound waves back into the community which the barrier is designed to protect (see Figure 132). While such a condition cannot always be avoided, its recognition during the design process can enable the adverse condition to be rectified by placing acoustically absorptive material on the normally reflective back side.
Figure 130. Alignment changes photo #1496
Figure 131. Alignment changes photo #6524
Figure 132. Alignment changes: possible flanking reflections photo #8030
Depending upon the type of barrier system utilized, vertical transitions in noise barriers can be accomplished in a variety of manners. Such transitions in post and panel systems are often accomplished by stepping the panels. A uniform appearance can be provided by designing barriers with sections containing consistently spaced equal height steps (see Figure 133). An irregular appearance can be provided by providing random height steps at irregular intervals (see Figure 134). To avoid having to cast non-rectangular panels, and for aesthetic reasons, such steps normally are made at the location of the posts. Keep in mind that on radically changing terrain, consideration should be given to sloping the bottom of the panels to avoid burying a large portion of the panels in the ground (see Figure 135). This would avoid reducing panel lengths (to ensure structural stability) and decreasing the distance between posts which would increase the number of posts required and the costs for more posts and foundations. Barrier transitions can also be accomplished using a smooth sloped top of barrier profile (see Figure 136). This technique is common with cast-in-place noise barriers. If this technique is used in a post and panel system, irregularly shaped panels are required, and consideration should be given to also sloping the post tops at a consistent angle.
Figure 133. Vertical stepping of panels: uniform photo #6523
Figure 134. Vertical sloping of panels
Figure 135. Vertical stepping of panels: irregular photo #111
Figure 136. Vertical sloping of panels: smooth photo #1839
For the purpose of this discussion, caps are considered to be separate elements of the barrier system applied to either the top of noise walls or to the top of the noise wall posts. The "cap look" is accomplished as an integral part of the fabrication/construction of the noise barrier wall panels.
Caps have been placed on the top of noise barriers (panels, posts, or both) for both aesthetic and acoustical reasons (see Figures 137 to 140). Caps can smooth a barrier's profile eliminating saw-toothed steps and gaps and provide a pleasing shading pattern. However, care should be taken to keep the size of the cap proportional to the scale of the noise wall. Too large of a cap can give the visual perception of the noise wall being "top heavy." A cap can also interfere with the natural "washing" of the top portion of the noise wall which occurs during rain events. With the noise wall not being uniformly washed, streaking becomes more apparent over time and can become very unsightly.
Attachment and caulking details need to be carefully considered at the panel-to-post attachment points and between cap sections. Particular concern should be taken regarding the visual appearance of capped barriers which follow a meandering vertical and horizontal alignment. These conditions tend to create the potential for awkward looking barriers unless the proper care is taken in the design process.
Figure 137. Noise wall horizontal cap photo #271
Figure 138. Noise wall horizontal cap photo #1325
Figure 139. Noise wall horizontal cap photo #2434
Figure 140. Noise wall horizontal cap photo #1731
Capping of vertical posts can provide a more aesthetically pleasing barrier system but requires careful considerations in order to avoid adverse maintenance situations (see Figures 141 and 142). Capping of a steel post with a pre-manufactured cap can negate the need to provide a visually pleasing treatment on the steel post itself. However, sufficient treatment of the steel post should be provided to assure durability and reduce the likelihood of premature rusting. The design of the cap and post should be consistent with long-term maintenance anticipations. For instance, if it is necessary to remove the cap from time to time, the attachment details may be different than if the cap to post attachment is considered "permanent." In either case, drainage considerations are critical and should be considered in light of the respective cap and post materials to avoid trapping of water, resulting in premature rusting, warping, or other material degradation.
Figure 141. Noise wall vertical cap photo #2541
Figure 142. Noise wall vertical cap photo #5224
Several methods have been successfully used to create aesthetically pleasing treatments at the ends of noise barrier systems. Where topography permits, the barrier end can be buried into the existing ground (see Figure 143). Barriers can also be curved back away from the road at their end points. This technique may have an added advantage of providing some additional acoustical abatement of flanking noise while softening the end of the barrier (see
Section 3.5.2). Ends of barriers can be reduced in height (using stepped rectangular panels as in Figure 144, or sloped panels as in Figure 145) from their acoustically required height to a height of approximately 1.5 m (5 ft), equal to right-of-way fence height. While such a treatment may provide the desired aesthetic treatment, it is likely to require construction of some area of barrier which is not absolutely necessary for acoustical reasons. Decisions related to such a treatment should weigh the added costs against the aesthetic benefits and any additional acoustical benefits provided. Ending the barrier at its required acoustical height and buffering its end points with plantings (see Figure 146) and/or berming (see Figure 147) are other techniques.
Figure 143. Barrier end treatment: buried into existing ground photo #80
Figure 144. Barrier end treatment: stepped panel photo #193
Figure 145. Barrier end treatment: sloped panel photo #2385
Figure 146. Barrier end treatment: vegetation photo #1243
Figure 147. Barrier end treatment: berming photo #1270
Special barrier aesthetic treatments may be required in areas of cultural and/or historic significance. Often such treatments have been incorporated via special inserts, castings, or designs which reflect the historic and/or cultural characteristics of the community (see Figures 148 and 149).
Figure 148. Special considerations in cultural areas photo #6533
Figure 149. Special considerations in historic areas photo #6516
The view of noise barriers experienced by drivers and occupants of vehicles traveling on the highway is significantly different from the view experienced by adjacent land users. From a vehicle, a long expanse and wide viewing angle of a barrier can be seen in a very short time period. Small detail elements and textures are, therefore, less apparent from this perspective. The barrier is most often seen by the driver in a series of generally low angle views and its overall shape and patterns (the relationship of different barrier elements) becomes more apparent (see Figures 150 and 151). Issues related to the view of a noise barrier from the driver's perspective are complicated by the fact that the barrier is viewed from a different perspective by drivers traveling in one direction compared to those driving in the opposite direction.
Figure 150. View from the road photo #2007
Figure 151. View from the road photo #3128
The overall color of a barrier viewed from the driver's perspective becomes a major visual element. Depending upon the particular design philosophy, the chosen color can draw the eye towards the barrier (see Figure 152 and 153) or tend to blend it into the background of the surrounding terrain. In settings where trees and natural vegetation form the backdrop for the barrier, neutral to dark earthtone colors can make the barrier less obtrusive, while lighter and non-earthtone colors can make the barrier stand out. When viewed against an open backdrop such as the sky, lighter colored barriers may be less obtrusive.
Figure 152. View from the road: color photo #3118
Figure 153. View from the road: color photo #1218
For texture treatments on barriers to be noticeable and meaningful from the driver's perspective, they need to have fairly deep patterns and generally should be capable of creating shadow effects within the pattern itself. Aside from instances where textures are applied to create colors (such as exposed aggregate) or to deter graffiti, they provide little benefit if the design philosophy is to blend the wall into its surroundings. They can be a major element in helping to emphasizing a barrier's aesthetics if appropriately coordinated with color and pattern elements (see Figures 154 and 155).
Figure 154. View from the road: texture photo #2368
Figure 155. View from the road: texture photo #652
The relationship of different barrier elements (posts, panels, adjacent panels, caps, etc.) is referred to as the barrier's pattern. With the blended barrier philosophy, pattern is often de-emphasized by keeping the color and texture consistent for all barrier elements. On the other hand, the barrier's presence can be emphasized by the use of different patterns. Some examples of the wide variety of techniques used to create patterns include varying the color and/or texture of adjacent panels; providing a different color/texture on posts and/or caps than on panels; and changing the color, relief, and/or texture within the panel itself. On a long stretch of barrier, pattern (such as the occasional introduction of a non-standard panel) can help to break up the monotony of the barrier (see Figures 156 to 162).
Figure 156. View from the road: pattern photo #1122
Figure 157. View from the road: pattern photo #453
Figure 158. View from the road: pattern photo #2296
Figure 159. View from the road: pattern photo #2316
Figure 160. View from the road: pattern photo #2352
Figure 161. View from the road: pattern photo #328
Figure 162. View from the road: pattern photo #5386
The shape of a noise barrier is defined by its horizontal (plan view) and vertical (profile view) configurations. A change in either the horizontal geometry or vertical profile of a noise barrier can in itself have dramatic or subtle implications in terms of the aesthetics of the barrier (see Figures 163 and 164). Similarly, the manner (uniform, non-uniform, random) in which changes in plan and elevation occur will result in either a smooth, varied, or jagged barrier shape. Barriers can be designed to meander (in plan view) and follow existing ground contours, thus creating many visually interesting configurations. Such treatments can create shapes which cast shadows, thereby giving the overall barrier a different appearance at different times of the day. Such flexibility can also enable barriers to avoid obstacles (poles, inlets, trees, etc.) that would otherwise have to be relocated or removed.
Figure 163. View from the road: shape photo #1237
Figure 164. View from the road: shape photo #1190
The most visible portion of the noise barrier in terms of its shape is usually its top, especially when it is viewed against a uniform backdrop such as the sky or a uniform contrasting colored background. It is for this reason that particular attention needs to be paid to the top of a barrier. Due to the types of plans and profiles typically available to individuals developing the final acoustical top of a barrier profile and the final profile in the plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&E) drawings, top of barrier profiles are often developed on drawings viewed at a right angle to the barrier (and typically the highway), and with an exaggerated horizontal scale. While an apparent desired (uniform, jagged, etc.) top of barrier profile may be developed using such plans, the actual profile (as viewed by drivers on the highway) may not meet the intent of the designer. A true profile can only be assured if one can view the barrier from the true perspective of the drivers (traveling in both directions) and from various locations along the highway. Fortunately, computer aided drafting techniques and programs, such as the Federal Highway Administration's Traffic Noise Model (FHWA TNM
®), enable the designer to evaluate the barrier from such a perspective. Even after such considerations result in an acceptable top of barrier profile, the profile should be reviewed in terms of its relationship to the ground profile along the base of the barrier to assure that no unplanned awkward relationships exist.
The view of noise barriers experienced by occupants of properties behind the noise barrier (community side) is most often influenced by a relatively small, specific portion of a noise barrier system. Because of the potential closeness of such barriers to their protected receptors, the relative height of the barrier in proportion to the distance from the receptor is a factor requiring consideration. The appearance of a barrier overpowering a protected receptor by creating unwanted shadows (see Figure 165), impeding natural air flows and/or blocking panoramic views needs to be weighed against the acoustical benefits in any decision making process. Small detail elements and textures in the barrier are more easily seen and therefore are more apparent from this perspective. Since a relatively small section of the barrier is most often seen by any one observer, its overall shape and patterns are less of a factor. In general, the visual dominance of a noise barrier near residences is reduced when the barrier is placed at a distance of at least two to four times the barrier's height. Additional landscaping on the residential side may also help to reduce a barrier's visual impact
ref. 18
Figure 165. View from adjacent land uses photo #148
The overall color of a barrier viewed from the community perspective is a major visual element and the discussions in
Section 6.1.6.1 pertaining to color from the roadway perspective are applicable also to the community side of the barrier (see Figure 166 and 167).
Figure 166. View from adjacent land uses: color photo #7039
Figure 167. View from adjacent land uses: color photo #8069
Detailed texture treatments on barriers are noticeable and meaningful when viewed from an observer in a stationary position on the community side of a noise barrier (see Figure 168). While deep textures can provide a desired look, textures of lesser relief can be successfully used in environments where the barrier is in relatively close proximity to the receptor. However, they can be a major element in helping to emphasize a barrier's aesthetics if appropriately coordinated with color and pattern elements.
Figure 168. View from adjacent land uses: texture photo #653
As discussed in
Section 6.1.6.3, pattern can play a major role in barrier aesthetics (see Figures 169 to 172). In the more confined and closely viewed community side environment, patterns need not be as bold or as large as those required along the highway side. Even if the desired philosophy tends toward uniformity of aesthetics, different community side patterns can be utilized in different areas since in many cases, only a small section of barrier is visible from any one location.
Figure 169. View from adjacent property: pattern photo #458
Figure 170. View from adjacent property: pattern photo #2420
Figure 171. View from adjacent property: pattern photo #2562
Figure 172. View from adjacent property: pattern photo #2309
While much of the discussion related to shape in
Section 6.1.6.4 is also pertinent to the community side views, specific details regarding barrier plan and profile are important for the portion of the barrier seen from any particular view point. As such, horizontal shifts and top of barrier steps, slopes, and transitions, while possibly having a minor visual impact from a driver's view, can be significant from a community standpoint (see Figure 173). This is particularly noticeable where a transition (such as a step in the top of a barrier profile) or a horizontal shift occurs in the middle of a specific property. Planning such transitions to occur at property lines can in some cases minimize these types of adverse visual conditions. Since the community side of barriers is viewed from a stationary position and often from an angle perpendicular to the barrier, the need to view the barrier at shallow angles is not as critical as for the highway side.
Figure 173. View from adjacent properties: shape photo #664
Landscaping in the vicinity of noise barriers should be integrated with the landscaping theme chosen for the general highway environment as well as being compatible with the existing landscaping (if adequate and acceptable) of the adjacent land uses and surroundings (see Figures 174 and 175). This applies whether the noise barrier is a solid wall, a berm, a combination wall and berm, or a planted barrier. Wherever possible, consideration should be given to accommodating existing vegetation in the design process. It is suggested that a field review be conducted with a landscape architect or other knowledgeable tree expert to "flag" significant trees/vegetation to avoid/saved, if practical, before the final wall alignment is set. This dictates a commitment to consider integrating the horizontal alignment of the wall with the existing topography and can have a bearing on the type of noise barrier material, the footing type, and the size of noise barrier components utilized. The vertical profile of the barrier can also be influenced by these factors. A cooperative effort balancing good engineering practice with environmental sensitivity.
Figure 174. Landscaping: integration with existing vegetation photo #2560
Figure 175. Landscaping: integration with existing vegetation photo #6526
In areas where the existing landscaping is sparse or not of the type deemed desirable, consideration of supplementing or replacing such vegetation with new plantings should be given. Such plantings can be in the form of trees, bushes, shrubbery, and vines placed in the vicinity of the barrier (see Figures 176 and 177). Various methods have been utilized to plant vines, which ultimately climb the barrier (see Figure 178). One method of creating a vine-covered noise barrier involves drilling angled holes through the noise barrier wall, planting vines behind the walls, and training them to grow through the holes to the highway side (see Figure 179). This method is particularly applicable in areas where space on the highway side is not available for plantings.
Figure 176. Landscaping: supplementing vegetation
Figure 177. Landscaping: supplementing vegetation
Figure 178. Landscaping: supplementing vegetation
Figure 179. Landscaping: supplementing vegetation
In areas where space on the highway side is available between a protective barrier (such as a Jersey barrier or steel guard rail) and the noise barrier, this area can be used for planting of vegetation, including vines (see Figures 180 and 181). In the case of a Jersey barrier, a raised planter can be created in the space between the protective barrier and the noise barrier. The type of vegetation capable of being planted and maintained in this area is dependant upon its width, soil type, irrigation (natural or artificial), orientation (full sun, shade, etc.), and climatic conditions. Even a narrow space between the noise wall and the protective barrier may be adequate to support vine growth. Such a treatment can also soften the appearance of the barrier and reduce its apparent height.
Figure 180. photo #51
Figure 181. photo #1759
Other specific applications where planting in the vicinity of noise barriers may be appropriate are discussed below along with other planting considerations:
While a continuous planting scheme along a barrier can be beneficial, it can also become monotonous. Occasionally breaking up this continuous planting scheme with denser plantings can add interest and create diversity. Such diversity can also be obtained by varying the species, colors, and sizes of vegetation.
It is essential that the landscape plan be coordinated with the engineering of the noise barrier and with its aesthetic design. If such coordination does not occur, situations such as the following can occur:
Figure 182. Landscaping: blocking panel aesthetic features photo #1212
No matter how well designed a landscape plan may be from its aesthetic standpoint, it is only as good as the ability of the responsible organization to adequately maintain it. It is a waste of time and money to design an aesthetic treatment for which there is neither the commitment (in terms of manpower), the funding (long term) to adequately maintain or coordination with other maintenance considerations. Figure 183 shows a planted barrier that wasn't adequately watered. Figure 184 shows a barrier with a stain applied around the vine growth causing unstained patches on the wall; the landscapers should have coordinated the timing of their plantings with the maintenance personnel assigned to stain the wall. No matter what the desire from an aesthetic standpoint, the landscape plan needs to be responsive to these constraints. Such constraints may appropriately lead to the selection of vegetation that is native "maintenance free" and to a plan that will foster growth of natural vegetation.
Figure 183. Landscaping: consistency with maintenance philosophy photo #6531
Figure 184. Landscaping: consistency with maintenance philosophy photo #2155
Item#
Main Topic
Sub-Topic
Consideration
See Also Section 6-1 Alignment Changes Acoustical Shifts and transitions into the barrier's alignment must be made within the restrictions and tolerances of the barrier system components. Combined shifts in both horizontal and vertical alignment must avoid reflecting flanking sound waves back into the community.
6.1.1 6-2 Vertical Stepping/ Sloping of Panels Aesthetic To avoid having to cast non-rectangular panels, stepping of panels should be made at the location of the posts with consideration also given to sloping the post tops at a consistent angle.
6.1.2 6-3 Caps Aesthetic Consider the aesthetic concerns related to the size of the cap in proportion to the scale of the noise wall and related to the horizontal and vertical alignment of the cap with the entire barrier.
6.1.3 Drainage and Utility Provide for adequate drainage requirements.
6.1.3 Structural Attachment and caulking details need to be carefully considered at the panel-to-post attachment points and between cap sections.
6.1.3 Maintenance Barriers with large horizontal caps may shade the top portion of a barrier and prevent the natural cleansing of that area by rain water.
6.1.3 6-4 Barrier Ends Cost When considering a barrier end treatment, the decision should weigh costs against any acoustical and/or aesthetic reasons.
6.1.4 6-5 View from the Road . Small detail elements and textures are less apparent from this perspective. The barrier is seen from low angle views, and its overall shape and patterns become more apparent. Also note the different perspective of drivers traveling in opposite directions.
6.1.6 6-6 View from Adjacent Land Uses . Because of the potential closeness of barriers, the relative height of the barrier in proportion to the distance from the receptor is a factor requiring consideration. Horizontal shifts and top of barrier steps, slopes and transitions property boundaries require planning to minimize adverse visual conditions.
6.1.7 6-7 Landscaping Aesthetic Trees, high scrubs, and vines could hide aesthetic inserts, designs cast in noise barriers, or other specifically designed aesthetic features of the noise barriers.
6.1.7 Drainage and Utility Drainage under, along, or through the noise barrier could be affected by landscaping placed in inappropriate locations.
6.1.7 Safety Plantings could restrict access through barrier overlap areas, to access doors or fire hose valves, or to the noise barrier itself. Plantings could also obscure the identification signs for these access features.
6.1.7 Litter Landscaping in a high litter area should also consider what type of vegetation is best to use. A thorny type of bush may make litter cleanup more difficult than such litter removal from a grassy area.
12.7 | 28,134 | 9,836 | 0.000102 |
warc | 201704 | Preparing For A Comfortable Retirement
How many times have you pondered, “
” Maybe you’re still working and you haven’t thought about retirement much, or maybe retirement is right around the corner and you’re simply waiting for the right time to take the next step. No matter your age or where you are in your career, the time to think about your retirement is now. When will I be able to retire?
When to Retire: A Quick and Easy Planning Guide
If you have a $500,000 portfolio and are nearing or already in retirement, download this must-read guide. In it, Fisher Investments addresses key questions many face when planning for retirement.Contains timely information. Don’t miss it! In this new guide you’ll learn about:
How to calculate the amount of money you’ll need to retire When you should start planning for retirement Answers to a few common social security questions How much you’ll need to generate from your portfolio If you’re on track for a comfortable retirement The key factors in building a portfolio to achieve your goals How much you can safely withdraw from your portfolio yearly | 1,156 | 609 | 0.001727 |
warc | 201704 | The recent flap about James Frey’s
A Million Little Pieces has hit the media with a big bang, bringing the age-old debate about what is acceptable when writing memoir–a “real” story. Every time a memoir is released that gains media attention this debate is raised. Mary Karr, The Liar’s Club, Jennifer Lauck, Blackbird, and Vivian Gornick, Fierce Attachments, all defended their memoirs in various medias, and all said that some recreations of actual reality had to occur in order to write the story and make it interesting. Are there ethical issues when writing a memoir?
As a memoir teacher, I find that people are very worried about the ethical issues involved in memoir writing. For example, the writers ask such questions as, “what if I don’t remember the exact conversation when my mother died,” or “I don’t know what clothes I was wearing the day my father went away forever.” I am always moved by these innocent, caring questions, because the writer is trying very hard to be truthful and accurate, and not leave any room to be accused of dishonesty.
My own example
In my memoir
Don’t Call Me Mother I researched the time the train arrived in Perry, Oklahoma to make sure the scene I was painting and the conflict with my grandmother about how long she’d kept my father waiting at the train station–three hours! was accurate. My memory told me it was a long time, but finding the time of scheduled arrival made me feel great–memory was not all I was drawing upon to create a story that would be taken seriously as “real.” In fact, when I began writing the stories that eventually turned into my memoir, I was calling it “fiction,” but the writing group challenged me about how unrealistic it was that a mother would act the way my mother acted, and that my grandmother was portrayed as “too over the top,” thus unbelievable. My answer was, “but it was all true.” Their response: “It doesn’t matter what is true in fiction, but it does for memoir.”
I realized that the power of the story I was going to tell was that it was true, and I did my best to recreate scenes that delivered the truth. Naturally, childhood memory is subjective, any memory is subjective, but over the years, as I talked with people who knew parts of the story and visited locations where the story took place, I discovered that indeed had remembered very well, and I had not made things up in my mind. However, I am sure that if my grandmother and mother were alive to challenge what I wrote, they would have another point of view.
The task of the memoir writer
In order to reach out to the reading public and go beyond private journaling, a memoir writer must create a story that has a shape, drama, and story arc. This may mean constructing a scene that conflates time, or adds costumes to our characters that they may or may not have worn, but our job is to be as accurate and as honest as we can be. If we change the plot of our lives because another plot would be more interesting to the publisher, we are in the realm of fiction. If we say we had relationships we didn’t have because it would make a better story, we need to call it fiction.
A memoir writer needs to write a first draft that sifts through the happenings, feelings, and challenges and get them down on the page–a draft that is healing and purging–and important work. Publishing is another stage. The writer must ask many questions of the work–how much to include, what is the shape of the book, and how to write it so others can identify and understand.
What to say about James Frey? None of us can know for sure what went on for him as he constructed his book, and what he remembered. On January 15, Mary Karr wrote a piece in the New York Times about memoir writing and she had this to say,
“Call me outdated, but I want to stay hamstrung by objective truth, when the very notion has been eroding for at least a century. When Mary McCarthy wrote ‘Memoirs of a Catholic Girlhood’ in 1957, she felt obliged to clarify how she recreated dialogue. In her preface, she wrote: ‘This record lays a claim to being historical – that is, much of it can be checked. If there is more fiction in it than I know, I should like to be set right.”
Does truth only lie in absolute facts?
Mary went on to talk about how much she learned, and how healing it was when she didn’t make passages in her book more “interesting” or shape them into a slightly different story. “If I’d hung on to my assumptions, believing my drama came from obstacles I’d never had to overcome – a portrait of myself as scrappy survivor of unearned cruelties – I wouldn’t have learned what really happened. Which is what I mean when I say God is in the truth.”
What a great idea—as we write memoir we are reaching for something beyond our conscious selves. In the river of creativity and the search for truth, there are forces beyond us moving us along to a place we didn’t even know about, a place of healing and resolution. We can hope that James Frey also has found, or is finding, a resolution for his suffering, and that all memoir writers do the same, by wrestling with what truth is, and writing it out with a full voice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Linda Joy Myers, Ph. D., prize winning author of Becoming Whole: Writing Your Healing Story, is a Marriage and Family therapist and teaches memoir-as-healing workshops in the San Francisco Bay Area and nationally. Linda’s work has been praised by reviewers, healers, and radio and television interviewers. You can visit her web site at: Memories and Memoirs | 5,776 | 2,767 | 0.000379 |
warc | 201704 | definations
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a congenital anomaly resulting from an absence of ganglion cells in colon; also known as congenital aganglionic megacolon
Hirschsprung disease
Appenditis
inflammation of the appendix
a pouch on the wall of the lower part of the intestine that is present at birth (congenital), that is the same tissue of the stomach or pancreas
Meckel Diverticulum
proximal segment of bowel telescope into a distal segment pulling the mesentery with it
Intussuception
abnormal rotation of intestines around the superior mesenteric artery during embryologic development
Malrotation Volvulus (short bowel syndrome)-
a protrusion of bowel through an abnormal opening in muscle wall
Hernia
a soft, skin-covered protrusion of intestine and omentum (double fold of peritoneum) through a weakness in abdominal wall at umbilicus
Umbilical hernia
Results when failure of transverse septum and pleuroperitoneal fails to develop and form diaphragm
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia
most common helminthes infection in the USA
Pinworms
infection caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungus that occurs in the urinary tract
Urinary tract infections
Involuntary voiding by a child that bladder control is expected/ or achieved
Enuresis
Abnormal backflow of urine from the bladder into ureters during voiding
Vesicoureteral reflux
Urethral meatus can be located anywhere along the ventral or undersurface of the penile shaft
Hypospadias
Meatal opening is located on the dorsal surface of the penis
Epispadias
a failure of one or both testes to descend from inguinal canal into the scrotum
Cryptorchidism
occurs when tissue pushes through a weak spot in your groin muscle
Inguinal hernia
a nonspecific kidney disorder characterized by a number of signs of disease: proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia and edema. It is characterized by an increase in permeability of the capillary walls of the glomerulus leading to the presence of high levels of protein passing from the blood into the urine
Nephritic syndrome
a disease process that affects primarily the glomerulus of kidney
Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis
Caused by Chlamydia trachomatis
Chlamydia
sexually transmitted disease caused by bacteria
Gonorrhea
Inflammatory disease of the upper female genital tract
Pelvic inflammatory disease
caused by a virus, Inflammatory process of the liver that can be fatal
Hepatitis
Recurrent, incurable, viral infection characterized by painful vesicular eruption of skin and mucosa
Herpes Simplex virus
a sexually transmitted virus
Human Papilloma virus
infection caused by trichomonas vaginalis (microscope protozoan that thrives in an alkaline environment)
Trichomoniasis
a chronic infection caused by the spirochete pallidum
Syphilis
a common vaginal infection, is diagnosed by its fishy odor and by the presence of “clue” on a vaginal smear
Bacterial vaginosis
also called moniliasis or “yeast infection” one of the most common vaginitis that women experience
Vulvovaginal candidiasis
Caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii acquired by: consuming undercooked meat, insect contamination of food, contact with feces from infected cats, contact from infected materials in soil
Toxoplasmosis
Caused by Rubella virus
Rubella
Virus found in saliva, urine, and other body fluids
Cytomegalovirus
Herpes virus that is highly contagious, primary infection causes chickenpox, fever, and malaise
Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV)
a member of the normal flora of the gut and female urogenital tract, colonization can be chronic or intermittent.
Group B Streptococcus
Occurs when a child is born to a mother with syphilis
Congenital Syphilis
Blood loss of greater than 500mL following vaginal delivery or (1000mL following c-section)
Postpartum hemorrhage
Relaxation of the uterus
Uterine atony
Small portion of placenta remain attached to uterus, uterine contractions prohibited, Can be a cause of late hemorrhage
Retained placental fragments
Injury to blood vessel from birth trauma
Hematomas
Prolapse of fundus to or through cervix (uterus is inside out)
Uterine inversion
Interferes with production of fibrinogen and other blood clotting factors
Coagulation disorders
Failure of uterus to return to normal size
Subinvolution
Inflammation/infection in uterine lining, most common PP infection
Endometritis
Precursor to infection, unable to empty bladder
Over distention of the bladder
Kidney infection, upper urinary tract infection
Pyelonephritis
Bacterial infection of the breast connective tissue, causative bacteria: S. aureus, E. Coli, Streptococcus
Mastitis
More common in saphenous veins, preexisting varicies-increase risk 3rd/4th ppd, tenderness in portion of vein, local heat and redness, normal to low fever, palpable cord
Superficial leg disease
History of thrombosis-increases risk, edema ankle/leg, initial low grade fever to fever/chills, pain, human’s sign positive, decreased peripheral pulses, limb pale/cool
Deep vein thrombosis
Infected blood clots develop in one or several of pelvic blood vessels, Potential for abscess to form in pelvis, can travel to lung, abdominal or flank pain, fever, increased HR
Septic pelvic thrombophlebitis
Baby blues, maternal blues, mild depression interspersed with happier feelings, 50-80% women, occurs within first few days after delivery and are self limiting up to 2weeks, hormones
Postpartum blues
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warc | 201704 | Pediatric Nutrition Exam III Vocab
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feeding relationship
the relationship established when teachers and families are responsive to infants' feeding cues
colostrum
first milk produced by nursing mother; it is rich in antibodies and other protective factors to help keep infants healthy
fore milk
watery, nutrient-rich breast milk that is first released when the baby begins nursing
hind milk
milk from back of the breast that is rich in fat and calories and is secreted at end of nursing or expressing breast milk
formula intolerance
results when infants have difficulties and symptoms that appear to be related to the formula they are consuming
infantile botulism
a serious illness that results from ingesting Colstridium botulinum spores that germinate and release a deadly toxin in the gastrointestinal tract
complementary foods
any food or beverage introduced to babies' diets that is in addition to breast milk or formula
pincer grasp
developmental ability of infants to pick up items using thumb and forefinger
high nutrient density
describes foods that have a high percentage of nutrients per serving size, but are not excessively high in calories
feeding problems
developmental disorders related to the mouth
oral hyposensitivity
an oral motor condition in which infants have less feeling in the mouth and are not entirely aware of where food is when it is placed within the mouth
oral hypersensitivity
an oral motor condition in which infants are overly aware of foods placed in or near the mouth
oral motor delay
a developmental delay that can result in weak oral muscles and tongue movement such that difficulties occur in chewing
corrected age
number of weeks a baby is born early subtracted from baby's current age in weeks
cleft lip
birth defect in which lip does not grow together
cleft palate
birth defect that consists of an opening in the roof of the mouth
extended breast-feeding
practice of mothers who continue to nurse their toddlers after they have reached 1 year of age
selective eaters
children who make very limited food choices
food neophobia
term used to describe fear of new foods
food jag
persistent eating by young children of a limited number of favorite foods for a period of time
anorexia nervosa
eating disorder that is caused by a distortion of body image, characterized by the severe restriction of food intake resulting in significant, and sometimes life threatening, weight loss
bulimia nervosa
eating disorder that entails periods of binge eating followed by purging activities such as vomiting, using laxatives, or excessive exercising
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warc | 201704 | Cardiovascular System
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Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)
general term used to describe congenital defects of the heart most common types are left-to-right shunts which permit mixing of blood in systemic and pulmonary circulations blood shunts from high-pressure systemic circulation to lower-pressure pulmonary circulation overloading the lungs with blood increased load on the heart may cause enlargement depending on location and size of shunt
Atrial Septal Defect (Patent Foramen Ovale)
free communication between both atria as a result of the lack of closure of the foramen ovale after birth shunt overloads right ventricle Radiographic Appearance: CXR shows enlargement of right ventricle, right atrium, and the pulmonary outflow tract
Ventricular Septal Defect
abnormal opening between the ventricles shunt causes increase in pulmonary blood flow leading to diastolic overloading and enlargement of the left atrium and left ventricle Radiographic Appearance: pulmonary trunk enlargement with no right ventricular enlargement
Patent Ductus Arteriosus
vessel shunting blood from the pulmonary artery into the systemic circulation during intrauterine life does not close after birth resulting in a left-to-right shunt shunt causes an excess volume of blood returned to the left atrium and left ventricle Radiographic Appearance: CXR shows enlargement of the left atrium, left ventricle, and central pulmonary arteries along with a diffuse increase in pulmonary vascularity. The increased blood flow through the aorta proximal to the shunt produces a prominent aortic knob
Tetralogy of Fallot
Consists of 4 abnormalities: 1) high ventricular septal defect; 2) pulmonary stenosis; 3) overriding of the aortic orifice above the ventricular defect; 4) right ventricular hypertrophy narrow opening of pulmonary valve causes inadequate amount of blood to reach lungs for oxygen causes cyanosis Radiographic Appearance: CXR shows enlargement of right ventricle causing upward and lateral displacement of the apex of the heart; echocardiograph to demonstrate
Coarctation of the Aorta
narrowing of the aorta usually beyond branching of blood vessels to head and arms blood supply and pressure to upper extremities is normal but decreased blood flow to abdomen and legs leading to development of collateral circulation Radiographic Appearance: CXR shows rib notching involving posterior ribs 4-8 resulting from pressure erosion by dilated vessels
Dextrocardia
heart is positioned on the right side of the thorax results in normal function and is usually an incidental finding on a routine chest x-ray
Coronary Artery Disease
narrowing of the coronary arteries causes oxygen deprivation of the myocardium and ischemic heart disease narrowing is attributable to atherosclerosis predisposing factors include hypertension, obesity, smoking, high-cholesterol and lack of exercise Radiographic Appearance: angiogram for diagnosis and angioplasty for treatment
Angina Pectoralis
severe chest pain that may radiate to the neck, jaw, and left arm and is often associated with the sensation of chest tightness or suffocation or confused with indigestion caused by temporary oxygen insufficiency to myocardium due to atherosclerosis may be relieved by placing nitroglycerin tablet under tongue which causes venous dilation
Myocardial Infarction (Heart Attack)
occlusion of a coronary artery deprives an area of myocardium of its blood supply leading to death of muscle cells Radiographic Appearance: CXR to check heart size and rule out CHF; angiogram shows strictures or occlusions as filling defects
Congestive Heart Failure
heart is unable to pump blood at sufficient rate and volume to provide an adequate supply to the body Radiographic Appearance: CXR may show cardiac enlargement, redistribution of pulmonary venous blood flow, interstitial edema, alveolar edema, and pleural effusions
Aneurysm
localized dilation of an artery, most commonly the abdominal aorta weakness in vessel wall caused by athersclerosis, infection, trauma, or defect may rupture and cause immediate death depending on location 2 Types: 1) saccular - bulging involving only one side of the arterial wall; 2) fusiform - circumferential bulging
Hypertension
commonly known as high blood pressure leading cause of stroke and CHF long-standing high blood pressure causes narrowing of systemic blood vessels and increased resistance to blood flow affecting the left ventricle (enlargement), and coronary and carotid vessels increasing the risk of coronary occlusion, myocardial infarction and carotid narrowing leading to stroke
Aortic Dissection
potentially life-threatening condition in which disruption of the intima (inner layer) permits blood to enter the wall of the aorta and separate its layers Radiographic Appearance: PA CXR may demonstrate widening of aortic shadow with irregularity; CT may demonstrate double-barrel channel with linear filling defect within lumen
Arteriosclerosis
occurs when arteries become marked by thickening, hardening, and loss of elasticity in the arterial wall
Atherosclerosis
form of arteriosclerosis fatty deposits called plaques develop in the intima and produce progressive narrowing/occlusion of large and medium sized arteries CVA (stroke) - plaque formation in the cerebral ateries Myocardial Infarct - plaque formation in the coronary arteries Risk Factors: elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, high saturated fat diet Radiographic Appearance: can be diagnostic (plaques often calcify and appear on plain radiographs, ultrasounds, and MRA) or therapeutic (angioplasty can compress the plaque and open stenosis)
Thrombosis
a mass of coagulated blood or clot usually adhering to the wall of a vein precipitating factors include trauma, bacterial infection, prolonged bed rest, and airplane travel thrombus may become fibrotic resulting in stricture of occlusion OR part of the thrombus may break off resulting in an embolism
Deep Vein Thrombosis
primarily involves the lower extremities blood clot may dislodge to the lungs which can be fatal to patient Radiographic Appearance: venogram shows filling defect; ultrasound
Embolus
most common are a plaque or a thrombus that enter the bloodstream and become lodged in a vessel resulting in occlusion Venous Thromboembolism: emboli travel to right side of the heart becoming lodged in a pulmonary artery Arterial Thromboembolism: emboli usually originated in the left side of the heart, entering the aorta, becoming lodged in brain, kidneys, etc Radiographic Appearance: arteriogram appears as a filling defect of occlusion
Valvular Disease
affects the valves of the heart resulting in an alteration or the normal blood flow through the heart Rheumatic fever is a major cause of acquired cardiac valve disease Radiographic Appearance: cardiac cath lab procedure for valve function
Mitral Stenosis
stenosis of the mitral valve complication of rheumatic heart disease results from diffuse thickening of valve by fibrous tissue and/or calcific deposits Radiographic Appearance: PA CXR will show left atrium enlargement
Aortic Stenosis
obstruction of flow of blood exiting the heart may be caused by rheumatic heart disease, a congenital valvular deformity, or degenerative process of aging Radiographic Appearance: PA CXR shows enlargement of left ventricle and rounding of cardiac apex
Pericardial Effusion
accumulation of fluids within pericardial space surrounding the heart results from bacteria, viruses, or neoplastic involvement Radiographic Appearance: PA CXR will show enlargement of cardia silhouette; ultrasound - echocardiography
Arrhythmias
affect the electrical system of the heart muscle, producing abnormal heartbeat depending on cause and severity remain untreated, treated with medication of electronic pacemaker Ventricular Fibrillation: uncoordinated contraction of the cardiac muscle of the ventricles in the heart, making them tremble rather than contract properly
Lymphoma
neoplasms of lymphoreticular system which includes lymph nodes, spleen, and lymphoid tissues of parenchymal organs such as GI tract, lung of skin Hodgkins: originate in lymph nodes - localized (single or group) Non-Hodgkins: parenchymal organs and multicentric lymph nodes (especially liver, spleen, and bone marrow) are more involved Radiographic Appearance: CT detects increased node size; CXR shows mediastinal lymph node enlargement
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warc | 201704 | The holidays in December were a great time to relax, spend time with family and friends, and catch up on some reading. I had a number of books that I’d been wanting to get to and that I had a chance to read last month. They included a couple of books that I thought were pretty important and that I want to write longer reviews of soon, but right now I’d like to give you some brief reactions to them and some other books you might want to consider reading in the new year.
Anyone interested in politics may be attracted to Nate Silver’s
The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail—but Some Don't. Silver is the New York Times columnist who got a lot of attention last fall for predicting—accurately, as it turned out–the results of the U.S. presidential election. This book actually came out before the election, though, and it’s about predictions in many domains besides politics. Silver knows a lot about baseball, and I especially liked his explanation of hold’em poker. A few pages – where he talks about how early computers supposedly made everything less efficient—are utter nonsense. I wish he had gone into more depth on some things, like why it is that voters are increasingly polarized. I liked the book, though I wish he’d gone deeper on a number of topics.
I have mixed feelings about
The Price of Inequality: How Today’s Divided Society Endangers Our Future by Joseph E. Stiglitz. Stiglitz’s contributions are important in that he really does a good job of articulating the issues of inequality and the economic factors that underlie it. He raises important questions about whether it’s getting harder for people in the U.S. to move up the economic ladder. He makes a pretty rational case for keeping things like the estate tax and for increasing taxes as part of how you close the budget deficit. On these ideas, I found a lot of common ground with Stiglitz. But he seems to think that government is totally benign, and he is very skeptical of the private sector. The private sector’s obligations and its relative contributions to the economy are an interesting topic for discussion. But Stiglitz seems to demonize the category as a whole. I wonder if many of his policy solutions would make things worse by incentivizing business to put even more money and effort into currying favor with Washington.
I read two books that raise big, interesting questions about social change and technological progress. I’m planning to write longer reviews of each of these books, but let me flag them for you now.
One is
Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson.The topic of this book is why some countries have prospered and created great living conditions for their citizens while others have not. This is an important topic, which I care a lot about. The book makes an appealing argument that economic development depends on political institutions that protect individual rights. It is well written and very easy to read with lots of interesting historical stories about different countries. But it is a major disappointment. Its analysis is vague and simplistic. I’ll explain more in a longer review.
I just finished reading
The Most Powerful Idea in the World: A Story of Steam, Industry and Invention by William Rosen. It focuses on the Industrial Revolution basically from the Newcomen atmospheric engine in 1712 to the Stephen Rocket Locomotive in 1850. It does a great job of explaining how thousands of innovations were driven during this period by many elements coming together: increased literacy, patents, societies, scientist/tinkerers, the cotton industry, trade/shipping, measurement, etc. It is a great book although its helps to have an interest in how steam engines actually work since it chronicles how they changed over time in some depth. This book is very worthwhile, and I’ll have more to say about it also in a longer review.
I already posted a full review of
Tap Dancing to Work, a collection of writings about Warren Buffett put together by his friend Carol J. Loomis. I can’t resist an opportunity to recommend this book again. It's very, very good. The pieces go back more than 40 years some of them, and it’s very interesting to see how Warren framed things years ago and how he’s dealt with certain challenges since. You get to see how consistent Warren’s framework has been, how he has always looked at the world in terms of integrity and financial valuation. There are some speeches in here that offer great insights into how Warren evaluates stock markets over time and how to assess the margin of safety available in investments at any point in time. I thought the book was super good. | 4,818 | 2,379 | 0.000431 |
warc | 201704 | In this paper we investigate the options of a network operator faced with the requirement of reducing its carbon footprint, expressed in terms of a global energy cap. First, we propose two ways to meet the energy limitations: by efficiently managing the energy consumed by the legacy networks or by installing additional capacity to the initial topology. We show the power savings that can be obtained in both cases as well as the incurred costs. Then, we identify the initial composition of the network and the available technology in the upgrade phase as the factors that have the most influence on the ability of a network to meet the energy caps. Finally, we show the intrinsic unfairness of the energy caps, which are imposed to all the networks without taking into account the differences among them. Therefore, we highlight the fundamental role of carbon markets and emission trading systems in guaranteeing a measure of fairness between the operators.
Paru en
avril 2015 , 20 pages | 993 | 564 | 0.00178 |
warc | 201704 | 12/9/2014
Over the past year or so, we’ve been working to enhance (and write about) our ability to gain important insights into the target audiences for our clients’ branding and marketing communications.
Since we are exclusively B2B at Godfrey, and we tend to work with a lot of technology-oriented companies, it isn’t always easy to get everyone thinking beyond the product features or the direct benefits they provide. But as the whole communications landscape evolves, it is essential to think about the customer’s situation, problem, challenge, motivation, need…so that we engage him or her in the first place.
So it is gratifying when highly-technical B2B marketers “get” the concept and change the way they do branding and marketing. Instead of talking about Godfrey in this post, I thought I would share a summary of what one technology company recently launched to its global marketing organization. It is totally aligned with our dual philosophies of insight-driven strategies/concepts and unified marketing communications.
These are my words based on a lengthy presentation. For anonymity all specifics are removed but I hope the flavor comes through:
“Everything is changing – our markets, the media, our customers, our competition. We have begun to change to a more market-focused organization. Now we need to continue that change in marketing by getting closer to the customer’s perspective while we continue to promote our brand differentials and core values. “This includes making a more emotional connection and creating real dialogue. We will do this by looking more diligently for the customer benefit in all of our messages, first by understanding the customer’s situation. By storytelling that goes beyond technical features to real outcomes important to the customer. By emphasizing [the two most important buying criteria according to a customer survey.] By differentiating [the brand]. And by unifying communications so we connect with customers and all audiences (buyers, influences, users, etc.) everywhere along their buying journey. “To implement this concept, we are introducing tools and templates to help you execute reputation-building marketing and sales-oriented marketing. These tools will align marketing actions with strategy and help us achieve consistency around the world.”
If you're launching a similar initiative in your marketing efforts, keep in mind that it's key to get beyond product features and even simple benefits and look more deeply into your customer's situation for better engagement. | 2,617 | 1,309 | 0.000787 |
warc | 201704 | Vicodin ( hydrocodone/acetaminophen) is the number one drug prescribed in this country for any reason. The myth around vicodin is that it works better than Tylenol #3 ( Tylenol with codeine). But remember that Vicodin will be harder to get now that the DEA is reclassifying hydrocodone-containing drugs (Vicodin, Norco, Lortab) from schedule III to schedule II drugs.
Well, Tylenol #3 (30 mg/300 mg) worked just as well for pain compared to Vicodin 5 mg/500 mg in patients discharged from the emergency room. Both are currently schedule III narcotics, but that will change for Vicodin.
In this trial patients with acute extremity pain were discharged home from the emergency room with a 3-day supply of Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen 5 mg /500 mg) or Tylenol #3 (codeine/acetaminophen 30 mg/300 mg).
Despite the popular belief that Vicodin is superior, both medications decreased pain scores by approximately 50%, with both Vicodin and Tylenol #3 performing the same. There were also no clinically or statistically important differences in side-effect profiles or patient satisfaction. If the DEA reclassifies Vicodin (hydrocodone/acetaminophen) as a schedule II narcotic, Tylenol #3 (codeine/acetaminophen) may be a reasonable substitute as it will remain schedule III.
Thoughts?
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warc | 201704 | Device
Headrests attachment to operating tables with connection fixture 1002.65A0 or 1002.65S0 manufactured by Maquet Ltd.
Problem
Concerns about the safe use of a headrests attachment to operating tables with connection fixture 1002.65A0 or 1002.65S0.
The manufacturer issued a Field Safety Notice (FSN) for this device on 12 May 2011 (1709Kb) but has not had sufficient confirmation from users that they have received and acted on this information.
This alert has been issued in support of the manufacturer’s actions.
Action Ensure that relevant members of staff are aware of the problem. Carry out the actions described in the manufacturer’s FSN, including sending any confirmation requests. Action by:
Healthcare professionals using these devices.
Distribution
This MDA has been sent to:
NHS trusts in England (Chief Executives) Care Quality Commission (CQC) (Headquarters) for information HSC trusts in Northern Ireland (Chief Executives) NHS boards in Scotland (Equipment Co-ordinators) Local authorities in Scotland (Equipment Co-ordinators) NHS boards and trusts in Wales (Chief Executives) Onward distribution
Please bring this notice to the attention of relevant employees in your establishment. Below is a suggested list of recipients.
Trusts
CAS and SABS (NI) liaison officers for onward distribution to all relevant staff including: A&E departments Anaesthetists Biomedical engineering staff Day surgery units EBME departments General surgical units, directors of Maternity units Medical directors Medical physics departments Nursing executive directors Operating theatre practitioners Outpatient theatre managers Risk managers Surgeons Theatre managers Theatre nurses Independent distribution Establishments registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) (England only) This alert should be read by: Hospitals in the independent sector Independent treatment centres
Please note: CQC and OFSTED do not distribute these alerts. Independent healthcare providers and social care providers can sign up to receive MDAs directly from the Department of Health’s Central Alerting System (CAS) by sending an email to: safetyalerts@dh.gsi.gov.uk and requesting this facility.
Manufacturer contact
Colin Moralee
Maquet Ltd Tel: 0191 519 6200 Fax: 0191 519 6201
Email: cmoralee@maquet.co.uk
Feedback
If you have any comments or feedback on this Medical Device Alert, please email us at: dts@mhra.gsi.gov.uk
England
If you are in England, please send enquiries about this notice to the MHRA, quoting reference number MDA/2011/075 or 2011/005/013/081/001.
Technical aspects
Ian Patterson-Waterston or Andy Marsden
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Floor 4 151 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 9SZ Tel: 020 3080 7261 / 7205 Fax: 020 8754 3965 Clinical aspects
Jonathan Plumb
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Floor 4 151 Buckingham Palace Road London SW1W 9SZ Tel: 020 3080 7128 Fax: 020 8754 3965 How to report adverse incidents
Please report via our website: Reporting adverse incidents involving medical devices.
Further information about CAS can be found on the CAS website
Northern Ireland
Alerts in Northern Ireland will continue to be distributed via the NI SABS system.
Enquiries and adverse incident reports in Northern Ireland should be addressed to:
Northern Ireland Adverse Incident Centre
Health Estates Investment Group Room 17 Annex 6 Castle Buildings Stormont Estate Dundonald BT4 3SQ Tel: 02890 523 704 Fax: 02890 523 900
Email: NIAIC@dhsspsni.gov.uk
How to report adverse incidents in Northern Ireland
Please report directly to NIAIC, further information can be found on the NIAIC website .
Further information about SABS can be found on the SABS website .
Scotland
Enquiries and adverse incident reports in Scotland should be addressed to:
Incident Reporting and Investigation Centre
Health Facilities Scotland NHS National Services Scotland Gyle Square 1 South Gyle Crescent Edinburgh EH12 9EB Tel: 0131 275 7575 Fax: 0131 314 0722
Email: nss.iric@nhs.net
Wales
Enquiries in Wales should be addressed to:
Dr Sara Hayes
Senior Medical Officer Medical Device Alerts Welsh Assembly Government Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ Tel: 029 2082 3922
Email: Haz-Aic@wales.gsi.gov.uk | 4,294 | 1,919 | 0.000529 |
warc | 201704 | Rob Wilson, Minister for Civil Society, explains how social investment helps social ventures and charities.
It is fantastic to be here today at the Social Investment and Public Services Conference. First of all – a big thank you to David and all of the team at Social Finance for putting together what promises to be a really engaging day. They have long been in the vanguard of the social investment movement and played a crucial role in developing a number of the 25 Social Impact Bonds that are now up and running across the UK.
I want to talk about 3 things today:
first, why government cares about social investment – to the extent that we placed it at the heart of the agenda for the G8
second, why outcomes-based investment is so important
third, what we are doing to support the growth of this radical approach to helping more social organisations become more sustainable
Why government cares about social investment
We all know that government, whether central or local, doesn’t have all the answers. We need new thinking, new ideas and new ways of addressing them.
And that is where charities and social enterprises can help. These are expert organisations, they are on the frontline and so see what works well and less well, and they are nimble enough to try new ideas.
That is why my office, the Office for Civil Society, works to support charities and social enterprises in every way we can. We want to unlock more opportunities for charities and social enterprises to deliver public services and win government contracts.
A problem that charities and social enterprises often face is that they don’t have the money required to deliver government contracts. That is where social investment comes in.
Social investment is money that is invested into projects in order to generate a social impact. It enables people to put their money towards something that they really care about and get it back if the project goes well. It provides a new source of funding to address difficult social issues such as homelessness.
Social investment can provide charities and social enterprises with the money they need to help vulnerable people improve their lives.
Government is committed to supporting charities and social enterprises to access the finance that they need to do more. And we are working with partners in the sector to grow the social investment market, developing a range of new financing options to support organisations wanting to innovate and develop their business.
Why outcomes-based investment is so important
Bernard has given you an excellent introduction to Social Impact Bonds and a lot has been written about them, but I believe what should really matter to all of us is:
that they put the best outcomes for people at the heart of the service that is being delivered
that they put evidence at the heart of building better services for the public
that the investment creates the space to innovate and develop better solutions to the social problems that we face
that perhaps most importantly – we have a model that rewards successful innovation, but where the taxpayer only pays for services that actually work
And this is not just the ‘next big thing’ coming down the line – this is happening now. We have more Social Impact Bonds here in the UK than in the rest of the world put together. I’m proud of that.
Just to give a few examples:
in Essex and Manchester we have programmes focused on supporting children in care
in London we have a coalition of organisations working to reduce homelessness
and in Newcastle we have a Clinical Commissioning Group working hand-in-hand with the local voluntary sector to help people manage their long-term health conditions
Government support for Social Impact Bonds
As we all know, social problems do not neatly fit into the budget silos that government – indeed any big organisation – has developed.
For example, an intervention that helps to move children from residential care into an adoptive family is likely to generate savings for the local authority in the short-term, but it also yields longer-term benefits to the exchequer in terms of the long-term prospects for these children.
Often, though, no one party benefits enough from that programme to get the whole thing off the ground. So collectively the opportunity is lost – and it’s the service user, some of the most vulnerable people in our society, who bear the brunt of that. I think that is fundamentally wrong.
So to get around that collective action problem, we created a top-up fund – the Social Outcomes Fund – that would help to support projects that saved the taxpayer money and improved people’s lives.
Alongside the Big Lottery Fund’s £40 million Commissioning Better Outcomes Fund, we have made £20 million available to support the development of new and innovative solutions to some of the most difficult problems that our society faces. I’m pleased to say that the Social Outcomes Fund has committed over £10 million to Social Impact Bonds already.
Importantly, we have also put in place the infrastructure needed to support the development of new Social Impact Bonds. This includes:
bespoke support from the Centre for Social Impact Bonds, including free legal templates for setting up Social Impact Bonds
the publication of a database on unit costs of services to governments, so that providers can let us know when they can deliver a preventative service for less
the development of a network of What Works Centres that are starting to build a range of evidence about the types of intervention that are most likely to yield positive results
making Social Impact Bonds eligible for the new social investment tax relief, to attract a new set of investors and expertise to support these important projects
Supporting a sustainable civil society
Finally, Social Impact Bonds are part of a bigger picture – one in which we, as government, want to unlock more opportunities for charities and social enterprises to deliver public services, opening up public money and contracts for the sector.
We’re taking forward initiatives like the Social Value Act and supporting campaigns such as ‘Buy Social’ which are both focused on growing demand for goods and services from charities and social enterprises.
We have recently seen Croydon Council embracing this approach by embedding clear social value commitments into their £150 million contract for housing repairs. This translates into more apprenticeships, mentoring support for local SMEs and volunteering opportunities for staff.
At the same time we recognise the importance of building a sustainable market of providers who can meet this growing demand.
This is why we have developed a broad range of financing options to help social organisations, whatever their stage of growth.
We’ve provided the investment and expertise that new enterprises need to turn great ideas into real businesses through the Social Incubator Fund.
We’ve supported capacity building in the sector, with our Investment Readiness Programme drawing in over £25 of investment for every £1 of government grant.
We’ve backed Big Society Capital with £400 million from dormant bank accounts to create the world’s first social investment bank, which has already invested in over 100 frontline ventures.
And we will be providing an extra £140 million to help the sector develop and help individual organisations to implement the strategy that is right for them.
Part of this will through our upcoming Local Sustainability Fund, which will help charities and social enterprises articulate their core offer, reduce running costs if needed and explore different ways of diversifying their income.
This is alongside the £60 million endowment for a new social investment foundation called Access – a sister organisation to Big Society Capital – which will help more social ventures access the social investment market.
Taken together, you can see how we have the most developed social investment market in the world. And we need to be using it.
Conclusion
To sum up, government faces many issues that it isn’t best placed to solve.
But there are brilliant charities and social enterprises who do have the knowledge and skills to help the most vulnerable people in our society.
Social investment has a key role to play in enabling them to turn people’s lives around.
By working together across government and across sectors I believe we can confront complex issues – whether it is chronic health conditions or youth unemployment.
I would encourage all of you to go away today and think very carefully about how social investment could help you to unlock the resources and ideas needed to address the challenges that you face.
Thank you.
Find out more about social investment. | 8,985 | 3,671 | 0.00028 |
warc | 201704 | IKEA, Swiss Re, Mars, H&M go all-in on renewable energy IKEA, Swiss Re, Mars, H&M go all-in on renewable energy
Using the backdrop of Climate Week NYC to underscore their commitments, more than a dozen global companies are making multi-year pledges to switch to 100 percent renewable power.
The campaign, called RE100, encourages 100 of the world's largest businesses to commit to similar all-in goals by 2020. So far, early signers include (in alphabetical order) include: BT, Commerzbank, FIA Formula E, H&M, IKEA, KPN, Mars, Nestle, Philips, Reed Elsevier, J. Safra Sarasin, Swiss Re and Yoox. (IKEA and Swiss Re were the founding sponsors.) Although it isn't named, Walmart made this pledge long ago.
“We decided on a 100 percent renewable power approach because as a leading wholesale provider of reinsurance and insurance we believe that tackling climate change while meeting the energy needs of a growing and developing world is an urgent matter. This can only be done by improving energy efficiency and switching to low carbon options including renewable energy sources," said Jurg Trub, head of environmental and commodity markets for Swiss Re.
"Renewable energy is common sense energy," said Steve Howard, chief sustainability officer for IKEA Group, during a launch event on the opening day of the Climate Week, convened by The Climate Group. "There is no peak sun, no peak wind. We struck sun, we struck wind long before we struck oil."
To be clear, 2020 is the date guiding the RE100 pledges. It doesn’t technically mean the full-blown switchover has to happen by then — although IKEA alone will invest close to $1.9 billion dollars in renewable energy projects before 2020 to meet its goal.
So far, IKEA has generated more than 1,425 gigawatts of power from renewable sources, an admirable feat considering how difficult it is for businesses to procure renewable energy. But Howard and other business and political leaders gathered in New York this week say the corporate world must speak up more forcefully and move far faster to address climate change issues.
"You can make a powerful argument that it is the most important challenge that we face on the planet, because it is about the planet itself," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told the gathering, referencing the People's Climate March that took place over the weekend. He added: "It doesn't cost more to deal with climate change, it costs more to ignore it." A report published this week by the newly formed We Mean Business coalition suggests that companies making investments in low-carbon technologies are realizing a 27 percent average internal rate of return.
"The [report] underlines that we do not have to choose between climate action and economic growth," said Unilever CEO Paul Polman. "The report shows this is a false dilemma. They can be achieved simultaneously. The next 15 years are critical. Around $90 trillion will be invested in cities, land use and energy infrastructure globally between now and 2030."
An estimated 400,000 people took to New York streets for the climate march, four times the number anticipated. Aside from the list of people you'd normally expect to show up (like Al Gore, Jane Goodall, Sting or Leonardo DiCaprio) were top executives from IKEA, NRG Unilever and members of We Mean Business.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also donned his walking shoes to underscore the need for better collaboration between communities, citizens, and the public and private sectors. "This is our world, this is our planet earth. It is a very small planet," Ki-moon told the roughly 250 people attending the Climate Week opening session. "If we cannot swim together, we will always sink. There is no Plan B, because there is no Planet B."
The We Mean Business coalition was launched to leverage the collective voices of business leaders around the world, hoping to create a ripple effect of positive actions that help limit the global rise in temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius. Among the causes it is advocating on behalf of the private sector (it wants all these things by 2015):
A heightened sense of urgency by governments to stabilize emissions Policies that encourage businesses to reduce their impact, including an elimination of fossil fuels subsidies; meaningful carbon pricing; an end to deforestation; robust energy-efficiency standards; support for scaling renewable energy; and trade incentives that encourage a low-carbon economy Clearer long-term goals More transparency and accountability related to climate issues Public finance mechanisms to support investments in low-carbon and resilient infrastructure by the private sector
"The inclusion of business at the summit and over the past few years is a recognition that climate change is not a one-person issue," said Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, during a briefing call before the summit. "It is not a one-sector issue. It cannot be solve by one country, one sector, by one level of government. Climate is an every-person issue, and it requires everyone to work collaboratively in order to reach the solutions to the level and at the speed that we need to find."
Among the leaders that We Mean Business recruited to stress the need for collaboration was Apple CEO Tim Cook, who pointed to the need for a corporate ripple effect. "We know we will not make enough of a difference if we only solve part of the world," he said during an on-stage interview with Figueres.
Top image by Bush Philosopher via Flickr | 5,615 | 2,739 | 0.000369 |
warc | 201704 | Articles
form of bilge water and garbage dumped into the ocean (Atwood et al. 1987). In addition, there is a significant amount of pollution from nonpoint sources within the region, including contaminants such as sewage, solid-waste leachates from landfills, industrial and agricultural runoff, and pe- troleum products (Atwood et al. 1987). Table 1. Locations of selected Ramsar sites and biosphere reserves around the wider Caribbean Sea. Biosphere reserve Ramsar site
a b Country or territory Guatemala Ecosystem Maya Sierra de las Minas • • Rio Plátano Honduras Nicaragua • Cayos Miskitos and coastal zone Wetlands, Bluefield Bay San Juan River • • • These impacts threaten the biodiversity and environmental quality of coastal ecosystems in the region. The extent of the loss of biological diversity is still poorly known (Loreau et al. 2001), particularly in the Caribbean, where species extinction occurs at an accelerated rate. However, we know that of the 197 endemic mammals and birds across the Lesser and Greater Antilles, at least 43 have become extinct over the last 500 years (Myers et al. 2000). It is estimated that in the last 150 years eight species of vertebrates have become ex- tinct in Jamaica alone, and more than 100 plant species indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago may be threatened by extinction. Despite much more widely publicized sup- port for biodiversity conservation, the lack of regional governmental and institutional support for research suggests that trends of declining biological diversity in the Caribbean will continue over the next several decades (Myers et al. 2000, Brooks and Smith 2001). This trend is ongoing despite the presence of 22 Ramsar Con- vention sites and 20 coastal biosphere re- serves located throughout the Caribbean region (table 1). Costa Rica Northeast wetlands Gandoca-Manzanillo Cordillera Volcánica Central La Amistad • • • • Darién La Amistad Panama • • Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta lagoon San Andres Seaflower Colombia • • • Los Olivitos lagoon Cuare Los Roques Restinga lagoon Tacarigua Lagoon Venezuela • • • • • Aruba and Netherlands Antilles Saint Lucia Guadeloupe British Virgin Islands Puerto Rico • • • • Guánica Commonwealth Forest Luquillo Experimental Forest • • North, Middle, and East Caico Islands • Cayman Islands Jamaica Cuba • • • Black River Zapata lagoon Baconao Buenavista Cuchillas del Toa Península de Guanahacabibes Sierra del Rosario • • • • • • Mexico Ria Lagartos Dzilam Sian Ka’an Calakmul • • There are few comprehensive, long-term research programs aimed at understanding the ecosystem services of coastal settings in the Caribbean, despite the strong ecolog- ical and economic importance of coastal ecosystems to the region. Regional research projects initiated in the 1970s and 1980s, such as CARICOMP (Caribbean Coastal Marine Productiv- ity) and CARIPOL (Caribbean Petroleum Pollution Moni- toring Project), have provided useful information about changes in the distribution,structure,and productivity of coral reef, sea grass, and mangrove ecosystems as influenced by petroleum pollution. Similarly, the Association of Island Marine Laboratories of the Caribbean, or AIMLC, has played an important role in assisting and initiating collaborative research among its members (Ogden 1987). More recently, the TEAM (Tropical Ecology, Assessment, and Monitoring) Ini- tiative at Conservation International (www.conservation. org/xp/CIWEB/home) has developed the first early-warning system for global biodiversity, which will provide much- • • Florida (United States) Everglades and Dry Tortugas • • a. See www.wetlands.org/RDB/neotropics/Caribbean.html. b. See www.unesco.org/mab. needed knowledge about tropical ecosystems. This program is designed to supply information necessary for assessing the overall effectiveness of conservation efforts. We have developed a conceptual framework to analyze the diverse ecological properties of coastal settings in the Caribbean region and evaluate the ecological vulnerability of these ecosystems to a variety of human and natural distur- bances. In creating this framework, we emphasized the biogeochemical properties and primary productivity of the ecosystems that form the reef–sea-grass–wetland seascape. Our approach follows the strategy developed by the Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program of the National Science Foundation to establish research questions that are
September 2004 / Vol. 54 No. 9 • BioScience 845 | 4,731 | 2,317 | 0.000457 |
warc | 201704 | Hi,
I'm wondering if anyone has any experience negotiating gutterrepairs/replacement in the purchase of a home. Here's my situation:
I am a first time homebuyer and recently I had the home inspected,where--among other things--the inspector noted that rain gutters weremissing from the front of the house (curiously there are gutters inthe back). It was visually apparent from the discoloration of theconcrete foundation due to splashing, that the lack of gutters (andpoor yard grading) was causing rain water from the roof to puddle andbecome trapped next to the house, which was causing minor waterseepage into the basement.
Based on the inspection results, I asked to the seller to perform anumber of tasks, including re-installing the gutters in front. Theseller has since responded and refuses to install the gutters, statingsimply that there weren't any front gutters when she purchased thehome 7 yrs ago. While that may be true, I feel that gutters are to beconsidered a home necessity, rather than an optional item, so I stillfeel that I am being reasonable in asking that they be installed.
Moreover, my point is this:
IF the house had come equipped with front gutters, but the inspectorfound them to be in terrible shape or nonfunctional, I would haveobviously asked for them be replaced. To address this problem, I'massuming the seller cannot simply opt to take them down and leave thehouse 'gutterless'. If this WERE to happen, I would have grounds toexercise my Inspection Contingency Clause and walk away from the dealwith my deposit back, correct (or no)?
So to me, a house with non-working gutters is the same as a house withno gutters, although legally I am wondering they are one in the same.
My concern is that if neither side were to budge, and I tried to walkaway from the deal on the basis of the missing gutters, that this maynot be sufficient grounds to reclaim my deposit. Does anyone know theanswer to this?
Should I hold firm in asking for new gutters, or is this wishfulthinking?
Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,Jon | 2,079 | 1,082 | 0.00093 |
warc | 201704 | (Washington, DC) – The World Bank should not proceed with projects directly benefiting Uzbekistan’s cotton industry until the Uzbek government has taken meaningful steps to end grave human rights violations in cotton production, including forced labor, the Cotton Campaign said today.
The bank’s board of directors is scheduled to consider financing new agriculture projects in Uzbekistan on June 10, 2014. The projects will benefit the cotton sector, which relies on forced labor, including forced child labor. The Cotton Campaign is a coalition of human rights, labor, investor, and business organizations dedicated to ending forced labor in the cotton sector of Uzbekistan.
“The World Bank has an important role to play in funding development in Uzbekistan, but it shouldn’t support a system that uses forced labor,” said Jessica Evans, senior advocate for international financial institutions at Human Rights Watch, which is a member of the Cotton Campaign. “The bank has proposed some important measures to address forced labor, but until the Uzbek government takes meaningful steps to begin to dismantle its coercive cotton system, these measures will not succeed.”
During the 2013 harvest the Uzbek government forced over a million of its own citizens, children and adults, to harvest cotton in abusive conditions under threat of punishment.
While the government has reduced the number of children under 16 it forces into the cotton fields, regional authorities, police, and school administrators reporting to the prime minister transported busloads of children ages 16-17 and adults to the country’s cotton fields in 2013, where they picked cotton for weeks at a time. The same officials also control the irrigation system in the bank’s project area.
The World Bank has signaled its intentions to tackle the problem of forced labor in its proposed Uzbekistan projects, which include a US$260 million irrigation project. That indicates an important shift toward recognizing and working to mitigate human rights risks in its investments.
The Bank has indicated it will require the Uzbek government to comply with its own laws prohibiting forced and child labor, to accept third-party monitoring of the projects to identify any forced or child labor, and to exempt land made arable by the project from the state’s cotton procurement system. These steps are an attempt to answer findings of the World Bank accountability mechanism, the Inspection Panel, which reported that a separate World Bank project “may be contributing to a perpetuation of this alleged harm [forced labor].”
However, such measures are inadequate to ensure respect for human rights in Uzbekistan’s abusive cotton industry, said the Cotton Campaign. Cotton is grown on more than one-third of the land in the project area. Even if farmers working this land are exempted from obligatory quotas, it will be difficult for them to abandon cotton overnight. And if they farm cotton, they will be forced to sell it at the state-determined price, which is too low to allow farmers to hire labor at market rates, making the use of government-supplied forced labor all but unavoidable.
The World Bank’s safeguard policies are largely silent on international human rights and labor obligations. The World Bank should include a requirement to respect human rights during its ongoing review and update these safeguard policies.
To produce cotton, the Uzbek government forces farmers to meet annual quotas of cotton under threat of penalties that include loss of their lease to farm the land and criminal sanction, and forces children and adults to pick cotton under threat of penalties that include expulsion from school or loss of employment. The government owns all land, is the only buyer of cotton, and pays farmers a price for raw cotton below cost of production, making it impossible for farmers to hire labor, invest in improving production practices, or earn adequate incomes.
This system is contrary to the bank’s commitments for sustainable economic growth that is inclusive and helps the country’s poor, the Cotton Campaign said. The government has not taken any meaningful steps to dismantle the state-ordered and forced labor system of cotton production.
The World Bank should delay consideration of the projects while maintaining its high-level dialogue with the government on labor rights. The bank should proceed with these projects only when it sees meaningful progress in dismantling the system, and the Uzbek government has eradicated forced labor and assured respect for human rights in the project areas.
The current repressive climate for independent organizations in Uzbekistan presents a significant barrier to civic participation and meaningful consultation with those affected by the project. Authorities regularly threaten, imprison, and torture rights defenders and civil society activists, and block international rights groups and media outlets from operating in Uzbekistan. Numerous human rights defenders, independent journalists, and opposition activists are in prison in retaliation for their work or criticism of the government.
The Cotton Campaign recommends that the World Bank: Postpone consideration of the South Karakalpakstan Water Resources Management Improvement Project and the Horticulture Development Project until the Uzbek government has eradicated forced labor in project areas and taken meaningful steps toward dismantling the coercive cotton system; When financing projects in Uzbekistan, require the government to provide journalists and independent organizations unfettered access to project areas and ensure that no one faces reprisals for monitoring human rights violations in the area, bringing complaints, or engaging with monitors; Urge the government to respect freedoms of association, speech, and press to ensure citizens the capacity to report human rights violations without facing reprisal; Continue to raise with the government, both publicly and privately, concerns about forced labor and other serious human rights violations, including through the bank’s country strategy for Uzbekistan, and work with the government to address these concerns; Work with the Uzbek government to enhance financial transparency and accountability, particularly with respect to income from cotton sales; Through the bank’s ongoing safeguards review, include a commitment to respect and protect international human rights law, including international labor standards, and undertake not to support any activities that are likely to contribute to or exacerbate human rights violations; and Require human rights due diligence to achieve these commitments, including assessing the human rights impacts of its activities and avoiding, addressing, or mitigating adverse impacts.
“The World Bank has an obligation to ensure it doesn’t fund projects that perpetuate human rights violations in Uzbekistan,” said Umida Niyazova, director of the Uzbek-German Forum for Human Rights. “It has not lived up to this responsibility in these proposed Uzbekistan projects.” | 7,200 | 2,950 | 0.000346 |
warc | 201704 | Most Cited Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia Articles
The most cited articles published since 2012, extracted from Scopus.
Noninvasive cardiac output monitors: A state-of the-art reviewPaul E. Marik
Volume 27, Issue 1, February 2013, Pages 121-134
Randomized evidence for reduction of perioperative mortalityGiovanni Landoni | Reitze N. Rodseth | Francesco Santini | Martin Ponschab | Laura Ruggeri | Andrea Székely | Daniela Pasero | John G. Augoustides | Paolo A. Del Sarto | Lukasz J. Krzych | Antonio Corcione | Alexandre Slullitel | Luca Cabrini | Yannick Le Manach | Rui M S Almeida | Elena Bignami | Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai | Tiziana Bove | Fabio Caramelli | Claudia Cariello | Anna Carpanese | Luciano Clarizia | Marco Comis | Massimiliano Conte | Remo D. Covello | Vincenzo De Santis | Paolo Feltracco | Gianbeppe Giordano | Demetrio Pittarello | Leonardo Gottin | Fabio Guarracino | Andrea Morelli | Mario Musu | Giovanni Pala | Laura Pasin | Ivana Pezzoli | Gianluca Paternoster | Rossella Remedi | Agostino Roasio | Mariachiara Zucchetti | Flavia Petrini | Gabriele Finco | Marco Ranieri | Alberto Zangrillo
Volume 26, Issue 5, October 2012, Pages 764-772
Objective: With more than 220 million major surgical procedures performed annually, perioperative interventions leading to even minor mortality reductions would save thousands of lives per year. This international consensus conference aimed to identify all nonsurgical interventions that increase or reduce perioperative mortality as suggested by randomized evidence. Design and Setting: A web-based international consensus conference. Participants: More than 1,000 physicians from 77 countries participated in this web-based consensus conference. Interventions: Systematic literature searches (MEDLINE/PubMed, June 8, 2011) were used to identify the papers with a statistically significant effect on mortality together with contacts with experts. Interventions were considered eligible for evaluation if they (1) were published in peer-reviewed journals, (2) dealt with a nonsurgical intervention (drug/technique/strategy) in adult patients undergoing surgery, and (3) provided a statistically significant mortality increase or reduction as suggested by a randomized trial or meta-analysis of randomized trials. Measurements and Main Results: Fourteen interventions that might change perioperative mortality in adult surgery were identified. Interventions that might reduce mortality include chlorhexidine oral rinse, clonidine, insulin, intra-aortic balloon pump, leukodepletion, levosimendan, neuraxial anesthesia, noninvasive respiratory support, hemodynamic optimization, oxygen, selective decontamination of the digestive tract, and volatile anesthetics. In contrast, aprotinin and extended-release metoprolol might increase mortality. Conclusions: Future research and health care funding should be directed toward studying and evaluating these interventions. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.
Pilot implementation of a perioperative protocol to guide operating room-to-intensive care unit patient handoffsMichelle A. Petrovic | Hanan Aboumatar | William A. Baumgartner | John A. Ulatowski | Jenny Moyer | Tracy Y. Chang | Melissa S. Camp | Janet Kowalski | Carolyn M. Senger | Elizabeth A. Martinez
Volume 26, Issue 1, February 2012, Pages 11-16
Objectives: Perioperative handoffs are a particularly high-risk period given patients' postprocedural physiology, their physical transport through the hospital, and the triad transfer of personnel, information, and technology. The authors piloted a new perioperative handoff process to guide patient transfers from the cardiac operating room (OR) to the cardiac surgical intensive care unit (CSICU). The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a standardized handoff process on patient care and provider satisfaction. Design: A prospective, unblinded intervention study. Setting: A CSICU in a teaching hospital. Participants: Two hundred thirty-eight health care practitioners during the transfer of care of 60 patients. Interventions: The implementation of a standardized handoff protocol and checklist. Measurements and Main Results: After the protocol's implementation, the presence of all handoff core team members at the bedside increased from 0% at baseline to 68% after intervention. The percentage of missed information in the surgery report decreased from 26% to 16% (p = 0.03), but the percentage of missed information in the anesthesia report showed no significant change (19% to 17%, p > 0.05). Handoff satisfaction scores among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses increased from 61% to 81%. On average, the duration of handoff increased by 1 minute. Conclusions: A standardized handoff protocol that guides the transfer of care from the OR team to the CSICU team can reduce the risk of missed information and improve satisfaction among perioperative providers. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM)-based coagulation management in cardiac surgery and major traumaKenichi A. Tanaka | Daniel Bolliger | Ratna Vadlamudi | Alastair Nimmo
Volume 26, Issue 6, December 2012, Pages 1083-1093
Association between postoperative acute kidney injury and duration of cardiopulmonary bypass: A meta-analysisAvinash B. Kumar | Manish Suneja | Emine O. Bayman | Garry D. Weide | Michele Tarasi
Volume 26, Issue 1, February 2012, Pages 64-69
Objective: This meta-analysis examined the association between cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and acute kidney injury (AKI). Design: Meta-analysis of previously published studies. Setting: Each single-center study was conducted in a surgical intensive care unit and/or academic or university hospital. Participants: Adult patients undergoing heart surgery with CPB. Interventions: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases and Google Scholar from January 1980 through September 2009. Initial search results were refined to include human subjects, age >18 years, randomized controlled trials, and prospective and retrospective cohort studies, meet the Acute Kidney Injury Network definition of renal failure, and report times on CPB. Measurements and main results: The length of time on CPB has been implicated as an independent risk factor for development of AKI after CPB (AKI-CPB). The 9 independent studies included in the final meta-analysis had 12,466 patients who underwent CPB. Out of these, 756 patients (6.06%) developed AKI-CPB. In 7 of the 9 studies, the mean CPB times were statistically longer in the AKI-CPB cohort compared with the control group (cohort without AKI). The absolute mean differences in CPB time between the 2 groups were 25.65 minutes with the fixed-effects model and 23.18 minutes with the random-effects model. Conclusions: Longer CPB times are associated with a higher risk of developing AKI-CPB, which, in turn, has a significant effect on overall mortality as reported by the individual studies. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Management of hemorrhage in cardiothoracic surgeryKlaus Görlinger | Linda Shore-Lesserson | Daniel Dirkmann | Alexander A. Hanke | Niels Rahe-Meyer | Kenichi A. Tanaka
Volume 27, Issue 4 SUPPL., August 2013, Page
Bleeding is an important issue in cardiothoracic surgery, and about 20% of all blood products are transfused in this clinical setting worldwide. Transfusion practices, however, are highly variable among different hospitals and more than 25% of allogeneic blood transfusions have been considered inappropriate. Furthermore, both bleeding and allogeneic blood transfusion are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and hospital costs. In the past decades, several attempts have been made to find a universal hemostatic agent to ensure hemostasis during and after cardiothoracic surgery. Most drugs studied in this context have either failed to reduce bleeding and transfusion requirements or were associated with severe adverse events, such as acute renal failure or thrombotic/thromboembolic events and, in some cases, increased mortality. Therefore, an individualized goal-directed hemostatic therapy ("theranostic" approach) seems to be more appropriate to stop bleeding in this complex clinical setting. The use of point-of-care (POC) transfusion and coagulation management algorithms guided by viscoelastic tests such as thromboelastometry/thromboelastography in combination with POC platelet function tests such as whole blood impedance aggregometry, and based on first-line therapy with fibrinogen and prothrombin complex concentrate have been associated with reduced allogeneic blood transfusion requirements, reduced incidence of thrombotic/thromboembolic and transfusion-related adverse events, and improved outcomes in cardiac surgery. This article reviews the current literature dealing with the management of hemorrhage in cardiothoracic surgery based on POC diagnostics and with specific coagulation factor concentrates and its impact on transfusion requirements and patients' outcomes. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.
Increased chest tube drainage is independently associated with adverse outcome after cardiac surgeryMichael C. Christensen | Frank Dziewior | Angela Kempel | Christian Von Heymann
Volume 26, Issue 1, February 2012, Pages 46-51
Objective: To investigate the clinical relevance of specific volume criteria for hemorrhage in a patient population undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Design: A retrospective analysis; postoperative hemorrhage was defined by a fixed set of criteria ≥200 mL/h in any 1 hour or part thereof, or (2) ≥2 mL/kg/h for 2 consecutive hours in the first 6 hours after surgery. Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis were used to validate the results of the specific volume criteria. Multivariate regression analysis was applied to investigate the association of specific volume criteria for hemorrhage with clinical outcomes. Setting: A university hospital. Participants: All adult cardiac surgery patients undergoing surgery with CPB at the authors' center in 2006. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 1,188 patients underwent cardiac surgery, and 76 patients (6.4%) experienced postoperative hemorrhage according to the fixed criteria for blood loss. Blood loss as measured by these criteria was associated with a higher 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR] = 2.9, p < 0.001), incidence of stroke (OR = 3.3, p = 0.0033), re-exploration (OR = 103.655, p < 0.0001), intensive care unit stay >72 hours (OR = 1.3, p < 0.0001), and mechanical ventilation >24 hours (OR = 3.4, p = 0.0002). The clinical relevance of these criteria is supported by CART analysis. Conclusions: Postoperative hemorrhage (drainage loss) exceeding 200 mL/h in 1 hour or 2 mL/kg for 2 consecutive hours occurring within 6 hours after cardiac surgery is associated with higher 30-day mortality and other postoperative complications. Further research is needed to validate these results. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in adults: Practical aspects of circuits, cannulae, and proceduresDavid Sidebotham | Sara Jane Allen | Alastair McGeorge | Nathan Ibbott | Timothy Willcox
Volume 26, Issue 5, October 2012, Pages 893-909
Fenoldopam and acute renal failure in cardiac surgery: A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trialsAlberto Zangrillo | Giuseppe G L Biondi-Zoccai | Elena Frati | Remo Daniel Covello | Luca Cabrini | Fabio Guarracino | Laura Ruggeri | Tiziana Bove | Elena Bignami | Giovanni Landoni
Volume 26, Issue 3, June 2012, Pages 407-413
Objective: Because at present no pharmacologic prevention or treatment of acute kidney injury seems to be available, the authors updated a meta-analysis to investigate the effects of fenoldopam in reducing acute kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, focusing on randomized placebo-controlled studies only. Design: A meta-analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials. Setting: Hospitals. Participants: A total of 440 patients from 6 studies were included in the analysis. Interventions: None. The ability of fenoldopam to reduce acute kidney injury in the perioperative period when compared with placebo was investigated. Measurements and Main Results: Google Scholar and PubMed were searched (updated January 1, 2012). Authors and external experts were contacted. Pooled estimates showed that fenoldopam consistently and significantly reduced the risk of acute kidney injury (odds ratio [OR] = 0.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-0.74; p = 0.003), with a higher rate of hypotensive episodes and/or use of vasopressors (30/109 [27.5%] v 21/112 [18.8%]; OR = 2.09; 95% CI, 0.98-4.47; p = 0.06) and no effect on renal replacement therapy, survival, and length of intensive care unit or hospital stay. Conclusions: This analysis suggests that fenoldopam reduces acute kidney injury in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Because the number of the enrolled patients was small and there was no effect on renal replacement therapy or survival, a large, multicenter, and appropriately powered trial is needed to confirm these promising results. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
β-blockers and volatile anesthetics may attenuate cardioprotection by remote preconditioning in adult cardiac surgery: A meta-analysis of 15 randomized trialsChenghui Zhou | Yang Liu | Yuntai Yao | Shan Zhou | Nengxin Fang | Weipeng Wang | Lihuan Li
Volume 27, Issue 2, April 2013, Pages 305-311
Objective: Clinical trials on cardioprotection by remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) for adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery revealed mixed results. Previous meta-analyses have been conducted and found marked heterogeneity among studies. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the factors affecting cardioprotection by remote preconditioning in adult cardiac surgery. Design: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Setting: University hospitals. Participants: Adult subjects undergoing cardiac surgery. Interventions: RIPC. Measurements and Main Results: Fifteen trials with a total of 1,155 study patients reporting postoperative myocardial biomarker (CK-MB or troponin) levels were identified from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library (up to July 2012). Compared with controls, RIPC significantly reduced postoperative biomarkers of myocardial injury (standardized mean difference = -0.31, p = 0.041; heterogeneity test: I2 = 83.5%). This effect seemed more significant in valve surgery (standardized mean difference = -0.74, p = 0.002) than in coronary artery surgery (standardized mean difference = -0.23; p = 0.17). Univariate meta-regression analyses suggested that the major sources of significant heterogeneity were β-blockers (%) (coefficient = 0.0161, p = 0.022, adjusted R2 = 0.37) and volatile anesthetics (coefficient = 0.6617, p = 0.065, adjusted R2 = 0.22). These results were further confirmed in multivariate regression and subgroup analyses. Conclusions: Available data from this meta-analysis further confirmed the cardioprotection conferred by RIPC in adult cardiac surgery. Moreover, the cardioprotective effect may be attenuated when combined with β-blockers or volatile anesthetics. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Effect of levosimendan on survival and adverse events after cardiac surgery: A meta-analysisRobert W. Harrison | Vic Hasselblad | Rajendra H. Mehta | Ricardo Levin | Robert A. Harrington | John H. Alexander
Volume 27, Issue 6, December 2013, Pages 1224-1232
Objective Left ventricular systolic dysfunction is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The authors performed a meta-analysis investigating the effects of levosimendan in cardiac surgery patients with and without preoperative systolic dysfunction. Design Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Setting Hospital. Participants The 1,155 patients who participated in 14 randomized controlled trials of perioperative levosimendan were included. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane database of clinical trials, and conference proceedings were searched for clinical trials of perioperative levosimendan in patients undergoing cardiac surgery through May 1, 2012. Studies were grouped by mean ejection fraction (EF). Those with a mean EF <40% were designated as low-EF. Pooled results demonstrated a reduction in mortality with levosimendan (risk difference [RD]-4.2%; 95% CI -7.2%, -1.1%; p = 0.008). Subgroup analysis showed that this benefit was confined to the low-EF studies (RD -7.0%; 95% CI -11.0%, -3.1%; p < 0.001). No benefit was observed in the preserved-EF subgroup (RD +1.1%; 95% CI -3.8%, +5.9%; p = 0.66). Significant reductions also were seen in the need for dialysis (RD -4.9%; 95% CI -8.2%, -1.6%; p = 0.003), myocardial injury (RD -5.0%; 95% CI -8.3%, -1.7%; p = 0.003), and postoperative atrial fibrillation (RD -8.1%; 95% CI -13.3%, -3.0%; p = 0.002). Conclusions Levosimendan was associated with reduced mortality and other adverse outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, and these benefits were greatest in patients with reduced EF. These data support the need for adequately powered randomized clinical trials to confirm the benefits of levosimendan in patients with reduced EF undergoing cardiac surgery. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.
Perioperative management of pheochromocytoma: Focus on magnesium, clevidipine, and vasopressinMichael S. Lord | John G T Augoustides
Volume 26, Issue 3, June 2012, Pages 526-531
The perioperative management of pheochromocytomas requires meticulous anesthetic care. There has been considerable progress in its management, recently 3 agents that may be particularly advantageous to the anesthetic team have been identified. Magnesium sulfate is readily available, cheap, safe, and effective for hemodynamic control before tumor resection. It has demonstrated efficacy in adults, children, and in rarer scenarios, such as pheochromocytoma resection in pregnancy and in pheochromocytoma crises. Although only recently entering clinical practice, clevidipine exhibits a pharmacologic profile of great interest, showing efficacy in the management of hypertensive crisis and providing rapid titration and precise hemodynamic control. Its application in the perioperative management of pheochromocytoma before tumor resection recently has been described and likely will expand in the near future. Vasopressin has demonstrated utility in the management of catecholamine-resistant shock after tumor resection. A familiarity with these 3 agents offers anesthesia providers further effective pharmacologic options for managing the hemodynamic challenges inherent to this population before and after tumor resection. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Use of rapid "rescue" perioperative echocardiography to improve outcomes after hemodynamic instability in noncardiac surgical patientsSasha K. Shillcutt | Nicholas W. Markin | Candice R. Montzingo | Tara R. Brakke
Volume 26, Issue 3, June 2012, Pages 362-370
Objective: To investigate if modified "rescue" echocardiography enhanced management during perioperative hemodynamic instability in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Design: A retrospective analysis of the medical data. Setting: Perioperative setting at a single academic medical center. Participants: Thirty-one adult patients undergoing noncardiac surgery who experienced perioperative hemodynamic instability and were evaluated by either transthoracic echocardiography (TTE, n = 9) or transesophageal echocardiography (TEE, n = 22). Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Rapid "rescue" echocardiography was performed on each patient looking for a specific cause for the patient's perioperative compromise. Echocardiography results, medical management, surgical management, and patient outcomes were all reviewed from the medical record and the department database. All patients were found to have an explainable diagnosis for the hemodynamic instability on the echocardiographic examination. The most common diagnoses were left-heart dysfunction (n = 16), right-heart dysfunction (n = 9), hypovolemia (n = 5), pulmonary embolus (n = 5), and myocardial ischemia (n = 4). Based on findings at echocardiography, 4 patients (13%) underwent and survived an emergent secondary procedure. All 31 patients recovered during their surgical procedure, and 25 (81%) progressed to hospital discharge. Conclusions: Both TTE and TEE can play a critical role in the diagnosis and management of perioperative hemodynamic instability. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Thoracic epidural or paravertebral catheter for analgesia after lung resection: Is the outcome different?Hany Elsayed | James McKevith | James McShane | Nigel Scawn
Volume 26, Issue 1, February 2012, Pages 78-82
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) or a paravertebral catheter block (PVB) with morphine patient-controlled analgesia influenced outcome in patients undergoing thoracotomy for lung resection. Design: A retrospective analysis. Setting: A tertiary referral center. Participants: The study population consisted of 1,592 patients who had undergone thoracotomy for lung resection between May 2000 and April 2008. Interventions: Not applicable. Measurements and Main Results: Patients who received PVBs were younger, had a higher forced expiratory volume in 1 second, had a higher body mass index, a higher incidence of cardiac comorbidity, fewer pneumonectomies, and more wedge resections. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to develop a propensity-matched score for the probability of patients receiving an epidural or a paravertebral catheter. Four patients with an epidural to one with a paravertebral catheter were matched, with 488 patients and 122 patients, respectively. Postmatching analysis now showed no difference between the groups for preoperative characteristics or operative extent. Postmatching analysis showed no significant difference in outcome between the two groups for the incidence of postoperative respiratory complication (p = 0.67), intensive therapy unit (ITU) stay (p = 0.51), ITU readmission (p = 0.66), or in-hospital mortality (p = 0.67). There was a significant reduction in the hospital length of stay in favor of the paravertebral group (6 v 7 days, p = 0.008). Conclusions: Paravertebral catheter analgesia with morphine patient-controlled analgesia seems as effective as thoracic epidural for reducing the risk of postoperative complications. The authors additionally found that paravertebral catheter use is associated with a shorter hospital stay and may be a better form of analgesia for fast-track thoracic surgery. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
A randomized, double-blind trial comparing continuous thoracic epidural bupivacaine with and without opioid in contrast to a continuous paravertebral infusion of bupivacaine for post-thoracotomy painJay S. Grider | Timothy W. Mullet | Sibu P. Saha | Michael E. Harned | Paul A. Sloan
Volume 26, Issue 1, February 2012, Pages 83-89
Objective: To compare the results of continuous epidural bupivacaine analgesia with and without hydromorphone to continuous paravertebral analgesia with bupivcaine in patients with post-thoracotomy pain. Design: A prospective, randomized, double-blinded trial. Setting: A teaching hospital. Participants: Patients at a tertiary care teaching hospital undergoing throracotomy for lung cancer. Interventions: Subjects were assigned randomly to receive a continuous thoracic epidural or paravertebral infusion. Patients in the epidural group were randomized to receive either bupivacaine alone or in combination with hydromorphone. Visual analog scores as well as incentive spirometery results were obtained before and after thoracotomy. Methods and Main Results: Seventy-five consecutive patients presenting for thoracotomy were enrolled in this institutional review board-approved study. On the morning of surgery, subjects were randomized to either an epidural group receiving bupvicaine with and without hydromorphone or a paravertebral catheter-infused bupvicaine. Postoperative visual analog scores and incentive spirometry data were measured in the postanesthesia care unit, the evening of the first operative day, and daily thereafter until postoperative day 4. Analgesia on all postoperative days was superior in the thoracic epidural group receiving bupivacaine plus hydromorphone. Analgesia was similar in the epidural and continuous paravertebral groups receiving bupivacaine alone. No significant improvement was noted by combining the continuous infusion of bupivacaine via the paravertebral and epidural routes. Incentive spirometry goals were best achieved in the epidural bupivacaine and hydromorphone group and equal in the group receiving bupivacaine alone either via epidural or continuous paravertebral infusion. Conclusions: The current study provided data that fill gaps in the current literature in 3 important areas. First, this study found that thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) with bupivacaine and a hydrophilic opioid, hydromorphone, may provide enhanced analgesia over TEA or continuous paravertebral infusion (CPI) with bupivacaine alone. Second, in the bupivacaine-alone group, the increased basal rates required to achieve analgesia resulted in hypotension more frequently than in the bupivacaine/hydromorphone combination group, underscoring the benefit of the synergistic activity. Finally, in agreement with previous retrospective studies, the current data suggest that CPI of local anesthetic appears to provide acceptable analgesia for post-thoracotomy pain. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Anesthesia for transfemoral aortic valve replacement in north america and EuropeKelly A. Bufton | John G. Augoustides | Frederick C. Cobey
Volume 27, Issue 1, February 2013, Pages 46-49
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine how the anesthestic approach to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) differs in North America and Europe. Design: The study was a nonrandomized survey of 82 institutions in North America and Europe performing TAVR procedures. Setting: This was an international multi-institutional survey of medical centers performing TAVR in North America and Europe. Participants: Anesthesiologists. Interventions: Participant anesthesiologists from 82 institutions contacted were asked by telephone and e-mail to describe their anesthetic approach to TAVRs. Measurements and Main Results: The major finding of interest was if general anesthesia or sedation was used for TAVR cases. Conclusions: General anesthesia is the predominant practice in North America and only 5% use sedation for TAVR cases, whereas sedation is more common in Europe. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.
The effect of different lung-protective strategies in patients during cardiopulmonary bypass: A meta-analysis and semiquantitative review of randomized trialsJan Uwe Schreiber | Marcus D. Lancé | Marcel De Korte | Thorsten Artmann | Ivan Aleksic | Peter Kranke
Volume 26, Issue 3, June 2012, Pages 448-454
Objectives: A variety of lung-protective techniques, including continuous positive airway pressure and vital capacity maneuvers, have been suggested as beneficial when applied during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). To better define the efficacy of these techniques, a systematic review of different ventilation strategies during and after CPB was performed. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations. Setting: Hospitals. Participants: Eight hundred fourteen participants of 16 randomized controlled trials. Interventions: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), low-volume ventilation, or vital capacity maneuvers (VCMs) during CPB. Measurements and Main Results: The methodologic validity of the included trials was scored according to the Oxford scale. Included trials had to report on at least 1 of the following parameters: oxygenation, oxygenation index, alveolar-arterial oxygen difference, or shunt fraction. The average quality of the included trials was as low as 2 on a scale from 1 to 5. The use of CPAP or VCM during CPB led to a significant increase in oxygenation parameters immediately after weaning from CPB, but this effect was not sustainable and did not improve patient outcome. Conclusions: This meta-analysis showed that the positive effects of the designated techniques are probably short-lived with a questionable impact on the long-term clinical outcome of the treated patients. Based on the available data, it might be impossible to advise an optimal or best-evidence strategy of lung preservation during CPB. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Bivalirudin versus heparin as an anticoagulant during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: A case-control studyMarina Pieri | Natalia Agracheva | Enrico Bonaveglio | Teresa Greco | Michele De Bonis | Remo Daniel Covello | Alberto Zangrillo | Federico Pappalardo
Volume 27, Issue 1, February 2013, Pages 30-34
Objective: Heparin-based anticoagulation for patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has many limitations, including a high risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. However, little experience with other anticoagulants in these patients has been described. The aim of this study was to compare bivalirudin-based anticoagulation with heparin-based protocols in a population of patients treated with venovenous or venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Design: In this case-control study, 10 patients received bivalirudin (cases) and 10 heparin (controls). The target activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) was 45 to 60 seconds. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: aPTT variations >20% of the previous value were much more frequent in patients treated with heparin than in patients receiving bivalirudin (52 v 24, p < 0.001). The number of corrections of the anticoagulant dose was higher in the heparin group compared with the bivalirudin group (58 v 51), although it did not reach statistical significance. Bleeding, thromboembolic complications, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support duration, mortality, and the number of episodes of aPTT >80 seconds were not different between the 2 groups. A further analysis was performed in the bivalirudin group according to the presence of acute renal failure requiring continuous venovenous hemofiltration. The median bivalirudin dose in patients with or without hemofiltration was 0.041 (0.028-0.05) mg/kg/h and 0.028 (0-0.041) mg/kg/h, respectively (p = 0.2). Conclusions: Bivalirudin-based anticoagulation may represent a new method of anticoagulation for reducing thromboembolic and bleeding complications, which still jeopardize the application of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Moreover, bivalirudin is free from the risk of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Higher doses of bivalirudin may be needed in patients undergoing hemofiltration. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.
Dexmedetomidine reduces the risk of delirium, agitation and confusion in critically Ill patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsLaura Pasin | Giovanni Landoni | Pasquale Nardelli | Alessandro Belletti | Ambra Licia Di Prima | Daiana Taddeo | Francesca Isella | Alberto Zangrillo
Volume 28, Issue 6, January 2014, Pages 1459-1466
© 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Objectives Delirium frequently is observed in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) and is associated strongly with a poor outcome. Dexmedetomidine seems to reduce time to extubation and ICU stay without detrimental effects on mortality. The objective of the authors' study was to evaluate the effect of this drug on delirium, agitation, and confusion in the ICU setting.Design Meta-analysis of all the randomized clinical trials ever performed on dexmedetomidine versus any comparator in the ICU setting.Setting Intensive care units.Participants Critically ill patients.Interventions NoneMeasurements and Main Results Pertinent studies were independently searched in BioMedCentral, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of clinical trials. Primary endpoint was the rate of delirium, including the adverse events, agitation and confusion. The 13 included manuscripts (14 trials) randomized 3,029 patients. Overall analysis showed that the use of dexmedetomidine was associated with significant reductions in the incidence of delirium, agitation and confusion (298/1,565 [19%] in the dexmedetomidine group v 337/1,464 [23%] in the control group, RR = 0.68 [0.49 to 0.96], p = 0.03). Results were confirmed in subanalyses performed on patients undergoing noninvasive ventilation (1/53 [2%] in the dexmedetomidine group v 7/49 [14%] in the control group, RR=0.18 [0.03 to 1.01], p = 0.05), receiving midazolam as a comparator (268/1,164 [23%] in the dexmedetomidine group v 277/1,025 [27%] in the control group, RR = 0.68 [0.47 to 1.00], p = 0.05) and in general ICU setting patients (204/688 [30%] in the dexmedetomidine group v 204/560 [36%] in the control group, RR = 0.68 [0.45 to 0.81], p< 0.01).Conclusions This meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies suggests that dexmedetomidine could help to reduce delirium in critically ill patients.
Postoperative respiratory failure after cardiac surgery: Use of noninvasive ventilationManuel García-Delgado | Inés Navarrete | Maria José García-Palma | Manuel Colmenero
Volume 26, Issue 3, June 2012, Pages 443-447
Objectives: To analyze the use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in respiratory failure after extubation in patients after cardiac surgery, the factors associated with respiratory failure, and the need for reintubation. Design: Retrospective observational study. Setting: Intensive care unit in a university hospital. Participants: Patients (n = 63) with respiratory failure after extubation after cardiac surgery over a 3-year period. Interventions: Mechanical NIV. Measurements and Main Results: Demographic and surgical data, respiratory history, causes of postoperative respiratory failure, durations of mechanical ventilation and spontaneous breathing, gas exchange values, and the mortality rate were recorded. Of 1,225 postsurgical patients, 63 (5.1%) underwent NIV for respiratory failure after extubation. The median time from extubation to the NIV application was 40 hours (18-96 hours). The most frequent cause of respiratory failure was lobar atelectasis (25.4%). The NIV failed in 52.4% of patients (33/63) who had a lower pH at 24 hours of treatment (7.35 v 7.42, p = 0.001) and a higher hospital mortality (51.5% v 6.7%, p = 0.001) than those in whom NIV was successful. An interval <24 hours from extubation to NIV was a predictive factor for NIV failure (odds ratio, 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-17.9), whereas obesity was associated with NIV success (odds ratio, 0.22; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.91). Conclusions: Reintubation was required in half of the NIV-treated patients and was associated with an increased hospital mortality rate. Early respiratory failure after extubation (≤24 hours) is a predictive factor for NIV failure. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Identification of inflammatory mediators and their modulation by strategies for the management of the systemic inflammatory response during cardiac surgeryRichard Hall
Volume 27, Issue 5, October 2013, Pages 983-1033
Myocardial protection by volatile anesthetics in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: A critical review of the laboratory and clinical evidencePaul S. Pagel
Volume 27, Issue 5, October 2013, Pages 972-982
Levosimendan versus an intra-aortic balloon pump in high-risk cardiac patientsVladimir V. Lomivorotov | Vladimir A. Boboshko | Sergey M. Efremov | Igor A. Kornilov | Alexandr M. Chernyavskiy | Vladimir N. Lomivorotov | Lubov G. Knazkova | Alexander M. Karaskov
Volume 26, Issue 4, August 2012, Pages 596-603
Objective: To test the hypothesis that levosimendan is more effective than intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support in cardiac surgical patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction to decrease cardiac troponin I levels (primary endpoint) and improve hemodynamics. Design: Prospective randomized trial. Setting: Tertiary cardiothoracic referral center. Participants: Ninety patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular ejection fraction <35% who underwent surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Intervention: Patients were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 groups. Group A received a prophylactic IABP one day before surgery. Group B received a prophylactic IABP one day before surgery and a levosimendan infusion at a dose of 0.1 μg/kg/min with an initial bolus (12 μg/kg for 10 minutes) after anesthesia induction. Group C received a levosimendan infusion at a dose of 0.1 μg/kg/min with an initial bolus (12 μg/kg for 10 minutes) after anesthesia induction. Hemodynamic and biochemical data and rate of complications were analyzed. Measurements and Main Results: The cardiac troponin I level in group C 6 hours after surgery was lower than in group A (p = 0.048). The cardiac index in group A was significantly lower than in groups B and C. The intensive care unit stay was significantly shorter in group C than in groups A and B (p = 0.001). The need for inotropic support, the rate of complications, and mortality among groups did not differ. Conclusions: The infusion of levosimendan after anesthesia induction in cardiac surgical patients contributes to lower cardiac troponin I levels and improved hemodynamics compared with a preoperative IABP. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.
The Impact of Fluid Balance on the Detection, Classification and Outcome of Acute Kidney Injury after Cardiac SurgeryElizabeth Moore | Antony Tobin | David Reid | John Santamaria | Eldho Paul | Rinaldo Bellomo
Volume 29, Issue 5, October 2015, Pages 1229-1235
© 2015 Elsevier Inc.Objective To assess whether or not a positive fluid balance masks acute kidney injury (AKI) and is associated with adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. Design Retrospective analysis. Setting Tertiary university-affiliated metropolitan hospital: single center. Participants Three thousand two hundred seven consecutive cardiac surgical patients admitted to the ICU from July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2012. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results The authors used AKI Network criteria to classify AKI. They then adjusted creatinine levels for weight-corrected fluid balance and categorized patients into 3 groups: group A (No AKI); group B (AKI only after adjustment); group C (AKI before and after adjustment). No patients had "AKI" before but "No AKI" after adjustment. Among 2,171 patients with weight and baseline creatinine available, after adjusting for fluid balance, the proportion of patients classified with AKI increased from 25.3% to 37.2% (p<0.001). In patients with AKI only after adjustment (group B), ICU mortality approximated that of group C (1.9% v 3.1%, p = 0.35) but was almost 3 times greater than group A (1.9% v 0.7%, p = 0.04). For group B, use of renal replacement therapy also was greater than group A (4.3% v 1.5%, p = 0.004) but less than group C (4.3% v 14.4%, p<0.001). The same trend was found for ICU length of stay (p≤0.001) and other adverse outcomes. Conclusions Patients with AKI diagnosed after correction for the effect of a positive fluid balance on serum creatinine concentration have more adverse outcomes than patients without AKI by conventional criteria, but fewer than patients with AKI by conventional criteria.
Remifentanil in cardiac surgery: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsMassimiliano Greco | Giovanni Landoni | Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai | Luca Cabrini | Laura Ruggeri | Nicola Pasculli | Veronica Giacchi | Jan Sayeg | Teresa Greco | Alberto Zangrillo
Volume 26, Issue 1, February 2012, Pages 110-116
Objective: The authors conducted a review of randomized controlled trials to identify advantages in clinically relevant outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with remifentanil. Design: Meta-analysis. Setting: Hospitals. Participants: A total of 1,473 patients from 16 randomized trials. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Result: PubMed, BioMedCentral, and conference proceedings were searched (updated May 2010) for randomized trials that compared remifentanil with fentanyl or sufentanil in cardiac anesthesia. Four independent reviewers performed data extraction, with divergences resolved by consensus. Overall analysis showed that the use of remifentanil was associated with a significant reduction in postoperative mechanical ventilation (WMD = -139 min [-244, -32], p for effect = 0.01, p for heterogeneity < 0.001, I 2 = 89%); length of hospital stay (WMD = -1.08 days [-1.60, -0.57], p for effect < 0.0001, p for heterogeneity = 0.004, I 2 = 71%); and cardiac troponin-I release (WMD = -2.08 ng/mL [-3.93, -0.24], p for effect = 0.03, p for heterogeneity < 0.02, I 2 = 74%). No difference was noted in mortality (3/344 [0.87%] in the remifentanil group vs [1.06%] the control group, OR 0.76 [0.17-3.38], p for effect = 0.72, p for heterogeneity = 0.35, I 2 = 5%). Conclusions: Remifentanil reduces cardiac troponin release, time of mechanical ventilation, and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. | 41,826 | 15,145 | 0.000066 |
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Word Count:671 Pages:2 1/2 The platform I have chosen is children aging out of the foster care system and same-sex couples right to adoption The foster care system is just a way society has chosen to deal with child abuse neglect and no one wants The foster care systems were designed to be a short-term solution Many children arent getting the help needed The system has failed since so many children need help When they reach eighteen sometimes twenty-one of the children has a disability they become part of the age out population Since the solution is short term why not look for other places for the children to live Same sex couples can be the answer to the problem I dont see why the system lets a persons sexuality determine their parenting skillsThe children aging out of the foster care system are on the rise This seems to be the population at risk in the United States today I have estimated that there are over 20000 children close to aging out of the system Theres many of the children have been neglected and received a wide range of abuse This is not just a statement but just one of the many facts I can remember growing up in the foster care system until I was adopted at the age five I had the chance to learn a lot about many of the children in the foster care by their actionsMany children in the foster care system reach the age of eighteen or adulthood and finally age-out Most of the children end up homeless due to the fact theyre never adopted or biological families to care for them A child has no support or someone to care for them They lack job training skills lower education levels All these issues will make the children struggle just to make it in society Many of the aged out children move for the foster care system to the public assistance system I
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warc | 201704 | Erwachsenenbildung in Äthiopien und Uganda Eine Untersuchung non-formaler Bildungsmaßnahmen, der Zielgruppe und des Politikfeldes Author: Friederike Rausch-Berhie. Series edited by: Rainer Voigt, Hatem Elliesie. Series: Studien zum Horn von Afrika Volume 32016
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Sub-Saharan Africa runs far behind other regions of the world, regarding the realization of
Education for All and the education-related Millennium Development Goals. Non-formal adult education is a good opportunity, especially for poor and disadvantaged target groups, to achieve these aims. The study examines non-formal adult education in Ethiopia and Uganda. The objective of the work is to figure out how adult education should be advanced structurally and conceptually and extended across the countries, in order to improve the education of the participants and their living conditions.
Qualitative and quantitative empirical research methods were used for the data collection. Explorative expert interviews were conducted with employees of ministries, organisations of the development cooperation and universities etc. in order to be able to understand and represent the political framework conditions. Moreover, implementation institutions of training courses and education programmes of non-formal adult education were visited in both countries.
Political framework conditions and the status of non-formal adult education are analysed on the basis of relevant political documents such as national development plans, programmes for the education sector and strategy papers regarding the non-formal adult education. The involved state institutions and their responsibilities with regard to non-formal adult education are presented. Furthermore, the author deals with difficulties and challenges concerning the formation and implementation of non-formal adult education.
In addition, several educational concepts and approaches are analysed and a structure of educational opportunities is made. Finally, good ideas, approaches and concepts that can contribute to a successful and efficient formation and implementation of the non-formal adult education are worked out. In the end, the author makes recommendations on the further development and the expansion of adult educational offers, on the further development of the education system, on the improvement of the political framework conditions and on the cooperative work of the involved actors.
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warc | 201704 | 7 CFR 953.44 - Limitation of regulations.
(a) Nothing contained in this subpart shall authorize any limitation of the shipment of potatoes for any of the following purposes:
(1)Potatoes shipped for consumption by charitable institutions or for distribution by relief agencies;
(2)Potatoes shipped for manufacturing or conversion into byproducts, except for manufacturing or conversion into specified products recommended by the committee for regulation and approved by the Secretary therefor; and
(b) The Secretary shall give prompt notice to the committee of any approval issued by him under the provisions of this section. The committee may prescribe adequate safeguards to prevent potatoes shipped for the purposes stated above from entering the current of interstate commerce or directly burdening, obstructing, or affecting such commerce contrary to the provisions of this subpart, which safeguards may include (1) a requirement by the committee that growers and handlers who ship potatoes pursuant to this section shall file applications to do so with the committee and (2) Federal-State inspection provided by § 953.50 and the payment of a pro rata share of expenses provided by § 953.34: Provided, That such inspection and payment of expenses may be required at different times than otherwise specified by the aforesaid sections. The committee may issue certificates of privilege for shipments of potatoes affected or to be affected under the provisions of this section and shall make a weekly report to the Secretary showing the number of certificates applied for, the number of bushels of potatoes covered by such applications, the number of certificates denied and granted, the number of bushels of potatoes shipped under duly issued certificates, and such other information as may be requested by the Secretary. The Secretary shall have the right to modify, change, alter, or rescind any safeguards prescribed and any certificates issued by the committee pursuant to the provisions of this section.
Title 7 published on 2015-08-22.
No entries appear in the Federal Register
after this date, for 7 CFR Part 953. | 2,141 | 978 | 0.001032 |
warc | 201704 | Finding Joy in Life03219_000_035
Sisters, we are all in stages of progression, whether we’re married or single. We have surely felt the comforting influence of the Spirit in these proceedings. Please know of my love and concern for you!
How long has it been since you shouted for joy? In the Grand Council in heaven in our premortal existence, all the sons and daughters of God “shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). Our Father in Heaven gave us the opportunity to be born, to assume the responsibilities of mortality, which offered the opportunity of a “fulness of joy” (Ps. 16:11) but which also entailed risks of disobedience, sin, and heartache. Yet, as our Father’s plan unfolded and we became aware of our divine potential for future immortality, we did all shout for joy.
Now we are here; do we doubt the Lord’s word, “Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:25)?
We live in a critical time in the world’s history. Satan and his forces are busy. His temptations are relentless, deceiving many, sometimes even the very elect. He would lead us to believe that gospel standards which we know to be good—virtue, honesty, morality, courtesy, industry, cleanliness of mind and body—are no longer important. Let me reaffirm that the Lord’s eternal values are still true. The ways of the world may have changed, but the commandments of our Heavenly Father, given for our welfare, are still in force, and true joy comes only from doing his will.
Do we find ourselves wishing our present experiences could soon be over, as we think we might be happier doing something else? Young mothers might think that life would be easier if the children were reared and gone, but this is an opportune time to teach gospel principles.
Mother taught me that we have an obligation to give, that others don’t owe us a living, and that more joy comes from giving than receiving.
As a child, I desired a birthday party. I invited all of my friends to come—it wasn’t even near my birthday—and I carefully instructed them to each bring me a dime. When Mother heard of my trick, she immediately gave me a scolding, sat me down, and carefully explained why what I did was not right. Then she went with me to each of my friends so that I could apologize. It was an embarrassing lesson, but one I have never forgotten.
When we think of the Lord’s eternal plan for us, do we really want no difficulty, no struggle, no adversity? For the plan is to “prove [us] herewith, to see if [we] will do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us]” (Abr. 3:25).
The Book of Mormon tells a beautiful example of a people who had been through much tribulation and yet had a remarkable experience of feeling eternal joy while in mortality. On the resurrected Savior’s first day among the Nephites, he taught much of his gospel. As he prepared to leave, he saw a people who displayed great faith and who hungered for his words. He was moved with such compassion toward them that he tarried longer and ministered to their personal needs. The scriptures tell us that “no one can conceive of the joy which filled [their] souls” (3 Ne. 17:16–19). The Savior said unto them:
“Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full” (3 Ne. 17:20).
Joy, it seems, is not only happiness, but the resultant feeling of the Holy Ghost manifest within us.
How can we provide a climate in our lives to foster the presence of the Holy Ghost, that our lives may be more joyful? Just as a reservoir stores water to bring relief and replenish the thirsty land, so we can store experiences, knowledge, and desires to replenish and fortify our spiritual needs. Four ways may be helpful in developing reservoirs of righteousness and spiritual self-reliance. We prepare by—
1.
Developing a cheerful disposition wherein the Spirit can dwell.
2.
Learning the Savior’s will for us, that we may know our divine potential.
3.
Understanding and accepting his atoning sacrifice and repenting of our sins.
4.
Keeping his commandments and having a firm determination to serve him.
Let’s examine these four points:
First: Developing a cheerful disposition can permit an atmosphere wherein one’s spirit can be nurtured and encouraged to blossom and bear fruit.
Being pessimistic and negative about our experiences will not enhance the quality of our lives. A determination to be of good cheer can help us and those around us to enjoy life more fully.
Elder Marvin J. Ashton reminds us:
“With God’s help, good cheer permits us to rise above the depressing present or difficult circumstances. … It is sunshine when clouds block the light” (Ensign, May 1986, p. 66). Each woman is responsible for her own happiness. Let us strive to cultivate this spirit of gladness in our homes and let it shine in our faces wherever we go.
Years ago, when our four-month-old son had an operation, I felt forsaken and alone in a hospital waiting room. Another mother there was particularly comforting to me. She took me down the hall to meet her twelve-year-old daughter, who was suffering from leukemia. I found her to be like her mother, peacefully and cheerfully accepting this fatal illness. The girl was busy knitting dishcloths for her nurses. Her brightness helped me put my own concerns temporarily aside.
A few days later, our little one, now at home, was much better. I received a note from this mother. The affliction had taken my new young friend back to her Heavenly Father, but before she died, she asked her mother to send me a hand-knit dishcloth.
What a beautiful example they were to me of “good cheer” even in such a difficult circumstance. They had learned to accept those things they could not change and remembered the Savior’s words, “Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you” (D&C 68:6).
I, too, remembered the Savior’s words, “They who have endured the crosses of the world, … shall inherit the kingdom of God, … and their joy shall be full forever” (2 Ne. 9:18).
Second point: Learning the Savior’s will for us, will help us know of our divine potential and bring joy to our being.
Sisters, take joy in knowing that we have a prophet of God on earth today! Give thanks for the governing, sustaining power of the priesthood! Rejoice in the glories of our womanhood! Both President Spencer W. Kimball and President Ezra Taft Benson have asked that we understand the dignity and worth of our role in the divine process of motherhood and that we, whether married or single, make our homes places of love and learning, of refuge and refinement (see Ensign, May 1978, p. 101).
Surely we are adding to our spiritual reservoir as we listen to our prophet’s voice, read the holy scriptures, fast and pray, and apply the teachings we learn to our lives through the confirmation we receive from the Holy Spirit, that still, small voice that brings “peace to [our] mind[s]” (D&C 6:23).
There are some lovely women in the Church who are comfortable and content to let someone else do the teaching, give the service, fulfill the callings. Sisters, it is so important that each of us be willing to do whatever is required of us wherever we are called. We do not pick and choose what we will accept, just as we do not choose which commandments to obey.
The Lord says, beware of pride, lift up our hearts and rejoice and cleave unto the covenants we have made (see D&C 25:13–14). We are admonished “to bear one another’s burdens, … comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and … stand as witnesses of God at all times” (Mosiah 18:8–9). This may be hard to do because of worldly voices telling us to do otherwise. Let us stay close to the Lord and develop our divine potential by using our gifts and talents as he has advised us to do.
Let us rejoice as we work together with those who hold the priesthood, each assuming his or her responsibilities and sharing our gifts and talents, that all may be edified together.
Third point: Understanding the blessing of the Atonement enables us to repent and renew our baptismal covenants weekly.
Joy is knowing that through the atoning sacrifice of Christ we can receive a remission of our sins, even as King Benjamin taught. His people prayed in great humility, having asked for forgiveness of their sins. “The Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ” (Mosiah 4:3).
Elder James E. Talmage tells us that repentance “indicates a godly sorrow for sin, producing a reformation of life, and embodies (1) a conviction of guilt; (2) a desire to be relieved from the hurtful effects of sin; and (3) an earnest determination to forsake sin and to accomplish good” (The Articles of Faith, 12th ed., Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1924, p. 109). It involves confession for serious sins and restitution where necessary and possible.
Fourth Point: Keeping the commandments and having a firm determination to serve the Savior can bring joy indescribable here and eternal happiness hereafter.
King Benjamin taught that we should not have a mind to injure one another; rather, we should live peaceably, not suffer our children to go hungry, or naked, or transgress the laws of God, or fight and quarrel one with another, but love and serve one another (see Mosiah 4:13–15). He further stated, “I cannot tell you all the ways whereby ye may commit sin; … But … watch yourselves, and your thoughts, words, and … deeds, and observe the commandments of God” (Mosiah 4:29–30).
The Savior said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you” (John 13:34). That great love enabled him to live a life of service, even unto the laying down of his life for us. He would have us serve one another even as he has done.
An elderly widow struggled with the pain of arthritis. When she came to live with her daughter, the mother retreated into her own uncomfortable world. She had to be assisted up and down the steps as she went in and out the door.
Hoping to give her mother a positive experience, the daughter suggested that her mother might read to a blind neighbor. Reluctantly, the suffering widow agreed.
Moaning faintly at the effort, the widow allowed her daughter to help her down the steps. Then she hobbled up the street to make the dutiful visit.
An hour passed. Two hours. At last, her family saw her returning, coming happily down the street. Amazingly, she came up the steps and into the house without assistance.
“Well,” she told her daughter, “I sure did her a lot of good.”
The Savior admonished us to spread his gospel that all might come unto him. We participate as we prepare our homes to be “missionary training centers” for our children as well as ourselves.
We can also participate in this great missionary cause by fellowshipping those who have wandered. It takes patience and diligence, but, oh, what joy is ours as we assist in bringing these, our brethren and sisters, again unto the Savior (see Alma 31:35; D&C 18:15–16).
May I share a story of one of our dear sisters. She wrote:
“In our home were alcohol, drug abuse, two divorces. I was living in spiritual darkness with two tiny children, when ‘angels of mercy’ came one more time. Each month I peeked out my window as the visiting teachers tried to visit me. I hid myself quietly until they left. They never gave up, and I am so glad and thankful. I learned that God’s love never stops!”
This sister is now an endowed member in full fellowship and full of happiness and joy!
Sisters, may we prepare our reservoirs of spiritual strength, wherein we can find joy! It is God’s reward for righteous living!
Near the end of his life, having experienced years of trial, almost beyond our ability to comprehend, being dragged through the streets, tarred and feathered, having some of his closest associates turn against him, the Prophet Joseph Smith could yet testify and cheer us on as he exclaimed:
“Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; … a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy … Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad” (D&C 128:19, 22).
May we take joy in our faith, even our knowledge, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, I say in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. | 12,894 | 5,999 | 0.000173 |
warc | 201704 | There's a three-letter acronym that stands for a company that focuses on corporate governance ratings and research that public companies and their boards should become familiar with in the next year. (No. I'm not talking about the powerful ISS.) It's GMI, as in GovernanceMetrics International.
GMI, the global corporate governance research, ratings and risk analysis provider that announced a merger with The Corporate Library this summer, grew a little more this month. It has merged with Audit Integrity, an independent research firm that rates nearly 20,000 public companies. As a result of the latest merger, the new company will take on the GMI name and introduce a single governance rating that will also take into account environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Read the rest of this post »
Read the rest of this article on the Corporate Governance Blog, a blog by Gary Larkin | 904 | 500 | 0.00202 |
warc | 201704 | Overview
For nearly thirty years the general education field has directed considerable attention toward answering the question of how adults learn. With
Handbook on Adult Education, evangelicals can join the discussion. This volume represents one of the first comprehensive attempts by evangelicals to apply adult education theory to Christian education. Contributors from across the evangelical spectrum present interpretation, application, and critique of the education model of influential adult education specialist Malcolm Knowles. . . all from a biblical perspective. The result is a highly practical volume composed of applied, theoretical, and age-specific chapters. It will appeal to both those in ministry and in higher education. Also included is a chapter by Knowles, reflecting on his contributions to Christian adult education. Praise for the Print Edition The variety of topics addressed, the andragogical model utilized, and the expertise of the contributors combine to offer Christian educators a manual that provides a solid biblical and theoretical base and hands-on guidance for maintaining a program of adult education.
—C. Ferris Jordan, Theological Educator
Product Details Title: The Christian Educator’s Handbook on Adult Education Editors: Kenneth O. Gangel and James C. Wilhoit Publisher: Baker Publication Date: 1998 Pages: 360 About the Editors Kenneth O. Gangel (Ph.D., University of Missouri) is now executive director of the graduate studies division at Toccoa Falls College. Prior to taking this post, he was a distinguished professor at Dallas Theological Seminary. A noted expert on Christian education, he has written many books, including Feeding and Leading. James C. Wilhoit (Ph.D., Northwestern) is professor of Christian education at Wheaton College. He has authored a number of scholarly articles and books, including Christian Education and the Search for Meaning. | 1,923 | 989 | 0.00102 |
warc | 201704 | Cellulose microfibrils: A novel method of preparation using high shear refining and cryocrushing Abstract
This paper describes a novel technique to produce cellulose microfibrils through mechanical methods. The technique involved a combination of severe shearing in a refiner, followed by high-impact crushing under liquid nitrogen. Fibers treated in this way were subsequently either freeze-dried or suspended in water. The fibers were characterized using SEM, TEM, AFM, and high-resolution optical microscopy. In the freeze-dried batch, 75% of the fibrils had diameters of 1 μm and below, whereas in the water dispersed batch, 89% of the fibrils had diameters in this range. The aspect ratio of the microfibrils ranged between 15 and 55 for the freeze-dried fibrils, and from 20 to 85 for the fibrils dispersed in water. These measurements suggest that the microfibrils have the potential to produce composites with high strength and stiffness for high-performance applications. The microfibrils in water were compounded with polylactic acid polymer to form a biocomposite. Laser confocal microscopy showed that the microfibrils were well dispersed in the polymer matrix.
Author-supplied keywords Readership Statistics 49Readers on Mendeley | 1,251 | 646 | 0.001559 |
warc | 201704 | Why Is Email So Complicated? Part 127: There's No Central Authority What Facebook has done is essentially allow users to provide feedback about which messages from Facebook applications are unwanted. By consolidating such feedback, Facebook can block further unwanted messages to most other users, and even sometimes completely block an antisocial application. If Facebook can be clever enough to learn like that, why can't your email reader?
Recently, Facebook announced a 95% reduction in certain kinds of spam. Taken at face(book) value, that sounds like a tremendous breakthrough, but there's less here than meets the eye, because the "certain kinds" are basically only those that are internal to Facebook, and the solutions are hard to generalize to the broader spam problem.
The answer is that it could, if only email weren't so darned complicated. In the Facebook situation, all the offending messages are being both generated and read from within Facebook. The good folks at Facebook have complete control of the entire lifespan of such messages. They know exactly who sent the message, how many such messages were sent, and so on. None of this is true for your email reader.
The idea of letting users vote about spam is a good one, and not a new one; researchers at IBM and elsewhere have demonstrated the value of letting users vote about which messages are spam, and using those votes to decide which similar messages to block in the future. But those experiments have also highlighted the difficulties.
The world of email is one of many independent actors, interacting according to well-specified standard protocols, all of which are often ignored or misunderstood. If your mail reader gives you a button to click on when you think a message is spam, what should happen when you do so? Obviously your mail reader needs to send your vote (which may itself be wrong or accidental) to some server that collects it, consolidates it, and feeds the result into your spam filter.
But all of the actors in this scenario are heterogeneous. Your organization may have any number of mail reading interfaces, each of which needs to provide a button and behave similarly when it is pressed. You might be using any of a number of spam filters, which may or may not be prepared to accept voting data, for which there is no standard representation. Worst of all, the server that collects the spam votes can't necessarily trust all the information it gets; your machine may be compromised by a virus, for example, that deliberately corrupts the antispam voting database by labeling good messages as spam or spam messages as good.
Facebook doesn't have any of these problems when it deals with mail from Facebook applications to Facebook users. It can watch exactly what users do with messages, and map that back directly to the applications that send them. For similar reasons, spam wasn't a big problem back in the day when email was often a closed garden, and AOL users could only send to other AOL users. A single authority in charge of everything makes it easier to enforce rules and policies. But who wants a single authority in charge of the whole Internet? The cure would be worse than the disease.
The lack of a central authority is one of the defining features of the Internet, and reflects its origins in the effort to build a network that could survive nuclear war. The result is a net that is remarkably decentralized, democratic, and chaotic. The only way to end the chaos would be to regiment the net to an unprecedented degree, essentially to guarantee strong authentication for everyone who sends an email or does anything else on the net. This would be nice for anyone who hates spam, but more importantly, a boon for any government that wants to crush dissent, or any corrupt organization that wants to halt all leaks and criticism. That's a terrible tradeoff, but I'm not terribly worried about it ever happening. The net's design favors the most powerful force in the universe: chaos. I wouldn't bet against it. CC Image via jurvetson on Flickr | 4,070 | 1,945 | 0.000516 |
warc | 201704 | Abstract
Abstract Introduction Antioxidants has been utilized to prevent oxidative damage in diabetes and hypertensive diseases. The current study evaluated the effect of α-tocopherol supplementation on blood pressure and the lipid profile in streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Methods The systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were measured in SHR-diabetes induced. Results Treatment with α-tocopherol (vitamin E) led to a decrease on systolic blood pressure and showed an increase of HDL-cholesterol and a decrease of LDL-cholesterol, but the concentrations of triglycerides and total cholesterol were not changed. Conclusions The vitamin E was able to modulate the blood pressure and the lipidic profile as well, and therefore can be considered as an alternative treatment of lipid disorder found on diabetes and hypertension diseases. | 959 | 482 | 0.002103 |
warc | 201704 | Abstract
On December 14, 2001, the Payment Cards Center of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia held a workshop exploring retail credit risk modeling practices and evolving techniques. The workshop was led by Paul Calem, a senior economist at the Board of Governors, Division of Research and Statistics. Calem is currently involved in the Board's efforts supporting reforms to the international Basel Capital Accord intended to refine risk-based bank capital standards. Existing credit risk modeling practices in the banking industry are being evaluated by the international regulatory community in the context of developing an internal ratings-based (IRB) approach to capital requirements. While the broader effort encompasses both wholesale and retail lending, Calem's comments and the workshop discussion focused specifically on the retail sector. As credit card outstandings have become the fastest growing proportion of consumer debt, the application of risk assessment models to regulatory capital requirements is a particularly relevant issue for the Payment Cards Center. This paper provides highlights from Calem's presentation and the ensuing discussion and is complemented by additional background information on the Basel Accord and industry capital> allocation practices. | 1,291 | 695 | 0.001442 |
warc | 201704 | We report that the tumor neurosis factor homolog APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand) stimulates in vitro proliferation of primary B and T cells and increases spleen weight due to accumulation of B cells in vivo. APRIL functions via binding to BCMA (B cell maturation antigen) and TACI (transmembrane activator and CAML-interactor) and competes with TALL-I (also called BLyS or BAFF) for receptor binding. Soluble BCMA and TACI specifically prevent binding of APRIL and block APRIL-stimulated proliferation of primary B cells. BCMA-Fc also inhibits production of antibodies against keyhole limpet hemocyanin and Pneumovax in mice, indicating that APRIL and/or TALL-I signaling via BCMA and/or TACI are required for generation of humoral immunity. Thus, APRIL-TALL-I and BCMA-TACI form a two ligands-two receptors pathway involved in stimulation of B and T cell function. | 875 | 508 | 0.001973 |
warc | 201704 | Many are intimidated by even the word “negotiation”: they immediately picture an intense, confrontational process where each party is out to wring every possible advantage from the other side. This view of negotiations is misleading: Negotiations are conversations that help two parties find a mutually beneficial solution for each of their problems.
In this video, you’ll learn why negotiation is really the art of finding agreement. Global negotiations veteran Mladen Kresic will introduce you to the concept of value-based negotiations leverage, and why it is a powerful tool for moving conversations to an agreement that leaves both parties better off than when the conversation started. | 709 | 417 | 0.002461 |
warc | 201704 | Examine whether contaminants in your water supply met two standards: the legal limits established by the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the typically stricter health guidelines. The data was collected by an advocacy organization, the Environmental Working Group, who shared it with The Times.
Montgomery County Mud 7 Chart Key 1 or more tests taken in the month 1 or more positive detections 1 or more tests above health limit 1 or more tests above legal limit
Montgomery County,
Texas. Serves 10,940 people. 4 contaminants found within health guidelines and legal limits
In some states a small percentage of tests were performed before water was treated, and some contaminants were subsequently removed or diluted. As a result, some reported levels of contamination may be higher than were present at the tap.
Number of Tests Contaminant Average result Maximum result Health limit Legal limit Total
#
Positive result Above health Above legal Monthly Testing History Chart key at top of page E.P.A. regulated Bromodichloromethane 0.28 ppb 1.10 100 80 2 1 0 0 Yes Bromoform 1.27 ppb 4 800 80 2 1 0 0 Yes Dibromochloromethane 1.08 ppb 2.90 60 80 2 1 0 0 Yes Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) 2.63 ppb 8 - 80 2 1 0 0 Yes
Units: ppb: parts per billion, pCi/L: picocuries per liter, ppm: parts per million, mrem/yr: millirems per year, MFL: million fibers per litre
9 contaminants tested for but not found
Bromochloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Dalapon, Dibromoacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Monobromoacetic acid, Monochloroacetic acid, Total haloacetic acids (HAAs), Trichloroacetic acid | 1,589 | 822 | 0.001226 |
warc | 201704 | The Use of Communications Technology Among Commercial Sex Workers in Johannesburg: Influences of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
Andrew Carlson
Communication, Writing and the Artsu
Metropolitan State University
andrew.carlson@metrostate.ed
Abstract
Prior to the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, held in South Africa, policy makers, public health experts, and sex workers themselves noted that decriminalization of commercial sex work prior to the event was unlikely.1[1] As the prospects for decriminalization faded, effective communication strategies among commercial sex workers became increasingly important, as they attempted to avoid interaction with law enforcement and capitalize on the economic opportunities presented by the influx of soccer fans. This paper presents the results of a qualitative research project conducted in July and August of 2009, in and around Soweto, South Africa. As part of a larger research project which included observation and interviews with 53 formal and informal entrepreneurs, this paper focuses on the experiences of seven commercial sex workers, four female and three male, with the use of communications technology as they considered the arrival of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Using a theoretical framework suggested by informal economy studies, economic sociology, and a postcolonial approach to diffusion of innovations research, the study utilized in-depth interviews and collection of secondary documents to draw conclusions about the connections micro-scale entrepreneurs, including commercial sex workers, possess and consider when making economic and social decisions. These connections, or networks, are strengthened or weakened by an individual’s ability to access and exploit communications technology. The paper reports on how participants’ experiences with communications technology such as cell phones and the Internet create and/or influence the communication strategies they use to recruit new clients and network with other sex workers for protection and information.
Introduction
The 2010 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup (2010 FWC) in South Africa was hailed as an historic event that recast the position of the African continent and the country itself in the global economy and consciousness. Political rhetoric prior to the event reflected the intention to use the 2010 FWC to benefit all members of South African society, as suggested by then-Deputy and now-President Jacob Zuma on the eve of the bid committee’s trip to Zurich on May 10, 2004:
The benefits of this prospect to our nation would be so enormous that we would take the whole evening, outlining what contribution hosting the World Cup would make to our programme of alleviating poverty, creating jobs and generally in social upliftment…not to mention the name we would have carved for South Africa and Africa in the global world, including the impact on the eradication of stereotypes and Afropessimism.2[2]
Just prior to FIFA’s vote on the 2010 host for the World Cup, then-President Thabo Mbeki noted that “nothing could ever serve to energise our people to work for their and Africa's upliftment than to integrate among the tasks of our Second Decade of Democracy and the African Renaissance our successful hosting of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.”[3] The twin messages of a new (South) African identity and social upliftment proved irresistible to the FIFA selection committee and South Africa was awarded the hosting rights for the 2010 FWC on May 15, 2004.[4] Post-World Cup assessments of the event were equally rosy.[5]
The 2010 FIFA World Cup is generally defined in the literature as a mega-event, which refers to “one-time events that usually generate long-term profound impacts, both positive and negative, on host communities.”6 [6]Nations and cities compete fiercely for the right to host these events; in the case of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Egypt, Morocco, and South Africa were the finalists after two other bidders, Libya and Tunisia, dropped out. As the hosting country, South Africa welcomed local and overseas fans numbering in the millions and television viewers in the billions. One of the most important aspects of the South African government’s interest in securing the hosting rights for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was the hope that it would ameliorate poverty in the country and contribute to the country’s larger development agenda, which has been in place since the end of apartheid in 1994. Pillay and Bass note, “urban development and renewal has been identified by government as a key national imperative,” and as Matheson and Baade suggest, “no reason seems more compelling…[for hosting a mega-event]…than the promise of an economic windfall.”7[7]
Commercial sex workers in Johannesburg and elsewhere in South Africa were among those expecting to gain from the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The 2006 World Cup in Germany gave researchers and policy makers the opportunity to assess the results of a proactively managed information campaign for sex workers and fans alike. Abbany noted that for the German World Cup, more than 40,000 sex workers from eastern Europe were expected to swell the ranks of German sex workers.[8] Reports such as these spurred fears that increased demand for sexual services during the 2006 FIFA World Cup would lead to the trafficking of as many as 40,000 women. These fears proved to be “unfounded and unrealistic,” as approximately 30 cases of trafficking were investigated and only five were linked to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This has been partially attributed to the fact that prostitution is legal in Germany, and thus commercial sex workers there enjoy better legal coverage.[9] Results from the 2010 FWC suggest that fears of trafficking and a massive influx of commercial sex workers were also overblown, and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development noted that no trafficking had been reported during the 2010 World Cup.[10]
Unlike Germany, prostitution is illegal in South Africa, and commercial sex workers and advocates in South Africa realized that decriminalization of sex work prior to the start of the event was unlikely.[11] Commercial sex workers in South Africa have been politically active for years, especially around the issue of sex workers’ rights and health implications of decriminalization (see www.sweat.org.za; www.sanac.org.za for examples), but the arrival of the 2010 FIFA World Cup renewed interest in the issues surrounding sex work, especially in the media. Skinner noted that
While South Africa invests billions to prepare its infrastructure for the half-million visitors expected to attend, tens of thousands of children have become ensnared in sexual slavery, and those who profit from their abuse are also preparing for the tournament.[12]
Despite this grim description, Gould and Fick, in a detailed report on the commercial sex industry in Cape Town, reported that trafficking was significantly less prevalent than had been perceived and reported in the media; they noted that
…[what] we found is that while one of the conditions of trafficking (exploitation) is not uncommon in the sex work industry, the other features of trafficking are not commonly experienced. Deception is not common in recruitment, most sex workers live and work in the same city and have done so since they started the work, and most enter the work voluntarily…indeed, surprising as it was even to us, we found that there was very little trafficking into the sex work industry in Cape Town.[13]
The apparent contradictions between reports of trafficking by the IOM and other organizations and studies of commercial sex work suggest that more research into the practices of commercial sex workers is a necessary component of better informed policy making and ongoing debates regarding issues such as decriminalization. This study, as part of a larger study focused on small and micro-scale entrepreneurs primarily located in Soweto, contributes to this knowledge by reporting on the experiences of a small number of commercial sex workers in Gauteng province, specifically Johannesburg, with mobile communications and preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Using qualitative interviews and drawing on a number of secondary sources, the study reports on the habits and use of a variety of communications technologies among commercial sex workers, and how these practices contribute to sex workers’ ability to connect to other sex workers and their clients for protection, information, and monetary gain. Others have written about the effect of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on the commercial sex work landscape in South Africa.[14]
Commercial Sex Work in South Africa: Review
There are a number of important studies outlining the nature of commercial sex work in South Africa. Gould and Fick outlined the division between street-based and brothel-based sex workers in Capetown, finding a total of 1,209 sex workers operating in these two divisions.[15] Fick found that the majority of commercial sex workers in Cape Town were female (93%) whose ages ranged from 18 – 54, although the preponderance were between 22 and 29 years of age.[16]
Wojcicki [17] conducted a study in Soweto and Hammerskrall among females who engage in sex-for-money exchanges, and noted that “commercial sex work was not a problem in these areas,” but that it was practiced in the downtown areas of Johannesburg such as Hillbrow. This article also suggests that the “sex-for-money exchange that transpires in the tavern is accepted on some level and not understood to be the same as commercial sex work.”[18] It is important to remember that in South Africa, the practice of commercial sex work varies from city to city; for example, sex work in Hillbrow tends to be more “hotel based” with a high proportion of migrants.[19]
Defining the difference between decriminalization and legalization is also an important aspect of the ongoing debate regarding commercial sex work and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Decriminalization refers to “scrapping all laws which specifically criminalise sex work” while legalization or legislation regarding commercial sex work would “involve the development of new laws dealing with sex work.”[20] The difference between these two positions is important; the implications of legalization include the ability of the government to control the movement and practices of commercial sex workers in ways that decriminalization does not. In addition, decriminalization will allow harsher, more specific penalties for those who force individuals into commercial sex work, for those who participate in or promote child prostitution, and for those involved in the trafficking of human beings.[21] Possible benefits of decriminalization could include increased ability of sex workers to negotiate condom use with clients, leading to greater efficacy of HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns; reduction of society’s stigmatization of sex workers, leading to less risky behavior on the part of commercial sex workers; and the possibility of sex workers being on the “front lines” of programs to prevent trafficking.[22] Finally, in considering the issue of decriminalization of commercial sex work in terms of the 2010 FWC, Bird and Donaldson interviewed a variety of stakeholders in Cape Town to frame the debate regarding legalization and decriminalization. Their findings suggested that these stakeholders, who included representatives from Cape Town city Health, Tourism, and Environment and Development departments, among others, “mostly view[ed] pro-decriminalization in a positive light,” although they also reported that participants tended to conflate decriminalization with an increase in child prostitution and trafficking.[23]
The decriminalization debate and the attendant implications have been the focus of much of the ongoing discussion regarding commercial sex workers in South Africa. While this is a critical issue, commercial sex workers also deal with at least two of the same challenges that other small and micro-scale entrepreneurs do: how to find new customers, and how to maintain and strengthen their networks. Part of the solution to some of these problems lies in the use of mobile communication. It is obvious to even the most casual observer of South African society that mobile communication occupies a prominent place in most people’s lives. During the course of this study, South Africans had access to four cellular service providers: Cell-C, MTN, Virgin Mobile, and Vodacom, each of which was offering both pay-as-you go and contract arrangements for cell phone users. James and Versteeg suggest that as recently as 2005 mobile phone penetration in South Africa was as low as 36.4%. They note that “mobile phones are often divided among people,” suggesting that this seemingly low penetration rate should not be used to equate subscribers to users.[24] According to the International Telecommunications Union, however, in 2007 there were 97 cell phones per 100 inhabitants within South Africa.[25] What’s more, some industry analysts interviewed by Reuters suggest that there is a possibility of greater than 100% penetration rate, given that many people may own multiple SIM cards which move from phone to phone. The same Reuters article notes that penetration rates in 2007 were between 60 and 70% of South Africans.[27] For the purposes of this paper, it is adequate to acknowledge widespread use of the devices and the corresponding ability of participants to connect to clients and each other using mobile communications.
Mobile communication also includes access to the Internet, which is often achieved through tethering a mobile device to a laptop or with a cellular modem connected to a USB port on a laptop. In addition, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) include terrestrial wireless IP services such as iBurst and Neotel, as well as wired ADSL connections provided by Telkom. These are the most commonly mentioned ISPs among participants in this study; the ISP Directory (www.ispdirectory.co.za) notes 209 ISPs providing dial-up and ADSL services. Smart or semi-smart phones also allow the user to access social networking sites like Facebook, engage in low-cost chatting through the MXit service, check email, and surf the web. Previous research in this area include Donner and Gitau, who have identified three categories of mobile internet users: those who access the Internet using a cell phone are categorized as mobile only, mobile primary, or PC primary, depending on their use of other devices.[27] Other scholars have focused their attention on the use of the devices among teens, students, and socially excluded populations. These studies have often included analysis of the use of MXit.[28] There is no literature at present, however, which discusses the role of mobile communication in the lives of commercial sex workers.
Mobile communication has the potential to reinforce or reconfigure the relationships between people, adding to individuals’ stores of social capital. Putnam defines the concept of social capital as “connections among individuals – social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them.”[29] For commercial sex workers involved in informal economic activities, connections to members of peer networks could potentially have more impact on entrepreneurial success than could an equivalent network of formal or informal entrepreneurs in other businesses, because these economic activities are less risky and not stigmatized. Whether the use of mobile communication contributes to social capital, and the results of this increased social capital on business practices, is therefore of concern in this study.
The ability to benefit from the potential of mobile communication in terms of social capital also depends on the gender of the user. Norris and Inglehart noted that women’s involvement in organizations, a measure of social capital, tends to be limited to those organizations that reflect “traditional female roles,” while men’s tends to be more closely connected with economic opportunity and efficiency.[30] For female sex workers, the utility of mobile communications may differ from that of male sex workers.
This article is focused on the experiences of a relatively small number of commercial sex workers who mainly do business in downtown Johannesburg. As part of a larger study which included more than 50 small and micro-scale entrepreneurs, my intention here is to shed light on the use of mobile communication technologies among commercial sex workers. The structural and cultural issues surrounding commercial sex work in South Africa, while always a moving target, have been and are continuing to be investigated by local and international researchers with strong connections to the industry. This paper is intended to supplement those studies by describing some of the characteristics and implications, especially on social capital, of the use of mobile communication among commercial sex workers in Johannesburg.
I began the study with several general research questions in mind, which were gradually refined as the research continued. Of key interest are the ways in which small and micro scale entrepreneurs, both formal and informal, understand the impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup on their economic opportunities and challenges; how mobile communications contributes to developing and reinforcing networks among small and micro scale entrepreneurs interested in benefiting from the 2010 World Cup; and how the networks created by the use of mobile communications influence individual entrepreneurs’ decision making processes regarding the opportunities connected to the 2010 FWC and beyond. This paper is focused on the experiences of commercial sex workers prior to the 2010 FWC, with follow up research to be conducted after the event.
Methods
Participants and Setting
Prior to any fieldwork, the Institutional Review Board at Ohio University approved this study. All participants were informed in advance of an interview of potential risks and benefits of the research, as well as their right to decline to respond to any questions or to terminate an interview at any time. In addition, participants were supplied with the researcher’s contact information so that they could request their contribution to the study be removed at any time after the interview. Participants were given a monetary token (R100, approximately $12 at the time of the study) as compensation for their time. Seven participants took part in formal, semi-structured interviews, which were later transcribed and analyzed using Atlas.ti qualitative data management software. In addition, I met informally with two participants and another researcher on a separate occasion. Interviews took place in locations such as coffee shops, pubs, or at the RHRU offices in downtown Johannesburg.
In order to recruit participants, I engaged a number of approaches. The most direct was to respond by phone to classified advertisements in one of the Johannesburg major dailies. This method proved mostly unsuccessful, as only one person, Paris, agreed to meet for a discussion. It did, however, yield a number of interesting insights into the use of communications among commercial sex workers. The classified section has an extensive list of advertisements for commercial sex workers. In addition, many of these advertisements mix a phone number with a web address, and some advertise other converged services, such as an interactive strip show on the customer’s cell phone or a “flirtatious” chat session. The ongoing convergence of mobile communication, merging voice communication and an Internet presence, allows commercial sex workers new opportunities to promote themselves and provide services to potential customers. One of the strategies I used when attempting to recruit participants by phone was to explain the research as succinctly as possible, and then move to asking about the individual’s experience with the 2009 Confederations Cup, which took place in the month of June. Recent radio programs had featured at least one discussion with a commercial sex worker and her experiences with the Confederations Cup. As a trial run for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Confederations Cup was expected to yield some insights into what would occur during the World Cup. Occasionally, this led to colorful responses, such as “the Confederations Cup was shit, the World Cup will be shit!” After the explanation and a few pleasantries, respondents generally politely declined to meet for an interview, and one or two simply cut the call. By the time I had given up on this method, I had called at least 20 numbers; many more remained on the page, but my poor success rate suggested I try another recruitment technique.
Other participants were recruited through contacts within the Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit (RHRU) at Wits University in Johannesburg. One individual, an artisan who was staying in Soweto and a participant in the larger study, introduced me to a commercial sex worker who worked in a downtown Johannesburg hotel. Other interviews were arranged by RHRU staff. I also conducted an informal discussion with a supplier, who provided some background into the issues facing commercial sex workers who operate in brothels. I was unable to gain permission from this individual to use our discussion in this article, but credit much of my (still limited) understanding of the industry to our conversation.
As subjects of media attention in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, some South African commercial sex workers had recently been “outed” to their families by careless journalists. While I was conducting this research, several participants reminded me that they had adopted the slogan “nothing about us without us” which has been most recently used in this context by Jurgens to promote the involvement of illegal drug users in HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns.[31] The slogan also has a long history with the international disability movement to promote meaningful, participatory policy making for those with disabilities. In a research project such as this one, it reminds the researcher to include participants in the research agenda and to ensure that the final result adequately conveys the experiences of participants. I attempt in this paper to present participants’ experiences as accurately as possible, within the limitations of my own experiences as a temporary resident of South Africa.
Participants operated in a variety of locations around Johannesburg, and they each had a different strategy for locating their business activities. While Gould and Fick describe the characteristics of brothel-based and street based sex workers, the participants in this study also included those who I characterize as entirely mobile, with no favored location, and those who operated in downtown Johannesburg hotels, which do not exactly fit into Gould and Ficks’ description of a brothel.[32] Male sex workers do work on the street, but the more covert nature of male sex work means that they are highly reliant on networks and communication for business arrangements which may take place at a location of the client’s choosing. In addition, one participant did business at a suburban house. This house did not operate exactly as a brothel, but more as a boarding house. One of the participants, Paris, told me that the house in which she worked was shared by a changing number of occupants, but at the time of our discussion, there were only two who paid the R250 daily fee for the use of a room, which included sleeping and any other use of the house. Occupants operate independently and are free to come and go as they desire, as long as the daily fee is paid. Should she decide to take a break from her work, Paris is free to do so, depending on her financial situation. She told me “I take like, long breaks…I didn’t work, like maybe 5 months break, or two months.”
Of the seven commercial sex workers who participated in this study, six are South African, and one is a foreign national from Zimbabwe. Three are male and four female. Pseudonyms suggested by participants have been used, which are shown in table 1. Results also include input from several other entrepreneurs from the larger study who contributed to the decriminalization debate and the use of mobile communications. Interviews were conducted in English; there was the occasional sentence or phrase in Afrikaans or isiZulu which I translated to the best of my ability.
Table 1: Pseudonyms and Location Preference
Pseudonym
Location Preference
Paris
Suburban House
Zake
Non-located
Zanele
Street
Sibusisiwe
Hotel
Busi
Street
Msizi
Non-located
Jacob
Non-located
Data Analysis
Recordings were transcribed and subject to textual analysis using Atlas.ti qualitative management software. Because this paper is part of a larger project which includes more than 50 interviews and at least 1000 pages of transcription, the use of such software has allowed me to keep track of thousands of individual quotations from participants, which I have coded, categorized, and thematized. The software allows me to group, search, and filter quotations and codes according to participants, which is this case allows me to focus on the experiences of commercial sex workers. One of the benefits to the use of software for data analysis is that the connection to quotations is always maintained. Selecting a specific code allows the researcher to display each of the quotations connected to it, thus reinforcing the connection to the participants’ words. As explained by Glaser and Strauss, coding requires the researcher to perform several iterations on the same data.[33] For me, this meant coding several interviews, examining the codes I had created, refining the codes as necessary, and then returning to the previously coded interviews to check the fit of the refined codes with the selected quotations.
Validity and Reflexivity
Validity refers to the accuracy of the researcher’s interpretations of the data. As the research instrument, the researcher bears the load not only of collecting data that can be used to create a right interpretation of the behavior of research participants,[34] but is also required to constantly reflexively asses their position in the process in order to develop this “right interpretation.” Simply having a large collection of transcribed interviews does not necessarily increase the “truth value” of the research. With the realization that this project involves what is essentially textual analysis of more than 1000 pages of interviews and field notes, I am aware that more than one interpretation of the data exists. I also contend that the number of reasonable interpretations is limited, rather than infinite, and I have used strategies such as member checking and triangulation with observation and secondary document analysis to assess that validity of my interpretations. In conducting research in the digital age, the researcher is not limited to “parachuting in,” collecting his data, and leaving to form his own interpretation of events. Instead, today’s qualitative researcher has the responsibility to continually check the results of his interpretation with members of the community with whom he has created the data. For me, this is a process of contacting participants and key informants through email, Facebook, and telephone.
When I use quotes from participants, I generally present them as they occurred in our conversation. When appropriate, I have added words to clarify or removed my own question, if it is not necessary to the meaning of the quote. I normally remove filler words such as “um,” “ah,” and “like.” Words added to clarify meaning are marked with brackets, and the use of ellipsis indicates that I have removed a word or phrase from myself or another interviewer. The choice of what quotes to use is dictated by my interpretation of the way in which the quotation fits into the overall purpose of the paper, which is to explain the use of mobile communication, its relationship with the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the effect of its use of participants’ stores of social capital.
Data
Mobile communication among participants described in this article has several characteristics which are distinct from those who are not involved in commercial sex work. First, participants use multiple devices or SIM cards to maintain a strict separation between their work and personal lives. Five of the seven participants had either multiple handsets or multiple SIM cards which they shared with a single handset. One of the participants who presently used one handset was planning to purchase another one as soon as her finances allowed. When asked about how many phones she has, Paris answers simply that “I have, I do have two phones. And I use the other one for my personal stuff, but at the moment, I’m using this like for both business and personal…and the other one is for business.” In order to maintain the separation between work and personal lives, Paris noted that she always turns off her phones when she is with a client. Busi describes her need for two phones as follows:
Two, I have two…because, I have a lot of clients, like, during the day from now, and my phone can ring anytime, right now, that the client needs me. He will come to a hotel, or, in his office.
Researcher: So that’s how you keep it separate.
Busi: Yes, because sometimes my brother can call me and he’ll be like, joking, and then I’ll be thinking that I’m talking to a client, when I’m talking to my brother.
Busi’s family, who are in KwaZulu-Natal, believe she is a waitress in Johannesburg. Were they to find out that she is a commercial sex worker, Busi notes that her mother “will even have a heart attack.”
While every entrepreneur in the study which includes these participants uses mobile communication to communicate with clients, for some commercial sex workers, the cell phone is either the only or the most critical tool in their marketing. Jacob describes his use of mobile communication in the following passage:
My main approach, my friend, has been the cell phone. With my cell phone I do wonders, my friend. I connect, even there, on the net, I connect. And once you can have clients, like 10, they will, they will remain in that circle with you for a long time. Because you know, once I have the number for this, contact number for this one, the business can go on, long and long, years and years, with the same person. Depending on your, how you satisfy the person, how you do a business with them. So, I’ve got that level number of people who I know, when I want to do something, they can always contact me, then I do it with them.
Researcher: So tell me about that, the cell phone. Exactly how have you used it to get yourself out there?
Jacob: I pick up things from the computer, my friends phone me, I’ve got, I had a phone that has got Internet, and email and everything…so, I communicate, we arrange to meet somewhere, even in the newspapers in South Africa, you can check inside, there are some columns there where you can, have contact with somebody that, is, you even know, then, you can, the relationship can start. Even business can start that way. But, things have been easy with the net, recently, and with my phone.
The nature of male sex work also relies on the networks created by mobile devices, as suggested by Jacob:
… the other thing is that it’s under cover. You cannot pick it up easily in the society, that there are guys, who are doing that…you’ll never know us. We are picked up via the phone…we don’t cruise the street and look for clients. Our business is telephonical, most of the time. And wherever he goes, where he is going, we know we’re gonna pick up, our, our clients, and clients know where to pick us up. So, the society does not know more about it but it’s existing, plus/minus, 40%, of it, in the vicinity here.
Jacob’s experience with mobile communication includes access to the Internet through his mobile device, but this experience is not typical for all participants. Although mobile communication is an important tool for building and maintaining connections with clients, some expressed reluctance to share this information, or that they only shared it with the most important clients. For example, Sibusisiwe said,
Well, I’m that type of girl, you know. You get different girls, you know, the girls who use their phones, as a, a way of business. Well, I wouldn’t want to get personal with my clients. So I never give them a phone number…I do those, those ones which are valuable. You get what I am saying? They give me money, and stuff like that. But not everyone. You get those girls who work, only with their phones, and maybe on the computer and something like that. But I’m not that girl, you get what I’m saying?
One aspect of mobile communication which seems to maintain the somewhat impersonal nature of communication between commercial sex workers and their clients is the use of SMS messaging. Sibusisiwe, who is reluctant to share her number with clients, nonetheless reports using SMS to contact them:
Researcher: To your regulars, you SMS them?
Sibusisiwe: Yeah, they SMS me, I SMS them, yeah.
Researcher: …let’s say you were just having a slow week or, slow couple of days, do you get in touch with someone?
Sibusisiwe: Yeah. You see, it’s all about, um, I mean, thank God they made the phone. You know, the cell phone, because right now, the person can just get me at any place.
Another way in which participants use the mobile device to interact with clients is to receive airtime from them. In the present South African cellular marketplace, the party who places the call bears the entire cost of the call; this is known as the Calling Party Pays (CPP) system. Through this system, one can transfer credit to another SIM card in a remote handset; Busi and Zanele report that this is one benefit they often receive from their regular clients:
Busi: And some of the clients they will send you airtime. Like, top 5, top 10.
Zanele: You call them, can you buy me airtime?
Busi: …ask for airtime, they send it.
Zanele: And then they send the airtime.
Mobile communications also function as a way for commercial sex workers use the devices to share information amongst themselves. Msizi describes one aspect of this communication:
We communicate within ourselves for our safety and protection…so that, if there is a violent client in Yeoville, I can inform my, fellow sex workers in Braamfontein, that hey, there is this guy who’s driving in this car, this car certain number plate, registration number is this and this, don’t go out with that guy, you know? So that, ah, you know, we cannot be exposed to violence and exploitation of clients.
In addition to using SMS messages to contact clients, female sex workers who work on the street suggested that using SMS is a more secure way to communicate within their network. My discussion with Zanele and Busi, who often work on the street together, revealed the following:
Researcher: Do you SMS, or do you phone; if it was, like, 2 in the morning, would you send her an SMS, or would you phone her?
Busi: …mostly we do SMS, because it’s dangerous to pick up the phone at night.
Zanele: Yeah.
Busi: You can kind of hide.
Researcher: So if you were to look at your SMSs, would they be mostly to other sex workers, or to clients, or, mixed?
Zanele: To sex workers.
Busi: Mostly, ah, sex workers and clients both. Both. Because we are so connected. We are working, we are working in Sandton, and they are, we have friends downtown, we have friends here in Hillbrow because, sometimes we work here in Hillbrow.
Using SMS is a critical component of commercial sex workers’ communication strategy and allows them to not only maintain contact with clients but to share information among members of their own networks.
In addition to using a cellular handset to access the Internet, participants also use a PC either at home or in an Internet café for this purpose. While some participants reported high proficiency with these devices, others either used it minimally or not at all. For example, when I asked Zake how often he checked email, he reported that he had a computer at home that is his “my personal one…I use it to run the business. You know, it’s in my home.” Msizi also noted that one could only use a personal computer at home for business, because he may email adult content to potential clients. He also noted that during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, they would coordinate with sex workers from other countries:
Emails, we are sending each other emails, telling them the environment here, how is it going to happen, what will be happening. So we know we are also having our people who will be coming, who are doing the same business that we will be doing…and they will gonna be easy for us, to, get to the people from their countries, like my friends in Argentina, when they come here with the Argentinean, it will be a client exchange. It’s gonna be easy for us, it’s a client exchange, and client interaction. They tell me how to approach the Argentinean people, and I tell them also how to approach our people you know?
Whether or not this type of client exchange took place as anticipated is not clear. Data from the time period of the 2010 FWC suggests, however, that there was no significant influx of foreign sex workers, and that most female sex workers saw the same number of clients during the World Cup as before.[35] Other research found that “there were not significantly more clients seen per sex worker during the World Cup period” although “a proportion of the local clients of sex workers who advertise in newspapers may have been temporarily replaced by foreign clients during the Soccer World Cup.”[36] These findings suggest that while commercial sex workers may have seen more foreign clients during the 2010 FIFA World Cup than they typically do, the financial results of the event were likely not significant enough to allow sex workers to leave the profession, as Paris suggested she wanted to do after the event.
Clearly, email and the Internet play a large role in these participants’ arrangements with clients and other sex workers. Paris also used the Internet for self-promotion and communication with friends via Facebook and email; however, in her case, arrangements with clients were generally made telephonically rather than via email. She reported that her clients “always call…they see my ad on the Internet, and they just call.” Busi reported not using email; Zanele noted that she did use it for family but nor for making arrangement with clients. When I asked Zanele whether she would use the Internet for advertising, she emphatically replied “no, no, no, no, no.” Busi said that when she started using email she would use it to communicate with clients from overseas.
I can, use it, but, with like, you are saying, with the client maybe, outside from South Africa, the client that I’ve met before, they might connect, with network, by ah, email...then maybe, yeah. OK.
Sibusisiwe also suggested that she was “computer illiterate.” While she had a contact who was showing her how to use the Internet and was setting up an online profile for her, she was unsure about whether the increased exposure was a good idea.
Well, I was, ah, learning something, there’s a guy up here who’s teaching me that day, I will get a laptop soon. I don’t know, hopefully I will learn that stuff…quickly. It’s not hard. It’s not ah, you know. It’s just, something that you can do.
Researcher: Mm hmm. Do you use the computer for anything else besides email, surfing the web? Does it, I mean, does it contribute to the business at all?
Sibusisiwe: Well, yeah, it does. Well, I’ve got this guy, who, ah, you know, who’s putting my, my profile, and everything. But I hate it because I wouldn’t want that, you know, he he.
While all participants mentioned a sharp division that they carefully preserved between their personal and work lives, Sibusisiwe and Zanele were the only participants who mentioned an unwillingness to use the Internet in the form of email or other web promotion to recruit new clients. This was partially due to the perceived risk that they would be found out by family members, and in addition, to what I interpret as an understanding of the Internet as a public place in which privacy is difficult to preserve.
Discussion
Participants use mobile communication to connect to clients, to facilitate the division between their personal and work lives, and to share information within their own networks. The 2010 FIFA World Cup, and the corresponding debate about decriminalization, has had a number of effects on commercial sex workers perceptions of the benefits from the event. While all mentioned that the Confederations Cup had been a disappointment in terms of increased profits, they also all believed that the 2010 FWC would be a financial windfall. Paris, laughing, said “I think we’re gonna make a lot of money.” When I asked Sibusisiwe why she thought the 2010 FWC would be a success, she said, “people are looking forward, to it. Because everyone will be coming inside this country, I mean people, you know, I mean, come on now, people are getting ready for it.” Busi and Zanele expressed cautious optimism but noted that their success depended on the government. Busi said “government, should give us a chance, because, there are a lot of sex workers, who will come, from outside, from the States, from China, wherever. And when they come here, they will get an opportunity, to take the pound, from outside, from us.”
The perception of increased competition, not only during the 2010 FWC, is an important aspect of sex work in Johannesburg. Wojcicki and Malala reported that the competition between female sex workers in Hillbrow hotels was so fierce that women sometimes physically threatened and beat up other women and marketed themselves to clients by offering unprotected sex.[37] The belief that foreign prostitutes will increase competition during the 2010 FWC is one of the arguments made for decriminalization by some participants. Male sex workers, on the other hand, did not mention competition from foreign sex workers and were in fact positively anticipating the opportunities connected to their ability to network with them. Their familiarity with the Internet and ability to develop connections to both clients and other sex workers overseas informed their perception of the opportunities connected to the event.
In general, male sex workers perceptions of personal safety in their working lives are much more positive than those of female sex workers, especially those who prefer to work on the street. Female sex workers reported police harassment, rape, and detention without charge, in addition to experiencing violence at the hands of clients. They also reported being more afraid than male sex workers regarding their health, as they all mentioned that condoms break and accidents happen. Male sex workers, by contrast, report that the hidden nature of their work makes it unlikely for clients to harass them, that the police are unaware of male sex work or squeamish about arresting them, and that their use of “Rough Rider” condoms protects them from diseases. In terms of their use of mobile communication, they reported engaging in an “each one, teach one” campaign to spread the word among sex workers of both genders about the utility of mobile communications for proactively sharing information about dangerous clients or police harassment. Msizi explained this campaign during our discussion:
Researcher: And this, this network that you use to help each other out, I mean, how well established is it, I mean, does everybody use it, does only a few people know about it?
Msizi: It’s few people but eh, the, we are using the thing that each one teach one, each one, teach one. Since we have undergone this, Population Council, they have trained us, mentally for a lot of things, how to protect each other, so we are doing this on SMS bundles, you know SMS bundles, sending the SMS bundles. If something is happening that side, I say hey, the police are raiding there, it doesn’t only help us male sex workers. It also helps our sisters, female sex workers, we also, we do also inform them. If I’m in a certain spot and the police are raiding for sex workers, I can send a message on that side, whereby they have not yet arrived there, to let them be alerted, that hey, on this side, the, the police are coming.
Using SMS bundles to communicate among sex workers of all genders is an appropriate use of technology, given that nearly everyone in South Africa has at least one cell phone and that sex workers have mentioned that this is an effective communication technique for sharing information.
While all participants are aware of the financial possibilities connected to the 2010 FWC, not all take an interest in the decriminalization debate. For Paris, who works from a house in the suburbs, whether sex work is decriminalized or not makes no difference to her. She said “legal, illegal, we’ll still make our money, so…” Zake also noted that “I don’t think it’s a big idea, about decriminalization. Because ah, we do things safe, safe, it’s very safe… I have to make my business very good and smooth and everything, and to do everything, clean.” Whether a sex worker will be interested in decriminalization depends to some extent to where they do business. For those on the street, like Busi and Zanele, decriminalization is a critical issue; for Sibusisiwe, who works in a hotel, decriminalization or legalization would help to reduce the level of violence surrounding commercial sex work:
I think it’s perfect. You legalize people, you know. Because ah, you don’t, there will be too much chaos…and a lot of people will be, I mean, there will be a lot of violence and that type of, you know, a lot. You get what I’m saying. If, they, they legalize, yeah, that can just be, you know…because people will be trying to get money whichever way, girls, I mean, I mean, there will be plenty of girls doing this shit.
Msizi expressed the idea of decriminalization as an opportunity to benefit from the 2010 FWC, noting that “there are some countries whereby it’s legal, and those people are using the opportunities on coming to big events like this in our country, to make those dollars, rands, and pounds. And, World Cup must also, and Confederations Cup, benefit us.”
For the participants in this study, the tension between competition and opportunities connected to the 2010 FWC, while perhaps mainly attributable to issues of gender, also followed those who used the Internet for promotion and communication (Zake, Msizi, Jacob, and Paris) and those who did not (Busi, Zanele, and Sibusisiwe). The experiences of these seven participants suggest that the increased social capital that comes from the use of these technologies, particularly the Internet and especially in terms of connections to potential clients overseas, is related to individuals’ ability to anticipate and plan more adequately for mega-events like the 2010 FWC. This is not to diminish the value of the use of mobile communication for SMS or voice communication, which play an important role in sharing information and raising awareness among commercial sex workers, as shown in the “each one, teach one” campaign. The use of these techniques which target the most accessible media, however, do not increase members’ ability to use other technologies such as the Internet. While some participants report taking part in Internet or computer classes, considering how to use these technologies within the network of commercial sex workers, either through mobile devices or PCs, to share some of the same information they now share via SMS, would contribute significantly to their ability to use the technology for networking with clients on a global scale and allow them to benefit from an increasingly smaller world. While “there was a small increase in the number of female sex workers who advertised online and in newspapers” (Richter & Delva, 2010, p. 5), more research is needed to determine the relationship between online advertising and international clientele for CSWs.
Conclusions
The 2010 FIFA World Cup has had significant effects on commercial sex workers’ use of mobile communications. Participants in this study discussed greater use of the Internet and email to connect to sex workers in other countries, increased awareness of the implications of decriminalization on their business during the 2010 FWC, and the possible negative effects of increased competition during the event. I argue that those sex workers who make use of the Internet for promotion and communication with other sex workers and clients outside South Africa were more likely to perceive greater opportunities connected to the 2010 FWC, despite the challenges of competition and a government unwilling to decriminalize their profession before the event. In addition, I suggest that while networks based on the most accessible technology are effective at sharing crucial information with members, addressing the technology gap within the network will assist those who do not use technologies (such as the Internet or email) to build their skills and interact more effectively with those outside their network, allowing them to benefit from increased opportunities to connect to overseas clients. It seems clear from research conducted after the event that the 2010 FIFA World Cup did not contribute significantly to those CSWs interviewed for this paper; perhaps the substitution of overseas clients for local clients resulted in a less-than-hoped-for overall economic result.
This study has several limitations and opportunities for further research. A follow-up study should include additional participants, as the number of commercial sex workers with whom I had discussions was perhaps inadequate to represent other, unanticipated outcomes. Ideally, such a study would also include increased focus on the ways in which participants use mobile devices to access the Internet and how mobile communication can contribute to building participants’ skills, especially for the Internet and other social media. Further study should also continue the comparison between those who use the Internet for promotion and communication and those who do not to determine whether these issues continue to impact participants’ perceptions of competition and challenges as mobile devices become increasingly connected to the Internet. Although the 201 FIFA World Cup was an interesting event with significant impacts a number of segments for South African society, it appears that for commercial sex workers, it was not the anticipated boom described by some in this paper. Therefore, continued study of the use of mobile communication by CSWs in South African cities should yield useful data on the relationship between the use of online technologies and the perception of opportunities, either to connect to new clients or for the purposes of empowerment.
[1]IRIN (2009, Dec. 8), South Africa: Safer sex for soccer fans and sex workers, http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=87370
[2] Kohler, S. (2004, May 10),
Zuma: 2010 World Cup Bid farewell banquet, ¶7 of http://www.polity.org.za/article/zuma-2010-world-cup-bid-farewell-banquet-10052004-2004-05-10
[3] The Presidency (2004, May 14), Mbeki: Presentation to FIFA on SA’s bid for 2010 soccer World Cup, ¶24 of http://www.polity.org.za/article/mbeki-presentation-to-fifa-on-sas-bid-for-2010-soccer-world-cup-14052004-2004-05-14
[4] 2010safwc (n.d.), 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, retrieved May 1, 2009 from http://www.2010safwc.com/
[5] FIFA (2010, Sept. 23), South Africa’s FIFA World Cup—A success at home and abroad, retrieved December 5, 2011 from http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/southafrica2010/organisation/media/newsid=1305767/index.html; Johwa, W. (2010), World Cup was a success—Zuma, retrieved Dec. 5, 2011 from http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=114514
[6] Kim, H. J., Gursoy, D., & Lee, S-B. (2006), The impact of the 2002 World Cup on South Korea: Comparisons of pre- and post-games,
Tourism Management 27(1): p. 87 (86–96).
[7] . Pillay, U., & Bass, O. (2009), Mega-events as a response to poverty reduction: The 2010 FIFA World Cup and its urban development implications,
Urban Forum 19(2): p. 330 (329–346); Matheson, V. A., & Baade, R. A. (2004), Mega-sporting events in developing nations: Playing the way to prosperity? The South African Journal of Economics 72(5): p. 1085 (1085–1096).
[8] . Abbany, Z. (2006, June 1), Soccer, sex workers and the single male, Deutsche Welle, www.dw-world.de
[9] Hennig, J., Craggs, S., Laczko, F., & Larsson, F. (2006), Trafficking in human beings and the 2006 World Cup in Germany, an IOM white paper, quote from p. 5, http://www.lastradainternational.org/lsidocs/523%20Trafficking%20and%20the%20World%20Cup%20(IOM).pdf
[10] Richter, M., Chersich, M., Ndlovu, D., Maritz, G., Temmerman, M., & Sisonke (organization) (2010), Sex work and the 2010 Soccer World Cup: Violation of sex worker human rights persists, unpublished manuscript; Portfolio Committee on Justice (2010, Aug. 3), World Cup dedicated courts—Human trafficking during the 2010 World Cup: Department of Justice Briefing, retrieved Dec. 5, 2011 from http://www.pmg.org.za/report/20100803-department-justice-constitutional-development-dedicated-courts-conven
[11] IRIN (2009), op. cit.
[12] Skinner, B. (2010, Jan. 18), South Africa’s new slave trade and the campaign to stop it, http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1952335,00.html
[13] Gould, C., & Fick, N. (2008), Selling sex in Cape Town,Institute for Security Studies, quote from p. 6, http://www.iss.co.za
[14] Richter, M., & Delva, W. (2010), Maybe it will be better once this World Cup has passed, research findings regarding the impact of the 2010 Soccer World Cup on Sex Work in South Africa, United Nations Populations Fund –UNFPA; Richter, M., & Massawe, D. (2010b), Did South Africa’s soccer bonanza bring relief to sex workers in SouthAfrica? The 2010 FIFA World Cup and the impact on sex work,
Agenda 85:21–30.
[15] Gould & Fick (2008), op. cit., p. 33.
[16] Fick, N. (2005), Demographic survey, unpublished fact sheet, ¶5, Cape Town: SWEAT.
[17] Wojcicki, J. M. (2000)
[18] Wojcicki, J. M. (2000), quotes are from p. 348 and then p. 346..
[19] Marlise Richter, personal communication, April 28, 2010.
[20] Sisonke (organization), (n.d.),
Sisonke manual, quotes are from p. 11, www.sweat.org.za
[21] Gould & Fick (2008), op. cit.
[22] Lalu, V. (2007), Considering decriminalization of sex work as a health issue in South Africa: The experience of SWEAT, http://www.kit.nl/net/KIT_Publicaties_output/ShowFile2.aspx?e=1280 ; Wojcicki, J. M., & Malala, J. (2001), Condom use, power, and HIV/AIDS risk: Sex-workers bargain for survival in Hillbrow/Joubert Park/Berea, Johannesburg,
Social Science & Medicine 53( 1), 99–121.
[23] Bird, R., & Donaldson, R. (2009), Sex, sun, soccer:Stakeholder-opinions on the sex industry in Cape Town in anticipation of the 2010 FIFA soccer World Cup,
Urban Forum 20( 1), p. 44 (33–46).
[24] James, J., & Versteeg, M. (2007), Mobile phones in Africa: How much do we really know?
Social Indicators Research 84(1), p. 118 (117–126).
[25] International Telecommunications Union (2007),
ITU World Telecommunications/ICT Indicators Database, retrieved February 28, 2009 from http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ICTEYE/Indicators/Indicators.aspx#
[26] Reuters (2007, March 14 ), S. African cell phone penetration could double—MTN,
Reuters UK, http://uk.reuters.com/article/UK_SMALLCAPSRPT/idUKL1462495220070314
[27] . Donner, J., & Gitau, S. (2009), New paths: Exploring mobile-centric internet use in South Africa, pre-conference proceedings at the International Communication Association conference, http://lirneasia.net/2009/05/mobile20beyond-voice-ica-pre-conference-papers-for-download/
[28] Bosch, T. (2008), Wots ur ASLR? Adolescent girls' use of MXit in Cape Town,
Commonwealth Journal of Youth Studies 6(2):; Chigona, W., Kamkwenda, G., & Saffia Manjoo, S. (2008), The uses and gratifications of mobile internet among the South African students, South African Journal of Information Management 10(3): Chigona, W., Beukes, D., Vally, J., & Tanner, M. (2009), Can mobile internet help alleviate social exclusion in developing countries? Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries 36(7): 1–16.
[29] Putnam, R. (2000),
Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community, New York: Simon & Schuster, p. 19.
[30] Norris, P., & Inglehart, R. (2006), Gendering social capital: Bowling in women’s leagues, in B. O’Neill & E. Gidengil (Eds.),
Gender and social capital, New York: Routledge, p. 74 (73–98).
[31] Jurgens, R. (2008), Nothing about us without us—Greater, meaningful involvement of people who use illegal drugs: A public health, ethical, and human rights imperative (international edition), Toronto, Ontario: Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Open Society Institute, http://www.aidslaw.ca/publications/interfaces/downloadFile.php?ref=1314
[32] Gould & Fick (2008), op. cit.
[33] Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967),
Discovery of grounded theory, Chicago: Aldine Publishing Company.
[34] Lindlof, T., & Taylor, B. (2002),
Qualitative communication research methods (2nd Ed.), Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, p. 240.
[35] Richter et al. (2010), op. cit.
[36] Richter & Delva (2010), op. cit., p. 5.
[37] Wojcicki & Malala (2001), op. cit.
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warc | 201704 | Nutritional status and random blood glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride test among Malaysian Army (MA) personnel in Kuala Lumpur
With the rising trend of obesity among the general population, it is also important to assess the obesity and health status among military population. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Malaysian Army (MA) personnel as well as the relationship between selected socio-demographics factors, antropometric profiles, body composition and random blood test value. A cross sectional study involving 378 male military personnel aged between 20 to 48 years old was conducted at two MA bases in Kuala Lumpur between November and December 2012. Antropometric measurements included height, weight and waist circumference (WC). Body fat percentage was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis method (Tanita TBF-300A). Mean height, weight, BMI, WC, body fat percentage, age, monthly income and duration of service were 1.71 ± 0.6 m, 71.7 ± 12.2 kg, 24.6 ± 4.1 kg/m{sup 2}, 87.0 ± 10.0 cm, 23.4 ± 6.6%, 29.1 ± 5.5 years, RM 2115.12 ± 860.70 and 9.9 ± 5.6 years respectively. According to WHO (1998) classification of BMI, 3.2% of the subjects were underweight, 54.8% normal, 32.8% overweight and 9.3% obese. It was obeserved that 40.2% of the subjects had waist circumference value of 90 cm or more andmore »
Authors:
;
; [1]; [2] Nutrition Programme, School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,43600, Selangor (Malaysia) Department of Health Service, Ministry of Defense, Level 11, Menara Park, 50450 (Malaysia) Publication Date: OSTI Identifier: 22263667 Resource Type: Journal Article Resource Relation: Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings; Journal Volume: 1571; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: 2013 UKM FST postgraduate colloquium, Selangor (Malaysia), 3-4 Jul 2013; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Country of Publication: United States Language: English Subject: 62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE; BLOOD; BODY COMPOSITION; CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES; CHOLESTEROL; ELDERLY PEOPLE; GLUCOSE; HAZARDS; MALES; METABOLIC DISEASES; MILITARY PERSONNEL; TRIGLYCERIDES; TUNGSTEN CARBIDES | 2,357 | 1,364 | 0.000749 |
warc | 201704 | This volume addresses questions concerning the interrelations of three important variables: war, images and the Other. The explicit stereotypes and contrasts but also the implicit message in wartime images informs the attentive observer about the aims, motives and ideas of the author of the image. Focusing on caricatures and photographs, the volume brings together various accounts of wartime imagery from mainly Eastern and Central Europe.The photograph is commonly perceived as a faithful record of reality. It is treated as an objective expression of a visual convention, exemplifying the way things are depicted at a given time. Deeper reflection, however, reveals how photography is at all times constructed and contextualised. This shows that we cannot simply take what we are seeing or what we believe is being represented for granted. Photography may also convey information of the group identity of its author, because through its affinity to a particular way of thinking it often refers t ISBN: 9782343072333 | 1,022 | 588 | 0.001704 |
warc | 201704 | For decades, different types of materials have evolved for use to augment or lift the nose (bridge and tip).
1.
Fillers - Either permanent or non-permanent, some doctors inject these materials under the skin for lifting. They, however, have low lifting potential and were observed to spread to surrounding tissues resulting to widening of the nasal bridge and enlargement or lengthening of the Columella (Avatar and Witch look). Further, permanent fillers can cause formation of granulomas and are notorious (at least in the Philippines) for damaging the noses of uninformed or miseducated patients who had injections by non-medical practitioners.
2.
Threads - These are absorbable sutures with "cogs" that will hook to the Dermis and pull the tissues creating lifts. Threads can last less than 6 months and may cause deformities or asymmetries when they unevenly dissolve or lose their pull (in different periods).
3.
Silicone implants - time and tested material for augmenting the nose (of Asians) because it can be carved easily for shaping. Once inside the body, it is encapsulated by a tissue envelope and can be easily removed (surgically in case you want them replaced or removed). Some rejections can happen for oversized implants because of pressure.
4.
PTFE (Goretex) - is a porous synthetic material recently being used for nose lifting. It is softer than Silicone but is quite difficult to carve and more expensive. It gets integrated to the tissue and may be difficult to remove or replace. Sometimes they are combined with Cartilage.
5.
Cartilage - taken from the ear/s, it is preferred when all other implants fail. The procedure may leave a scar on the ear and Cartilage may not have the lifting equivalent of Silicone or Goretex. It is considered to be the most natural with nil reactions since it is harvested from and implanted to the same person (autologous). | 1,893 | 1,002 | 0.001005 |
warc | 201704 | Agile Project Events
The scrum framework consists of a fixed number of events. Each event provides the scrum team transparency into either the product or their processes in order to enable regular inspection and immediate adaptation. In addition to these fixed scrum events, we have also found several other common agile events that complement and increase success of projects under a scrum model. Each of them, combined with the scrum framework are outlined in Platinum Edge's Roadmap to Value:
Stage 1: Agile Strategy Meeting - Vision
The first event held on an agile project is the strategy meeting. Its purpose is to kick off the project and is driven by a vision associated with a strategic business need or goal. This first stage of the Roadmap to Value is not part of scrum, but is commonly and successfully used to establish direction for an agile project. By establishing the product vision, the scrum team clearly defines the end goal of the product aligned with the company strategy, i.e., the 'what' and the 'why' of the product. It should be concise like an elevator pitch, so it is easy to refer back to at any stage of development to ensure that tactically a scrum team is aligning with the overall strategy. Establishing the product vision is the first stage of agile project planning.
Stage 2: Agile Strategy Meeting - Product Roadmap
After your agile project team has created the product vision your next step is to start brainstorming project requirements at the product feature level. This can occur either during the same agile strategy meeting where the product vision was created, or as a separate meeting. Once the initial product feature-level requirements have been created, usually in the form of epic user stories, they are organized by creating a product roadmap. Unlike the product vision, which outlines 'where' you want to go with the product, the product roadmap outlines 'how' you’re going to get there. It is a holistic view of product functionality required to realize the product vision.
These first two stages are vital to ensure an agile project under a scrum model is strategically stable. The following stages provide for tactical flexibility to empirically deliver the highest value possible to the customer.
Stage 3: Release Planning Meeting: Release Plan
After your product vision and product roadmap have been created, you then move on to the product release planning stage. Although not an event specific to scrum, release planning is implicitly part of the agile planning process. During this meeting the agile project team plans the next set of product features to release, and identifies a product launch date around which the team can mobilize. Each release goal establishes the mid-term boundary around specific functionality that will be released to customers to use in the real world. Agile teams plan one release at a time, because the feedback from customers at each release may fundamentally impact what is planned for each subsequent release. Each release goal aligns with the product vision, and the product roadmap also contains the basic structure of future releases if there is more than one release on the project.
Sprint
Stage 4: Sprint Planning Meeting
Each sprint begins with a meeting where the scrum team establishes a sprint goal aligned with the release goal. They also identify the requirements from the product backlog that support the sprint goal and plan the individual tasks it will take to complete each requirement to deliver potentially shippable functionality by the end of the sprint. The general agile term for this event is the ‘iteration planning meeting’.
Stage 5: Daily Scrum Meeting
Each day of the sprint, ideally at the same time each day, the scrum team members coordinate and plan the day’s work to be done in less than 15 minutes. Based on what was accomplished the previous day, the development team establishes who will do what during the next day to move closer to accomplishing the sprint goal. Unlike a status reporting meeting, the daily scrum is used to empirically plan, adjust and remove roadblocks. The general agile term for this event is the ‘daily standup meeting’.
Stage 6: Sprint Review Meeting
At the end of every sprint, the scrum team meets together with the project stakeholders to inspect and adapt the product by reviewing the sprint goal and demonstrating the working product functionality completed during the sprint. The sprint review meeting is the opportunity for the product owner to gather feedback from stakeholders to help determine if the scrum team is delivering the desired value to the customer. The feedback received is added to the product backlog and prioritized by the product owner for consideration in future sprints. The general agile term for this event is the ‘iteration review meeting’.
Stage 7: Sprint Retrospective Meeting
The scrum team inspects their processes at the end of every sprint during the sprint retrospective meeting. By exploring what went well and what did not go well, the scrum team gathers data and insights of the previous sprint to establish an action plan for improvement, and then executes the plan during an upcoming sprint. The general agile term is the ‘iteration review meeting’.
Product Demonstration Meeting
Although not a specific stage of the Roadmap to Value, the product demonstration meeting is held at the end of each release on an agile project that has more than one release. During this meeting, the agile team 'demonstrates' working features at the release level to the customer, product owner, and any other interested stakeholders. This differs from a sprint or iteration review meeting, where a product component is demonstrated at the end of each sprint or iteration. | 5,816 | 2,314 | 0.000437 |
warc | 201704 | « Back |
Press release: May 13, 2014 Comparison to top saving peers inspires workers to increase retirement savings, putnam investments analysis finds Early Results of Putnam "How Do I Compare" Feature Show Users Dramatically Increasing 401(k) Savings BOSTON, May 13, 2014 — Putnam Investments today released preliminary results from an analysis of its new "How Do I Compare" feature, which enables participants in Putnamadministered 401(k) plans to compare their progress in saving for retirement with the top savers in their peer group. Early results over the past month were based on nearly 10,000 workers who have used the feature to evaluate their progress in saving for retirement found that social comparison had a sizeable, 28 percent lift in deferral rates from 7.5 percent to 9.6 percent.
Launched last month, the new "How Do I Compare" feature is integrated into Putnam's Lifetime IncomeSM Analysis Tool (LIAT), which projects workers' current savings into estimated future monthly income and offers actionable steps to potentially improve outcome in retirement. The social comparison component enables workers to measure their estimated future monthly income trajectory against their peer averages –– based on several criteria, including age, salary and gender — as well as to the top 10 percent of savers in each category. Initial data of the peer feature indicates a participant deferral boost even beyond the positive increase shown by participants who used the firm's core LIAT experience.
"We recognize that it is human nature to want to know how you stack up with those who save the most and have tried to harness this engrained behavior to help motivate and drive positive action when it comes to retirement savings," said Edmund F. Murphy III, Head of Defined Contribution, Putnam Investments. "Our initial results point to the power of social comparison in providing workers with an incentive to raise their own deferral rates."
The "How Do I Compare" social comparison feature works in combination with several elements already incorporated in the Putnam Lifetime Income Analysis Tool, including the firm's Health Cost Estimator and its Financial Wellness tool. Over the last month, 20% of Putnam plan participants accessing the Putnam LIAT experience made direct use of the social comparison tool.
"We are focused on providing our participants with an enhanced experience that makes it easier for workers to gauge their progress towards pursuing their retirement goals and take immediate steps to change their retirement savings rates as needed," said Murphy. "Our ultimate objective is to help plan sponsors and their participants reach their goals in a meaningful way." said Murphy.
Putnam and Social Media
"Asset management firms –– like Putnam — will increasingly play a role in providing education and forward-thinking content to the broader industry," McKenna explained.
Putnam Lifetime Income Analysis Tool
Introduced in January 2010, Putnam's Lifetime IncomeSM Analysis Tool changed the lens through which 401(k) plan participants view their current retirement savings activities, emphasizing not simply asset accumulation but actual future monthly income needs and shortfall planning. The online experience is intended to help defined contribution plan participants estimate how much monthly income their current retirement savings could generate in retirement compared to what they may need, and then offer actionable steps to help improve their prospects.
Putnam Health Cost Estimator
The Putnam Health Cost Estimator, launched in the spring of 2013, provides 401(k) plan participants with a personalized assessment of how much of their expected future monthly income is likely to be needed to cover their healthcare costs at different ages in retirement, including itemized insights on medical, dental and pharmaceutical expenses. The projections are generated from individual participant data and cost models using proprietary, actuarialbased guidelines and are shown as monthly costs, providing workers with easy-to-understand information that can help them to address potential savings shortfalls.
About Putnam Investments
Founded in 1937, Putnam Investments is a leading global money management firm with over 75 years of investment experience. In February 2014, for the third time in five years, the firm was named one of the top two mutual fund families by Lipper/
Barron's based on the firm's performance across asset classes in the previous year. In 2014, Putnam also was ranked #2 out of 55 fund families for its performance over the past five years. At the end of April 2014, Putnam had $153 billion in assets under management. Putnam has offices in Boston, London, Frankfurt, Beijing, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Singapore and Sydney. For more information, visit http://www.putnam.com.
IMPORTANT: The projections, or other information generated by the Lifetime Income Analysis Tool regarding the likelihood of various investment outcomes, are hypothetical in nature. They do not reflect actual investment results and are not guarantees of future results. The results may vary with each use and over time. The analyses present the likelihood of various investment outcomes if certain investment strategies or styles are undertaken, thereby serving as an additional resource to investors in the evaluation of the potential risks and returns of investment choices.
Each simulation takes into account the participant's current plan balance and investment mix, as well as his or her age, income, retirement date, contribution rate, likely future savings, and estimated Social Security benefit. The tool runs over 50 billion market simulations to provide an estimate of a monthly income likely to be generated at retirement. The Lifetime Income Analysis Tool is an interactive investment tool designed for Putnam 401(k) participants to illustrate the estimated impact of a participant's plan balances and projected savings on income in retirement. The tool takes into account both before-tax and after-tax accumulated balances and future regularly scheduled contributions for estimated projections. It cannot account for dramatic changes in a participant's personal situation, including unexpected expenses and other financial situations that may negatively affect one's estimated monthly income in retirement. You are advised to consider your other assets, income, investment options, investment time horizon, income tax bracket, and risk tolerance when planning for specific investment goals. It is recommended that you consult a financial advisor for more information. It is important to note that the results from this tool are estimates based on what you input today. The results are not a guarantee of actual outcomes and will change as your inputs change.
Health-care costs and projections are provided by HealthView Services, Inc., a third-party vendor. They provide broad, general estimates and information that may help you consider your retirement income needs by better understanding potential health-care costs. This estimate is provided for educational purposes only, and you should not rely on it as the primary basis for your medical, insurance, investment, financial, retirement, or tax planning decisions. Costs are estimated, hypothetical in nature, and not guaranteed. Your actual medical costs will likely vary (sometimes significantly) from the estimates. Putnam does not believe that HIPAA applies to the data obtained from plan participants using this new tool.
Putnam has partnered with LearnVest to provide access to a full range of budgeting and planning tools — including access to a LearnVest financial wellness expert. Fees may apply to certain LearnVest services. Use LearnVest to get a better handle on your day-to-day finances, and to get the help you need to make progress toward all your financial goals.
How Barron'sranked the fund families:
The
Barron's/Lipper Fund Family Ranking published February 8, 2014, ranked Putnam 1 out of 61 for 2009, 14 out of 57 for 2010, 57 out of 58 for 2011, 1 out of 62 for 2012, and 2 out of 64 for 2013 for the 1-year period with funds in five categories: U.S. equity, world equity, mixed asset, taxable bond, and tax-exempt bond. Putnam ranked 43 out of 54 and 46 out of 48 for the 5- and 10-year periods ending 2009, 41 out of 53 and 38 out of 46 for the 5- and 10-year periods ending 2010, 49 out of 53 and 41 out of 45 for the 5- and 10-year periods ending 2011, 27 out of 53 and 36 out of 46 for the 5- and 10-year periods ending 2012, and 2 out of 55 and 32 out of 48 for the 5- and 10-year periods ending 2013, respectively. Only funds with at least one year of performance were included. Returns were calculated minus the effects of sales charges and 12b- 1 fees. Rankings were asset weighted, so larger funds had a greater impact on a fund family's overall ranking, and then weighted by category, with each category assigned a percentage. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Barron's is a registered trademark of Dow Jones & Company. Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of a fund before investing. For a prospectus, or a summary prospectus if available, containing this and other information for any Putnam fund or product, call your financial representative or call Putnam at 1-800-225-1581. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. | 9,518 | 4,027 | 0.000251 |
warc | 201704 | Eating disorders can be characterized into three main types: anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. The characteristics of each disorder differ, but one fact remains: people who suffer from eating disorders have a higher likelihood of suffering from anxiety and depression than those who do not suffer from eating disorders. In fact, up to 80 percent of those with anorexia have suffered major depression at some point, and as many as 80 percent of bulimics have suffered from an anxiety disorder. There are several theories as to why this might happen.
Eating disorders are most likely to afflict young women. Only 5 to 15 percent of sufferers are male. Up to 3 percent of American women will suffer from anorexia in their lifetimes, and up to 4 percent of women will suffer from bulimia. The vast majority (approximately 90 percent) of people who suffer from an eating disorder are between the ages of twelve and twenty-five.
Determining Its Origins Can Be Problematic
It is difficult to determine which comes first – the eating disorder, or the anxiety or depression. What is clear is that low self-esteem and lack of a feeling of control are common traits of the eating disordered patient. Feelings of inadequacy, anger, or loneliness are also possible factors, according to nationaleatingdisorders.org. Others may suffer from troubled personal relationships, physical or sexual abuse, or ongoing body image issues. Some are quick to blame the media for plastering images of too-thin women all over magazines, television, and other forms of media.
Scientists have found that high levels of cortisol and vasopressin are evident in both anorexic patients and people who suffer from depression. These two hormones are released as a response to stress. Too much of the stress hormone in the body is harmful on the immune system and various organs – including the brain.
Two neurotransmitters may also be responsible for the seemingly inseparable link between mood disorders and eating disorders. Serotonin and norepinephrine work to regulate certain functions in the mind and body including appetite, emotions, and sleep. When these regulatory systems are not working properly, the brain cannot communicate messages to the body effectively. This can result in mood disorders and abnormal appetite regulation.
Even if anxiety and depression precede the eating disorder, these mental health concerns certainly do not go away after years of disordered eating. Inadequate nutrition due to self-starvation or purging can cause the shutdown of several functions within the body. Low levels of tryptophan, for example, leads to mood problems.
Electrolyte depletion, vitamin deficiencies, malnutrition, and dehydration all come with a host of further – and sometimes lasting- problems. Women and men who have engaged in fasting or self-induced vomiting and endured rapid weight loss tend to experience higher levels of anxiety of depression later in life. Anorexic patients are more likely to abuse alcohol and drugs. About one-fifth of anorexic patients attempt suicide. Brain scans of anorexic patients show that the abnormal brain activity that shows during anorexic states can remain long after symptoms have disappeared.
Treatment Approaches
Since mood and eating disorders so often go hand in hand, the treatment approach must take into consideration the type of eating disorder and the prevalence of a mood disorder. It would not make sense, for example, to put an eating disordered patient on a nutritional plan designed to put weight on if the underlying anxiety is not treated as well.
Treatment for bulimia or binge eating disorder will usually include anti-depressant medication and cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy teaches the sufferer to recognize what triggers cause binges. They will learn more positive methods of coping with stress, such as talking, practicing yoga, exercising or meditating. Bulimics and binge eaters alike often find benefit in taking part in group therapy and psychodynamic therapy to discuss their self-esteem issues.
Advanced stages of anorexia require hospitalization to restore nourishment to the body. Since anorexics have extreme body image issues, they also benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy to work on healthy methods of coping with stress. Younger anorexic patients can benefit from family therapy, so the entire family can work as a unit to recognize symptoms of relapse and encourage healthy eating habits. Anti-depressants are not recommended for anorexics, as many of them suppress appetite.
For eating disorder patients, recovery may be a life-long struggle. Sufferers must be monitored for symptoms of anxiety and depression, as mood disorders left untreated can cause the disordered eating to recur. Treatment is a lifelong process. | 4,826 | 2,182 | 0.000461 |
warc | 201704 | Continue Reading
A heterogeneous uterus is a term used to describe the appearance of the uterus after an ultrasound is conducted. It simply means that the uterus is not totally uniform in appearance during the ultrasound.
According to MedHelp, there are two common causes of a heterogeneous uterus: uterine fibroids and adenomyosis. Uterine fibroids are benign muscular growths found on the uterine wall, and adenomyosis is a proliferation of normal uterine glands into the uterus's muscular wall.
According to ZocDoc, both of these conditions are very common, affecting nearly 50 percent of all women by the time they reach middle age. The conditions generally carry no symptoms, but they have been known to cause heavy menstruation and cramping as well as abdominal pain. Neither uterine fibroids nor adenomyosis have a prominent effect on a woman's ability to get pregnant, but they should be discussed and properly diagnosed with an OB/GYN for the proper treatment and care.
According to WebMD, both uterine fibroids and adenomyosis show improvement with medication or through natural menopause. In many cases, the conditions are harmless and require no treatment, but in cases where the pain is severe, surgery may be performed to correct the condition. Surgery to remove the uterine fibroids or adenomyosis is generally done only when the condition is isolated to a specific area in the uterus. In cases where the majority of the uterus is affected, a hysterectomy may be performed to reduce pain and irritation from the condition.Learn more about Reproductive Anatomy | 1,580 | 780 | 0.001287 |
warc | 201704 | Book Description
A firm maximizes profits if each decision adds more to the firm’s revenue than to its costs. Although the concept sounds rather simple, it is difficult to do in practice. To ease this difficulty, the authors are giving you the inside knowledge to “economic theory.” This book will help you understand economic theory and much more to accurately infer changes in revenues that may be associated with a decision. And since economic theory suggests that the costs reported by accountants rarely reflect the true cost associated with the decision, this book will help you understand how to assess the changes in revenues and costs. Demand and price sensitivity analysis allow you to infer revenue changes, and this book helps you reconcile the economic theory of cost with common accounting practices so the differences can be reconciled and better decisions can be made. | 902 | 472 | 0.002162 |
warc | 201704 | Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.
—Immanuel Kant, philosopher (1742–1804)
For centuries, mathematicians have preferred to work with
linear (ordered) systems, and they considered nonlinear (complex) systems to be a special group. But reality is full of paradoxes. Nonlinear systems are the norm and abundant throughout the universe, whereas linear systems are a rare and special breed. Someone once said that distinguishing between linear and nonlinear systems is like dividing all species into two groups: fruit flies and non-fruit flies. And humans, together with whales, tigers, and woodpeckers, would be part of the non-fruit flies group. Could it be that mathematicians are, quite ... | 727 | 430 | 0.002375 |
warc | 201704 | You are here Small Business Owner Exports Earth-friendly Pesticide
Most pest control programs have a problem: They put too much of a particular chemical into the environment, and much of it is spread without being effective. Residues can be dangerous to humans and toxic for animals. The runoff can become problematic for water quality. The solution? Integrated pest management (IPM), a combination of chemical, biological, and cultivation techniques, minimizing negative effects.
A company based in Portland, Oregon, which has taken its name from this method, IPM Tech, Inc. has created just such a line of products. This new method is easy to use, effective, and environmentally benign. Its use is growing in agriculture and forestry. It has also attracted attention abroad, and exports are spreading the technology to Australia, South Africa, and most recently Belgium.
"These innovative products will sell themselves," said Philip Kirsch, president and founder of IPM Tech, Inc. "Their potency, cost-effectiveness, and environmental benefits will make them the most competitive solution to agriculture's and forestry's pesky problems." After graduating from the University of Queensland with a degree in entomology, Kirsch's career centered on the use of pheromones for insect monitoring and control in the worldwide agricultural pest control market.
The way to detect pests and determine the optimum timing for sprays is through the use of pheromone traps. Pheromones are chemical substances secreted by animals that influence the behavior of other animals of the same species. They are usually wind-borne, but may be placed on soil, vegetation, or various items. Once the structure of the behavioral chemical is determined, it is produced synthetically and used for a range of management purposes. A lure is saturated with synthetic pheromones. The lure emits the synthetic pheromones at a predetermined level and rate for a specified period. The lure is placed in a trap and set up in a specified manner and location, depending on the habits of the insect. The insect's behavior, size, population level, and the user's bio-monitoring objectives determine the use of a bucket or sticky trap.
Creative Solutions
The secret of IPM Tech's success is combining pheromones of specific insects with a pesticide in a blend that attracts and kills the target pest. The pheromones, which are synthesized versions of the sex hormone produced by the female of the species, attract the male insect to the poison that is placed in a concentrated droplet on a tree trunk. When this method is applied on an acre of apple trees, only about three and a half to five grams of insecticide per treatment is needed. Even with three applications per growing season, only a maximum of 0.5 ounce per acre is necessary to control the pest. In comparison to the 2.75 pounds of pesticide per application in traditional spraying techniques (which require typically six applications per season), the difference between these two methods becomes clear.
A little-known fact is that less than 1 percent of the insecticide in a traditional spray application actually hits its target, which makes IPM's LastCall™ a groundbreaking pest control method. It is superior in eliminating chemical runoff that can contaminate the groundwater, since such small amounts are used. As the application is targeted, it is more effective and at the same time more cost-effective. In field trials the attract-and-kill method has demonstrated a 300 percent greater kill rate, proving that the technique developed by IPM Tech, Inc. outperforms traditional spraying by a wide margin.
Financial Resources
This type of research and development does not come cheap, and the personal investment by IPM Tech's owner Phil Kirsch has been enhanced by the federal government's research grants in support of new technology. "IPM Tech has been able to develop these innovative techniques through the assistance of many federal grants," said Kirsch, who is a well-known scientist and started the business in 1994.
The company's success in attracting research and development grants through Small Business Innovative Research Program has brought awards of proposals from several federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Without these grants, the long lead times for bringing new products to market might have left the business cash starved and unable to weather the low revenue years.
Sales growth has been boosted by exports as IPM Tech's products find overseas markets. Since 1997, the Portland U.S. Export Assistance Center has been the "one-stop shop" for exporting for IPM Tech, said Scott Goddin, director of the center. IPM Tech developed its export savvy via Commercial Service industry sector reports on New Zealand, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Canada. Commercial Service trade specialists also helped with regulatory issues and referral to Foreign Agricultural Service staff when needed.
Financed with the Small Business Administration's Export Working Capital Program, exports are a profitable part of the company's sales now. The most substantial export so far, a large contract from the Belgian Ministry of Forestry for lures to combat an outbreak of a non-native bark beetle, would have exceeded IPM Tech's financial capacity. "The SBA program has come to our rescue twice," said Dennis Kviz, who is new to IPM. "The first transaction with South Africa could not have happened without the assistance of the SBA, and now the Export Working Capital Program has again provided us with extraordinary support."
Exports to 14 countries now are just the beginning, said Kirsch, as integrated pest management products continue to draw the attention of world markets. | 5,840 | 2,700 | 0.000372 |
warc | 201704 | This action might not be possible to undo. Are you sure you want to continue?
History
Only projects that could bear the cost of major refrigeration plant construction and expensive drilling costs were able to benefit from this technology. As freezing and drilling technology advanced, more applications in civil construction emerged. In the 1950s, still expensive and not very transportable, freezing became known as the ´problem solverµ for the most difficult construction projects. Construction issues with extremely difficult soil conditions could be remedied with great success, and many were. Shafts from several feet to over 2,000 feet deep have been constructed using freezing as the only method of shoring and water cut-off. Foundation shoring, cofferdams, underpinning, and temporary access roads using soil freezing have become more and more common.
If not for artificial soil freezing. while effective. nickel. The first soil freezing techniques. . The deepest freezing shaft in Germany was completed in Rheinberg with a depth of more than 600 m. salt. ash. It was the only safe method to construct shafts with depths of more than 50 m in water saturated soil. and gold would still be inaccessible. The method was developed for shaft sinking to get through water bearing soils down to the hard rock and coal seams. lead. were very costly and time consuming. His patent for ground freezing was granted in 1883. major deposits of coal.History It was developed in the 19th century by the German engineer Friedrich Poetsch.
Ground freezing is based on the withdrawal of heat from the soil. Continuous energy is usually required to establish and maintain a frozen soil body. usually brine or liquid nitrogen. the ice bonds the soil particles together. horizontal or inclined freeze pipes have to be drilled into place.Principle of Ground Freezing: Ground freezing is a process by which the in-situ pore water is converted into ice. Like the cement in concrete. . imparting strength and impermeability to the frozen soil mass. is inserted into the center of the closed-end freeze pipe. An open-ended inner pipe. For the build-up of a frozen soil body either a row of vertical. The inner pipe is connected to the supply line and the outer pipe to the return line (when brine is used) or the exhaust line (when liquid nitrogen is used). The down pipe is used for the supply of the freeze pipe with a cooling medium. sometimes referred to as the down-pipe.
Due to the flow of the coolant the frost penetrates the soil and a ring of frozen soil occurs around the freeze pipes.The coolant flows through the inner pipe to its deepest point. the coolant picks up heat and is warmed up. . Depending on the arrangement of the freeze pipes location and directions one can achieve all shapes of frozen soil walls (bodies) as required for the individual task. On its way back through the annulus between inner pipe and freeze pipe.
Applications of ground freezing sinking and lining of deep mineshafts up to depth of more than 600 m deep excavations (shafts) tunneling using the sequential excavation method SEM under the protection of a structural and watertight frozen soil body cross-passages between shafts and tunnel tubes or between tunnel tubes. retaining walls temporary soil improvement under foundations temporary sealing of leakages temporary water cut-off for connections at the interface between existing and new underground structures . respectively large open excavations.
The brine supply temperature T generally ranges from T = -20 °C to 37 °C.Brine freezing: requires a closed circulation system and the use of refrigeration plants The brine (usually calcium chloride CaCl2). . which is warmed up during circulation. flows back through the insulated surface manifold system before returning to the freeze plant station for recooling.
Tank for the brine backflow 4.The entire freezing plant consists of: 1. .Several additional components like low voltage switchgears. 2. Ammonia is much more environmentally friendly than hydrocarbon fluoride. 3. Currently. To minimize fresh water consumption special recooling systems should be connected for heat exchange with the air. Several freeze units can be combined in a more powerful freeze plant. it is state of the art to use ammonia as cooling agent within the freeze unit (not as coolant in the freeze pipe system).The required number of freeze units.The recooling machine.
Liquid nitrogen (LN2) freezing Liquid nitrogen freezing is a process by which heat is extracted from the soil through direct vaporization of a cryogenic fluid (LN2) in the freeze pipes. the LN2 is fed through an insulated surface manifold system. From an on-site storage tank or directly from a tank truck. into the inner pipes . usually consisting of copper pipes and quickconnect cryogenic hoses.
creating a strong watertight material.Groundwater control 2.Ground freezing is a technique that has been used extensively for: 1.Excavation support in the underground construction The process involves the circulation of a refrigerated coolant through a series of subsurface pipes to convert soil water to ice. in fact. . The material is so strong. that it is routinely used as the primary method of groundwater control and soil support for the construction of shafts hundreds of feet into water-bearing soils.
the required refrigeration capacity is significantly reduced to maintain the frozen barrier. . Depending upon the application. the coolant can be brought to temperatures well below -150 degrees celcius. consisting of a series of refrigeration pipes installed with various drilling techniques. The most important component of a ground freezing system is the subsurface refrigeration system. After the initial freezing has been completed and the frozen barrier is in place.Most ground freezing systems are quite similar in principal. Ground freezing can be achieved by using either a large portable refrigeration plant or liquid nitrogen.
of appropriate thickness and strength. . Peripheral freezes must be formed with sufficiently watertight bottoms to ensure that excessive groundwater leakage will not develop as an upward flow into the unfrozen ground inside the frozen barrier. large circular.Peripheral Freezing: The general intent of peripheral freezing is: to minimize the amount of frozen ground to be excavated. Typical candidates for peripheral freezes are shafts. open excavations. horizontal tunnels and small connections between structures. The frozen wall. is constructed for the most part outside of the excavation but extends some distance inside the future excavation surface so that the freshly exposed face is stable.
In mine shafts on the order of 10 to 20 feet in diameter. excavations have been carried out to depths of over 2. A frozen wall. which is often the most difficult geology in which to create a groundwater cut-off by other methods.Shafts Vertical shafts are the most common application for peripheral freezes. There are several advantages of ground freezing unique to the construction of shafts: The freeze can be implemented through the soil/rock interface.700 feet within the protection of un-braced frozen walls. . no better method of sinking production shafts through deep. water-bearing ground has yet been established. For deep mines. by design. is continuous into the underlying cut-off and resists the loads imposed by full groundwater and soil pressures. Proper instrumentation can provide assurance of the integrity of the freeze to full depth prior to excavation.
For rectangular structures. Pump stations and other structures up to 200 feet in diameter have been constructed within frozen walls of this type. this application is very similar to shaft freezing. multiple rows of freeze pipes may be necessary to develop the required wall thickness. . For larger excavations. an elliptical shape is employed to mobilize the compressive strength of frozen soil.Large Circular Open Excavations Conceptually. but shallower and wider.
Vertical freeze pipes can be installed to create a frozen arch through which tunneling can proceed. except for relatively large Diameter tunnels. to avoid the mix of frozen and unfrozen ground encountered during excavation. a mass freeze approach may be preferable to a peripheral freeze. In this instance.Tunnel Excavations Since frozen ground can be created with any freeze pipe orientation. Horizontal pipes installed from jacking pits can be used to create a frozen cylinder that is parallel to the axis of the tunnel. The sides of the arch extend to an underlying cut-off below the tunnel invert. ground freezing is a very effective stabilization tool for tunneling operations. Vertical pipe installation can also be used to create a full face tunnel freeze. . while short pipes are used to freeze above the tunnel crown.
irregularlyshaped. to provide a composite cut-off structure.Connections Ground freezing can be utilized to facilitate connections between non-interlocking or disjointed structures such as a cross passage between two tunnels or a mined connection between deep structures. if necessary. . Freezing works well in these situations because small. The frozen ground will conform to adjoining subsurface installations or obstructions. hand-mined excavations can be performed under the cover of the frozen ground without internal lining or support and without the need to handle seepage water from within the restricted or confined excavation.
Düsseldorf. .4H. any ground loss or other causes of settlement due to tunneling. Peculiarity: 1.There was very little space between the roof of the tunnel and the bottom of overlying building foundations. Underlying this stratum is very dense tertiary fine sand. would have lead to direct and adverse movement to the existing building foundations. As a result. Germany Background: As part of the Düsseldorf mass transit subway system expansion. 2. The general soil profile consists of intermittent changing quaternary sand and gravel layers. All four tunnels were advanced using the Sequential Excavation Method (SEM) formerly called New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM).Case Study : Subway Section 3. four 40 m long tunnels were excavated directly below buildings and a major roadway.The individual tunnels are located in non-cohesive soils.
The Application: For the driving of three of the tunnels. the gravel and sands were stabilized and the groundwater was controlled by ground freezing using a brine coolant .
Water injection and freezing-up were conducted in four phases .The data of the 3 frozen soil bodies are listed following: Top of frozen soil D = 0.5 / 1. To do this.7 m below foundation Excavation zone A = 46 / 42 / 75 m² Frozen soil length L = 48 / 40 / 40 m Frozen soil volumeV = 1.5 / 2.6 / 1. water was injected into the soil.8 / 6.600/2.600/2.900m³ Frozen soil thickness d = 1. vertical cut-off walls were grouted along the sides of the tunnel to reduce the run-off of water injected into the soil.2 m To ensure that the soil mass to be frozen had an adequate bearing capacity.
Access shaft of the tunnel of track 1 . very close distance from the buildings to the tunnel of track 1 and the highly demanding urban conditions.All of the tunnels were driven without incident and with only negligible subsidence to the buildings and the main road directly above the tunnels.
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warc | 201704 | September 28, 2007
Chairman Christopher Cox
Securities and Exchange Commission 100 F Street, NE Washington, DC 20549-1090
Dear Chairman Cox:
I'm writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed initiatives that would curtail or eliminate the ability of investors to file shareholder resolutions. As a way to ensure that corporations are responsible to their shareholders and communities, shareholder resolutions are an invaluable tool.
Shareholder resolutions have helped to promote transparency and improve corporate governance and performance. They have called attention to critical issues, including global warming, nuclear power, sweatshops, and executive compensation which would, in the long run, end up costing shareholders their investment, costing employees their livelihoods, and costing communities their natural resources.
The many corporate scandals of recent years highlight how important it is to have more, not less, corporate transparency and accountability. Shareholder resolutions have proven effective in holding companies accountable to their owners. I ask that the commission safeguard, not undermine, their use.
Thank you for your attention to my comments.
Sincerely,
Gregory King | 1,221 | 676 | 0.001493 |
warc | 201704 | Mobile and location-based social media applications provide platforms for users to share brief opinions about products, venues, and services. These quickly typed opinions, or micro-reviews, are a valuable source of current sentiment on a wide variety of subjects. However, there is currently little research on how to mine this information to present it back… (More) | 373 | 261 | 0.003905 |
warc | 201704 | Filter Results: Publication Year
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Prism adaptation has been shown to temporarily ameliorate the symptoms of unilateral neglect. The underlying mechanisms of change are not yet fully understood. In this study, we investigate the influence of this treatment on attentional orienting under conditions of exogenous (peripheral onset) and endogenous (central symbolic) cueing. In one patient with… (More)
Imitation is a potentially crucial aspect of social cognitive development. Although deficits in imitation ability have been widely demonstrated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the specificity and significance of the findings is unclear, due largely to methodological limitations. We developed a novel assessment of imitation ability, using objective… (More)
Resting echocardiography measurements are poor predictors of exercise capacity and symptoms in patients with heart failure (HF). Stress echocardiography may provide additional information and can be expressed using left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), or diastolic parameters (E/E'), but LVEF has some major limitations. Systolic annular velocity (S')… (More)
1. Who are you? The names and affiliations of all applicants. 2. What will you do? A brief outline of the project and its background, including the objectives and methods to be employed. We will pilot a means of " doing science " in cognitive neuropsychology, in which the researcher utilises physical affordances to navigate within a specific literature by… (More)
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warc | 201704 | Filter Results: Publication Year
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BACKGROUND Mortality from external causes, of all kinds, is an important component of overall mortality on a global basis. However, these deaths, like others in Africa and Asia, are often not counted or documented on an individual basis. Overviews of the state of external cause mortality in Africa and Asia are therefore based on uncertain information. The… (More)
The gut microbiome has varied impact on the wellbeing of humans. It is influenced by different factors such as age, dietary habits, socio-economic status, geographic location, and genetic makeup of individuals. For devising microbiome-based therapies, it is crucial to identify population specific features of the gut microbiome. Indian population is one of… (More)
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warc | 201704 | A Answers (1)
White, tan and brown fruits and vegetables contain many beneficial nutrients. For instance, onions, garlic and mushrooms may promote heart health and reduce cancer risks. Here are options for adding more of these colors to your diet:
Fruits: bananas, brown pears, dates and white peaches Vegetables: cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, turnips, white potatoes and white corn
This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs. | 690 | 419 | 0.002404 |
warc | 201704 | It's a new approach to solving today's most challenging problems
Our collaboration with Global Genes and Sharon Moalem, MD, PhD at H@cking Medicine at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was an unqualified success. The goal of the MIT hackathon’s rare disease track was to develop a tool that would help speed diagnosis of rare diseases. We asked a team of entrepreneurs, software engineers, healthcare professionals, and designers to take on this challenge and they made great strides in just one weekend. The facial recognition software team won top honors in the rare disease track by developing enhancements for Recognyz, a phone-based app created by Dr. Moalem that uses facial metrics to help diagnose rare diseases.
There is still more work to be done. But we are one step closer to having this free tool widely available—and one step closer to solving the challenge of rare disease diagnosis. There was so much excitement around the hackathon—and with good reason. We were watching a process that may change the future, not just for rare disease, but for healthcare in general. It’s a new approach to solving today’s most challenging problems. Read More | 1,202 | 647 | 0.001584 |
warc | 201704 | This post is the ninth in a series giving practical advice to startups with respect to understanding and negotiating a venture capital term sheet.
In the prior eight posts, we provided an introduction to negotiation of the term sheet and discussed binding and non-binding provisions, discussed valuation, cap tables, and the price per share, discussed dividends on preferred stock, explained how liquidation preferences work, discussed the conversion rights and features of preferred stock, examined voting rights and investor protection provisions, analyzed anti-dilution provisions, and looked at anti-dilution carve-outs and “pay to play” provisions. This post will discuss redemption rights.
The NVCA model term includes a redemption rights provision. A typical redemption rights provision provides that a certain percentage of the preferred stockholders can vote, after a certain length of time has passed (five years is common), to cause the company to redeem all shares of the preferred stock for its original purchase price and possibly accrued and unpaid dividends. It thus functions as a put right. The redemption price can also be keyed to another measure, such as the fair market value of the stock at the time of redemption, but this is less common and should be resisted by founders. The redemption price can be required to be paid in a lump sum or in installments over some period of time.
Redemption rights will be limited by any applicable state law governing distributions to stockholders. That is, a corporation may generally not redeem shares when the payment would cause the corporation to be insolvent.
A redemption right appears to be, on its face, an exit option for investors. However, in practice, such redemption rights are rarely exercised. Remember the reason venture capitalists choose to invest in a given company — they are not hoping to merely recoup their investment, but rather looking for a big payoff — and within a short time frame, as VC funds generally have a limited life. This usually comes in the form of a sale of the company or an initial public offering. Investors usually won’t want to get out of the game entirely if they are only getting a return of their original investment and maybe dividends.
However, there are scenarios in which venture capital investors might want to cut their losses, regain their investment, and look elsewhere. For example, if a company is hobbling along, not doing too badly but not growing either — what many refer to as a “sideways situation” — neither a sale nor an IPO are likely. Or perhaps if the investors think the company is tanking. These are both scenarios where investors may want to exercise (or at least threaten to exercise) their put rights, which could cripple a company needing cash.
Another thing redemption rights can do for venture capital investors is give them some leverage over the company during the period when redemption rights are exercisable. For example, the NVCA term sheet points out that venture capital investors may try to include provisions giving them extraordinary powers such as electing a majority of directors or the right to consent to cash expenditures until the redemption price is paid in full.
Founders should be aware that venture capital investors may expect the term sheet to include redemption rights. And while redemption rights are infrequently exercised, they should be thoroughly considered. Founders should beware in particular of any provisions that give investors the right to a price greater than their original investment or that trigger the redemption right early or under unusual conditions, as well as any burdensome provisions that would apply when redemption rights are exercisable.
In the next post, we’ll discuss registration rights.
© 2014 Casey W. Riggs — This article is for general information only. The information presented should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship. | 4,045 | 1,773 | 0.000574 |
warc | 201704 | Application-oriented work is one of the strongest and most rapidly expanding areas in fuzzy control and a variety of fuzzy modelling approaches are now appearing. Of particular interest are new and recent directions in synthesis, stability and robustness analysis, adaptiveness and non-linear tracking systems. Addressing the two areas of synthesis and analysis in conjunction, this volume examines synthetic and dynamical properties of fuzzy control systems in a quantitative manner. Coverage spans a number of fundamental issues including fuzzy dynamical systems, robustness, stability, controllability and sensitivity analysis and how these affect parameters in membership functions, fuzzification, defuzzification and inferencing. | 736 | 417 | 0.002405 |
warc | 201704 | Heuristic Definition - What does Heuristic mean?
In computing, heuristic refers to a problem-solving method executed through learning-based techniques and experience. When exhaustive search methods are impractical, heuristic methods are used to find efficient solutions.
Heuristic methods are designed for conceptual simplicity and enhanced computational performance - often at the cost of accuracy.
Techopedia explains Heuristic
Heuristic methods use available data, rather than predefined solutions, to solve machine and human problems. Heuristical solutions are not necessarily provable or accurate but are usually good enough to solve small-scale issues that are part of a larger problem.
When a heuristic algorithm meets a new crossroad, a decision is made and learned. Successive iteration results are interdependent, as each level learns which avenues to choose and discard, based on its proximity to the solution. Thus, because some possibilities are less likely to reach a viable solution, they are never generated.
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warc | 201704 | I didn’t know what to call this post, so I just used the signature line on every one of Jan Ground’s (@janground) email these days:
newsflash!!! REAL-TIME VIRTUAL CONSULTS now live with Colorado Permanente Medical Group dermatologists AND NEUROLOGISTS
Jan is Kaiser Permanente Colorado (@KPColorado) “Innovation Hunter.” There’s a person like Jan in every region of Kaiser Permanente who help usher in the future, so when I let Jan know that I would be visiting, she suggested I go see the specialties of…. Neurology and Dermatology.
This is Dr. Tim Grayson (@tim_grayson). He’s the Chief of Dermatology for Kaiser Permanente, Colorado (@KPColorado). I went to see him (and shadow, of course!) at the building photographed below his, Kaiser Permanente Rock Creek Medical Offices, with three of my colleagues, including our Chief Communication Officer, Diane Gage-Lofgren (@dianelofgren).
When you think of telehealth, typically people think about dermatology as a great specialty to do this work. Neurology comes up, but usually not for outpatient care, usually for stroke medicine. And in dermatology people usually think about “store and forward” rather than real time video, which is happening for both specialties, as Jan points out in every one of her emails.
Real time , HD quality video (what it looked like to me), allows the physicians/clinicians to interact with the patient, and get to know each other as people, to add life to a a clinical consultation – the patient, who may be in their primary care physician’s office leaves feeling “seen,” whether they are 1 mile away or 30 miles way from the consulting specialist.
What’s happening here, then, is not trying to apply technology to make the specialty run smoother, it’s applying technology to make patient’s lives run smoother.
Members/patients have an interest in getting consultations quickly, of course, AND they have an interest in their doctors collaborating better in the long run. This is harder to do in systems where physicians get paid for every consultation “unit,” but in integrated care, where specialists are paid to ensure the skin health or neurological health of an entire population, the collaboration comes naturally.
I’m going to quote myself from a post just this past friday, that was rolled into another blog post (see: Community Medicine – Total Health – Dialogue with and from the future at Penn State Hershey | Ted Eytan, MD – there was a lot going on in Colorado):
Dermatologists, who are using video technology to connect to their primary care peers (and their patients) to make sure they are excellent clinicians in their own practices, and make themselves available as clinicians as well. We were told the average time to see a dermatologist at Kaiser Permanente Colorado is now 3 days. Let’s repeat that: 3 days. Neurologists, who are doing the same, using video technology also to connect, and in the foreground, synthesizing for every patient a substantial amount of thinking and knowledge across all their specialty colleagues for every single patient. A complicated neurology case can have 2, 3, 4 specialties consulting, and to have their work bundled together in one comprehensive electronic medical record is beyond priceless. And, it’s not just the bundling of their knowledge, it’s the bundling of their collegiality. To be part of the same medical group delivering the care brings a level of respect and commitment to that person and their family in the exam room that’s hard to replicate.
Disclosure/disclaimer: I did not actually see any live video consults when I was in Colorado, just a demonstration of the technology (but did observe excellent care being delivered through shadowing). Neurology has just begun its service, Dermatology is farther along.
If a consult did come in while I was there, it would have been interesting to see, but really the interesting part is the fact that a primary care physician/clinician (and their patients) throughout this region have access in real-time to a specialist who’s willing to teach, and learn about their patients. That’s what I saw from both Chiefs and colleagues – the desire to be there, wherever “there” is for patients.
Thanks again, Jan, and our colleague Bill Marsh, MD (@MDAI) for continuing to push the boundaries of being there, Debbie Lantz, RN, my guide in Neurology (and also care provider for a touch of altitude acclimation), Tim, Rob, Lynsee, and Peter, and the members of @KPColorado for hosting and teaching us. As much as the Center for Total Health (@kptotalhealth) in Washington, DC is a vision for the future of health, all we are really doing is showcasing what’s already happening every day in places like Colorado. | 4,872 | 2,303 | 0.00045 |
warc | 201704 | The government is scrambling to save 800 jobs at the Grangemouth petrochemicals site in Scotland after its owner, Ineos, abruptly closed the plant in a rancorous industrial dispute.
As the energy and climate change secretary, Ed Davey, said that "all efforts" would be made to rescue the plant, Ineos also refused to rule out closing the oil refinery on the same site.
Workers were given the grim news at a meeting with Ineos's chairman, Calum MacLean. Ineos had given the workforce until Monday evening to accept its demands for radical changes to terms and conditions but the company concluded there was not enough support.
Its decision means that up to 800 petrochemicals workers will lose their jobs, and it threatens the positions of some 600 or more employees at the refinery plus 2,000 contract staff.
Staff reacted with shock to the news, as Ineos followed through on its warning that the threat of closure was not a bluff.
The fate of the giant plant on the Firth of Forth has far-reaching implications for Scotland and the UK. Grangemouth is Scotland's biggest manufacturing business, its refinery supplies most of its fuel and the petrochemicals plant produces plastics used in industries ranging from cars to packaging.
In an urgent question on Grangemouth in parliament, Davey told MPs repeatedly that the government wanted the plant to stay open if at all possible. It would still consider a business case to provide investment to help keep the plant running.
"We will be using all our efforts through the [Business] department and UKTI [UK Trade and Industry body] to assist should we need to have a buyer for the petrochemical plant," he said.
However, Ineos has already warned that the refinery – currently shut down because of the dispute – could be closed permanently if the Unite trade union did not agree to a no-strike deal.
Davey also confirmed that detailed contingency plans had been drawn up to protect firms and customers from running out of fuel and chemical supplies. He met MPs later to discuss the issue in more detail.
Downing Street has insisted the closure of the Grangemouth refinery would not pose a threat to fuel supplies, after the AA warned it could hit petrol prices. The prime minister said in an answer to a parliamentary question from the Labour MP Tom Watson that ministers had discussed the closure during Cobra meetings.
Downing Street dismissed speculation that the plant could be nationalised, saying it was a matter for unions and owner to resolve. The prime minister's spokesman said it was disappointing that the petrochemicals side of the plant had closed and called on "both parties" to "continue their dialogue" over the future of the refinery.
The closure of the petrochemicals plant follows a standoff between Ineos and Unite, which represents about 1,100 of Grangemouth's permanent employees as well as many contract workers. Many businesses – from the Rumbling Tum burger van near the site to cab firms, pubs and hotels – rely on trade from Grangemouth.
Gordon Alexander, who owns Grange Radio Cabs, said closure would devastate local businesses. "Local shops and local snack bars would definitely go out of business. We do a lot of executive work for them and if they were to close I would probably lose about half of my 50 cabs."
Edmund King, the president of the AA, warned that petrol prices could rise if Grangemouth and other European refineries closed down.
"The AA is concerned with the impact of this refinery closure," he said. The European commodity trading houses have been predicting the loss of five to six refinery plants over the next two years.
"In March to April of last year, with the closure of refineries and the impending start of the US motoring season, wholesale prices went up by 20%, adding 8p to 10p to a litre of petrol. The spike was short-lived because US drivers cut back and some of the refineries were bought. However, the damage was done and a new UK petrol record [142.48p a litre] was set."
Bitter dispute
The announcement follows the passing of a deadline on a survival plan put to employees, which asked them to accept changes to pensions and other terms and conditions.
The Unite union said about 680 of the site's 1,370-strong workforce had rejected the company's proposals, which include a pay freeze for 2014-16, removal of a bonus up to 2016, a reduced shift allowance and ending of the final-salary pension scheme.
Ineos said its owner, Jim Ratcliffe, and other shareholders met on Tuesday to study the response from the workforce to their survival plan, and wanted the employees to be the first to know of any decision the company made.
A dispute over pay and conditions at the oil refinery remains unresolved.
Unite has accused the company of "playing Russian roulette" with the future of Grangemouth, the biggest industrial site in Scotland, and is backing any efforts by the Scottish government to find a new buyer for the oil refinery and petrochemical complex.
Ineos sent a letter to workers last Thursday asking them to indicate their rejection or acceptance of the plan.
It said those who supported the survival plan would receive a transitional payment of up to £15,000.
The two sides have been embroiled in a bitter dispute for weeks, initially over the treatment of the Unite convener, Stephen Deans, who was involved in the row over the selection of a Labour candidate in Falkirk, where he is chairman of the constituency party.
He was suspended, then reinstated, then was subject to an internal investigation, which is due to report on Friday.
The dispute has since widened to the future of the entire site, with Ineos warning that it would close without investment and changes to pensions and other terms and conditions.
The company said the plant, which has been shut down since last week because of the dispute, was losing £10m a month.
Ineos had said it was ready to invest £300m in Grangemouth, but only if workers agreed to the new terms.
View from the workforce
Gordon Stewart joined the chemicals business five months ago. He is a Unite member.
"I was attracted by a set of pay and conditions and I left a good job somewhere else. They have explained that because of the union vote they are going to close the petrochemicals side. They talked about finding a buyer but they were not very hopeful because it's a distressed business. The assets on the chemicals side probably will opening in the short term but further out it's not clear.
"Despite the union activity I still took it as a shock the way it has been done so abruptly. It's as if it was preordained. I have put a lot of faith in the union and I still hope they can do something about it but they may have acted too quickly.
"Everyone will be affected: people contractually obliged working here and businesses associated with the place. The way Calum MacLean walked in you could tell what he was going to say before he started speaking. He was ashen faced." Asked if there was any hope Ineos might negotiate: "I certainly hope so." | 7,108 | 3,290 | 0.000308 |
warc | 201704 | The mayor made a clear commitment to Londoners in his election manifesto to personally take charge of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA). Those of us with experience of the MPA knew immediately that he had made a promise he could never live up to. But Boris made crime the number one issue of the election and his chairing the MPA was the number one pledge in the crime section of his manifesto.
In Boris Johnson's manifesto, the following commitment was first on the list for crime: "Provide strong leadership: by taking responsibility and chairing the Metropolitan Police Authority and using my influence to tear up red tape and needless form-filling, so we can get more police out on the streets."
As expected, he has now gone back on his word, realising that being both mayor and chair of the MPA is just too much for one person to do properly when both are steep learning experiences. It was an ill-thought-out promise, and one that showed his lack of knowledge about what being mayor and chair of the MPA would involve.
It's obvious he has worked hard at being mayor, although his politics-by-press-release style infuriates me because it makes him so much less accountable than Ken Livingstone, but he never did much to absorb the role of MPA chair. So, quite honestly, I don't believe it will make that much difference to police accountability or the lives of Londoners.
Johnson's deputy, Kit Malthouse, has been doing the hard work of running the MPA show behind the scenes while the mayor just turned up to chair the meetings or meet the commissioner occasionally. To suggest, as Malthouse has, that there was "heavy lifting" in the first two years, which Boris had to do and did do, is farcical.
Meanwhile, most of the responses to major controversy, such as the G20 demonstrations and the Worboys rape case, came from individual members of the Metropolitan Police Authority rather than by Johnson or Malthouse. It is always worth remembering that the mayor doesn't have a guaranteed majority on the MPA and Malthouse will need to maintain the mayor's good track record of keeping a cross-party consensus to make the authority work.
Here at City Hall we've noticed that Johnson has been stretched to cope with the job of mayor. It's a big job, especially for someone who has never run anything of this kind. And this is despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of the projects which Boris is "delivering"– Crossrail, the East London Line extension, Tube upgrade and even the ideas on cycle hire and cycling superhighways – were inherited from the previous mayor.
He has dumped large numbers of new projects by declaring them to be unfunded and left a vacuum in Transport for London's plans for coping with congestion on the roads and overcrowding on public transport. London is a growing city and if the mayor hopes to fill the gap between the growing demand for transport and the supply of new capacity with more people cycling, then he must reverse his cut to cycle lanes in outer London and make the roads safer.
Boris has also stood down as chair of the London Waste and Recycling Board amid criticisms that he is not delivering on environmental action. The mayor has failed to keep any of his own launch dates for environmental action plans. This may have something to do with around three-quarters of Livingstone's excellent environment team leaving City Hall as Boris drastically cut the number of staff and delayed key actions such as banning polluting white vans from London. The public consultation on tackling air pollution will reach consultation stage when Boris is celebrating two years as mayor. We have yet to see a first draft of his plans to tackle climate change and meet the ambitious target of a 60% cut by 2025 which he (also) inherited from Livingstone.
Livingstone raised council taxes during most of his years as mayor in order to increase police numbers by over 8,000 and create a system of safer neighbourhood teams in every area of London. Johnson has frozen the council tax precept for the second year running and he has cut millions of pounds from the Met police budget. The Met face difficult times ahead, with budgets being cut in all areas. The chair of the MPA needs to take the time to understand this complex organisation to provide effective leadership. Johnson has not really been involved from the beginning and perhaps feels it is time to stop pretending.
One last interesting factor is that Johnson's admitting he can't do both roles blows a hole in Tory plans for elected mayors who control the police. Other mayors, in other cities, do manage both roles, but I'd be willing to bet they are experienced politicians who have worked hard to know their remit, not amateurs doing an apprenticeship on the job. If he had to give up something, why not give up his writing commitment at the Telegraph instead of the MPA chair, something that Londoners have every right to expect from him?
What do the Tories think of Boris' move? Did he clear it with anyone? Did he assess what it would do to the Tory policy? Perhaps it would have been best to tough it out, stick at the MPA meetings, keep his promise. He doesn't want to be thought lightweight, does he? | 5,241 | 2,519 | 0.000399 |
warc | 201704 | Ok, look, it's Christmas, so we really ought to learn to let things go and move on with the important business of being happy and civil, and divert all our bitterness into contriving divisive racist stories about local authorities banishing the baby Jesus from shopping centres. But in amongst all the usual hatemail I'm still getting from the electromagnetic hypersensitivity anti-phone-mast lobby, I received something this week that triggered, I freely admit, something deep inside me that I could only describe as a feeling. This is very unusual.
You might remember Dr Cliff Arnall. He is probably the most prodigious of all producers of bogus "equations": proving that some arbitrary date in mid-January is the most miserable day of the year for Sky Travel; proving that some arbitrary date in mid-June is the happiest day of the year for Walls ice cream; and so on. I wrote about them scathingly last month, and the email I got from Cliff said: "Further to your mentioning my name in conjunction with 'Walls' I just received a cheque from them. Cheers and season's greetings, Cliff Arnall."
Now the fact is that Cliff Arnall's equations are stupid, and some fail even to make mathematical sense on their own terms. His equation for the perfect long weekend is a case in point. It is "(C x R x ZZ) / ((Tt + D) x St) + (P x Pr) >400" (Tt = travel time; D = delays; C = time spent on cultural activities; R = time spent relaxing; ZZ = time spent sleeping; St = time spent in a state of stress; P = time spent packing; Pr = time spent in preparation).
This equation is dimensionally half-cocked, as rude mathematicians would say, since it adds a time quantity (the fraction in brackets on the left) to a time-squared quantity (PxPr); but more importantly than that, it's just stupid, because if you pack for 10 hours and prepare for 40, then you get a result of 400, meaning you've apparently had a great weekend.
And if great isn't good enough, then you can have an infinitely good weekend by staying at home and cutting your travel time to zero (because dividing stuff by zero makes infinity).
In fact it's not surprising that these equations are so stupid, because they come from the PR companies almost fully-formed and ready to have your name attached to them. I know that because I have received an avalanche of insider stories - Watergate it isn't - including one from an academic in psychology who was offered money by Porter Novelli PR agency to put his name to the very same Sky Travel equation story that Arnall sold his to. In amongst their aggressive pitch they described how the story would go.
"Blue Monday - January Blues Day is Officially Announced: The 26th January is the most depressing day in the calendar for the majority of Brits as measured by a simple mathematical formula developed on behalf of Sky Travel.
"By taking into account various factors such as avg temperature (C), days since last pay (P), days until next bank holiday (B), avg hours of daylight (D) and number of nights in during mth (N), we create a formula such as C(P+B) N+D. This formula allows us to work out the day with the highest 'depression factor' which you can then use as a focus for making things better, booking your holiday etc ..." This is almost exactly as it was when Arnall revealed his important work to the world.
So these equations are scientifically uninformative, and driven by money. But is there more to it than that? Because in my more extremist puritanical moments, I am of the opinion that these equation stories - which appear with phenomenal frequency, and make up a significant proportion of the total science coverage in the UK - are corrosive, meaningless, empty, bogus nonsense that serve only to caricature and undermine science.
And what's really interesting about Cliff is that he seems to me to be a man driving that peculiar anti-science agenda. He thinks his ludicrous "unhappiest day of the year" scientific equation "gets people talking about depression when the people who run psychology [sic] aren't getting the message across. Peer-reviewed papers do not do what psychology ought to do - help people talk about their feelings and get the most out of life."
"Anyway you can see I am clearly a media slut," he says proudly on his website, in the bit where he lists his media appearances. No, Cliff. A "media slut" is an academic who bends over backwards to get his ideas in the papers. You'll get your cheque from Walls for this article, as you say, but that's because you are a "corporate whore".
· Please send your bad science to bad.science@theguardian.com | 4,631 | 2,350 | 0.000429 |
warc | 201704 | The clam, the clap and the pox are rarely linked to romance. But new research suggests they may have helped drive humans to monogamy.
Based on insights from computer models, scientists argue that the shift away from polygynous societies – where men had many long-term partners, but women had only one – could be down to the impact of sexually transmitted infections on large communities that arose with the dawn of the agricultural age. Agriculture is thought to have taken hold around 10,000 years ago, although some studies put the date even earlier.
“That behaviour was more common in hunter gatherers and it seemed to fade when we became agriculturists,” said Chris Bauch of the University of Waterloo in Canada who co-authored the paper.
Writing in the journal Nature Communications, Bauch and his colleague Richard McElreath from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, describe how they built a computer model to explore how bacterial sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis that can cause infertility, affected populations of different sizes. The authors considered both small hunter gatherer-like populations of around 30 individuals and large agricultural-like populations of up to 300 individuals, running 2,000 simulations for each that covered a period of 30,000 years.
In small polygynous communities, the researchers found that outbreaks of such STIs were short-lived, allowing the polygynous population to bounce back. With their offspring outnumbering those from monogamous individuals, polygyny remained the primary modus operandi.
But when the team looked at the impact of STIs on larger polygynous societies, they found a very different effect. Instead of clearing quickly, diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea became endemic. As a result, the population plummeted and monogamists, who did not have multiple partners, became top dog. The team also found that while monogamists who didn’t ‘punish’ polygyny could gain a temporary foothold, it was monogamists that ‘punished’ polygyny – often at their own expense of resources – that were the most successful. While the form of such punishments were not specified in the model, Bauch suggests fines or social ostracisation among the possible penalties. The results, they say, reveal that STIs could have played a role in the development of socially imposed monogamy that coincided with the rise of large communities that revolved around agriculture.
“It’s really quite exciting,” said evolutionary anthropologist Laura Fortunato of the University of Oxford who was not involved in the study. While there is little data to be had on the prevalence of STIs in either hunter gatherer populations or in early communities that embraced agriculture, Fortunato believes that there are opportunities to explore the idea further. “You could see if that mechanism is in operation in contemporary populations,” she said.
While the authors acknowledge that other factors might also have influenced the shift to monogamy, the research, they believe, highlights an oft-overlooked aspect of human behaviour. “A lot of the ways we behave with others, our rules for social interaction, also have origins in some kind of natural environment,” said Bauch.
But others describe the authors’ theory as “unlikely”. “I don’t think it is necessarily wrong but I think the basis for their modelling may be,” said Kit Opie of University College, London. Opie argues that early human society was not likely to be polygynous. “Looking at modern day hunter gatherers who provide some sort of model for pre-agricultural societies, ie any human society prior to about 10,000 years ago, then polygyny is very rare,” he said. “Hunter-gatherer marriage is a much looser affair than we are used to and polygyny may be allowed but very rarely is it actually practiced.”
Bauch believes the argument doesn’t detract from the authors’ conclusions. “I don’t think it affects our hypothesis because our hypothesis and mechanism concern general trends,” he said. While the authors note that further work that clearly distinguished between marriage and mating could add further insights, Bauch believes the new study shows the power of simulations. “Our research illustrates how mathematical models are not only used to predict the future, but also to understand the past,” he said.
• Note: An earlier version of the story contained an erroneous use of the word ‘polygamy’ instead of ‘polygyny’. The error has been corrected now. | 4,730 | 2,183 | 0.00048 |
warc | 201704 | Steak is one of the most simple and tasty things to cook if you want to impress people. As long as you have a good piece of meat, and keep an eye on the time, its difficult to truly mess up beyond repair.
So, types of steak:
Rump: This is from the rear of the cow and is a muscle that is used a lot. This means it is a little bit tougher than other steaks but also means it has a lot of tasty flavour. Good value for money. Buy in thick 1 inch steaks for lovely flavour. Sirloin: A popular steak cut. Often has a good marbling of fat which makes it moist. From the loin of the animal so the muscle works less and this make it more tender. Can be bought thinly slice (about 1cm thick) which is good for sandwiches etc or in thicker slices for dinner. Ribeye: taken from the rib part of the animal. Less commonly found in supermarkets. Has a good marble of fat for moistness. Fillet: This is the most tender cut of steak. The muscle has done very little work so it is almost butter soft when cooked. This does mean it has less flavour though and it very lean in terms of fat. Other types of steak available are t-bone, porterhouse, strip etc. All are available in restaurants but less so in your average UK supermarket. You can also buy minute steak which is cheap, thinly sliced steak designed to be cooked well-done for sandwiches. It takes a minute to cook (thirty seconds on each side). This is not suitable for dinner. Most common for cooking your average steak are rump or sirloin. When buying any steak the meat should be dark and have a decent amount of fat on it as this keeps it moist and should be quite dry to the touch. Most cheap steak won't have been hung for a vast amount of time after slaughter and so will be more red in colour rather than dark and will also be slightly wet to the touch. This is what you are likely to buy in the supermarket and will do if this is what you can get hold of. Before cookingMake sure you remove your steak from the fridge. Steak cooks best if it starts at room temperature. This is because if you place a fridge cold steak into a hot pan, all the heat goes on bringing the steak to room temperature and not on making the outside lovely and brown. So, take the steak out about an hour before you want to cook it to get to room temperature. Also before cooking, season with salt and pepper. CookingYou can grill or fry steak. Grilling is fairly straight forward. You need a hot grill and need to give it a few minutes on each side. This is obviously healthier as any extra fat runs off but if you are having steak for dinner, you might as well have a bit of luxury. The most luxurious way is to fry your steak: You need a large frying pan preferably non-stick. It needs to be big enough to fit your piece of steak comfortably. It is best to cook one piece (or two at a stretch) at a time otherwise the pan cannot stay hot enough. If you are cooking for more than 2 people you will need to keep you cooked steaks warm while you cook the others. This can be achieved by placing them in a very low oven (about 130c) or by popping them in the grill (not switched on) above a heated oven. Pop in a splash of olive oil to your pan and put on a fairly high heat. When the pan is hot (hold your hand above for a few seconds) but not smoking wildly, place your steak in the pan. You want your steak to be brown on the outside as brown is equal to flavour. The amount of time you cook a steak depends on its thickness and also how you like you steak cooked. The scale of cookedness goes from 'blue' to 'well-done' and each has its own cooking time. 'Blue': This is literally showing the steak to a pan. It is about 30 seconds on each side and the middle of the steak will be raw but warm. It will be very bloody and just coloured on the outside. Not to most peoples taste. 'Rare': This is about 2 minutes on each side of a 2cm steak. This gives you a lovely red centre. 'Medium-rare': Between rare and medium. 'Medium': Fairly popular choice. This means you get a little bit of well-done steak on the outside but a lovely pink (not red) centre. About 3mins on each side of a 2cm thick steak. 'Medium-well': between medium and well done' 'Well-done': The steak it completely cooked through and there will be no pink remaining. This requires between 5 and 6 minutes per side of a 2cm thick steak. This can make the meat tough but remains a popular choice. One of the most important aspects of cooking a steak is the resting period afterwards. This allows all the juices to sink into the steak, making it moist, rather than escaping when you cut into it. It also allows the meat fibres to relax and this makes it tender. The steak should be removed from the pan and rested for at least 3 minutes but more won't harm it as long as it doesn't go cold. This can be the time it spends in a warm place while you cook other steaks. During this resting time the steak is liable to cook a little more from residual heat. It is therefore better to undercook your steak a little and have it become perfect while resting rather than have it become overcooked while resting. In general it is always better to undercook and then you can always put in back in the pan to cook a little longer. When you have turned over your steak, it is nice to put a nob of butter into the pan and baste the steak with the melted butter to give it a lovely flavour. This butter also takes on all the meat juices in the pan and can form a sauce for the steak. When you remove the steak from the pan you can add things to the remaining butter such as onions or mushrooms and cook these to serve alongside the steak. Adding single cream to the onions or mushrooms makes a simple and luxurious sauce/accompaniment depending on the amount of cream used. Alternatively, you can keep the remaining butter and simply spoon it over the steak when you serve it. Common sauces with steak are: -Red wine -Peppercorn -Diane These sauces can be bought ready-made from many supermarkets to take off some of the pressure. Accompaniments: -fried onions -fried mushrooms -grilled tomatoes -chips -mashed potatoes | 6,102 | 2,692 | 0.000372 |
warc | 201704 | Question
manoj
Education
Applying constructivist theory in teaching.
How to apply constructivism learning theory in the teaching
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Answer
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Constructivism is a leading educational theory which describes how learning happens, premised on the idea that humans create meaning based on their experiences and their ideas. Piaget, a famous constructivist, felt that knowledge cannot simply be given, but must be gained through experiences (1969). Accordingly, an approach with minimal instruction from the teacher is favoured, allowing learners to take responsibility for and play an active role in their learning. Constructivist teaching features a focus on group work and peer learning, which lets learners benefit from one another’s insights as well as the teacher’s, use of interactive activities rather than passive relaying of information, and a strong focus on learner autonomy. The teacher’s role as an ‘expert’ is valued, but they are viewed more as a facilitator of learners’ knowledge and aim to help learners
find the answers by guiding them to the right questions, as opposed to simply giving them. This can be achieved using many different techniques which can be incorporated into all subjects, including: use of Socratic questioning, setting learners group tasks such as research projects to work on together and present to the group, engaging in frequent and lively class discussions, taking learners on field trips to relevant places to allow their ideas to develop in a new setting, or introducing film, music or another media to the classroom to provide a new context. The lack of strong instruction from teachers which is prevalent in constructivism is a notion that has its critics: Kirschner, Sweller and Clark (2006) argue that ‘there is no body of evidence supporting the technique’ and that if anything, evidence supports the benefit of strong instructional guidance from a tutor (p.83). Despite this, constructivism’s techniques continue to be almost universally viewed as a vital component of current best teaching practice.
ReferencesKirschner, P., Sweller, J. and Clark, R.E. (2006). ‘Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work: An Analysis of the Failure of Constructivist, Discovery, Problem-Based, Experiential and Inquiry-Based Teaching.’ Educational Psychologist 41.2, pp. 75-86.
Piaget, J. & Inhelder, B. (1969). The Psychology of the child. New York: Basic Books, Inc. | 2,672 | 1,353 | 0.000758 |
warc | 201704 | 03/03/2014
Lowell Sun
By
Hiroko Sato
LOWELL -- In his years of working in a nuclear-reactor room on a Navy ship, Scott Silbernagel became masterful at boiling down a message to a few, concise words.
That's because Silbernagel and his colleagues couldn't afford misunderstanding each other, even though the room was buzzing with machines, he said.
But the 27-year-old UMass Lowell sophomore in the electrical-engineering program knows explaining his unique skill -- and how it can be applied to other jobs -- may not always be easy when interviewing with prospective employers.
That's where Edge4Vets comes in, said Tom Murphy, who developed the career-development program that is being provided at some East Coast locations, including at UMass Lowell.
The program helps veterans adjust from military culture to civilian mentality, and learn how to tout their personal achievements instead of team efforts. It also brings in industry mentors to help participants network for job opportunities.
UMass Lowell has become the first university to adopt the Edge4Vets program because, as Chancellor Marty Meehan said, it's not acceptable to leave those who served the country unemployed.
"We will not rest until each one of the veterans finds a job," Meehan said.
Edge4Vets, a three-day program designed to provide student veterans with job-interview skills to enter the life-sciences industry, kicked off at UMass Lowell on Friday.
Led by Covidien, a medical-device manufacturer in Ireland with U.S. headquarters in Mansfield, with support from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Fresenius Medical Care and Haemonetics, Edge4Vets shows ex-military men and women how to articulate their strengths, and guarantees an interview for an internship opportunity at the end of the program.
After the pilot program, held last summer in Boston and involving 25 nonstudents, 30 percent of participants secured jobs, according to Murphy.
With more than 1,400 student veterans enrolled, UMass Lowell is ranked among the most military-friendly schools by G.I. Jobs magazine, according to the university. The university has ROTC units and an office of veterans services.
Meehan said working with Edge4Vets reflects UMass Lowell's commitment to helping veterans.
Michael Dunford, senior vice president of human resources at Covidien, said matching the students with industry mentors sets Edge4Vets apart from similar programs.
"Networking is what it's all about," Dunford said.
Edge4Vets at UMass Lowell, which will continue with a three-hour session Friday and again on March 28, involves 25 student veterans. In addition to mentors from the sponsoring companies, Chris King from the state Department of Veterans' Services will take part in the program.
Murphy stressed that the veterans must replace the "We" mentality with an "I" mentality, and try to sell themselves in job interviews.
Corwin Hee, director of information system at Covidien, who served in the Army from 1990 through 1994, also said the sole goal for men and women in the military is to accomplish missions, and they can have a hard time explaining why a company should hire them over others.
Nick Pulliam, a Chelmsford resident who helps with quality assurance of products at Fresenius Medical Care in Waltham, said he had difficulties transitioning back to the job he had at a different company in 2005 after serving in Iraq with the Army. His approach to solving problems had changed, he said.
Pulliam, who now uses his experience to serve as a mentor for Edge4Vets, said he also felt a void in the absence of veterans around him who would understand what he went through.
Alex Gerrish, a 22-year-old UMass Lowell junior from Dracut, currently serves in the Army National Guard while majoring in business/accounting and criminal justice. He said how to showcase his work ethic in a job interview is among the things he want to learn in the program.
Chris Reinke, an ex-Marine, said he is an example of success with Edge4Vets. After attending the pilot program last summer, the Marlboro resident, who had taught leadership courses at the College of the Holy Cross and Yale University while still in the military, successfully landed a sales job with Covidien.
Many mentors and students said leadership is one undeniable quality that most veterans possess.
"Leadership is a universal strength," said Steve Daniels, vice president of business operations and emerging markets at Covidien, who began his career at the company 20 years ago after six years in the Navy.
The only thing veterans need to know, Daniels said, is what opportunities are out there and how they fit in those positions. | 4,666 | 2,281 | 0.000442 |
warc | 201704 | Robert R. Cawley, D.O.
Dover, NH 03802
A health emergency can be a stressful and scary experience.
As a Level III Adult and Pediatric Trauma Center, our specialized team, including physicians from Seacoast Emergency Physicians, is ready to treat almost every injury and illness. You will have access to the latest treatment and emergency protocols thanks to our clinical affiliation with Massachusetts General Hospital’s Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Program.
Our 24-hour Board-certified physicians from Seacoast Emergency Physicians, allied health providers, nurses and clinical staff are specially trained to provide you and your family exceptional care.
You can trust us when you need care most. We have Advanced Certification as a Primary Stroke Center and an affiliation with Massachusetts General Hospital provides advanced diagnosis and treatments for patients experiencing a stroke. There's also an on-call cardiac catheterization laboratory for emergency cardiac procedures. Plus, we follow the lastest treatment protocols for the care of sepsis (serious infection) so that quicker diagnosis and treatments based on the best standards of care can result in better patient recovery.
Our dedicated trauma team immediately responds to all adult and pediatric trauma patients who arrive at Wentworth-Douglass.
Our Emergency Department staff is also actively engaged in research, education, prevention, disaster planning, community education, public safety policy, toxicology, pre-hospital care and emergency trauma medicine.
Call 911 if you or a loved one is experiencing a lift-threatening emergency.
Triage When you arrive, a nurse will ask you about your condition and perform a brief exam. You may also be asked about your medical history, allergies and current medications. This process helps ensure the most serious conditions are treated first.
Every effort is made to provide care as quickly as possible. Waiting time varies depending on the number of patients in the department and the level of care they require. If you have any concerns about your wait time, nutritional needs, or any other issue, please let your nurse or person at the desk know as soon as possible.
Registration You will be asked to provide information to our Registration Department, including your name, address, personal information and medical insurance coverage, if applicable. The registrar will ask you to sign a consent form to authorize appropriate medical treatment. Consent from a parent or legal guardian is required for children. Treatment An emergency medicine doctor will do a thorough exam and may order additional tests and procedures. There may be a wait for procedures such as x-rays and laboratory tests and for the results to be processed and reviewed. We will do our best to keep you informed on wait times.
Based on your condition, you may be discharged, admitted to the hospital or referred to another doctor for follow-up.
Discharge You will receive written instructions before you go home. It is important that you understand and follow your discharge instructions, so please us know if you do not understand the instruction or f you have any questions.
Once home, be sure to follow-up with your primary care doctor or schedule appointments with specialists. We can refer you to appropriate physicians for follow-up care if needed.
If you have questions about your recent visit, please contact us at 603-742-5252.
Wentworth-Douglass Express Care provides walk-in urgent care for a wide range of illnesses and injuries and is staffed by Emergency Department physicians and nurses. Express Care is not appropriate for life-threatening illness or injury.
Our two Express Care locations in Dover and Lee are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Visit the Express Care website to see wait times and reserve your spot. | 3,850 | 1,795 | 0.000561 |
warc | 201704 | Security researchers pretty much uniformly agree that letting people vote online is a very bad idea, one that is fraught with risks and vulnerabilities that could have unknowable consequences for the future of democracy.
This week, the Utah GOP is going to give it a whirl anyway.
On Tuesday, registered Republicans in Utah who want to participate in their state’s caucus will have the option to either head to a polling station and cast a vote in person or log onto a new website and choose their candidate online. To make this happen, the Utah GOP paid more than $80,000 to the London-based company Smartmatic, which manages electronic voting systems and internet voting systems in 25 countries and will run the Utah GOP caucus system.
Smartmatic’s system allows people to register to vote online. Then they receive a unique PIN code to their mobile phones or emails, which they use to vote on election day. Once the vote has been cast, the system generates a unique code, which voters can use to look themselves up on a public-facing bulletin board. Each code will match up to the name of a candidate, so people can check that their votes have been properly recorded. As of Monday morning, 59,000 Utah Republicans had registered to vote online.
The new online process was spearheaded by Utah GOP chairman James Evans, who was looking for ways to make the caucus process more convenient and accessible for voters. That stands to reason, given the fact that voter participation in Utah has been in decline in recent years.
Evans says he was aware of the potential security risks, but in a call with WIRED last week, he dismissed many of these oft-cited vulnerabilities as “far-fetched” and said that as a private political party, the Utah GOP isn’t held to the same security standards as the government.
“We are a private political organization, so we can choose the acceptable level of risk that we choose,” he said, “and we will not be compared to a government-run election.”
That idea alone should give anyone who cares about the integrity of this country’s elections pause. Just because a political party accepts a certain level of risk when it comes to online voting, should we?
The Devil You Don’t Know
While the Utah GOP may be the latest to experiment in Internet-based elections, it’s far from the first group to do so. These elections have been tried in Alaska and Washington DC, as well as in countries around the world, from Australia to Estonia to Canada. Every time, researchers have detected substantial vulnerabilities in the systems that ran them. Similar attempts by the Department of Defense to create a central portal for military members to vote online have been shot down for the same reasons.
As Poorvi Vora, a computer science professor specializing in voting technology at George Washington University, put it: “It’s a particularly bad idea. It’s a near unanimous opinion.”
That’s because while companies like Smartmatic may take every possible security precaution they can, it’s impossible to secure the laptops, smartphones, and other personal devices that voters will use to vote online. Smartmatic’s program director of Internet voting, Mike Summers, admits as much. “Anyone who has a laptop runs the risk of downloading malware,” he says, adding that’s why it’s critical to educate voters on how the process works and give them a way to verify their votes later on.
In an era in which anything and everything seems possible online, it makes sense for political leaders to want voting to be possible online, too. If it worked securely, it would be a wonderful way to make voting easier. As President Obama recently pointed out at South by Southwest, there’s a substantial argument to be made that our current voting system disenfranchises many Americans, by forcing them to stand in line for sometimes hours on end to cast a paper ballot that may be subject to ballot stuffing or miscalculation of votes by unscrupulous county officials.
The whole reason a company like Smartmatic exists, says CEO Antonio Mugica, is because the paper system is so disorderly. “If you look at all other forms of voting like postal voting which actually has become very, very popular in many parts of the United States, the security features and reliability of our online system is 100 times better than any postal voting system,” he says.
And so, leaders like Evans end up choosing between a highly flawed and problematic in-person voting system and the unknowable potential risk of expanding voting access by holding elections online. In other words, it’s the devil they know or the devil they don’t.
“We’re not going to be held to a higher standard than the human error of regular voting,” Evans says. “I can accept those concerns when I have the same level of concerns about just the corruption that goes on in everyday voting.”
Let’s Make It Worse
Researchers say that logic is flawed, because while paper ballots may be imperfect, online voting can introduce issues on a much larger scale that are much tougher to control and in some cases, impossible to detect.
“I hear a lot of arguments that there are a lot of problems with the existing voting system,” says Avi Rubin, a professor of computer science at Johns Hopkins University, who has been studying electronic voting since 2003, “but I don’t think the answer to that is, ‘Ok, let’s make it worse.’”
It’s not that Smartmatic takes its responsibility lightly. The company has been developing its Internet voting technology in Estonia since 2014. That’s one of the reasons why Evans was comfortable choosing Smartmatic as a partner. It uses end-to-end encryption and, in Utah, it’s also using blockchain technology to monitor any inconsistencies that could arise once a vote has been cast. Every interaction with its system is logged and cryptographically protected, so that even if someone wanted to hack the logs to cover up their tracks, it would be hard to access them.
Under the Utah GOP’s insistence, Smartmatic created a bulletin board that will allow voters to verify that their vote was counted and report any inconsistencies they detect.
They fail to address the single biggest problem with online voting: the fact that people’s personal devices are nearly impossible to secure.
Still, while researchers say these are important features, they’re far from iron-clad, as an extensive study of Estonia’s Internet voting system found. That’s because they fail to address the single biggest problem with online voting: the fact that people’s personal devices are nearly impossible to secure. “The end points that people are voting on are all so susceptible to malware and remote controls,” Rubin says.
That means, for instance, that a hacker could launch an attack on the voter’s device, which redirects that voter to a hoax website, where he thinks he’s casting a vote that’s never actually processed. Or, Rubin says, they could launch a denial of service attack on a certain geographic area that tends to support one candidate over another and slow their Internet service to the point where they just give up on voting. Or, he adds, they could launch a so-called man-in-the-middle attack, which could block votes for certain candidates from getting through.
The list goes on. Both Evans and Summers say that’s where the verification process comes in. But that not only requires every voter to actually take the time to verify their vote; it requires them to know that the verification process exists to begin with. Plus, it requires them to actually get a receipt, which wouldn’t happen if, for instance, they were redirected to a hoax site. “There are all these ways that you wouldn’t even be able to tell if something went wrong,” Vora says.
Smartmatic, for one, says it’s never had an issue with any of its elections, but Vora says that’s not enough to claim a victory. “It doesn’t mean that nothing went wrong,” she says. “It just means that we didn’t notice.”
No Longer So Private
It’s not just potential attacks that make this such a controversial idea. There’s also the fact that online voting opens people up to all sorts of privacy breaches. There’s a reason polling booths are built for one person at a time. If it’s possible to vote with someone else looking over your shoulder or if you can prove how you voted by showing someone your receipt, then what’s to stop people from bribing or coercing each other to vote a certain way? Online voting bursts that can of worms wide open.
“For things like elections, there’s so much involved that on both sides, there could be people who want to rig an election,” says Vora.
When asked about this possibility, Evans said, “That doesn’t make any sense. You’re saying that in my house, I elect to vote online, and you came into my house and forced me?”
Of course, that answer ignores the fact that vote-buying is already a very real phenomenon, which takes place in one-to-one deals in elections across the country. Online, where everyone receives a receipt, these schemes could become much larger in scale and much easier to enforce, Vora says, adding that even the existence of these questions could lead to massive amounts of doubt and voter backlash in the event that an election doesn’t go the way it was expected to.
“Then folks start questioning if something went wrong, then nobody knows what happened,” she says. “Everything just breaks down.”
Rubin agrees: “It’s not healthy to have a system where the losers aren’t going to be willing to accept the results.”
But of all of the risks associated with online voting, however, perhaps the biggest one is simply the fact that it requires handing control over to a single, private corporation. It’s an issue that arises not just online, but with in-person electronic voting machines that are manufactured by a small number of vendors. “You’ve got a vendor who has all the keys to the kingdom,” Rubin says. “They shouldn’t have that power.”
In a perfect world, in which armies of hackers around the world didn’t exist, online voting would seem to be the ideal way to expand the voting rights that are too often taken away from US citizens today. But this isn’t a perfect world. Not even close.Go Back to Top. Skip To: Start of Article. | 10,750 | 4,666 | 0.000225 |
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Global near term investment has been cut by US$370 billion, or 30%, since oil prices began to fall in 2014, and Northern Africa is no exception. However, thanks to a number of ongoing developments and major recent discoveries, investment on gas projects in the region will push capex to record levels in 2018 and 2019. The up-tick is being driven by a crop of key developments across the region from Morocco in the west to Egypt in the east, fuelled in most cases by rising domestic demand. Multi billion dollar developments in Egypt such as Eni's Zohr and BP's West Nile Delta account for over US$23 billion between them, but many other projects are adding to the trend. We review the key drivers for this shift to gas and the risks and rewards for the companies making the investments.
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This Upstream Oil and Gas Insight report highlights the key issues surrounding this topic, and draws out the key implications for those involved.
This report helps participants, suppliers and advisors understand trends, risks and issues within the upstream oil and gas industry. It gives you an expert point of view to support informed decision making.
Wood Mackenzie's 500 dedicated analysts are located in the markets they cover. They produce forward-looking analysis at both country and asset level across the globe, backed by our robust proprietary database of trusted research.
Proprietary data means a superior level of analysis that is simply not available anywhere else. Wood Mackenzie is the recognised gold standard in upstream commercial data and analysis.
Wood Mackenzie's clients include every major player in the global energy, metals and mining industries. We are recognised as a leading authority by international and national energy, metals and mining companies, leading financial institutions, governments and government agencies. We work with a range of diverse teams within our clients, from strategy and policy makers, business developers and market analysts, through to corporate finance, risk teams and investors.
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We work across every sector of oil, gas, power,renewables,chemicals, metals and mining, covering more than 150 countries. Our proprietary data and models are at the core of everything we do, ensuring our independent asset and company valuations are thoroughly robust and that we offer an accurate forward-looking view of economic indicators such as market supply, demand and price trends.
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Northern Africa bucks the trend with record gas spend
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warc | 201704 | Definitions
Sorry, no definitions found.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Examples
The question becomes how and when do
non-statutorylabor laws protect collective bargaining?
Therefore, the owners argued the
non-statutorylabor exemption is still in effect and immunizes the owners from antitrust attack.
In its opinion, the Eighth Circuit did not address the
non-statutorylabor exemption or primary jurisdiction issues.
Charities have predicted that severe local authority funding cuts and the removal of ringfenced protection for youth services will lead to councils pulling the plug on a range of
non-statutoryservices, from early intervention programmes aimed at diverting the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach teenagers from crime and drugs, to school holiday activity schemes.
Here's the short version for the even shorter version, skip to the next paragraph: Because of a doctrine known as the "
non-statutorylabor exemption."
The Canadian Patent Office rejected the application in 2004 based on obviousness and
non-statutorysubject matter.
Charity finance professionals have reported to us the huge problems their organisations have experienced as a result of individual local authorities' approaches to implementation of the CSR.For many charities, the fear that local authorities would turn off the easiest taps – the
non-statutoryspend to charities – came true, with spend in the voluntary sector being highly vulnerable to local authority cost-saving measures.
For practice placements this is £28, £18 and £2 per student per placement day for
non-statutorysettings, statutory settings and higher education institutions respectively with higher education institutions also receiving funding for the involvement of service users and careers in the development and delivery of social work courses.
Simply closing
non-statutoryservices that provide support, activity and contact, like community support services or lunch clubs for the vulnerable, is likely to lead to an increase in demand for far more expensive care packages and hospitalisation.
The not-for-profit sector is often closer to the needs of the local population, as those who are put off from engaging with statutory services may feel more comfortable working with
non-statutorybodies. | 2,318 | 1,142 | 0.000896 |
warc | 201704 | Question
Why do I feel there is a sharp pain in my lower left abdomen after I pass motion?
Firstly, I used to suffer a pain on my right abdomen and its because my stool is too hard. However, now I am having a sharp pain on my lower left abdomen after I pass motion. Why is that so?
Answer
I assume that what you mean by pass motion is that you have pain when you pass a bowel movement? If this is the case, there are a few possible causes for this and I recommend that you speak with your primary care doctor. Before I get to that though, I should say that I do not think that your right sided abdominal pain is due to hard stool. Hard stool and constipation typically causes more diffuse (right and left sided) or just left sided pain. If you are having right sided pain, then you might need an evaluation for that pain to find another reason, other than hard stool. With that said, the pain you have when you pass a bowel movement could be from an anal fissure, an infected hemorrhoid, or some other problem in your rectum. Simply having hard stool can also be a cause of difficulty or painful bowel movements. What you need to do first is schedule an appointment with your primary care physician. Your primary care doctor will likely want to do a rectal exam to look for signs of a fissure or an infected hemorrhoid. If the cause cannot be found with a simple exam, your doctor might refer you to a gastroenterologist for further evaluation which might include a sigmoidoscopy.
This answer is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. Medical professionals who provide responses to health-related questions are intended third party beneficiaries with certain rights under Zocdoc’s Terms of Service. | 1,953 | 974 | 0.001034 |
warc | 201704 | Markets run in cycles. The past year has been a very tough one to label because the bear market from 2007-2009 was so brutal. I went on the record in January and stated that we were still in a bear market. I set up a "line in the sand" of 1229 on the S&P 500, pointing that it was the 61.8% retracement level from the 2007 high to the 2009 low. For those who don't appreciate Fibonacci as much as I do, it also served as a key support level several times in 2008 before the big plunge as well as an area of support and resistance at various times in 2005-2007.
I followed up with one of my most read articles ever on Seeking Alpha in February, during the "almost" correction, with a prediction that this would be a year for the stock-pickers, finally, rather than just a market-directional year. I continued my constructive short-term view as we approached my "line in the sand" in mid-March, sharing a warning that we could be running out of gas in coming weeks:
The Ides of March is upon us, but it seems like there is no reason to beware. Bears have been head-faked and otherwise bullied about by a market that just won't quit. I continue to expect that the objective I laid out earlier this year of the S&P 500 testing 1200-1230 is likely to be achieved in the next few weeks. It's not that heroic a call, as it represents just another 5-7%
The market peaked in late April, just a bit later than I expected, but precisely in the range I had projected (intraday high was 1219.80 on 4/26). I admited in March that I was "clueless" as to how far the market might correct, but I expected that it would be at least 10%. Thus far, from the peak to the intraday low Tuesday, the market pulled back a stunning 14.7% in just 30 days. Scary, indeed, as we never experienced even a 10% retreat in the last bull market. Is this the resumption of a bear market?
As I have struggled over the past year to "get on board" the notion that we are in a bull market rather than a bear market rally, I have been describing the market as "transitional". I did a much better job at the end of the bear market in 2002 with my outlook, recognizing in March 2003 that we were in a bull market. This time, while I was optimistic about a bounce only in February of 2009 (painfully premature), I fought the tape from May through October, expecting a pullback that never came. I continue to expect that we actually did have a "V" bottom that will sustain a longer-term bull market in stocks (though not one like the good old days of the 1990s!), but I do have considerable respect for the many problems our economy faces (though believe that they are widely known and incorporated into the current pricing). I would argue that most companies have really improved themselves operationally and financially in facing the recent adversity, but that isn't really what I want to address today.
While it's too early to call definitively what this market is (resumption of a bear, consolidation of a bull), I want to share mainly my technical views. For those who follow my work, you know that I am primarily a stock-picker, but I do spend considerable time trying to understand the investment climate. I believe that stocks ultimately follow earnings and are priced to compete with prevailing interest rates (corporate bonds, ultimately). Earnings are improving and should continue to do so in my opinion. The overall valuation of stocks in general (call it 15PE) is extremely generous to the current long-term corporate bond-rate (call it about 6%). The biggest concern that folks seem to have these days is that federal debt is growing out of control (and it is!), but I would point out that overall debt is growing slower than the economy. Can that be? What's happening is that Consumer and Business Debt are shrinking. So, before I go into my technical approach, let me conclude that valuation and fundamentals seem ok to me.
I don't blame people for feeling a bit cautious right now. The "flash crash" earlier this month didn't exactly inspire confidence in the structure of the market, and clearly headlines regarding Europe are frightening. Companies sound cautiously optimistic, but they didn't exactly anticipate the complete collapse in their businesses in 2008/09. If one looks at the recent price action, it looks potentially very toppy:
At this point, I want to test the thesis that this was just a bear market rally. To do so, first I want to define "how low it can go". Second, I want to see if there are any signs within the market that suggest the broader market might follow. Before answering those questions, though, I want to point out that the very high volume in May is suggestive to me that the action was just a correction that kicked in once the January highs of 1150 were violated.
While I would like to say that the lows are in, with the February trough essentially holding last week, I am not so sure. Breaking them is quite possible, but not necessarily technically important from my perspective. I get scared when I see a pattern developing of "lower highs and lower lows". Without a rally up out of this sharp one-month downtrend line, new lows will be only "lower lows on higher highs". I am looking at a monthly chart for this perspective. We clearly had a high in January, a low in February, a new high in April and are in this downward move now. Support would appear to be between 980 and 1030 (my read - happy to explain if anyone is curious), which would represent a total decline from the peak of 16-20%. Many define the 20% threshold as a defintion of a bear market, so it gets interesting down there. When I look at the Fibonacci retracement potential, I think that the market could pull back to as low as 877 before we would bury the corpse, as that's a 61.8% retracement of the bull run. I don't know about you, but I am not sticking around that long! More likely, we might find support between 943 and 1008, the 38.2% and 50% retracements respectively. So, unfortunately, we can still go down a bit before this begins to look like a bear market. If I am correct about what I envision as a potential downside of 980-1010, the year-over-year change in the market will remain positive over the summer.
The overall market is trending higher in terms of the direction of its long-term moving averages, though we are trading below currently. For those who recall the pain of two years ago, moving averages were in decline. What about the components of the market? Do ANY of them look like they are declining? Here is my read of the major sectors (in order of the GICS system):
Energy: One of the weakest parts of the market, but hasn't turned the 200dma only flattened it. Strong support is 5-10% beneath here. Trading below Feb. lows. Materials: Similar (due the dollar strength), but not as negative. Closer to support than Energy. Industrials: VERY encouraging - nowhere close to Feb lows, this market leader is clearly in an uptrend. Weakness here would be of concern. Consumer Discretionary: Ditto Consumer Staples: No safe haven, that's for sure, with a flattening 200dma, but not bearish Healthcare: I addressed this last week - quite ugly, but flattening 200dma only but a horrible eclipse of the February lows. Note that the sector didn't make a new high in April Financials: Decline has pushed it back into a very solid trading range that has existed most of the past year Technology: Quite similar to Materials Telecom Services: Very ugly - have been all year. Still close to the 2009 lows! Not a big part of the market (VZ, T) Utilities: Sector never confirmed highs - peaked in December actually. Again, a very small part of the market but looks consolidative to me
Looking at the sectors, then, we see some areas of concern, but nothing that suggests a resumption of the bear market. Not a single sector has moved to "flat" over the past year. Clearly, the leading sectors remain in good shape - Consumer Discretionary and Industrials. The weakest areas have generally been weak: Healthcare, Telecom Services, Utilities. The latter don't have cyclical exposure. Energy, which we have avoided all year in the Top 20 Model Portfolio, is one we need to watch, but I think it is mainly a function of being overpriced initially and now hurt by the dollar and regulatory concerns. In fact, regulatory concerns are quickly becoming risk-factor number one across the market it appears.
Take a look at individual stock charts, and I think you will also see that the vast majority of stocks are in corrective mode at this point. If we start to see some of the charts from the largest companies look scary, we should get concerned. General Electric (GE) is a great starting point. If that gets scary again, then I get scared. One area of the market that has often served as a good overall barometer is the high-beta semiconductor sector. SMH, which is heavily influenced by Intel (INTC), looks promising in my view.
I have been hearing or reading that many expect us to go sideways for the summer. I will be surprised. My expectation, despite my recognition that we could dip first below the recent lows as I described, is that the market will be at 1150 again by the end of the quarter or at least by earnings season in late July. My best guess is that we make new highs later this year, though I am not so sure that we hold them for the balance of the year. As I originally predicted in February, this year is not likely to have a huge move one way or the other. The most likely catalyst for this rally I envision that clearly defines the market as a bull is the dollar. It can now weaken a lot without raising fears of inflation. As always, I will be cautious if we start to see pressure on the 10yr Treasury, though that's probably 100 bps away before it becomes worrisome.
So, that's my story, and I am sticking to it. Market timing is always challenging. As I look at individual stocks, I find tons of great opportunities, even if they might get a little more attractive in the short-term. My Conservative Growth/Balanced Model Portfolio, which seeks to beat the combination of 60% stocks and 40% bonds in an up-market and to hopefully preserve capital in a down-market is fully invested in stocks at its maximum 75% now after some adds in May. This is largely a recognition that large-caps and low-beta sectors are very cheap, though we aren't exclusively large-cap in the model. The 16 names are represented heavily by Consumer Staples and Health (4 of each), but we also have exposure to Consumer Discretionary (2), Financials (1), Industrials (2), Technology (1) and Utilities (2). The 16 stocks have a dividend yield of 2.6%, which is higher than the S&P 500, and a forward PE of 14, which is similar to the market. 10 of the 16 have net cash on the balance sheet, so we are playing it pretty safe on that front.
In closing, I will repeat my advice from early February:
I think that this market will reward hard work in the trenches. It's probably best to focus in areas where others don't, so that probably means smaller names and more of a value orientation or GARP rather than aggressive growth. As the global economy remains challenged, we should continue to focus on companies with better balance sheets. My guess is that the kind of market I envision will require us to be more opportunistic than normal, taking profits when they arise and jumping into herd selling situations. I certainly don't have a crystal ball about whether or not the market rally from the lows last March continues all year, but I am confident that there are plenty of opportunities for those willing to do the work.
With small-cap value (Russell 2000) up 7.77% YTD now and large-cap growth (S&P 500) down 3.43%, this advice is working so far, and I expect the trends to persist.
Disclosure: No positions in any stock mentioned | 11,869 | 5,490 | 0.000183 |
warc | 201704 | While 2012 has been friendly for stocks (much friendlier than it feels, as the S&P 500 is up in price by 12.4% and the Russell 2000 by 11.2%), it hasn't been a great year for all stocks. This is the time of year when many investors like to sift through the poorly performing stocks of the year, anticipating that there might be some bargains due to tax-loss related selling as well as window-dressing.
Most readers probably understand the dynamic of selling to book losses, but let me make sure that I am clear about this possibly more powerful second factor. Many institutions are embarrassed to show their mistakes, so they prune their portfolios of losers and hang onto winners for year-end. Both of these behaviors pressure losing stocks, but smart investors have figured this out over the years, with many employing a strategy to scoop up bargains in December (like Christmas sales).
I have shared a few screens designed to hone in on this type of activity, most recently discussing eight beaten-up stocks starting to bounceearlier this month. Several of those stocks have continued to bounce. Today, though, I want to see if some of the walking wounded that aren't yet participating in any sort of bounce yet may be of appeal. With this in mind, I ran the following screen using Baseline on all stocks in the Russell 3000 with market caps in excess of $500mm:
READ MORE at Seeking Alpha | 1,397 | 799 | 0.001256 |
warc | 201704 | At the completion of this chapter, the reader will be able to:
List the vital signs that are used to help determine a patient's status
Explain the importance of monitoring each of the vital signs
Describe the signs and symptoms that would warrant an assessment of the vital signs
List some of the variables that can affect the accuracy of the vital signs
Describe the correct techniques to assess heart rate
Describe the correct techniques to assess respiration rate
Describe the correct techniques to assess blood pressure
Describe the correct techniques to assess temperature
List the various tools that are available for the assessment of pain
Describe how to respond to an emergency situation
The triad of pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressure is often considered as a baseline indicator of a patient's health status, which is why each is called a vital or cardinal sign. All four practice patterns in the
Guide to Physical Therapist Practice 1 include the measurement of pulse, blood pressure, and respiration as a routine part of any physiologic examination. Temperature is not included in the practice patterns because it is not routinely assessed by physical therapists. However, as temperature can often provide an important clue to the severity of the patient's illness, particularly the presence of infection, it is discussed in this chapter. Additional measurements of physiologic status, which are not universally considered vital signs, include the assessment of perceived exertion ratings, pain, and pulse oximetry.
Depending on the health history and familiarity with a patient, the taking of vital signs should be a standard procedure for all patients. Clinical indicators that highlight the need for an assessment of vital signs include dyspnea, hypertension, fatigue, syncope, chest pain, irregular heart rate, cyanosis, intermittent claudication, nausea, diaphoresis, and pedal edema. Certain patient populations also warrant a vital sign assessment, including elderly patients (older than 65 years), very young patients (younger than two years), debilitated patients, patients with a history of physical inactivity, and patients recovering from recent trauma. The measurement of vital signs can be used to establish goals and to assess a patient's response to activity.
CLINICAL PEARL
The taking of vital signs can be delegated to a physical therapist assistant (PTA).
It is worth remembering that a number of variables can influence the results of the vital signs measurements. These include caffeine consumption, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, physical activity level, medications, and the use of illegal drugs.
2 The other variables that can influence the results are outlined in Table 9-1.
TABLE 9-1 Variables That Can Influence Vital Signs Data
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TABLE 9-1 Variables That Can Influence Vital Signs Data
Hormonal status
Age
Stress
Obesity
Diet
Gender
Family history
Time of day
Menstruation
General health status
Pain...
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warc | 201704 | Anti-neoplastic neuropathy Drug-induced neuropathy or neuronopathy
357.6 Polyneuropathy due to drugs
G62.0 Drug-induced polyneuropathy
5G: Impaired motor function and sensory integrity associated with acute or chronic polyneuropathies
Damage to nerve cells of the peripheral nervous system Numbness, tingling in the hands and feet Peripheral neuropathy Patients may experience painful peripheral neuropathy Predominantly sensory polyneuropathy beginning several weeks after the completion of antineoplastic drug therapy
Change in symptoms can be sudden or appear slowly Severity of polyneuropathy is dose- and time-dependent Concentration of platinum in the peripheral nervous system is correlated to degree of pathologic changes; greatest concentrations generally found in the dorsal root ganglia, but can become concentrated in dorsal columns of the spinal cord
Most common medications involved are Cisplatin Carboplatin Paclitaxel Docetaxel Vincristine Vinblastine Vinorelbine Thalidomide Most of these drugs cause axonal damage with secondary demyelination; may be partially reversible after the drug is discontinued Many are also ototoxic, cause autonomic dysfunction, or lead to seizures Chemotherapy-related fatigue is common and will impact assessment and treatment of those with chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy
Adults more commonly affected than children
Numbness of hand, feet, mouth area Tingling Loss of sensation to light touch Loss or impairment of deep-tendon reflexes Loss or impairment of vibration and proprioception Pain, burning, stabbing Impaired balance Altered gait pattern Constipation Impaired vestibular function
Difficulty with fine motor tasks (e.g., writing, grooming, cooking, feeding, bathing) due to loss of sensation Fall risk with mobility on uneven/unpredictable surfaces Injury risk with items of unknown sharpness or temperature Difficulty with gross motor tasks (e.g., transfers, gait, stair climbing, dressing) due to loss of sensation Balance problems due to loss of sensation or ototoxicity
Possible Contributing Causes
Chemotherapy to treat cancers may cause polyneuropathy, depending on duration of chemotherapy treatment Diabetes Alcoholism Malnutrition
Guillain–Barré syndrome Tabes dorsalis Peripheral vascular disease HIV-related neuropathy Polyarteritis nodosa Diabetes mellitus
Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) testing
To oncologist if chemotherapy-related To occupational therapist for assistance with fine motor activities and activities of daily living (ADLs)
Peripheral nerve integrity Gait training Balance Static standing Dynamic standing Moving base-of-support standing Range of motion (ROM) Endurance Aerobic capacity Self-care Home management
Sensory testing Cranial nerve testing Reflex testing Muscle tone Manual muscle test Active and passive ROM testing, muscle-length testing Functional assessment (assist, device, environment) Bed mobility Transitions Sitting balance Standing balance Transfers Gait Stairs Pain assessment Postural assessment Cardiovascular endurance
Massage to increase circulation...
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warc | 201704 | One problem with the Tunisian event was that its organizers could not articulate beforehand what it was they wanted me to do there. They wanted me to show them how to teach online, so when I arrived I implemented a program whereby I got the participants blogging, and I took pictures and put them online, and tried to get the teachers acting as a community. I got some resistance at the time in the form of: OK, we don't know what we want, but this isn't what we expected! Blogging? They did it and many enjoyed it, but the majority didn't see the point. However, now, six years later, the YahooGroup I set up for them still functions and I'm still in touch off and on with some of the teachers I met there via some of the artifacts we placed online way back then.
I think I've been modeling this form of training ever since. I've just had an interesting experience with my students, on the occasion of International Earth Day April 22, 2010. Events of this nature are gaining traction where I work; there was another barely a month ago: http://justcurious.posterous.com/arzanah-campus-participation-in-the-march-11
To organize the project, I created a wiki for them using Etherpad technology. Etherpad is a company that's been absorbed by Google and the technology is now apparent in the greater collaboration speed of Google Docs. The code for Etherpad is open source so it's been replicated at other sites now that the original Etherpad no longer functions.
So here at http://typewith.me/GzXAtU8oml I introduced the concept of wiki and writing collaboratively on the web, by anyone, for free without passwords. This concept is set in the context of a practical site where students can see that they can contribute (on the typewith.me site, they all wrote in their session descriptions, prompted only by a note in the wiki asking them to do that). A model for project management is established, where participants can collaborate and communicate and display creativity (the 3 c's of 21st century learning).
The Wikispace site http://earthbridges.wikispaces.com/Earthcast+2010 was the wiki used for organizing the event in the first place. In looking at the history of this wiki we see how the seed was planted and how it grew into a full-blown project and successful event with hundreds of collaborators around the world on April 22, 2010. (This led my students into a discussion of how a wiki's history protects it from vandalism, and how that works with Wikipedia; with Jon Udell's viral screencast on "Heavy Metal Umlaut" serving as an instructive example: http://jonudell.net/udell/gems/umlaut/umlaut.html).
For our portal I created the much easier to remember TinyURL:http://tinyurl.com/earthcast10pi. Now we've expanded the notion of Web 2.0 with the concept of creating URLs that are mnemonic and shortened (especially important if you want to tweet them).
If you look at the content of the typewith.me portal site you find that Twitter is well represented here. It is one of the ways we announced our event, and there is evidence here of responses on Twitter, so we weren't working in a vacuum, far from it. By connecting students with real people, Web 2.0 makes learning relevant to them.
An even more direct connection with real people was achieved using Adobe Connect, which was slotted into another event, the 24-hour "earthcast" webcastathon at http://earthbridges.net. Through this event, more contact with students and other teachers was made via Java chat, live streaming, and Skype backchannels. Participants become aware of the world of knowledge seekers available to them, and how to contact and keep in touch with them.
The Adobe Connect event produced a recording, so an archive was made here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/6357041. More archives were created in the blogs that I keep and was writing in to announce the event, which might have (or might still) attract comments; e.g. http://justcurious.posterous.com/earthcast-2010-at-the-petroleum-institute-abu. This post illustrates one of the wonderful affordances of Jing, http://jingproject.com, the free webcast tool that gives your images and screencasts URLs which you can embed in an email to your post@posterous.com so the picture comes out displayed in the blog post (I still marvel at that!)
Archived recordings, blog posts, and site portals preserve the event online after it has ended and give participants a greater understanding of the importance to them and to others of the phenomenon in which they took part. Further learning could occur if the students themselves would write blog posts, and accumulate these and other artifacts appearing online through aggregation on their tags, but this is the next level of understanding of how the web works and hangs together as a cohesive networking device and repository of knowledge (and how that knowledge is accessible through personal learning networks) - see http://justcurious.posterous.com/powerful-ideas-and-tools-for-getting-the-most-0
One such tool modeled, demonstrated here is Delicious, which uses common tags for keeping track of links pertaining to the event and for communicating socially what links others are finding. The common tag for the event my students participated in was earthcast10. That tag can be searched in Twitter at http://twitter.com/#search?q=earthcast10, and to get a good
illustratedoverview of what how the event was celebrated around the world, visit http://spezify.com/#/earthcast10.
These tools taken in and of themselves can appear too numerous and overwhelming to beginners, but when pieced together into a project such as this one, how the components work together is easily understandable. The idea is for the teacher to model the use of each part, to bring tools to bear on an as-needed basis, and the learners learn by using the tools. The learners in this case had conceivably used or heard of
noneof these tools beforehand. The tools were simply placed before them and they used them as they needed them. They aren't hard to use and they work well for what people want to accomplish. It's not necessary that each person know about all of the tools, but only that someONE knows about these and others and can place the tools near the learners where they are needed, and model the use of the others as they come in handy.
In my own experience working this semester with students I find that it would help if they had some preparation in the course of their traditional classwork, because depending on the nature of the project, they don't necessarily see the affordances of the tools, and can end up not taking advantage of them. I have tried to address this by mainstreaming some materials I use with my students, here: http://issuu.com/vances/docs/social_networking_2009_lessons1-3.
When students respond to the modeling, demonstrating, and reflection put into practice, the result can be a transformative learning experience. And to make it happen teachers need to be connected in order to create and be available for opportunities to collaborate on projects such as this one, into which students can be drawn. In Downes's scheme, where
teaching is to model and demonstrate, and learning is to reflect and practice, I model the learningpart by creating posts such as this one, where I reflect on the experience and try to understand how it happened, and then put the next iteration into practice with my students. My own addition to the Downes scheme is to teach is to learn, by which I mean it's a percolative process, one that true teachers model as they re-learn how to learn, and then show the way to students, whom we are training for jobs and careers that haven't even been invented yet. coda
To cap a busy day I participated in a second Adobe Connect event on April 22, as one of the panelists on a Virtual Round Table discussion of EVO's global training camp. Here I got to articulate some of these views having just come away from the Earth Day event. A recording should appear eventually here: http://virtual-round-table.ning.com/events/panel-discussion-evos-global. This topic of teacher training and how to inculcate the "culture" of learning necessitated by changes we face in the 21st century figured heavily in the discussion. The word culture was introduced there by Barbara Dieu, and it speaks to the difficulty of the task to realize that a person of her calibre and expertise, a world-reknowned leader and frequent speaker on the educational applications of social media, appears unappreciated and marginalized in her own workplace.
Eventually I'll podcast the recording of this discussion at my Vance's GeekSpeek http://vance_stevens.podomatic.com/. Podcasting is perhaps a third level of a CALL training strategy, what I am now calling SMALL, or social media assisted language learning. There will be a discussion of that topic at the next Virtual Round Table panel on which I will sit later today: http://virtual-round-table.ning.com/events/panel-discussion-connected-and. This should be an interesting discussion because Stephen Bax will be there, and we might discuss whether CALL has become essentially normalized, and would SMALL be the next challenge for computer-based language learning? Stay tuned to find out more :-) ... | 9,263 | 4,194 | 0.000239 |
warc | 201704 | Welcome to the website for the Amherst Pelham Leverett Shutesbury Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) program! We offer fire safety education to students in the Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury school systems. Introduced in 1996, SAFE is part of a larger, statewide fire education initiative. We hope this site will provide you with information about our program and the types of activities with which we are involved.
PhilosophyThere are several popular "reality" programs on the television these days which promote "survivor" strategies. Regardless of your point-of-view regarding reality programming on the whole, programs like Worst Case Scenario are not simply vicarious melodrama. They can provide an otherwise unknowing public with potentially lifesaving information. Take, for example, an episode that dealt with surviving inside a car which has plunged into a body of water. [Granted, you say, "That won't happen to me." Perhaps...but would you know how to survive if it did?] Basic survival in this scenario hinges upon quickly opening a window instead of a door (before the electrical system is shorted out by the water). Trying to open the door before the vehicle is filled with water means having to fight the pressure of the water against the door. But opening the window (after taking a good deep breath!) is a good deal easier.
This kind of education in handling emergency situations is a basic tenet of SAFE: frightened children do not escape home fires; educated children do. It is NEVER our intention to scare children about the dangers of fire...even though those very real dangers can be quite terrifying. Rather, this program has been designed to acknowledge several key points about children and how they learn:
1.Kids are smart.
2.Kids can understand the concept of "danger" without having to be terrified.
3.Kids need a plan.
4.Kids want to be pro-active, not reactive.
During the very first lesson of our program, we show the students a very short real-time video of a house fire which starts in a waste basket. After no more than 4-5 minutes, the house is ablaze. No people are in the video; no one is hurt. The film is not designed to strike a chord of fear nor is it melodramatic. The point of the film is to demonstrate how quickly a fire moves within a structure, much more quickly in fact than most adults are willing to acknowledge. Immediately following the video, we start instructing the students how to successfully escape a home fire. In other words, we acknowledge the true danger of fire but then provide the tactics for survival.
As firefighters, we know that a house fire can be deadly to small children and to older adults if they remain unprepared and do not understand the swift growth of this type of fire. Adults are more than willing to trust fate that they will never be involved in a fire. But that should not be the case when you are considering the safety of your children and your family.
So, let us ask you, honestly: Does everyone in your family know what to do if the smoke detectors wake you in the middle of the night? Have you planned for two ways out of every room in your house or apartment? Have you considered how to get the children out in case the main stairway of your house is blocked by smoke? Do they know enough to get out themselves and place a call for help? Once out of the house, where would they go? How will you know everyone is out of the house or apartment? Do your children know enough not to re-enter the house? Do you?!
And when was the last time you checked your smoke detectors? Honestly!
This program is designed to teach children that fire prevention and fire safety behaviors should be a part of everyday life. It is not rocket science. However, as much as it may seem like common sense to an adult, it is often the adults in a household who overlook this clear responsibility to their families.
It is important to recognize that, much like CPR and First Aid training, fire safety education can prepare people to act properly when faced with an emergency. Preparation makes people proactive. They recognize danger early and they are trained to react. It turns victims into survivors; in some cases, it even makes them rescuers.
We call SAFE "lessons to last a lifetime." In the absence of other fire safety instruction later in life, we hope that this instruction will in fact be of service to your children long after they have moved into adulthood. You may already be saying to yourself, "But I never got this when I was a kid!" Possibly not. That merely makes it that much more clear that your children should know how to handle an emergency.
If you have any questions regarding the philosophy of the SAFE program or any of its lessons, please feel free to contact John Ingram by e-mail. ingramj@amherstma.org | 4,841 | 2,324 | 0.000433 |
warc | 201704 | If you have ever put together a scrapbook or used Pinterest to make a board about interior decorating, then you are probably on the hunt for a good project. Interior design is a great job if you can get it, but most of us are left dreaming about it instead of doing it. Designing people’s decor is a highly competitive industry but oh so much fun! If you do enjoy doing it, there is still a way you can earn a little money.
If you don’t need a wage from your passion for design, you can always do it for fun. You may choose to charge a nominal sum for your efforts and input. Alternatively, you may take a percentage of any budget that is given to you. If you know someone who is looking to change their decor, you could offer your services. Taking on a design project is tedious for those who don’t share your passion, so they may be grateful for your input and help.
If someone wanted to give their bedroom a new look, you might take on their project. A bedroom is a good first project to undertake if you are looking to make a name for yourself in this area. Start with the walls. If all they need is a coat of paint, provide your client with some of the newest colors on offer out there. Discuss the options one color would lead to in terms of the rest of the room. If the furniture is not to be replaced, this may restrict your options. Next, you want to think about floor coverings.
More and more people are shying away from carpet in the bedroom. You could choose a bold color rug or textured mat to bring some interest into the room. The choice of stain or color for a hardwood floor may be limited by a budget. Alternatively, this might be your client’s priority so have a look online to see what other designers are doing.
Next, choose some matching bedding sets. You may want to look at luxury bed linen to give that extra special feel. Choose whites with patterns or bold blocks. Your choices of wall and floor coverings will greatly influence any decisions here. You may choose to match or to clash to create an interesting character in the room.
Finally, look at the finishing touches. Small vases and flowers, or ornaments can be interesting. Photos and soft toys tend to be more personal so you will need to discuss with your clients which of these small touches she would like. Lighting in a bedroom is not as important as other rooms, but the design of them needs to be in character with the rest of the room. Kitsch or modern chairs will be chosen to match too. Some bedrooms are chosen for their clean lines and minimalist feel, while others are full of color and softness in terms of fabrics. Whatever you choose, be sure to take plenty of before and after photographs to start your new portfolio of work off.
Interested In Interior Design? Ways To Get Into It For Real
January 13, 2015 by · Leave a Comment | 2,862 | 1,409 | 0.000718 |
warc | 201704 | Summary
This book explores the key challenges facing Austria's public health system. Set firmly in the context of the history, scope, functions and responsibilities of public health in developed countries, it examines how the Austrian system has developed and adapted over the last 50 years to the benefit of the population. It also looks at the challenges presented by life in the 21st century.
The book draws on both national research and expert interviews to present a fully-rounded picture. This shows that the public health system in Austria is struggling to maintain essential services and develop policies for improvement, and the study proposes strategies and policies to tackle these developments, looking in particular at change within the fields of education, research and training.
This book is essential reading for policy-makers, advisers and analysts interested in developing a public health strategy and competence in both developed and developing countries, as well as researchers interested in the Austrian health system. | 1,044 | 540 | 0.001861 |
warc | 201704 | You've got 6 months...
In principle, I get it. NCARB is trying to prevent what many interns have done...wait. Wait until the last possible moment to file their experience, which, done in a rush, is probably inaccurate. After all, can you really tell me everything you've done over the course of one year? And what category it falls under, and how many hours really apply?
But, to he honest, I'm frustrated, annoyed, verging on angry that NCARB has decided to pursue IDP in this manner. Why? Well, though it is great that you want us to get in our hours in a timely and more accurate manner, the 6 month rule does not, in any substantial way, ensure that I complete IDP in a timely manner.
If NCARB can require us, as interns, to show competency in specific knowledge areas, they it should also provide a more substantial method for ensuring that we can, in fact, get that experience. For instance, I have approximately 5 times the amount of hours needed for Schematic Design. But, because of where I worked, and how they executed projects, I am far from completing Construction Document hours, though much of what I was counting for Schematic design would, if our firm was structured differently, fall under Construction Document hours. So what choice did I have? I had to leave a job that I quite good at, since I wanted to get licensed sometime within the next decade.
Effectively, the onus is on us interns to get through it. If our offices do not have the projects that can provide us the range of experience we need, then we must wait or move on. If we have been sidelined, we are supposed to demand change. Otherwise, languish, despite the 3-year limit on your NCARB number.
Look, I am not saying interns should be able to lie back and have the experience handed to them. But, if NCARB sees this as a crucial step towards educating responsible practitioners, then there should be a more rigorous framework that provide those experiences in a timely manner. To have a governing body say "you must" while simultaneously saying "figure it out" is, in my opinion, ridiculous and irresponsible.
Look, I agree with NCARB. The current education that architects receive does not prepare them for professional practice. But, if that is the assessment, then overhaul the system. Move towards the model of other professions, such as medicine. Extend the educational requirements and time frame, provide co-ops or standardized work experiences similar to medical residencies. Schedule the exams in stages after certain experiences have been complete, symbolizing competency and skill in that area. And then, after our education, if we specialize, we head to firms which do that work. But, if we wish to practice generally, we will have had the experience and exposure to graduate as Architects, not as interns.
Instead, we have those who have practiced for years, even decades, who are not licensed, but certainly skilled. And we have those who have completed their licensing exams, but are not truly prepared to operate on their own. We have a mess. Let's recognize that fact. And let's fix it. | 3,102 | 1,536 | 0.000654 |
warc | 201704 | Ah, the ever-important chicken stock. It’s useful in so many recipes, from soups to risottos to sauces, but it’s also such a commitment. Who ever has whole chickens and a bunch of vegetables just chilling out in the fridge?
I have to admit, I, too, was afflicted with Stock Evasion Syndrome. I’ve never made chicken stock in my home kitchen before (although I’ve done it countless times for the restaurant) because it simply didn't seem worth the time and initial investment. Boy, was I wrong.
Inspired by a need to save money, I had an epiphany the other day: I called my local grocery store and discovered the cost-per-pound of a whole chicken was a whopping $3.29 less than a boneless, skinless chicken breast. That’s a lot of dough -- er, chicken. Plus, when you buy chickens whole, you get a lot more bang for your buck. Not only do you get breasts, and thighs, and legs, and wings, but you can also make chicken stock from the carcass! What’s not to love?
Oh yeah, there’s that whole, "buying a chicken and cutting it yourself" thing. Relax, it’s easy. After a few tries, you’ll be breaking down chickens like a pro. Since it’s really hard to do anything else while you’re touching raw chicken (ew, salmonella), I don’t have photos or a video to share with you guys. I guess that's why they have the interwebs (not to mention, this guy's also pretty entertaining).
After your chicken is butchered, all you need to do is rough chop some carrots, onions, and celery -- a.k.a., the
mirepoix, but you should already know that -- in a large pot. Place your chicken bones on top of the vegetables. Fill the pot with cold water. Add some salt and place it on high heat, allowing it to boil. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down and let it simmer, uncovered, for hours. There may be some foam that floats to the surface; skim it away with a large spoon. Otherwise, just hang out around your house and enjoy the lovely smell emanating from your kitchen.
After about four or five hours, the liquid should be flavored nicely. Strain the liquid from your chicken and
mirepoix and let it cool completely. I recommend you avoid skimming off the fat from your stock, as the fat helps protect it from airborne bacteria. Keep a little in your fridge for cooking during the week, and freeze the rest; it will keep for months.
But what do you do with all those cuts of chicken now? I got two large roasting chickens for my stock this week and was able to feed three of my friends with just two of the breasts. I have the rest of the parts labeled in my freezer. I think the thighs and legs will make excellent BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches one day, and I might cut the other breasts into tenders for fajitas.
And the wings -- oh, don’t even get me started. Once I've collected enough wings, my friend and I are having a wing competition to see who makes the better chicken wing. You’ll be sure to read about my glorious victory in time.
Are you making anything with chicken stock for Thanksgiving? What are some of your favorite recipes? 'Culinarily Curious' is TNGG Boston's column on all things food, written by Anthony Howard. About Anthony -- I'm a 22-year-old Massachusetts native -- grew up in the 'burbs and now spend my young adult life in the city. I am passionate about cooking and currently assistant manage a restaurant kitchen in Kendall Square. Let's just say that when I invite friends over for dinner parties, no one ever turns me down. This blog is not written or edited by Boston.com or the Boston Globe. The author is solely responsible for the content.
The author is solely responsible for the content.
About the authorTNGG Boston is part of an online magazine written by 18 to 27-year-olds about growing up in the information age. It's an experiment in crowdsourced journalism, a mixture of blogging, More » Recent blog posts TNGG.co. info@tngg.co nextgreatgen | 3,965 | 2,018 | 0.000508 |
warc | 201704 | Globe Staff File Photo/John Tlumacki
Maybe or maybe not carbendazim, a fungicide linked to liver tumors in animals. After receiving reports from Coca-Cola (which produces Minute Maid and Simply Orange juices) and PepsiCo. (Tropicana) that low levels of the substance had been detected, the FDA began testing samples. The US now imports much of its OJ, and the fungicide is legal in Brazil, where much of the juice is coming from. Thus far, three out of more than 30 shipments have been cleared, according to the LA Times. Meanwhile, orange juice futures have been all over the map, hitting record highs and then plummeting over the course of the past week. (Adding to the volatility, freezing temperatures in Florida have hurt the crops there.)
There's no reason to panic if you've been chugging OJ. But even if all of the samples are determined to be fine, orange juice may not be exactly what you think. A few years ago, I interviewed Alissa Hamilton, author of the book "Squeezed: What You Don't Know About Orange Juice," for the Globe's Ideas section.
Here's an excerpt. (Click here to read the whole interview about orange juice.)
IDEAS: What isn't straightforward about orange juice?
HAMILTON: It's a heavily processed product. It's heavily engineered as well. In the process of pasteurizing, juice is heated and stripped of oxygen, a process called deaeration, so it doesn't oxidize. Then it's put in huge storage tanks where it can be kept for upwards of a year. It gets stripped of flavor-providing chemicals, which are volatile. When it's ready for packaging, companies such as Tropicana hire flavor companies such as Firmenich to engineer flavor packs to make it taste fresh. People think not-from-concentrate is a fresher product, but it also sits in storage for quite a long time.
IDEAS: What goes into these flavor packs?
HAMILTON: They're technically made from orange-derived substances, essence and oils. Flavor companies break down the essence and oils into individual chemicals and recombine them. I spoke to many people in the industry at Firmenich, different flavorists, and at Tropicana, and what you're getting looks nothing like the original substance. To call it natural at this point is a real stretch.
Hamilton also says that looking to Brazil to provide most of our orange juice has created a real struggle for Florida growers.
So even if OJ is declared fungicide-free, there may be reasons to switch up what's in your morning glass.
Of course, most of our apple juice now comes from China. (And, along with grape juice, may come with an additional tasty surprise: arsenic.) How about grapefruit? About 99 percent of that juice found in the US comes from this country, according to this story.
What's cooking in the world of food.
Contributors Sheryl Julian, the Globe's Food Editor, writes regularly for the Food section. Devra Firstis the Globe's food reporter and restaurant critic. Her reviews appear weekly in the Food section. Ellen Bhangreviews Cheap Eats restaurants for the Globe and writes about wine. | 3,054 | 1,583 | 0.000635 |
warc | 201704 | The past two weeks brought bad news for Children's Hospital's patients, staff, and attorneys. On Sept. 16, the hospital's lawyers were in court battling a lawsuit brought by the family of Michael Blankenship, 15, who died last year from a wrongly administered painkiller. On Sept. 17, a newborn baby died after being medicated en route to Children's in a hospital neonatal ambulance. On Sept. 19, Kaia Zautner, 8 months, died after she was given 10 times the proper dose of a medication. On Sept. 22, attorneys for Blankenship notified the court the lawsuit had been settled, with Children's paying damages in an amount undisclosed. On Sept. 26, an adult emergency patient was wrongly injected with medication in a vein rather than a muscle. He was moved to another hospital and recovered. The much-admired hospital and staff "do their best to provide the highest level of care," said safety medical director David Fisher in a statement published in The Seattle Times. "However, despite our vigilance, errors unfortunately still occur." That's the reality in most any hospital. But the recent series of incidents at Children's demand a thorough review of hospital practices. Fisher indicated that would happen, saying "These incidents have caused us to re-evaluate our entire medication delivery system. As a result, we have reviewed the clinical records and began a detailed root-cause analysis to determine why our usual safety processes failed." That's encouraging, but it sounds a lot like the review and changes the hospital promised after Blankenship died last year from an overdose of the painkiller Fentanyl. According to court documents, Blankenship's family claimed that Children's doctors missed four of the five contra-indication factors that should have prevented them from approving use of the pain patch for the teen after dental surgery. Doctors did not review formulary information, nor consult a reliable reference source, nor check with Blankenship's pediatric anesthesiologist before ordering the prescription. Even if the hospital formulary info was accessed, the family said, it was inadequate and unreliable to properly guide doctors. Additionally, Fentanyl is an opioid, and Blankenship was opioid-intolerant. In an amended civil complaint filed in June, the family reported that Dr. Fisher had told them that "Michael's death should never have occurred had the hospital maintained and/or followed appropriate safeguards for the proper and accurate prescription of pain medication, including the Fentanyl patch." Last week, Dr. Fisher was saying much the same thing about additional medication-related deaths. Everyone is hoping the review of the new deaths will produce safer practices than the earlier one did. | 2,746 | 1,353 | 0.000742 |
warc | 201704 | High-income taxpayers can do some rough calculations to see where they stand regarding the nation's new tax rules.
The new rules set a top rate of 31 percent, limit itemized deductions and phase out personal exemptions above certain thresholds.
The first number needed is on Line 31 of Form 1040, adjusted gross income. Next is Line 34, itemized deductions. Taxpayers with an adjusted gross income above $100,000 should multiply the difference by .03 to get their deduction limitation. Subtract that number from the itemized deductions to see what would be allowed under 1991 rules. Next, subtract that number and the amount for personal exemptions (Line 36) from the adjusted gross income to get the taxable income.
Though the government has not yet released tax tables to be used under the new law, David A. Berenson, national director of tax policy for Ernst & Young in Washington, has done preliminary calculations to help taxpayers estimate their own rates.
To figure their tax, he said, a married couple filing jointly should subtract $82,050 from taxable income, multiply that result by .31 and add that result to $18,560. (The capital gains portion should be figured at 28 percent.) Single taxpayers should subtract $49,200 from their taxable income, multiply the result by .31 and add that result to $11,130.
Those with taxable income between $150,000 and $272,500 need to add an amount to their taxes for the phaseout of personal exemptions. Above that, exemptions are eliminated. This calculation is considerably more complicated than the 3 percent floor on itemized deductions.
The most anyone could lose would be $636 per exemption (that is, 31 percent of a $2,050 exemption, using the 1990 number) so adding that number times the number of exemptions to the tax owed will give a worst-case scenario. | 1,821 | 889 | 0.00113 |
warc | 201704 | During the 4th Dynasty in ancient Egypt, a wooden ship was constructed for the ceremonial transport of the remains of King Cheops to his final resting place. After the funeral, the boat was buried in its own secret chamber beneath giant limestone blocks just outside the Great Pyramid. When the tomb was opened in 1954, the cedar boat looked practically new. Today, despite every effort of curators and skilled technicians, the boat is turning into a pile of sawdust. Thirty years of humidity and temperature changes
(cycles of water condensation and evaporation) are rapidly destroying what 4,600 years under the desert preserved.
Those same destructive forces attack our homes all the time. My consulting partner, Rana Belshe, and I have looked at thousands of houses from Alaska to West Africa, and we`ve found that the biggest cause of slow deterioration comes from moisture being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Late winter and early spring are the times when it`s easiest to see signs of moisture accumulation--also when the most damage is done, particularly in colder regions of the country. A case in point is a typical development home we looked at recently. The bathroom exhaust fan, designed to carry excess moisture to the outdoors, had been installed incorrectly. It was, in fact, dumping superhumid air into the attic. Looking into the attic at the end of February, we saw the entire underside of the roof deck covered with a fine white frost. Nails that penetrated the roof sheathing actually had icicles hanging from them. The frost was easy to see, but the real damage came when it melted in the spring and soaked the wood. Returning to the house in the summer, we saw that the plywood had started to delaminate and that black spots of mold covered the underside of the roof. The house was less than 5 years old, but the entire roof was due for replacement.
Critical rule No. 1
Ideally the bathroom vent should have gone to the outside. But probably if enough air had moved through, it would have carried out the moisture before water caused any damage. That brings me to one of the cardinal rules of controlling condensation: Let the outside of the house breathe. Otherwise you`ll have water vapor against the cold exterior surfaces. It will condense there, accumulate and rot out the structure. Install aluminum or vinyl siding carefully with plenty of air circulation and don`t paint wood siding with enamel paint. Be very cautious about putting foil-backed board on the outside of a house--if you do it at all. And caulking exterior cracks is often a misplaced effort. The rule of thumb is that the house exterior should let moisture seep through five times more easily than the inside does.
Of course, the temptation when you fix up your house is to do just the opposite, to plug up the vent holes. But that`s the worst thing you can do. Rana got a call from a frantic homeowner who had water pouring out of the ceiling of his mobile home. He claimed that insulation installers had damaged the roof. But Rana found nothing wrong with the roof at all. The installers did, however, manage to block off the vents above the insulation, so warm, moist air was trapped there. As the air cooled, water condensed, soaked the insulation and rained into the rooms below. This fellow was lucky to catch the problem in time, because we`ve seen ceilings that have actually collapsed under the weight of water-soaked insulation.
Critical rule No. 2
The place to plug up holes is on the inside. In fact, that`s the flip side of condensation control: a tight interior surface. Keep the moisture inside houses, where it will remain harmless vapor. Caulk interior trim with a nontoxic material. Put foam gaskets behind light switches and sockets. When you paint the inside of your house, use a high-quality, oil-based enamel paint or one of the new ``vapor barrier`` paints. By sealing the interior surfaces of the house, you`ll have greater energy savings than you`d get by fiddling with the exterior--and you`ll have none of the moisture problems.
Critical rule No. 3
When you`ve plugged up the cracks inside, insulate. But my other cardinal rule is: Insulate right. I`ve heard a lot of people blame insulation for causing condensation. They figure that the insulation somehow keeps the moist air in. They are pointing their fingers at the wrong culprit. There is no inherent problem with insulation if it is installed properly with tight interior surfaces and permeable exterior ones. In new buildings, careful installation means using continuous polyethylene sheets on the inside of all exterior walls and ceilings. A good builder also pays scrupulous attention to detail on trim and any penetrations of the vapor barrier. | 4,747 | 2,272 | 0.000441 |
warc | 201704 | Since Spring symbolizes rebirth and renewal, April is the perfect month for LifeChoice Donor Services to celebrate the Tenth Annual National Donate Life Month. The celebration commemorates those who have received or continue to wait for lifesaving transplants and remembers those who have given through donation.
"While increasing the number of registered organ and tissue donors that save and heal lives is part of our daily work, this month serves, not only to honor the lives of those who have given and received, but also as an opportunity to renew our commitment to saving lives ," says LifeChoice Public Education Specialist Caitlyn Bernabucci.
LifeChoice has many community awareness events scheduled around Connecticut and Massachusetts, including:
4/1 Donate Life Flag-raisings at Westfield, Mass. Town Hall at 11:30 a.m. and Southwick, Mass. Town Hall at 6 p.m. 4/2 Statewide Town Hall Donate Life Flag-raising ceremonies commencing at East Hartford, Town Hall at 10 a.m. 4/8 Free movie screening "Power of Two - A story of twin sisters", two cultures, and two new chances at life at 6:30 p.m. at The University of Hartford. This inspiring, award-winning movie documents the double lung transplants received by half-Japanese twins Ana and Isa Stenzel, born with Cystic Fibrosis, a fatal genetic disease that impacts the lungs and pancreas. They have emerged as authors, athletes and global advocates for organ donation. A short panel discussion about organ and tissue donation will follow. 4/19 National Blue and Green Day in support of organ and tissue donation There are now 110 million registered donors in the United States. Still, the number of people in need of transplants continues to rise. The solution to this problem is to continue educating the public about the lifesaving effects of donation and transplantation and get them to make their decision known by signing up through their state donor registry.
"I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the selfless gift of an organ donor," says kidney transplant recipient Michael C. Rosano of Bristol, who is alive and eager to help others understand the importance of becoming a donor.
LifeChoice Donor Services, Inc. is the federally designated, non-profit organ procurement organization (OPO) for six counties in Connecticut and three counties in Western Massachusetts with a combined population of 2.2 million people. The OPO serves twenty-three acute care hospitals for organ and tissue donation and two organ transplant hospitals, Hartford Hospital in Hartford and Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.
LifeChoice Donor Services is a member in good standing of the United Network of Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO). For more information about LifeChoice and to join the Donor Registry, please visit http://www.lifechoiceopo.org or call 1 800 874-5215. | 2,894 | 1,454 | 0.000691 |
warc | 201704 | By Dr. Mercola
Today, we launch the fourth Mercury-Free Dentistry Week. We set aside an entire week dedicated to ending the use of dental amalgam -- a primitive, pre-Civil War, pollutant that leads to cracked teeth -- for three reasons:
The new Minamata Convention on Mercury is the game-changer for dental amalgam. Each nation that signs this comprehensive treaty against mercury pollution – now numbering 100, including the United States – commits itself to scaling down dental mercury without delay.
Consumers for Dental Choice, who spearheads the campaign against amalgam, brings the Minamata Convention home. Commissioning a Zogby poll, they issued a scathing indictment of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for covering up amalgam's mercury from American parents and consumers – and for putting the US government out of compliance with the pledge it made at Minamata.
Your financial support for Consumers for Dental Choice is now needed. Working with talented environmental, consumer, and health leaders, Consumers for Dental Choice is launching phase out campaigns in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
They have redoubled their efforts in the United States, via a brilliant campaign strategy I discuss below. I put my money where my mouth is: I will match each and every donation made this week, dollar for dollar, up to a total of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).
The Game-Changer to Bring Mercury-Free Dentistry to America
Getting amalgam into the complex mercury treaty was no mean feat. With the Minamata negotiations about to begin in Stockholm four years ago, Charlie Brown, leader of Consumers for Dental Choice, invited leaders of environmental, health, dental, and consumer groups to unite under one big tent.
They did, forming the World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry -- and elected Charlie as its president. With 11 regional vice presidents and nonprofit groups (NGOs) from dozens of nations, they spanned the globe.
Mercury-free dental groups from North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia joined the coalition, and dentists frequently served as spokespersons during the negotiations sessions. The World Alliance for Mercury-Free Dentistry outworked, outsmarted, and outpointed the corporate-funded World Dental Federation, composed of the American Dental Association and other pro-mercury dental groups.
The Minamata Convention's Annex A includes a mandate to reduce dental mercury use, with the starting date to be now. It provides a road map on how to do so. Any nation may do more – phase out amalgam on a timetable – and Consumers for Dental Choice has begun those campaigns in several nations. With amalgam being in an Annex rather than the main text, a future amendment could result in a world-wide phase-out.
Charlie Brown attended a recent meeting with the US State Department, where a high-ranking official advised him that, after the Minamata Convention was signed, a number of nations were talking about its content.
They expressed surprise that amalgam actually got into the Convention, having expected that special interest groups would succeed in knocking it out. When Charlie diplomatically thanked the State Department, she replied: "Oh no, it wasn't the government that got amalgam into the treaty; it was the NGOs."
We know that activism can work. It worked with Minamata. And now, Minamata is coming home.
A Poll, a Report, and a Stinging Indictment of FDA's Support for Mercury Fillings
So-called "silver fillings" are a massive consumer fraud. Even in the 19th century, respected doctors condemned the term, noting that the term was used to conceal the mercury.
The apologists claim that it refers to the color, but when someone says "silver," they generally mean the metal (the first definition in the dictionary of silver), not the color (the 4th or 5th definition of silver in the dictionary). The term "gold filling" assuredly is not referring to the color; it is referring to the metal.
When consumer fraud occurs in medicine and health, most Americans assume that the FDA would step in to correct the situation. But no, the FDA is on the side of the dental industry, which wants you to believe that amalgam fillings are silver, not mercury.
Even the word "amalgam" is ambiguous. It can mean a metal with mercury or it can mean a metal without mercury. According to the Zogby poll, which Consumers for Dental Choice commissioned, Americans are grossly misled by the words "silver fillings" and "amalgam."
57 Percent of Americans Do Not Know Amalgam Contains Mercury
Consumers for Dental Choice commissioned a poll with the highly reputable and accurate Zogby Analytics firm. The results may not surprise our readers: fewer than half (43 percent) of Americans could name mercury as amalgam's main component. Fully 57 percent gave an incorrect answer or did not know amalgam contained mercury.
Why is that? First, dentists generally are not telling them. Only 11 percent ever recall being told by their dentist that amalgam has mercury. Second, the term "silver fillings" is a consumer fraud if there ever was one. Indeed, a quarter of the respondents named silver as amalgam's main component. Consumers are upset that the government lets this market deception continue, and call for enforcement action to stop amalgam as being marketed as "silver."
With findings supported by five national organizations from fields of consumer protection, health, environment, and minority advocacy, Consumers for Dental Choice has issued a new report,
Measurably Misleading, 1 which explains the poll results and reveals how the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the dental industry deceive you about mercury.
People have an absolute right to know that amalgam fillings contain mercury—even if they ultimately chose to get one. But mercury is going into people's mouths because the dental industry is
hiding the fact that amalgam contains mercury. While this survey does not let silent dentists off the hook, it identifies the lead culprit: the FDA.
Why? Because FDA is the nation's regulator of devices. FDA exists to protect us from deceptive practices, false labeling, misleading labeling, and other marketing deception in healthcare. FDA's own rules say that mislabeling occurs for "incorrect, inadequate, or incomplete identification." The FDA could act to inform consumers about mercury dental fillings, but they don't. Instead, the FDA calls amalgam "silver fillings" on its own website. It's time for the FDA to stop misleading and start leading. FDA must say the "M" word, Mercury -- and ensure that every parent and every consumer walking into a dental office knows that amalgam fillings are really mercury fillings.
Sure, things have improved. When Charlie began with Consumers for Dental Choice, only three percent of dentists were mercury-free. Charlie's organization has been instrumental in catalyzing change in the industry. Today, more than 50 percent of dentists in America have stopped using mercury filings. That's major progress. But we still have a long way to go to end this archaic practice of putting mercury in people's teeth. Unfortunately, we seem to have stalled out at around 50 percent of dentists who still insist on using amalgam.
"We think the pro-mercury dentists have stabilized because they won't learn anything new and the profits are so easy," Charlie says .
"They are concealing from the patients that amalgam is a mercury filling. The enabler of pro-mercury dentistry or of dental mercury is the FDA. The FDA says to dentists and says to the manufacturers, 'You may conceal the mercury from patients. You don't need to tell them,' and of course, therefore they don't."
We have a great team with a great achievement. Help us keep them going.
Why Is FDA Refusing to Act Against Dental Mercury?
Why exactly is the FDA so opposed to informing the public about the true nature of amalgam? The answer is simple: because the agency has been penetrated through the revolving door that's so common in other industries. Just like Monsanto has penetrated the federal government's regulatory agencies, amalgam profit centers have penetrated and effectively lobbied the FDA to remain complacent on this issue.
"It's top-end bureaucracy," Charlie explains . "At the top is the revolving door of people coming in from the outside corporate world, serving a little while, not running the agency, just having the title, and then going back into the corporate world. That's one group. At the staff level is a permanent bureaucracy, which is impermeable. They don't listen to anybody. It's a great job.
They do what they want. They aren't supervised by the revolving door leadership. In this case, the FDA bureaucracy is very pro-amalgam. Incredibly, the dental decisions are not made by toxicologists. Mercury is a horrible neurotoxin. It can and does damage the brains of developing children permanently, and yet they have a dentist in charge of this issue, a dentist who likes amalgam."
There's also a demographic concern when it comes to information distribution. Charlie has found that people who make 50,000 dollars a year or less (according to the commissioned Zogby poll) are three times less likely to learn about the mercury issue from their dentists than people who make over 50,000 dollars a year. The same trend is found among racial lines, with African-Americans and other minorities being less likely to get the truth from their dentists. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has called on the Indian Health Service (HIS) to stop using amalgam on Indian reservations. So people are starting to wake up and push back.
"That's what we got to do. It can work and it will work," Charlie says. Resources to Help You Find a Biological Dentist
The following organizations can help you to find a mercury-free, biological dentist:
Together, Let's Help Charlie Brown and Consumers for Dental Choice Get to the Finish Line
This is the week we can get Consumers for Dental Choice the funding it deserves. I have found few NGOs as effective, and none as efficient, as Consumers for Dental Choice. Its small team has led the charge on six continents -- including ours!
So I am stepping up with the challenge. For the fourth year in a row, I will match the funds you give. In 2012 the match was up to $50,000 -- and you did it! In 2013, I upped the ante to $75,000 -- and you did it again! This year, I believe a $100,000 match is the right thing to do. Please give, and all dollars received up to $100,000 will be matched by Natural Health Research Foundation, which I founded. | 10,687 | 4,701 | 0.000215 |
warc | 201704 | A Prospect Heights Historic District (blue outline in map below) is already listed on the State and National Registers, but S/NR listing, as its known, does not protect the integrity of buildings the way an LPC designation would. Hence the new effort, led by the Municipal Art Society (MAS), the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council, and others.
The map prepared by MAS suggests a much larger outline, in red. Note that the northern finger of the existing and proposed historic district, on the west side of Carlton Avenue between Dean and Pacific streets, would be directly opposite the Atlantic Yards project at its north and east edges.
On the south side of Dean Street, six buildings east of Sixth Avenue, would be the (S/NR-eligible) Swedish Baptist Church/Dean Street Historic District, consisting of townhouses and churches; its western border would be immediately adjacent to Atlantic Yards.
Given the value of historic buildings, and the growth in Brooklyn, it raises a question about whether the proposed site would remain substantially unchanged without the Atlantic Yards plan. The ESDC said it would, despite much skepticism from community groups.
New pressures
According to a MAS article:
Prospect Heights is an area rich with the historic architecture that helps shape Brooklyn’s special identity. The neighborhood contains blocks lined with beautiful Italianate and neo-Grec rowhouses, interspersed with churches, small commercial buildings and multi-family structures. Originally a quiet farm area crossed by the historic Flatbush Turnpike Road, Prospect Heights became a residential neighborhood in the second half of the nineteenth century after the completion of nearby Prospect Park. The area is widely recognized as an important historic neighborhood, and indeed, part of the neighborhood is listed on the National Register.
With the Atlantic Yards proposal moving ahead, it is crucial that Prospect Heights gain protection through historic district designation before development pressures resulting from the project permanently alter the its intact historic character.
The proposal should be considered by the LPC within the next year.
What the FEIS says
Chapter 7 (Cultural) of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Atlantic Yards notes that LPC has determined that the NYCL-eligible historic district is a well preserved district of rowhouses and religious structures dating from the 1870s through 1890s.
The document from the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC) also cites the Swedish Baptist Church/Dean Street Historic District (right), noting that Overall, the rowhouse clusters and the former Swedish Baptist Church that make up this block represent a relatively intact reflection of the period from ca. 1870-1910 in which Prospect Heights was developed.
How much impact?
The FEIS first acknowledges that parts of the Prospect Heights Historic District are within 80 or 90 feet from proposed Atlantic Yards towers, as are four buildings in the Swedish Baptist Church/Dean Street S/NR-eligible historic district, and the Pacific Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library on Fourth Avenue at Pacific Street.
The FEIS warns: Demolition of all structures on the site, followed by site preparation, including the use of heavy machinery, could potentially result in inadvertent damage to the historic resources described above if adequate precautions are not taken... Therefore, to avoid inadvertent demolition- and/or construction-related damage to these resources from ground-borne construction-period vibrations, falling debris, collapse, etc., these 15 buildings would be included in a CPP [Construction Protection Plan] for historic structures...
Contextual impacts?
The interesting question comes when the FEIS analyzes the contextual impact of the development, which would include an arena and 16 towrs. While four buildings on the north side of Dean Street between Carlton and Vanderbilt Avenues would range in height from approximately 180 feet to 280 feet, at the sidewalk, the streetwalls woudl be between 60 feet and 105 feet in height, so the scale "while larger than that of the buildings in the historic district, would be more suited to the narrow street." Also, the bases of the buildings on Carlton and the portions of the buildings on the north side of Dean east of Carlton "would have a traditional massing and be clad in masonry."
(At right, the "finger" on Carlton Avenue between Dean and Pacific streets)
Still, the FEIS acknowledges:
It is expected that Buildings 11-14 on Block 1129 and the proposed open space on Block 1120 would alter the built form of areas immediately north and east of the S/NR-listed and NYCLeligible Prospect Heights Historic District. The buildings would be taller and have larger footprints than those located in the historic district. However, the proposed development would not isolate the historic district from its setting or streetscape the buildings would continue to be separated from the surrounding urban context by Carlton Avenue and Dean Street. The width of Carlton Avenue especially (at approximately 80 feet), would allow for a visual separation between the historic row of buildings on the west side of Carlton Avenue and the proposed new development.
Enclaves not affected?
It all depends on how you look at context:
As described above, OPRHP [the state agency] has determined that the S/NR-listed Prospect Heights Historic District is significant since it constitutes an intact and cohesive enclave of predominantly late-19th-century buildings. LPC has determined that the NYCL-eligible historic district is a well preserved district of rowhouses and religious structures dating from the 1870s through 1890s. The proposed project would not affect these characteristics, but would change the larger setting in which the district is located. Since the S/NR-listed and NYCL-eligible district boundaries were drawn to eliminate areas surrounding the district that did not contribute to the district’s cohesive architectural character, altering these non-contributing areas would not be expected to result in significant adverse impacts to the context of the S/NR-listed and NYCL-eligible Prospect Heights Historic District.
The diciest juxtaposition may be at the northeast corner of Dean Street and Sixth Avenue:
The proposed 272-foot-tall Building 15 on Block 1128 would be adjacent to the Swedish Baptist Church/Dean Street historic district (Resource No. 23 of Figure 7-2). The approximately 25-story building would be located approximately 15 feet from the westernmost building in the historic district, a four-story brick rowhouse at 497 Dean Street dating to the late 19th century.
The proposed building would replace 5 two- to three-and-a-half-story 19th-century residential buildings (right) that have been substantially altered with new sidings, windows, and ground-floor alterations. The proposed height and the modern design of the building would contrast with the historic character of the 19th-century rowhouses and the former Swedish Baptist Church that make up the historic district. However, the north side of Dean Street is broken up in two locations, with open areas and driveways relating to a condominium building located at 700 Pacific Street, and does not present a consistent streetwall. In this context, the small historic district exists as an architecturally distinguished enclave and fragment of a once larger intact 19th-century streetscape. The proposed new building would be located at the west end of the block and, therefore, would not break up the district. Although the brick rowhouses and Swedish Baptist Church were built during the same time period as the five buildings that would be demolished on the site of Building 15, the historic relationship between the five buildings on the site of Building 15 and those located within the historic district has been altered. Changes to the buildings on the site of Building 15 have resulted in a loss of these buildings’ integrity, with the exception of their scale and general configuration.
Note my comments on the state's arbitrary finding of blight.
However, because Building 15 "would be faced in masonry," according to the FEIS, it would "be in keeping with the cladding of the church and rowhouses" next to it. Scroll to the bottom for a visual.
Overview
The FEIS concludes that, while "the new buildings would contrast with the footprints, heights, and classical designs of the rowhouses" in nearby and more distant historic districts, they "would continue to be enclaves of cohesive historic buildings that exist in larger altered contexts." The FEIS asserts that the new residential development "would complement the primarily residential uses in the historic districts and remove what has historically been a physical and visual barrier in the urban fabric"--which has, of course, been challenged by those who contend that the project would create a barrier. (See BrooklynSpeaks and the UNITY plan.)
Of course, one question is what happens when individual buildings are outside the district. That large outline between Dean and Pacific streets west of Vanderbilt Avenue is the Ward Bakery (right), scheduled to be demolished by Forest City Ratner and the scene of a planned demonstration on Sunday. It was not listed by the LPC (see Brooklyn Paper), but it is S/NR-eligible, and its loss would be a significant adverse impact, according to the FEIS, mitigated by some sort of documentation.
However, it's unclear why the loss of the Spalding Building (right), a former factory rehabilitated into housing, would not be considered a significant adverse impact. It also reflects the area's industrial heritage, and, while the original signage is gone, it's already been renovated. However, the politics of protest would be more challenging; the Spalding Building is scheduled to be demolished for Phase 1 of the project, and BrooklynSpeaks is focusing on Phase 2 and demolition for parking.
What it might look like
Shortly before the Atlantic Yards public hearing 8/23/06, after Brooklyn photographer Jonathan Barkey produced photosimulations (such as at the Dean Street playground, right), trying to show the public images of the Atlantic Yards project that were not available in the ESDC's Draft Environmental Impact Statement, issued 7/18/06.
Those graphics apparently made an impression. The FEIS, issued 11/15/06 (then updated and reissued 11/27/06), incorporated some projected views of the Atlantic Yards project unavailable in the earlier version.
A different scale
The result (right) is a more detailed sense of the future buildings, courtesy of Gehry Partners. The scale is relatively smaller, as well.
Can we trust that depiction? Gehry's images should be more accurate, given that he has access to more precise data regarding the project. Then again, there's reason to doubt the accuracy of Gehry's images--remember the Williamsburgh Savings Bank dwarfing Miss Brooklyn? (At that point Miss Brooklyn was 108 feet taller and three times bulkier.)
And we might wonder
Gehry found a photo with the exact same configuration of children. Indeed, Gehry apparently borrowed Barkey's photo and claimed credit, rather than either crediting Barkey or simply providing no attribution. how | 11,371 | 4,709 | 0.000214 |
warc | 201704 | The city of Toronto offers a wide array of chartered accountants. Any search on the Internet or quick-perusal of a telephone book will provide you with a lengthy list of individual chartered accountants and agencies for your perusal. There are several things to take into consideration before dialing though. First, you may want to know what, specifically, a chartered accountant will do for you. How did this person become qualified? What services will a chartered accountant offer? Why might you need a chartered accountant? Once you have discovered the answers to these questions, you need to know how to select your chartered accountant. Is one just as good as the next? With so many chartered accountants in Toronto, it is important that you know just how to select the one who will be right for you. You will need to discover how to determine what your needs are and which chartered accountant toronto will best meet those needs for you.
Canadian chartered accountants are trained professionals who work in one of the following specialty areas: public practice, industry, government, and education. Fewer than half of the chartered accountants work in public practice, so if this is what you are seeking, look carefully. You will likely find that only four of ten chartered accountants will fall into this category. In public practice, chartered accountants work with individuals and small businesses to help with financial planning, development of financial and administrative procedures and policies for business, tax information, audit support, and forensic investigations. These chartered accountants are sworn to protect the public interest, and are required by the ethical code of their profession to adhere to a very strict and high standard of professionalism. They can be certified to work in Canada or internationally based upon their educational experience. Canadian trained accountants must determine in the university that to pursue their certifications which require a combination of education, experience, and evaluation. In the university, they may gain experience and further training by become registered chartered accounting students. This gives them an opportunity for hands-on training, and ensures that they emerge from school with a high level of real-world competency and the ability to handle the practical daily job requirements with the degree of professionalism that the Chartered Accountants of Canada require of them. Upon completion of their education and experiential training, chartered accounting students are sent to take an extensive evaluation. This evaluation, known as the Uniform Evaluation, or UFE, takes the chartered accountant three days to complete and guarantees a high level of understanding of his or her profession. Once these three steps are achieved, the newly chartered Canadian accountant can pursue his career, and begin to directly serve you – the public.
So, how will you select the right chartered accountant for your local needs in Toronto? You can always search the Internet for recommendations. You are, of course, always encouraged to ask your friends or colleagues for information on their own chartered accountants. Several web sites exist to provide recommendations of current and former clients and reviews of the overall experience with and practices of particular providers and businesses. It is also highly recommended that you contact your list of potential chartered accountants and interview them directly. You will want to ask questions about their education and experience. For example, how did they perform in the university, and what continuing education have they received? You may want to ask how long they have been in practice and if they have ever faced any professional sanctions. Ask them why they believe you should choose their firm over the others. Make sure that they specialize in the areas which you need most – corporate finance, audit assurance, financial planning, tax support, sustainability, small business support, or even forensic evaluations. Ensure that your chartered accountant has a public accounting license and that you will know at all times which partner or associate will be working on your specific project. If you need specific services, or if you foresee a need for additional services, you should enquire as to the availability of such services. Do not forget to discuss billing and payment practices with your chartered accountant. Once you have narrowed your search to the most compatible chartered accounting firms or chartered accountants, you will want to explore with them the possibility of a long-term client relationship. Find out how long they have been in business and if they are frequently engaged in long-term client relationships. Professionals who can maintain a stable client list over several years tend to be more reliable and professional in general than others of their field. You may wish to ask your chartered accountants how you can reach them in an emergency, and make sure that you will be able to get service from them when you need it most, not necessarily when it is the most convenient for their employees. Armed with the knowledge of their industry, education and practice scopes, and educated about each individual accountant or accounting firm’s specialties and professionalism, you should have little trouble in choosing the chartered accountant to best serve you in Toronto. | 5,443 | 2,291 | 0.000438 |
warc | 201704 | The modern methods of contraception:
• Barrier Methods Condoms are the most popular devices acting as artificial barriers that hinder the sperm cells from going through the reproductive tract to reach the female egg cell. Both sexes can make use of this device. Condoms for male resemble a long balloon with a little reservoir tip. Female condoms, also known as ‘femidoms’, are larger and wider than male condoms and have ring-like bands as openings and brims. The material used in making these devices can be latex, polyurethane or skin membrane—often made from sheep intestines. Contraceptive Sponges, like condoms are one popular birth control method. Though it has a failure rate ranging from 8% to 32%, its affordability and ease of use has it recognized and patronized by a lot of women. Contraceptive sponges, often made of polyurethane foam are seethed with spermicide to obstruct, absorb and kill sperm. Proper insertion of this device and having had child/children affects its effectiveness. Diaphragms are birth control barriers that are made of thin, light, pliant silicone rubber that are shaped into a small cup or dome. It has a tractable ring crowning the top, making insertion easier. This device also makes use of spermicide for added potency. Contraceptive diaphragms are available by prescription from health providers since this have to be custom-sized. Cervical Caps, like diaphragms blocks sperm in its way to the uterus and are only available by prescription. This device tightly covers the cervix making it more effective than a diaphragm. It consists of more parts as the bowl, dome, groove, rim and removal strap made out of rubber silicone. With cervical caps, there is no need to reapply spermicide. • Hormonal Methods The Pill. These are taken daily in the form of small tablets. Synthetic progestin and estrogen are most pills’ main components. These man-made hormones are based on estrogen and progesterone which are naturally furnished by the ovaries. Progestin and estrogen helps in obstructing ovulation, by acting on the pituitary glands which controls the release of eggs. These also thin the lining in the uterus, restraining the entrance of sperm cells. The Shot. Hormonal injection, popularly known as Depo-Prevera, contains a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone, the DMPA. DMPA or depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, also acts on the pituitary glands, changes uterus lining and cervix mucus, thus making it hard for any sperm to reach the egg. These shots are given once every three months. Depo-prevera injections decrease menstrual cramps and chances of anemia because women have lighter or no menstrual period at all. • Long Term Birth Control Intrauterine Devices are one of the most effective forms of contraception making it most prescribed by doctors. An IUD is a t-shaped barrier composed of flexible plastic containing either hormones or copper and two transparent strings. From pregnancy, an IUD can give continuous birth control from 5 to 12 years depending on the type of use. Tubal Ligation is a surgical procedure most prescribed to women who does not want to get pregnant again or in a very long time. It has been known to be permanent but now, due to scientific and technological advances, this procedure can be reversed. In this operation, the fallopian tubes are tied, clamped or cut to counter the travel of the eggs to the uterus and the sperm to the tubes. Hysterectomy is another procedure for women where the whole uterus is removed. Unlike tubal ligation, this operation is not reversible. Vasectomy is pretty much the only option aside the use of condom. To make the male infertile, a surgical procedure involving the incision of the vas deferens takes place. I may have missed on some newer ways or means of birth control but so far, this information should be enough to educate someone who is sexually active. The sad part here is that only a few of these mentioned protects individuals from acquisition of STD. Unwanted pregnancies lead to a lot of complications including, health, financial and psychological. These methods are not cruel… having an unloved child or abortion is what’s cruel. | 4,218 | 2,014 | 0.000502 |
warc | 201704 | The member electric utility companies of the Southwest Variable Energy Resources Initiative (SVERI) have launched a dedicated website that provides near real-time data for renewable energy resources from across the desert Southwest.
SVERI is partnering with the University of Arizona to collect, display and analyze generator output and electric customer load data from the participating companies. The website is available to the public and can be accessed at http://sveri.uaren.org.
The SVERI participants include Arizona Electric Power Cooperative, Arizona Public Service Co., El Paso Electric Co., Imperial Irrigation District, Public Service Company of New Mexico, Salt River Project, Tucson Electric Power Co. and the Western Area Power Administration’s Desert Southwest Region.
“Challenges being faced in the Pacific Northwest and California in integrating renewable generation drove the creation of this investigatory effort,” said Robert Kondziolka, director of Transmission and Generation Operations at SRP and the current chair of the management committee for SVERI.
“Our objective is to collectively determine if and when the integration of renewable resources into our respective systems may create operational challenges, and to identify the most appropriate tools to address this challenge. Our overall goal is always to ensure continued system reliability and to provide benefits to our customers.”
SVERI was formed in the fall of 2012 to evaluate the likely penetration, locations and operating characteristics of variable energy resources within the Southwest over the next 20 years. The SVERI participants are exploring tools that may facilitate variable energy resource integration and provide benefits to customers. | 1,768 | 903 | 0.001128 |
warc | 201704 | by Nicole Pope
For a very long time, Santiago Zoo was the one and only zoo to be found in the entire peninsula of Baja California in Mexico. However, the Santiago is not just a zoo, it is the zoo. There are several features of this Baja zoo that makes it such a wonderful place to visit and to support.
Unknown to most people, there is a place in Baja California called Baja East Cape. This cape is located at the southeastern portion of the peninsula, starting somewhere in La Paz and running almost 70 miles south. What makes Baja East Cape so notable is the fact that its environment is virtually untouched and magnificently natural. Regardless of the fact that most cities and municipalities in Baja are tourist towns and commercial districts, the East Cape remains to be left pure and natural. It is here, in a small town called Santiago which is located along the East Cape, that the Santiago Zoo can be found.
The first time I have ever visited the village of Santiago, I felt as if I have traveled back to a time and place unknown to us who have been born in the twentieth century. The village is an agricultural community, in the literal sense. The livelihood of its inhabitants rely on harvesting and planting, and each and every household contributes and participates all that they can for the betterment of the entire village. An Eden-like orchard can be found in the village. Here, perfectly round mango trees with dusty leaves, fresh smelling citrus trees, and vibrant green papaya trees laden with ripe orange papayas lend their beauty and fragrance to the entire village. And as expected in any place in Baja, the orchard also has several interesting species of cacti of different shapes, textures and colors.
It is also here in the village of Santiago that I unexpectedly came across the Santiago Zoo. Instantly, something about this zoo will touch your heart. The entire zoo of Santiago is run mostly by children. I do not mean that children often come to pet and feed the animals such as what you would expect in a petting zoo. Children from the village would come to the zoo to care for the animals, including feeding, observing, treating, and even cleaning up after them. Since video games and television sets are luxuries that many homes in this village are not fortunate enough to afford, the children find recreation and enjoyment amidst the plants in the orchard, animals in the zoo, and other children in the village.
The Zoo Santiago of Baja California houses deers, mountain lions, leopards, foxes, coyotes, a bear, a tiger and a lion. There are also plenty of small little critters housed in the Santiago zoo. You can see possums, ground hogs, raccoons, rabbits and even little monkeys. There are also several species of birds in the zoo. There are peacocks, ostriches, parrots, eagles, falcons, hawks, and other small species of birds. There are also a couple of reptiles such as snakes, salamanders, iguanas, turtles and geckos. Some of these animals have been donated to the zoo and plenty have been adopted by the zoo after they were found injured and abandoned somewhere.
Regardless of the attention and care that the village of Santiago gives the animals in the zoo, it comes as no surprise that the zoo continues to lack funds and support in order to keep the animals healthy and happy. Many tourists and animal welfare groups who are aware of the existence and present condition of the Santiago Zoo in Baja have kindly and generously given much needed donations and support and hopefully, many people will also do the same. | 3,568 | 1,688 | 0.000594 |
warc | 201704 | PORTLAND, Maine — FairPoint Communications Inc. has been suffering lost revenue, lost customers and a tarnished image because of ongoing customer service problems the last couple of months. It also faces the prospect of hefty fines down the road.
State regulators in northern New England can hit FairPoint in the wallet with penalties totaling millions of dollars if it fails to improve customer service.
Regulators say their primary focus now is to fix the problems that have plagued FairPoint since it switched to its own computer systems about two months ago, 10 months after buying Verizon’s landline telephone and Internet network in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
But the problems also will be part of the record when the three states perform their annual reviews of FairPoint’s performance and decide what penalties the company should pay.
“Yes, we have the means to impose penalties and what have you,” said David O’Brien, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Service.
“But what’s more important is whether this company can right this ship. That’s what matters most to us.”
A year ago, FairPoint paid $2.3 billion for Verizon Communications’ wired telephone and high-speed Internet operations in northern New England over critics’ objections that that the smaller telephone company was biting off more than it could chew.
Things were going relatively smoothly until early last month when FairPoint began transferring millions of pieces of data from Verizon’s system.
Since then, customers have complained of e-mail problems, late bills and delays in getting orders filled. They have also complained of long waits for customer service or not being able to get through at all.
In each state, regulators look at a variety of customer-service standards such as how long it takes customer service representatives to answer calls, how long it takes to install new service and how long it takes to respond to reports of service problems.
To meet the Maine benchmark on customer service calls, for instance, FairPoint has to answer 69 percent of its calls within 20 seconds, said PUC spokesman Fred Bever.
On repair calls, it has to clear the problem within 24 hours 68 percent of the time for residential customers, and 91 percent of the time for businesses.
Verizon wasn’t perfect on customer service, either.
The Maine PUC routinely fined the company hundreds of thousands of dollars for failing to reach benchmarks. Verizon was fined nearly $1.3 million in the 2006-2007 assessment period, $711,657 in 2005-06 and $639,127 in 2004-05. The company paid no fines in 1999-2000 after meeting the benchmarks.
In Vermont, there were years when Verizon paid $8 million or more in penalties for failing to make the grade, regulators say. New Hampshire didn’t have automatic penalties attached to its benchmarks when Verizon owned the network. But the rules were changed for FairPoint.
As it stands now, it won’t be a pretty sight when it comes time for regulators in the three states to review FairPoint’s performance.
“Speaking from telecom, this is beyond the level of service problems I’ve seen before. And we are very concerned about it,” said Kate Bailey, head of the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission’s telecommunications division.
It’s in FairPoint’s best interest, of course, to provide good service. By doing so, the company can avoid fines, which are paid to customers in the form of rebates. More important, good service helps companies retain customers and win new ones.
The ongoing problems are not only costing FairPoint money, driving away customers and hurting the company’s image, they have also delayed FairPoint’s plans to roll out new product and pricing plans aimed at luring new customers, the company said.
While costs are always a concern, the bigger motivator is customer satisfaction, said Jeff Allen, FairPoint’s executive vice president of external relations.
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is if we can take care of our customers as we know we’re capable of, then we can keep those customers and keep them happy,” he said. | 4,255 | 1,986 | 0.000524 |
warc | 201704 | Effectively teaching our children the basics of bathroom happenings is challenging to say the least. Between potty training, proper teeth-brushing, hand washing, and bath-time routines, many important things go down in that small room. One of the best ways to get kids excited about doing these things is to design it with their personalities in mind. Here are some creative and functional ways to do just that. If you want to make a renovation then that can work as well but these are great ideas if you are not going to.
Mix and Match
When it comes to kids’ bathrooms, the grown-up “everything should match” idea is thrown out the window. It doesn’t hurt to pick a color scheme, though. Primary colors make for great bright accents for these spaces. Look for orphaned alphabet pieces or wall hangings, and spell out key phrases such as “Wash your hands,” “Brush your teeth,” or “Splish Splash” on the walls, countertops, or shelving. Just have fun with it. To bring unity to a mixed-and-matched washroom, pick coordinating towels to bring it all together.
Good dental hygiene is important, visiting http://smilesunlimited.ca/ is a great way to have any children dental questions answered as they are professionals.
Bring on the Toys
For kids, the bathroom is where serious stuff happens. That’s where they learn to use the potty and the basics of hygiene and grooming. Toys can be used to dental hygiene to keep teeth clean although you should visit the best dental professional in your area for routine appointments. It’s all serious stuff, and it’s intimidating for little ones who are just starting out. So why not take some of the pressure off and bring toys into the equation? Sure, bath tub toys are fun, but other toys can be multifunctional.
Find a toy that your kids won’t mind being dubbed “bathroom only.” Solid plastic dinosaurs or other animals work great for this. Drill holes in the top of the toy and you’ve got a great toothbrush holder.
Bath Time Equals Art Time
There are lots of fun ways to bring out each of your kids’ creativity at bath time. First, you can paint all or part of one wall in the room with chalkboard paint, essentially making it into a giant chalkboard. Now you can create a customized chart to track their progress with their transition to bathroom independence, learn new concepts like the days of the week, or just let them go to town decorating their own space. When it’s time for a new design, just swipe it away and start over.
You can also make simple homemade bath crayons. It’ll be the one place they’re allowed to color on the walls; they’ll be so excited. Your kids can write on the tile walls of the bathtub, with these easy-to-make crayons. Just pick up some glycerin soap at your local craft store. Melt it in a microwave, add a few drops of food coloring, and pour it into a mold. Any mold will do, but when in doubt, an ice-cube tray will do the trick.
If you’re interested in scented crayon soaps, add several drops of essential oils into the mix before pouring it into the mold. Give it an hour to cool and voila! You’ve made yourself some unique bath crayons your kids will love you for.
Bring the Shower Head to Their Level
Once your kids start to outgrow the bathtub, they may want to move on to the main shower head. But often their height hasn’t caught up to their ambition. The water pressure just isn’t right when you’re that far away from the flow. Look for adjustable kids’ showerheads at retailers that can bring it down to their level. They come in fun colors and characters too, keeping the spirit of bath time fun alive for shower time too.
When your kids start to branch out and take control over their hygiene and bathroom activities, keep these tips in mind to keep it light and fun, but also functional and educational. Remember your kids’ personalities and incorporate that into the bathroom design. Embrace their input and let them be a part of it all, too. With these tips in motion, they’ll be soaping, bubbling, and giggling their way to healthy habits before you know it.
This post was contributed by a community member. Submit your news → | 4,291 | 2,078 | 0.000501 |
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Subjects who had failed to respond to bosentan were also excluded.
The N-demethylated metabolite is further metabolized to an N-dealkylated N,N-de-ethylated metabolite.
This information is not vetted and should not be cosidered as clinical evidence.
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Ogbru received his Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy in 1995.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with sildenafil and lead to unwanted side effects. | 6,737 | 3,251 | 0.00031 |
warc | 201704 | Anza is a single mother of four who makes her home in Colorado. She enjoys writing, hiking and is an avid football and hockey fan. She is the owner of a virtual business services company; writing is just one of the many services her company offers.
Learn more about Anza...
Women ranging from 35 to 50 are interested in keeping a youthful look. Reducing fine lines around the eyes and mouth can not only make women look five to ten years younger, it can have a profound effect on self confidence. Options for achieving a more youthful appearance can cost anywhere from several hundreds of dollars to many thousands of dollars. Before committing to one form of treatment, it is wise to examine both temporary and permanent effects of plastic surgery options.
Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) is a temporary solution to taming fine lines and wrinkles located around the eyes and forehead. Botox works by temporarily paralyzing facial muscles by blocking nerve impulses. The effect of Botox lasts between two to four months. The procedure is basically painless and can be done in a dermatologist's or plastic surgeon's office.
Botox should not be used if the patient is pregnant or nursing, has ALS, myasthenia gavis, Lambert-Eaton syndrome or heart disease. Botox is made using human plasma and may contain viruses and other possibly infectious agents that could lead to disease. Discuss the risks, side affects and benefits with your physical prior to starting Botox injections. Allergic reactions can include: hives, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the face, lips, throat or tongue.
Plastic surgery is intended to rejuvenate the neck, lower and mid face regions. A face lift repositions sagging skin to give a more youthful appearance. A face lift is usually coupled with a deep chemical peel to increase the collagen and elastins in the skin and to provide are more youthful appearance. Face lifts cannot always remove all wrinkles from the forehead and perpendicular wrinkles around the mouth caused by smoking.
Most face lifts done today do more than simply stretch the skin taut; they often also tighten the facial muscles below the skins surface. Fat may be liposuctioned out of the face or throat region or added to provide fullness to an older face. Incisions are typically placed behind the ear and along the hairline to hide scaring. Swelling and bruising after the procedure are common and could last up to a week.
Face lift procedures are done under general anesthesia and can take 2-5 hours to complete. A hospital stay of 1 – 2 nights may be required. Pain medication may be needed for the first week after surgery. Swelling, numbness and bruising will occur and can last for 4-6 weeks. Strenuous activity should be avoided during the healing process. Scarring will start to fade after a year but will never completely go away. | 2,858 | 1,459 | 0.000689 |
warc | 201704 | My name is Dr Margriet Dogterom and am the founder and owner of Beediverse. I write this blog for all who love bees and who want to learn more about these wonderful creatures.
Cardboard tubes were used at the time and bundles of these were set in the back of the container. To help the bees orient to their nesting tunnel, cotton batten and “1” foam was interspersed amongst the layers of nesting tubes.
The middle of the container was used the most by the bees. On some days, under sunny conditions, it became very hot in the upper section of the container. It looked like bees were avoiding the excessively hot area of tubes. To “cool it down a little, I cut a small hole in the upper part of the “roof” of the container.
There usually is a lip to a garbage container so that the lid can be fastened to the garbage pail. Unfortunately, when the container was on its side, rain pooled in the rim drowning many bees. I cut a drainage hole so that water would not pool in the rim.
The container was set up about 4 feet above the ground to avoid the splash zone and also to avoid the cooler ground temperatures.
When we started using routered nesting trays, these stacks did not fit very easily into the round container.
We learned a lot from this trial.
The yurt was still a few years away! | 1,323 | 687 | 0.001494 |
warc | 201704 | Today we look at traditional fly sparging, batch sparging and no-sparge brewing techniques. Batch sparge techniques have become very popular with homebrewers recently, primarily because batch sparging requires less time and less equipment than traditional techniques at minimal added cost.
Sparging Techniques
Sparging (or lautering) is done at the end of the mash process, before the boil. The purpose is to extract the sugars created by the mashing process and dissolve them into hot water to form wort. We will then take the sugary wort, add some hops, boil it and ferment it to make our favorite beverage: Beer.
There are three techniques for sparging: the fly sparge, no sparge and batch sparge. Traditionally brewers use a fly sparge, where hot sparge water is continuously sprayed over the top of the mash tun to replace the hot wort as it is drained from the bottom of the mash tun. This gives a continuous flow, ideally with the flow in matching the flow out. Commercial brewers will monitor the specific gravity of the hot wort coming out of the mash tun and stop when it reaches approximately 1.010 to avoid off flavors and tannins associated with low wort concentration.
Duplicating a traditional fly sparge at home does create some challenges for the homebrewer. One must have not only a method for spreading water continuously over the grain bed, but also constantly monitor the flow of the water into the mash tun to make sure the grains do not run dry or overflow. Also fly sparging is a slow process – requiring as much as 60-90 minutes in some cases.
Batch Sparge and No Sparge
Two alternatives to fly sparging are the “no sparge” and “batch sparge” techniques. For these techniques a fixed amount of hot sparge water is added to the mash tun, the tun is gently stirred to assure even extraction for the batch, and then the entire mash tun is drained into the boiler, often at a fast rate (i.e. just open the spigot). The “no sparge” option uses a higher water to grain ratio when mashing and drains it all out in a single operation, while batch spargers use two or more sparge water additions, draining the mash tun empty each time.
The downside of batch sparging is reduced brewhouse efficiency – since a significant amount of sugar will be left undissolved and be discarded with the grains rather than make its way into the wort. For example a homebrewer fly sparging might achieve 73% brewhouse efficiency while a batch sparger might only get 66% brewhouse efficiency. Homebrewers compensate by adding more grain and just take the hit on efficiency.
For a commercial brewer the extra loss would be costly, but for the homebrewer making a 5 gallon batch of beer adding 1-2 pounds of extra grain (perhaps $2-4 in cost) is not significant. For most homebrewers, the extra few dollars of grain is a good trade off when compared to the extra time and equipment needed to do a proper fly sparge. Batch sparging also has the advantage of higher gravity for the runnings, which will rarely come even remotely close to the 1.010 limit mentioned earlier.
An additional concern with batch sparging is that stirring the mash upsets the grain bed, allowing more tannins and grain bits to make it into the wort. To reduce this risk, some brewers use a hybrid batch sparge method where they add sparge water slowly to the top and avoid stirring or completely draining the mash tun. This hybrid method does require additional time for the water to flow through the grain bed – much like a traditional fly sparge.
Batch sparging is more popular than no-sparge because it lets you use a traditional water to grain ratio when mashing, a smaller mash tun (typically a 5 gallon mash tun for a 5 gallon batch), and achieves much higher efficiency than no sparge options.
Batch Sparge Calculations
The most popular is a two stage batch sparge with equal size batches (equal amount of wort drawn off, not equal amount of sparge water added). Two equal size runnings of wort (equal batches) also maximizes the extraction efficiency. Calculating the amount of water to add for each sparge is straightforward where boil_size_l is your target boil size in liters, mash_water_l is the number of liters of mash water added and grain_wt_kg is the grain weight:
Two stage batch sparge additions: batch_1_sparge_liters = (boil_size_l/2 – mash_water_l + grain_wt_kg * 0.625) batch_2_liters = boil_size_l / 2
If you have deadspace under the mash tun, you must also add that amount of extra water to the first batch. If you have the newest release of BeerSmith (V1.4 build 036 or above), you can get an optimal “equal runnings” batch sparge that duplicates the sparge water calculations described above by selecting any of the default batch sparge mash profiles. The batch sparge amounts needed are displayed using the brewsheet (Preview Brewsheet) for your recipe.
The next item to consider is how much extra grain is required to use your batch sparge method. Unfortunately it is difficult to know this in advance, since your mash efficiency will depend on the milling of your grain, efficiency of your lautering system and other factors. A good rule of thumb is to add about 10% to your grain bill (or alternately take about 7% off your starting overall brewhouse efficiency of the recipe) for the first try. Some people use this “rule of thumb” method to size their batch sparge grain bill.
If you use brewing software or a spreadsheet, you can calculate your overall brewhouse efficiency and use that number to properly size future batches. In BeerSmith, these calculations can be accessed from the “Brewhouse efficiency” button in the top section of any open recipe. This display your estimated overall efficiency and OG in the “Brewhouse Efficiency based on Target Volume” section. Enter your actual volume into the fermenter and measured OG into the dialog and the program will calculate your actual overall brewhouse efficiency which you can use for your next batch. After a few batch sparge trials you should have a good handle on what your brewhouse efficiency, and you can then use the “scale recipe” command to adjust web recipes to your personal brewhouse efficiency.
Batch sparging is a great time-saving method for those who are not afraid of purchasing an extra pound or two of grain. Have fun with your batch sparging, and thanks again for taking the time to read this week’s article. Your comments, ideas and social bookmarks are always welcome.
Related Beer Brewing Articles from BeerSmith: 5 Ways to Improve your All Grain Beer Efficiency No Sparge Beer Brewing for All Grain Brewers New BJCP 2008 Style Guide and BeerSmith Batch Sparging Release Brew in a Bag (BIAB) All Grain Beer Brewing Brew in a Bag (BIAB) Beer Brewing with BeerSmith Software Batch Sparging with Denny Conn – BeerSmith Podcast 27 Avoiding a Stuck Sparge for All Grain Beer Brewhouse Efficiency for All Grain Beer Brewing Enjoy this Article? You'll Love Our BeerSmith Software!
Don't make another bad batch of beer! Give BeerSmith a try - you'll brew your best beer ever.
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warc | 201704 | Visitors Now: Total Visits: Total Stories: Global Acetic Acid market was valued at 12,124.3 kilo metric tons in 2014 and is expected to reach 16,155.09 kilo metric tons by 2020, showing a compound annual growth rate of 4.9%. Asia-Pacific is the biggest consumer of in the industry, which consumed around 60% of the total global demand in 2014, followed by North America with a considerable demand. China is the biggest consumer, and is also among the fastest growing markets with an estimated CAGR of about 5.6% from 2014 to 2020. The European and North American markets are comparatively mature with a demand growth below the average market growth.
It is a key building block to manufacture various chemicals, such as Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM), Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), Acetate Esters, and Acetic Anhydride that are further used by a wide range of end-user industries, such as synthetic fibers, textiles, inks, and pesticides.
The application segments covered in the study include vinyl acetate monomer, purified terephthalic acid, acetate esters and acetic anhydride. Vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) was the largest application segment for the market accounting for 32% of global acetic acid consumption in 2014. Consumption of acetic acid in the manufacturing of VAM generated revenue of over USD 2,000 million in 2014 primarily driven by the demand for VAM in the adhesive and sealant industry.
Acetate Esters manufacturing segment is expected to be the strongest growth segment of the market, which is primarily driven by the growing demand from coatings industry.
Among all the acetic acid derivatives, VAM led the market with the highest global consumption of more than 5.0 million tons, followed by ester solvents with total global consumption of around 4.0 million tons in 2014.
In addition, acetic acid has niche applications such as development of photographic films, household descaling agent, lysing of RBC (red blood cells), food preservatives and synthesis of metal acetate. Owing increasing number of applications over the past decades the scope of this market is expected to increase manifold in the coming years.
Companies profiled in the Acetic Acid market report include BP Plc., Celanese Corporation, Eastman Chemical Company, PetroChina, Daicel Corporation, LyondellBasell Industries N.V., Sasol, SABIC, Jiangsu Sopo Co. Ltd., and Kingboard Chemical Holdings Ltd. among others.
Drivers
Acetic acid is the main feedstock to manufacture vinyl acetate monomer, which was at the forefront in terms of volumetric consumption in 2012. It is mainly driven by the growing demand of polyvinyl acetates and vinyl alcohols, which in turn are accelerating the demand for acetic acid. VAM is a key raw material in the manufacturing of water based adhesive which accounts for close to 54% of the global adhesive and sealants market and the increasing demand from Asia Pacific is expected to boost the demand for acetic acid over the forecast period.
Restraints
Environmental concerns represent one of the major factors influencing the market for acetic acid. Demand is expected to rise as the chemical replaces solvents in printing inks, coatings and adhesives.
Opportunities
Adoption of innovative and path breaking technologies are providing competitive edge to the companies to enhance their profit margins vis-a-vis competitors. Accordingly, manufacturers of acetic acid are increasingly adopting these technologies over age-old technologies such as low-water technology. Saturation in western economies and mushrooming growth in Eastern economies have spurred globalization of industries. Together with the opportunities to expand presence, globalization brought with it a host of problems that are region-specific and hence, the regional governments’ foreign trade and investment policies and formation of free trade areas are of critical importance.
What the report contains
The report elucidates the situation of Acetic Acid around the world and studies its markets by application which include Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM), Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), Acetate Esters, Acetic Anhydride and Others.
Lastly, the report is divided by geography – North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific (APAC), South America and Middle-East & Africa (MEA); where-in the market share of each region is analyzed and estimates are provided for the next 5 years.
Key points in table of content 1. Introduction
1.1 Description
1.2 Research Methodology
2. Executive Summary 3. Acetic Acid Market
3.1 Overview
3.2 Industry Value Chain Analysis
3.3 Industry Attractiveness – Porter’s 5 Force Analysis
3.3.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
3.3.2 Bargaining Power of Consumers
3.3.3 Threat of New Entrants
3.3.4 Threat of Substitute Products and Services
3.3.5 Degree of Competition
4. Market Dynamics
4.1 Drivers
4.1.1 Increasing demand for VAM
4.1.2 Growing Textile & Packaging Industry
4.1.3 High demand from Asia-Pacific region
4.1.4 Increasing use of Ester Solvents in Paints & Coating Industry
4.2 Restraints
4.2.1 Environmental concerns
4.2.2 Satuartion of Acetic Anhydride market
4.3 Opportunities
4.3.1 Emerging Technologies For Acetic Acid
4.3.2 Bio-Based Acetic Acid
4.3.3 Backward Integration
5. Market Segmentation and Analysis
5.1 By Application
5.1.1 Vinyl Acetate Monomer (VAM)
5.1.2 Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA)
5.1.3 Acetate Esters
5.1.4 Acetic Anhydride
5.1.5 Others
6. Regional Market Analysis (Market size, Growth and forecast)
6.1 Asia-Pacific
6.1.1 China
6.1.2 India
6.1.3 Japan
6.1.4 South Korea
6.1.5 Rest of Asia-Pacific
6.2 North America
6.2.1 United States
6.2.2 Canada
6.2.3 Mexico
6.2.4 Rest of North America
6.3 Europe
6.3.1 Germany
6.3.2 United Kingdom
6.3.3 Italy
6.3.4 France
6.3.5 Rest of Europe
6.4 South America
6.4.1 Brazil
6.4.2 Argentina
6.4.3 Rest of South America
6.5 MEA
6.5.1 Saudi Arabia
6.5.2 South Africa
6.5.3 Rest of MEA
7. Raw Material Analysis 8. PESTEL analysis 9. Production Market (Capacities and Production) 10. Consumption Market (Demand and Supply) 11. Import and Export 12. Price Analysis 13. Downstream markets review and forecast 14. Competitive Landscape
14.1 Mergers & Acquisitions
14.2 Joint Ventures, Collaborations and Agreements
14.3 Market Share Analysis
14.4 Strategies Adopted by Leading Players
15. Company Profiles (Overview, Products & Services, Financials, Recent Developments)
15.1 British Petroleum
15.2 Celanese
15.3 Daicel Corporation
15.4 DuPont
15.5 Eastman Chemical Co.
15.6 Jiangsu Sopo Co. Ltd.
15.7 Kingboard Chemical Holdings Ltd.
15.8 LyondellBasell
15.9 Mitsubishi Chemical Company
15.10 PetroChina
15.11 SABIC
15.12 Sasol
15.13 Shandong Hualu-Hengsheng Chemical Co. Ltd.
15.14 Shanghai Huayi Group
15.15 Sinopec
15.16 Yancon Cathay Chemical
15.17 Yankuang Cathay Coal Chemicals Co. Ltd.
16. Disclaimer Contact US: NORAH TRENT Partner Relations & Marketing Manager sales@wiseguyreports.com Ph: +1-646-845-9349 (US) Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK) | 7,045 | 3,190 | 0.000319 |
warc | 201704 | Are Classification Essay Examples Really Helpful For Essay Writing?
You are a medical student and you need to write an essay on different types of cardiovascular diseases? Or, maybe, you are a Business Management student and need to outline all possible risk strategies? Probably, you need to classify different types of engineering agricultural devices? Dealing with classification essay for the first time? Then you need some help. Try
classification essay examples for this purpose.
Writing classification essays you have an exhausting task of finding out all possible types and kinds of different things. You have to sort them according to specific categories identified. The categories have some unifying characteristic and things are sorted in accordance with one organizing principle.
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classification essay, one need to start with information collecting. That means much reading and analysing. After the first categories are identified, one can continue with finding out additional features to introduce new categories. It is really a burdensome process of finding more information on the topic required which a student has to survive while writing an essay.
Classification essay is one of the commonly used academic assignments as well as one of the simplest tasks one can face. However, its importance for academic growth is indispensable as it helps to develop basic writing skills, skills of analysing and contrast and comparison skills as well as logical thinking. This type of essay is easy to do, on one hand, but offers some challenges, on the other.
Having trouble with classification essay one can find some useful
classification essay example online and follow their format. However, working with good essay examples is only a part of all you need to do. It is good to explore example of essay writing and see what makes the format. However, you need to make your own small investigation and define your own categories to sort thing out.
For example, you need to classify of possible fish species living in the depth of the oceans where they are not reached by sunrays. So, it is hardly possible that you can find this classification essay example online and free. You have to browse all possible sources and collect all possible information on the topic. You have also to think over possible categories to sort the fishes out. You have to spend tons of time working over this task. What is the way out when you have no time at your hands?
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All these characteristics you may find in any classification essay examples online, you can choose any of them; but they are just examples of essay writing. You cannot use them as your own writing. You need to have a look and write your own academic piece. If it is a problem for you, then custom writers are at your service. They can produce a flawless and neatly written classification paper as well as any kind of research paper and term paper writing and even dissertation writing if required. | 3,569 | 1,539 | 0.000652 |
warc | 201704 | The team found that when the male insect population drops -- killed off by the bacteria -- the female butterfly becomes more sexually rampant. Males on the other hand show signs of fatigue and put less effort into mating.
In some populations of tropical butterfly the entire mating system is determined by a group of bacteria known as Wolbachia, according to the study, published in the journal ‘Current Biology'.
Dr Sylvain Charlat, of the UCL Department of Biology, who led the study, said: "Male-killling bacteria are found in many insect species including the British ladybird. We wanted to know what the effect of the bacteria is on the mating system, and here we've shown that butterfly mating patterns are strongly determined by the killer bacteria.
"Contrary to expectation, we also find that female promiscuity actually rises when male numbers are reduced. Greater numbers of female partners leads to fatigue in males. They start producing smaller sperm packages. Unfortunately, the female butterflies instinctively know that the packages are smaller and that their chances of having been impregnated after mating are lower than usual. This just makes them more rampant!"
The male-killling bacterium is transmitted from mother to son and actually kills the son before the embryo hatches into a caterpillar. Only female offspring of female carriers of the bacteria can survive, which can lead to the male population being as low as one male to every hundred females in some areas.
Dr Greg Hurst, of the UCL Department of Biology and a senior author of the study, said: "It's amazing that the numbers of male butterflies can get so low and yet the population is still sustainable and stable. You don't need many male butter flies to continue the population successfully. This is partly because the decision to mate is mainly under female control and because males have a high mating capacity."
This study was carried out on Hypolimnas bolina butterflies in Pacific Island and South-East Asian populations. The islands provide an ideal location because every island is differently affected by the male-killling bacteria so that each has a different ratio of males to females.
The researchers assessed the natural sex ratio in 20 populations and combined this data with female mating frequency and the size of the male sperm package (Spermatophore) per copulation to find how female promiscuity was affected by the sex ratio. They found that the size of the Spermatophore was key to female promiscuity. However, female promiscuity only rises up to the point where males become so rare that female virginity rates rise.
The male-killling phenomenon in this species was first identified in 1920 by Hubert Simmonds but has not received much attention until now. This finding is significant for the scientific community because it demonstrates how a species' mating system can be determined by the frequency of a parasite.
'"/> Source:University College London Related biology news : 1. Anti-bacterial additive widespread in U.S. waterways 2. A bacterial genome reveals new targets to combat infectious disease 3. Discovery of key proteins shape could lead to improved bacterial pneumonia vaccine 4. Scientists discover that host cell lipids facilitate bacterial movement 5. Family trees of ancient bacteria reveal evolutionary moves 6. Drug-resistant bacteria on poultry products differ by brand 7. Programmable cells: Engineer turns bacteria into living computers 8. NASA links nanobacteria to kidney stones and other diseases 9. Substance protects resilient staph bacteria 10. Physiological effects of reduced gravity on bacteria 11. Anammox bacteria produce nitrogen gas in oceans snackbar | 3,716 | 1,808 | 0.000556 |
warc | 201704 | The following is a guest post by Alan Kalman. Previously, I discussed the tax consequences of losing your job. But did you know that there are certain tax deductions you can take while looking for your next job (even if you don’t get hired)? These include: Employment and outplacement agency fees. Amounts spent for preparing and mailing resumes. Mileage and parking expenses for interviews Going back to college to take some courses to improve your skills. (In this case, you may … | 494 | 344 | 0.002979 |
warc | 201704 | This column sparked a lot of deep thinking and discussion in the office. The author analyzes some evolutionary psychology research that looks at how early humans communicated and interacted with each other for clues about how we communicate today.
Dunbar begins with the premise that back when our Paleolithic ancestors were still more monkey than human, understanding one’s place in the group hierarchy was exceedingly important. Compared to other creatures, primates are unusually social animals. And thus knowledge about relationships — who’s mating with whom, who became allies, who just had a fight — was crucial for primates to maintain or advance their place in the pack. It was, Dunbar suggests, the birth of gossip.
An interesting article about how TV producers are launching a series to be shown on MySpace. Producers are looking to generate story lines and even find actors online. Working online also allows them to take advantage of union agreements that allow actors and writers to work on terms more favorable to producers than those governing network programs.
A new list of the 50 ‘most influential’ bloggers. This could possibly be more valuable than many of the ranking formats out there because of its qualitative focus. The ‘who’ and ‘what’ behind the blog are more important than the numbers.
This year 115 million smartphones will be shipped and that number is expected to rise to 410 million by 2012. This article looks towards the future of mobile web browsing.
It’s likely we’ll see more of these sites popping up, it is important to keep track of them and monitor them for your brand. Brands should also consider setting up their own open forums for discussion about their products and services, of course, rather than let third parties control the platform.
A look at the changes occurring in affiliate marketing, especially how smaller affiliates will find it harder to continue in the affiliate space. | 1,999 | 1,068 | 0.000969 |
warc | 201704 | The Quest for Provocation
It's a fact of life - the same route to work, the same coffee shop, the same issues pilling up in the in-tray - we can’t avoid the comfort of the familiar. Without realising it we all get very good at ‘pattern thinking’ - repeating today what worked yesterday. The history of commerce is piled high with once great businesses that were so focused on their current competencies and investments that they failed to spot the new wave of opportunities, and eventually it drowned them. This disruption theory is well known to corporate innovators. What is less well known is just how powerful a programme of provocation is – experiences that are designed to deliberately broaden the minds of executives.
It’s impossible to innovate without experiencing discomfort. People involved in the innovation process generally experience anything from mild discomfort to outright panic when they step outside the office to spend time with customers. Be bold. And remember—you will have paid customers to meet you, so get maximum value from the experience. You don't have to like them, and they don't have to like you.
We need to look beyond the market or category our products and services exist in. We need peripheral vision. What’s setting the standards for our consumers – across a variety of markets, throughout their day or wherever they are? For me, iTunes gives me control to curate my music and has created the sentiment by which I subconsciously judge other offers, whether it’s how a bank looks after my money, or the way an energy company bills me. Innovation is fermented at the margins with the angry, the ambivalent, the rejecters, and the ‘do it yourselfers’.
To some extent, provocation comes from getting inside the heads of the very people who have rejected you—or at least those who have an extreme or downright strange relationship with your brand or category. So for a new anti-dandruff shampoo for men we met a bald man who bought large amounts of anti-dandruff shampoo, a woman who claimed she left her boyfriend because of his dandruff, the unfortunate boyfriend (interviewed in a separate location), several men proud of never washing their hair, they claimed, due to cost, several herbal remedy doctors who claimed to be able to treat dandruff and a mum who mixed a magic potion anti-dandruff for her husband and neighbors.
Bet you’re thinking that these projects look kind of fun? They are, but they need to be edgy. No point just talking to someone who likes you, it’s much more provocative to meet someone who really hates you, who rejects you or uses your product or service in a way you’d never intended. Although it may be unpleasant listening to these views, you will find within them the seeds of something useful. I’m not saying that you need to wear a bulletproof vest to innovate but you do need to step outside your comfort zone.
By Matt Kingdon, co-founder, ?What If! | 3,005 | 1,531 | 0.000673 |
warc | 201704 | Instead of focusing your effort on what your app is going to do, think about distribution first. How are you going get people to use it?
The big guys have a big advantage. If you already have a brand on the web or offline, people are going to find and use your app. Everyone has the Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp apps installed.
Without this advantage, and without millions of dollars in financing, two strategies remain.
The first is to make your app extremely high quality.Hike up production value. Make it really good. Apps like Paper by Fiftythree, Where's my Water, Squrl, and so on fall into this category. The effect you're looking for is that you get featured in the App Store and Google Play, and hopefully the press will sing your praises for long enough for early adopters to install the app, and that the app will then spread through word-of-mouth.
Don't underestimate the importance of word-of-mouth. I am a fairly well-informed mobile customer. But the last two apps I installed - Photosynth and Letterpress - were both apps I heard about though friends over brunch.
Still, this is a high risk strategy. Developing a high quality app is expensive, so you'll have to start with building a small number of screens, and hope that those screens are the right ones.
The second strategy is to make your app viral.Users create content with your app, and then share it with others who don't have the app yet.
This worked pretty well for Snapchat, an app that lets you send self-destructing photos to other Snapchat users. An even better example is GroupMe and other group messaging tools - the spread through the power of SMSes sent by friends. An app I wrote with some friends, DrawChat, works the same way. Viral content worked amazingly well for Instagram: Photos with filters didn't solve a stated user problem, but Instagrammed photos started popping up in feeds around the world, leading to brand recognition and ultimately a large install base.
The takeaway:When brainstorming your app, don't just come up with a vision of what it will do. Come up with a strategy to get user adoption.
Either chop away until you have an small feature set that you can implement at very high quality. Alternatively, come up with a way for users to create content they're proud to share with others.
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This is my latest in my series of posts about the app ecosystem - see also: Every Step Costs you 20% of Users The Biggest Problem in App Discovery Rethinking the App Model The Two Hurdles of App Adoption Reactionsfrom my Twitter and the discussion Hacker News: eloquencewrites on Hacker News: "It seems like the simplistic ideas are the ones that go viral the most quickly."
I could not agree more. People have limited attention spans and the elaborate app install process already strains it. Simpler app means easier to understand means higher chance of getting people to use it.
potatoliciouswrites on Hacker News: "The devil is in the details. I think a lot of devs realize they need a very polished app and substantial viral value - the trouble is that you can't just will either of those things into existence, or even buy them.
Executing a good app is really hard, and people who can do it consistently are very rare still. Getting a really cohesive, well-built app done is more than just hiring the most expensive ObjC coders and designers you know."
NeoNachoresponds on Twitter: "I don’t agree that being high quality is optional."
Of course. A crappy app won't get you anywhere. It's about how you spend your chips. When I write about the "quality strategy" I mean making something that would look great in an Apple keynote. Think Paper. I don't mean just well done and pretty and and no bugs.
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PS: Timed perfectly to prove my point about how you're not the only person to come up with your app idea, there is a DrawChat clone on TechCrunch today. | 3,887 | 1,954 | 0.000516 |
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