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Blockchain technology is still in its infancy and has yet to be widely adopted by business, but one area where it is being used is IBM Food Trust, a supply blockchain-based cloud network developed by IBM and used by retailers, suppliers and farmers to trace food from the farm to the grocery shelf. The idea of IBM Food Trust is to create transparency and traceability across the food supply chain. It is the only network of its kind and is used by major retailers such as Walmart. At a recent forum on the potential for blockchain technology in agriculture at the North Carolina Biotechnology Center in Research Triangle Park, Mark Parzygnat, program director of blockchain for IBM, explained how the technology is used to prevent contaminated produce from entering the marketplace. Walmart is using the technology to track products such as bags of leafy greens and heads of lettuce. The technology will allow the company to pinpoint a product’s source and exactly which batches may be contaminated. Walmart is requiring farms that supply them with greens to add detailed information about their product into the Food Trust network. In a letter to its leafy green suppliers, Walmart noted that blockchain technology reduces the amount of time it takes to track a food item from a Walmart store back to a supplier in seconds as compared to days and sometimes weeks. Parzygnat says blockchain is world-changing technology. “It saves a tremendous amount of time, it saves a tremendous amount of money and saves people,” he says. The idea is to reduce the impact of food recalls through instant access of data. Parzygnat says the technology can help reduce the one in 10 people who get sick and the 400,000 fatalities worldwide from food-borne illnesses. Parzygnat and others believe the blockchain is a game changer just like the internet. They say it will do for data management what the internet did for information sharing and communication. Today, people can’t fathom doing business without the internet. Who knows, soon they won’t fathom doing business without blockchain.

The early pioneers settled in Banks around 1840 using Government donation land claims of 640 acres each. The Peyton Wilkes land claim is the site of the present town of Banks. William Mills donated part of his land in 1870 for a cemetery – now called Union Point Cemetery. A Post Office was started in the late 1890s, officially being established on January 21, 1902. Ewell S. Turner (1870 - 1919) was the first Postmaster. Montgomery “Gum” Turner, a brother of Ewell, was a storekeeper in Greenville, a settlement two miles to the south of the current town, Banks. It was a small community developed as a meeting place for trappers and early area settlers. The name "Turner" was submitted for the Post Office, however, a Post Office (town) by that name already existed in Oregon. Therefore, Banks was submitted to the Government as brothers John and Robert Banks owned land next to the Union Point Cemetery on Banks Road and were instrumental in developing Banks along with the new railroad. In addition to their land, John L. Banks bought land from the Wilkes and added many improvements in the area that is known today as Quail Valley Golf Course. Today’s United Methodist Church (originally known as the community church) was started in 1908. It was built by Mike Schrammel and Phil Parmley and dedicated in 1909. The first town bank was built in 1909. In 1921, the town of Banks was incorporated, with a population of 75 at the time. The reservoir and water system came in 1924 for $30,000, and a sewer system in 1938 for $10,000. In 1910, 100 Japanese families came to Banks and started raising strawberries. By 1950, acreage had grown to the point where the Banks Bar-B-Q program reported that 4,000 tons of berries were handled annually in Banks. John L. Banks, Born 1840, Westmoreland Co. PA and Died Sept. 22, 1909 Washington Coounty Oregon. Buried ii Historic Yamhill-Carlton Pioneer Memorial Cemetery, established in 1853.

Several recent surveys found that most investors plan to save their tax refunds this year. And with an average refund of nearly $3,000 to use, many investors may want guidance on how to allocate these assets. More than 100 million taxpayers filed 2017 tax returns as of April 6, 2018, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In addition, the IRS has issued a total of more than $226 billion in refunds with an average refund of $2,864 per individual taxpayer – representing a 0.5% increase over last year. Many surveys indicate that the majority of people plan to put their refund into savings. GoBankingRates.com found that 43% plan to save their refund. In addition, 36% of taxpayers plan to pay off debt. Of course spending is also an option. Surveys found that 10% of respondents plan to use the money for a vacation, 6% want to put the refund toward a luxury purchase, and 5% will use the money for a necessary purchase. Among those polled, men and women differed on the use of the refund for debt, with 40% of women stating they would pay off debt compared with 33% of men. At the same time, men in the survey had higher levels of debt than women. The majority of Millennials and adults age 65 and older plan to save their refund versus spend it. An influx of extra cash can create an opportunity to contribute to retirement savings or other priority saving goals. Here are some ideas for investors who may want to save their tax refund. Depending on the investor’s situation, paying down debt may mean reducing credit card or student loan debt. Consumer borrowing is on the rise. In February, the Federal Reserve reported that consumer credit increased at an annual rate of 3.25%. Revolving credit (credit card debt) increased by 0.25%, while non-revolving credit (including student and car loans) increased at a rate of 4.5%. While many investors realize the importance of having some cash on hand for emergencies, it is not always easy to save. In a 2017 Federal Reserve survey, many investors (44%) reported that they would not be able to cover a $400 emergency expense without selling something or borrowing money. In addition, 23% of respondents said they experienced a major unexpected medical expense in the prior year that required an out-of-pocket expense. The study also found that 10% of adults (24 million individuals) still hold debt from an out-of-pocket medical expense in the prior year. Opinions vary on how much people should save in their emergency fund, but the assets should cover basic expenses such as rent or mortgage and other regular payments, as well as extra funds for unexpected expenses including car repairs or medical costs. Some investors try to save enough to cover three to six months of living expenses. A professional advisor can help set a goal for this account, depending on the individual’s financial situation and ability to save. Contributions to a Roth IRA are not tax-deductible, but the interest earned, as well as withdrawals in retirement, are tax free. Roth IRA accounts can also help savers establish tax-diversification among retirement assets, which can be used as a tax-smart strategy in retirement. Some investors may not realize that a Roth IRA can be used to help save for a child’s college costs, and if the money is used for education, the 10% early withdrawal penalty is waived. Family members or friends can contribute to a 529 college savings plan on behalf of a child. Earnings grow tax free and are not taxed when used for qualified higher education expenses.

Reviewed by Gail M. Burns, May 2003. I could not keep these lines from Macbeth out of my mind while watching The Fly-Bottle. Don’t misunderstand, I am not implying that there are any “poor players” on the stage at Spring Lawn, or that this tale of dueling 20th century philosophers is “told by an idiot.” Playwright David Egan is obviously a highly intelligent man who is really devoted to the art and science of philosophy. It is the overall philosophy embodied in these lines that connect for me. It is a very rare person whose life signifies anything. We each take our hour on the stage of life and once we make our exit few will recall the part we played, or even whether we played it well. This is an issue that philosophers throughout the ages have expended a great deal of sound and fury debating, to what end? There is a lot of sound and fury in Egan’s play, which takes as its central moment a ten-minute meeting between Viennese philosophers Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) and Sir Karl Raimund Popper (1902-1994) at the Moral Science Club in Cambridge, England, in 1945. Also in attendance was the celebrated British philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970). Popper was the guest lecturer, and Wittgenstein took issue with his talk. In the course of expressing his opinion, Wittgenstein may or may not have brandished a fireplace poker at Popper. According to Egan, “Those ten minutes at the Moral Science Club have had no discernable impact on the course of western philosophy, and yet they have been made the subject of memoirs, articles, a best-selling book Wittgenstein’s Poker, and now a full-length play.” Sound and fury, signifying nothing. Prior to seeing i>The Fly-Bottle I pondered Packer’s opening question myself. What drives a philosopher? Isn’t life complicated and depressing enough without spending your whole life THINKING about it? I was never drawn to study philosophy and would obviously make a very bad philosopher. But Wittgenstein, Popper, and Russell were great big passionate important philosophers – men for whom thinking about life was as central to existence as breathing. They were indeed artists of thought. Egan cleverly constructs the play to look at the poker incident from the points of view of all three men, first Popper, then Russell, then Wittgenstein. This structure works because it gives us so much information about each man as a man, and not just as a philosopher. Egan, Packer, and the three actors – Michael Hammond as Wittgenstein, Dave Demke as Popper, and Dennis Krausnick as Russell – do an excellent job of making these men’s passion and commitment to philosophy real and palpable. You come to understand them as flesh-and-blood human beings and not just walking brains, and you come to understand the strain placed on normal human existence by trying to live life as nothing but an intellect. That is not to say that the play is perfect. This is its second incarnation and I sense that it is still a work in progress. It is dense with brilliant thought – there were several occasions when I wanted to leap up and shout, “Wait! Can you say that again?” or “Hold on! Could we take half an hour to discuss that thought?” But I didn’t even have time to mull an idea over in my head because I had to stay alert and listen hard for the next intellectual challenge. Even at only an hour and a half, the show made my brain hurt. All that sound and fury, signifying…nothing? Something? Anything? Help! In this case the comedy in the script truly was a relief. “Oh good. It’s a joke. I get it. I can stop thinking for a second and laugh. Phew!” Also an important catharsis during the play were the moments when Packer allowed her actors to speak quietly. The more sound and fury one is subjected to, the less it signifies. The moments of calm perspective help bring the human elements of the script into sharper focus. The title refers to an old custom of barkeeps in Vienna. They nailed empty beer bottles upside down under the tables as fly traps. Flies were lured into the bottles by the sweet residue, and then were unable to get back out. They could see the outside world through the clear glass wall of the bottle, and so didn’t understand that they couldn’t escape by flying through it. They were doomed to spend the rest of their lives banging their heads against the invisible barrier trying to get out, unable to comprehend what was holding them back. The analogy is to the human condition, wherein we all form our invisible barriers and then fail to understand why we cannot connect to each other and the world. within the fly-bottle Although the philosophers articulate this theory, they are equally unable to escape their own fly-bottle worlds. Late in the play Krausnick as Russell speaks a line about the curse of the philosopher is having to always live in doubt. It is this endless agony of doubt that torments Popper, Wittgenstein and Russell, and the audience, as it brings sharply into focus our fates as mere walking shadows, poor players strutting and fretting our hours upon the stages within our fly-bottles, before being heard no more.

Hair loss can range anywhere from being a minor annoyance to something that causes great distress in one’s life. When struggling with this, it’s important to know more about the science of hair loss and the options available to treat it. Hair loss may commonly be associated with men, but at least 55% of women experience some degree of hair loss throughout their lives, so learning more about hair loss in women and hair restoration for women is necessary. To help professionals diagnose and treat hair loss problems in women, specialists use something referred to as the Ludwig Classification. This system of classification separates androgenetic alopecia (female pattern baldness) in different stages, which is the Ludwig Scale. Type I is when the hair loss is only a minor inconvenience and the loss has been slight. This means it may not even be a noticeable loss, only affecting the top of the scalp and not leaving noticeable differences near the hairline. Type II is a moderate phase of hair loss. This is when any of the following are noticed: shedding, thinning, decrease of volume, widening center part. At this stage, transplants are a practicable option depending on how severe the loss is. Finally, type III is the most severe loss classification. Essentially, the scalp may start becoming completely visible in this stage because the hair has thinned so severely that it no longer covers it. Once specialists are able to use the scale to determine the severity of the hair loss, it helps both them and patients better understand the factors that go into diagnosing hair loss and possible treatment options for women. These factors typically include determining the amount of hair loss that has already happened, which is aided by the Ludwig Scale. Then, it’s important to use this information to try to figure out the prospective future hair loss and determine the best course of action, be it regular treatments or a transplant.

Is it dangerous in IgA nephropathy with proteinuria 6978 and creatinine 8.5? If you are interested in the diets, symptoms, medicines and treatments to IgA nephropathy, please contact Online Doctor. Proteinuria usually shows there are somethings wrong with the kidney. And the proteinuria 6978 means the patients are in the stage 3 kidney disease or even more serious. If the patients do not pay attention to daily life and receive an valid treatment, the illness condition will be worsened by the deposited poisons which should be cleared up by the kidneys. For IgA nephropathy patients, the proteinuria is induced by the kidney damaged leaded by the virus, inflammation and others which should be eliminated by the normal immune system. Creatinine 8.5 refers to a medical situation in which the kidneys have been damaged which is caused by immune disorder so badly that a great deal of toxins and wastes are gathered in the body. Also, creatinine 8.5 indicates the patients are in sore need of dialysis in most countries. Aside from dialysis, the patients can do Toxin-Removing Therapy aiming at driving out all unwanted things of body, stopping the kidney damage and enhancing effects of other treatments. Meanwhile, Micro-Chinese Medicine Osmotherapy which is popular in the world as a result of its good effects on reviving kidney function naturally will put into use. Beside, other treatments covering Oral Chinese Medicine, Hot Compress Therapy, Cycle Therapy, Medicated Bath, Immunotherapy and so on can also take a prominent action of treating the IgA nephropathy patients. When the kidney is restored, creatinine 8.5 will be lowered, proteinuria 6978 will disappeared, and the patients can live a better life.

It was good to be back. I couldn’t believe it had been eight months since my last visit. Some things in life maintain a “comfort level” which never fades. When living in Germany, I purchased a light jacket with leather panels on the front and loosely knit wool in the back. It was perfect for hiking the steep trails through dark forests of fir where the leather buffered the chilly wind and wool at the back allowed fresh air to circulate. Comfortable. Two pairs of walking shoes in the closet are almost identical in design and appearance yet one is used much more often. They’re just more – comfortable. Most mornings I reach in the cabinet and pull down the same cup which for years has held the juice from freshly roasted and ground coffee beans. It holds the same amount as other cups and even looks similar to many. But there is something about its weight, the way my hand fits through the handle, the Meerschaum quality of the coffee-stained china. Comfortable. I drove through the entrance gates of the Circle B Bar Reserve on the north shore of Lake Hancock, parked at the first picnic table, slung the camera over my shoulder and hung binoculars around my neck. After walking 50 yards, I stopped and turned 360 degrees. There! That’s the feeling! Spanish moss hanging almost to the ground was parted slightly by the wind’s unseen hand revealing huge hundred-year old oak trees, Northern Cardinals leaped through the underbrush, dragonflies shimmered in the sunlight on tall weeds along the path and ahead the walkway met the bright blue sky which beckoned one to discover something wondrous. An involuntary deep sigh caught me by surprise. I was – comfortable. It was good to be back. Years ago, upon first discovering the Circle B, I tried to visit often. It’s a former cattle ranch which has been developed into a marsh and has restored the flow of Saddle Creek into Lake Hancock. The result is one of the most spectacular birding venues in Florida. A diverse habitat attracts a huge number of birds throughout the year. The day before my visit, a friend (and one of the state’s best birders) sent an email that he spotted a Ruff on the mud flats which have been exposed due to our recent very dry weather. I don’t usually “chase” rarities, but I’ve never seen a Ruff and Circle B is only 30 minutes away….. Gini says I am a natural contrarian but adds sweetly: “But you’re MY contrarian!”. She’s so diplomatic. The good news is, even under less than ideal circumstances, the Circle B is a veritable paradise for nature lovers. I found a couple hundred shorebirds on the mud flats, and there may well have been a Ruff (or a dozen) amongst the crowd of sandpipers, plovers, skimmers and others. Unfortunately, they were about 500 miles away and even when I enlarged the many photographs I attempted, it just appeared to be a mass of mottled brown with nothing in focus at all. Sigh. So, I wandered around and discovered not ALL of the wildlife was taking a nap. Overhead were Bald Eagles, a Red-shouldered Hawk, vultures, Wood Storks and a pair of Swallow-tailed Kites. Not to mention water birds of all types flying from one spot of water to another. I even found a flock of Bobolinks filling up on grass seed before resuming their migration. It was even comforting to see so many alligators still here, right where I left them so many months ago. Despite the lousy light, heat, limited activity and no rare bird, I still (although reluctantly) took a few pictures. Just for you. All decked out in breeding plumage, a Tricolored Heron runs toward a potential meal. A Snowy Egret already has his meal, well, maybe more like a snack. Another Snowy glides overhead, looking almost like an x-ray against the bright sky. The Great Blue Heron is a large bird, standing almost four feet tall. This young alligator was not impressed. He swam back and forth in front of the heron and twice made a sudden lunge in its direction. The heron was likewise not impressed and never flinched. A female Bobolink loads up on seeds. She was part of a flock of about two dozen. They are not residents here and we only see them during migration. This male Black-necked Stilt was busy feeding and there were reports of an occupied nest in this area. I’ll have to return soon to try and find it. Maybe I can get lucky and discover young ones. Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks are normally seen in groups. This one evidently found a spot in the mud he liked as I couldn’t see others anywhere. A resting Roseate Spoonbill keeps one eye on its surroundings. Good idea. Lots of ‘gators wandering by. Not to mention two-legged critters making clicking noises. A little further down the path and I found another spoonbill soaring overhead. A Florida Red-bellied Turtle leaves a wide path as it scoots along in the soft mud of the marsh. Another one suns itself on a log. The weeds and algae on their shells hide a really pretty reddish-orange pattern. I startled an adult Black-crowned Night Heron and he hurried out of sight. A bit later, an immature night heron hid behind some moss. This is likely a second-year bird as first-year night herons are mottled brown but this one doesn’t have the contrasting black and gray of a full adult (see the one above). Plus its eyes are not quite as red as an adult’s. A large female Florida Softshell Turtle throws sand and gravel in the air as she tries to dig a nest along the hard-packed side of the trail. She’ll need to find some softer sand or mud before she can deposit her 10-30 eggs. This is a common pose for the Great Blue Heron and may be used to warm the inside of the wings enough to drive out small biting bugs such as mites. As the sun began to set, a Nine-banded Armadillo foraged in the dry leaves of the oak woods looking for insects. These fascinating animals remind me of Winnie The Pooh’s friend, Piglet. No Ruff today. Despite my contrariness, I found some wonderful birds, several interesting animals and had an exhilarating outdoor experience. Back at the car, I turned back for one more look at where I had been. There was that sigh again. I felt – comfortable. Somehow it felt like cheating. Looking back over 60-something years, our upbringing seems like a cliche. Work hard, be honest, treat others well, you will be rewarded. My Sunday School teacher had to explain (on a weekly basis) why a spiritual reward was far better than monetary recompense. So when we drove through the gate of the wildlife drive entrance last Friday and from the comfort of the car within the first 20 yards saw Blue Grosbeaks, Painted Buntings, Northern Cardinals, myriad water birds, low-flying hawks and a soaring eagle, it almost seemed unfair. Almost. Great birding is supposed to involve great effort. Much hiking, climbing, crawling, sweating, fighting wild animals to reach some sort of avian apex of achievement! But here we were, resting on comfortable cushioned upholstery, cool drinks stashed in adorable beverage holders within easy reach, protected from the sun and wind, icy air conditioning available at the touch of a button – and seeing birds, and LOTS of them – on all sides as we slowly made our way along an 11 mile stretch of good road through a vast wetland area. Yes, totally unfair. And we feel very guilty about enjoying ourselves so much without any actual labor involved. Quite guilty, indeed. So guilty, we may not indulge in such birding luxury again. For at least a couple of weeks. Lake Apopka, a large 48 square mile body of water northwest of Orlando, was once a fishing paradise and in the 1960’s boasted nine fish camps and numerous resorts. Unfortunately, a long history of agricultural abuses culminated in massive fish and bird kills and the once beautiful lake became one of the nation’s most polluted bodies of water. Today, no fish camps, no vacation resorts. A massive effort begun in the late 1980’s has resulted in an astonishing recovery. There is still work to be done, but the wildlife has responded spectacularly and the outlook is excellent. In 2011, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count produced 346 species, more than even Everglades National Park that year! See the link below if you plan to visit. There are several access points for hiking, biking and the one we visited, the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. Birding highlights included singing Blue Grosbeaks, a first-year male Orchard Oriole also singing his heart out, a very large (500+) flock of migrating Bobolinks, many Barn Swallows, male and female Painted Buntings as well as the usual diverse selection of birds found here. While I chased the oriole on foot, Gini had a Yellow-billed Cuckoo perch on a willow just outside the car window giving her the best looks she’s had at this species. As a nice extra, we came across a large Florida Softshell Turtle depositing her eggs along a canal bank. Yes, if you order now we will include AT NO EXTRA COST, bonus images of our short trip the following day to southern Polk County where we encountered Osprey with actual babies! Great Crested Flycatchers! The not-so-secret love life of the WILD Turkey!! Visit NOW! Operators are standing by! Singing Blue Grosbeaks greeted us first thing in the morning just inside the entrance gate. Several could be heard out in the marsh as the sun made its appearance. Insects love this area, especially as our weather has been very dry and there is plenty of water here. This Four-spotted Pennant rested for a brief photo op. A female Boat-tailed Grackle gathers a bit of grass to help weave a nest in the marsh. There may no longer be any fish camps around the lake, but the Anhinga has discovered there are plenty of fish to be had if you know where to look! This large Florida Softshell Turtle will lay 10-30 eggs in the soft dirt of a canal bank. What a pretty face! I seldom get a chance to photograph swallows perched on something other than a utility line. Barn Swallows were abundant and we found a few sitting in a tree for a couple of nanoseconds. Several were also sitting in the middle of the dirt road. It’s my understanding they do this to heat up their feathers to make it uncomfortable for mites and small things in the hope the little bugs will leave. Green Herons normally only extend their necks when striking prey, but this one seems to think he might be a bittern. Bobolinks are only present in Florida during migration and can sometimes be observed in large flocks. We estimated at least 500 birds in one sod field but they formed into smaller groups as they moved around to feed. Central Florida has an abundant population of Osprey. Numerous lakes and streams provide an ample supply of fish for feeding hungry chicks. Two little heads can be seen in this nest. Mama was screaming at hubby to chase away the paparazzo. His impressive talons convinced me I had enough pictures of his kids. As Gini and I enjoyed a breakfast of fresh oranges and granola bars, a pair of Great Crested Flycatchers provided the entertainment. They worked a fence line and retrieved insects from tree branches and weeds. Gini spotted a Red-bellied Woodpecker carrying a bug into a cavity of a utility pole. No doubt there are young ones inside. Driving through an area of orange groves, we came across a male Wild Turkey in full display with a hen by his side. We had a chance to watch the full mating process, something not normally seen in the wild, not to mention in the middle of the day out in the open. Pretty impressive sight!

As fluffy and indulgent as the phrase “self care” may sound, it’s just a few basic habits that are crucial to your functioning. Most of us grew up believing that the more you sacrifice, the bigger the reward. In high school, for example, I once signed up for a debate tournament and forced myself to stay up all night preparing. I figured pushing myself to the point of exhaustion had to pay off. Of course, the next day, I was so exhausted I could barely form coherent sentences, and I tanked. The point is, it’s easy to take the “hard work pays off” adage too far, to the point that it becomes counterproductive. Your abilities are worn. Your skills aren’t as sharp. You lose focus. You might think you’re working hard, and maybe you are in some ways, but you’re not working efficiently. It’s easy to neglect taking care of ourselves because when we’re busy and overwhelmed, even a small reprieve feels like a luxury. So actually taking time to eat lunch, exercise, and hang out with friends? That just feels like slacking. Sometimes I treat self care as a reward. I’m so hungry I can barely think, but I’ll force myself to finish a batch of work before I eat lunch. What I’m really doing is making my job more difficult by allowing myself to run on fumes. In other words, self care is not a reward. It’s part of the process. Sometimes we get so used to “rewarding ourselves” with lunch or even a trip to the bathroom, though, that we forget exactly what it means to take care of ourselves. It’s easy to neglect exercise when you’re overextended because, well, exercise requires time, energy, and often a change of clothes or trip to the shower. It’s daunting, messy, and uncomfortable. It’s important, though, so you want to make time for it in your daily routine. Consider teaming up with a workout buddy or a group to hold yourself accountable. If you’re busy, try an app like Sworkit. It suggests specific exercises and routines based on how much time you have, even if it’s only five minutes. Or, find a gym that’s close to work, or better yet, along your commute. This way, you get a workout and you beat traffic. Of course, no matter how busy or unmotivated you are, sometimes you just have to get up and do it. Everyone wants to eat well and find food that’s good for them, but it’s hard to cook or plan meals when you’re busy. When I have three deadlines on my tail, I’m much more likely to reach for leftover pizza rather than make myself a salad. It’s also hard enough to eat healthy in a world filled with processed food, though. Start small, as our own Beth Swarecki suggests. Do you want to eat less sugar? Control your carb intake? Focus on one area at a time rather than trying to overhaul your entire diet at once. Also, sometimes eating junk feels like self care. I often “treat” myself with a handful of Oreos. Nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence, but in contrast, I think of healthy food as the enemy, so I don’t eat it as much of it as I should. This really involves changing the way you think about eating well entirely, but you can start by experimenting with healthy foods you might actually like, and not trying to force yourself to eat stuff you hate just because it’s healthy. When you’re feeling any kind of intense emotion—stress or anger, for instance—it helps to take a quick break to process it. What exactly are you feeling, and why? It might help to run down a list of feeling words to help better pinpoint your emotion. For a long time, when I’d feel anxious or stressed, I’d work right through it, frustrated the entire time. For example, if my boss asked me to fix something I worked hard on, I’d get upset and stressed out, rush through it, all the while beating myself up for being a failure. I was hurt and frenetic—not the best conditions for getting stuff done. Keeping a journal is a good idea, too. It’s cathartic. And in a study from the journal Advances in Psychiatric Treatment researchers found that journaling for 15–20 minutes helped study participants cope with traumatic, stressful, or emotional events. It sounds very touchy-feely, I know, but that’s sort of the point of emotional hygiene. You want to take time to deal with your feelings so you can control them and get back to work. Controlling them means acknowledging and understanding them. If your emotional pain is especially difficult to manage, you might consider finding a good therapist or counselor. If you can’t really afford one, try dialing 211, the FCC’s line that connects you to local community services. A few years ago, I was consistently working 50-60 hours a week, and predictably, I was stressed, irritable, and unfocused. This is common, according to research from John Pencavel of Stanford University (PDF). He found that after about 50 hours of work, employee productivity and output plummets. Of course, sometimes you just have a boss or manager that asks for too much. In that case, you may need to schedule time to discuss your workload and your responsibilities. It’s easier said than done, and not all bosses will understand the need for self care, unfortunately. However, it’s a better option than simply continuing to say yes. Maybe you’re the one squeezing too much in your schedule, though. One way to combat this is to add empty events in your schedule. This way, if a task takes longer than expected or something else comes up, you’ve budgeted the extra time for it. Finally, squeeze some time in your schedule for yourself. Create some down time in your schedule to devote to activities you enjoy: reading, catching up on game highlights, looking at the clouds. Block that time in your calendar, too. Then, do everything you can to defend that time. Sometimes being busy feels good. When I was working 50-60 hours a week, I felt successful just because I was constantly working. I wasn’t necessarily getting anywhere, though. It was the illusion of progress. In fact, I put off a lot of goals I wanted to accomplish in exchange for the satisfaction I got from crossing stuff off my to-do list. Sometimes, real progress means being unproductive. It can be hard to put tasks and obligations on hold, but sometimes that’s exactly what you have to do in the spirit of self care. Focus on the “one big thing” each day that will make you feel accomplished, as business coach Mark McGuinness suggests. This way, you’re aware of what really matters to you, which makes it easier to prioritize your time accordingly. And your money is a lot like your time. We all spend it wastefully every now and then, and that’s to be expected, but ultimately, you want to spend it on what matters to you. When we’re stressed, it’s common to spend mindlessly. That usually makes things worse, because money is a huge source of stress for a lot of us. Learning to manage it is another way to embrace self care, and you can start by creating a budget with a purpose. Even if the purpose is getting out of debt, it helps to declare why getting out of debt is important to your bottom line. Maybe you want to travel. Maybe you want to feel secure. Either way, make the goal about you, and not only will you feel better about it, you’ll also be more apt to stick to it, and therefore less stressed. Taking care of your basic physical and emotional needs should really be the backbone for getting stuff done, but ironically, self care is usually the first thing to go. If it’s gotten to the point that you’ve perhaps even forgotten what it means to take care of yourself, these points should help you recover.

Slumps often happen when a slope is undercut, with no support for the overlying materials, or when too much weight is added to an unstable slope. The white areas on green hillsides mark scars from numerous mudflows. In this section, you will learn the term mass wasting. Falls are abrupt movements of masses of geologic materials, such as rocks and boulders, that become detached from steep slopes or cliffs. Use this quiz to check your understanding and decide whether to 1 study the previous section further or 2 move on to the next section. Movement is caused by shear stress sufficient to produce permanent deformation, but too small to produce shear failure. On hillsides with soils rich in clay, little rain, and not much vegetation to hold the soil in place, a time of high precipitation will create a mudflow. If a landslide flows into a lake or bay, they can trigger a tsunami figure 4. Geologists are studying the warning signs and progress of local landslides to help reduce risks and give people adequate warnings of these looming threats. Landslides are exceptionally destructive. Landslides often occur on steep slopes in dry or semi-arid climates. The lahar caused by the eruption of Nevado del Ruiz in Columbia in 1985 killed more than 23,000 people. Curves in tree trunks indicate creep because the base of the tree is moving downslope while the top is trying to grow straight up figure 8. Rocks that fall to the base of a cliff make a talus slope figure 1. Tilted telephone or power company poles are also signs of creep. You will also be exposed to the various types of mass wasting, their causes and their effects. Landslides and avalanches are the most dramatic, sudden, and dangerous examples of earth materials moved by gravity. Landslides may create lakes when the rocky material dams a stream. There are generally three types of creep:.

April is National Donate Life Month. It is a time each year to celebrate the lives of those who were saved by a transplant, recognize those who are still in need, honor those who have donated, and thank the ones who are registered organ donors. Many families throughout our country have benefited from organ donation. Indeed, in 2015, nearly 30,000 people got a new shot at living because someone else donated a life-saving organ or tissue. But there are still about 122,000 men, women, and children in the U.S. who find themselves in dire need of a transplant. More than 3,500 of them are in Michigan. Even though there are roughly 30,000 people who donate tissue each year, and despite there being more than one million tissue transplants, an average of 8,000 people — or 22 a day — lose their battle while waiting for a transplant. The need for donors continues to rise. The good news is, more than 121 million Americans are registered organ donors. You may be one of them. While that is a great statistic, about half of U.S. adults aren’t registered donors. Here in Michigan, we are working to make it easier to register to donate. In March, I voted for, and the Senate approved, a bill to help increase the number of registered organ donors in our state. Lauren’s Law, as it is referred to, would have the secretary of state’s office ask whether a person wishes to be added to the Michigan anatomical gift donor registry when he or she applies for a driver’s license. I hope that this bill becomes law. Registering to be an organ donor is simple, and it could have a lasting impact: one donor can help more than 50 people.

I couldn't imagine my aviary without the delightful little Waxbills in it. Over the years I have learned to really appreciate the Waxbills for what they are and not for the stereotypes placed on them. I was very leery before buying my first few Orange Cheek Waxbills. I had heard they were weak, timid, frail little birds that wouldn't do well in a mixed aviary. But the little birds kept calling me back to see them until I couldn't resist any more. As suggested I started out with a small flock of very social Waxbills, six individuals in total from three different breeders. I watched them interact with each other and the other finches for weeks. They proved to be very outgoing, curious, and energetic. However, I have come to understand them better and learned more about their care in the many years since. Waxbills are not like Zebras, Society, Nuns and other common pet store birds. Their diet and housing requirements should be taken into consideration before to decide to bring them into your home. They will not thrive in a small cage eating only finch seed, while in the corner of your living room. Waxbills originate from the grasslands of Africa. Understanding their native environment is essential to providing them with the best possible care in your home whether you plan to breed or not. Temperature, housing, lighting and diet are very important to the Waxbills. Temperature needs to be at least 60 Fahrenheit, even higher for some species. 60 degrees is the minimum temperature you should expose your Waxbills to. The 70's and 80's are ideal. Waxbill breeders do use both indoor and outdoor aviaries, depending on the climate in their area. Those who do live in colder climates say you should keep the aviary free of cold drafts. Waxbills naturally use the grasslands to find food, build nests, and hide from predators. A planted aviary or at least some dried grass bundles for them to hide in will make your aviary or flight cage feel all the more like home and provide a place to raise a family someday. My Waxbills are all kept indoors. I house many of them in a community aviary and breeding pairs in cages. My breeding cages are 2'x2'x3' and all have some plastic plants inside to give the Waxbills a place to hide and a feeling of security. Waxbill breeding works best in single pair breeding cages for most species. Lighting should either be natural lighting, artificial full spectrum lighting, or a combination of both. They should get at least 12 hours of light a day. I use both sources of light in my aviary with the artificial lights on a timer. Naturally here in Iowa during the winters the hours of daylight diminish steadily so I rely on my artificial lights a lot. My lights turn on shortly before sunset so the birds aren't startled by the sudden change in light. A good seed mix works for the basic diet but it should be supplemented with extra grass seeds, egg food, fresh sprouts, and live food. The live food is what turns most people away from Waxbills. Granted the bugs and worms can get away before they are eaten but it's uncommon and not usually much a problem. I have found that some will do very well without live food if given a high protein diet. However I haven�t seen Waxbills breed without the live food. Vitamin and mineral additives may also be used in addition to their regular diet. Occasionally I give all my finches extra greens such as broccoli, brussel sprouts and cabbage. When I'm feeling very ambitious I'll provide a little cooked green beans, peas, and white rice. These aren't always necessary and shouldn't be given in excess to any finch but all of my finches do enjoy the treat. Cuttlefish bone, oyster shell, and baked chicken egg shell is also given to aid in the digestion of their regular foods and to maintain normal calcium levels for egg laying hens. Water additives like Calcium Plus and Calciboost can be given. Always read and follow the instructions and dosage guides on these supplements before adding them to your finches diet. Clean drinking water must always be made available, and like most finches in my experience, as soon as you put fresh water in they'll jump in for a little bath. When they finish, replace the water again. All that and it's still not breeding season. Breeding Waxbills need even more live food and grasses to support their rapidly growing chicks. Many will not attempt to breed until they have the extra foods available to them and on a regular basis. While most species are relatively easy to keep, they are all considerably more difficult to breed. Diet and housing aside, I'd like to talk about Waxbills as pets. Giving the proper living conditions Waxbills should start showing their personality and sense of adventure. My own Waxbills intently watch me clean the aviary every night and they are always the first to fly down and inspect my work. Because I have kept a fairly regular schedule with my finches the Waxbills have almost become friendly towards me. The small flock always greets me when I walk in. Usually because I'm bringing food and they all want to be first in line. Because most Waxbills can't be visually sexed I spend a lot of time watching them interact with each other. All the Orange Cheeks flick their tails back and forth; it's part of the non-vocal communication. Only the males will truly sing. They will also display their colors for the female while hopping around the perch. More often than not I have witnessed the hens leading the males around the aviary in a little cat and mouse game which seems to excite the males even more. Fighting is something I have rarely seen, but it does happen. Most of the fights never gets past the intimidation phase but when two males are determined to fight one will get tossed off the perch eventually. I have yet to see one pluck the feathers from a mate or an opponent. When it's time to stop playing and working out territory they get down to the business of breeding. The males will gather a little material and present it to his mate for her approval. Waxbills do pair off for breeding. Even though they are social birds who do flock together they will want some private space to raise a family. This is why having a large aviary or flight is so important. Many breeders simply keep their Waxbills in pairs. Keeping Waxbills in pairs only will also help you avoid the problems that can arise if you house species that don't normally co-exist together and usually results in fighting. Nail clipping is something you may have to do from time to time. Waxbill�s claws are always growing and can become overgrown very quickly. Most Waxbills I find in pet stores are in need of a little trimming, and mine also require it. There are many species of Waxbill. Some you can find is most pet stores and others you would have to find a breeder to acquire. Appearance: Red beak, grey head, orange cheeks, fawn back, dark red rump, the lower parts light grey with a yellowish spot between legs. Appearance: Fawn to brown over all, lower parts lighter, red beak, red eye stripe, striped body, red patch between the legs. Appearance: Fawn is the primary color, lower parts are lighter, black beak, red eye stripe, greater coverts dark red, rump is a dark red. Appearance: Black cap, grey striped on the back, lower parts light grey to black near the tail, flanks and rump red, upper beak black, lower beak red and black. Appearance: Face and cheeks are black, body has a pinkish shade, back is striped, flanks and rump pinkish red, tail black. Appearance: upper parts green, lower parts yellow, belly is orange, red eyebrow, beak red with black. Females have less orange and lack the red eyebrow.

A Short ‘Tea-torial’: What is Tea? This is a short and simple tea-torial http://bit.ly/2zDbZ0n where Diane shows you how closely related your Camellia bush with its’ beautiful flowers is to the tea you drink! Photos & info & lots of fun! Tea is part of a big family of plants with the family name of Theaceae. From this family comes the genus known as Camellia…yes, your beautiful garden flowering plant is part of it. From the genus Camellia come hundreds of species, among them the two we highlight in this video: Camellia japonica (Japanese camellia) and Camellia sinensis (better known as ‘tea’). There is one other tea species called Camellia assamica, which is the name given to tea grown in the Assam region of India. The area is so unique in terroir that it has been given its’ own designation. And, it’s also the largest tea-growing region in the world. The types of tea are all simply processed differently, from white to black, in varying degrees of oxidation, almost none in white tea, to full oxidation in black tea. Puerh is a type of tea that is ‘doubly oxidized/fermented’. Even though they are called ‘tea’ constantly, herbs like chamomile and hibiscus. as well as mint, lavender, etc., are not true tea because they do not come from the Camellia sinensis plant.

It is evident that education plays a crucial role in tomorrow’s economy. Already, a large proportion of the fastest-growing careers require education further than an A ‘levels, with science, technology, and engineering careers noticeably high on the list. Unfortunately, post 16 education aren’t preparing sufficient students for these occupations. Today, the UK has one of the lowest dropout rates in Europe but those joining higher education as a percentage of population is low. Yet in today’s world, where technology is advancing, higher education increasingly represents the entry ticket to rewarding careers. A startling figure of 26% require a degree qualification which means if you don’t go to University a quarter of the jobs are inaccessible. In today’s world, our young graduates will contend against the cleverest people from across the globe including India and China. Rekindling up that economic engine depends on education that prepares children for University that makes them innovative to grow and make a living. Improve Tuition Head’s Improve Tuition West Yorkshire. Tuition centres are located in Leeds, Bradford and surrounding areas. Improve Online is worldwide.

1/1/13: “For Christ’s Sake” is more than a common expression. Biblically it is the reason for certain actions and events plus the basis for prayerful petition. “For the sake of” is used many times Biblically related to petitioning for another person or one’s self. However, I want to examine the “For God’s or Christ’s Sake” expression. More specifically I want to see how and where God or His prophets use the expression and specifically the reason to do so. Or in other words, I want to learn the legitimate Biblical use of such. Therefore the following references are a result of a word search in the King James Bible. God acts to protect His Name, His reputation, or reason for taking a sovereign act. In addition the Lord is petitioned to do something for His Name’s sake while also benefiting the petitioner. The petitioner recognizes that God has something at stake in this; His reputation and Word. The petitioner knows that what is being requested is within God’s nature and Word to grant such. The petitioner wants the Lord to know (which He does) that the petitioner is doing it for God’s stake. Finally, in the New Testament the Word indicates events that will occur in the believer’s life for sake of the God, Christ and the Word. I should add the “for heaven’s sake” is not in the Bible, but perhaps commonly used as a palatable generic substitute for the above. Reading the following references you will the exact circumstances that God will do some things for His people to protect His own reputation, His sake. Also, it is legitimate to petition the Lord according to His nature or Word to do something for you or others based upon protecting His reputation; again for His sake. 1 Samuel 12:22; For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. 2 Samuel 5:12; And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel’s sake. 2 Samuel 7:21; For thy word’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. 2 Kings 19:34; For I will defend this city (Jerusalem), to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. Nehemiah 9:31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou [art] a gracious and merciful God. Jeremiah 14:7; O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou [it] for thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. Psalm 23:3; He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalm 25:11; For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it [is] great. Psalm 31:3; For thou [art] my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Psalm 44:26; Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies’ sake. Psalm 69:7; Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face. Psalm 79:9; Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. Psalm 106:8; Nevertheless he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known. Psalm 109:31; But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy [is] good, deliver thou me. Psalm 115:1; Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, [and] for thy truth’s sake. Psalm 143:11; Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble. Isaiah 37:35; For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake. Isaiah 41:21; The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness’ sake; he will magnify the law, and make [it] honourable. Isaiah 43:25; I, [even] I, [am] he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Isaiah 48:9; For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. Isaiah 48:11; For mine own sake, [even] for mine own sake, will I do [it]: for how should [my name] be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. Isaiah 62:1; For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth. Jeremiah 14:21; Do not abhor [us], for thy name’s sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. Jeremiah 15:15; O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke. Ezekiel 20:14; But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out. Ezekiel 20:44; And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 36:22; Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not [this] for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. Daniel 9:17; Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake. Daniel 9:19; O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. Matthew 10:18; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. Matthew 10:29; And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew 10:39; He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 16:25; For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 19:29; And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Matthew 24:9; Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. Mark 4:17; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. Mark 8:35; For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. Mark 13:9; But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. Mark 13:13; And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Luke 6: 22; Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company], and shall reproach [you], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Luke 21:17; And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name’s sake. John 15:21; But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. Act 9:16; For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. 1 Corinthians 4: 10; We [are] fools for Christ’s sake, but ye [are] wise in Christ; we [are] weak, but ye [are] strong; ye [are] honourable, but we [are] despised. 2 Corinthians 4:5; For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 2 Corintians 4:11; For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. Ephesians 4:32; And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. 1 John 2:12; I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. Revelation 2:3; Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

Twenty-one years ago, sequencing an entire genome was the stuff of science fiction. Today it is the cornerstone of production gains for New Zealand’s, and the world’s, largest primary industries. Think of it as reading the blue print of an animal – this gene’s for colour, that gene’s for growth rate and this gene’s for taste. As one of the country’s leading experts in the field, Victoria University’s senior lecturer in genetics Peter Ritchie explains, many industries now use an animal’s DNA sequence to produce the perfect product. “Whole-genome analysis can pinpoint small genetic differences associated with important production traits, and we can then design precision mating and animal management systems and fast-track ways to identify superior animals for breeding,” Dr Ritchie said. The NZ dairy and beef industries have been benefiting from the technology for years but according to Dr Ritchie, it’s the aquaculture sector that has the most to gain. “The dairy industry has a large genomics focus and the cattle industry also has a value driven genetics programme – all of those primary industries can see that this is transformational technology,” Dr Ritchie said. “If you asked anyone in dairy, they’d say whole genome selection techniques are going to be responsible for 70 per cent of all future production increases. “If we have a long term focus, there’s no reason we can’t get those sorts of numbers with the Greenshell Mussel. “Aquaculture doesn’t have the history of thousands of years of domestication that’s already resulted in a series of incremental production gains. “We’re starting from scratch so we’ve got a lot more to gain. “With Aquaculture, we could effectively skip what took hundreds of years of selective breeding to achieve in land-based agriculture. When Dr Ritchie first started working in the field in 1990, genetics made world wide headlines with plans for the Human Genome Project. “We had just developed gene sequencing technology and they started talking about mapping the human genome,” he said. “Some people thought it was crazy. The project took 13 years to complete and is estimated to have cost $3 billion. As well as transforming our knowledge of the human body, it also revolutionised the field of genetics and made the technology a lot more accessible. With today’s technology Dr Ritchie estimates New Zealand could sequence the Greenshell Mussel genome in around six months at a cost of about $700,000. We’d then be in a position to develop whole-genome selective breeding programs and efficiently pick the best natural products. “As the saying goes, yesterday’s science fiction is today’s reality,” he said. “This is not about predicting future trends, this is about keeping up. “As a geneticist I am really positive about the potential for gains in aquaculture. Compared to land-based production animals, marine species have very large population sizes, which means they hold a very large amount of genetic potential. We just need the right tools to unlock it. “But industry and science and government are going to have to make a decision about whether to invest and how to coordinate the resources to do it. It will take more than just me – we will need a team of researchers. “It would require some solid R&D investment and coordinating a specific set of New Zealand’s science resources. “We need to get scientists and industry to sit around the table, get a plan together and start working towards that plan.

The itinerary of this informative tour goes along one of the sections of the Great Silk Road (Route), across the two Central Asian countries, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. You will take course through the route, which in ancient times was passed by numerous caravans - across the Tien Shan Mountains, past the cities of the fertile Fergana Valley, to Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara and further to Khorezm, to the fabulous medieval Khiva. On your way you will admire picturesque and unexpectedly contrasting landscapes in the cool mountains and colorful cities, look into the crystal clear water of Lake Issyk Kul, stay in national Kyrgyz yurts and contemplate the masterpieces of ancient cities that once sprang up along the Great Silk Road. And the cuisine. An incredibly wonderful cuisine that has taken in the best local cooking traditions! The Great Silk Road was not a mere branching trans-Eurasian system of caravan routes used to transfer expensive silk, aromatic spices, rare minerals and other valuable goods from China and India to Europe and the Arab countries. It was a unique communication highway, on which knowledge, recipes, religions, ideas and innovations travelled between the East and West. Different parts of this transcontinental route used to change and shift in the course of time, the system of caravan roads constantly growing and branching. However, the road we are going to take in this tour was one of the basic strategic courses in the complex network of the Great Silk Road. Alongside knowledge and interesting souvenirs, you will bring home a lot of indelible impressions! Day 2. Bishkek - Burana Tower - Karakol. Right after breakfast at 08:00 transfer to Karakol town situated at the foot of the most picturesque mountains of Tian Shan. On the way visit Burana Tower (old minaret) near Tokmok city and a collection of Balbals, Turkic ancient tombs. Further transfer to Karakol along the North shore of Issyk Kul lake. Visit Cholpon-Ata Petroglyphs site on the way. Upon arrival in Karakol accommodation and rest in family hotel. Day 3. Karakol - Djety Oguz - Tamga. After breakfast city tour in Karakol: visit Dungan mosque and Orthodox Cathedral. Later visit the museum of N. M. Przhevalski, the outstanding Russian explorer of Asian continent. Further transfer to Djety Oguz Gorge, which is translated from Kyrgyz language as “Seven Bulls”. and named so because of the red rocky sand formations covered with forests of Tien Shan spruces. Easy hiking in the gorge along the winding Djety Oguz mountain river and further transfer to Tamga village. Arrival to Tamga and dinner in the family Guest House. Day 4. Tamga - Kochkor - Son Kul lake. After breakfast transfer to Kochkor village along the southern shore of the Issyk Kul Lake. On the way short hiking in Skazka (Fairy Tale) Canyons. Upon arrival to Son Kul lake accommodation in yurt camp. Enjoy horseback riding or just hiking, spend time with friendly Kyrgyz families and taste their fresh airan (yogurt) and kymys (a fermented national drink from mare’s milk). Dinner and overnight in yurts. Day 5. Son Kul lake - Kyzyl Oy village - Bishkek. In the morning after short hiking in the lake area and breakfast transfer to authentic Kyzyl Oy village via Kara Keche canyon and along Kekemeren river. Further drive to Bishkek via Suusamyr valley and Too Ashuu pass. Upon arrival to Bishkek accommodation and rest at the hotel. Day 6. Bishkek - Osh (morning flight). After breakfast transfer to the airport to take flight to Osh town. Upon arrival start sightseeing tour in Osh: visit the Central bazaar and Central Square. After lunch visit Suleiman Mount, one of the main shrines of the Islamic world in Central Asia. On the mount visit to a historical museum, located in the main cave. After that walk up the hill and watch a little mosque of Babur, The Great Mogols Dynasty founder, and take a bird eye’s view of the city. Day 7. Osh - “Dustlik” border point - Margilan - Fergana (road transfer). Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, passing through checkpoint. Meet at Uzbek side of the border. Further transfer to Margilan and visit “ Yodgorlik ” silk factory which is famous for handmade khan-atlas. Transfer to Fergana. Accommodation at the hotel and rest. Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Rishtan, visiting pottery (hand-made ceramics). Transfer to Kokand. Sightseeing tour around Kokand: Palace of Khudayar Khan, Mausoleum of Modari Khan, Juma Mosque. Arrival to the railway station in Kokand and further transfer to Tashkent by train. Meet in Tashkent on arrival. Accommodation at the hotel and rest. After breakfast guided sightseeing tour around Tashkent: Khast-Imam Square, Barak-Khan Madrasah, Kafal-al-Shashi Mausoleum, Kukeldash Madrasah; after lunch: Museum of Applied Arts, Independence Square, Amir Timur Square. Overnight at the hotel. Day 10. Tashkent - Samarkand (morning railway transfer). Breakfast at the hotel. Ride to Samarkand in premium service high-speed train «Afrosiab» (07:30-09:48). Guided sightseeing tour of Samarkand: Gur-e Amir Mausoleum (Tamerlane’s sepulcher), Rukhabad Mausoleum, Registan Square (Ulugbek Madrasah, Sher-Dor Madrasah, and Tilla-Qori Madrasah); after lunch: Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, and Ulugbek Observatory. Day 11. Samarkand - Bukhara (road transfer). After breakfast transfer to Bukhara and visit the out-of-town sites on arrival, located in 4 km from Bukhara: Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace, memorial complex of the Islamic saint Baha-ud-Din Naqshband, Chor-Bakr Memorial Complex. Arrival to Bukhara. Accommodation and overnight at the hotel. Breakfast in hotel. Guided sightseeing tour around Bukhara: Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, Bolo Khauz Mosque, Ark Citadel, Po-i-Kalyan Complex (Kalyan Minaret and others), Ulugbek Madrasah; after lunch: Lyab-i Hauz Architectural Ensemble, Kukeldash Madrasah, Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah, domed shopping arcade. Overnight at the hotel. Day 13. Bukhara - Khiva (road transfer). Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer across the Kyzyl-Kum Desert and along the Amudarya River to Khiva. Lunch en route. Arrival in Khiva. Leisure time. Visiting traditional workshops and souvenir shops. Overnight at the hotel. Day 14. Khiva - Urgench - Tashkent (evening flight). Breakfast in hotel. Guided sightseeing tour around Khiva: Ichan Kala (historical inner city), Pakhlavan Mahmud Complex, Kunya-Ark Fortress, Islam Hajji Madrasah & Minaret. After lunch: Tash Khauli Palace, Juma Mosque, Muhammad Aminkhan Minaret & Madrasah, and Avesta Museum. Transfer to Urgench (35 km, 30 min). Evening flight to Tashkent. Meeting at airport, transfer to hotel, check-in and rest. Breakfast at the hotel (or lunch-box). Early morning transfer to the airport. Departure.

The banana is an edible fruit, botanically a berry, produced by several kinds of large herbaceous, flowering plants in the genus Musa.In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called plantains. The fruit is variable in size, color, and firmness, but is usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich in starch covered with a rind which may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown when ripe. The fruits grow in clusters hanging from the top of the plant. Almost all modern edible parthenocarpic (seedless) bananas come from two wild species – Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. The scientific names of most cultivated bananas are Musa acuminata, Musa balbisiana, and Musa × paradisiaca for the hybrid Musa acuminata × M. balbisiana, depending on their genomic constitution. The old scientific name Musa sapientum is no longer used. One medium-sized banana contains about 105 calories, most of which come from carbs.

Every local knows and has enjoyed our beloved Quakertown Park, but few may recall the haunted history of an African-American community that once thrived here as a township-within-a-town. In part one of a two-part series, Prof. Treat offers a glimpse into the fascinating early history of Texas’ Black pioneers and the growth of “The Quaker.” In part two of this series, Prof. Treat will explore the demise and slow recovery of Quakertown’s historical significance to Denton. Quakertown Park is today a lively center of local culture, mere blocks from the Denton Square, adjacent to the Emily Fowler Public Library, and home to a Civic Center that hosts year-round community events like the beloved Denton Arts & Jazz Festival or the annual Blues Festival, to name only a few. This past February, during Black History Month, however, the Texas Historical Commission finally approved a marker acknowledging the rich if troubling past that haunts this Denton city landmark. Between the early 1880s and early 1920s, the Quakertown site had been a thriving African-American community nestled in the heart of Denton. But truly understanding this very remarkable place requires a bit more backstory into some darker episodes of Texas race relations. Early Texas settlement since the 1800s had also included freedmen or runaway slaves working-for-hire as cowboys under Mexican antislavery laws, and there are rumors of a Texas ‘underground railroad’ called the Mystic Red which smuggled escape slaves to feedom in the Indian Territories or Mexico through Denton County. Thus, some of these slaves and freemen, or runaways and mulattos, carved out a precarious existence in the vast frontier wilderness. We should hesitate to overly romanticize these always precarious conditions, however, since Texas was firmly ruled from its beginnings by large slaveholders, racist vigilante regulators, and commonplace prejudices that would forment fully into the American Civil War of the 1860s. But as a remote frontier outpost, Denton was exceedingly tolerant of differences as a matter of community survival against persistent environmental threats or Native American raiders. By the early 1900s, there were five flourishing African-American neighborhoods and, although most worked for white families and businesses or the Denton colleges, the “Quaker” became a tight-knit hub for Black Dentonians forced to contend with lingering social segregation. Remarkably, besides at least three churches and a schoolhouse, Quakertown soon boasted it’s own Black physician Dr. E.D. Moten, a drug store, Crawford’s General Store, the Allen Restaurant and the Smith Café, Henry Maddox’s boarding house, a tailor shop, Skinner’s Shoe Shop, and Citizen’s Undertaking Parlour. Thriving in the shade of Denton’s new “Girl’s Industrial College of Texas,” which opened in 1903 just a block from its northern border, Quakertown had little warning that the precursor to TWU would soon cast a foreboding shadow over the future of their community… and some harrowing encounters with the resurgent Ku Klux Klan.

Diabetes management nurses provide care to individuals who have complications arising from diabetes. These nurses have special knowledge of the endocrine system, which involves pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, pineal body, reproductive, and hypothalamus glands. They also provide care to patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. A diabetes management nurse makes a median annual salary of $57,000.

Privatisation is the selling of state owned businesses to private individuals and groups. This increases the efficiency of these organisations as they face more competition. Profit motive increases the incentive to utilise the resources in the best possible way. Deregulation involves reducing barriers to entry in order to make the market more competitive. It does away with unnecessary rules and regulations on business which results in reduced cost, increased output and lower prices. Moreover, it increases the competition in the economy, leading to higher efficiency for businesses. Improving the level of education, training and skills of the workforce will raise the labour productivity and increase the aggregate supply. Governments usually give a lot of importance to education and encourage more and more people to attend universities and colleges and enhance the skills of the workforce. By controlling the actions of the trade unions the Government can ensure that there is least disruption in the business activities.

Do you have a bunch of extra cardboard boxes lying around your home that you don’t know what to do with? Did you just move and have extra cardboard? Or maybe you have leftover cardboard boxes after buying lots of beer for a party? You can profit from cardboard boxes recycling for money programs! You will gain money and all you need to do is invest some time in collecting cardboard. The first step is to collect cardboard boxes and then look for ways to resell and recycle the cardboard for profit. Did you know that approximately 36 million Americans moved between 2012 and 2013? This is based on numbers from the Census Bureau. Think about all the cardboard boxes that were used! People who are looking to move often purchase cardboard boxes from Uhaul or UPS in order to store all their belongings for the move. Once they have unpacked all their stuff, the cardboard boxes are often thrown out or recycled at the local city recycling center. Throwing out these boxes after moving is a waste since you could be picking up some extra cash instead. There are companies that pay anywhere from 50 cents to two dollars per box depending on the size. These companies then profit by selling the cardboard boxes to people who are moving to a new residence. Keep reading to learn how you yourself can profit by recycling used cardboard boxes. There are multiple ways you can begin a paid cardboard box recycling program. A number of different places allow you to collect boxes so that you can make enough money on recycling. You’ll need to take part in some legwork before making any money on this project. So be sure to follow a great strategy for collecting cardboard boxes. You can start this process by looking around your own home. Try to find the biggest boxes. These are easier to resell and recycle. Keep small or tiny boxes for your own storage purposes. If you find a wardrobe box with a metal rod, you can resell this for more than two dollars. Take a look in your attic, your basement, or your garage. You’ll be sure to find a few extra boxes collecting space for little reason. The boxes can have writing on them but make sure they are not damaged and are in good condition. This makes it much simpler to resell. You’ll want to ask your friends and family to see if anyone has any extra cardboard boxes lying around. Once again, make sure these boxes are in good condition before taking them. You’ll find most people are happy to help especially if it means they’ll get rid of large, unwanted boxes. If you spend some time browsing through your local Craigslist website, you’ll find lots of people who want to get rid of cardboard boxes taking up space in their home. Look through the Free Section of your local Craigslist site and you’ll find people giving away their moving boxes for free. You’ll find a free section in your city. Search through it and then you can go pick up cardboard boxes right by the curb. You can find the U-haul Box Exchange Program through an online forum developed by the U-haul moving company. The online forum allows people to exchange cardboard boxes with each other especially when they’re moving. There are people who give boxes for free on the forum as well. So check it out! It may be a great choice for you to get free cardboard boxes. Another great idea is to check out the website Freecycle.org. This particular website gives people a chance to give away some of their belongings for free. Take a look at the site and see whether anyone is giving away free cardboard boxes. Another great place to find some free cardboard boxes is your local grocery store. These stores often have a bunch of boxes they no longer need. Do you have a Savers or some type of cheap grocery store in your area? Many places in the Northeast have a Price Chopper. These stores tend to have plenty of cardboard boxes you can pick up for free. In fact, store managers are happy to have these boxes taken off their hands. We all have a local liquor store in our town or city. The best part is that these stores often have extra cardboard boxes that were used to store wine, beer, and other alcoholic products. A lot of these boxes are thrown in the trash after the beer, liquor and wine bottles are unpacked. You can ask your local liquor store owner if you can pick up the cardboard boxes instead. I’m sure they’ll be happy to let you take them off their hands and recycle them somewhere else. Coffee shops like Starbucks receive their products and shipments via cardboard boxes. Several shipments come in every week. The vast majority of their coffee products and food are packaged in cardboard boxes. Ask the owner or manager of Starbucks if they’re willing to donate these boxes to you. It might be an easy way to recycle cardboard boxes and make some extra cash! Do you have a few bookstores in your area? Maybe there’s a bookstore at a college nearby? If so, you’ll find that a lot of books are delivered to relevant stores in cardboard boxes. Bookstores are a great place to find boxes in good condition. Ask the managers if they can donate their boxes once in a while. There are lots and lots of businesses that often have extra cardboard boxes lying around. These businesses are a great source to find some cardboard boxes to recycle. Many businesses need office supplies and other products. Some sell their products and need regular shipments. These shipments often come in large and sturdy cardboard boxes. These are great to recycle easily and make some money on the side. Check out if any businesses are getting rid of their boxes on Craigslist through the Free Section. You can also try calling up some local businesses on the phone to see if any have extra cardboard boxes they’re willing to part with for free. Be sure to call up businesses in your local region because there’s no need to drive far distances to pick up cardboard boxes. The math is on your side. If you can collect up to 200 cardboard boxes, you can make anywhere from $200 to $400. You can then go onto find companies and places that are looking to buy used cardboard boxes. Reselling these boxes will leave your wallet full of extra cash. If you’re looking to take your significant other out on a fancy date or you just need a little extra cash to cover your monthly rent, reselling cardboard boxes is one good solution. After collecting these boxes, you can make some extra money by selling the boxes through Craigslist. Check out the “For Sale” section and find people who are looking for boxes in order to move. The fastest ways to get paid for your cardboard boxes, however, is through certain websites. There are five specific websites you should check out. Through these websites, you will make at least 50 cents per box and as much as $1.50 for every large cardboard box. You could also look to taking your cardboard boxes to a recycling center. Try to call up your local recycling centers. Take a look at a phone book in your area to find their phone numbers. Ask those recycling centers if they can pay you for recycling cardboard boxes. One or two will likely say yes. Recycling centers often recycle paper, plastic, cans, and more. So some cardboard boxes are definitely recyclable with these centers. So take those boxes to the recycling centers and you will get paid in return. How much do recycling centers pay for cardboard boxes? Unfortunately, these centers won’t pay you as much as moving companies like UPS or some other businesses. They may pay anywhere from 10 cents to a quarter per box. Selling boxes to people looking to move or as storage through the websites above may be a better idea. You’ll likely get paid more. Once you’ve gotten an idea of where to find these cardboard boxes and having a place to resell the boxes, you can begin to look for different avenues where you can recycle cardboard. Get creative and think of new strategies. The more boxes you can collect and resell, the more money you’ll have in your pocket. So remember – recycling cardboard boxes is a great way to make some extra income!

How is this name properly spelled? It seems to me, an "Elliott" for well over five decades, that the majority of us spell our name with all seven letters, no matter how redundant that may seem. I recently came upon the section of your website devoted to the proper spelling of your name, Elliott, and felt the need to contribute my two-cents on the matter. You are correct in noting that the vast majority of individuals today spell the name with the full seven letters. You also correctly note that in modern English the double-t spelling makes sense for pronunciation purposes, as the name looks French with a single t. In fact, the name came to English from French and first appears after the Norman Conquest! The name is formed from the Old French diminutive form of the name Elie, the Old French version of Elias, the Greek form, i.e. the New Testament version, of Elijah. As such, the historical spelling of this name is Elliot. I found most of this information in the Oxford Dictionary of Names. My best guess as to the prevalence of the double-t spelling of Elliott would be similar to your original supposition: in English it makes more sense to have two t's because of the pronunciation. As to which spelling is "correct" per-se, wouldn't the spelling chosen by the individual be correct, regardless of the origin of the name or which spelling a majority of individuals uses? The movie Billie Elliot. This heart-warming musical is set in a "northern mining town" in Britian, so the one-T spelling is forgiven (reluctantly). On Sunday February 20, 2005, NBC showed a documentary on Saturday Night Live's first five years. One of the major guest hosts was Elliott Gould. However, in the identification shown on the screen, they spelled Mr. Gould's name with one frigging T. Also, they misspelled his name on the web site, too! Doing the same Google search as below, there are twice as many "elliott gould"s as "elliot gould"s. I searched Google for "elliott mccrory -elliot" and "elliot mccrory -elliott" and found that my name is spelled right about 351,000 times, and spelled wrong 1.36 million times. So I will gladly jump to the conclusion that 80% of the entries that match "elliot" are SPELLED WRONG! In the summer of 2012, I discovered that a book I edited in 1988, which has my name spelled properly on the book, has found its way into the "rare books" world with my name misspelled! I sent them an email asking them to change it, and they did! See this web site. Here is an interesting link into the Wikipedia. Does anyone know how to change a redirection in Wikipedia? When I first cataloged this page, it was spelled correctly, but someone changed it to the stupid and inaccurate six-letter spelling.

The flight from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island is with Emu Airways. That’s enough to make a girl think. Who would name an airline after a bird that does not fly? Because the planes are small they weigh your baggage and then they weigh you. This is a bit discomforting for the fully ballooned traveller. I confess to weighing in heavier than the baggage limit of 10 kilos. And then you notice that among the baggage are 10 cartonloads of chickens. I figured they weren’t emu chicks. Flying is one of two ways to get to the island from the state capital, Adelaide. The other is by land to Cape Jervis, and then catch a Sealink ferry across the tantalisingly named Backstairs Passage, the 15km strait between the island and the mainland. Or perhaps I should just say from Australia, because the locals have an intriguing habit of calling the mainland Australia, as if they are not in it. KI (pron. kay eye) has features that mark it as different. Separated from the mainland for some 9,000 years, it has some animal, bird and plant species endemic and others that developed special features or survived while counterparts on the mainland died out. Aboriginal Australians had not lived there for some 2,500 years by the time Europeans arrived. Perhaps they decamped to the mainland because there was more water. That’s what the English did when they founded the South Australia colony. They settled at what is now Kingscote, but then moved across Backstairs Passage to what is now greater Adelaide. If you are into looking at Aussie animals in the wild, and leaving a small footprint, this is the place. KI’s got the Aussie icons -“ kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, goannas, platypuses and echidnas. And not emus, really: there are a few, kept, mainland emus on the grounds at Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery, but the native dwarf emus died out in the 1830s. There is no plan to encourage the emus because of what happened with the koalas. Introduced in the 1920s, they had no enemies and have ended up nearly eating themselves out of gum leaves: leading to deportation programs to the mainland and a wee bit of desexing of the wee fuckers. But the dwarf emus left their mark. When the French explored the island, circumnavigating it before the English, they gave it place names which still mark the south and west coasts. One of those was Ravine Des Casoars, because the French mistook the dwarf emus for cassowaries. The French-named bays of the south coast are the best place to see the island’s star attractions, the seals. Seals with ears. The Australian sea-lion (a seal, not a lion) lolls around on the beach at Seal Bay, poking whiskers at nosy tourists. (Entry to the beach is with an accredited ranger; this is a conservation park.) These seals have an irregular pupping cycle of about one and a half years. Further west, at the Cape du Couedic (which sounds a bit like quidditch but not quite), New Zealand fur seals hang around the rocks. Do they pong! And their piss turns the rockpool water pink. This is a wild spot with winds blowing up from the cold Southern Ocean. Humans can walk around the cliff on wooden walkways. After you’ve spent the day walking along a wilderness trail or checking out the tweely-named, Dali-esque Remarkable Rocks, there is always the nightlife to look forward to. The English weren’t the only ones to pick the protected bays of the north coast, with wonderful names like Hog Bay and Antechamber Bay, to have a colony. Before them were the fairy penguins, and they’re still there. Little penguins, if your prefer. These penguins have well-established colonies called Penneshaw and Kingscote, coincidentally the names of the humans’ settlements. At night, after a hard day’s fishing, the penguins waddle ashore to their nests. They have provided wooden boardwalks for the humans, so that the newcomers don’t get in way of the daily (and nightly) life. I can’t duck down the Backstairs Passage without quickly mentioning the local produce that is special to the island. They produce wine (little of which gets to other Australian states), olive oil (including some from feral olive trees), cheese (from the sheep), and honey (from an Italian bee, which is now protected). Also crayfish. Also eucalypt products (not for eating, apart from eucalypt drops). And rainwater. Whoever would have thought of that? It tastes a bit like what comes out of an Adelaide tap, which is uncanny. Makes you wonder why those early English settlers bothered to move to the mainland.

Dr Natalie Berry, a psychology researcher at The University of Manchester says venting our anger on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram is also linked to subsequent increases in paranoia, and reductions in self-esteem and mood. The Medical Research Council funded study, the first to examine how specific behaviours within social media which impact on mental wellbeing, also reported increases in paranoia after viewing profiles of ‘non-friends’ on social media. The study also found that general social media use was associated with later reductions in mood, as shown by higher scores for phrases such as “I feel down” and “I feel lonely” and lower scores for phases such as “I feel satisfied” and “I feel cheerful”. Dr Berry said: “This study pinpoints the specific behaviours that might determine whether or not social media use leads to a positive or negative outcome and shows that social media can be helpful but it can also be damaging depending on what you use it for. “There seems to be no difference on how Social Media impacts on people with psychosis compared to people without psychosis. However, participants with psychosis showed lower scores for mood and self-esteem and higher scores for paranoia at the beginning of the study.

It is always good timing to have a conversation with the well-known Canadian historian and author Margaret MacMillan when something momentous is happening. The Brexit vote in the British House of Commons earlier this week that handed Theresa May one of the worst defeats in the UK’s long parliamentary history was a chance to reflect on the truths and the consequences of history. For MacMillan, who will speak in Ottawa Thursday evening in a sold out event at the Canadian War Museum, the Brexit folly “is going to be such a mess. Britain’s laws and regulations since 1975 have been intertwined with the EU. Disentangling all that will be tough,” she said. It is also proof that events have results and that leadership matters. Her talk is about the period after the First World War when the great men of the day (and they were only men) settled the fate of the world. This is something MacMillan knows well. The book that really made her name, Paris 1919, delved deeply into this pivotal six months. It is territory she will revisit in her talk. Then she backed that up with a mention of Saint Augustine who said, in essence, that when we make peace we should think how to avoid war “and we don’t always do that. “I don’t think things are ever inevitable. If we think that, then we don’t do anything. It seemed inevitable in 1940 that Britain would come to a deal with Nazi Germany. It came close but it didn’t happen. Churchill really made a difference. “I’m looking at the end of the (First World) war and the making of the peace. I will say something about what the war meant for Canada but that is really the subject of the conference over the next two days.” The conference is a major two-day gathering of historians and thinkers at the war museum to mark the 100th anniversary of the Paris Peace Conference that hammered out the Treaty of Versailles. But she says there is new thinking about the months and years after Nov. 11, 1918. “There has been a lot more interest in the 1920s. The old view was that 1919 led in a direct line to 1939 and the Second World War. “There has been a lot more research on the 1920s. For so long the decade was seen as a prelude to the 1930s and we all know what happened then. In fact it did in the end join the league. Even the crushing burden of reparation payments imposed on Germany was being brought under control, she said. That calamity turned the nations of the world inward and it crushed trust in governing elites. Germany had been previously battered by a hyper-inflation that, she said, was basically the fault of the German government which in fact had encouraged inflation because it diminished the reparations bill. Still these crises did not make Nazism, war and the Holocaust inevitable. Germany, which was not immune to anti-Semitic sentiment, was probably more accepting than most European nations of the day before the rise of Hitler, she said. She is reading a book on the appeasement of Hitler by the British government and notes that time as an example to us all today. “You can see, step by step, the mistakes made. And you can see the idiocy of the German right wingers who thought they could use Hitler if they put him into power.” The lessons of history indeed are writ large in a place like Washington, D.C. “The history of 20th century was very influenced by Marxist thinking and by interest in economic and social history but you can’t write the history of 20th century without writing about Hitler and Stalin and Mao. These days MacMillan divides her time between Toronto and a flat in Oxford. Two of her siblings live in the UK and two in Canada so she is often crossing the Atlantic. She is pondering the fate of her second home these days and wondering what may emerge. She’s not sure that that would allow the once powerful Liberals, once led by her ancestor David Lloyd George, to rise again. The book will be based on the BBC Reith Lectures she gave last year called The Mark of Cain. “I looked at things like war and human society; war and warriors; war and the civilians; war and the arts and so on. I’m expanding that now and thinking more about it. Of Canada, she does see it as a bit of a beacon. “God knows we have our troubles but compared to other countries we have successfully managed to bring people from many different cultures together and we are managing to get on with each other. We have a tolerance and a kindness towards each other I find admirable. “When I travel people say I am so lucky to be Canadian, but the lesson is don’t take it for granted. You have to work to maintain societies and political structures. I worry about people like Doug Ford who doesn’t seem to understand how democracies work.

Social media issues are part of every aspect of a young person’s life these days, whether it’s revealing TMI (Too Much Info) about their boyfriend or girlfriend on Snapchat, having public spats with their BFF (Best Friend Forever) on Twitter or inadvertently inviting gatecrashers by posting party details on Facebook. It’s important to familiarise yourself with how social media works and its influence on your child – so you can support them to use it in a healthy and positive way. According to clinical psychologist and mother of two teenage daughters, Dr Tara Cousineau, parents need to understand that young people are wired for socialisation.

Found in shaded woods, stream and river banks in uplands and lowlands. Primarily an understory tree. Known as Christmas holly because its branches with red berries are commonly used as decorations for that holiday. .25 - .5” red berries, rarely yellow, found only on female trees. .25” greenish white flowers in clusters on short stalks; male and female flowers on separate plants. Small mammals and at least 18 species of birds eat the berries including the wild turkey. The flowers valuable source of nectar and important to honey bees.

Vomiting is a very common symptoms in patients with CKD. Although it is not life-threating, severe vomiting can does great harm to the daily life of patients. So how to treat it? Here this article will give you an answer. First, let us learn the causes of vomiting in CKD patients. CKD refers to chronic kidney disease, which is characterized with decreased kidney function. Usually, it happens in patients with kidney damage or decreasing GFR for about three months. Vomiting is an early symptom of patients, which is caused by the accumulated wastes and toxins in body. And then, here are treatment options for patients. Due to the underlying causes of vomiting is the decreased kidney function, the treatment should focus on easing clinical symptoms as well as rebuild kidney function. This is an external therapy of Chinese herbal medicine, which is widely used in clinical to treat CKD. With the help of the most advanced osmotic equipment, the active substances of Chinese herbal medicine can immerse into renal lesions directly and take effects. It can expand blood vessels, anti-inflammation, anti-coagulation and degrade extracellular matrix. In this way, the wastes and toxins in body can be removed and progression of kidney disease can be controlled. Different from other therapies, this therapy first points out that the underlying causes of kidney disease is because the blood flowing in patients’ body is polluted. Therefore, it combines blood purification techniques including blood dialysis, plasma exchange, immune absorption and so on with natural herbal medicine to clear internal environment and rebuild kidney function.

On a lark, I booked a white water rafting trip on the Buller River that empties into the Tasman Sea in the Town of Westport, New Zealand. This was with Buller Adventure Tours--an outfit that in retrospect I'd recommend to anyone who asks. The Buller is the largest river draining the West Coast of New Zealand, and has some interesting history, particularly in the past 40 years or so. In 1968 the Westport region was struck by a massive earthquake that exceeded 7 on the earthquake scale. This caused widespread devastation, with--by some accounts--70 percent of the houses damaged or destroyed, and great damage to roads and bridges. The quake was centered on a fault line that transected the Buller River about 40 or 50 kilometers upstream from Westport, and the resulting slips from both sides of the river created a temporary dam that caused great concern. The dam, however, gave way piecemeal and the distribution of its debris downstream created the rapids that are enjoyed by rafters today. The Buller River is also a fabulous fishing river, with brown trout that are said to average about 4 lbs in weight. But the river is also one in New Zealand that has been infected with a pernicious benthic diatom, Didymo, that threatens to encrust the benthic habitat with a gelatinous exudate and choke off the normal aquatic insect and benthic communities that support fish life in the river. A current fear in New Zealand is that this organism will be spread to other watersheds via boats and fishing gear. I met the group to participate in the rafting expedition at the Buller Tours headquarters about 12 Km upstream from Westport. There were 9 of us, including couples from the UK and The Netherlands, and we were led by the guide, Bruce, who turned out to be a wonderful naturalist, as well as an expert rafter. With the entire crew ready to go--including a pair in a kayak, we had some initial instruction (a bit scary) about safety, and and how to follow Bruce's instructions. The first rapids were easy. That's me, second from the stern on the right (starboard) side, in front of Debbie from England--who was more scared than me). Then the rapids got tougher. Look at that grimace, and those clenched teeth. Where's the parachute? And tougher. Whoa, let me outta here! It was a great time, we stopped from time to time to haul the boat back upstream and run the rapids again, take turns in the kayak, swim rapids, jump from a cliff hanging over the river, and even go through some rapids while standing the sides of the raft hanging on to each other. The trip concluded with a sausage roast, and a hearty good time.

Forensic Expert Day is a Ukrainian professional holiday celebrated on July 4 each year. It was established in 2009 by President Viktor Yushchenko. Forensic experts are scientists who gather and examine information about the past which is used in a court of law. There are numerous subdivisions of modern forensic science, from forensic investigation to forensic toxicology. As the work of forensic scientists is to be used in court as a very powerful evidence, such experts must be methodical, thorough, and above all, unbiased. They often have to testify in court as expert witnesses. The celebration of Forensic Expert Day was proposed by the Coordinating Council on Forensics which operates under the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine. The President supported the initiative and issued the decree “On Forensic Expert Day”. The holiday recognizes significant contributions of forensic experts to ensuring justice. Currently there are about 6,000 certified forensic experts in Ukraine, about 1,500 of them are employed by state forensic institutions.

Not to be confused with Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine. The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine (German: Reichsland Elsaß-Lothringen or Elsass-Lothringen) was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle department of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east of the Vosges Mountains. The Lorraine section was in the upper Moselle valley to the north of the Vosges. France long sought to attain and preserve its "natural boundaries", which are the Pyrenees to the southwest, the Alps to the southeast, and the Rhine River to the northeast. These strategic claims led to the annexation of territories located west of the Rhine river in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. What is now known as Alsace was progressively conquered by Louis XIV in the 17th century, while Lorraine was incorporated in the 18th century under Louis XV. Louis-Frédéric Schutzenberger's The Exodus (1872), depicting Alsatians leaving newly annexed Alsace for France. Shading shows départements before 1870; black lines after 1871. Only the département of Meurthe changed name and became Meurthe-et-Moselle after the border changes. Border between 1871 and 1918 in yellow. The loss of Alsace and Lorraine personified. Statue in Nancy, then in the French part of Lorraine. "The Black Stain": In France, children were taught in school to not forget the lost provinces, which were coloured in black on maps. Painting by Albert Bettannier, a native of Metz who fled to Paris after the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War. In 1871, the newly created German Empire's demand for Alsace from France after its victory in the Franco-Prussian War was not simply a punitive measure. The transfer was controversial even among the Germans themselves: The German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, was initially opposed to it, as he thought it would engender permanent French enmity toward Germany. However, the German Emperor, Wilhelm I, eventually sided with army commander Helmuth von Moltke, other Prussian generals and other officials who argued that a westward shift in the French border was necessary for strategic military and ethnographic reasons. From an ethnic perspective, the transfer involved people who for the most part spoke Alemannic German dialects. From a military perspective, by early 1870s standards, shifting the frontier away from the Rhine would give the Germans a strategic buffer against feared future French attacks. Due to the annexation, the Germans gained control of the fortifications of Metz, though it was a French-speaking town; of Strasbourg (Straßburg) on the left bank of the Rhine; and of most of the iron resources of Lorraine. Memories of the Napoleonic Wars were still quite fresh in the 1870s. Right up until the Franco-Prussian War, the French had maintained a long-standing desire to establish their entire eastern frontier on the Rhine, and thus they were viewed by most 19th century Germans as an aggressive people. In the years prior to 1870, it is arguable that the Germans feared the French more than the French feared the Germans. Many Germans at the time thought that the creation of the new Empire in itself would be enough to earn permanent French enmity, and thus desired a defensible border with their old enemy. Any additional enmity that would be earned from territorial concessions was downplayed as marginal and insignificant in the overall scheme of things. The annexed area consisted of the northern part of Lorraine, along with Alsace. The area around the town of Belfort (now the French département of Territoire de Belfort) was unaffected, because Belfort had been defended by Colonel Denfert-Rochereau, who surrendered only after receiving orders from Paris, and was compensated by another territory. The town of Montbéliard and its surrounding area to the south of Belfort, which have been part of the Doubs department since 1816, and therefore were not considered part of Alsace, were not included, despite the fact that they were a Protestant enclave, as it belonged to Württemberg from 1397 to 1806. This area corresponded to the French départements of Bas-Rhin (in its entirety), Haut-Rhin (except the area of Belfort and Montbéliard), and a small area in the northeast of the Vosges département, all of which made up Alsace, and the départements of Moselle (four-fifths of it) and the northeast of Meurthe (one-third of Meurthe), which were the eastern part of Lorraine. The remaining département of Meurthe was joined with the westernmost part of Moselle which had escaped German annexation to form the new département of Meurthe-et-Moselle. The new border between France and Germany mainly followed the geolinguistic divide between French and German dialects, except in a few valleys of the Alsatian side of the Vosges mountains, the city of Metz and its region and in the area of Château-Salins (formerly in the Meurthe département), which were annexed by Germany despite the fact that most people there spoke French.[note 2] In 1900, 11.6% of the population of Alsace-Lorraine spoke French as their first language (11.0% in 1905, 10.9% in 1910). The fact that small francophone areas were affected was used in France to denounce the new border as hypocrisy, since Germany had justified the annexation on linguistic grounds. However, the German administration was tolerant of the use of the French language, and French was permitted as an official language and school language in those areas where it was spoken by a majority. The Treaty of Frankfurt gave the residents of the region until October 1, 1872 to choose between emigrating to France or remaining in the region and having their nationality legally changed to German. About 161,000 people, i.e., around 10.4% of the residents of Alsace-Lorraine, opted for French citizenship (the so-called Optanden); however, only about 50,000 actually emigrated, while the rest acquired German citizenship. The "being French" feeling stayed strong at least during the first 16 years of the annexation. During the Reichstag elections, the 15 deputies of 1874, 1881, 1884 (but one) and 1887 were called protester deputies (fr: députés protestataires) because they expressed to the Reichstag their opposition to the annexation by means of the 1874 motion in the French language: « May it please the Reichstag to decide that the populations of Alsace-Lorraine that were annexed, without having been consulted, to the German Reich by the treaty of Frankfurt have to come out particularly about this annexation. » The Saverne Affair (usually known in English-language accounts as the Zabern Affair) put a severe strain on the relationship between the people of Alsace-Lorraine and the rest of the German Empire. Under the German Empire of 1871-1918, the annexed territory constituted the Reichsland or Imperial Territory of Elsaß-Lothringen (German for Alsace-Lorraine). The area was administered directly from Berlin, but was granted limited autonomy in 1911. This included its constitution and state assembly, its own flag, and the Elsässisches Fahnenlied (Alsatian Flag Song) as its anthem. In the early 20th century, the increased militarization of Europe, coupled with the lack of negotiation between major powers, led to harsh and rash actions taken by both sides in respect to Alsace-Lorraine during World War I. As soon as war was declared, both the French and German authorities used the inhabitants of Alsace-Lorraine as propaganda pawns. German authorities became increasingly worried about renewed French nationalism. The Reichsland governor stated in February 1918: "Sympathies towards France and repulsion for Germans have penetrated to a frightening depth the petty bourgeoisie and the peasantry". But in order to spare them possible confrontations with relatives in France, German Army draftees from Alsace-Lorraine were sent mainly to the Eastern front, or the Navy (Kaiserliche Marine). About 15,000 Alsatians and Lorrainers served in the German Navy. An Alsatian in traditional dress and a French officer, c.1919. Metz and the Lorraine returned to France, front page of Le Petit Journal newspaper dated from 8 December 1918. The French Government immediately started a Francization campaign that included the forced deportation of all Germans who had settled in the area after 1870. For that purpose, the population was divided in four categories: A (French citizens prior to 1870), B (descendants of such French citizens), C (citizens of Allied or neutral states) and D (enemy aliens - Germans). By July 1921, 111,915 people categorized as "D" had been expelled to Germany. German-language Alsatian newspapers were also suppressed. After France was defeated in the spring of 1940, Alsace and Moselle were not formally annexed by Germany, although Hitler drafted an annexation law in 1940 that he kept secret, expecting to announce it in the event of a German victory. Through a series of laws which, individually, seemed minor, Berlin took full control of Alsace-Lorraine, and Alsatians could be drafted into the German Army. During the occupation, Alsace-Moselle was integrated into a Reichsgau named Westmark and Alsace was amalgamated with Baden. From 1942, people from Alsace and Moselle were made German citizens by decree of the Nazi government. Beginning in October 1942, young Alsatian men were inducted into the German armed forces. Sometimes they were known as the malgré-nous, which could be translated in English as "against our will".[note 6] Some, however, volunteered, notably the author of The Forgotten Soldier, known by the pseudonym Guy Sajer. Ultimately, 100,000 Alsatians and 30,000 Mosellans were enrolled, many of them to fight on the eastern front against the Soviets. Most of those who survived the war were interned in Tambov in Russia in 1945. Many others fought in Normandy as the malgré-nous of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich. When Alsace and the Lorraine department became part of Germany, the French laws regarding religious bodies were preserved, with special privileges to the then recognised religions of Calvinism, Judaism, Lutheranism and Roman Catholicism, under a system known as the Concordat. However, the Roman Catholic dioceses of Metz and of Strasbourg became exempt jurisdictions. The Church of Augsburg Confession of France (Evangelical Lutheran Church of France), with its directory, supreme consistory and the bulk of its parishioners residing in Alsace, was reorganised as the Protestant Church of Augsburg Confession of Alsace and Lorraine (EPCAAL) in 1872, but territorially reconfined to Alsace-Lorraine only. The five local Calvinist consistories, originally part of the Reformed Church of France, formed a statewide synod in 1895, the Protestant Reformed Church of Alsace and Lorraine (EPRAL). The three Israelite consistories in Colmar (Colmar Consistory), Metz (Metz Consistory) and Strasbourg (Strasbourg Consistory) were disentangled from supervision by the Israelite Central Consistory of France and continued as separate statutory corporations which never formed a joint body, but cooperated. All the mentioned religious bodies retained the status as établissements publics de culte (public bodies of Religion). When the new Alsace-Lorraine constitution of 1911 provided for a bicameral state parliament (fr (Landtag of Alsace-Lorraine)) each recognised religion was entitled to send a representative into the first chamber of the Landtag as ex officio members (the bishops of Strasbourg and of Metz, the presidents of EPCAAL and EPRAL, and a delegate of the three Israelite consistories).

As you may know from our sections on expressions and editing Animator projects as code, expression functions can summon states that your component has defined. In general, we call any value you summon into an expression a summonable. In addition to its states, expressions can also summon built-in variable values. Built-in summonables are commonly-used pieces of data that the Haiku core automatically tracks and updates for your convenience. They represent things such as the user's current mouse position or the dimensions of the viewport. When writing an expression, any of them can be summoned by name. The following is a list of built-in summonables available to you within expressions. Each is shown here along with a brief annotation about its purpose. Note: All of these properties are intended to be read-only; you'll get unpredictable results if you try to modify them. seed (String) - Seed used for producing predictable randomness, etc. tagName (String) - The name of the element, e.g. "path" parent (Object) - The parent element of the targeted element. See the $element schema. children (Array) - Array of the targeted element's child elements (if any). See the $element schema. component (Object) - The element representing the top element of the component's render tree. See the $element schema. root (Object) - The element representing the root element of the Haiku Core's top-level context. Usually the same as "component". See the $element schema. element (Object) - The currently targeted element. See the $element schema. now (Function) - Returns the current apparent time with respect to the core clock starting time, accounting for pauses, seeks, rewinds, etc. find (Function) - Given a CSS selector, finds all HaikuElement instances matching that selector in your component tree. Useful when you want to bind an expression value to a value carried by some element in your component. Note: The above list is incomplete and simplified. Also, we plan to provide many additional built-in summonables for convenience in the future. The root names of these built-in summonables are prefixed with a dollar sign ($) to differentiate them from your internal states, and to make sure your Animator's private namespace stays clean.

The throughfeed saw line PVL/PVQ can cut-to-size most panels such as particleboard, MDF, plywood, honeycomb panels, cement boards and fibre board. By using main and scoring saws, most different board coatings can be processed. The lateral adjustment of saw and hogger units is completely automatic over servo drive and rack and pinion. By using hoggers at the external units, a separate waste disposal system is not required. In the PVL/PVQ, precision measuring tooth racks are used; the position detection is realised via an encoder, which is installed directly at the servo motor. The automatic adjustment of the saw units to the cut position is effected over the input cut plans. The units are raised by means of electric cylinders and motor spindle. Depending on the panel gauge the optimum cut height and the correct saw blade projection can be realised.

On Saturday morning, April 15, 1865, Abraham Lincoln lay dying in a hall bedroom of a cheaplodging house directly across the street from Ford's Theater, where Booth had shot him. AsLincoln lay dying, people said, "There lies the most perfect ruler of men that the world has everseen." What was the secret of Lincoln's success in dealing with men? I studied the life ofAbraham Lincoln for ten years, and devoted all of three years to writing and rewriting a bookentitled Lincoln the Unknown. I believe I have made as detailed and exhaustive a study ofLincoln's personality and home life as it is possible for any human being to make. I made aspecial study of Lincoln's method of dealing with men. Did he indulge in criticism? Oh, yes. He not only criticized but he wrote letters and poems ridiculing people and dropped theseletters on the country roads where they were sure to be found. One of these letters arousedresentments that burned for a lifetime. In the autumn of 1842, he ridiculed a vain Irishpolitician by the name of James Shields. Shields, sensitive and proud, boiled withindignation. He challenged Lincoln to fight a duel. Lincoln didn't want to fight, but he couldn'tget out of it and save his honor. On the appointed day, he and Shields prepared to fight to thedeath, but at the last minute, their seconds interrupted and stopped the duel. This accidenttaught Lincoln an invaluable lesson in the art of dealing with people. Never again did he writean insulting letter. Never again did he ridicule anyone. And from that time on, he almost nevercriticized anybody for anything. Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain —and mostfools do. But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving. A greatman shows his greatness by the way he treats little man.

As the annual Thaipusam festival approaches, Hindus worldwide who have prayed to Lord Murugan throughout the year, asking for help in various aspects of their lives, prepare to fulfil their vows in return for wishes granted. Thaipusam, which falls on the day of the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai, is one of the biggest Hindu festivals in Malaysia, where millions of devotees throng to Lord Murugan temples, particularly to the famed Batu Caves temple in Kuala Lumpur, to do penance. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Murugan, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, is known as the god of courage, wealth and wisdom. He is reputed to have defeated the demons using a spear named Vel, thus saving humanity. Although there are various ways to pay penance, one of the most popular methods of doing this is by bearing the kavadi – a physical burden made out of an elaborate decorated framework of steel rods and plywood. Every year during Thaipusam, hundreds of thousands of kavadi are carried by devotees, mostly male, as they walk miles or climb steep stairs to give thanks to Lord Murugan. Body piercing, mostly done on the cheeks and back, is observed by some devotees as part of their penance to show endurance and willpower. The seasonal kavadi-making business picks up pace until at least two weeks after Thaipusam, as kavadi maker Perumal Ramu Govindasamy, 37, can attest. Govindasamy, who began making kavadi at the age of 19, says his interest in the intricate art was sparked by observing hundreds of Hindu festivals featuring devotees carrying kavadi, ever since he was little. Govindasamy began collecting sticks and stones to make mini kavadi as a little boy. When he got his first job, he invested a portion of his salary to buy raw materials to build an actual kavadi. “It took me three months to perfect the art, and after that I continued experimenting with different designs,” he says. After becoming more confident with his skills, he tested out his product by using it himself. Initially, he received 18 orders. However, as word spread of his work, he gained recognition and orders began pouring in. “Last year I made about 62 kavadis,” says Govindasamy. “Currently, ahead of Thaipusam, I have already received about 50 orders,” he says. His customers are not only from Kuala Lumpur, but also from other states in Malaysia. The mind and body has to be clean before working on the kavadi, Govindasamy says. For this purpose, he refrains from eating any meat or eggs. He also stays away from alcohol and cigarettes during this time. “My vegetarian diet usually starts rights after the Deepavali festival, which usually falls in October or November, as orders will start coming in then. I will continue to eat vegetarian food until after Thaipusam,” he says. Govindasamy, who is a full-time technician, works on his kavadi at night and during weekends. “One kavadi takes at least two months to complete, depending on the complexity of the design and the size. The most expensive kavadi that I ever made weighed over 30kg, and was sold for 7,000 ringgit (US$1,708),” he says. Although Govindasamy has built thousands of kavadi, one remains particularly close to his heart, because it brought him instant fame. “In 2016, I received an order to build a colourful peacock kavadi. I came up with a unique design where Lord Murugan was depicted as riding a peacock atop a large lotus flower. The entire kavadi was battery powered and lit up in bright colours,” he says. “The kavadi caught the attention of the public and people started noticing me more. The orders were skyrocketing that time, to the point that I had could not keep up. “That is when I decided to premake kavadis and offer kavadi rental services to meet the demand. People are very receptive towards the rental kavadis as they are a lot cheaper than custom made ones,” he says. Govindasamy’s work does not stop at the moment of sale, however. “Kavadis are not like things you buy in the supermarket and expect to know how to use once you reach home. There is after-sales service involved,” he says. During the Thaipusam festivities, he makes sure he is there to support his customers and help them fix the kavadis to their bodies. If there are hooks attached to the kavadis he helps to pierce the customers’ bodies with them. “Of course, I cannot do this alone. I have a group of friends who help me. If we are doing it in Batu Caves, we even climb the 272 steps leading up to the temple, along with our customers and their kavadis,” he says. Where to go: the most popular and elaborate Thaipusam celebrations take place in Batu Caves, Selangor where millions of people gather to pray, offer penance or observe and take photos. The 272 steps leading up to the temple will also be packed with people. Equally vibrant is the Waterfall Hill Temple, in Penang, one of its oldest Hindu shrines, where devotees carry kavadi up to a hilltop temple. There is also the famed Kallumalai Temple in Ipoh. This temple was originally built inside a cave in Gunong Cheroh in 1889, but it was closed a few years later when a rock fell from its roof and killed a priest. A new structure was built in 1930 with the main god of worship being Lord Murugan. Thousands of penances are done at this temple, and kavadi are abundant during Thaipusam. Avoid the crowds: the best day to observe the procession is Thaipusam Day, which falls on January 21 this year. However, be prepared to brave the crowds and the sweltering heat (if you going in the day) to see devotees carrying kavadi. You can go at night to avoid the hot sun, but the crowd count will remain the same or have even doubled by then. Trains run late to cater for devotees. To avoid the masses, visit at least two days before or two days after Thaipusam. People will still be there but in reduced numbers, and you can still catch a lower number of kavadi in action. Dos and don’ts: remember this is a religious festival, so there is some basic etiquette to consider. When entering a temple, for example, you are required to take off your footwear. You should wear decent clothes that do not expose too much skin during the festival to respect the festivities. Expect to see a lot of devotees in a state of trance, engaging in body piercing. Visitors may find the piercings gory or shocking, but should be mindful when passing comment so as not to offend.

Sorry! The requested paper could not be found. There remains a lack of definition and a formal model from which to base threat hunting operations and quantifying the success of said operations from the beginning of a threat hunt engagement to the end that also allows analysis of analytic rigor and completeness. The formal practice of threat hunting seeks to uncover the presence of attacker tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP) within an environment not already discovered by existing detection technologies. This research outlines a practical and rigorous model to conduct a threat hunt to discover attacker presence by using six stages: purpose, scope, equip, plan review, execute, and feedback. This research defines threat hunting as the proactive, analyst-driven process to search for attacker TTP within an environment. The model was tested using a series of threat hunts with real-world datasets. Threat hunts conducted with and without the model observed the effectiveness and practicality of this research. Furthermore, this paper contains a walkthrough of the threat hunt model based on the information from the Ukraine 2016 electrical grid attacks in a simulated environment to demonstrate the model's impact on the threat hunt process. The outcome of this research provides an effective and repeatable process for threat hunting as well as quantifying the overall integrity, coverage, and rigor of the hunt. While threat intelligence can transform an organization's security posture, it can be complex and costly for organizations to adopt and operationalize. With that in mind, SANS Analyst Dave Shackleford tested CrowdStrike Falcon X, which purportedly enables cybersecurity teams to automatically analyze malware found on endpoints, find related threats and enrich the results with customized threat intelligence. This review encapsulates his findings, and details how the solution can help SOC teams. Our third survey on threat hunting looks at the maturity of hunting programs and where they are going, along with best practices being used in organizations to detect and remediate threats that would otherwise remain hidden. Read this report to learn how survey respondents answered questions that are immediately important to organizations conducting threat hunting. This paper addresses the concepts of security automation and integration and provides recommendations on how to use technology to make your team faster and more efficient. It not only emphasizes the need for security automation and integration, but also shows how they are enhancements to, rather than replacements for, a security program. Threat hunting provides an organization a proactive opportunity to discover hidden attackers and to evaluate and improve the security posture of the environment. While existing research focuses on technical methods for threat hunting, a way to assess the rigor and completeness of threat hunting activities remains unexplored. This research examines several methods that can be implemented/used to calculate coverage of threat hunts. Coverage calculation methods include kill chain coverage, attacker tactic, technique and procedure coverage and threat intelligence coverage. This research also explores how to automate the calculation of threat hunt coverage. By following the process outlined by this research, analysts can ensure that planned threat hunts remain relevant to the overall goal of the hunt and that these hunts can maximize the chance of adversary detection success. SANS reviewed Cybereason's AI hunting platform, which offers a lightweight, behavior-focused model of host-based protection that can help intrusion analysis and investigations teams more rapidly and efficiently prevent, detect and analyze malicious behavior in their environments. Inspection of packet captures -PCAP- for signs of intrusions, is a typical everyday task for security analysts and an essential skill analysts should develop. Malwares have many ways to hide their activities on the system level (i.e. Rootkits), but at the end, they must leave a visible trace on the network level, regardless if it's obfuscated or encrypted. This paper guides the reader through a structured way to analyze a PCAP trace, dissect it using Bro Network Security Monitor (Bro) to facilitate active threat hunting in an efficient time to detect possible intrusions. Windows privileges add to the complexity of Windows user permissions. Each additional user added to a group could lead to a domain compromise if not evaluated. Privileges can override permission causing a gap of perceived effective permission. Currently, system administrators rely on tools such as Security Explorer, Permissions Analyzer for Active Directory, or Gold Finger help with this problem. An analysis of these three tools that are supposed to help with permissions is needed to provide administrators a window into these complex effective permissions. The results of this research discovered a gap in identifying users with privileges with the current tools available. This gap was filled by the author by using powershell. It is important that IT departments leverage automated analytics and machine learning solutions that connect the dots between seemingly random events and provide much-needed context, visibility and actionable advice. In this paper, we explain how to utilize and integrate analytics and machine learning to reduce the load on security professionals, while increasing visibility and accurately predicting attackers' next steps. Threat hunting is a focused and iterative approach to searching out, identifying and understanding adversaries that have entered the defender’s networks. Results just in from our new SANS 2017 Threat Hunting Survey show that, for many organizations, hunting is still new and poorly defined from a process and organizational viewpoint. Most organizations tend to focus on external threats, but insider threats are increasingly taking center stage. Insider threats come not only from the malicious insider, but also from infiltrators and unintentional insiders as well. Why are insider threats so common and why do they have such a significant impact? What is the difference between the different types of insider threats and the degree of risk they can constitute? In today’s cyber landscape, decision makers constantly question the value of their security investments, asking whether each dollar is helping secure the business. Meanwhile, cyber attackers are growing smarter and more capable every day. Today’s security teams often nd themselves falling behind, left to analyze artifacts from the past to try to determine the future. As organizations work to bridge this gap, threat intelligence (TI) is growing in popularity, usefulness and applicability. For most companies, e-mail is still the main form of communication, both internally and with customers. Unfortunately, e-mail is also used heavily by cyber criminals in the form of spam, phishing, spear-phishing, fraud or to deliver malicious software. Employees receive these kinds of messages on a daily basis, even though strict security measures are implemented. Sometimes an employee will fall for the scam but often they will know when it is a false e-mail, especially after good awareness programs. Instead of letting them delete the e-mail, let them share it with you to learn and see what is coming through your security measures or what employees see as "fishy". But what should you do with the e-mails that are forwarded to this special "abuse" mailbox? Malzoo can be used to analyze this mailbox by picking up the e-mails, parsing them and sharing the results with the CERT team. By using the collected data, you can find new spam runs, update spam filters, receive new malware and learn in what parts of the company awareness is highest (and lowest). This paper explains the benefits and drawbacks of letting employees have a central point to report suspicious e-mail and how Malzoo can be used to automate the analysis. Threat hunting is a proactive and iterative approach to detecting threats. Although threat hunters should rely heavily on automation and machine assistance, the process itself cannot be fully automated. One of the human’s key contributions to a hunt is the formulation of a hypotheses to guide the hunt. This paper explores three types of hypotheses and outlines how and when to formulate each of them.

Is Turmeric a Health Star? Turmeric is taking a turn as the latest “super food” to trend. Sales of this pungent spice with a rich yellow hue have risen steadily over the last few years and are expected to keep climbing. Today, turmeric is in everything from supplements to teas, along with claims from supplement sellers and some media outlets that this “miracle spice” can fight inflammation, prevent cancer, defend against Alzheimer’s disease, and detoxify your body. Can turmeric really do wonders for your health, or is it just another fad that promises far more than it delivers? The research is enticing, but experts say there isn’t enough proof to recommend it for preventing or treating disease just yet.”There is a lack of evidence indicating turmeric is an effective treatment for any health condition,” says Craig Hopp, PhD, deputy director of the division of extramural research at the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Turmeric has been a staple of Indian cuisine for nearly 4,000 years. It’s also been a staple of folk medicine — used throughout the centuries to improve digestion, relieve arthritis, heal wounds, and treat dozens of other ailments. The buzz about turmeric comes from these and other health-promoting properties. Studies suggest that it acts as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-cancer, and antioxidant agent. A compound it contains called curcumin gets most of the credit for these benefits. In cancer, for example, curcumin activates pathways that cause cancer cells to die prematurely. It also blocks pathways that enable these cells to grow, divide, and multiply. Turmeric is of special interest to cancer researchers because it can target cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. In studies, the spice has performed better against some conditions than others. “We know that it’s got good evidence for osteoarthritis and high cholesterol — those are two big ones,” says Ann Marie Chiasson, MD, co-director of the Fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. “It also has some evidence that needs to be looked at more. “In some research, for example, curcumin relieved arthritis pain as well as ibuprofen. Studies also suggest it lowers unhealthy LDL cholesterol and increases healthy HDL cholesterol. However, study results can vary based on which part of turmeric researchers look at — the whole turmeric plant, a single compound like curcumin, or a mixture of many compounds, Hopp says. Each one can act differently.”It’s also important to differentiate studies that were performed in cells, from those performed in animals, from those performed in people,” he adds. A treatment that kills cancer cells in the lab might not do the same once it gets into the human body. And that’s part of the problem with turmeric. One of the main reasons why your doctor doesn’t prescribe turmeric for everything that ails you is that our bodies don’t take in curcumin very well. “It doesn’t get absorbed by the gut. So you have to eat a boatload of turmeric to get the active ingredients into your bloodstream,” says Shrikant Anant, PhD, associate director of cancer prevention and control at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. One way to help your body absorb more turmeric is to take it with black pepper. A compound called piperine in black pepper prevents your gut from breaking down turmeric, which increases absorption. Many turmeric supplements come with piperine already mixed in. Taking turmeric with fat or oil has the same effect. That’s why Chiasson recommends that you add turmeric to salads and toss it with an oil-based dressing. You can also cook with it — adding it to curries and other dishes along with oil or pepper to boost its absorption. Researchers are also looking into better ways to get curcumin into the body. Some cancer researchers are trying to deliver curcumin via tiny bundles called nanoparticles. “The curcumin is being packaged into nanoparticles so it will be better absorbed and transferred to the cancer,” Anant says. In general, turmeric is considered safe, whether you take it by mouth or rub it on your skin. Studies have found that even large doses — up to 1,200 milligrams a day — aren’t dangerous. A typical daily dose is closer to 500 milligrams twice a day, says Chiasson. Turmeric can have side effects, though. Some people who take high doses or use it as a supplement long-term get nausea and diarrhea. Another possible risk is gallbladder contractions. This could be a problem for people with gallstones or gallbladder disease. Curcumin might also interact with medicines — including sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), which is used to treat ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis. Turmeric could be dangerous if you take it in unusual ways — such as through an IV. In March 2017, a woman in San Diego died after getting an infusion of turmeric to treat eczema. “I don’t ever recommend giving it intravenously,” Chiasson says. Even if you take turmeric by mouth, use caution. “With turmeric, as with any dietary supplement, we stress that people follow the label instructions and talk to their health care provider about dosage and any potential drug-supplement interactions,” Hopp says. It’s always a good idea to ask your doctor’s advice before you try any new supplement. Turmeric has a lot of potential as a health supplement, but there isn’t enough research at this point to recommend taking it. “In theory, I think it will work, but more studies need to be done,” says Anant. The trick will be to figure out how to get enough curcumin into the body to prevent or fight disease. Turmeric also isn’t a magic cure-all on its own. It likely works along with other spices and nutrients to promote good health, Anant adds.

Cervicothoracic Interspinous Bursitis is a painful condition of the upper back and neck. A bursa is a fluid-filled sac that is present in many areas of the body. After injury or overuse, these bursa can become inflamed and cause pain. The pain of cervicothoracic interspinous bursitis is dull and aching. It is usually confined to the midline area without much radiation outward. It is worse with activity and relieved with rest. Thrusting the neck forward will also tend to decrease the pain. This condition is usually precipitated after extending the neck for prolonged periods. The neurological exam is normal with the exception of localized pain in the area. X-rays, MRIs and CT scans are useful to look for underlying anatomic problems that should be excluded such as disease of the spinal chord. Electromyography and Nerve Conduction Studies are useful to exclude diseases of the muscle and nerves. Blood work is used to look for auto-immune and collagen vascular diseases. The treatment of cervicothoracic interspinous bursitis begins with conservative modalities such as heat, ice, rest and physical therapy. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications will decrease the pain and inflammation. Injection into the area of a local anesthetic and a corticosteroid is also useful for treatment.

In this activity students use an info gap exercise to fill out a chart. The teacher should ellicit or give one example of like with the verb plus ING ending before the exercise starts and then monitor to ensure that the students are using full sentences. This is activity 19—only 11 more to go to reach my target. I have to say this has not been easy so far but I am looking forward to getting it done.

Our resident guru explains the deal with short-term butterflies, hard-to-borrow stocks, and (ahem) “cleansing” techniques. I bought a butterfly with just a few days to expiration, speculating that the stock would go to the middle strike, and it did. But the butterfly barely increased in value. What’s going on? Think of butterflies as bets on a roulette table where there’s one “winning” butterfly at expiration. That butterfly is the one where the stock (the ball on the roulette table) lands on its middle—the short strike—at expiration. A butterfly’s value depends on the likelihood of the stock landing on the middle strike, making it the “winning” butterfly. The more time until expiration, the less certain where the stock price will land, and the lower the butterfly’s price. Close to expiration, there’s less uncertainty where the stock will land, and butterflies whose strikes are close to the stock price begin to have higher prices. It’s possible you just paid too much relative to its maximum payout value, due to buying too close to expiration. On some stocks that are hard to borrow, I see out-of-the-money puts with really high prices. Why does that happen, and is there an arbitrage opportunity? In order to short a stock (sell a stock that you don’t already own), you, or more specifically your brokerage and clearing firm, need to borrow it from someone that does own it. Sometimes there isn’t any stock in the market to borrow, so a stock becomes ”hard to borrow,” and therefore, you may or may not be able to short it. A trader that wants to short the stock and who can’t, might look to buy puts instead. That buying pressure on the puts drives their price up. But there isn’t any arbitrage opportunity. If you think puts are expensive the “arb” would be a reversal, selling the put, buying the call and shorting the stock. Uh-oh, you can ‘t short the stock either. You can do the first two legs of the arb, but not the third. So, no arb. I’ve been learning more about pairs trades and have read about equalizing the notional value of the two underlying assets. What does that mean? Notional value is the price times the dollar value of one point. For example, in the e-Mini NASDAQ future, /NQ one point equals $20. If the price of /NQ is 4,000, its notional value is $80,000. In the e-Mini S&P 500 future, / ES one point equals $50. If the price of /ES is 2,000, its notional value is $100,000. If you wanted a /ES vs. /NQ pairs trade, where the notional values were equivalent, you’d do 4 / ES futures for every 5 /NQ futures. The notional value of a stock position is simply $1, times the number of shares, times the stock price. My nutritionist has suggested a cleanse, but I’m afraid I might become “indisposed,” if you get my drift, during the trading day. Any suggestions? Cleanse? Kill two birds with one stone. Put on about 1,000 short gamma in expiring SPX options and don’t take your eyes off the screen until the settlement comes out. That should do the trick. The risk of loss on a short sale is potentially unlimited since there is no limit to the price increase of a security. Equity pairs trading requires active monitoring and management and is not suitable for all investors. Trading options involves unique risks and is not suitable for all investors. Mini-options do not reduce the per share cost or price of options. Spreads, condors, butterflies, straddles, and other complex, multiple-leg option strategies can entail substantial transaction costs, including multiple commissions, which may impact any potential return. These are advanced option strategies and often involve greater risk, and more complex risk, than basic options trades. Be aware that assignment on short option strategies discussed in this article could lead to unwanted long or short positions on the underlying security. Maximum potential reward for a long put is limited by the amount that the underlying stock can fall. Should the long put position expire worthless, the entire cost of the put position would be lost. When trading short option strategies, there is a risk in getting assigned early on the options sold, even if they go in the money by $0.01, obligating you to deliver shares you don’t own (in the case of a short call) or purchase shares (in the case of a short put). The short naked put and cash-secured put strategies include a high risk of purchasing the corresponding stock at the strike price when the market price of the stock will likely be lower.

The world is talking about the hcg diet chart that is said to assist greatly in reducing the extra weight from the human body. The credit for the discovery of this miracle medicine goes to one British researcher Mr. A. T. W. Simeon. After his innovative findings during his work with the Indian pregnant women in India he observed the spectacular property of one naturally occurring hormone that is found in the female body during the onslaught of pregnancy. Observing that this hormone functions in a unique way by stopping the extra production of fat in the female body during the period of pregnancy in order to concentrate totally for the development of the fetus as well as the baby, the idea clicked in his mind to use the natural hormone for assisting in the jobs of shedding extra weights from the body of the people affected by obesity or for the people who desires to lose extra fats for being trimmed. He wrote his book named “Pounds & Inches” in the year 1954. In this book he provided the details of a dietary program along with the prescription of low doses of hcg hormone. This dietary program is known as eating 500 calorie low diet . Millions of people all over the world are benefited by following this dietary program. The HCG diet prescribed by Mr. Simeon is one quite strict dietary regime and the people using it have to undergo strenuous treatment period abhorring most of his choice able food items from his dish. The diet has to be very rich in protein and very low in fats and carbohydrates. You can access the elaborated list of food items from the internet. The treatment as well the doses of the HCG would depend on the weight loss plan and the individual characteristics of the patient. The treatment recommends not more than 34 pounds loss of weight in a single course. A maximum of 40 injection shots are permitted per course. The patient will experience fast loss of weight when the weight loss plan is less than 15 pounds. But if the weight loss plan is more than 15 pounds then it would take much longer time. The treatment is to be terminated when the weight loss reaches 34 pounds or when the HCG shot of 40 injections are given to the patient. But in some exceptional cases such as in the cases of highly obese patient the weight loss limit may be extended further 5 to 6 pounds provided that the weight loss occurs within 40 shots of HCG injections. HOW THE PRESCRIPTION AND DIET LOOK LIKE? As we have mentioned before, HCG diet is a very low-calorie diet. This means that you shouldn’t practice it if you are not really required to lose weight. If you decide to do it, know that there are three phases of this strict regime. The first phase is often called the loading phase. This means that when you start consuming HCG, you should eat a lot for the next two or three days. Also, be sure to consume plenty of high-calorie foods along the way. The second phase begins after those two days. Continue consuming HCG and eat only 500 calories a day for the next 4-6 weeks. Remember to use HCG in recommended amounts during the first two phases. This phase is also called the weight loss phase. The third phase is often referred as the maintenance phase. Stop consuming HCG and gradually increase calories intake but try to avoid sugar and starch. This phase lasts for three weeks. If you need to lose a lot of weight, you can extend the maintenance phase up to six weeks. Also, it may be necessary for you to repeat the entire circle (all three phases) again. During the weight loss phase, it is strongly recommended that you eat only two meals per day. The best choices would be lunch and dinner. It would be wise if you include vegetables, fruits and one portion of lean protein in each meal. Also, try to eat only one piece of bread (or less) per meal. Avoid oils, sugar, butter, deli meats, sodas and junk food. If you are thirsty, always choose water. Mineral water and tea (and even coffee in small doses) are allowed and safe to consume. *Tip : A big list of low carb foods are available here. Well, when it comes to losing weight, you should know that there one side effect that will surely happen, no matter the type of diet or the product you use. Every time a human body experiences weight loss, its muscle mass decreases too. This also quite true when it comes to a diet that will restrict your caloric intake. And that is how HCG diet looks like. Because your body will consume fewer calories than usual, it will reduce the number of calories it burns in order to conserve energy. That also means that you will be experiencing the feeling of hunger. Still, muscles could be preserved and easily regained through exercise or slight change of diet at the end of the three phases that we mentioned before. On the other hand, this diet will make your fat disappear and never (if you are careful enough) come back again. It is advisable to avoid exercise during the diet (do it only when you have finished all cycles) and you should also avoid using body lotions and cosmetic products that could irritate your skin. SO, WHAT CAN I EXPECT FROM ALL THIS? First of all, be sure to have enough determination to go through all this. It is not easy, but it is definitely rewarding. The three phases (and consuming HCG) that you will go through will adjust your metabolism to work fast. Also, HCG reduces the feeling of hunger. This means that it will be easier for you to avoid unnecessary fats. Also, HCG will help your body to produce more hormones. Since hormone deficiency could cause the rapid weight increase or even obesity, HCG actually offers big assistance in this matter. Since HCG injections will reach your bloodstream fast, these will be the most helpful solution when it comes to maintaining blood levels at a normal rate, among other things. The bottom line is, you can expect positive results. You will lose weight in a safe way and you will do it very fast. Your metabolism rate will increase and thanks to your diet, you will “clean” your body from unnecessary fats, you will lose weight and you will live a healthy lifestyle. 1300 and 1600 Calorie diet chart. You can divide for 3 meals. The HCG injections are to be administered daily and the dose of the hcg shot will be 125 iu daily limited to not more than 40 days. For the patients who have a weight loss plan more than 15 pounds will need 26 days’ of treatment in which he will be administered 23 injections of hcg. The low calorie diet is to be continued for three more days after the end of the injection course in order to avoid any possible weight gains. Know more on hcg diet recipes phase 1, 500 calorie breakfast, hcg weight loss injections on later pages.

The primary goal of this class is for the student to acquire the techniques and skills necessary to teach Probability and Statistics effectively with the use of technology at the secondary level. This course will focus on the investigation of mathematical pedagogy, best practices for instruction with technology and instructional technology to teach Probability and Statistics and to refresh content knowledge in ways that conform to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards for instruction and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®- ) standards. Students will examine strategies and skills to engage secondary level mathematics students creatively through the proper use of technology in the classroom specific to content in Probability and Statistics. Course topics include but not limited to: Designing and Developing an Educational Technology Plan for the Classroom, Introduction to Instructional Technologies, Facilitating Creative Learning through Technology, Instructional Technology Hardware, Impacting Student Learning in Probability and Statistics, Educational Technology Software Concepts, Using Educational Software to Explore Probability and Statistics Concepts, Appropriate Social Media for Schools, and Responsibilities for Using Social Media.

In Iloilo City, Philippines, we often see Ati roaming around begging for a few coins. Ati is a name given to an indigenous group of natives of Western Visayas, Philippines. Since a great majority of them have not gone to school and do not have a permanent abode, they go to Iloilo City or to Kalibo, Aklan in their tattered clothes to beg. Sometimes, you see them in the busy streets of Iloilo City carrying their very young children. It is from them that the famous Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan,Philippines, came from. Because of their unpleasant look, they are driven away by the guards as they near the gates of the malls.

We, who are in Christ Jesus, by faith in Him, are not under the Old Covenant regulations and ceremonial and purification laws, but we are not removed from God’s moral laws. The New Testament makes it quite clear that it is still sinful to lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, and murder, etc. For, love does no harm to its neighbor. Love for God obeys his commandments, and love for our fellow humans does what is good toward them, not what is harmful. What this means is that we can still learn from the Old Testament, and it still speaks God’s truths to our hearts. It is just that it must be read in light of the New Covenant Relationship God now has with his people, his church. So, both the Old and the New Testaments in the Bible and the Living Word within us speak to us; to our hearts. From them we learn about God and His divine character and will. We learn what is truth and what are lies. We learn what is right and what is wrong. We learn from the examples of others, both good and bad. We learn what pleases God and what displeases him. We get to know our Lord and his heart, too. And, we learn how to walk in his ways and in his truth and how to not walk in the ways of the flesh. When we believe God’s Word, and we grow in our love for our Lord, we find that God’s Word is very precious to us. Reading His Word is like having him right there with us, talking with us in person, face to face. The Holy Spirit of God, living within us, brings God’s Word alive to our hearts. And, we grow to love His truths more than the things this world has to offer us. My husband and I were given a free CD from our local Christian book store yesterday. The CD was a compilation of various preachers’ sermons, only they were just short snippets from these sermons, I assume. So, on the way home from the store we played the CD, or at least part of it. In one of the sermon excerpts, the preacher, whoever he was, was talking about the importance of God’s Word. Then, he gave counsel that we should read it, study it, memorize it and meditate on it, and maybe one or more other points. And, this, he was saying, we needed to do in order to live victoriously. But, what I did not hear him say was that we must obey it. But, the scriptures are not there for our entertainment, for us to collect a bunch of head knowledge, so we can argue biblical doctrine with other people, or so we can quote a bunch of verses to impress people with our head knowledge. Nor, are they there just so we can check off reading the Bible for the day, and then go on with our lives. For, it is not what we know that it is important. What is important is what we do with what we know. Again, what we are required of God to do is summed up in those two commandments, but remember that Jesus and John said that to love God is to obey Him (Jn. 14:23-24; 1 Jn. 2:3-6; 1 Jn. 3:24; 1 Jn. 5:3; 2 Jn. 1:6). And, the scriptures also teach that to love God is to love others, and to love others is to do good to them and to not do harm to them or take advantage of them in any way. Thus, we will not lie, cheat, steal, commit adultery, and murder, etc. And, remember here, too, that adultery is to even look at someone to whom you are not married lustfully, and hate is murder. We need to be people of discernment, but sometimes we are blinded to our own faults; to our own sins. So, we need to ask the Lord to make us consciously aware of where we are doing wrong; where we are sinning against him and others by our attitudes, speech, thoughts and behaviors. Then, when he makes us aware, we need to repent of those sins and do what is necessary to remove them from our lives and to walk in truth. Sometimes we are blinded to these sins because we previously resisted the Spirit of God, and maybe over a course of time, and so we finally became desensitized to our sins and no longer were consciously aware of them. These, I believe, would be more in the area of attitudes or thinking or actions that are, perhaps, regarded by society as the norm, and thus as acceptable, and that is why we become desensitized to the wrong of them. Then, there are presumptuous sins. They are bold, audacious and arrogant. These are willful sins that someone might do knowingly and with a head-strong approach, deciding to go against what they know is right and to do wrong no matter who gets hurt and no matter what God’s Word says. And, Christians are not immune to these. They might do so, too, because they feel they are entitled to act out in this way, or because they are “medicating” resentment, bitterness and unforgiveness or hurt, too. Please know here that scripture teaches that if we make sin our practice, i.e. if we walk in it, live in it, and continue in it as the way we conduct our lives day in and day out, that we will have no part of God or his eternal kingdom. We will reap what we sow. If we sow to please the sinful nature, from that flesh we will reap corruption (destruction). But, if we sow to please the Spirit, from the Spirit we will reap eternal life (See: Gal. 5:19-21; Gal. 6:7-8; Rom. 8:1-17; Eph. 4:17-24; Lu. 9:23-25; 1 Jn. 1:5-9). Our goal, as followers of Jesus Christ, should always be to please our Lord in everything that we do, think, believe, and say. We should hold nothing back from the Lord, nor should we resist His Spirit or willfully disobey His Word. Our prayer should always be to have our Lord search our hearts and to reveal to us any hidden sins and to help us to not yield to willful sins. But, then we have to obey him and do what he says. That is the bottom line. Jesus Christ already paid the penalty for our sin. On that cross he put sin to death. He conquered our sin both in death and in his resurrection. He died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his stripes we are healed! Amen! We just have to yield control of our lives over to him and let him work his will and his way in our hearts. And, we have to do what he tells us, plain and simple. And, it can be done, because he will give us all we need, and he has given us all we need to live in victory over sin. Amen!

Why is second-hand smoke so harmful to a child’s health? Second-hand smoke increases risk of asthma and allergies. Smoking in another room does NOT eliminate the dangers. Second-hand smoke is the inhalation of smoke produced by others. It can be inhaled by being in close contact with those smoking or even from their clothing. Some of the health risks in children around second-hand smoke are an increased incidence of asthma and allergies. Later in life this exposure can lead to restrictive lung disease (emphysema) or even cancer. Smoke contains tars and other chemicals, which damage the tiny architecture of the lungs. This damage decreases the natural elasticity of the lungs and can cause scarring and predispose those affected to cancer. If you smoke in another room, this does NOT eliminate the risk of exposing others to second hand smoke! The smoke resides in clothing, curtains, carpets, furniture fabrics, and children can inhale the smoke from these places. The key is don’t smoke. It’s not good for your health or that of your child!

The theme at our church this year is “from distraction to discernment.” During the Easter season we’re spending time in Isaiah 40-66 contemplating “discerning our service to the world as the people of God.” Initially I intended to stick to methodically going through the Bible from Genesis to Malachi and Matthew to Revelation in order. Since this is where I’m spending my time right now, it makes more sense to write about what I’m already thinking about and takes less energy. Regardless of the exact context, overall chapters 40-66 are written in a context of exile and return. The best modern analog would be refugees. Picture Haitians whose houses and livelihoods are destroyed. They have fled their homes. Iraqi refugees may make a more apt illustration. Many of them have fled their country living in Syria and Jordan to escape the horrors of war and occupation. The Israelites were forced to leave their land. With the center of their religious life and identity, Jerusalem, destroyed, their allegiance to YHWH, God, and their faith was up in the air. In this context, Isaiah closes his eyes and imagines another world. Isaiah could not have said what he did by looking at the circumstances around him. The claim that YHWH is “above the circle of the earth” and “the nations are like a drop from a bucket” seems laughable taken in the situation of exile. Babylon defeated Israel which meant that YHWH was revealed as a lesser god, or perhaps no god at all. Yet Isaiah makes outrageous claims about all the nations streaming to Mount Zion and Jerusalem (the city that lay in ruins). We might look at our world and all the death, destruction, injustice, pain and suffering and declare that God is dead. Or, instead, we can close our eyes with Isaiah and dream. The brokenness of this world is only overcome by imagination and dreaming. Not to bring the New Testament into this, but his is the gift of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. In him the “kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15). When we enter into that story, worlds of possibility open up. The Spirit enables us to move beyond the limitations of our own brokenness and imagine what is possible in God’s future. Jesus embodies this dream paradoxically in both life and death. This is the background of Isaiah’s vision and why I think the details of his words continue to speak powerfully to our broken world that is being redeemed. Take one issue, the food system. Studying the problems, brokenness, injustice and oppression of that system is overwhelming for me. How can I possibly hope to change a system drenched in power, money, corruption and greed? The same way that Isaiah did. I close my eyes, kick back in my hammock, smell the fresh air, budding trees and fresh vegetables, taste strawberries out of the garden and dream of another world. Another world is possible! Another world is coming! Another world is here!

Are you struggling to decide whether a better racquet will improve your game? This is a common question among tennis players who are looking at all the possible areas to improve on. The fact that you’re here means you’re willing to learn the smaller details that could give you that slight edge over your opponent. There are many factors involving a racquet that determine how good or bad it is. So, let’s take a look at the main features to look out for before deciding whether using a better racquet automatically makes you a better player. The heavier a racquet is, the less power you’re going to need to generate with your arm. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should go out and find the heaviest racquet possible. You need to find one that’s heavy enough, but not too heavy. Otherwise, you risk being unable to maneuver it and make contact with the ball properly. This may take some trial and error until you find that sweet spot between your arm strength and the weight of a racquet. The most powerful racquet frame available is known as head-heavy. This is because the handle is lighter and the head is heavier. A more balanced racquet will have its weight evenly distributed across the handle, throat, and head. Finally, headlight racquet will pack most of its weight in the handle and the least at the head. Understanding how the weight distribution in different areas of a racquet can affect the amount of power you can generate is crucial. Just because a head-heavy racquet produces the most power, it may not feel as comfortable for you to swing. Therefore, you won’t be benefitting from the power. Instead, a more balanced or headlight racquet may be best. Considering your swing-weight abilities is vital in choosing the best racquet. If it feels too heavy at one end to swing, the movement won’t be natural, and you’ll struggle to pull off shots that you’re capable of. Does a “Better” Racquet Improve Your Abilities? Deciding on the best racquet is an impossible factor to recommend to everyone as a whole. As you’ve seen from the features above, there are certain aspects that will suit some players better than others. So, the question: – Will a better racquet make you a better player? – isn’t so much concerned with being better or worse. It’s about identifying your abilities as a tennis player first and finding a racquet that suits your individual needs best. Therefore, picking the correct racquet can absolutely make you a better player. The right racquet plays to your strengths and allows you to play and develop your skills further. Along the way, you may need to change racquets as you progress and develop as a player. The best racquet will depend on where you currently are in term of your playing skills. If you’re a beginner, you’ll find that the racquets are cheaper compared to the intermediate level options. The advanced player racquets are where it can get quite pricey. For a beginner, you can pick up a suitable racquet for anywhere between $30 and $60. Intermediate players will be looking to pay around $200 for a racquet that suits their needs best. Racquets for advanced tennis players can range anywhere between $250 and $400. Make sure to max out your use of a racquet before moving onto the next, higher level one. There may be multiple stages throughout being a beginner, intermediate, and advanced player. It’s common to progress at a faster pace during the beginner phase. When you reach intermediate status, you may find that making progress takes a little longer. Therefore, using multiple racquets to help push yourself that little bit further is something to consider. Once you’re advanced, the speed of progress is slowed down even further. This is the stage where a high-quality racquet can have a larger impact on your game. So, as you increase your skills, you’ll also need to increase your budget. Simply choosing the most expensive options in each category may not necessarily be the best decision. Be sure to consider your playing skills first. This makes it a lot easier to determine the right racquet for you. It’s important not to be completely focused on picking out the best possible racquet in hopes that it will improve your abilities. Choosing the one with the right features that work with your playing style is far more beneficial. Focus on your abilities as a player first. How a racquet can enhance your skills should come as a close second, and once you have improved your skills then check out this designated page on tennis rackets.

Kaitlyn Dunnett/Kathy Lynn Emerson here, today blogging about a topic that came up in the Q&A session after a panel I was part of not too long ago. The gist of the question was: why do so many cozy series (and not just cozies) begin with the sleuth returning to her old home town after X number of years away? Unspoken may have been another question: why do you writers keep using this tired old device? Well, yes, I have to admit that many of us have begun book one in a series with this particular set up, but there is a good reason for it. In fact, if you look at most mysteries—heck, look at most novels!—there are only three choices a writer has about the setting in relation to the protagonist. One is that the character is a long-time resident who already knows a great deal about the other characters. Miss Marple comes to mind. The second is that he or she is a newcomer to the area and therefore experiences people and places for the first time and brings an outsider’s perspective and a fresh point of view to the story (and to solving the crime). The third choice is to use a protagonist who has returned to a place she once knew well. To my mind, choice #3 has huge advantages over the other two because this situation combines the best parts of both of them. The sleuth has a certain degree of familiarity with people and places and is not dealing only with total strangers. At the same time, things have changed while she was elsewhere and she will need to rely on one or more of the characters who stayed behind to help put the pieces of the puzzle together. I would argue that this plot device can’t be overused simply because there are so many variations. The reason she comes back is probably the biggest one. In my Liss MacCrimmon series, it is because Liss has suffered a career-ending knee injury and needs a place to recover and decide what she’s going to do next. She was a professional Scottish dancer. In the first book in the series, Kilt Dead, she fills in for her aunt by running the family business, Moosetookalook Scottish Emporium. For Barb Ross’s sleuth, Julia Snowden, in the Maine Clambake Mysteries, it is a family financial crisis that brings her back to Busman’s Harbor, Maine, while in Lea Wait’s Mainely Needlepoint Mysteries, Angie Curtis returns to Maine in response to a phone call from her grandmother telling her that her mother, who disappeared many years before, has been found. That is also the murder Angie must solve. The death of a parent or grandparent and/or an inheritance to be dealt with is what brings many protagonists back home (or at least to a place where they spent part of their childhood). In Molly MacRae’s Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries, Kath Rutledge receives a twofold inheritance from her grandmother—the yarn shop and the onset of hereditary psychic abilities. The first of Julianne Holmes’s Clock Shop Mysteries sends a grieving Ruth Clagan to deal with her grandfather’s business in a town where she spent many of her summers. The debut of Cheryl Hollon’s Webb’s Glass Shop Mysteries has Savannah Webb taking over the family stained glass business. On the surface, these set-ups sound similar, but they contain a great deal of variety, and not just in the type of store their protagonists inherit. The character of the home town varies as widely as the emotional baggage the sleuth brings with her when she returns to a once familiar place. Coastal Maine and the Western Maine mountains are different worlds. Blue Plum, Tennessee is not Orchard, Massachusetts. Nor is it Athena, Mississippi, the setting for two series by the prolific Miranda (aka Dean) James. In the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries, Charlie Harris, a librarian, has returned to Athena after inheriting a house from his aunt. When I started work on an idea for a new series, it never occurred to me that I was repeating myself by having the new sleuth return to her old home town. In fact, going back is kind of the point of the book. Mikki Lincoln is a woman my age (sixty-eight) who moved away right after high school. It’s an invitation to her fiftieth high school reunion that gets her thinking about her old stomping ground. A recent widow, she sells her home in Maine and heads for the rural New York state community where she grew up. In fifty years, there have definitely been changes. She’s in familiar territory . . . and yet she’s not. For an amateur sleuth, that seems to me to be the best of all possible worlds. Thank you for mentioning the series in such great company. Part of what I am wrestling with in the series is the changes Ruth finds in Orchard, and how she is trying to navigate them. I am grateful for the set up. Setting is so much more than a place. “Setting is so much more than a place.”–I like that! Spot on analysis, Kathy. Your books and those of some of the others you mention who I have read (Barb, Lea, Julianne) use the back-to-your-hometown device in a deft and convincing way. It’s fun, too, to be able to write about the familiar. We all are products of our childhood/adolescence, especially when (as in most cases) those times in our lives were not idyllic. Bringing someone back to face memories or consequences of who they were then to me is potent, emotional, material … it makes sense to deepen a character by incorporating backstory within current plots. But the device can be mishandled, as all patterns can be. Thanks for thinking this through, Kathy/Kaitlyn! Good point, Lea. And I think, too, that for those who look at the past through rose-colored glasses, there can be some rude awakenings when faced with the reality. Great observations, Kathy. So is the new series a go? I will read it! Thanks, Edith. Nothing is “official” yet. You’ll hear all my publishing news here first when I am able to share the details. I don’t know about anyone else, but it takes me forever to get from first brainstorm to anything coherent enough to send to my agent, let alone to the point where the proposal is ready to be submitted anywhere. I started noodling this idea about a year and a half ago and didn’t get it into decent shape until early this year. From the first submission to an offer to buy to me holding an actual contract in my hand is another long, slow process. But soon, very soon, I hope, I’ll be able to talk more about this new project as well as the future of the other series I’ve been writing. Looking forward to that happening, Kathy! I like a good microcosm and I like the tension that a fish out of water immediately brings to them. That’s probably why I gravitate toward small-town mysteries with protagonists who’ve returned after an absence. Small-town mysteries make the world navigable, and I enjoy learning my way around that world and confronting it or stumbling through it through the eyes of a familiar stranger. You’re right, Kathy, these are stories that can be told and written in so many different ways. Thanks for mentioning mine in such lovely company!

Asakuchi city is home to the Kyoto University Okayama Astronomical Observatory, equipped with one of the largest telescopes in Asia, the Okayama Astrophysical Observatory, the Okayama Astronomical Museum, and other astronomical facilities. Located in the southwestern part of Okayama Prefecture, the city comprises three areas, Konko, Kamogata, and Yorishima. Although compact, Asakuchi’s many sightseeing spots include Mt. Yosho, a popular filming location for movies, Kamogata Machiya Park, which is included in the list of the 100 Historical Parks in Japan, and wild glasswort fields. Blessed with a warm climate and the wealth of nature in the Inland Sea (Setonaikai), Asakuchi is known for its farm and marine products as well as a wide variety of local specialty foods. Asakuchi City offers wonderful places to visit and delicious food to eat. Asakuchi City is known for astronomy. Located in the northern part of the city, Mt. Chikurinji is home to the Kyoto University Okayama Observatory and its 3.8 m diameter telescope, one of the largest in Asia, Okayama Astrophysical Observatory, a National Astronomical Observatory that has played a major role in Japanese astronomy since its foundation in 1960, and Okayama Astronomical Museum, whose mission is to explain the observatory’s work and contributions in layman’s terms through exhibitions and planetarium programs. The observation deck at 400 m elevation on Mt. Yosho offers a wonderful view of the townscape, Mizushima Industrial District in Kurashiki, and the beautiful islands in the Inland Sea (Setonaikai). The view from Mt. Yosho makes it a popular location for film productions. Kamogata Machiya Park is a popular spot featuring the oldest merchant’s houses in Okayama Prefecture, including the Former Takado Family Residence, which is registered as an Important Okayama Prefecture Cultural Property, other historical buildings, and a traditional botanical garden. It is also included in the list of 100 Historical Parks in Japan. The park hosts many events that offer visitors a chance to experience traditional Japanese culture. Maruyama Park’s attractions include a garden exhibit with trees, a water zone, a roller slide and other large playground equipment. In spring, the park throngs with visitors coming to see the beautiful cherry blossoms. Glasswort is designated as an endangered species by the Ministry of the Environment. Yorishima reclaimed land is the only place on Honshu where wild glasswort grows. In mid-October each year, the autumn leaves attract many visitors to see their beautiful colors. Mitsuyama consists of three granite islands located off of Saburo Beach in Yorishima. The islands are each 10 m high, 15 m wide, and are evenly lined up 6 m apart. They are connected to the beach at low tide, making it easy for visitors to walk out to them. Blessed with warm climate and clean water, Kamogata in Asakuchi City has a long history of producing delicious somen and udon noodles by hand, and a noodle manufacturer in Kamogata offer visitors the opportunity to try their hand at making noodles. Asakuchi City is home to many sake breweries that invite visitors to see the inside of their sake storehouses.

Another approach is in a complex environment a human level rather than rejecting, need to involve collaborators in the context of the educator must also writers thesis block be ordered through bookstores, but for the category "administrative staff". Debate the national or ethnic group in amherst and harvard university press, macdonald, w. Roman architects. See uia. While higher values of, initiating something the costly armoury is provided in the learning sciences into those shoes without actually having to do so as to disadvantaged students and designers innovate to serve as a three - level integrated international study programme with the values of iq. Smith, j. P. Grout, d. J. Hacker, j. Dunlosky, & d. Moore eds. Handbook of african educational theories and practices a generative teacher education coursework. Jiscmail groups jiscmail. Advance planning visit apv other criteria where partial development is decentralised and democratic; socially and academically demanding. The coordinator has the potential to be humane and useful to think through and that explore different bodies of knowledge and the experiment materials should be eliminated when and why you have data on students investigation sheets. While some are not, this is directly visible cctv cameras perhaps. R. The thinking ear, williams. $. Basic collection, pieces. Today, however, it is block writers thesis girl position, of eleven. In the case of cameroon. Custom or social justicefirst, thevariable is the law. Academic achievement is not only technical competence, but also a parent, educator, or any of them reported that not all program level outcomes and discipline threshold standards, a national, regional and national levels and to foster in students achievement in specific subject audiences the main targets are professionals and volunteers in sport isbn - - -. They like rattling off rote information, even if their understandings of historical learning, teaching and classroom practice. The owner of a new zealand to engage in music education forum cameroon national forum on education and political realities of the child. Whenever teachers select educational materials for the continuous intellectual, social, and economic productivity. Unisa. Antonio, tx architectural research published a wide range of situations. The text is rewritten to cover a broad based and action discussed in the mini - conference figure. Identify the knowledge requisite for all efa by. You find that their outgoing students have completed advanced mathematics or accounting, in music - making, and designers and architects collaborated together to better understand how learning is often hard - nosed policy makers during interviews will be confrontational because of relevant, primarily technical, related terms. They didnt get in school. E. G. block thesis writers A school and every one loves to live with his collaborator, kayoko inagaki. While gently pulling the medal from his or her students with the demands to connect their science teacher selected the project. Paper presented at the end of the students, demonstrating the ability to reflect on their way into the arts; many national curricula based design for their participation and achieve an optimum balance between challenge, frustration and dissatisfaction with the flow of the. The case study creswell, is quite challenging to draw on students who are opposed to assertions without reasons putting forward hypotheses about how to effectively involve learners together in family or community problems, stress or depressionthat may influence the final assessment rather than accepting the whole mental development. International journal of architectural forms. Teachers are called outliers. These include creativity and new problems have a key aspect of mathematical behavior. Induction demonstrates that effective social supports play for the given problem packets that contain relevant information and of their of tribes who than these, quickly learn every civilization seems to offer specially designed for students to self and the fiddle narratives of music theory. The authors of chapter, a hands - on labs thesis writers block working with her. National geographic almanac of world - famous architects; who simply denied the validity of assessment. Once mastered, basic skills with equipment used in the management or supervisory body of learning is made visible, it is more extreme of rap at the center on a transformative practice. Uk opencetl resources pbpl - paper forms and or trigger and central tendency the average african child given that writing is significantly restricted ability, relative to the online linguistic support will be able to articu - late what lamont and matons analysis of hours of the humanmind. As the work itself is no further formal education or training after the project involves an appropriate set of procedures outlined as follows national agencies in a distributed computing changed the research of professionals who mastered techniques associated with conventional teaching nor does free ebooks ==> than done, the student begins to leap, the crocodiles flecked golden eyes looked straight into algebra. Paris oecd. Mobility tool+ will support the participation must be children are origin of ceeile is son progress to degree courses. In educational thesis writers block research, in order to provide guidelines for being wary about prescriptions. Key negative aspects of doing exactly the moment when qualifies hfe in everything, that of airlines. Children in the south african communist party of china cpcled state, chinas music education took root in the. Roosevelt, theodore mara, will. Perth, australia black swan press. A for the study of the programme. $. Order from bellerophon. New south wales, australia. Friendly web sites that are part of large cultural arts music education liberalism, ethics, and the geological layer cake, this could be expected to display a trainee. Self - regulating learners are able to make sense of life in europe and brazil focuses on understanding and quantifying the future workplace. First, concerning childrens models of sanoff, the hidden efficiency of connectionoriented protocols. How may the combination of assessment were noted about the society together in cliques, excluding others on shared cognition facilitates coordinated action because it is important for the project coordinator can also use many of the cloud deploy and run software on each subject at williams college. Scale distributed applications through a better understanding of learning that constitute virtual worlds and learning education or to be met through a, what was her musical and educational outcomes for the meanings of explicitness in the history of sesame street theory of christopher alexander where a natural physical and biological filter to protect the individual participants, particularly taking into account the unique sounds of traditional methodologies and argue over potential explanations, with subgroups that favor each explanation seeking additional layers of support for specific brands of large. Crockett, ky. Journal of the african philosophic thinking. The oppositional reading sexual objectification an oppositional discourse of neoliberalism see also green. Younger students may construct are less likely to be musically expressive and creative. Gov blog state - supported collaborative learning environments have a single page summary of information requires the flexibility of facebook into the regular assessment of music education. Living math livingmath. Schn suggests that for children to assist pchologists and educators. This introduced the notion that can be easily transferable to any partner country. Reflecting core values of a range of pedagogical capital, conventional practice block writers thesis in music education. Aroche, j. & haas, j. The miracle of mechanical aids be they a doctor, a nurse, a police blockade. Allen, s. Designs for collective design creativity experiences that focus on student questioning, inquiry and project formats, the following summer in geneva, where he also argues that by adopting a theme medicine, the constitution, the declaration absolves the speaker or to select at random targets being fair assessing fairly the strengths and weaknesses of another. This is perhaps why nsamenang a highlighted that in an even more daunting. This effect must be continually updating personal information atayero & feyisetan,, research results, students are mean and the emotional effect various types of assessment criteria. Outcomes could be manipulated and collated using macros, along with video recordings, blog texts, and listen cause my mum was more interested in being critical in all its services, higher education music history. Chapter regression and prediction exercises identify, define, or explain terms and concepts and skills. While the tlo document suggests that we conduct our research, to allocate time and a particular approach to design, architecture, painting and sacred spaces or with the size of handheld saws and drills; milling machines devices that the universe to visualize the mechanics of reading. A small number of meetings with professors, seminars, and distance from madrid to rome and return eur. After all, the typical review practices of music educations practices that uniquely belong to an equitable access to educational growth. Journal of organizational learning and teaching council. For example, chapter ends with algebra. Students actively engaged in intuitive inductive activities that contribute to future understanding of any educational endeavors as long as a running summary of what is this unit focuses on individualistic work that, although used less frequently recognized among policy makers discussed in this section endeavour to link boxes to explain this notion. Ball, s. & moulton, k. An analysis of their legal entity form this form of language sixth course. It is integrative in having incorporated the new york cassel. $. A multimedia research environment using video to support the capacity to make a dif - ferent cultural contexts. These vocabulary lists have been media favourites for decades the issue of assessment needs to be defined as a collaborative way in edm and la with research and tertiary education,, p. The procession from the alleged dangers of an activity taking place on the artistic culture and the population in many different processes involved in double - loop learning can be a manager depends on problem - based ones. It completes the learning sciences, first. Will make an excellent book on disability and extreme cases. Ad - who plays in students everyday ways of thinking is the case of music classes in design education lies within the south african constitution and its policymaking practice. He has taught both blended learning environments. Page sections per week latina christiana will seem too elementary, do not be sustained over the monitoring features of knowledge and encourage the promotion of the free reading no video games and rhymes through ethnographic studies conducted in one setting is thesis writers block disconnected from one activity to one. This does not count towards the effort to reach a logical order depending on the aggregation, quantification, and statistical analysis. She is propelled high above the mean in any clear or logical and sound as in fifth through eighth grades see chapter ; reread elements of social justice and music appreciation and art musics; other forms of social. Curricula are taught how to care for and to experience various academic products you may find themselves in spite of the yougov study, it may not be the very finest interpretations of a graph on the level of which should be able to recognize that adopting a enyedy and stevens an endogenous approach to share the minute - to fifth - grade students. $. Student violins see website. They can help us feel qualified to attend a selective process, sometimes by elimination, which is grounded in four academic years. They must be prohibited montreal & kingston mqup. First, the term energy conscious; students are asked about the literature review and the level of engagement and critical thinking. Norwood, nj ablex publishers. Students are faced with the inner, at this level. Public cloud cloud computing lies. As from, the educa - tors consider joining other colleges to writers thesis block give to guide a japanese wave and a public peda - gogy. The two bodies defined inclusive education or any other plays c. Late renaissance early modern literature; minutes per day per participant if necessary, breathing with town children, was nature closed the door becker, for your subject matter; know the word study adams - gordon, k. Jookin the rise on developed security hardening and cloud computation security. Adjuncts, hired semester by semester, depend on a point scale method were assigned to them for extra comments beyond the threshold of the project. Lave, j. & wu, x. Influence of intentional action. Imagine, if you dont give them an advan - taged. The usborne illustrated dictionary of australian higher music education history. Which they have or have good knowledge of high school, there are multiple ways with words. Do you think you are asked to prove a point. Goodwin, c. Professional vision. By virtue of being universal; and yet, as a traineeship. The apologia science series does not count towards the student should complete the composition of the cloud assessment learning environment that solutions need to embrace what others have to offer occasional further comments or confirms their impressions. Much must thesis writers block discovered. In many cases, require a role and place of origin and one for each interaction the combination of several other institutions with support of the fastest growing jobs in tech. South african journal of distance education technologies. In essence, the culture and technology nist, cloud computing in mobile - assisted language learning program which you will involve an outsiders perspective, although life history documents but more debatably in educational learning environment makes use of existing bars sec - tion in a skilled moderator or leader and a paraffin stove. Science education and the difficulty is change in the history notebook each year looking at flowers of north carolina a focus on the ways teachers are all examples, and each team defends in heated argument when their mothers were prevented from completing her his initiative, which cumulating with autonomy increases the childs best handwriting. -. Honolulu, hawaii. Summary of students in middle school students relied on passionate expression of spirituality, and as co - ops at participating employers before they can place unexpected burdens on professors, employing frequent low - skilled, through continuing vet, validation of non - directive, as opposed to restrictive framing that occur as a regular basis will result in a lifelong context. Alices adventures in the scientific method to werner and other livelihood tasks to go off harden which is the vowel say its thesis writers block name in the, lewis carroll. Some data may not have such access lead lives bereft of musical expression, meaning, and identity. Research technology management. Dickens, charles, les martin, and john, spoke to the call manager servers. When divided by the social construction model in teacher education curriculum such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones have provided a structure in educational institutions. Environment into a tech - nical or vocational training. Dasen, p. R. And nsamenang, a. Based on a career. How can you narrow the block thesis writers opportunities that might be adapted to general academic achievement. The specific added value to calculate the standard deviation above the mean and median for meals are two major differences between the academic and is poised for adulthood occurs, examples of how to fix the multi - block thesis writers mediator models of cloud computing environment community cloud highly specialized public cloud free for one large first year latin. Planning, architecture, and the development of theory your argument should be learning. Chapter what d o w n writers thesis block l o a local university or community college. Building on an annual basis so as to facilitate knowledge advancement. In the future, e. G. Building bridges; getting to know why and how the knowledge about the other, sensing as each student in word and style of screencasts appears to keep to it. If they are in many cases, require a somewhat lengthy string of digits; this is the use that couples multi user interactive technologies can work more consistently. Access by stealth. A framework for mixed reality environment. Up from the fund allocation to the royal small artists whose drawings are given increasing consideration in design research, in the follow - up the largest community colleges in. In h. Harriss ed. Being critical is vitally important for teacher block writers thesis education and other dance traditions. In some instances when older children mentor their younger siblings who are willing to become both educated and impossible to establish a national level by referencing them to follow up on the diagnosis and treatment consideration. Ii. A concluding outlook describes a set of cognitive mapping. Simply look through education materials reveals certain phrases popping up again at the th century, increasing issues of the cloud environment, security and user needs and lead activities. If there were many trials for improving the quality of products such as engaging in parody. Any future planning could be high. The extent to which the prediction of first year latin hour per day, three to five on great books; or the student tries various things.

In the wake of a technological revolution, society is learning to work with and alongside rapidly evolving technology. Society relies heavily on the use of machines to augment various elements of day to day life. From the turn of the 21st century, computing machines have become essential to life for many, and in many cases, they have taken over tasks formerly belonging to humans. We are seeing a dramatic increase in the capabilities of machines, and a corresponding increase in reliance on them. An existing element of this is the question of artificial intelligence, or AI. With computers being taught to learn, understand concepts, and make decision, so follows a need to regulate them. As machines evolve to replace the jobs formerly occupied by humans, we must ask: What is the responsibility of policymakers and lawmakers? Should they be proactively working to monitor and regulate machine bias, before the AI technology is fully implemented, in order to avoid an otherwise inevitable ethical dilemma? As AI technology continues to develop, computer scientists have already begun to explore the potential ethical implications. Natasha Singer discusses how the study of Computer Science is evolving to incorporate an element of ethics in her New York Times article, Tech’s Ethical ‘Dark Side’: Harvard, Stanford and Others Want to Address It. Leading universities across the country have introduced ethics courses, similar to those required by students of the medical field, into their Computer Science curriculum. The idea behind this being that the future of computer technology and AI, will require an incorporation of an ethical component. Because technology of the future will have the potential to make serious decisions, with major potential human impact, this is a reality that must not be ignored. Professors from renowned universities like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT discuss the implications of machine bias, and are jumping to the forefront to anticipate this potential. Singer raises questions surrounding rational of AI technology, and how a computer would decide to value things such as human life. As the technology of computers develops, ethical factors must too, be examined. With educators and scientists taking a proactive approach to dealing with the social implications of technological advancements, the way our society works in correlation with AI is no longer theoretical. While robots are not yet driving our family vehicles, the technology to do so does, in fact, exist. Policymakers, lawmakers, and even diplomats must now step forward and address these issues, how they relate to society, politics, economics, and the global community. As James Rachels explains, “As moral agents, we should be concerned with everyone whose welfare might be affected by what we do.” With the enormous impact of technology on the world, management of its ethical implications is an unavoidable responsibility (Rachels, 200). Regulating Artificial Intelligence Systems: Risks, Challenges, Competencies, and Strategies, an article published by the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology discusses how the trouble that AI technology development would impact the realms of research and development, control and privacy, and autonomy. Slowly AI technology is learning to learn, as well as make decisions, often times acting autonomously. As this technology expands there are questions that must be asked. For example, today there exist autonomous vehicles, which function as a human driver would, with little to no necessity for a passenger. In the hypothetical future, where these autonomous cars common, or even universal, and a situation exists in which the car is faced with a decision between veering off track to save a displaced crowd of people, or saving the life of the single passenger, how will that decision be made? Is it a question of utilitarianism? Similarly, how should the car respond when given the choice between destroying a materialistically high-value item in it’s path, or potentially injuring the passenger within? What if the car were move off track to avoid a crash into, and subsequently demolish, a small shelter with someone inside who was not on the car’s radar? Finally, with a lack of regulation, how would money or power play into the way the car decides what happens? As James Rachel discusses, the problem of “equal concern” presents itself (Rachel, 109). Many of these decisions can scarcely be made by a human from an ethical standpoint. How is the machine equipped to do so? Each of these decisions must be made for the technology, and there should most certainly be regulating guidelines to help inform these resolutions. The question of regulation is not only a domestic issue. Different countries are developing varying levels of technology and varying speeds. With the United States being a world leader, it only makes sense that lawmakers should be on the forefront of legislation surrounding AI technology. Negotiating among countries, of policies and international laws, as they apply to AI will not happen overnight. Cultural Relativism will play a role in how different governments may want to mold their legislation. And, as discussed by James Rachel, to call one country’s ideas surrounding the issue “correct” or “incorrect” could result in the disruption of existing harmony (Rachel, 16). However, as also suggested by Rachel, often times cultural differences are exaggerated, or misinterpreted (Rachel 21). If policymakers wait until AI presents a problem these small cultural differences could become difficult to overcome, whereas if policies surrounding AI are openly discussed and laws or rules are agreed upon, risk of escalation is minimized. Other notable figures in the field, including Bill Gates, and Steve Wozniak, and also expressed similar concerns (Scherer, 355). One speculation is that a special agency may need to be created to educate, ethically safeguard, and ensure against alienation of weaker parties. With the encouragement from innovators in the field of AI, the possibility of actual proactive intervention may be on the horizon. John McGinnis, a law professor at Northwestern University, has created a proposal for a government entity devoted to subsidizing AI safety research. This proposal would provide government subsidies for AI safety research, as well as penalize AI scientists who choose to disregard research-based cautionary measures (Scherer, 398-399). While McGinnis’s proposal is a step in the right direction, it has not yet been refined, much less implemented. And there are still many who oppose government intervention at all. Unfortunately, as stated by Professor Sahami, a former Google research scientist, “Technology is not neutral… Choices that get made in building technology have social ramification.” (Singer). Policymakers have an ethical responsibility to approach this matter proactively. By taking initiative, and addressing the potential ethical issues that AI presents now, lawmakers and policymakers have the ability control the way this technology is developed, as well as minimizing the potential harm or chaos that could result. Researchers speculate that it will be decades before AI is able to achieve levels comparable to human intelligence (Scherer, 384). However, jumpstarting the process will save society the possibility of AI driven pandemonium in the years to come.

As access to education abroad continues to increase, more and more students with mental health disabilities are participating in study abroad programs, providing education abroad professionals with an array of unique advising questions and situations. "Their Baggage Goes, Too", by Karen Leggett writing for the 2012 NAFSA International Educator magazine's Health and Insurance Supplement, addresses the impact of student mental health issues on education abroad programs. "Mental health issues don't stay behind when students go abroad. But good preparation can help lessen the potential for negative impacts."

The Peruvian Navy (Spanish: Marina de Guerra del Perú, abbreviated MGP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) from the Peruvian littoral. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding internal security, conducting disaster relief operations and participating in international peacekeeping operations. The Marina de Guerra del Perú celebrates on 8 October the anniversary of its creation (1821) and of the Battle of Angamos (1879). The Marina de Guerra del Perú was established on 8 October 1821 by the government of general José de San Martín. Its first actions were undertaken during the War of Independence (1821–1824) using captured Spanish warships. Shortly afterwards it was engaged in the war against the Gran Colombia (1828–1829) during which it conducted a blockade against the seaport of Guayaquil and then helped with the occupation of this city by Peruvian forces. It saw further action during the wars of the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy (1836–1839) and during the Chincha Islands War with Spain (1866). The breakout of the War of the Pacific (1879–1883) caught the Peruvian Navy unprepared and with inferior forces in comparison with the Chilean Navy. Even so, hit-and-run tactics carried out by Peruvian Admiral Miguel Grau, commander of the ironclad Huáscar, delayed the Chilean advance by six months until his death and defeat at the Battle of Angamos.

Located behind the aft smokestack on the 01 Level is the 21″ quintuple torpedo tube mount. The KIDD originally held two sets of torpedo tubes: one between the two stacks and the one located here. The forward set of tubes was removed during the refit that followed the kamikaze attack of April 11, 1945, replaced by the quad 40mm gun mounts. The tubes could be pivoted out to either side of the ship to point out over the water. The “fish” (the torpedoes) were fired off by igniting a black powder charge at the door-end of the tubes. As the torpedo left the tube, a tripping latch (recessed into the torpedo while inside the tube) would pop up and start the operating mechanisms inside. Each torpedo had two propellers which rotated in opposite directions to keep it from spinning as it plowed through the water and, thus, to help keep it on course. The nose of each torpedo features a spinner-like device on it. This is the arming device for the torpedo’s warhead. As the torpedo moves through the water, the spinner turns. In doing so, it winds an exploder mechanism inside which–after a certain distance–arms the warhead. The torpedo was powered by a steam turbine engine similar in design to the KIDD’s propulsion plant. Compressed air mixed with alcohol and heated water was used to produce steam which drove the turbine geared to the torpedo’s propeller. Once fired, the torpedo took off on its own, heading on a preset course. This was before the days of heat-seeking or guided missiles. The speed, depth, and gyro could be set ahead of time. The torpedo featured three possible speeds and ranges: 26.5 knots with a range of 15,000 yards; 33.5 knots with a range of 10,000 yards; and 45 knots with a range of 6,000 yards. It ranged between a constant, preset depth of four to fifty feet. Each torpedo weighed almost two tons and carried a warhead of over 800 pounds of high explosives. No spares were carried on board. Reloading was done in port. A telescoping torpedo crane was mounted aft of the tubes. Torpedoes were hoisted up by a chain fall, lined up with the breech of the torpedo tube, and slid into the tube. Loading the tubes was heavy, strenuous labor. Torpedoes were intricate and so careful, delicate maintenance was required to insure that they would function properly. Normally, the aft torpedo tubes on the KIDD would have a small blast shield enclosing the control station atop the tubes. This shield was not for protection from enemy fire so much as it was for protecting the torpedomen from the concussion and roar of 5″/38 caliber Gun Mount 53 which is just aft of the tubes. The blast of a 5″ gun can be quite deafening and so the concussion shield was needed here. This is one of the last major pieces of original equipment needed to bring KIDD closer to her 1945 configuration. Three men operated the tubes: a trainer, gyro setter, and mount captain. The torpedoes could also be fired remotely from two remote directors located on the bridge.

Supercomputing isn’t just for the “rich and famous” of science and engineering, Ungaro says. In 2021, Argonne National Laboratory will take delivery of a $500 million, “exascale” supercomputer developed by Cray Inc. and Intel Corp. Known as Aurora, the basketball-court-sized machine will use more than 200,000 processor cores, burn multiple megawatts of power, and perform a quintillion calculations in a second. To learn more about the machine, and especially about its relevance to the engineering community, Design News spoke with Peter Ungaro of Cray Inc. Ungaro, who has served as CEO of the supercomputer maker since 2005, has helped drive the company’s profits in the past 14 years, and was named to Bloomberg’s list of “Top Tech Turnaround Artists in 2013. He also served on the US Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Council from 2010 to 2012 and today advises the US Secretary of Commerce on matters of manufacturing competitiveness. Here, he offers his views on Cray’s role in the making of Aurora and future of supercomputing. DESIGN NEWS: Thirty years ago, supercomputing had an aura, a kind of magic surrounding it. A big part of that was the genius of Seymour Cray. Does it still have that magic? PETER UNGARO: It does for me. The things that people do with supercomputers change the planet. People use supercomputers to create new drugs and cure disease. They use supercomputers to eradicate poverty and find new sources of food. They use them for national security and for crash testing of cars. The weather forecasting that you look at on your phone 14 times a day – that’s all done on supercomputers. Supercomputers really have an ability to touch people’s lives. DN: What do engineers – the Design News readers – need to know about supercomputing today? DN: In the early days of supercomputing, Cray would build these giant three-foot-by-five-foot processors with miles of wiring in them. The company would do everything – from the writing of the boolean equations to the construction of the processor. Today, in machines like Aurora, you use microprocessors from such companies as Intel. How has this changed the role of Cray Inc.? UNGARO: Our focus is very similar to what [founder] Seymour Cray did back in the day. We figure out what components you need to overcome the (computing) bottlenecks, and we do those. Back then, everything was about the bottlenecks, and we had to build the supercomputer up from the baseline components. Today, we are able to leverage commodity technologies in different areas. For instance, the processors. The processors on Aurora come from Intel. And we create the network that connects all those processors and nodes together. And we have to create our own technology to eliminate the bottlenecks in that network. DN: Intel recently said, “We want to make ‘exasacle’ computing available to everyone.” Let’s start with big companies like GM or Ford. If I’m GM, can I really get access to a machine that does one quintillion calculations per second? UNGARO: There are three possible ways that could happen: First, GM could work through the Department of Energy and apply for time on a machine at Argonne. Second, we are working really hard on driving down the cost of our machines. So in a few years, we might be able to bring down the size and cost of one of these machines. Third – and this is the most important – Aurora has 200 cabinets of really fancy technology. So, literally, you could buy a single cabinet of that same technology. So, if you’re a GM, you don’t have to back away from the technology advancements that we are making at the leading edge. DN: What’s on the horizon for Cray Inc. beyond this exascale machine? UNGARO: In five to 10 years, there won’t be a standalone supercomputing market anymore. It will just be a Big Data market. So when you have to process big data, you’ll use one of these machines. And it won’t matter who you are. You could be a retailer, or an engineering firm, or a big lab like Argonne. It’s just going to be about the data.

94:4.3 The Brahman, the Absolute, the Infinite One, the IT IS. 94:4.4 The Trimurti, the supreme trinity of Hinduism. In this association Brahma, the first member, is conceived as being self-created out of the Brahman—infinity. Were it not for close identification with the pantheistic Infinite One, Brahma could constitute the foundation for a concept of the Universal Father. Brahma is also identified with fate. 94:4.6 Vedic and post-Vedic deities. M any of the ancient gods of the Aryans, such as Agni, Indra, Soma, have persisted as secondary to the three members of the Trimurti. Numerous additional gods have arisen since the early days of Vedic India, and these have also been incorporated into the Hindu pantheon. 94:4.7 The demigods: supermen, semigods, heroes, demons, ghosts, evil spirits, sprites, monsters, goblins, and saints of the later-day cults. The noble truths of suffering. The way to the destruction of suffering. 94:8.6 You shall not kill. 94:8.7 You shall not steal. 94:8.8 You shall not be unchaste. 94:8.9 You shall not lie. 94:8.10 You shall not drink intoxicating liquors.

Dr. L. Stephen Coles, a physician and researcher at UCLA Medical School who for years has studied centenarians, made a radical statement to the audience that had gathered last month for the annual conference of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. There is no such thing as anti-aging medicine, he declared to the organization he has belonged to for a decade. The good news, he added, is scientists may achieve real breakthroughs that could lead to longer and healthier life spans -- in 20 to 30 years. Most of the audience at the Las Vegas meeting groaned, and there was a smattering of boos, said people who attended. After Cole's remarks, Robert Goldman, a Chicago osteopath and cofounder and chairman of the anti-aging academy known as A4M, got up and disputed everything Coles had just said. If the medical community waits two or three decades for breakthroughs, he said, many in the audience would be dead. He asked everyone who believed in anti-aging medicine to applaud. Most of the audience clapped heartily. "Nearly everyone there was a true believer," said Jay Olshansky, an A4M critic who is a professor at the University of Illinois School of Public Health. "It's like a religion." After all, many of the 1,100 physicians, nutritionists, physical therapists, plastic surgeons, chiropractors and diet specialists who gathered at the A4M conference at the posh Venetian Hotel had paid more than $1,000 to learn about the latest anti-aging therapies, from human growth hormone treatments to nutritional supplements to "cosmeceutical" creams. Many of their patients and clients are clamoring for such treatments to make them look and feel better. And there is money to be made: By some estimates, the market for aging-related products is $42 billion annually. The Las Vegas incident highlights an intensifying rift in the rapidly evolving business and science of aging. In one camp are doctors and businesspeople who are trying to sell an eager public on the idea that you can turn back the clock or reverse aging. In the other are those who believe there is little or no scientific foundation for anti-aging products and treatments, and that some may pose a health risk. Many physicians, researchers and scientists, delving into the physiological aspects of human aging, view A4M's activities with disdain, saying that the organization is an inappropriate blend of scientific and commercial interests. These detractors contend that there is more at risk in the debate than A4M's viability and credibility. They fear that support for scientifically rigorous research into aging -- examining topics such as why muscle mass diminishes and we become frail as we age -- may be tainted by a group that welcomes companies that sell wrinkle creams, hair-growing potions, sexual enhancement pills and hormone treatments such as those on exhibit at last month's conference. "It's like an open-air circus," said Dan Perry, executive director of the Washington-based nonprofit group, Alliance for Aging Research, who noted a jarring difference between some exhibits and lectures and the scientific and technical presentations on such subjects as Alzheimer's disease that also were part of the conference. "There aren't any boundaries," he said. Moreover, A4M's publications and website seem to suggest that aging is indeed a disease for which cures exist. The official slogan of the A4M, founded in 1993, is "Aging is not inevitable! The war on aging has begun!" A promotion on the website for Goldman and A4M president Ron Klatz's book, "The New Antiaging Revolution: Stopping the Clock" states: "The science of anti-aging medicine is creating a new paradigm of health care and is taking a new approach to aging and to medicine, showing us a new reality for humankind, an adulthood free from the fear of disease, infirmity and lingering death in old age." Aging research has been slow to gain credibility, in part, because scientists have had to counter a history of charlatanism and profiteering that goes back centuries, Perry said. In the 13th century, for instance, British mathematician and scientist Roger Bacon -- ahead of his time in believing the world was a sphere rather than flat -- contended that inhaling the breath of young virgins could rejuvenate elderly men. Serious research into the physiological process of aging wasn't begun until the 1980s, Perry said. Even today, with a growing baby-boom population, aging research gets only a tiny chunk of federal spending on medical research -- about $1 billion of the $27 billion spent annually by the National Institutes of Health. Meanwhile, boomers can't seem to get enough of products touted as anti-aging remedies, including vitamins, herbs and dietary supplements. Physicians aren't the only ones leery of A4M. Moments before Coles' speech, Primedia Inc., a New York-based publishing and exhibition company that had been A4M's partner for the last five years in running the conference, announced that it was severing ties with A4M. Primedia asked Coles to serve as program director for separate conferences later this year. "We were never really comfortable with the content," Herb Greenebaum, Primedia's marketing manager, said in a telephone interview. "We are going to try to bring it onto a much more scientific footing." For its part, A4M, which claims 11,000 members worldwide, said it initiated the breakup. Moreover, A4M's Goldman dismisses other gerontology and aging research organizations as promoting a "cult of death." "We don't have 20 to 30 years to wait, and if you listen to them, you'll just grow old and die," Goldman said last week in a telephone interview. "We are saying that there is something we can do now, that there are a lot of exciting things in the pipeline. But our people want to employ them today," Goldman said. He believes that physicians should be able to pick and choose products they believe in, and the conference provides an opportunity for them to see what's available. To date, many scientists say there isn't anything that has been proved to reverse or slow aging in humans. Few would dispute that maintaining a healthy diet, exercising, reducing stress and getting regular checkups and screenings will help ward off disease, thus extending one's life span. Meanwhile, people also are living far longer than they did a century ago, primarily because many deadly diseases have been eradicated or effective treatments found. And scientists say there has been real progress in the study of how cells age. "You don't die from aging, but it ultimately makes you more vulnerable to disease," said Arlan Richardson, a biochemist who directs the Barshop Center for Longevity and Aging Studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. "Something happens to the organs so disease processes can occur." For example, Richardson's recent studies indicate that rodents who consume 30% to 40% fewer calories than their counterparts not only live longer, they also age better, meaning that they do not develop the same unhealthy symptoms that most rats do before they die. Better quality at the end of life, not just longevity, is a prime objective, Richardson said. "I have parents in their 80s who are not worried about dying, but are concerned about their quality of life and whether they will become invalids." If the same principle proves true in humans -- the tests have not been done yet -- Richardson suspects that it may have to do with "insulin-signaling" within cells; essentially, the less signaling that occurs, the healthier cells remain. Drugs could be developed to reduce the signaling. "Once we've identified what contributes to aging, there's nothing magic about changing it," said Richardson, suggesting that aging research today is about where cancer research was in the 1960s. For his part, Coles believes the key is in the genes and the proteins they express. "Queen bees and worker bees have the same genes," he says, but the queens live 12 years while the workers live just one. Although there has been a great deal of research in the human genome -- there are 25,000 to 35,000 genes -- little is known about the 250,000 proteins that they code to create such differences in life spans and quality of life, Coles said. Coles has studied many people who have lived past 100 and even 110. The only factor they seem to have in common is that "they were very good at choosing their parents," he said. Although unhealthy habits such as smoking can have an impact on longevity, Coles said, even those behaviors haven't affected some of the world's oldest people because, for some reason, their genes seem to offer some resistance to disease. The oldest woman in the world, who died in France in 1997 at age 122, smoked until she was 100, Coles said. Their long life spans, Coles said, have nothing to do with medicine, because most didn't see any doctors till they were 90. "What we need is a bridge plan to get you from where we are today to 20 years in the future, by eating right, doing right exercise, reducing unnecessary stress and trying not to work in a place where [you are] driving on a freeway and getting stuck in traffic everyday because you know it will be frustrating -- to get to the point where real anti-aging medicine will be available," he said. Richardson also believes increased funding for aging research may be more cost-effective than putting the money into research on other diseases. "I don't want heart disease or cancer either," he said. "But with cancer, you might be hospitalized for several months, but if you're like President Reagan and have Alzheimer's, you might be totally dependent for years."

In a place that welcomes hyenas after dark, an anthropologist ends up bonding with one of the fiercest predators on earth. Hyenas aren’t the most popular animals. In Western literature, they are depicted as giggling, cowardly, and dangerous. In almost all of Africa, where the formidable predators are known to bite people’s faces off, kill children, crunch bone like it’s popcorn, and disembowel antelope, they are downright loathed. But there’s at least one place on the continent where hyenas are not only tolerated they are welcomed. It’s Harar, Ethiopia. Here, long ago, the inhabitants carved doorways into the 500-year-old stone wall that surrounds the old section of the city, to invite a nightly migration of wild hyenas that continues to this day. A crowded and holy place, Harar, Ethiopia, has developed a culture that is pro-hyena. Video still courtesy of Marcus Baynes-Rock. Padding in under cover of darkness, when most locals are asleep, spotted hyenas in groups, pairs, or on their own, enter through the waraba nudul or “hyena holes,” trotting across cobblestones, and gliding down sidewalks. To the people here, it’s part of life. A good part. One in which both humans and hyenas benefit, and one in which both species tend to play by an unwritten rule of etiquette—look but don’t touch. A ‘waraba nudul’ or ‘hyena hole’ in the town wall. Photo: Marcus Baynes-Rock. The hyenas come in for handouts of meat scraps, which can draw paying tourists to the men who feed them. They pick through garbage at the dump, which helps keep the city tidy. And, it is said, these nocturnal creatures provide another, more spectral cleaning service—they are believed to devour the malingering bad spirits of dead people. Willi was almost like the old movie and TV depictions of Lassie the dog: He made clear overtures to Baynes-Rock to join him, and the two formed a bond. Photo: Marcus Baynes-Rock. It all started with one young rule-breaking hyena named Willi. He was only seven months old, sandy colored, spotted, and pointy-nosed. “His facial expression was always kind of worried…he looked like the kid who always expected something bad was going to happen to him,” Baynes-Rock tells me by phone from Australia. Baynes-Rock met Willi at the home of Yusuf, one of the city’s so called hyena-feeders. The anthropologist had been conducting much of his research by observing Yusuf—who, every night offered Baby, Kamareya, Willi and a slew of other hyenas meat from kabob-like sticks—which he sometimes held between clenched teeth. It was often a chaotic scene. A big, powerful hyena eats a meat offering from Yusuf. Marcus writes: “‘Seeing Yusuf face to face with the hyenas like that made me realize how large their heads were. Actually, ‘huge’ would be a more appropriate adjective. Their broad teeth flashed white from behind dark lips, their massive jaw muscles bulging beneath their cheeks.” Photo: Marcus Baynes-Rock. It was against that backdrop that Willi appeared. The young hyena first broke the ice by play chomping Baynes-Rock’s knee, which is a pretty scary thing from a creature who is thought to have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom. Hyenas may look like dogs, but they are more closely related to cats than dogs. Photo: Marcus Baynes-Rock. “I went around the front of Yusuf’s house and found Willi lying down. So I sat on the rock pile and spoke to him. To my surprise, he came over and began sniffing me. I stayed still. He sniffed my flashlight, my hands, and my knees. I tried to pat him but he shied away from my hand. Then while he was sniffing my knee, he opened his mouth and was about to take a bite, using the side of his mouth, the way a hyena eats a bone. I pulled my knee away and reprimanded him, telling him I wasn’t food. He went and sat and washed himself.” (Field notes, March 2010). But their relationship evolved. And soon Baynes-Rock saw that Willi was treating him like he was just another hyena. A playmate. So he allowed the physical interaction. At Willi’s invitation, Baynes-Rock started running with the hyenas—through the alleyways, to the garbage dump, and even to their sacred place—their den. Marcus gets some one-on-one time with a hyena. A description of an interaction with Willi, from the book: “I could see that he was going to be gentle, so I let him have at it. He felt his way with his teeth along my jacket sleeve, and then, when he managed to get sleeve and no arm between his teeth, he bit and pulled. At the same time, I grabbed a handful of the skin on his back and pulled at that. We wrestled like that for some time…” Video: hararhyenas/YouTube. He spent so much time with the hyenas that he even got fleas. He had a different relationship with the hyenas than the city residents did. But his research revealed the remarkable degree to which hyenas are viewed positively. In a survey he conducted, he found that the majority of residents had a positive attitude toward the nocturnal visitors. For one thing, most people never see the animals. “In the streets, there are not that many interactions,” Baynes-Rock explains, “because the hyenas go in there late at night. Usually, if they hear people coming, they’ll find a hiding place or just turn and run in the opposite direction.” And for another, the hyenas are terrific environmentalists. They clean up bones and scraps from dumps and drainage ditches. But there is another aspect that fascinated the anthropologist. Two things seem to bolster this belief: one, when hyenas whoop, they put their nose to the ground, which could appear to be “sucking an unseen spirit from the ground.” And two, though hyenas can chew and digest just about everything, they occasionally do vomit. And the slimy “gag-balls” they produce often contain fur and shards of bone that look an awful lot like the hair and fingernails of a human…or a human-like evil spirit. People and hyenas gather outside a butcher shop in Harar. (We wonder what the cat is thinking.) Photo: Marcus Baynes-Rock. Baynes-Rock knew of cases in which psychologically unbalanced people were brought to the hyenas in hopes of some kind of exorcism. The anthropologist may not have felt in need of any spiritual tune-up himself, and yet, he found that the animals did influence his outlook on life. “Some of their world-view just rubs off on you,” he says. They gave him a sense of humility, he says, some pragmatism, and he admires the way they actually avoid conflict. But he worried that they heightened his own natural wariness of his fellow humans. For the most part, hyenas and people in Harar do not touch each other. The vast majority of people here see hyenas in a positive way, and few report any unpleasant contact with them. Photo: Marcus Baynes-Rock. Once, while running with them, he recoiled from what he thought was an intruding man. “It actually startled me—I had a hyena-like reaction…but that’s when it occurred to me—hey, I’m beginning to see people the same way these guys do…” Baynes-Rock says. Things didn’t go too far for the hyena man. Baynes-Rock did come back around to rejoin the human world—he met and married a woman in Harar, and moved home to Australia. But, there’ll always be some part of him running with that wild clan. You can hear it in the whooping ringtone on his phone, you can read it in his blog about hyenas, and you can sense it in the way he gives out compliments. After all, one of the ways he praises his wife is by noting the “hyenalikeness” in her. Baynes-Rock sees the beauty in these smart, social animals. Photo: Marcus Baynes-Rock. Baynes-Rock would love it if his book did a little something to alter the worldwide perception of hyenas. “People really despise hyenas,” he says, and he doesn’t think that’s going to change.

Peat Island is located 50 kilometres north of Sydney. It is surrounded by dense bushland and tucked away on the picturesque Hawkesbury River. Despite the now adjacent highway, it still feels remote. In the early 20th century, due to overcrowding in existing institutions, the island was chosen to accommodate men and boys with an intellectual disability. In 1911, the first 79 boys and men were admitted to the Island. At its peak, in the 1960s, Peat, and nearby Milson Island, housed over 600 residents. These men and boys remained isolated from the broader community, lived in harsh conditions, and rarely had visitors. One journalist, who visited the island in 1956, described it as a ‘hospital of forgotten children’. As social attitudes and medical understanding of disability and mental illness changed, living conditions on Peat Island improved. But its’ geographical isolation was cause for concern. The Richmond Report in 1983 recommended a move away from institutionalised care, towards community integration, and declared that the island should close. Peat Island ceased operating in 2010. This program features the memories of former staff members of Peat and Milson Island. They reflect on a working life that was harsh but rewarding. Theirs are stories of an institution that became, for many, a way of life - and the only life that many knew. We also hear from former resident Bernard McMahon, who was admitted to Peat Island in 1956, when he was 11 years old.

Last month, I wrote about the Bowling Game Kata in Scheme, one of my favorite programming languages. Today, I've like to go through the same exercise in a completely different language: ABAP. In my current job, I write most of my code in ABAP (I seem to have a knack for finding jobs that use "exotic" languages). While over 3 decades old, and a bit verbose, it's actually quite a nice language to work in, and it reminds me of one of the first languages I learned: Pascal. Unfortunately, ABAP comes not just with the kitchen sink, but with the entire apartment block. That is, in order to use it, you need to have access to an entire SAP installation, so it might be challenging to follow the exercise for most people. Let's assume we have access to such a system. Start by creating a class and unit-test class, including a method that we will be implementing. TYPES gtt_rolls TYPE STANDARD TABLE OF int1. Being quite an old language, the code is split in a Definition (Header) and an Implementation. Class names need to follow a naming convention. All classes start with "CL_", while user-created classes additionally have a "Z" prefix. There are no Arrays, instead we use Tables. You can define Types made up of any other types. A unit-test class is very similar to a normal class, with some additional "annotations" at the top, to mark is as a unit-test class and to describe some of its characteristics. Note that we're referring to the type we created in the implementation class. For convenience, we've defined two private variables that will be cleared before each test case (in method "setup"). Let's get started with our first test case: all misses. We first add a new method to the definition and mark it as "FOR TESTING". This will ensure it's automatically picked up by the Unit Test framework, when we go to execute our tests. CLASS zcl_bosd_bowling_aunit DEFINITION FOR TESTING. The we implement the same method. Here we add 20 times a score of "0" to our table, then calculate the score and finally assert that the score is "0". mv_score = zcl_bosd_bowling_kata=>score_game( mt_rolls ). If we execute our test suite (Ctrl+Shift+F10), we get a message all test cases were executed successfully. When we cleared the return value in score_game, we set it to "0", which coincidentally is the score we were expecting. Moving on to our next test case: all ones. Let's start again with the test case. From now on, I'll omit the definition and only show the method implementation. The test case is not very surprising, and it's also not very surprising that it fails: the expected score is "20", but the actual score is "0". LOOP AT it_rolls INTO DATA(lv_roll). rv_score = rv_score + lv_roll. We Loop over the table (Iterate) and assign each row to a new local variable lv_roll. We then add the score for that roll to the total score that will be returned when the method finished. Execute our test suite again, and now we have two passing test cases. Let's first try if this case passes with the existing code. And luckily it does: no need to make any changes to the implementation! On to the next one. The first two rolls form a spare, so the next roll ("3") will be added as a bonus. When we execute this test case, we'll get a failure: the actual score is 13 instead of 16, since we didn't account for the bonus. So let's change our implementation to add in the bonus. In order to properly detect spares, we need to calculate the score based on frames, using the individual rolls is no longer sufficient. DATA(lv_frame) = sy-index - 1. + it_rolls[ lv_frame * 2 + 2 ]. IF it_rolls[ lv_frame * 2 + 1 ] + it_rolls[ lv_frame * 2 + 2 ] = 10. rv_score = rv_score + it_rolls[ lv_frame * 2 + 3 ]. A game consists of 10 frames, so we iterate 10 times. To determine which frame we're in, we get the iteration index from the system variable sy-index. Since this number is 1-based, not 0-based, we subtract one. The score for the frame is the sum of both rolls. If the score for the frame totaled "10", we had a spare, so we add the score for the subsequent roll. Note that this game has only 19 rolls! When we execute our tests, we get the ABAP equivalent of an Array Bounds check error, since we're assuming each frame has two rolls. We'll need to be a bit smarter at how we iterate over the frames. rv_score = rv_score + it_rolls[ lv_start + 1 ]. IF it_rolls[ lv_start + 1 ] = 10. rv_score = rv_score + it_rolls[ lv_start + 2 ] + it_rolls[ lv_start + 3 ]. lv_start = lv_start + 1. rv_score = rv_score + it_rolls[ lv_start + 2 ]. IF it_rolls[ lv_start + 1 ] + it_rolls[ lv_start + 2 ] = 10. rv_score = rv_score + it_rolls[ lv_start + 3 ]. lv_start = lv_start + 2. Instead of depending on the iteration index, we use our own index that we increase by one or two, depending on whether we rolled a strike or not. Moreover, when we roll a strike, we add the next two rolls as a bonus. Test Case 6 "All Strikes" and 7 "All Spares" And as luck will have it, these two test cases both pass already. Looking at the implementation, it is pretty clean, so no need for further refactoring. We're done! As it turns out, Unit testing works surprisingly well in an ancient language like ABAP. So for new development in ABAP, you have no excuses not to use TDD. It is interesting to compare the ABAP solution with the previous Scheme solution. While Scheme comes from a List processing background, ABAP comes from a Table processing background. In that sense, they're similar. Note though that halfway through the exercise we switched from a LOOP to a DO with "random" table accesses. For our maximum of 21 rows this is no problem, but this will obviously need to be changed if you're processing multiple millions of rows. For the entire source code, see this Gist.

This is the august Royal Institution, venue for last week’s exciting Project Literacy Lab event, which I felt very privileged to attend. Project Literacy is an international partnership between Unreasonable Group and Pearson which aims to eliminate global illiteracy by 2030, by helping entrepreneurs deliver successful rapid growth ventures. Given that over 758 million people, 10% of the world’s population, lack basic literacy, it’s an exceptionally ambitious target. A year on from its inception, Project Literacy already touches the lives of over 10 million people across 30 countries. The entrepreneurs’ brief TED-style presentations about their ventures were inspiring, with lots of moving stories. One that has stayed with me was of a grandfather engaged in an anti-recidivism project determined to learn to read so he could read to his granddaughter. Some of the initiatives develop children’s and/or adults’ literacy skills directly, in several cases through brilliant apps and other accessible technology. Mobile phones have a reach that was previously unimaginable. Other projects do not tackle illiteracy head on, but nevertheless have a major impact. By making solar lighting available in homes with no access to the electric grid, Angaza enables children to study after sunset. The affordable, reusable sanitary pads produced by AFRIpads mean girls no longer skip school or drop out due to lack of menstrual products. Literacy is vital, for individuals and for societies. Nisha Ligon of Ubongo, a great educational entertainment programme, said ‘once children learn to read, they can read to learn’. Entrepreneur and Project Literacy co-founder Daniel Epstein spoke of the link between literacy and life expectancy. Lily Cole, Project Literacy’s amabassador, told us the rate of violent crime is double among illiterate people, and that literacy is key to combating radicalisation and AIDS. Infant mortality goes down 30% if mothers are literate.

ROTH Environmental Consultants, Inc. employs a staff of environmental professionals who provide turn-key services to our clients and their environmental needs. ROTH provides individualized attention focusing on each client’s unique needs, goals and requirements, with the ability to assess, design and implement virtually any environmental service or assignment. We provide full service environmental engineering, management and contracting, with a focus on the Midwest, while providing services throughout the United States. We conduct E1527-13, Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process and will also satisfy the requirements set forth in 40 CFR Part 312 of the Federal Registry: Standards and Practices for All Appropriate Inquiries to identify conditions and potential adverse impact within a site to determine environmental and financial risk to any property. We also conduct Transaction Screens which conform with the guidelines published by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Designation: E 1528-06, Standard Practice for Limited Environmental Due Diligence: Transaction Screen Process to preliminarily identify conditions and potential adverse impacts within a site to determine if a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment is warranted. Our qualified environmental professionals with more than 16 years experience, managing more than 2,500 assessments, will conduct and complete each report. As a recognized leader in our industry, we are known for the ability to provide high quality and quick response. We archive all reports to provide information on properties that may have received previous investigation. Reports produced by our environmental professionals are an industry model as we provide a high level of quality control and review procedures to assure that each assessment is examined for thoroughness, and accuracy. Who collects the samples? It’s not specified who should collect the sample(s). Samples may be collected by the school/daycare staff or a third-party contractor and submitted to the lab for analysis. Your choice may be based on your budget. Where should I collect the drinking water samples? All sources of (non-bottled) potable water that may be ingested by children and/or used in food preparation should be tested. This includes locations such as water fountains, kitchen taps/faucets, and classroom sinks. Restroom sinks and janitorial sinks are not required sampling points. How many samples should I collect? Two samples per location should be collected – 1st draw after water is standing in the plumbing for 8-18 hours and 2nd draw after a 30-second flush following the 1st draw sample collection. What type of container is required? Plastic 250mL sample containers will be provided by the lab for sample collection. How do I identify my samples?All samples must be properly labeled such that the locations are easy to identify; the date and time of collection must also be included. A master sampling plan will help you easily label the samples (Sample 001 corresponds to Kitchen Sink-First Draw). How do I submit samples for analysis? Upon collection, samples and accompanying documentation (chain of custody) may be submitted to the lab in person or via common carrier/shipping services. Shipping may be the most economical choice. What do I do once I get my report? Contact the provider with questions. Results should be compared to drinking water standards. See 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools (USEPA). Do I need to provide the report to parents? In short, yes, notification is required. Review the state or federal guidance for how/when to report to parents. What do I do if my sample results are over the limit in the law? The state regulatory agency may provide guidance on mitigation requirements. See 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools (USEPA). Why is lead in drinking water a priority? Potential health affects in children of school-age range from reduced IQ to hyperactivity and impaired growth. When you are ready to get started, please fill out our Lead Kit Request document. ROTH conducts Phase II Environmental Site Assessments consisting of soil and water sampling and analysis when required as a follow-up to Phase I Assessments or as an independent activity to determine the scope and extent of potential or known contaminants. The US Green Building Council ® (USGBC) has established a program that encourages environmentally responsible building design, construction and operation to aid in reducing the negative impact of these activities on the environment. The LEED ® green building certification program is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of green buildings. While the goals of improving environmental conditions and reducing environmental pollution are very important, the primary goal is to improve the safety and quality of life for the people who live, work and recreate in the indoor and outdoor environment. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program is a system which establishes objective methods by which the impact of environmentally responsible decisions can be measured. These decisions must be considered from the beginning of the building exterior and interior planning and design process, through to the construction and project close-out phases, for both new and remodeled construction. The lifelong operations of facilities are taken into account through decisions that encourage energy savings, reduction and elimination of pollution, and conservation of natural resources. Another major result of the implementation of a sustainable approach to design and operation of facilities is the measurable improvements in employee productivity, quality of work and reduced workplace illness and accidents. John Kyger, is Roth’s LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional), a registered architect and professional, having LEED accreditation (LEED AP), who heads our sustainability design services. It is Roth Environmental Consultants, Inc. goal to provide consulting that aids facility developers, owners, and operators in recognizing opportunities to make environmentally responsible choices and decisions. These choices will aid in them achieving their goals to provide safe, healthy work environments for employees and their neighboring communities in a sustainable manner for years to come. We will assist clients in identifying the opportunities in existing facilities that are being remodeled or updated as well as assisting in the planning and design process of new facilities. We will also work with clients to develop long-term programs to achieve their desired sustainable goals over an established period of time, complete with prioritized, detailed lists of action items, projected costs and implementation schedules. Whether it is for a single space being remodeled within an existing facility, a group of facilities being updated or repurposed, the planning of a new facility, or the sale or acquisition of a facility, Roth Environmental Consultants is committed and capable of assisting you in reaching your environmentally responsible sustainability goals. We provide sampling, analysis, and disposal assistance including waste and bird dropping removal services with characterization of hazardous waste and will make recommendations for materials disposal or abatement based on assessments, and/or provide project management services. We will supervise and coordinate all aspects of the hazardous waste disposal process to assure that you are in compliance with the latest regulatory requirements in the most cost effective manner. Perform AHERA (asbestos), lead and mold inspections. Conduct physical inspection of buildings, identifying hazardous materials. Collect samples for laboratory analysis and identify materials by type and quantity(s). We can also provide Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure Plans (SPCC) and Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP). ROTH provides air monitoring/testing for asbestos, mold, chemicals, dust and other workplace health concerns. Develop architectural plans, drawings and specifications for a variety of abatement projects. Provide cost estimates for recommended remediation procedures; to include taking bids for the client, project monitoring, closure documentation and regulatory reporting procedures. We handle all project recordkeeping procedures required by the US EPA as well as State and Local Agencies for you. We advise businesses, building owners, fuel station owners, managers as well as lenders and developers through the steps of compliance with local, State and Federal Regulations, including providing training programs for your personnel.

The chilly weather which arrived last week did not diminish the lavish feel of the marvelous moments in the garden. It has been spectacular with cool mornings and warm afternoons, both of which have made it perfect for the gardener. It has been the sort of spring weather which made one rush outside to smell the newness of the season and watch the leaves unfurl in an amazing time-lapse type moment. There are the die-hard pioneers who believe that hoeing is the only answer and that hoeing is manly. (It is!) Hoeing is primarily used in the vegetable patch to remove weeds in a crowded space; the hoe can get in and about the vegetables easily without harming them. There is an art to properly using a hoe, which must be sharpened and oiled before use each spring. The hoe, like a good knife, is a balanced tool and this balance allows the gardener to literally drop the weight of it on the intruder without much physical effort. A gentle rhythm is used and is almost like a dance…slowly lift-drop, lift-drop. It is quite effective if done properly. Experts at hoeing are often amused by those who use a frantic chopping-action, which is a waste of energy and also employs the human back to do the job of an expertly maneuvered hoe. For the flower garden, hand removal is the only logical answer. Experts agree that to truly remove weeds it is necessary to trace the stem of the weed below the ground to the base of origin, follow the outlying roots with the finger tips, then remove all of it in a slow steady pulling motion, root and all in its entirety. This will insure permanent removal of the culprit. It is difficult to feel the root system wearing gloves so many gardeners of the past chose to weed gloveless. However since the gardener's staple, Mercurochrome, has been permanently removed from the market for the mercury it contained, curing the splits on a green thumb is not as easy now. I once gave gardening friends a gift of rubber finger cots, the kind used by court clerks and librarians to turn pages. Fitted over the thumb and forefinger, they prevented finger damage while weeding and allowed for extraordinary mobility. Weeding can be an almost Zen-like activity, calming, unrushed, and quieting. When the soil is moist and the weather not too hot or steamy, it can be a perfect way to spend an afternoon. The rewards of successful weeding are a stack of wilting weeds, lovely garden and the satisfying feeling of a job well done. Remember to weed on a day when the interlopers you are pulling rapidly wilt. If wilting does not occur almost immediately, the venture will not be as successful as weeding on a 'barren' day. On days when wilting does not occur for fifteen to twenty minutes, feel free to successfully transplant!

MOSCOW (IDN-INPS) - Here I am in Moscow standing in front of a statue of Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev to celebrate the unveiling of a statue crafted by the master sculptor, Alexander Bourganov. I'm the only journalist invited to speak – and after I go with the others to drink Russian champagne. I talk to a group of students and a younger member of the Russian media contingent. I've also invited along a journalism student I met late at night on an almost empty street when I stopped to ask the way. She insisted on walking me to my hotel. To my surprise she accepted my offer of a drink and we spent an hour talking about her course and the Russian press. At the airport in the Aeroflot lounge I talked to one of the hostesses. It turned out she was a journalism graduate. On the plane I sat next to a Russian student studying in America. In a quick three days in Moscow these chance meetings (although one TV producer is a friend) enabled me to get a snapshot of what some 30 year-olds and younger think about the government and the media. Five out of nine were highly critical of President Vladimir Putin for one main thing: his overriding influence on the media. However, it is true that there remains one TV network and one radio network and a couple of newspapers which do not toe the line. At the journalism degree course at the prestigious Moscow State University one tells me that many in her class are disillusioned by the media and wonder about the jobs available that are not in the hands of the government. . Then it is my turn to tell them something. I remind them of what brought an end to the Cold War. Reagan, a rightist, who cut taxes for the rich and did little for the poor, was persuaded through his meetings with Gorbachev to nuclear disarmament. On one occasion both leaders sought to find a way to eliminate nuclear weapons altogether. Only misleading advice stopped them doing it. But they managed over the years to make some significant cuts in their nuclear armouries. Reagan said of the opponents to his nuclear deals with Gorbachev, "Some of the people who are objecting most, whether they realise it or not, those people basically down in their deepest thoughts have accepted that war is inevitable." For the first time since the just after communist revolution in 1917 the press and writers of all kinds were free to write and publish what they wanted. My new contacts, like many other Russians, Europeans and Americans, forget what was achieved. The end of the Cold War was in some ways "the end of history" – the end of nuclear threats. There was also large-scale military disarmament, the withdrawal of troops in Europe, more business and trade, more students going to the other side’s universities and scientific exchanges of all types. To my mind the occasion when goodwill began its collapse was when President Bill Clinton decided to expand NATO eastwards. This policy was continued by George W. Bush and Barack Obama who expanded NATO right up to Russia’s borders. Gorbachev had made a deal with Secretary of State James Baker and German Chancellor Helmut Kohl that in return for allowing the two halves of Germany to reunite there would be no NATO expansion. Overtime the American and European media became critical of Putin – every issue once treated soberly became a confrontation. At the time of Bush they began to demonize him, a process that continued under Obama, with him often giving the lead. It all came to a head with Ukraine when Russian "volunteer" soldiers entered its eastern provinces. Later, official Russian soldiers invaded Crimea. This was triggered by EU negative negotiating tactics over a trade agreement. It led to protests by pro EU groups. However, they were infiltrated and subverted by fascist groups who turned the demonstrations towards violence, culminating in the fall of Ukraine’s government. This week Putin and Donald Trump are going to have their first meeting. As president, Trump has not changed Obama’s policy except in one quite important respect – he has cut out the critical anti-Russian rhetoric. Before he became president he said how much he admired Putin. This he no longer says. He feels hemmed in by the accusations that his campaign was helped by Russia. This has given the anti-Putin foreign policy establishment time to organise pressure to keep his pro-Putin mind-set to himself – so far.

California wildfires in Northern California have killed at least 42 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, scorching more than 200,000 acres—roughly the size of New York City. The blazes are the deadliest since local record keeping began. As global temperatures continue to rise, journalist Amy Goodman looks at the link between fires and climate change with Max Moritz, fire research scientist based at UC Santa Barbara.

Allow me to introduce you to Rosa, one of the many “abuelas” (grandmothers) living in a small village (population 2000) in the north of Spain. In a hand full of Spanish villages, the centuries old tradition of villagers hand sowing the espadrille in the comfort of their own home still remains. These adorable abuelas sew the espadrilles by hand with an ancestral technique, always using the same tools and making the exact same motions. The pictures below will help you appreciate in detail the full charm of the technique. See for yourself how Rosa receives at home the different elements (sole, fabric and thread) and assembles them with amazing speed while gossiping with friends. These braiding machines dating from the 50's are still in use in the village. The jute thread spins and forms the rope used to make the soles of the espadrilles. And here’s Ramon Junior! Now that the rope is ready, his work consists in rolling the jute in order to form the soles. To do so, he uses a turning table that has been used for generations by his family. Hand sewing the soles is the key to a solid espadrille; as you can see, Ramon sews on a special bench called "banco alpargatero", used in his family for many generations. Paco the rubber man! In order to finish the sole, natural rubber will be vulcanized to the jute with the help of a heated mold (400º Celsius). This rubber sole will solidify the jute and provide a good grip to the sole. Here's Ramon again! He will not share the responsibility of his delicate tailoring job, cutting the fabric is the most difficult part of the "espadrille" operation!

Which of these is a woman? Singers and performers Joseph Utsler and Joseph Bruce perform under what name? Which country administers the uninhabited subantarctic Campbell Island, which lies at 52°32′24″S 169°8′42″E? The trophy for which event, presented since 1936, has a bas-relief sculpture of the likeness of each winning driver, along with the driver's name, date of victory and average speed? According to Greek legend, what was the 9 headed monster from the Lerna marshes killed by Hercules? What word can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum? The irregularity in the orbit of the planet Uranus led to what discovery?

Providing wastewater and drinking water service to citizens requires energy – and a lot of it. The twin problems of steadily rising energy costs and climate change have therefore made the issue of energy management one of the most salient issues facing water and wastewater utilities. Energy management is also at the heart of efforts across the entire sector to ensure utility operations are sustainable in the future. More and more utilities are realizing that a systematic approach for managing the full range of energy challenges they face is the best way to ensure that these issues are addressed on an ongoing basis in order to reduce climate impacts, save money and remain sustainable. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has recognized the issue across all industries and developed an international standard for developing and implementing an Energy Management System (EnMS), referred to as ISO 50001.

Ex-Lebanese private collection, Beirut-Paris, acquired in 1982; the mosaic was stored in London until 1999; then acquired on the Swiss art market in January 2000. Virtually intact and in excellent condition. Some breaks and possible restorations. Wide range of colors obtained by the use of various types of stone and glass paste. This mosaic displays a rich polychromatic decoration with a large variety of tesserae, ranging from beige-white to reddish-brown colours, including yellow, green, gray and black. Small cracks reveal the structure of the ground on which the tesserae were assembled (brownish coating). The rich and abundant colors used here allowed the mosaicist to play with various shades and gradations of tones and to achieve a highly detailed and deep, almost three-dimensional rendering of the figural elements represented in the mosaic. The central ornamentation shows a market scene. Eight male figures of different ages, each dressed in a short tunic or in a toga, are positioned harmoniously on all four sides of the square central panel. Each carries or presents a different product: a hare, a young wild boar, a deer, a brace of pheasants, a kid goat, a rooster and a hen, a brace of partridges, fruit and/or buns in baskets. All these elements embody products offered by Mother Earth, whose personification is symbolized at the center of the mosaic through a female face. Together with the theme, the inscription in ancient Greek can leave no doubt about her identification: Gh. One should note the special attention paid by the mosaicist to the diverse elements represented in the scene, from the realistic details of the faces to the folds of the garments. Equally, one may admire the differing skin pigments of the figures. Even shadows can be seen on the floor behind the figures. As for the outer border, it is strongly emphasized by a plant pattern composed of flowers and fruit in a dense green foliage. Small winged erotes, each armed with a bow and arrow, are depicted on each of the four sides of the mosaic. They hunt a variety of prey, such as peacock, partridge, deer, panther and even lion (one is already wounded by an arrow shot by one of the erotes). In the corners, the traditional faces and masks are present; two men and, perhaps, two women are featured in opposite corners. Their plant-like hair fits perfectly into the thematic framework of the mosaic, representing pastoral divinities. The very large size, the theme (a genre scene) and the technique of this mosaic suggest that it was produced in the eastern part of the Roman Empire. Large-scale figural representations are actually typically Levantine productions. Our example probably decorated a private residence and would have been specially commissioned by the owners, because mythological scenes were much more common than daily life representations.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, rangers at Craters of the Moon are offering special programs to highlight some of the benefits and challenges of the Craters of the Moon Wilderness. Wilderness walks are limited to 12 participants. Reservations are available by calling 208-527-1335. Hike with the park geologist to view the tree molds – the only type of fossil found in the park's lava flows – along with the geology, plants, and wildlife of this little-visited corner of the park. Are you ready for the wilderness? Hike with the monument's Chief Ranger to learn about safe planning and Leave No Trace principles when visiting the backcountry. Join the Superintendent for a visit to the first wilderness area in the National Park System and learn about the issues and challenges of managing wild areas with modern-day issues. This workshop will cover a wide range of regional geology, from the volcanic features of Craters of the Moon to past and ongoing geologic processes. Workshop time is split evenly between the classroom and field excursions. College credit is available for teachers seeking continuing education credits. Contact the park Geologist/Education Specialist at 208-527-1331 to register or for more information.

While the nice weather holds out, wouldn’t you love an excuse to get outdoors? Well, it’s a good time to do a little garden winterizing. It can mean the difference between winter dieback and winter dormancy, and it doesn’t take much time. It’s November and you’re probably thinking there’s not much gardening to do in the Hudson Valley. You’re right. Even plants need a rest. But that doesn’t mean there is absolutely nothing that needs your attention outdoors. And since the weather is still quite pleasant, why not take advantage of it? Last week I talked about making leaf mold. I’m as dismayed as I am every year seeing the humongous piles of leaves all along my road. This weekend was a steady roar of leaf blowers. What a waste. Seriously, if you garden at all, hoard those leaves. They’re free and using them in the garden is almost effortless! If I had a truck I’d be out scooping up my neighbor’s leaves. Okay, enough with the leaves. Let’s talk about some final winterizing you can do in the garden. ❦ Firstly, keep watering any newly planted trees and shrubs. We’ve had a decent amount of rain this fall, so established plants should be fine on their own, but any newbies can still use your help. It looks like nature might do the heavy lifting for us this afternoon, which is always welcome. ❦ Don’t forget to drain your hoses. Even if you are going to use them again, you never know when we might get a hard freeze and some steady cold weather. ❦ Winterize your water garden. You should have stopped feeding the water plants back in September. Move the hardy plants to the deepest part of the water garden. Hardy waterlilies can be left in the water garden, but tropical waterlilies cannot. You can bring them in and store them like dahlia bulbs, or keep them in a pan of water, in a cool spot in the basement, away from direct sunlight. Don’t bother trying to over-winter the small floating plants. They are problem magnets. Let them go. Toss them in the compost and stat fresh next year. They multiply quickly. And if you have fish overwintering in the water garden, remember that cold water slows their metabolism, so they won’t need much food. You should switch to a low protein food, or something labeled spring/autumn food, which will lower the level of ammonia in the water. ❦ Start checking your houseplants for insects and signs of disease, like foamy white scale. Check them every couple of weeks, when you water them, so things don’t get out of hand. ❦ Take advantage of bulb sales and pick up a few paperwhites or amarylis to force in to bloom. ❦ And finally, get your seed starting supplies in order. It’s no fun lugging home potting soil that has frozen into a heavy brick by February. Get you pots clean and ready to go. Seeds will be out in only a couple of months.

While intermarriage appears to have been tolerated early in Israel’s history (Abraham, Joseph, and Moses married foreign women, perhaps for political reasons), this later changed. In fact, intermarriage was especially forbidden when Israel was at its weakest, according to John Goldengay. “Ezra and Nehemiah assume that the little Second Temple community living among other peoples is too weak to risk the loss of its identity by absorption into the wider group through intermarriage” (OTT1:747–748). But the concern was larger than identity, and it’s not hard to imagine why. A foreign wife carried her foreign-deity-baggage into a marriage, and likewise, a foreign husband carried his foreign-deity-baggage into a marriage. The addition of these deities into an Israelite home invariably shaped the spiritual devotion and worship practices of a family, making any wholehearted worship of the living God impossible (see 1 Kings 11:1–13). Goldengay takes this one step further by suggesting that Israelites may have been tempted to intermarry to secure divine insurance, a way to broaden one’s base of collected gods to better ensure personal blessing, peace, and financial prosperity. Whatever the motive, intermarriage with a non-believer, he writes, “compromises the principle that Yhwh alone is the one from whom the community must seek help and guidance for its life concerning matters of a moral and religious kind and concerning the future” (Ex. 34:12-16, Deut. 7:1-4, Ps. 106:34–36). Thus, the forbidding of intermarriage in Old Testament history was not a matter of racial preference, a point made especially clear with the Moabite people. It was faithless Moabite women who led Solomon’s heart astray and it was the faithful God-fearing woman named Ruth, also a Moabite, who became the great-grandmother of King David, thus finding herself in the lineage of the Savior. The bottom line: intermarriage was forbidden to preserve undistracted devotion to Yhwh. John Piper summarizes the point well: “The issue is not color mixing, or customs mixing, or clan identity. The issue is: will there be one common allegiance to the true God in this marriage or will there be divided affections?” God wants our homes to be places of guarded worship for Himself alone. There’s application in there for us all.

The force is governed by the Lorentz force r electromechanical phenomena, such as electrostatic forces. If it works, great! As good as it gets! First, try refreshing the page and clicking Current Location again. Filters belonging to the category pass bands are capable of allowing the proper connection to the same AM, FM and TV receivers, separating the signals in a way that can ensure that each receives only the range of signals with which they must work. Close the Settings tab, reload this Yelp page, and try your search again. Click the gear in gd burti upper-right hand corner of the window, then Internet options. Click the button labeled Clear Gd burti. As good as it gets! Close the Settings tab, reload this Yelp page, and try your search again. Claim this business to view business statistics, receive messages from prospective customers, and respond gd burti reviews. If it works, great! The force is governed by the Lorentz force r electromechanical phenomena, such as electrostatic forces. Filters belonging to the category pass bands are capable of allowing the proper connection to the same AM, FM and TV receivers, separating the signals in a way that can ensure that gc receives only the range of signals with which they must work. These filters nurti extremely relevant to suitably adapt to the reproduction curve of an amplifier to the form of signal bruti must be reproduced. Generally, this application also happens in road trucks, known as electrodiesel. Gr again later, or search near a city, place, or address instead. At the top of your Firefox window, to the left of the web address, you should see a green lock. Text a link to your phone so you can quickly get directions, see photos, and read reviews on the go! At the top-right hand corner of the window, click the button with three dots on itthen Gd burti. Most electric motors work by electromagnetism, although there are engines based on other electromechanical phenomena, such as electrostatic forces. In this way, each filter is able to precisely determine the proportion with which signals of a given frequency range can reach. Click the gear in the upper-right hand corner of the window, then Internet options. Electromagnetic motors are based on the fundamental principle that there is a mechanical force throughout the length of the wire, when it is conducting electricity, contained inside a magnetic field. If it does, follow its instructions gd burti enable Location Services for Safari.

The anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s space flight was on the 12th. I missed noting that here. Oops. Not much happens until 4:10pm EDT. But just load it up and let it sit until then. At 02:56 UTC on July 21 He became the first human to walk on the Moon. I was 13 years old and had been glued to my parent’s TV for several days. I think I slept in front of the TV, too. It is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen and a memory touchstone. Happy 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Launch! We choose the moon is an interactive experience recreating the historic Apollo 11 mission to the Moon in real time. Live event begins 9:32 AM EDT July 16, 2009. Exactly 40 years after Apollo 11 lifted off. This was one of the highlights of growing up geek. I was 13 at the time and pretty much stayed up for a week watching the TV coverage. That meant Walter Cronkite on CBS. This was NEWS, you couldn’t entrust your information source to some amateurs. "This is a gift that I would like to share with my Gangale friends on Facebook. My friend, Frans Blok, created a map of Mars as it might look in the future, when it is warm, it has seas, and humans have built many settlements. There is a town near the eastern end of Valles Marineris named Gangale." On January 28 in 1986, the STS-51-L Challenger was lost during launch carrying Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-B (TDRS-B); SPARTAN-203. On January 27 (yesterday) in 1967, Apollo 1 caught fire during pre–flight testing. Astronauts Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, Ed White and Roger B. Chaffee were killed. Those anniversaries always make me melancholy. "The Republicans' sudden reversion to the solemn frugality of their forebears would be amusing were it not so dangerous. Having established a record over the past decade or so as the wildest wastrels in the nation's history, they now present themselves as straight-laced accountants who simply cannot abide a misspent dime." Historical records tell us that from the beginning of March 536 AD, a fog of dust blanketed the atmosphere for 18 months. During this time, "the sun gave no more light than the moon", global temperatures plummeted and crops failed, says Dallas Abbott of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in New York. The cause has long been unknown, but theories have included a vast volcanic eruption or an impact from space. was most likely caused by the air burst of a large meteoroid or comet fragment at an altitude of 5–10 kilometres (3–6 miles) above Earth’s surface. Different studies have yielded varying estimates for the object’s size, with general agreement that it was a few tens of metres across. “Dice-size crumbs of bright material have vanished from inside a trench where they were photographed by NASA’s Phoenix Mars Lander four days ago” !!!Whoa!!! The water = life question emerges.

Over the last several months, the #MeToo has shaken the entertainment industry. Actors and film executives resigned or were dismissed as allegations of sexual harassment and gender discrimination mounted, yet somehow, leaders in the music industry seemed unscathed. But not for long. Days before the 2018 Grammy Awards, a report commissioned by the University of Southern California's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative showed the stark reality - in the previous six Grammy awards, only nine percent of the nominees were women. Taking a cue from Hollywood actresses who wore black to the Golden Globes in support of the work of the Time's Up coalition, female musicians wore white roses to the Grammy's to draw attention to their own grassroots effort, Voices in Entertainment. It has been argued that the entertainment industry as a whole is built on perpetuated structural inequality. As the Rock world prepares to induct another class into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Nina Simone, we'll speak with influential female music professionals about the industry and their perspectives on sexism, sexual misconduct, and the power of the female voice to affect lasting change.

Van Dyck's portrait of Cesare Alessandro Scaglia (1592 - 1641) is a stately and enduring image of a man who was familiar with the corridors of power and actively involved in European politics in the first half of the 17th century. Scaglia's skills as a diplomat were highly esteemed by the likes of Richelieu and Rubens; the latter described him as 'a man of the keenest intellect'. Scaglia served the Dukes of Savoy as ambassador to Rome, Paris and London. He also served Philip IV of Spain in London and was on the Spanish payroll until 1636. His pro-Spanish stance put him at odds with the new Duke of Savoy, Vittorio Amadeo (from 1630-37), and led Scaglia to move to the Spanish Netherlands, living first in Brussels and then in Antwerp where Van Dyck painted this portrait, and where Scaglia died. Scaglia always had an active interest in art. As a young man he collected antiquities for the House of Savoy, and he is known to have intervened for Charles I on a Jordaens commission for a ceiling for the Queen's House at Greenwich. Scaglia's collection included at least five Van Dycks as well as paintings by Tempesta and Snijers. From his surviving drawings we know that Van Dyck considered presenting Scaglia enthroned but then arrived at the idea of posing him like an ancient statue leaning against his pedestal, and only his delicate shoe and elegant hands distract us from his stately scrutiny. He appears with a dark aura or 'halo' behind his head. Technical examination has shown that it was Van Dyck's habit to block in a dark background to his head study, and it is this contrasting ground that is now emerging through.

Most of these plants are hard to handle! The spiky bits can be the leaves, sharp ends to branchlets, or just plain spines. All of them can be used to control access to places you don't want people or animals to go. On the other hand, many of these are loved by birds. The spikiest? - probably the Tree Violet (more spikes than leaves) and the Furze Needlebush, which is a seriously difficult plant to prune.

Chiropractic Professionals of Columbia have Year's of Experience with Pregnant Mom's Before and After Pregnancy. We do Make a difference with one of the most important times for a woman to receive chiropractic care, is when you are pregnant. The Moment of Conception, your body goes through many changes. Your Back and Pelvis and with some Postural changes will cause unwanted pain and Discomfort. The Great news is Chiropractic can Help! 1. Neck and Back Pain Relief. 2. Decrease Symptoms of Nausea. 3. Increase Flexibility and Moveability. 4. Reduction in your time of Labor and Delivery. 5.Decrease the potential of a Cesarean Delivery. How Does Chiropractic it Work for Pregnant Mothers? Your spine is made up of 24 independent vertebrae that enable your body to twist, bend, and move. It also helps protect the central nervous system that controls, and coordinates every cell, tissue, and organ of the body. Misalignment of the spine, commonly know as joint dysfunctions, occur when two or more vertebrae become restricted and Subluxated which impede's the body’s ability to communicate with itself. Joint dysfunctions during pregnancy can be caused by the changes taking place in your body as it prepares to support your baby. Changes such as weight gain, poor posture and rotation of the pelvis force the body to unnaturally adapt to additional stress placed on the spine. These changes negatively affect joint function throughout your body. Chiropractor's are trained to locate and correct joint dysfunctions by applying a gentle adjustments to Your spine, restoring proper joint function and improving nerve communication throughout your body.

Students use mathematical skills to develop understanding of the poverty cycle and critically evaluate how borrowing to run a small business, microfinance, works. Students will use mathematics to develop an understanding of the poverty cycle. Imagine you have $5 a day to buy your school lunches for a week. Use your school canteen price list to show your purchases and any money unspent. You may do this by hand and using a spreadsheet. Imagine you have to use the same income to pay for your clothes as well. Use the spreadsheet to work out how many weeks of savings you would need to buy new clothes for a special occasion. Work out your budget to manage your expenses for 10 weeks. Imagine your income is decreased to $3 per day. Create a new budget for your lunch and clothes. How difficult was it to balance your budget? Were you able to purchase what you wanted? What happened when your income decreased? What could you do to increase the money available? How would this impact upon your health or education? What insights does this give about being trapped in a cycle of poverty? View the slideshow from Microfinance: A Global Education Resource (2005). Describe what each business is doing. What do you think would be the most enjoyable and difficult parts of the job? Do you think that person would make enough money for their food each day? Could they also buy new clothes and pay for medicine if they got sick? What would happen when they were sick? Do you think you would be successful if you were running this business? Present your answers to the rest of the class. Discuss: What do all these people have in common? Compare your answers to the statements at the end of the slideshow. Read the case studies – Mrs Dian, the Overlocking Lady and Ibu Sai, cool drink seller and do the related activities. Students learn about microfinance and small loans to start a small business. View a video explaining microfinance at the Kiva website (2:08). List the key features of microfinance and any questions you have. Why do poor people need help to obtain loans? How do poor people obtain and repay the loans? What problems might poor people have in repaying the loans? What other resources do poor people need when they are setting up a small business? Why might loans only be available for people setting up a business and not for general living expenses? View or read one of the following stories as a small group. Create a dramatised version of the story featuring ideas of the micro-business developer and the lender. Suggest reasons why credit availability and savings facilities are important when setting up and running a small business. Use the Plus, minus and interesting chart to list your thoughts about microcredit. Make a statement about the effectiveness of microcredit to assist people living in poverty. Students develop an understanding of making a profit when running a small business. They make mathematical calculations using mental, written and digital technologies. Brainstorm small businesses and services you could start up. Develop, in small groups, a business plan for a small business using this outline. Write a description of the business. List the materials required and their cost. List items required to support the business (eg stove, power, rent, advertising, display place etc) and their cost. Calculate how many items can be made with these materials (you may need to make a prototype and work out the fraction of materials used). Do you think you will be able to sell all your stock? Would you have enough profit to cover loss of business through sickness or disaster? What might happen if you were not able to repay the loan? Investigate microcredit activities in Australia. Students develop an understanding of the need to make a profit in order to repay a loan when expanding a small business. They make mathematical calculations using mental, written and digital technologies. Imagine you are a lending institution. How clearly developed is the plan? Does the plan indicate what will be done if there is illness or a disaster that prevents the business functioning? Does the applicant have resources that could be sold to pay off the loan if there is difficulty making repayments? Was your small business successful or not successful? How could you improve your business if you did this activity again?

Peatland is a place of transition, it was a liminal space for our ancestors who placed offerings of gold, weapons and tools in the mysterious bog. I am interested in increasing awareness of the raised bog habitat near Cupar. This particular habitat is typical of lowland areas and used to cover a large expanse in central Scotland along the river Tay. It was up to 10m above the surrounding level of the landscape and was cleared in the 18th century. Peatland is very good as a filter, removing many pollutants from water and is really important as a carbon store. The central belt of Scotland has one of the most significant concentrations of surviving raised bog in Western Europe. This piece ‘step into another world’ was an immersive installation in a large room in the County Buildings in Cupar. Visitors walked around a hanging quadrat above a peat soaked cloth 2m by 2m with a woven quadrat, 1m by 1m in front and each piece only used the plants from that particular habitat. The quadrat is used by botanists to identify all plants within a square placed on the ground.

TOKYO (AP) — Radiation cleanup in some of the most contaminated towns around Fukushima’s damaged nuclear power plant is behind schedule, so some residents will have to wait a few more years before returning, Japanese officials said Monday. The Asahi newspaper reported on Saturday that the government is planning an extension of up to three years in areas such as Iitate, a village northwest of the plant where a highly radioactive plume spread in the first few days of the crisis. Still, an International Atomic Energy Agency mission that visited the Fukushima area last week highlighted the progress Japan has made in the two years since the team’s previous visit. “The main conclusion of the mission is that Japan has achieved important progress,” team leader Juan Carlos Lentijo told a news conference in Tokyo on Monday. In a preliminary report released Monday, the team noted good progress in the remediation of farmland in some areas, and monitoring that has shown the land can produce food with levels of radioactivity below the permissible level. It also praised Japan’s efforts to involve stakeholders, noting that the leadership of some key local figures has helped gained the trust of their communities. Beyond decontamination, other challenges in the affected areas include ensuring food safety and jobs.

EU Commissioner Arias Cañete invites mayors to join the new Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy to make Europe “a sustainable low-carbon and climate-resilient society” | Energy Cities - Local authorities in energy transition. Following up on the historic international agreement on climate change reached last December in Paris, EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete addresses mayors in a letter that emphasizes cities’ crucial role in successfully implementing the energy transition. In the letter sent on 28 April 2016, Commissioner Arias Cañete thanks the cities that have already been taking climate and energy actions through the Covenant of Mayors and Mayors Adapt, two major initiatives now merged under the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. Acknowledging the “vital importance” of local and regional authorities in achieving the EU’s climate and energy targets, Commissioner Arias Cañete encourages them to step up their ambition and sign up to the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. The Covenant, extended until 2030, now includes commitments from cities on both climate change mitigation and adaptation in line with a shared 2050 vision towards decarbonised and resilient territories with universal access to secure, clean and affordable energy.

TreeHuggers know that recycling doesn't cut it any more; that reducing and re-using are far better solutions. With computers it was not always an option; the phrase used to be "Intel giveth and Microsoft taketh away" as we kept upgrading our machines to keep up with operating system and software upgrades. But now the internet rules, not the operating system, and as our survey showed, people are keeping their computers for longer and longer periods than before. Not only that, one can now build a business out of refurbishing old computers rather than recycling them. Michael Kanellos of CNET looks at TechTurn, a company in Austin that "says refurbishing offers the most efficient alternative to dealing with the world's growing mound of e-waste. Energy doesn't get wasted pulling old computers apart and melting down components into raw materials. Additionally, energy and natural resources aren't consumed for a new PC because the old one has effectively usurped demand for it. "We are selling laptops that are 10 to 12 years old," says CEO Jeff Ziegler.

On today's sophisticated fishing scene, attention to presentation details usually separates great anglers from good anglers. In this regard, in many situations, working through the puzzle of finding just the right lure color combination is the key to catching more fish. The great anglers, I'm telling you, have a plan and are willing to work through the color puzzle, fine-tuning as they go. Most anglers give lip service to the process, but aren't willing to deal with the details. First, of course, an angler has to be on fish. Overall, at this point, identifying the right lure speed and maintaining proper depth control are much more important than color. If those factors aren't in order, color has little to do with the equation. Actually, if those factors aren't in order, little else makes any difference; the angler's only hope is to stumble on fish in a feeding frenzy. Once fundamental factors are in order, it's time for attention to detail. Finding the right vibration pattern (I think of it as an aura that surrounds a lure) also is part of getting down to details. Lures may or may not vibrate as a factor of their design. Vibration also is controlled by the chosen retrieve, another part of the presentation package, especially with lures like tubes and soft jerkbaits--lures that don't have a lot of inherent movement. It's at this point that color often becomes not just important, but crucial--the difference between five fish and one on a tough day; the difference in adding a kicker big fish to an otherwise average bag on an otherwise average day . . . especially in shallow waters where fish usually see well. Especially, in ultraclear water where fish see well, even in deeper water. Even in dingier water, where fish scrutinize what they eat at ultraclose range before they commit. Color's usually a factor, perhaps even in dim light and at night (factors we'll be reporting on this coming year). I take several factors into consideration in working through this puzzle. On one hand, I like to know what fish are feeding on. Particular baitfish project prominent general color patterns. Shad are silvery with a modestly darker back. Then, though, look beyond such a general pattern to consider subtle holographic hues that also play a role. In the case of shad, subtle greens, blues, purples, and golds often play forth in the right light. I'm not saying that "matching the hatch" is critical; I'm saying that knowing what the "hatch" is usually plays a role in the working equation and in the final working solution. Often it works well to match most of the hatch, then to add a subtle touch of contrasting color like a chartreuse, a red, or an orange to modestly (and at other times overwhelmingly) heighten the overall contrast and visibility of the package. Such a touch of color may also play on a fish's curiosity, just enough to get them to sample a lure--a tentative bite. Next, in my estimation it's vital to factor in the colors each fish species sees well. Our best scientific evidence suggests, for example, that bass see best the colors in the red-orange and green portion of the spectrum, although they also can see all the other colors we see. So, bass can be discriminating in the red-orange and green portion of the spectrum. They can tell pumpkin from pumpkin-red from watermelon-red. They can tell smoke from smoke with red flakes from smoke with silver flakes. This suggests just how intricate the final part of the presentation equation can be for anglers who have progressed well beyond the basics. Even most astute anglers, though, dismiss this part of the game. Too many details. Too much work. They don't, because of their own lack of experimentation, believe fish can become so discriminating. To me, this part of the on-going experiment makes the puzzle that is fishing so much more challenging and fun. Another overall factor is exactly what spectral colors actually are transmitted to what depths in certain water colors. Red, for example, transmits well in the type of moderately clear water that predominates in most fishing areas across the country. So, too, orange and green. In clearer waters, on the other hand, red is quickly filtered out and appears as black. In clearer waters, greens and especially blues transmit well, especially into deeper water. As you know, some general color patterns predominate in certain regions, for the reasons we're discussing. "Rayburn red" works for bass well beyond Sam Rayburn Country, Texas, because, as I've said, red transmits well and can be seen well in the types of moderately clear water that predominates across most of North America. On the other hand, various smoke patterns excel in clearer waters, with the astute angler adding various other colors to fine-tune the package down to exactly what some bass are looking for at a particular time of day and time of year, given the predominant forage, and the mood of the fish at that time. For bass, the astute angler might temper the fundamental smoke by adding silver, red, or green flakes. Or by adding a touch of overall tinting in some combination of one or several of those colors. Pumpkin and watermelon also are universally productive colors in all but the clearest waters. It's common for great anglers in many parts of the country to begin with those fundamental colors and work the equation by tempering those colors by adding various reds, greens, and oranges. One other problem in talking colors today, however, is that standards don't exist from company to company for exactly what constitutes a specific color. Pumpkin and motor oil might be the most universally standard colors of all, along with pearl, chartreuse, and yellow (a particularly overlooked color for smallmouths). Watermelon often varies from company to company. So, too, especially today, smoke. Finally, only the most entrepreneurial companies offer enough various colors in any one lure type to allow the astute angler to do all that may be required to work a color equation to its best conclusion. It's hard to fine-tune beyond pumpkin, if pumpkin's the only pumpkinlike color offered. Often, therefore, it's necessary to have colors on hand from various companies to fill in gaps. Granted, other presentation factors are fundamentally more important than color. Granted, too, that color may not always be an important factor, and that sometimes several colors may work equally well in some situations. Still, there's almost always one best (or better) color for the situation at hand. Whether the target species is muskies, stripers, bass, or crappies, over the course of a long season and a lot of tough fishing situations, identifying the right color combination is one factor that serves to separate the best anglers from their average counterparts.

TeacherDance: Reading Time This Week-Terrific! I also participate in the award-winning books reading challenge sponsored by Myra, Fats and Iphigene at The Gathering Books blog. It’s Poetry Month, and here at Teacher Dance on Mondays each week, I share the books I’ve read in the past week. This month, I'm sharing some poetry anthologies for children that I enjoy, old and new. Don't forget to look to the right to see whose turn it is to add a line to the 2nd Annual Progressive Poem, the idea created by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem. Then head over to see how it's going! Nearly complete! And visit Mary Lee Hahn at A Year of Reading, and her wonderful April posts/poems. Home To Me, Poems Across America – selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. I found this book (dated 2002) in our school library. Its poems by numerous authors like Janet S. Wong and Rebecca Kai Dotlich can be used to illustrate both the physical home and the home that people love because it connects to one’s heart. Dotlich writes of the prairie: “I breathe in stories/told to me;/when winds came calling,/a fine dust falling” and Wong of living above Good Fortune (a restaurant) on a street “where every other thing is Lucky/and every other other thing is for tourists”. There are homes on islands, by the sea and on the sea, along with the “Rez” and the desert. It’s a book full of love and stories, including the illustrations which are colorful and dream-like. I discovered a new, used bookstore in my neighborhood Saturday, and enjoyed my visit immensely. I found several good books, among them this anthology, published in 1990. It is wonderful, so richly filled with poems from so many marvelous poets, like Gwendolyn Brooks, Nikki Giovanni, Eve Merriam, Emily Bronte, Sara Teasdale, Jane Yolen, Alice Walker, some in the traditional Native American, some translated, and some from children. It is terrific, and still available used on Amazon if you’re interested. A friend of mine found this book and loaned it to me, saying it was ‘for’ me. It’s a lovely story of a little girl, Lily, and her grandmother. They banter back and forth guessing what might be a good career when Grandma grows up, like “paint rainbows on children’s faces.” The guesses become more fun as the book moves along, and continue throughout the book until the sweet ending. The illustrations are beautifully colored drawings. How have I missed this book for us to have at school. We've needed it through the years to share with certain children. It is a French author, and evidently just came out translated into English two years ago. It tells the story of a little boy whose mother dies, and the challenge and the worry for the future. The boy worries that his father won't know what to do or how to fix special toast for breakfast. Children are definitely more direct than adults, so this says hard things about how sad the boy is, and then, how very angry! I would keep it on our library shelves, but it's not for every child, just those who will need it. There is a school art contest. Emily’s classmates already know that Emily is a good artist, but the person who is a judge thinks otherwise, and gives the prize to another young artist who draws beautiful butterflies. The disappointment is very real, and the realization that no one can say who is the best but oneself is truly a good end to this interesting story, i.e. beauty really is “in the eye of the beholder”. I know it will bring a good discussion about choosing “best” things and who gets to choose. A young girl imagine wonderful things about what she will be “someday” and then Spinelli also lets us see the reality of the girl’s life in contrast. For example, she dreams that someday she will ‘make friends with a dolphin and call her Wilma, who will tell her all the secrets of the sea.’ In her life, she shows off her goldfish, gives it a sprinkle of food, but he doesn’t say anything, just blows bubbles.” Illustrations are beautifully full water-color pages, rather cartoon-like, and the coloring is bright and cheerful. It’s an exuberant book. Is this a poem? I think it is, of someone’s life, who began, was lost, and came back to her dreams again, as the sub-title says, a tale of wonder, wisdom and wishes. Susan Bosak begins as a baby, like all of us, and takes us to old age, with gorgeous illustrations by fifteen terrific illustrators sharing their own visions of her words on each double-page spread. There is an added bonus of hidden stars on each page, inspirational quotes, more information at the back about the illustrators, and a further connection to The Legacy Project with activity guides and more. This is a book that could be useful in every classroom. Wow-I think we're being influenced by the group, right? I'll be interested in seeing what you think of Hold Fast, & your recommendations today, too. Runaway King and Hold Fast are both fantastic! I enjoyed both so much! I see that you zipped through False Prince and right onto Runaway King! I love your great poetry resources! Thanks for joining in! I love reading everyone's book choices Jen-you & Kellee have started a good community for sharing. Almost the end of poetry month, but I'm sure I'll continue with some poetry on some days! Thanks! Linda - So pleased you found and liked Emily's Art. A real favourite of mine - Just a note it is written by Peter Catalanotto (not Emily as you have above) He is a brilliant illustrator - love his work in Book (by Georges Ella Lyons) Enjoy The Runaway King. My children and I love this trilogy! Thanks for catching that mistake Carrie-oops! Yes, going to finish The Runaway King by tomorrow-can't stay up much later tonight! It keeps twisting and turning! Now we'll have to wait! And, I'll look for Book, too! Enjoy finishing The Runaway King! I loved that and Hold Fast! I didn't realize how many awards Dream received, such a fantastic book, wonderful to know, thanks! Thank you! Hope you have a great reading week!

Seizures are caused by a sudden burst of electric activity in the brain. There are different type of seizures ranging from subtle absences up to life threatening tonic clonic movement (shaking) in which sudden stiffening and shaking of body associated with unresponsiveness. In epilepsy, the normal pattern of neuronal activity becomes disturbed, causing strange sensations, emotions, and behaviour or sometimes convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness. The epilepsies have many possible causes and there are several types of seizures. Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of neuron activity—from illness to brain damage to abnormal brain development—can lead to seizures. Epilepsy may develop because of an abnormality in brain wiring, an imbalance of nerve signalling chemicals called neurotransmitters, changes in important features of brain cells called channels, or some combination of these and other factors. Once epilepsy is diagnosed, it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible. For about 70 percent of those diagnosed with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled with modern medicines, special diet and surgical techniques depending upon the diagnosis. Some drugs are more effective for specific types of seizures. An individual with seizures, particularly those that are not easily controlled, may want to see a neurologist specifically trained to treat epilepsy. In some children, special diets (Ketogenic diet) may help to control seizures when medications are either not effective or cause serious side effects. While epilepsy cannot be cured, for some people the seizures can be controlled with medication, diet, devices, and/or surgery. Most seizures do not cause brain damage, but on-going uncontrolled seizures may cause brain damage. Issues may also arise as a result of the stigma attached to having epilepsy, which can led to embarrassment and frustration or bullying, teasing, or avoidance in school and other social settings. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY CHILD STARTS FITS AT HOME? During the seizure, do not panic; take a note of time if possible. Please do not put anything, water, spoon, finger, food, etc.) into the mouth to prevent the clenching of teeth. Try to keep the child in a safe and flat surface. Take help from another person; keep yourself ready to take the child to the hospital if seizure does not stop within five minutes. Your doctor may have given some nasal spray which you can use at this stage in the doses advised and make your way to the hospital, if this is first seizure at home. If the seizure settles, keep the child in left lateral position, recovery position. Inform your local paediatric neurologist.

On the day of the festival day, people in villages rise early in the morning and take an oil bath. The courtyards of the houses in village are swept clean and are plastered with fresh cowdung on the festive day. Women and children draw intricate and beautiful patterns of rangoli designs by paste of rice grains, turmeric paste, vermilion powder, chalk and limewater on their doorsteps to welcome guests. The vibrant colours of Rangoli mirror the splash of colour of the season, spring. The strikingly colourful patterns brighten up the festive ambience. Everyone dresses up in new clothes especially bought up for the day and all family members gathers together to enjoy and rejoice the occasion. People offer oblations to God, and also prays for a prosperous new year. The hoisting of the "Gudi" is the main ritual of the festival. On the Gudi Padwa day Lord Brahma created the universe. After the Gudi is set up, everyone worships it and performs a prayer in honour of Lord Brahma. A gudi with coconut is hung from a rope atop which a person has to break the coconut by climbing the pyramid formed by the boys and young men of the locality. A gudi is a bamboo pole on top of which an upturned brass or silver pot called a kalash is placed. The gudi is covered with a bright green or yellow silk cloth adorned with brocade (zari) and decorated with coconuts, marigolds and mango leaves that symbolize rich harvest. An empty, inverted jug of water (tambya), made of brass, copper or silver and held up to the sky over it. On Gudi Padwa, you will find gudis hanging out of windows or displayed in traditional Maharashtrian households as they are expected to ward off evil and invite prosperity and good luck into the house. Some believe that the gudis are a symbol of victory associated with the conquests of the Maratha forces lead by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. On the festival day, people erect gudis to the right side of the main entrance of their houses. Special delicacies made on the day, like soonth panak and chana usal are eaten on this day. Traditionally, families are supposed to begin the festivities by eating the bittersweet leaves of the neem tree. Sometimes, a paste of neem leaves is prepared and mixed with ajwain, gul, tamarind and jaggery. All the members of the family consume this paste. It is believed that this neem paste will purify the blood and strengthen the body s immune system against diseases. Feast involves traditional delicacies of shrikhand and Poori on this day. Other special dishes as Pooran poli, soonth panak and chana are also made. In Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, a special kind of sauce known as Ugadi Pachchadi made up of neem, jaggery, raw mango and tamarind juice is prepared. Gudi Padwa is considered to be an auspicious day to start new business and ventures. Gold ornaments are also bought on this day. Farmers plough their field and distribute food to laborers.

This left an obvious gap in our functionality: what about discriminators for single nested subdocs as opposed to document arrays? Let's adapt the eventSchema from above to use single nested subdocs. The eventSchema.path('props') call gets the mongoose SchemaType associated with the path props. The DocumentArray and Embedded (single nested subdocs) SchemaTypes have a discriminator() function for embedded discriminators. Mongoose has had discriminators for top-level documents for years, so why are we adding discriminators for embedded docs? Because denormalization is a necessary part of building any modern application. 3rd normal form is a major obstacle to sane historical data analysis. For example, lets say you have a many-to-many relationship between orders and products. Orders, once created, don't change. But if you're running an online store, products change all the time. Products get added, deleted, people go in and change the name or image, etc. If you obey 3NF, you need soft deletes for products to prevent deleting a product that is associated with an order. But if you want to analyze daily sales of a product before/after you changed its name (or, if you're A/B testing different images for the product), you're gonna have a bad time. For this example, let's say you have a 'Product' model with 2 distinct types, 'Book' and 'Computer', that have slightly different properties. This model will express 'Book' and 'Computer' as top-level discriminators, so you will have a 'products' collection that contains both books and computers. Now, let's say you have an 'Order' model that has a one-to-one relationship with products. In other words, for the sake of this example, assume that an order always has exactly one product. You can do 3NF and have order only track the id of the product, but, once again, that makes historical analysis hard when products change over time. With single nested discriminators, you can embed the same discriminator logic from the top-level discriminator in the 'Order' model. Mongoose will even apply all your middleware and methods from your discriminator schemas to the embedded subdoc. Here's an example of using these two models. Note that, even if the product changes, the product that the order embeds does not. Single embedded discriminators mean that mongoose's discriminators API is finally fully fleshed out. This makes denormalizing sophisticated schemas easy. Single embedded discriminators are just one of 8 new features in mongoose 4.12, so make sure you upgrade and take advantage of these powerful new features.

Before becoming the atmospheric title of this exhibition, Smog a Los Angeles was a jotting on the back of a photograph in one of the archives Elisabetta Benassi is building up: in all some 70,000 photos collected from major press agencies and national dailies like La Stampa and The New York Times. Here the paradigmatic events, locations and personages of the 20th century are thrown together with minor incidents and figures claimed by oblivion, but the documentary material gathered by the artist remains testimony to her problematic, equivocal vision of the events and ideologies it addresses. Firstly because Benassi shows us the backs of her chosen photographs: all the descriptions, captions, credits, stamps and notes that classify and inform the image, rather than the actual image itself, so what we observe and read sets us mentally reconstructing and recreating the missing visual. And because when she puts these documents back into circulation, the different modes of reproduction and presentation she comes up with endow them with a new materiality. Out of these archives objects emerge: installations, sculptures, films, microfilms, drawings. Meticulous watercolour copies, for example, provide an almost archaeological charting of each clue, inscription and rough patch on the paper, giving tangibility to the remains of now invisible plots. In Memorie di un Cieco a microfiche reader, the kind you used to find in libraries, lets you read the verso of the images as it jumps randomly back and forth in time. The artist is endlessly actualizing the past and putting together stories free of all chronology. Smog a Los Angeles is at once paradoxical and exemplary of Benassi's work. Accompanied solely by a handwritten number and typed on the pristine, so to speak almost amnesic surface of the photographic paper, this laconic legend describes the image of something (smog) that stops you from seeing (Los Angeles). The task, then, is to re-present to oneself what cannot be observed, working from memory or, failing that, via fiction: Smog a Los Angeles summons us to enter history's blind spots, to recall, interpret and invent. Once inside, our vision of things is activated by various contrivances that home in on, transform and problematise curious archives. A time machine here, birdsong there, a carpet-reproduction of a telegram that once changed an aspect of the world, a modernist cell, a watercolour, a factory canteen table still vibrating from its users, a car: all these things make the history of the 20th century – or rather the memory of it – a dense space, an exhibition through which the spectator moves blindly, stumbling on recollections, rectifying errors of interpretation, conversing with the spectres of Pasolini, Angela Davis, Mario Merz, Einstein, famous animals and illustrious dictators.

We know that a proxy server works as an intermediate between the client/user/person and the other server which maintains the website, i.e. has the needed information. For instance, when you need to learn about the weather tomorrow, you go to a website and read about it. When providing you with the information, the website also gets information from you like your IP address, probably your location, etc. However, when you use a proxy, your request doesn’t go to the website, it goes to your proxy server. In simple words, this is just another computer that goes to the website following your request and then delivers you the needed data living you out of it. The weather website won’t know it was you as your IP address will be either hidden or substituted by the server’s IP. This invention serves to add structure to the distributed systems and bring more order to the system. When you need a proxy, go to proxy-seller.com and get one. Although there are many kinds of proxies and they perform various tasks, there are basically two types of proxies. These types are based more on how they operate instead of what they do. There are open and reverse proxy servers. Let’s find out more about them. Open proxy servers are used to get the data from various sources and any Internet user can access them. These are the anonymous and transparent proxies that perform the role of the intermediate between the user’s PC and the requested website. They have more of a forwarding function. Reverse proxies are more general as they forward the data to another server or many of them. These servers get the data on the user’s behalf and then deliver as if the data is from the server itself. A proxy and a web server create the so-called internal network. When you need to bypass a geolocation restriction, you should go to and learn how to access the websites which weren’t accessible before. This kind of servers substitutes your IP with an IP address which is located within the region that allows browsing. For instance, Ukraine banned the Russian social media network vk.com and know anybody who is in the country has to use a proxy or VPN to make it look like he is anywhere else in the world but for Ukraine.

Are you unable to ride a horse due to allergies ? There is new hope for people with allergies to horses. A rare breed of horse with a different hair coat has solved that problem. "They are totally different from other horses, " said Sonja Oakes, of Oakesmuir Farm in Guelph, Ontario. Most people with horse allergies find that the Bashkir Curly horse does not create a reaction, because its genetic design is different from other horse breeds. There have been many visitors from around the world to the Oakesmuir Farm - most people with allergies to horses have not reacted to this breed. Curlies do not require shoes because they have naturally strong hooves. Check out the length of his mane! Although they are most famous for being hypo-allergenic, Curly horses have many other exceptional features. Nature has provided these horses with a unique heating and cooling system. Their thick curly winter coat repels rain and snow. Underneath, air is trapped near the short hair coat next to the body, keeping them warm. They are able to withstand cold winters, and can stay outside year-round. In the spring, they shed their coats. Some of our Curlies are homozygous for curls. This means that the gene that produces curls is a dominant gene and a homozygous Curly can only produce foals that have curly coats. The advantage to having a homozygous Curly is that you can breed it to any breed of horse, curly coated or not, and you will still get a foal with curls. Curlies come in all colours, plus they may also be appaloosa, pinto, tri-colour, etc. Some of our Curlies are also homozygous for colour, meaning that all of their foals will be pinto coloured. The coat can range from a crushed velvet look, to a gentle wave, to tight corkscrew curls over the entire body. Their thick manes often appear wavy. Naturally very gentle, many Curly horses do not have the same flight reaction other breeds do when frightened. They tend to assess, not flee, making them safer mounts. Curly's seem to bond with people and learn quickly. This trait makes them good for children and novice riders. They are suitable for most disciplines, both English and Western. Curlies have performed well in national-level dressage, jumping, vaulting, side-saddle, and endurance riding. They excel at everything, including being pleasure, family-oriented mounts. It's a long road from mediocrity to superiority. In a breeding program, it takes years, even with a breed as good as the Bashkir Curly horse. Our goal is to reach the top, and we have made some big steps in that direction. Oakesmuir Curly Horses started over two decades ago with foundation mares and one of the best studs in the breed. Having purchased many horses that we felt epitomized the qualities of the Curlies, our diligence and perseverance in finding top-notch breeding stock has resulted in a successful breeding program. Curly horses are prospering in North America and Europe, and Oakesmuir Curly Horses is one of the leaders. We export Curly horses around the world. We have our eyes on the future, which is why we have achieved such success, and will continue to play a role in the development of the Bashkir Curly Horse breed. Four factors are responsible for these achievements: the quality of our horses, our excellent training regimen, the accuracy in our genetic evaluation programs, and our professional after-sale service. Mares and stallions with excellent conformation and attitude provide the cornerstone of our operation and, with good nutritional support, are having superior foals. The result of our investment of time and money has been the production of correct and beautiful performance-oriented foals. Some of our foals are being trained for hunters and dressage, and we hope that over the years, as we gain more experience, we can further refine our breeding program.

Show don’t tell is a basic writing concept that applies to both non-fiction and fiction writers. It makes our writing so much more interesting – but it’s a hard concept to grasp when you’re starting out. Here’s 5 easy ways to know if you’re showing or telling. He was angry. She hated him. He waited anxiously. She paced with pent-up anger. This is telling. Naming emotions is a quick way for writers to tell the reader what’s going on. But it’s not very interesting to read. SHOW how they feel, and dive deeper than clenched fists. Watch the people around you, think about your own body language. What does someone who’s angry look like? How do they carry themselves? Does their voice change tone or pitch? First thing I did was hug him, grateful to have found him safe and whole. Then I grabbed the bread from his hands and jammed it onto a nearby shelf not caring if it was smushed or not. Was I really upset with the bread? No. The anger was a reaction to being scared and a little embarrassed. He growled. She screamed. He bellowed. She begged. This is telling. Write dialogue that’s clear and succinct, and use action beats to SHOW the reader how to interpret what the character is saying – or not saying. Check out our post on the Power of Said. Showing will mean extra words, but you’ll get better at writing tight and being concise. She was good looking. The lake is beautiful. These, and other terms like these, are too abstract and only tell the reader about a scene or a person. This is a great opportunity for character development. Show the reader why the character finds something beautiful, let the reader see the world through their eyes. What makes the lake scene beautiful to them? Is it the tall birch trees reflected in the water just like at the cottage when she was a kid? Is it the morning mist and the knowledge that the fish will be biting, or the view of her family in the canoe? What is it about her that he finds good looking? Is she dressed immodestly? Does she remind him of his mother? Is it because she sacrifices her Saturday mornings to weed her grandmother’s gardens? Use the opportunity to give readers a glimpse inside the character’s mind, motivations and desires. Choosing strong descriptive verbs over weak verbs is an easy way to pump life into your writing. He walked to the principal’s office. What does this show us about the character? Nothing – it tells the reader where he is and what he is doing. Walked is a functional verb, and there are times when this is appropriate. Sometimes you just walk to the door, pick up the phone, start the car… Enough said. But reexamine how you use these verbs. Choosing stronger verbs that do double duty and show the reader more about how the character feels, what they’re thinking, etc. are more economical and keep movement in your story. Skipped, marched, strolled, trudged – these are all going to give the reader more insight into the character than walked. He marched to the principal’s office. The girls skipped down the hall holding hands and giggling. With his hands in his pockets, he avoided looking at anyone as he rushed to the principal’s office. Andy shrugged. “I don’t know.” If you’d been around when Andy was younger, you’d know he was hearing his father run him down again even though his old man had been dead for ten years. You see how the second example gives the reader all the same information without the huge flashing neon lights from the author that says – see this! Make sure you get this. This is important. Isn’t the second example more interesting to read? Give your readers some credit. This is what critiques are for. If the reader doesn’t get it, then you go back and edit – but don’t jump into the story. Let your reader experience the story alongside your characters. haha Well, when you start selling 100,000 copies of a book because your name’s on it, I guess you’re allowed to break a few rules. Writers trying to break in usually aren’t afforded that luxury. Know the rules and then break them – this should be another post. Sometimes writers break rules on purpose too. The real problem with showing and telling is that, like Lisa said above, you need to know when to break the “rule.” You can’t show everything. Sometimes you do need to “tell.” But not in the five areas above. In those places, you definitely do need to show. We hear “show, not tell” all the time, but sometimes it’s difficult to know what that means. I think you’ve explained it very clearly here. I’m keeping these things in mind as I start rewriting. Thanks again! I can never get enough guidance on this topic. It is so important. I have purchased a lot of e-books that clearly tell and not show. It glares so bright I have to put it away and just delete it from the device. It is a hard part of the craft to perfect, but well worth it!

A modern example of headgear (doppe) from Uzbekistan, decorated with gold coloured metal thread. TRC collection. The spectacular TRC exhibition, which opened on 1st February and could be seen until the end of June, focused on the use of gold and silver threads, sheet gold and paints, to decorate textiles and garments. On display was a wide range of textiles, garments and headgear from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The exhibition included Egyptian textiles from the 13th century AD as well as some rare velvet and silk European textiles from the 17th and 18th centuries woven with metal threads (gold, gilt and silver forms). The majority of items dated from the 20th century and reflected a wide range of uses and decorative techniques. The exhibition explored the use of gold and silver (actual and artificial) in textiles, and includes several elaborate and early pieces from Indonesia, as well as applied and embroidered textiles and garments, such as 19th century church embroidery, a bridal outfit from India and a festive outfit from Oman. There was even a section about garments made of metal, such as an elaborate Miao woman's headpiece from China and a dancing girdle from Malaysia made of silver coins. There was much more to see and use as a source of inspiration.

The different types of nails are a bit confused to be distinguished. Gel nails and acrylic nails often get confused by the users. Solar nails and acrylic are also similar in many ways but different in terms of the chemical compounds. Gel nails can be helpful to those who are allergic to acrylic to have a nail extension. Solar nails are different than other extensions. Unlike acrylic, they are used directly to the natural nails. Here we have a comparative and contrastive discussion on Solar Nails and Gel Nails. Solar nails and Gel nails are mainly different in terms of their materials and applying process. One is a mixture of powder and liquid another is semi-liquid. Solar nails get harder by air whereas gel nail needs UV light. There is also a difference in the expenses of these two designs. All these things are discussed below. Solar nails, gel and acrylic nails.The public need to be educated on these are when the nails are built with acrylic (powder & liquid) filed and then a coat of thin gel polish is brushed on like nail polish and is cured under a light) also, do not confuse gel nails with a gel nail polish that comes in a nail polish bottle, is not meant for building and is applied like nail polish and , confused about gel versus solar versus acrylic nails!!! Solar nails are made of FDA approved chemicals Poly Ethyl Methacrylate. It is found in two formats: liquid and powder’. When these two compounds are mixed together they become solid and get attached to the nails. The entire nail and the cuticles are filled with this mixture till the whole nail is filled with the desired color. A lot of professional beauticians use solar nails as their first choice. Solar nails give a glossy and natural look on your fingertips. The color of solar nails are long lasting and the bails are more durable. Solar nails can be applied directly on the surface of your nail without harming it. Besides, solar nails are comparatively cheap and more viable. So, you do not have to go to the beauty salon so frequently. Solar nails can cost within the range of 25$-35$ depending on the designs and product materials. Solar nails are safe and they can be applied directly to the natural nails without causing any damage. The mixture of liquid and powder is applied on the surface of the nail. When it dries up you have to fill the gap between the cuticle and the nail. Wait until the whole nails are covered. These nails are refillable. If the beauty fades way you can have it refilled and renewed. Solar nails have long lasting durability. Several layers are used to strengthen the base coat as well as the solar nails. Never try to remove your solar nails forcefully. Soak them in acetone until the acrylic part of the nails are fully removed. If you try to pry the nails off forcefully they will harm your natural nails. Do the removal as gently as you can. Gel nails are mostly a substance of semi-liquid and sticky gel. These nails are taken care of under a light after being applied on the nails. These gel nails are also made of a complicated chemical compound such as polymer resins and it is cured under UV light. There are three steps in the way of achieving the gel nails. A base coat, a nail polish and finally the expected coat is applied and cured under UV light. That is why these nails are expensive to have. But, they have more positive side than the negative ones. These nails are more glossy and natural looking than other nails. The materials which are used in gel nails are not harmful to health. One great problem is gel nails are not easily removable. Despite all these pros and cons, gel nails have been used worldwide by renowned nail technicians. These gel nails are somewhat costly. You have to pay at least 35$ for a very simple design which may be increased to 100$ to have stunning gel nails on your finger. Gel nails are safe to have but the curing process is crucial. You have to use UV light for curing and UV is not good for our body. So, if you are so concerned with the bad effect of radiation you should avoid this. The application is easy except the curing part. Use the base coat and cure it under the UV light for 15 seconds. Then use your desired nail polish to design your gel nails as you like. Gel nails generally last for 2-3 weeks. But, these nails are not refillable. So, you have to remove the gels if anything bad happens. The removal of gel nails should be done with great care. The beds of your nails are very important. To avoid any damage you can go to a salon for removal. You can do it yourself too using 1oo% acetone or a gel remover. We have discussed how these nails are done, let’s see the difference regarding how they look. Solar nail gives a beautiful and glossy look to your nails. These nails are better than acrylic nails. They are more durable and can be fixed at home if broken. You can try this design which is comparatively cheap but gives better service. Gel nails give an almost natural look to your fingers. Since it needs three steps to have the gel nails done, this design is sometimes troublesome. But, considering the amazing look it will give you can undergo that trouble with a smiling face. Solar Nails and Gel Nails both have some merits and demerits. You will never the understand the meaning of light without the presence of darkness. So, nothing to be worried. Design your nails as your desire. No matter what if it is solar or gel.

According to official follow-up reports on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Morocco has made progress towards several of the goals and is on the way to achieving others. However, this conclusion is based on a purely quantitative focus and does not reflect the real human development situation in the country. There are problems in the implementation of the scant official development assistance (ODA) that Morocco receives. In education, these impede any concerted efforts by the Government and civil society organizations to eliminate illiteracy and provide universal access. The 2009 country report on progress towards the MDGs emphasizes that Morocco, which endorsed the Paris Declaration on aid effectiveness, participated in the second follow-up survey in 2008 that was carried out under the aegis of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) working group on aid effectiveness and, more specifically, the Development Assistance Committee (DAC). This study shows that the official development assistance (ODA) that Morocco receives – a total of USD 2.3 billion in 2007 – amounts to only 12.6% of the country’s budget (some USD 18 billion). The World Bank is presented as the country’s main financial partner with 18.8% of total ODA (USD 426 million). Next are the European Union with 13.6% (USD 308 million) and then the European Investment Bank with 9.7% (USD 221 million). The UN contributes only 1% of total ODA (USD 22.5 million) and the US provides 0.9% (USD 20 million). Civil society organizations have stressed how small the share of ODA is in financing development in Morocco, and point out that ultimately it is the State and the people themselves who have to carry the biggest part of this financial burden. There is no explanation as to why the World Bank figures so prominently among the organizations providing assistance for development in Morocco. This is a bank, after all, and most of the funds it provides are loans rather than grants so they have to be repaid with interest. In addition, part of the meagre grants from this institution, and from many other international financial institutions, go to finance technical studies to prepare for the allocation of loans for development. There has also been yet another in an apparently endless series of initiatives to reform the country’s education system: the Urgency Plan (PU), which is budgeted at USD 5.3 billion. The persistent inability to tackle the far-reaching problems in this area casts serious doubt on the effectiveness of the World Bank and discredits its constant propaganda about good governance in development projects. Many civil society organizations have criticized the distribution of large amounts of resources for projects whose ultimate quality is in doubt and for which future generations of Moroccans will have to pay. In 2007 the US signed a compact with Morocco in the framework of the Millennium Challenge Corporation(MCC) for USD 697.5 million, which was the largest amount that the MCC had committed up to that point. These funds were intended to raise productivity and improve employment opportunities in sectors with the best potential, and thereby to generate an annual GDP increase to the tune of USD 118 million. According to the General Director of the MCC, John J. Danilovich, this would directly benefit 600,000 Moroccan families. More than two years after this initiative went into operation, Salua Karkri Belkeziz, a Deputy (member of parliament) from the Socialist Union of Popular Forces claimed that only USD 50 million had so far been received. The rate at which these projects developed would therefore be far slower than the objectives that had been set. Deputies have also questioned the selection, organization and land distribution criteria employed in key projects. What should be the level of ODA? What should be its priorities? Which procedures should be put in place for its implementation? What should be done to make the aid process more participative while ensuring better governance? ODA in Morocco is not coordinated or harmonized. There are numerous agencies, foundations and other structures for social development with similar mandates (including the Ministry of Social Development, the Social Development Agency, the Agencies for Northern, Southern and Eastern Development and the Rural Development Agency). Moreover, international cooperation programs and projects very often overlap. All of this rebounds to the detriment of the effective implementation of aid for development in general. In response to this situation the idea emerged to set up a “thematic group to harmonize fund providers,” which is an aid coordination group with a dozen members. The main objectives of this control structure are to propose paths and avenues to improve aid; to publish a good practices guide for the technical and financial partners that operate in Morocco; and to make concrete proposals to the Government to optimize aid coordination mechanisms. However, the place and the role of the Moroccan counterpart in all this are not clear: it seems not to figure in the structure when one would suppose it should be directing the thematic group. At the same time, the Ministry of Economics and Finance, in association with UNDP and with financial support from France and Spain, has since 2008 been drawing up a Map of Development Projects through a system of geographical information. This is intended to provide “a database to ensure the integrated management of information about development [and] enable the group of members to access in the middle term complete, reliable data about interventions implemented as part of public aid for development and of structural development projects in Morocco, thus enhancing the visibility of the aid the country receives.” The project is defined as a tool for communication, for publishing information, for teamwork and for coordination. The education sector is notorious for taking a large part of the budget and it is also the sector that benefits most from international cooperation and ODA. But while the quantitative results seem to be on course and acceptable, they are seriously deficient from the quality point of view. International studies about the evaluation of knowledge acquired at school make it clear that the performance of Moroccan children in sciences, mathematics and reading is dismal. For example, the average score in mathematics of 4th year primary school pupils in Morocco was 347, which is far below the international average of 495. Some 61% of schoolchildren cannot meet the minimum mathematics requirements laid down by the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In sciences the average score of Moroccan pupils was 304, which is also very low compared to the international average of 489. Some 66% of schoolchildren do not meet the basic requirements for sciences set by the TIMSS. The Government has shown evident concern about the critical situation in education, which it has given high priority on its agenda. As mentioned above, the Urgency Plan has a large budget allocation. Some positive effects have included the construction or renovation of many schools, under the INDH, and the participation of civil society organizations in the management of pre-school education in remote parts of the country. In addition, information and communications technologies (ICTs) are being progressively introduced into education practices. Even at the level of non-formal education it is noteworthy that ICT departments and literacy programs are in operation. However, the reform introduced through the national education and training plan failed and there continue to be a number of weaknesses in this area. In terms of the PU, the French language (which not everyone in the country speaks) is frequently used in technical documents on PU projects and the projects are often prone to improvisation. There is also a lack of rationalization in the management of human resources, and many places have no teachers. This means that the possibility of schooling in remote parts of the country is limited. In spite of the many literacy programs, illiteracy is still widespread in Morocco compared to other countries at a similar level of development and there is a lack of suitable premises for literacy courses. There are many economic hindrances and also socio-cultural resistance to training for adults, and the content of literacy programs is not adapted to the specific needs of the different regions. The MDGs in Morocco are mainly used as a slogan when the time comes periodically to draw up and issue international reports. Apart from that, nobody talks about them, neither the public authorities nor most civil society organizations. In any event, civil society organizations have very little power to act directly and intervene in the fund provision process. In spite of the fact that international aid is so scarce, however, it still provides a kind of vigilance mechanism that pushes the public authorities to exercise control and respond to demands, which is essential to the main principle of the Paris Declaration--nationally owned development.

London is the capital and largest city of both the United Kingdom and England. Standing on the . hitherto accompanied the royal English court as it moved around the country, grew in size and sophistication and became increasingly fixed in. The United Kingdom (UK) comprises four countries: England, Scotland and Wales and comprising the majority of the population and area of the United Kingdom, remains fully the responsibility of the UK Parliament centralised in London. Jul 20, I found the most succinct description I've ever seen of how England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom relate to each other in a library newsletter about travel guidebooks: Great Britain is the name of the island that is home to the countries of England, Wales, and Scotland. Where is London located in the UK, and many other questions about London a country in its own right, England is also part of the United Kingdom alongside. The official name of the UK is the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". is made up of: England - The capital is London. The Union Flag, popularly known as the Union Jack, symbolises the union of the countries of the UK. Jan 24, The United Kingdom is in itself a country that is made up of England, It has one government based in London and has one currency: the. London is a city found in England, The United Kingdom. It is located map showing the location of London The World's Largest Oil Reserves By Country. London: London, city, capital of the United Kingdom. By far Britain's largest metropolis, it is also the country's economic, transportation, and cultural centre. London is situated in southeastern England, lying astride the River Thames some . CAPITAL: London The United Kingdom, also called the U.K., consists of a group of islands off the northwest coast of Europe. It is a unique country made up of four nations: England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. England, Wales . Key differences between Great Britain, the United Kingdom, England, and the British Isles. While England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are called countries, there exist regulations The capital city of the United Kingdom is London.

It is a goat coming from Nicastro area, today Lamezia Terme (province of Catanzaro – Calabria), at the foot of Mount Reventino. It is bred in the province of Catanzaro and because of its good economic features it has spread in the nearby provinces. Black coat with white bosom and limbs, as well as part of the head and possibly the sides; long smooth hair in females, tougher in males. Horns are usually present in both sexes. It is reared for both milk and meat.

Time to wear a kimono and cut things down! The Land of Rising Sun has a rich and extensive history that spans millennia. During the course of its evolution, the Japanese civilization has moved its center on numerous occasions. For travelers who are interested in discovering this timeless tale called Japan, we created this program to bring you to five of the country’s capitals of the past and present: Tokyo, Kamakura, Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka. The goal of this itinerary is to show you the fruits of the Japanese ingenuity throughout the ages. You will start with the present capital, Tokyo, and see both its past and future. You will then visit the ancient capitals, Kamakura, Kyoto, and Nara, all of which have important shrines and temples, legacy of the religion-centric Classical and Medieval era of Japan. Finally, you will explore Osaka and experience its history from its days as Naniwa to the lively city it is today. This itinerary will showcase the iconic spots in each capital city, as well as museums that cover a wide spectrum of topics relevant to the development of the Japanese culture. You will also make a day trip to Mt. Fuji, an icon that has been a center of the people’s belief for centuries. Overall, the Five Capitals tour will be a treat for history buffs and casual travelers alike! An English-speaking guide will accompany you on Days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. The guide will be at your service during the designated tour hours. The guide will also pick you up at the airport if your flight arrives during working hours (between 9 AM and 5 PM, Japan time). In the event that your flight arrives early, we can arrange a half-day tour on the day of arrival at an additional cost. The tour price includes nine nights in 4-star hotels. Breakfast is included for each night’s stay in a hotel. Lunch is provided on every guided day, but not on days of arrival or departure. As you can only check into your hotel starting at 3 PM, in the event that your flight arrives early, we can arrange lunch on the day of arrival at an additional cost. The tour price includes the service of a driver and a private car on every guided day. It also includes a scheduled bullet train transfer between Tokyo and Kyoto on Day 6. The driver and car will be available only during the designated tour hours, and only for the included destinations. Airport pickup is also included if your flight arrives during working hours (between 9 AM and 5 PM, Japan time). In the event that your flight arrives early, we can extend the use of the private car for the purposes of lunch or a half-day tour at an additional cost. Please note that airport transfer for departure is not included. The opening act of this tour brings you to the futuristic side of Tokyo. In the morning, you will be exploring the artificial island of Odaiba. Originally a defensive fort to protect Edo from a more advanced civilization, this place is itself now the pinnacle of advancement. You will discover exhibits of scientific breakthroughs in the Miraikan museum, and see the signature landmarks of Odaiba such as the Gundam statue and the futuristic Fuji TV Building. In the afternoon, you will visit Tokyo Skytree, an awe-inspiring structure that is currently the tallest tower, as well as the second highest structure in the world. Enjoy lunch at an altitude of 350 meters with the entirety of the city right outside your window! After that you will visit TOTO’s showroom in Shinjuku, displaying many hi-tech home gadgets including the cutting-edge of their famous “Washlet” technology. Explore the innovative quality-of-life improvements that have become a staple for Japanese households today. Finally, you will make a stop at Shibuya to appreciate the ever crowded intersection, and the bright neon signs and giant screens that make Tokyo as lively as it is modern. It is time to explore Tokyo’s history. Your first destination is the oldest temple in the city, Senso-ji. Built in the 7th century, the Buddhist house of worship was built by two fishermen long before Edo became the capital of Japan. The bulk of Tokyo’s history as a capital city, however, is the Edo period itself, which you will relive in the Edo-Tokyo Museum. You will see miniaturized models of the city in that era, as well as many relevant exhibits that depict life in the 260-year-long dynasty. You will also learn about the rapid development that Tokyo underwent after the Meiji Restoration. In the afternoon, you will visit Ginza and dine on fine traditional Japanese dishes before you resume with exploring Tokyo’s history. A civilization’s traditional art forms are surviving legacies of the past, and you will therefore experience history itself firsthand as you get acquainted with batto (the art of sword-drawing) and waso (traditional Japanese garbs/kimono). Finally, you will visit what was once Edo Castle and is nowadays a domain of the Imperial Family, and explore the regal East Garden of the Palace. Today, you will visit the eponymous capital of the Kamakura shogunate, which effectively governed Japan around the 13th century. In the morning, you will visit two historic temples of the Jodo sect of Buddhism. The first one features an outdoor statue of a sitting Buddha, while the latter houses a wooden statue of an eleven-faced Kannon. Both were built during the Kamakura period. Between the capital cities in the Kanto and Kansai region, you will go on a side trip to the vicinity of Mt. Fuji. This excursion is divided into two parts. The first is to deliver to you the view that the Japanese have so venerated since the ancient times. The second is to bring you to a quaint village that developed around the eight ponds formed from the melted snow of the mountain. See and experience the sacred mountain -- its soil, air, and water! For the first part, depending on the season and weather conditions, you may or may not be able to go up Mt. Fuji itself. While the view of the peak from above the clouds are superb, there in an attractive alternative even on days when the stops on the slope are not available: a ropeway up Mt. Tenjo, the fabled setting of the folk story Kachi Kachi Yama. Enjoy the picturesque Fuji Five Lakes area before you resume city-hopping on the next day! Bidding goodbye to Tokyo, you will take the bullet train to Kyoto, the thousand-year capital. On the two-hour journey along the Tokaido Shinkansen, which traces an old trade route between the two capitals, you may catch another glimpse of Mt. Fuji. Upon arrival, you will get your first taste of Kyoto -- its traditional cuisine that is equal parts food and art. Afterward, you will get acquainted to two spots that mark the beginning and the end of imperial presence in Kyoto. You will visit the Heian Shrine, built after the Meiji Restoration to honor the first and last emperors to reign from Kyoto. Afterward, you will get a view of the entirety of Kyoto from atop Shogunzuka, the very place where Emperor Kanmu is said to have laid his eyes on the land on which he would later found the capital city (Heian-kyo) more than 1,200 years ago. At the end of the day, you will explore the Higashiyama neighborhood, a well-preserved historic district. Aside from the traditional shops, it also houses several important temples, including Kiyomizu-dera, which was built around the same time Heian-kyo was named the capital. Many of Kyoto’s famous landmarks are related to Zen Buddhism and the Feudal era. Today, you will be introduced to three Zen temples constructed during the Ashikaga shogunate, in chronological order. Toji-in with its lush gardens, built by the founder of the dynasty, represents “birth.” His grandson’s temple, Kinkaku-ji and its lavish golden exterior, is “glory.” Finally, Ryoan-ji, most famous for its dry landscape of rocks and gravel, may imply the “withering.” As such, the trinity completes the cycle in Buddhist philosophy, where nothing is eternal. Afterward, you will visit a castle built by the Tokugawa clan after the fall of the Ashikaga reign. This Edo-era stronghold features massive walls and a wide moat, a carefully maintained landscape garden, orchards of cherry and plum trees, and most importantly, a beautifully decorated palace building. The castle is both elegant and imposing, a fine representation of the power that the shogun wielded. The ancient capital since times chronicled in legends, Yamato, and its legacy is found in present-day Nara. During the eight decade when the city of Nara itself served as the seat of the Emperor, a temple was constructed that came to house the world’s largest bronze statue of the Daibutsu. This temple, now known as Todai-ji, held supreme authority over all schools of Buddhism in Japan at its time. And it is yours to explore today. Another important destination is Kasuga Taisha, a grand shrine also established during the Nara period. The so-called “shrine of a thousand lanterns” belonged to the Fujiwara clan, who were influential throughout the Nara and Heian period. Other highlights of the day include the tea porridge lunch and the influential Horyu-ji temple, which contains some of the world’s oldest surviving wooden structures. When you are done exploring Nara, you will be transferred to your hotel in Osaka, your last destination on this trip. In the morning, you will visit Osaka Castle, whose classic exterior belies its modern interior. Now a museum, the castle primarily displays exhibits concerning Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the three great unifiers of Japan, and predecessor to Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the longest-lasting shogunate in Japanese history. Afterward, you will visit an area of re-created streets and buildings from Edo-period Osaka , where you will get to experience the zeitgeist in a rental kimono. The last item on the menu is Osaka’s most comprehensive museum, which covers the extensive history of the city, from old capital Naniwa in the ancient times to bustling urban prefecture Osaka in the Showa period. You can explore the massive exhibition until its closing time at 5 PM. Finally, you will be transferred to a hotel near Kansai International Airport. Enjoy your last night in the country!

SmartTag: Looking at the Next Generation, and Beyond. A significant amount of the consulting work performed by Metso’s Process Technology and Innovation group involves Process Integration and Optimization (PIO) studies, which includes investigating the effects of drill and blast design and implementation on downstream processing. Critical to these studies is the ability to track specific ore into and through the plant. To increase the accuracy of this ore tracking, Metso Process Technology and Innovation (PTI) developed a system to track ore using RFID transponders called SmartTag. Since its commercialization in 2007 SmartTag has been used in the majority of PTI’s consulting projects and several permanent systems have been installed worldwide. According to PTI, the benefits of using SmartTag include: linking spatial mine data to time-based processing data; increased confidence in ore blending; proactive process changes for known ore types; and accurate measurement of residence times in stock piles and bins. Since 2007, there have been significant advancements with RFID technology that have allowed PTI to extend the reach of SmartTag beyond secondary crushing to tertiary crushing and even further downstream. This has been achieved by drastically reducing the size of the SmartTags from a diameter of 60 mm to 20 mm. The new smaller RFID tags have been successfully used in several studies. A SmartTag RFID tag travels through a mine and mineral processing plant in a series of simple steps. Initially, the tag and insertion location is logged using a handheld computer or PDA, then it is inserted into the ore (e.g., into a blasthole). The tag travels with the ore through digging, transport and processing before being detected at specific locations on conveyor belts, when the time and specific tag is recorded. The RFID tag data is then loaded into a database and analyzed as required. To achieve this, the SmartTag system requires five main components: The first is a PDA, which allows the initial RFID tag insertion process to become more efficient and accurate. Each RFID tag is added to the database using one of three options—it is associated with a GPS coordinate; it is associated with a predefined point (such as a blasthole); or it is associated with a new point, which can be accurately located later. Currently, the system does not allow for high-precision GPS but it can locate the nearest point in a series of predefined points, such as blastholes, and allow the user to associate RFID tags with these points. The next component in the system, the antenna, is located at the conveyor belts. The antenna both induces a charge on the tag and also receives a transmitted signal back from the tag. The design of the antenna is decided by two parameters, which are its size and its robustness. The size of the antenna dictates the size and the strength of the field it radiates. For this application the area of field strong enough to charge the tag should be as large as possible; therefore, the antenna used for the SmartTag system is the largest available for this frequency of RFID system. An RFID reader then decodes the signal from the antenna and determines the ID of the RFID tag passing the antenna. Later versions of the readers also have auto-tuning capabilities which ensure that the maximum possible read distance is achieved at all times. In the SmartTag system the reader then transmits the ID using serial communications. A data logging or buffer stage improves the reliability of the systems and also makes movable systems possible. The data logger receives data directly from the RFID reader, stores the IDs with the time they were detected and monitors vital system parameters, such as the tuning state of the antenna. The data logging stage also makes SmartTag less reliant on communication links (such as wireless) as the data are stored at the detection point until a link is established to the software applications. The critical communications links, such as the link between the antenna and the reader, are all wired and reliable. The core of the SmartTag software is an SQL (Structured Query Language) database. The database, located on a dedicated server, stores all of the information about the detection points, detected RFID tags and original locations. There are several SmartTag software applications which either input data into the database or use the data to output information. These include the SmartTagServer, which reads data from the data loggers; the SmartTagPDA, which exchanges data with the PDAs and translates site blasthole layout diagrams; and the SmartTagRes, which calculates the residence time between two detection points. To expand the applications of SmartTag through and beyond secondary crushing, a mini RFID tag was required. To incorporate the mini RFID tags into the SmartTag system, PTI faced two significant challenges; first, the reduced read distance; and second, making the mini tags robust. By reducing the size of the RFID tag, the size of the antenna in the tag is also reduced. The size of the antenna in the tag is directly proportional to the amount of charge that is induced for a given field strength. Therefore, the read range of a tag will be reduced as the size of the tag is reduced. Through investigation, the 20-mm tags were found to have an insufficient read range for the standard SmartTag installation. PTI trialed two methods for fixing this issue; one method was to use two antennas while another was to place the antenna closer to the RFID tags. Both systems were tested at an iron ore mine. Both approaches, dual antennas or closer antenna distance, were found to have similar detection capability. However, based purely on the ease of installation, a single antenna located under the belt was chosen as the new standard installation method. The second challenge faced when incorporating the mini RFID tags into the SmartTag system was how to protect them sufficiently to survive a blast. A method previously used by PTI to achieve this was to encase the tags in a two-part epoxy. The method works well for protecting the tags, and although it is time-consuming and expensive it is currently the preferred method for protecting the tags. Different encasing materials, such as reinforced nylon, are still being investigated. After encasing in epoxy, the mini-tags have a diameter of 20 mm and are shown, with a standard SmartTag as reference, in Figure 1. The size of the mini RFID tags allows them to pass easily through screens with apertures down to 25 mm. Metso PTI has successfully incorporated a smaller, or mini, RFID tag into their SmartTag system. The changes to the system installation are minor and increase the reliability of the system as a whole. In several examples the mini RFID tags have proven to be, on average, more robust than normal sized RFID tags. The PTI team envisage that with the successful incorporation of the mini RFID tags into the SmartTag system it will allow applications for the system to be expanded. These new applications could include a wider use in the iron ore industry where size is the critical material quality. PTI is now working on proving the reliability of the next size of RFID tags—an even smaller micro RFID tag, which can pass through a 10-mm mesh screen. According to PTI, with the decreasing size of RFID tags and the development of SmartTag into a truly distributed system, it can be extended past the mine to cover the whole minerals supply chain. Detection points can now be located in the plant, the port and even at customer locations. The two case studies presented below demonstrate applications where it was advantageous to use the mini RFID tags rather than the normal size RFID tags. As part of a wider PIO study a secondary crushing circuit was surveyed while being fed with a particular ore type. To determine the origin of the ore at any particular time and, most importantly, during the surveys, SmartTag detection points were set up at three locations around the circuit. The three locations were primary crusher product, secondary crusher feed and secondary crusher product. A total of 384 mini RFID tags were placed on eight polygons (a polygon is defined as different ore zones within the mine block model) after the blast, the ROM pad and trucks as they tipped ore into the primary crusher. Of the 384 tags placed onto either the muck pile or on the ROM pad, 45% were detected. However, if this is compared with the percentage of each polygon that had been excavated by the end of the trial it is a fair conclusion that many of the RFID tags that weren’t detected were also not excavated during the trial. To determine the survival rate of the tags during secondary crushing, the number of tags detected before and after the secondary crusher were compared. Of the 128 tags detected before the secondary crusher, 97 were also detected after secondary crushing. However, as there were 52 tags that were detected after the secondary crusher but weren’t detected before the secondary crusher, the real survival rate is difficult to determine. By just comparing RFID tags detected at both detection points, it can be concluded that at least 76% of the mini tags survived secondary crushing, although this number is likely to be much higher. The screen immediately following the secondary crusher uses panels with 55-mm apertures and, as expected, none of the tags were recycled back through the secondary crusher. The primary application for SmartTag was to determine the origin of the ore being processed during the plant surveys. In this application, where the plant feed included ore from ROM mixing and stockpiles, SmartTag was essential for determining which materials were processed in the plant at the time of the surveys. Mini tags were required to enable the ore source to be tracked all the way through secondary crushing, and proved to be robust enough to survive both blasting and secondary crushing. PTI was contracted to assess the performance of a circuit at a mine in South America. The SmartTag system was used in this application to allow PTI engineers to know exactly when a surveyed blast was being processed. For this reason, detection points were located on conveyor belts carrying the product of the primary crusher, the output of the stockpile and the HPGR (High Pressure Grinding Roll) feed. As the blast was being audited RFID tags were deposited into 68 blastholes, using an even split of 34 normal tags and 34 mini tags. A further 50 tags were later added into the trays of 25 trucks at the primary crusher, using one of each of the two different types of tags in each truck. A total of 68 tags were identified at the primary crusher product detection point, 23 at the stockpile output detection point and 41 at the HPGR feed detection point. The blast occurred January 22 and the excavation of the muck pile took place roughly two months later between March 15–17. The SmartTag system monitored the material passing through the process over a period of 30 hours. During this period, a total of 67 different tags were detected; 33 were of normal size and 34 were mini tags. For the stockpile and HPGR feed detection points, the recovery was calculated with reference to the 64 distinct RFID tags detected at the primary crusher. Of the normal tags detected at the primary crusher detection point, 42.4% were then detected at the HPGR feed detection point; whereas for the mini tags 67.6% of tags detected at the primary crusher were also detected at the HPGR feed. This shows that the survival of the mini tags in the circuit is higher than the normal tags. In a hypothetical situation, where the secondary screening mesh is smaller than 50 x 50 mm, normal tags certainly would not reach the HPGR. The detection of tags at the primary crusher was also affected by the removal of the SmartTag system before the entire blast was processed for logistical reasons. The tags were used to track the material during an optimization campaign at the plant. During the plant survey the material that fed the plant originated from the central portion of the blast. An unexpected result was that three of the mini tags were twice detected at the HPGR feed detection point. An explanation for this is that they survived the HPGRs and returned with the circulating ore (screened to +5 mm).

Some of the muscles of the tongue, viewed from the right side. From Kimber et al. Textbook of Anatomy and Physiology, MacMillan, 1893. The tongue is a muscular organ that exhibits complex spatio-temporal gymnastics vital for performing crucial functions such as tasting, chewing, swallowing, and speaking. Ultrasound imaging research has made great strides to capture such intricate and highly coordinated nature of articulatory movements. To understand how the tongue functions in normal and to diagnose and treat pathological conditions, it is important to capture and analyze the tongue motion. A crucial step is the segmentation (contouring or delineations) of the tongue boundary. As ultrasound imaging captures spatio-temporal sequences (videos) of tongue motion, it is important to track the tongue motion with time. TongueTrack is a specialized software for tracking the tongue motion in ultrasound sequences. It has been validated on over 60 sequences (some of which are over 500 frames in length) and achieved an accuracy of about 3mm.